Mid Season Break from Golf

August 31, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 8 Comments

Grateful for Golf!

Have you ever decided that a week or two off in the middle of your golf season would be good for your game? Depending on how much you play, a rest from the sticks might just improve your outlook on how you play. I am sure there are many articles about the psychology of letting our brains focus on things other than golf, but I have never really been convinced.

If you find yourself dragged out and not enjoying your rounds, then a rest is a great idea. Because our season is so short in Canada, I have never really taken a conscious break from the game, life usually does that for me.

The last time I hit the links was 2 weeks ago on Tuesday. Yup, almost 14 days. Additionally, I have started my holidays and it looks like another 10-12 days before I loop the course. Unfortunately, I was sick a couple of weeks ago and it last a good 7 days. I rarely get sick, but in this case I was off work and laid up waiting for my sickness to pass. That was the start of my time away from the links.

After healing, work got in the way and now I am on vacation with my wife. I expected to take the 2 weeks off for our vacation because of our plans, but the two weeks prior was a surprise. So after all that is said and done, I will be away from the links for quite some time during peak golfing weather.

The funny thing is, is that I am not concerned about it at all. I think that I will be refreshed and ready to get back into the swing of things when it is time. I am blessed with the opportunity to golf often and a doubly blessed to have an understanding wife!

So, my mid-season break is a bit longer than normal this year. I do miss hitting the links with my friends, but they will be there when I get back. Overall, life is fantastic and I am truly grateful!

Thoughts from Day 3 at the Barclay’s

August 29, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

Day 3 from the Barclay’s is in the books. It was interesting to watch the pros navigate Plainfield Country Club in Edison, NJ. The many challenges of the course lie in the rough and placement of the many sand traps. Additionally, the greens on the course appear to be very challenging given the plethora of scores on day three.

There will be many reports on the play of Day 3, however there is one thing I noticed about the play that caught my attention. Many of the leaders were putting from the fringe. This caught my attention because most of the pros are awesome wedge players. What would drive them to use their putter instead of their wedge?

As I watch them play, I can see the undulations on the greens and pin placements are causing challenges for the players. Using their putter appears to be best way to conserve strokes and reduce errors. Very few were making the putts, but their lag distance was close as most players were able to get up and down for par.

This is an interesting defensive strategy. I will admit that recently I have started using my putter more from the fringe. This is counter to my previous strategy, but this change has saved at least 2 strokes per round because my lag distance is make-able more often than not.

Do you use your putter or wedge from the fringe? In your view, why doe you use our putter or wedge?

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

Unplayable Lie in Golf!

August 28, 2015August 27, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 7 Comments

Of the many questions I answer relating to the rules of golf, the unplayable lie is one of the most popular. Rule 28 of the RGCA outlines all the details about what constitute an unplayable lie and your options regarding your decision. Additionally, the video below from Golf Canada also explains your options.

Before viewing the video, and I recommend that you do, there is one aspect of Rule 28 – Ball Unplayable that most amateurs do not fully understand. A ball unplayable can only be called by the player who hit the ball. Their playing partners cannot make the call for them. Additionally, an unplayable ball can be called everywhere except in a water hazard. Yup, that means that if you are in the middle of the fairway and for some strange reason you want to call your ball unplayable, you can.

This rule is very important. In my experience, it is a stroke saver and is one of the basic rules all amateurs should know! Now, enjoy the video!

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

The Fed Ex Cup Playoffs

August 26, 2015August 26, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 7 Comments

The FedEx Cup Playoffs start tomorrow at the Barclay’s. This modified elimination style competition will see one player raise the FedEx Cup over their head in four weeks. The real prize is the 10 million dollars that the 2015 FedEx Champion will pocket for just playing golf!

The FedEx Cup is an interesting golf competition because of the “play well before – play well now – move on” format. At the Barclay’s, all 125 players will start, but only 100 players will move on to the next event at the Deutsche Bank Championship. The third week at the BMW championship will only have 70 players competing; then at the TOUR Championship, 30 players will be left to vie for the 10 million dollar grand prize.

I have discussed the merits of changing the FedEx Cup format to make it more exciting and I believe that a modified NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship format would be fun. Here is what I am thinking:

All points are finished. Everyone plays straight up.
Create 2 pools of 64 players (top 128 from the FedEx Standings).
At the Barclay’s only 40 from each pool move on to the Deutsche Bank Championship (80 players).
At the Deutsche on the top 25 from each pool make it to the BMW Championships. (50 players).
Combine the pools and the top 50 players make it to the Tour Championship.
Winner of the Tour Championship is the crown FedEx Cup Playoff Champion and wins the 10 million dollars!

This may seem like a strange system, but in the playoffs of any sport, all accumulated scores from previous matches are removed and everyone starts on a level playing field. Why not golf?

I enjoy watching the Fed Ex Cup playoffs. There is always exciting golf to be seen, however over the years past (like when Vijay Singh won the playoffs before the Tour Championship), the drama of players slugging it out to the bitter end was just not there. This year should be interesting with all the young lions in the field, but if Jordan Spieth wins The Barclay’s, the sprint for 10 million dollars could be over early.

What do you think? Should the FedEx Cup Playoffs change their format?

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

Staying Grounded in Golf

August 24, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 13 Comments

On the 10th tee at Glen Abbey!

Recently, my efforts to increase the distance off the tee has taken me out of my game. I realized just last week that, while thinking I was improving one aspect of my game – distance off the tee – I was actually hurting three others: Accuracy, consistency, and my mental focus. As these three core tenants to my game were slowly eroding, I was struggling to shot the scores I expect during this part of the season.

I generally tell most players who ask, that less is more. We do not have the hit the ball with 110% of our strength every time. Sometimes, a controlled 80% gives great greater results. Forgetting my own advice, here is what was happening:

First, by trying to swing harder I found I was on my toes during contact. I was lunging at the ball and my center of gravity was way off. Therefore, my balance during the entire swing was off.

Second, I was teeing the ball way to high because I read that a higher tee would allow me to contact the ball on my upswing, thus greater distance. Yeah, the ball went higher alright….and 40 yards shorter. My swing, after being honed for over 35 years, does not support a high tee position.

Third, due to the first challenge mentioned above, I was moving the ball further up in my stance. The result, many I experienced more pulled balls into the left rough or cabbage off the tee. Not a great way to score low.

Lastly, I was frustrated because I was so comfortable with my old driver. I was questioning my new driver choice. The moment I started second guessing my ability to hit my driver, my mental focus on the tee was on everything, but hitting a good ball.

So, I asked Mike our GM and master golf club fitter to give me a hand on the range. After I hit the ball about 10 times, straight down the range, he asked what the problem was. I explained that I was losing about 30 yards off the tee from my old driver and it was very frustrating. At first he thought my club had a dead face, but after hitting his driver and he hit mine. That was not the issue.

Basically, he said he was not really sure what the issue was but, I seemed to be swing pretty hard at the ball. Well I have had a few days to think about it and I believe he was more accurate that he realized. In my efforts to make a change, I changed the fundamental aspect of my swing: balance and tempo.

To achieve the right balance and tempo with my driver, I need to swing at about 80%. I have not had a chance to hit the course since last Tuesday, but this will be my mental process when I hit the range this week!

Staying grounded in golf is all about maximizing your strengths and limiting your weaknesses. I have never been a long ball hitter, so being in play off the tee 90% of the time is critical to my success on the links. It is time to go back to the basics! I let you know what I find out!

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