Want Low Scores in Golf?

January 8, 2016January 8, 2016 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

We all want low scores in golf! There are very few players I know who does not want to play better every time they hit the links. Regardless of skill level, most golfers face the real challenge of using our time wisely to develop positive habits that will consistently improve our golf game and produce low scores.

What do you practice the most, thinking it will produce lower golf scores? When you first arrive at the course do you grab a bucket of balls and off the range you go; do you grab your wedge and hit a couple of balls before sprinting to the first tee; or do you grab your putter, hit couple 15 foot putts to get the feel back, then off to the range or first tee? I routinely see these and other less productive habits at my local course, and unfortunately, I am guilty of some of them from time to time. So what to do?

Lately, I have asked the golfing masses a series of questions about various golfing issues. Most of the time, the answers are in line with my approach to golf. Yet, now and then I am reminded about how to succeed at golf. As a result of a recent question, I was reminded of a lesson I never get tired of learning:

Your best rounds of #golf occur when the following is hot:

— The Grateful Golfer (@TheGratefulGolf) January 3, 2016

As you can see over 70% of the respondents have an awesome short game when they shoot low scores. I am not surprised because I have always said that to score low, it is important to have a consistent, focused and confident short game.

As I look back at the latter half of 2015, I remember practicing my short game less and hitting the range more. Do not get me wrong, range work is important, but practicing my short game is critical to low scores. I guess I was talking the talk, but forgetting to walk the walk! So I want to thank those who took the time to answer my question and reminded me to focus in 2016 to shoot low golf scores!

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

Bring On 2016

January 1, 2016 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

2016 is going to be an awesome golfing year! I am a grateful golfer!

2016 is going to be an awesome year! The first day of any new adventure brings the hope and confidence of something great to come! I am excited to renew my quests and to commence many new ones. 2016 will be a year of change; changes that I embrace and will meet will a positive, focused, and grateful attitude!

2016 is going to an awesome year! It is a year full of hope and endless possibilities. I believe that our destiny is in our own hands. We all have the ability to create the future we want. The only thing that stops us form achieving our goals is ourselves. Golf is but one avenue for us all to achieve greatness!

As 2016 unfolds, I am looking forward to all the exciting adventures coming my way. I am anxiously anticipating working through all the challenges, sharing positive experiences and hearing from The Grateful Golfer community!

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

Golf is All About Time

December 29, 2015December 26, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 10 Comments

Time is precious for a golfer!

Time is a valuable commodity for a golfer. Whether we have time to practice, get in a quick 18 or 9, time to research or time just to enjoy our favorite Major on TV. Time, Time, Time – it is so precious!

Golfers talk about time in the form of pace of play, swing tempo, lining up shots, time on the green, or the time it takes a player to make a decision about their next shot! No matter, time plays an important part of every players game.

Even the great players have discussed time on the course, towards growing the game, giving back to their community, or just having the time to make the need changes to score well on Tour. Time effects all aspects of their lives. The great Ben Hogan summed up time the best when he quipped:

Daylight Ben Hogan

Worrying about time can have some detrimental effects to our game! It can cause us to speed up our swing, make poor decisions, disregard course management and just plain give up on a shot. Time has the power to destroy your round and conversely make your round the best ever!

Now, lets stop and think about this for a minute. Does time really have the power over us or doe we let power control our lives to some extent? I believe that we have to power to control time! Time can be an irrelevant factor with respect to our golf game; only if we allow ourselves to make it so!

It is difficult to put into words, but one of my views of golf is that time is not a factor in my game. My pace of play is always good, so the rest of the effects of time is controlled by one thing…..me. I like routine and consistency in my approach to golf; every shot takes a certain amount of time and I use it all, every time. It is important to develop the proper habits that work for you so time does not have a negative affect on your game. Over the coming months, I will use time as the basis for discussion. I hope you have the time to read them!

During the off-season, I make the time to learn, train, and imagine about my upcoming success in my 2016 golf season. I leverage time to do all the fun things in my life – golf is just one – and ensure my time is spent in the best way possible! As your off-season unfolds (and golf season for some) keep in mind that time is only as relevant as you make it!

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

Golf Simulators: Pro or Con?

December 20, 2015December 20, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 11 Comments

Golf Simulator at Rhino Sports in Belleville, Ontario.

With the long off-season in Canada (with this year being the exception so far), golfing fanatics will try just about anything to keep our game in tune. We hit balls in the snow, use a dome, and where possible, use a golf simulator. I have only used a golf simulator twice before and never really gave it much thought about their value to my golf game. This year, at the prompting of my wife, I joined the indoor golf league with some friends and we have a standing game on Wednesday nights for 8 weeks starting in January.

The indoor golf league is hosted by Rhino Sports in Belleville, Ontario. It is a new business and Martin, the owner operator, decided to start the league to try to fill a void for us golfing fanatics. For $226 (tax included), can play 10 rounds of golf on world-class courses between now and 01 April. I met Martin for the first time last Wednesday and he is very up beat and his staff focus on customer service. So far, my experience at Rhino Sports has been very positive.

The simulator is basically a big video game. However, it offers different dimensions that are of value for most golfers looking to improve their game. Check it out:

Practicing before round

Spraying all over the place during warm up!

Some Stats that can help identify areas to work on.

Interesting stats for research area. Back Spin….Ouch!

I would take a drive like this all the time.

At this time, using the golf simulator is going to be fun and educational. As the season unfolds, I will drop in my stats and areas where I think I need to focus on in the 2016 season. If you notice anything, don’t be shy!

Have you ever used a golf simulator? Are you in the Pro or Con category?

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