Keeping Your Composure!

September 3, 2012April 5, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

Keeping your composure when the wheels fall off is the most difficult skill in golf. All of us have played the front nine as if we were pros. We start to count things up, figure that we are going to set a personal recorded…..the poof, our game comes crashing to earth.

I am sure many of you are thinking….yeah too many times. So how does an amateur keep their composure when things are falling apart. This does not mean showing zero emotion like Jason Dufner; it means keeping calm like Rory Mcilroy during the 2011 Masters. Staying focused when the whole world is falling down around you. So what to do?

The great Bobby Jones referred to composure when he said that “Competitive golf is played mainly on a five-and-a-half-inch course, the space between your ears.” I have read many different methods to keep your composure and I have my several techniques.

One technique is to laugh and smile at my silly shot. I do not hop around like a fool, but smile to myself and give a little chuckle. I find that I remain calm and I can easily refocus and prepare for my next shot.

Another technique is to say my name to myself like I am correcting something. It is sharp, quick and allows me to move on without carrying pent up emotions.

Lastly, I walk to my ball, look around at the beautiful surroundings, the sun shining, the birds singing, the gratitude of being able to play golf in an awesome country….I feel calm already. I guess you get my point.

The one thing in common with all three techniques is they quickly eliminate the negative focus of making a bad shot and focuses on the positive aspect of playing the game. Golf is meant to challenge your inner sportsman and remaining calm and enjoying your time on the links will only enhance your inner pro. I am a grateful golfer; see you on the links!

Too Much Respect!

September 2, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / 2 Comments

Today I had the tremendous opportunity to play at the North Bay Country Club (NBCC). They opened 4 tee times for military members in support of True Patriot Love Foundation. The NBCC, like other courses in the North Bay, Ontario, region such as Pinewood Park Resort and Osprey Links Golf Course, presents an excellent challenge to any golfer. The course was in fantastic shape, the greens were fast and the fairways plush. The sun was shining…..I guess you get the picture. I am a grateful golfer.

Too Much Respect! The greens at the NBCC constantly presented a challenge. They are extremely tough to read, fast if you are not below the hole and most are elevated. As I played the course today, I found myself extremely tentative and unsure of my approach shots. I was intimidated and afraid to play my game.

Well after 5 holes, I decided that I was giving the greens too much respect! So I decided to play my game, hunt for pins and focus on my strengths. What a difference. I started to take advantage of my opportunities and as a result I scored the same over par for the last 13 holes as I did for the first 5 holes. So the lesson for me, and I suggest for many golfers, is to always play my game, stay focused on my strengths and enjoy the time on the links.

I want to thank the local courses for opening their doors for the serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces. Your generosity is heart warming and appreciated!

True Patriot Love Foundation Launches New Initiative

August 31, 2012August 31, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / 2 Comments

True Patriot Love Foundation - Out of the Sand

Out of the Sand Like A Pro

Today I had the honor of playing golf at the launch of the True Patriot Love Foundation Golf Tournaments. True Patriot Love is a national foundation that supports and honours members of the Canadian military and their families. It was founded by a group of citizens dedicated to building bridges between Canadian civilians and their military, in order to better understand and appreciate the sacrifices of soldiers and their families. In celebrating the patriotism of our military families, our foundation also strives to inspire Canadians to serve their country, whether it’s in or out of uniform.

Score Golf says: “Our part is simple. Golfers who play this Labour Day weekend at participating Patriot Day courses across Canada can donate any dollar amount to help the cause and show we care about this nation’s military and their families. Thirty-seven courses from across Canada have made the commitment to this first Patriot Golf Day. You can see a full list of the participating courses by going to www.pgaofcanada.com. Courses not yet signed up can still do so by also visiting the website.”

We played 18 holes at the North Bay Golf and Country Club. It is a top rated private course. Pros from around the area came and showed their skills and help us launch this fantastic event. The course was in fantastic shape, the greens were amazing and the company was outstanding. We were extremely fortunate to LGen Dechamps, the Royal Canadian Air Force Commander, as the guest of honor. Overall, the day was fantastic.

As a serving military member, I cannot express my gratitude to the True Patriot Love foundation and want to thank them for caring for the men and women in uniform. Their contribution to our welfare is truly touching! Thank you.

Which Shot Was the Worst?

August 29, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / 2 Comments

Today, I learned a valuable lesson. I was golfing with a friend and we were playing pretty well. We were enjoying the beautiful weather, excellent conditions at Osprey Links, and great conversation. I am a grateful golfer just for the outstanding time on the links.

All was going well until the 16th hole. It is a long uphill par 5 with a difficult approach shot. I hit the ball a little long and rolled off the back into the long grass. Now the fun begins. I hit my 52 degree and chilly dipped the shot. Frustrated, I walked up to the ball on the fringe and sculled it 25 feet from the pin. A smooth 2 putt and ta da – 7.

So which was the worst shot….you are right. It was the 5th shot I sculled across the green. Every once in a while, I make silly mistakes like this. I should have walked over to my bag, grabbed the proper club and my putter. Then walk back to the ball and focus and visualize the ball going in the hole. This is an important lesson I continue to relearn.

Everyone makes a bad shot, it is what you do next that counts. Reducing strokes by staying focused and accepting that sometimes bad shots happen will reduce your overall score. Besides, on such a fantastic day what did I have to complain about…I am a grateful golfer!

Visualization to Success!

August 28, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / 5 Comments

Visualizing is the key to success in golf. I believe that visualizing your ball path will have nothing but positive results. So what does this really mean? How does one visualize anything? These are very good questions.

The Golf Sage says that “A perfect golf swing extends well beyond just having the best equipment to play the game. Yes, you need quality, reliable equipment and a lot of practice but that practice needs to be both physically and mentally as perfect as possible. Don’t replay your negative or unsuccessful plays in your head. You must focus on thinking about the positive and successful visualization of your game experience in every way.”

Jack Nicklaus said that: “I never hit a shot, not even in practice, without having a very sharp, in-focus picture of it in my head. First I see the ball where I want it to finish, nice and white and sitting up high on the bright green grass. Then the scene quickly changes, and I see the ball going there; its path, trajectory, and shape, even its behavior on landing. Then there is a sort of fade-out, and the next scene shows me making the kind of swing that will turn the previous images into reality.”

At Golfblogger.com the method described is the one I use. I pick a spot one foot ahead of my ball and visualize the flight path along that line. I focus on where I want it to land and how far. On the green, I do the exact same thing with one small change…..it goes in the hole every time. I find that I can easily duplicate this process and it enables me to quickly visualize success.

There is one thing in common in all the above comments. Visualization works and is important to improving your game. I visualize success everyday and while playing I visualize the perfect golf swing. I am a grateful golfer.