Playing golf with my hickory sticks is always great fun. It is an exercise in control, nuance and frustration. What a wonderful ride! I am still learning how each club performs, but one club I do have a handle on was my jigger. It is very narrow profile club that I use around the green similar to my 7-iron. It is a club that I think that will lower my golf score quickly as I continue to hone my short hickory stick game.
Continue readingAuthor: The Grateful Golfer
Open Clubface In The Sand
The success to most sand shots is the position of the clubface on impact. For years I tried to hit my sand shots with a square clubface only to be met with disappointment. Most of the time, my sand wedge would turn into a shovel that did not facilitate contact with the ball. It was very frustrating until I was taught to open my club face in order to allow the bounce to do its magic. Now, sand shots do not bother me one bit. However, there are a few things to remember when hitting out of the sand that will increase your chance of success.
Continue readingHitting Fairways and Greens
A challenge all golfers face is hitting fairways and greens. My young friend Alex is playing in a school tournament today. We have been played a few times with the intent of improving his game from tee to green. On Sunday past, we walked 9 holes at the Mattawa Golf and Ski Resort to discuss course management while playing in a stroke play tournament. It was a great round and Alex asked many great questions. The main topic of our conversation was how to play well at Osprey Links (a course I am very familiar). As we walked around our home course, we discussed the best way to loop Osprey Links; I told him to hit shots that keep him on the fairways and greens!
Continue readingOverreaching On The Golf Course
The ability of any golfer is limited in a moment in time. Regardless of your skills, when faced with a difficult golf shot most amateurs (myself included from time to time) look at shots that is not in their arsenal. During my two tournament victories last week, I was faced with this exact situation multiple times and each time I decided on the conservative approach to shot making. In all instances but one, I made par. The other was a bogey to half a hole. When playing in an event where every stroke matters, overreaching is a mental failure that most amateur golfers experience to the detriment of their score.
Continue readingGolfing At Laurentide Golf Course
Playing golf at anytime is generally a good time. Yesterday, I played a round at the Laurentide Golf Course with my very good friend Blair. We have been playing golf together for a long time, however this year we only played about five times together. Regardless, our round yesterday was one of the best of the season. We played fairly well ( I shot 77 and Blair shot 83) considering the challenges the greens at Laurentide presented. Every hole was an adventure that I would gladly do again at anytime.
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The Grateful Golfer 