Course Management: Reality or Myth?

October 2, 2012October 2, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / 6 Comments

Play the shot that makes the next shot easy. – Tommy Armour

No truer words have ever been spoken. I am a huge supporter of course management. I believe that choosing the smart shot over bashing your way around the course is how amateurs break 100, 90, 80 or 70. Course management is something that takes practice and is unique to everyone. No two players can manage their round of golf in the same way. No really, course management is unique to each player.

GolfLink.com states that “Golf course management for a player means understanding how to play the best round possible by using your strengths as a player against the challenges the golf course has to offer.” This article provides further details on course management, but the main point is that each player must play to their strengths. If you cannot reach the green on your next shot, hit the ball to your best distance. For me that is 115 yards. I would rather hit a full pitching wedge than a three-quarter sand wedge from 75 yards.

“Good course management requires planning ahead” by Joan A. King at Positive Mental Imagery is another outstanding article. She outlines many excellent tips on how to successfully manage a round of golf. I especially enjoy how she focuses on the mental aspect of staying focused and being positive throughout the round. As Jack Nicklaus says: “Sometimes the biggest problem is in your head. You’ve got to believe you can play a shot instead of wondering where your next bad shot is coming from.” Staying positive during your round will lower your score.

“A video from the Whittle Golf Tips Series takes a look at some course management. It shows how the seven out of ten rule can be used to make smart decisions in competition and produce the best results.” This is a great rule. Play the shot you can hit 7 out of 10 times and find success instantly.

Course management is something that takes time to learn and is unique to everyone. Playing a round of golf without focusing on your strengths only leads to disaster. I am confident that everyone can be successful on the links; it just takes focus and the willingness to try new things. See you on the links!

The Ryder Cup – Not Just Another Golf Game!

September 30, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

Image from: http://www.rydercup.com/europe/course/1/tour/17

Medina Golf Course – 17th Hole

Wow, what a finish! Like most avid golfers, I was completely amazed at the last day of the Ryder Cup. There is no way anyone could have predicted the collapse of the US team…or was it really a collapse?

“Dressed in the colours of the late Seve Ballesteros, Europe tonight pulled off one of his trademark great escapes in what will go down as the “Miracle of Medinah“.” I suggest that the European team played inspired and refused to give into all the ‘nay sayer’ and ‘the second guesser’! They believed in themselves and demonstrated winning attitudes throughout the entire match. This is something that all golfers need to have regardless of your skill.

Regardless of which team you were cheering for; this years Ryder Cup was one of the best competitions in years and I look forward the 2014 Ryder Cup at The Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland.

Sand Play – Not Just a Day on the Beach!

September 7, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

Hitting it close out of the sand!

I was reading a post by Ian Hardie from Golf Habits – Simply Better Golf called “Don’t hit the ball out of a sand trap”. He talked about how to successfully play out of the sand. His advice resonated with me because this skill is one of the least practice of all. There are many aspects to consider when playing out of the sand. To expand on Ian’s post here are a couple of things to consider.

In a green side bunker that has compacted sand and no lip….use a putter. This type of shot is called using a Texas Wedge. Strike the ball with some authority and you will find that the ball will play like a bump and run shot. It works very well, especially if you are not confident with your sand wedge.

In a green side bunker that has compacted sand and a lip….use a 8 iron. Play it exactly like a bump and run from the fringe. Ensure that you do not take any sand and make contact with the ball first.

From a green side bunker with soft sand regardless of the lip…use a sand wedge and follow Ian’s advice. It really does work. One important point about this type of sand shot (and all others aswell) is the follow through. You must follow through towards your target and the club head must finish above your head. If you follow through your ball will come out of the sand just like the pros!

If you are in a fairway bunker and you are plugged….use your sand wedge or pitching wedge and get the ball in play. Sometimes it is best to take your medicine and advance the ball 50 yards down the fairway than to hit your next shot from the same bunker.

If you are in a fairway bunker and you are sitting on top of the sand….use one club more than you would from that distance. If you are right-handed, aim a bit left and opposite if you are a lefty. Make sure you do not use any legs and the ball will travel the distance you wanted….one club more is the key to this successful shot.

Playing out of the bunker is an important skill. Making an up and down from the bunker is rewarding and significantly lowers your score. If you get a chance to practice, take advantage of the opportunity. Remember, playing out of sand traps is not just another day on the beach!

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

Playing Golf for Fun!

September 6, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / 3 Comments

Hole In One from 208 Yards
Man I Love This Game!

Fundamentally, golf is a game! I know this is a profound statement, but it really is just a game. I realize that this blasphemous statement does not sit well with many of you, however it is important to take stock of why we play.

Take me for instance, I have played golf for 35+ years. I have had many ups and downs throughout my golfing days. My game has continued to evolve and I can honestly say that I still have plenty to things to learn. So what drives me to continue, to push the edge, to challenge myself….the love of the game. I love the competition (both in tournaments and against myself on regular days), the social aspect of playing, learning from my fellow competitors and hoping for that one perfect shot….the elusive hole in one.

Many golfers may not look at golf this way. They look at the game of what they cannot do…not what they can do. They see the negative aspects of a bogey instead of the positive view that it could have been worse. A positive attitude will drive every golfer to great successes and real appreciation for the game.

An article in the New York Times outlines some very good aspects of why we play golf. The following is from that article: “Does being a golfer mean enduring clumsy embarrassment? Well, yes, it does sometimes, but that wasn’t the point. Being a golfer is to join a tribe with an elaborate set of tenets and canons, one with its own mores and protocols and no definable mission other than to chase a little ball into a hole.

It is a silly game, somewhat childish, a good walk spoiled, as Mark Twain said. It is all those things. So why do we love this game?

The allure of golf is its simplicity, which leads to a thousand complexities. It is sophisticated because it is subtle. It is perfect because it is wholly and forever imperfect.

I once asked David Duval, a British Open champion, what made golf so difficult and yet so appealing. He said, “It’s all the time to think between shots.”

I asked the great Phil Mickelson the same question and he said, “It’s all the choices you have.”

I asked Jack Nicklaus and he replied, “Because you must master so many elements, including yourself.”

I asked the golf commentator and author David Feherty and he said, “Because it’s a ridiculous game and it’s our fault for playing it.”

There you have it. Golf means something different to everyone. I can say that the reasons for playing golf over the years has morphed. Now, I play to enjoy the walk, talk to my friends (old and new), and challenge myself hitting a little white ball into a hole. I am a grateful golfer!

What to you love about Golf?

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!