Stroke play tournaments are a different beast. One slip and your score can climb higher than expected. It is evitable that situations will arise that cause consternation, but how we respond will determine our successes. I played many stroke tournaments in the past with mixed results. I won a bunch and failed to perform in others; regardless, as my experience grew playing in stroke play events so did my preparation. It is not a difficult process, but a proven method that works for my game.
Continue readingThe 2023 Ryder Cup
With three days to go, the 2023 Ryder Cup is ramping up to be another interesting competition between Europe and the USA. The Ryder Cup will be hosted on Sept. 25-Oct. 1, 2023, at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, Rome, Italy. 24 of the worlds best golfers will tee it up in a competition that captures the golfing world. This year’s event has been rite with controversy, however when the first ball is hit, all of this craziness should be forgotten.
Continue readingUsing A Jigger To Lower My Golf Score
Playing golf with my hickory sticks is always great fun. It is an exercise in control, nuance and frustration. What a wonderful ride! I am still learning how each club performs, but one club I do have a handle on was my jigger. It is very narrow profile club that I use around the green similar to my 7-iron. It is a club that I think that will lower my golf score quickly as I continue to hone my short hickory stick game.
Continue readingOpen Clubface In The Sand
The success to most sand shots is the position of the clubface on impact. For years I tried to hit my sand shots with a square clubface only to be met with disappointment. Most of the time, my sand wedge would turn into a shovel that did not facilitate contact with the ball. It was very frustrating until I was taught to open my club face in order to allow the bounce to do its magic. Now, sand shots do not bother me one bit. However, there are a few things to remember when hitting out of the sand that will increase your chance of success.
Continue readingHitting Fairways and Greens
A challenge all golfers face is hitting fairways and greens. My young friend Alex is playing in a school tournament today. We have been played a few times with the intent of improving his game from tee to green. On Sunday past, we walked 9 holes at the Mattawa Golf and Ski Resort to discuss course management while playing in a stroke play tournament. It was a great round and Alex asked many great questions. The main topic of our conversation was how to play well at Osprey Links (a course I am very familiar). As we walked around our home course, we discussed the best way to loop Osprey Links; I told him to hit shots that keep him on the fairways and greens!
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