Day Two – Ontario Golf Regionals for the Military

September 22, 2017September 21, 2017 / The Grateful Golfer / 8 Comments

Day Two did not go as planned. I had hoped to build on my great back 9 from Day One, however instead it was the best grinding round I shot in a long time. Nothing was smooth and I fought against all my natural instincts. I am not sure what happened between the two days, but after 8 bogeys and a double, I walked off the course with a satisfying 81!

The course set up was more difficult than the day before. We used some tee boxes that were not part of the practice round, but that is how things go. I cannot control these things, so I play the course they set up. On Day Two, the course was playing about 250 yards longer. This does not see much, but considering I was struggling, this extra distance made my round more difficult. Continue reading →

Day One – Ontario Golf Regionals for the Military

September 21, 2017 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

Day one of the Ontario Golf Regionals went as hoped. I played a strong round overall, but with mixed 9s. The course was set up to score and considering that it is late September, it is in fairly good shape. The only real challenge is the greens because they are playing slow and are a bit shaggy compared to earlier in the season. But we have to play the condition that is tournament golf. Continue reading →

What is Your Yardage for Scoring Low in Golf?

September 19, 2017September 18, 2017 / The Grateful Golfer / 6 Comments

Over the years, I talked about course management, hitting to yardage, and improving our GIR. Being an avid golfer, I am always looking for an edge to lower my golf score. A stroke here or there could result in me shooting even par or less. That is how important a few strokes are to my game. To achieve a low score, I have to understand my strengths and weaknesses so I ensure I am not passing up opportunities. Do you understand yours? Continue reading →

Challenges With Alignment

September 17, 2017September 17, 2017 / The Grateful Golfer / 10 Comments

It is amazing that any golfer can go from playing well to playing poorly with just one swing. In my case, this downward spiral happens when chunking an easy chip. I am not sure exactly why this happens, but it definitely has something to do with my alignment. Additionally, it happens when I am trying to be ‘too cute’ instead of being aggressive. When this happens, negative thoughts creep into my mind and it is a struggle for the rest of the round. Does this ever happen to you? Continue reading →

Adopting New Golf Strategies to Win

September 16, 2017September 16, 2017 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

With the Military Ontario Regional Golf Tournament looming on the horizon, I now step up my focused intent every time I pick up a golf club. Now is not the time to take a laissez-faire approach to playing because I do not have any time to waste. Knowing I need to be at my best to win next week, I like to adopt my tournament practices to ensure they are ready for when I start playing this 54 hole event.

I won this tournament in 2009 at the same course as this year; so, some prior knowledge is beneficial. Here is a preview to the course next week. The Petawawa Golf Club officially opened its doors in 1963 as a 9 hole golf course with a small club house at the end of Ypres Trail . The design and construction were done exclusively by the military. In 1968 a new clubhouse was constructed at the top of the hill where members and guests still enjoy this million dollar view overlooking the Ottawa River and province of Quebec. The course was upgraded in 1990 when Graham Cook was hired to redesign the existing 9 holes and expand the course to 18. The resulting par 71 is a fun yet challenging golf course for all skill levels.