Discussion

Golf Wisdom – Schooled By Experience

/ The Grateful Golfer / 7 Comments

Old ClubsGolf is an interesting sport, the young seem to think they can dominate the wily veteran through sheer power, but I am not so sure. Bernhard Langer at this year’s Masters was schooling the young guns until the last round; although he had a tough last round, he did finish in T27, not bad for a 58-year-old! For the first three rounds, he used his guile, experience and confidence to stay in the hunt and that kind of golf wisdom is generally gained from experience.

This reminds me of a game of golf about 25 years ago that taught me many lessons I never want to repeat. The main lesson was to never underestimate my opponent, regardless of what they look like, swing, or equipment they use; and never think that you have them beat before you start to play!

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Playing a Draw or Fade in Golf

/ The Grateful Golfer / 23 Comments
Hitting Straight is a miracle.

What is your natural ball flight?

My natural trajectory of a golf ball is straight or a very slight fade. Hitting the ball straight 80% of the time might seem like a gift from heaven, but I can tell you that sometimes I wish could shape the ball. I do work at shaping the ball on the range, but it is not something that comes natural.

If you are wondering about the other 20% of the time, my ball will fade or draw, but it is not controlled. I am not sure why this ball flight randomly decides to show up, but when it does, funky things happen to my game. The 20% randomness is a subject for another blog, for now I want to focus on the 80%! Continue reading →

The Days of Dominant Golf Are Over!

/ The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments
10th Hole At Glen Abbey Golf Club

10th Hole At Glen Abbey Golf Club

No-one will ever have golf under his thumb. No round ever will be so good it could not have been better. Perhaps this is why golf is the greatest of games. You are not playing a human adversary; you are playing a game. You are playing old man par. – Bobby Jones

The words of Bobby Jones ring true even today. The streak style of golf these days is a testament to legendary players like Sam Snead, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan and Arnold Palmer who dominate the game for decades. Rivalries were the backbone of professional golf. It appears the days of pure dominance is over!
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The Benefits of a Golf Club Fitting

/ The Grateful Golfer / 2 Comments
DSCF4828

Numbers from my club fitting.

Last fall I was fitted for my new Titleist AP2 irons and 915D, 915F, 915H. It was an awesome experience and the quality of my ball striking improved significantly once I received the right equipment. I can hardly wait for spring and to start-up where I left of last fall. The whole experience was very rewarding and I recommended it to the readers of this golf blog.

Understanding the entire fitting process is important to meet your expectations. There are many other ways to improve your game, however having the proper equipment is the most fundamental. Many amateurs, myself included before last fall, purchase equipment ‘off the rack’. It provides a 70% solution for most amateurs, but for the more avid player, buying ‘off the rack’ may not be the best solution to finding the proper equipment for their game. Continue reading →

Can You Predict a Winner in Golf?

/ The Grateful Golfer / 6 Comments

Believe, Concieve, AchieveToday will be a two post day! The first is to let you know that I want to host your predictions on my golf blog. Later today, after work, I am going to ‘go live’ with this new page.

The intent is to generate some conversation and maybe a bit of good old golfing fun for all those golfing pundits out there! All you need to do is give your choices via:

  • email – thegratefulgolfer@hotmail.ca
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Comment on this Blog
  • send me the link to your blog

I will post your choices for The Masters, The Open, US Open and PGA Championship and link to your site or tweet if you want. The plan is for everyone to make their choices for all four Majors before the first tee off at The Masters!

At the end, someone will wear the crown as the greatest pundit of all time! Or at least within The Grateful Golfer Community!

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!