Wiarton Willie and Punxsutawney Phil

March 8, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 1 Comment

Wiarton Willie and Punxsutawney Phil are my two favorite rodents. Each year, they have an extremely difficult job to predict the weather. This year, both of these lovable creatures predicted an early spring.

3 Feet of Snow and it is time for it to go!

This means that I have only 38 more days until the golf courses are open. To prepare, I have adopted a muscle-building yoga program (actually it is from the Biggest Loser and it really works well) to increase my core strength and flexibility. I have worked out for three weeks now and I feel great. Additionally, I play on a men’s basketball team. It is also keeping me in shape. When the basketball stops, I will start swimming. Additionally, my wife and I walk at least once a day for 45 minutes. All this exercise has me excited about the upcoming golf season and with the coming of spring, I can hardly wait to hit the links. In my next blog, I will talk about how I mentally prepare for the up coming season and my plan for success.

As you can see from the picture, there is still a bit of snow left, however in three weeks it will all be gone….I can hardly wait. For those already golfing…..I hope you are having fun. For those of waiting, preparing will help re-entry into golf so much easier.

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

Conceive – Believe – Achieve

February 2, 2013February 2, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 6 Comments

The phrase ‘Conceive, Believe, Achieve’, finds it roots from the mentor Napoleon Hill – It was later adopted and given an addition by another highly successful man – W. Clement Stone. No truer words have been spoken! But really, what do this have to do with golf.

Do you think that Phil Mickelson, who was 1 centimeter from shooting the ever elusive 59, has ever sat on his couch and thought of what it would feel like to break 60. I say – absolutely! Hasn’t everyone. Do we not think of shooting a hole-in-one, chipping in from 150 yards, making a 60 foot put for eagle or winning the club championship on the 18th hole with everyone watching? If you said yes to any of these statements, then you are half way to setting yourself up for success on the golf course.

Manage your internal expectations and reality will tend to meet them. Although this is not just for golf, it can easily be applied to our favorite game. The use of positive mental imagery is nothing new. It is all around us. At Clear Mind Meditation Techniques, they describe how to use this powerful technique. It is very simple, yet can change even the greatest obstacles. Norman Vincent Peale said that “we tend to get what we expect.” So why not expect great things on and off the golf course!

At GolfMindShop.com, they talk about four benefits of positive mental imagery: emotional control, perfect result imagery, physical bio mechanics imagery and self-image “Engineering” imagery. These benefits are very important to success on the golf course. It is not just about swing mechanics, but developing a strong mental attitude in all areas of the game.

At Golf Mental Game Coaching also outlines the benefit of using mental imagery to change your game. They go into more detail of what areas can be affected, but the process is basically the same. Ultimately, each player will decide the area they what to improve – keeping it all positive will definitely help.

In an earlier post “When Life Gets In the Way“, I suggested a 5-minute mental exercise to calm your mind and to focus your efforts while running to the first tee. The techniques suggested today are an extension of that exercise. It allows for a total examination of your game and will help improve your mental toughness. There is no specific length of time one should perform mental imagery….it really is up to the individual.

Golf is not just about swing a club. A positive mental attitude through imagery is a fantastic technique to improve your game. What other tips would you suggest to help with your golf game?

Is Nutrition Really Important?

January 27, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 6 Comments

No matter what most people do, when planning a 4-6 hour outing, they bring a snack, or plan to stop for food. Additionally, they bring water to stay hydrated because on hot days they understand the importance of drinking plenty of water. So, how many of us have arrived at the golf course with no water, food or plan to make sure we have enough energy for our trek around the course.

While watching the pros on TV, I noticed that they all seem to eat multiple snacks while playing. I have seen a half of sandwich, a granola bar (at least it looks like a granola bar) and fruit. Additionally, they are constantly drinking something. Therefore, if the pros do it, I would suggest that eating the right foods and drinking plenty of fluids is probably important to their game.

As a rule, I always bring water. Most courses do not have water at various holes anymore due to the health risks, so carrying water is important. I have a water bottle (I clean after every round) which is permanent part of my golfing equipment. Water is very important on those hot days when the sun is shining, but equally (and less understood) important on warm cloudy days.

Bringing a snack is very important as well. I am not talking about a chocolate bar or chips or stopping to get a hot dog or sausage, but bring a health nutritional snack with you. It is very important to eat nutritional foods because the body needs the energy in the last 6 holes to make sure you continue to play well.

I carry (which has changed over the years because of my growing knowledge) an apple and/or banana, nuts, snack vegetables and/or a granola bar. These are good snacks for me and I do not have to stop and eat an entire meal. I just pick away at my feast hole-by-hole. I feel energized and notice that my game does not diminish as I near the end of the round.

So there you have it, eating nutritional food and drinking plenty of water is important to your game. Why not set yourself up for success by eating nutritional snacks?

Nutritionally, how do you prepare for a round of golf?

The Shoveling Snow and Golf Connection!?

January 4, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

Clearing my driveway of snow this morning gave me time to think about a great many things. One aspect of shoveling I notice is the importance of my legs. Each time I moved, lifted, turned or tossed the snow I bent my legs. After 30 minutes of moving the white stuff, the connection between shoveling snow and my golf swing hit me; proper use of my legs generates power required to throw snow or hit a ball a long way.

The proper use of legs is critical to generating power in your golf swing. Fancy Footwork By Jim Suttie, Ph.D. suggests that legs are the heart and soul of the golf swing. In fact, it was Byron Nelson who brought us the idea of “flexing the shaft with the lower body.” Jack Nicklaus also has repeatedly said that the swing begins from the ground up. This article explains the mechanics of the legs in a golf swing and provides some drills. Personally, I like the heel drill because I lock my right leg now and again.

At golftoday.co.uk they discuss the use of the left arm, keeping your right leg bent and that your left heel should rise during your golf swing. Each person is different and their swings are grooved to their capabilities, but the guidelines of this article may be something you may want to work on. More importantly it highlights the importance of legs during a golf swing.

Legs are critical to developing power in your golf swing (or shoveling snow). So how can you make your legs stronger without having to run 5 miles a day or develop an intense weight lifting program. I have three simple suggestions that will help strengthen your legs in preparation for next year.

First, sit in a chair so your knees are bent at a 90 degree angle. Now stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down. Do this for the commercials during your favorite TV show. Second, if you have stairs in your house, walk up and down your stairs during the commercials of your favorite TV show. Third, go for a walk. This distance and speed is up to you. You will find that if you keep walking in the off-season, you will be better prepared for walking the course.

Only 14 weeks until golf season. I have started my training program because it is never to early to prepare for golfing. See you on the links!

Flexibility Flexibility Flexibility

November 3, 2012November 3, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / 1 Comment

Well I guess you know what this post is about…..power…..okay not really. Is flexibility really that important to your golf swing? Does it really help you hit the ball further? Can we really have more success on the course because I can touch my toes? These, and many more, are questions golfers ask themselves every day. My response to those skeptics people is a resounding YES! YES! YES!

“If you look at some of the players on tour who can really bomb it–guys like Hank Kuehne
and Charles Howell–they’re not the most physically intimidating athletes. But they all are
very flexible players who can generate tremendous clubhead speed while swinging in
balance. That’s also one of the keys to my power. I’m convinced that if you increase your
flexibility, you’ll add power to your swing.” – Tiger Woods. This quote is from a free flexibility program from the RCGA.

Sean Cochran from About.com says, “…to help get golfers back into the game following a layoff – is to work on golf flexibility. The goal of the golf flexibility part of our fitness program is to develop the required ranges of motion within your joints and muscles so that you can execute the golf swing correctly.” This is absolutely true. I would suggest that starting and maintaining a flexibility program now will prepare you for early spring and another season of golf.

MensHealth says, “Flexibility may be the single most important factor in making a successful golfer.” This is absolutely true. Flexibility allows for increase range of motion – therefore more power – therefore more distance and ultimately bragging rights as your tee shot sails past your friends!

Flexibility is extremely important to success in golf. Being flexible helps improve all areas of your golf game. I stretch, not as much as I should, and plan to adopt an exercise program that fits my capabilities. I want to ready for next year and it is never too early to start!

See you on the links!