Golf Strategy: A Two Man Scramble

August 7, 2015August 7, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 5 Comments

Last year’s 2-Man Scramble on the first tee. Jean is happy to playing in the rain!

Tomorrow is the second time (last year was the first) my friend Jean and I will play in a two-man scramble. It is a low-key event with 20+ teams and handicaps will be applied. Our second place finish last year is something Jean and I will build on to see if we can win it all. The big prize in this event is the bragging rights as most of the players are regulars at my home course of Roundel Glen.

Similar to last year, the rules for this tournament are pretty simple. The handicap of the two players are added together, divided by two and multiplied by 25% (was .75% last year). The multiplying factor is a slight change from last year.

What this means is: my handicap is 3.8, Jean’s handicap is 10.8, combined 14.6, divided by 2 is 7.30, multiplied by 25% is 1.8; everything is rounded down to the nearest whole number. Therefore, our handicap for this tournament is 1. For those non golfers, this means we are awarded one stroke on the toughest hole on the course. So if we shoot a 4 on the toughest hole, we would record a 3 on our scorecard. All things being equal and everyone is honest, this method of using our handicap is golf’s way of leveling the playing field.

Our strategy was straight forward last year. This is how it unfolded:

Jean tees off first on all par 5s and short par 3s.
Jim tees off first on all par 4s and long par 3s.
Jean is first to hit our second shot inside 175 yards.
Jim is first to hit our second shot outside of 175 yards.
Jean chips first by all green.
Jean putts first on all greens.

This year, things will be a bit different. We will play to our strengths. Jean hits the ball farther off the tee than I do, however my short game is a bit stronger. So, I will hit first on all par 5s. Jean will hit first off the tee all other times except for two short par 4s that Jean can reach, so I will put us in play on those holes. Jean will hit first for all second shots, chips and putts. This strategy will be modified as the day goes on to ensure we make the most out of every opportunity to score low.

We are looking forward to improving our score from last year. With a change in the handicap system, the scores might be a bit higher this year, so our goal will be shot a 66 again and see what happens.

Regardless of the outcome, this event is a great time to hang out with my fellow grateful golfers doing what we like to do most – play golf.

Our strategy is set, what do you think? What would you do?

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

Golfing for Fun

August 5, 2015August 5, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 7 Comments

You never know what you will find in a golf hole!

The past month or so, I have focused on preparing for a 54-hole golf tournament and lowering my score. All of this preparation was driven by focused intent and my desire to be a scratch golfer. Over the past week, I consciously took my foot off the gas pedal in order to relax and have a bit of fun before making the final push at the end of my golfing season.

The last three rounds demonstrated that having fun (a more relaxed type of fun) on the course is just as important as remaining focused during every shot. The result is two-fold.

First, I really enjoy walking around the course with my playing partners because we light-heartedly poke fun at each other.

During this time, my score raises slightly, but it is of little consequence. Additionally, I try different shots. Ones that I would not normally try, but should have in my bag in case I really need it.

For example, trying to hit over a bush when the smart play is to go under. Or, hitting my 3-hybrid from 220 yards out over a creek. Or, hitting my driver on holes that only require a 3-wood off the tee. Trying these shots go against my normal focus on course management, but the risk/reward makes my rounds a bit more enjoyable.

The second change is my wife’s interest in golfing more. This aspect of my game that excites me the most. We casually play 9 holes or hit the range for a large bucket of balls. My wife knows the fundamentals and is implementing each aspect of her swing at her own speed. If she asks for help, I am there to offer a suggestion. The part I like the most is spending time together in a relaxed and fun environment. This is my idea of fun in golf.

It is important to change things once in a while. There are times to be serious, but just as importantly, there are times to just have fun. Right now, I am doing the latter. This mid-season pause usually lasts about two weeks, however the fun of playing golf with my wife will last a lifetime.

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

Golf Etiquette – Playing Through

August 3, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 8 Comments

Slow play is no fun on the golf course!

Today was a fantastic day on the golf course. The Bay of Quinte Golf and Country Club was in great shape, the greens were fast, and my foursome was first-rate! Although I did not adjust to the speed of the greens at all, playing a new course is always fun and exciting.

During the round, it rained, the wind picked up, my push cart broke, and I could not adjust to the speed of the greens (oh yeah, covered that already). Some would look at my round and suggest that I might have been able to do something better with my time, but I would unequivocally disagree with that suggestion. Today was a great round because of our group. Everyone played like gentlemen and the stories were funny and numerous!

Working our way round the links did pose a bit of an etiquette dilemma. On a side note, as most of you know, I am adamantly against slow play. As a foursome, we strive to finish our round in approximately 4 hours give or take 15 minutes. Today, we finished in 4 hours and 10 minutes. So, we were right on our target time and the recommended time by the course. After the fourth hole, we let a twosome in a cart go through and merrily went on our way. On the fifth hole, a foursome showed up behind us. The did wait for some shots, but for the most part, I think, they did not have to wait that much. Behind this foursome was two, twosomes who did not join up.

The foursome was always about 3/4 of hole behind us. They never really got closer, but were rarely out of our sight line. They likely matched our speed and carried on their way. Unfortunately, I felt as if they were pushing us quite often. It was nothing they did, but as a rule I do not like to hold anyone up if they are playing faster.

At the end of the day, we did not let the foursome through because they were never that close where the opportunity arose. I think we made the right decision by not waiting for 15 minutes for them to catch us then play through, but it has been a long time where I have felt like I was holding up the course.

So my question to you is: should we have waited the 15 minutes to allow this group to play through?

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

Teamwork in Golf

August 1, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 6 Comments

Teamwork helps accomplish great things!

Developing and maintaining the perfect golf swing is next to impossible! The better we play, the better we want to play and to accomplish this amazing feat takes time, effort and dedication. Many of us try to improve our game alone or with help from some well-intentioned friends. Personally, I fit into this category or at least I did a few years back.

Professional golfers have a team of experts to help them with every aspect of their game. If one expert is not cutting the grade, they are politely asked to leave the team. This process, however well-intentioned, is designed to make the professional golfer better, but is difficult for amateurs to duplicate. Some teams instinctively work like well oiled machines, and others, not so much. Regardless, their goal is always to obtain the best results they can…..always.

Amateur golfers are less fortunate. We generally do not have any sort of team to help us improve our swing mechanics. Practice and training is worked into our daily lives as much as possible. The challenge for most amateurs is to effectively juggle the multitude of life events with the demands of playing great golf. Many believe that they are going it alone, and their success on the golf course lays solely in their hands.

I used to feel that way until about 3 years ago when my eyes were opened to a plethora of golf resources available at a click of a button. The internet has allowed many amateur golfers to improve their game by watching videos, reading articles, and watching professionals ply their wares on various golf shows. The trick is to find the right resources to match your game. On a side note, I have only met on person who has significantly improve their game this way. He really worked at his game and it paid off in spades.

For me, the evolution in my golf game started in May 2012. It was the time I stared this blog. On that faithful day, my real education about golf had officially commenced. I slowly started talking to like-minded golfing fanatics whose unique perspective showed me that my narrow view on golf was holding me back.

As we discussed topics such as putting, chipping, or the mental side of play, my game improved. I would use their suggestions on the practice range and slowly shape my game into something better! By a fluke of nature, this team of unsung experts, I have never met, has helped reduce my learning curve as I attempt to be a scratch golfer!

Teamwork can be found in anywhere. I was fortunate enough to find and build a group of experts who I rely upon to help solve the challenges in my game. I am confident that if they do not know a specific answer, they will know where to find it. To you my silent teammates, I say THANKYOU!

Do you have a team that helps you with your golf game?

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

Perception is Reality in Golf

July 30, 2015July 30, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

Golf is a funny game. No matter how well (or poorly) we play, there is always more to accomplish. How often have we shot a poor round, but felt that, regardless of the score, it was a good round. Conversely, shooting a low score, we sometimes feel that we left something out on the course.

You read about my recent adventures in Petawawa at a 54-hole golf tournament. After shooting 79 three days in a row, I felt really good about my score. I earned each 79 and although I could have shot a stroke or two lower each day, my perception is that it was three great rounds of golf. I walked away grateful for the results and felt like I contributed to our team win.

On the flip side, yesterday I shot an even par 72. It was smooth and easy. I was not in trouble at any time, my swing was under control and my short game was pretty good. However, my putting was off and on. I know that sounds weird considering my score, but I did not feel comfortable over the ball for about half my putts. The most frustrating aspect about the round was the two easy putts I missed. One was a three-footer for par and one was 18 inches for birdie.

The birdie putt was the most disappointing. If I would have sunk this 18-inch putt on the 16th hole, I would have been even par heading into 17 and 18. Normally, I birdie one of these two holes (par 3 and par 5 respectively) and yesterday was no different. I birdied the par 5 to end up even par.

As a result, I left the 18th green with the perception that I could have been under par for the first time this year! This perception translated to being slightly disappointed with my even par 72.

Before everyone starts ordering me a straight jacket because they think I am crazy, I am trying to illustrate that perception is a person’s reality. An outsider looking in would not see or think the same way as me, but they are not the ones walking in my shoes. For clarification, my disappointment was very short-lived and I am extremely happy with my final score.

The caboose to this train of thought is that: in golf, perception is reality! You have heard me talk about remaining positive as much as possible through previous articles and the reason is to shape my perception to form a positive reality. If I constantly perceive positive aspects about my golf game, then my positive reality equates to positive things on the links.

I believe that the power of positive thought is a game changer in golf and it works for me. It is all a matter of perspective!

I am grateful golfer! See you on the links!