It starts in two days! Let the games begin!
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
Grateful Golfer
The Golfing Bobblehead
Keeping my head still through the entire swing!
Have you ever had that one challenge that would creep into your game for many unknown reasons? It is the bane of every golfer and when it sneaks into your game, it is hard to identify what this plague is doing to your swing. Well, I am here to confess that my earlier woes were caused by a reoccurring swing fault that creeps into my game from time to time.
I call it the bobblehead syndrome! Everyone once in a while my head is bouncing around like a bobblehead doll. It is forward of the ball, behind the ball, too high, too low or just out of alignment during contact. Yesterday, I realized that my current challenges were cause by my head moving during contact with the ball. I realized my issue on the second tee and through an epiphany, my game changed.
Suddenly, I was hitting most fairways or only missed the rest by a couple of yards. My contact was crisp, the swing consistent and my confidence grew. In 18 holes, I only had two poor tee shots and only walked away with a bogey. Overall, my 79 was pretty solid and I felt I could have easily shot lower.
I want to thank all those who provided positive advice and support. I will take those as areas of improvement as the year progresses. Having a strong resource, like The Grateful Golfer Community, helps improve my game and fuel my desire to improve. For that I am grateful. Thank you.
It has been about 1 month since the 2015 golfing season has started, so, how is your game coming? We all want to know!
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
The Things Golfers Do
Well today was a first for me in a very long time. I am not a fair weather golfer by nature, but generally I do not venture too far if the weather is going to be very poor. This morning is officially the coldest I have golfed in for about 25 years.
When I woke up this morning at 5:30 am it was 0 degrees, but felt like minus 4 Celsius. However, the sun was shining and it looked beautiful! So I donned three layers of clothing and made my way to the course.
After a 1.5 hour frost delay (for you players who do not experience frost, basically, the water on the grass was frozen and until it melts, no one is allowed on the course). So my usual 7 am tee time was pushed to 8:30 am.
All dressed and ready to go. Only zero degrees….brrrr!
My round started off brilliantly. I birdied the second hole and shot par for the rest until the 6th hole. Then I smoothly bogeyed, then a double on 7, double on 8 and par on 9 for a smooth 40 for the front nine. The back started bogey, bogey; then a whole bunch of pars. Still only 6 over after 14, I bogeyed 15, 17, and doubled 18. Not my best round.
My biggest problem was my driver. I was all over the place. Normally, this is one of my best clubs, but lately it is by far my worst. I am in trouble off most tees. I had to punch out 5 times today. That is 5 unnecessary strokes!
In true early season fashion, now is not the time to panic. As I told you before, I do not worry about my score until 01 June. At this point, I need more time at the range to work on my short game and driver. I tried to use some of the great advice on the range prior to the round, but did not have enough time to really make any changes. Well tomorrow is another day and another opportunity to shoot under par!
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
Golf and Patience
Golf is a game that tests your patience every round. Regardless of how well, or poorly, you are playing, something always seems to happen that challenges your ‘zen’ state of calm. I have discussed the tale of two nines recently and experienced another round like that today.
I started off my round with a par on the first hole. Confidently, I walked to the second hole and as I strutted to tee box the wheels suddenly fell off! For the next 7 holes, I shot 3 doubles, 3 bogies and 1 par! I was 9 over after 8. I will admit that my ‘zen’ was gone and I was feeling quite frustrated. The main reason for my poor performance was my driver. I did not hit one fairway…..not one! I was in the rough quite a bit, but not on the short grass at all!
Ever the optimist, I told my playing partners that now was a good time to screw my head on straight and start playing golf. Well something amazing happened. I striped the ball down the fairway about 290 yards. It was by far the my longest drive of the year! Sitting just under 200 yards to the green (the ninth hole is a par 5), I stoked a smooth 4 hybrid to 8 feet! I was putting for eagle! As I lipped out the putt, I still felt a sense of relief that my game was not totally gone.
Playing the back nine was fun. I had 2 birdies, 3 bogies, and 4 pars. I shot even par for the last 10 holes! Additionally, I was putting for eagle on the 18th hole. It was very long, but I was still putting. The difference between the front and back nine was my improvement off the tee. Also, I caught a few lucky bounces, but overall my last 10 holes were pretty solid.
My final score was an 81. Not my best by far, but reasonable considering the roller-coaster round I played today. A golf lesson for us all would be that these games are very important. Sometimes in competition, players have to grind out a good score. Today was one of those days. Most of all, I had a fantastic time. Gratefully, the company was very good and that always helps turn my mood around when things go sour.
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
The Duck Stays in Europe!
The Duck Stays in Europe!
As we teed off at 10 am, the sun was shining, it was dry and the wind was not a factor for the entire round. The course was in great shape, especially the greens. Overall, the outcome would be determined by how we would play and not by the conditions of the course. Fortunately for me, my wife as able to walk the course with us and witness my eventual triumph!
Making a tough shot!
Deep in the bush!
In the woods!
More importantly, the duck will stay in Europe. It will travel around seeing different courses that most golfers only dream about! It took a few attempts, but I finally won a match against Kirk. After losing on three previous occasions, I was beginning to wonder if I was every going to beat him. But as fate would have it, last Thursday was my lucky day.
So the ball is in his court to carry the duck back across the pond for another challenge. Regardless of the future results, at least for now, the duck stays in Europe!
A visitor from Canada!
On a side note, another friend made its way to visit Kirk, just to keep the big prize company! I wonder if he found it in his house yet?
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
