Your Go To Shot in Golf

September 7, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 18 Comments

Keeping my head still through the entire swing!

My ‘go to’ 7-iron from 150 yards!

As I watch and read of the woes of Jordan Spieth and Tiger Woods, I empathize as they slash their way around the golf course. For me, it appears as if they have lost their “Je ne sais quoi” that makes them great players! It does not mean that they will never play great again, but for the time being they are struggling and it is tough to watch.

As they river of advice over loads their ability to process the information, it is sometimes difficult to break from the current of poor play. But, as all great golfers do from time to time, they will work on their game and eventually return to their former form.

For most weekend duffers, we do not have the luxury to spend the hours needed to fix all the hitches, clicks or alignment issues we face every time we tee it up. Most of us have accepted this reality and play within our fluid expectations.

To rectify our poor play on the links, most of us have a ‘go to’ shot that helps right our failing game. You know, your favorite club, distance or situation in which you do not think, worry, or adjust….your body and mind just knows how to execute without thinking. Generally, after successfully competing your ‘go to’ shot, you are back on track and your game is back to normalish.

For me, I have two ‘go to’ shots. The first and my most favorite is a 7-iron from 150 yards. It is the perfect distance for a smooth swing that does not require ‘anything’ to be completed with success. I aim for the middle of the green, let my mind to blank, and my body takes over. I focus on remembering how this swing feels and my game seems to correct itself.

My second ‘go to’ shot is my 3-wood. This appears to be an odd selection, but due to my style of game (shorter than most at my handicap) I hit more 3-woods than my playing partners. When I hit my 3-wood flush, I actually feel nothing off the head of the club. My follow through is high and my weight distribution works perfectly. I also focus on the feel and I am able to transfer it to my other clubs.

Either one of these ‘go to’ shots helps to quickly fix my ailing game. I also use these comfort shots on the range before I play to establish my groove. So, when my game is ailing, I revert back to my basics and try to focus on the feel of these two shots and it generally helps improve my game.

Do you have any ‘go to’ shots? If so, how do they help?

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

Crowbush Golf Course – PEI

September 5, 2015September 5, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 9 Comments

Yesterday, I read an article from Mike at 36aday called My PEI Golf Course Rankings – Before and After. He talked about how he is knocking off 10 PEI courses in a week. Currently, I am on vacation in PEI and today I had the opportunity to stop at The Links at Crowbush Cove to take a few pictures. Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to play this fantastic course, but I thought I would share the few pictures I could take in the 5 minutes I was there.

Mike, these are for you!

The Gates to Crowbush!

Off the first tee!

Either 9 or 18 green at the Pro Shop.

Par 3 near the Pro Shop.

The 14th green and fairway.

15th tee box!

The practice area!

This is all I could get in such a short visit and I hope you like them. If you ever have the opportunity to play Crowbush, I would recommend it. In the mean time, we will anxiously wait for Mike to post his review of this great course.

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

What Causes a Chili Dip in Golf?

September 4, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 2 Comments

Too much wrist action while chipping!

Not again! I exclaimed on the course not to long ago. Everyone has heard of the yips while putting, well, I had a case of the chili dips! Yup, each time I walked toward my ball, I started to second guess my course management of hitting the ball as close to the green as possible to chip the ball in or close to the hole. Normally, this strategy works very well as my short game is fairly strong. However, during this round…..

“Chili dip” is a slang term in golf that refers to a type of mis-hit. When a golfer chili-dips his shot, it means that his club struck the ground behind the ball, digging up turf and resulting in little or no contact with the ball itself. The result of a chili dip is a golf ball that doesn’t go very far, possibly moving only a few feet or barely at all. (about.com)

The chili dip is the bane of most amateurs on the links. The number of miss hits around the green quickly jacks up their score and frustration. I gave it some thought and decided on three main reasons (although there are many more) why a player hits the ball fat while chipping. Here is what I see:

First, too much wrist action. Players try to help the ball get in the air and use too much wrist action to move the ball. As a result, they generally hit behind the ball causing an errant shot. To fix this error, try locking your lead wrist and keep it slightly ahead of the ball during contact. This action will allow for crisp and solid contact on the ball.

Second, ball position. If a player is consistently hitting the ball fat, hence causing chili dips, the ball is usually too far forward in their stance. Move the ball back slightly to were the club first makes contact with the ground. To know this position, try a few practice swings without the ball in your sight line. Where your club touches the ground is where the ball should be placed with that club.

Last, bobblehead action! Keep your head still! I have this challenge as I like to watch the ball fly through the air, land on the green, and roll into the hole. I never want to miss the action. Unfortunately, by moving my head too quickly, it puts the rest of my body out of position during my swing. As a results, chili dip all day long. To fix this, watch your club make contact with the ball, then count to one before you follow your ball. You will not miss any of the action and if keeps your body in the right position through the entire swing.

Chili dip is a challenge for most amateurs. With a bit of practice and patience, this golf tip will improve this aspect of your game. The three main points mentioned above are what I believe are the root causes for hitting poor shots around the green. What do you think?

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

Stop The Madness! Golf’s Top Golfer

September 2, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 8 Comments

It never ceases to amaze me on how quickly the media changes it spots. The golfing world is a buzz about the recent play of Jason Day, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy! The Barclay’s seems to have turn the golfing world upside down, at least to the media, and the number one player in the world is, well, playing second fiddle.

Personally, I do not pay much attention to the world golfing rankings because I believe it is a flawed system that allows player’s past performance from two years ago to weather months of bad play and remain at the top of the golfing world. But, the recent musings of the media have prompted my current article because it is utter madness!

Jason Day’s play of late has been spectacular. Anytime a player wins back to back is something to be lauded. He is a force to be contended with and I wish him continued success. However, a four weeks of outstanding play does not really vault him to the top of the golfing world! If he continues to perform at his current level, discussions about being the best might be warranted, but it is way to soon to tell.

The flip-flop as the world’s number one ranked golfer between Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth is definitely spot on. Before I go on, I do not support Jordan Spieth losing his number one status when McIlroy did not play in the Barclay’s…I am just saying. Anyway, back on track. At this time, Rory and Jordan are the two best golfers in the world. They continue to share the spotlight and will likely jockey back and forth as the best for quite some time.

However, I want to be clear that I believe Jordan Spieth is the best golfer in the world right now. In 2015, he has two wins, a 2nd and a 4th place finishes in the Majors. He record this year is 4 wins, 4 second, 1 third and 14 top ten finishes in 22 events. Because he missed the cut at the Barclay’s does not mean he is any less a player!

Rory McIlroy and Jason Day had comparable seasons, but the 2 Majors are just to hard to discount! Many might disagree with my assessment, but Spieth is just too dominant.

This weekend should be interesting. All three giants are in the field and it will be interesting to see how they react. With Day, Spieth and Watson in the same pairing, this group will garner most of the attention for the first two days. This might work well in McIlroy’s favour, but only time will tell.

Well that is my diatribe on the media hype over the past week. What do you think? Am I crazy?