Where is Rory?

March 25, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 2 Comments

As Tiger Woods won for the eighth time at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and vaulted to the top of the world rankings….where was Rory McIlroy? One would figure that he would want to defend his world ranking, but I guess not. So where was Rory?

According to Yahoo Sports, Rory was spending time with is girl friend in Miami. Additionally, he was practicing at the Miami Municipal Golf Course hitting balls on the range. He was cool and relaxed keeping his game tuned for next week.

Golfing Dweeb brought up some great points about journey-men golfers who have to grind it out from week to week. He brings up points about how difficult it is mentally and how demanding it can be on your personal life. Maybe Rory is playing select tournaments to make sure he has a well round life that he will always enjoy….everyone knows he has the talent to pick and choose. Rory will have two-week rest (according to his website, he was not going to play at Arnie’s tournament anyway) before this weekends Shell Huston Open – will he be fresh or rusty? I guess time will tell.

The question of the day is: Is Rory McIlory doing the right thing by playing a bit less and being fresh for all the tournaments he enters?

The Road to the Final Four!

March 21, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

Is the road to the final four paved through golf? No, really!

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship is truly exciting. The top 68 teams play in a loose and go home tournament that lives up to its hype. The games are exciting, the coverage is fantastic and the bragging rights are out of this world. I love this time of year!

This year is a convergence of excitement for sports fans. The Final Four ends on Monday April 8; the Masters practice rounds start Monday, April 8. It is hard to believe that this coincidence was not planned….or was it?

Golf has a similar tournament; ACCENTURE MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP. For most golfers it is as exciting as the NCAA Final Four. I love the format. It is a tournament where streaky golfers have an opportunity to rise to the top and beat top rank players; as evident when Charles Howell III beat Tiger Woods and Shane Lowery beat Rory McIlroy. I realize the media hype is not as great as the Final Four, but, hey, for golfers it is really exciting. Congrats to Matt Kuchar for winning this year.

A match play (an interesting article from the Wall Street Journal) competition is very different from stroke play. Match Play is very much a mental competition. You still have to play well, but you also have to opportunity to forget mistakes and take your lumps. Additionally, one bad hole does not eliminate you from competition (as John Daly has learned on many occasions in stroke play). Personally, I try to play at least one match play tournament a year. It is difficult, but most courses offer a match play competition to members.

Golf Match Play dates back to the 1500s. I would suggest that the Road to the Final Four is paved through golf. The structure and results of the basketball tournament can find its roots in our awesome game. Regardless, both events are exciting.

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

Entering the 21st Century!

March 18, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 2 Comments

Today is a new day for those of us who have decided to enter the 21st Century. I create a Facebook page called The Grateful Golfer. I realize it is not a big deal for most, but I had a Facebook account, once, for about week. Okay, stop laughing; I never thought it was important, but I think I will give it a try.

Interesting thing about this particular step….it relates to keeping up with technology. I was reading an article Why the R&A and USGA Need a Major Reform after the Long Putter Ban by Troy Vayanos at Talking Golf Online about technology. His point about whether to embrace technology or to limit its advancements for the love of the game makes me ponder its merits. Ultimately, technology can even the playing field for amateurs and that may not be a bad thing.

Entering the 21st Century and embracing technology; I am still waiting for the snow to melt so I can go practice….too bad technology could not do something about that! I am a grateful golfer – see you on the links!

When You Have Been Away

February 26, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 2 Comments

I have been asked as the first thing I would recommend as a place to start when away from the game of golf for a time. I have pondered this question a fair bit and always come back to the same question: What is it you want to accomplish – short or long-term success?

I know answering a question with a question seems like I am avoiding the question, but it really is important to my answer. So for those just starting again or have had 5 months of winter, this is what I came up with as a way ahead.

Short term – go to the range and practice hitting the ball. Try and reproduce muscle memory that will ensure a consistent swing. Make sure you use every club in your bag and mix it up. Hitting driver most of the time is not the answer. Once you have determined how far you ball will travel on a consistent basis, head to the chipping and putting green. Practice chipping with your 7/8 iron, PW and 60 degree wedge. Hit from different distances. Then putt! Putt for as long as you have chipped. Realistically, this whole process should take about 1 hour. 20 minutes on the range, 20 minutes chipping and 20 minutes putting. This approach is generally more fun for the player and they feel they will have immediate success. Of course that varies depending on the skill of the player.

Long term – head to putting green first! Practice putting for 20 minutes and chipping for 20 minutes, the sand trap for 10 minutes and pitching from 25-35 yards for 10 minutes. Once you have established your short game, then start working on our long game. Practice your short game for the first two weeks, then head to the range alternate times for 30 minutes. I have found that muscle memory in your short game is harder to achieve, but has greater long-lasting results.

Well I can hardly wait to start golfing, I guess you figured which approach I am going to use….the long-term. I am well into my workout routine to prepare for golf season in 48 days. Hope this helps. I am a grateful golfer. See you on the links!

Choosing a New Wedge

January 5, 2013April 1, 2016 / The Grateful Golfer / 9 Comments

Today I received an email from a friend asking about wedges. He is a good golfer and getting better all the time. He was talking about which wedge he needed from 110 yards. As we had played quite often, I was familiar with his game and was able to explain that he required a 52 degree wedge. As our discussion continued I realized that selecting the correct club is very important to all aspects of your game. So I did some research and this is what I came up with:

Pitching Wedge

A pitching wedge has a loft of about 48 degrees. This club comes with most sets and is used for long approach shots. The distance varies, but I suggest that it is used by most amateurs from 130 yards or closer.

Gap Wedge

Gap wedges range from 50 and 54 degrees. The distance the ball travels varies from about 110 to about 75 yards. It allows for a bit of action on the ball and probably used most of the time.

Sand Wedge

Sand wedges range from 54 to 58 degrees. Many players use a sand wedge for some approach shots as well as sand shots.

Lob Wedge

Lob wedges range from 58 and 62 degrees. The lob wedge allows for a greater amount of spin and is used to fly over hazards or when you are pin hunting.

One of the things to be aware of when purchasing a wedge is the bounce. The conditions of the course, especially the traps, will determine the bounce required when using a wedge. See Golfsmith.com for an explanation on bounce.

I use a 48 degree pitching wedge, 52 degree gap wedge, a 56 degree sand wedge and a 60 degree lob wedge. I have experimented with different lofts, but I have found that these wedges work best for my game.

Now back to my friend. Ultimately he made the best decision. He decided to try out a few wedges before making his purchase. He was going to try wedges with different loft, brand and bounce. I suggested that it was a great idea and thus has sparked the reason for this blog.

When picking a club, I recommend that you go the to range, golf store, putting green and practice with your intended choice. Most courses have demo wedges/clubs and will allow you to take them on the course for a test run. By doing a bit of research before you buy, you will be happy with your choice and likely lower your score.

How you do you pick your clubs?