Grateful Golfer

Shooting 77

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I played on the weekend with my friend and his son.  We always have a great time and this weekend was no different.  On Saturday, however, my friend had an even better time than normal.  He broke 80 for the first time.  As many of you know, this is a huge milestone.  To boot, he won our match by 5 strokes (I give him 5 strokes aside).

It was great to see his face and the big smile he had.  One would think he won the US Open.  In a small way, he did.

To make the day even more special, his young son broke 90 for the first time.  He shot 84. I do not know if it was the water, weather or just the company.  He was happier than his father.  He also beat me by six strokes (I give him 9 aside).  Overall it was a fantastic time and everyone was happy to have played together again.

We were all grateful golfers!

US Open

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Well the US Open is upon us.  Like everyone else I must make a prediction.  Well here it goes:  Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, or Dustin Johnson.  Probably not the top picks, but I have a funny feeling that either of these three are ready for big win.

The conditions will be tough and the rough unforgiving.  Ultimately, it will all come down the player who has the best percentage of greens in regulation.  Watch this stat and you will be surprised how many tournament winners lead in this area.

Who do you think with win?

Dustin Johnson Wins for the 6th Time

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Dustin Johnson Wins St. Jude

Dustin Johnson waves to the crowd after finishing on the 18th hole during the final round of the St. Jude Classic. He shot 66 on Sunday to win the tournament at 9 under par. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Dustin Johnson played solid down the stretch.  He demonstrated that he is an elite player on the PGA tour.  His birdies on 16 and 17 vaulted him to the top of the leader board.

The collapse at the top of the leader board showed that all players must stay focused for the entire 18 holes.  But how can one keep their focus for 5 – 6 hours while people are taking your picture, shouting at you, wanting to shake your hand, and of course the millions of golfers watching on TV.

Each person must find their own way to stay focused.  I believe that the mental aspect of the game is directly related to what you do a few days before the tournament and what you do during the tournament.  Competitive-Golfer.com gives very good advice on how to prepare for a tournament.  I agree with most of what they suggest.  Each person has to find their own way to prepare, but physical fitness is the foundation to success on the links!  Enjoy hitting the links this week; the weather is going to be fantastic.

Thunder and Lightning

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Today was very interesting.  As I walked around the front nine, the weather was beautiful; the birds were singing; and the sun was beginning to rise.  It was the making of a beautiful day (well except for the 15 billion mosquitoes).  Walking towards the 10th hole it started.

Off in the distance, a low rumble was heard.  The clouds were getting dark, yet I hoped to squeeze the rest of the round in before the skies opened up.  All was going well although the rumbling was getting closer, but not a very fast pace.  As I walked off 13, it happened, a flash of lightning and a long low rumble of thunder.  Now the dilemma, should I stay or should I go?

Of course the correct answer is GO!  Lee Trevino has been hit by lightning several times.  He would say go as well.  Although Lee Trevino did say afterwards that if you get caught in a lightning storm hold a 1 iron over your head.  “Even god cannot hit a 1 iron”.  He is one of my favorite all time golfers.

Ultimately, it is not worth the risk.  On average, 44 people die from lightning strikes each year.  So my suggestion is that if the thunder and lightning are heading your way, do the smart thing and head to the club house and have a coffee.  Enjoy the links!

Skins Game!

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Today was an awesome time on the course.  Three of us hit the links and played a little skins game.  Funny thing is I had the best score and paid the most money.  That is the way it goes sometimes.  Don and Guy played really well and were able to squeeze out 6 and 7 skins respectively.  That left me with 5 skins.  Overall, it was a fun time on the course.

Don passed on a putting tip that I think is very basic and fundamental to proper alignment of your head over the ball.  He suggested that you line up over a putt as per normal.  Take a ball and put it right beside your right eye (if you put right-handed).  Drop the ball; if it hits the ball on the ground you are in the right position.  If not, you should adjust the position of your head, body or ball to make sure the proper alignment.

This tip allows of proper positioning of the head to ensure a smooth stroke on your chosen line.  It really works.

Best shot of the day went to Guy.  He hit a 5 wood 215 yards over a pond onto the green 8 feet away.  It was spectacular to watch.  Yes, he won a skin on that hole.

I hope the rest of my season was as much fun as today.  I am a grateful golfer.