The Open Championship – Who Is Your Pick?

July 13, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 11 Comments

I wrote this on PunditArena.com and thought I would share my thoughts on who is going to win The Open Championship! What do you think?

After many weeks of waiting, The Open Championship is finally here. The golfing world is ready to see the top players tee it up on the famous and historic Old Course at St. Andrews. Steeped in tradition, it is second behind The Masters as the Major to win.

We never tire from watching professional golfers slay or get slain in the Scottish countryside year in and year out.

I do not follow the odds makers when picking the winner of any Major championships because I believe there are too many variables to consider. So here is my slant on the upcoming Open Championship.

The obvious choice is Jordan Spieth. He is the best golfer in the world right now and is head and shoulders above the field. However, not playing in the Scottish Open will hurt him. He will be coming off a strong finish at the John Deere Classic, but playing a links-style course like St. Andrews needs some preparation.

Additionally, his travel to Scotland from Illinois, USA will take its toll on him physically and mentally. For this reason, I predict Spieth will finish fifth.

Finishing fourth, Rickie Fowler. Winning the Scottish Open in dramatic fashion will boost his confidence and should carry over to The Open Championship. Fowler is a streaky player and if his nerves hold this week, good things will happen.

Finishing third, Phil Mickelson. Mickelson is a tough competitor. His play of late is improving, however his play at St. Andrews is always good. His short game is still as sharp as ever and he will need every part of it to play well in the upcoming week. If Mickelson gets hot on the putting surface, he may even contend for the Claret Jug.

Finishing second, Adam Scott. Everyone forgets about Scott. He has quietly gone about his business and always seems to be in the thick of things on Sunday during the Majors. He has the total game to win at The Old Course as long as his putting stays strong, which is his Achilles heel. However, this weekend he will be in the last group vying for another Major Championship on Sunday afternoon.

Finishing first, Dustin Johnson. Since coming back after a leave of absence from professional golf, Johnson is the second best player in the world. He accurately hits the ball a country mile and has a very strong short game. Yes, everyone points at his 3-putt at The US Open on the last hole, but I can overlook that mental error. Taking the week off will aid Johnson to start strong and keep the pressure on the field for the entire 4 days.

As always, I select a dark horse. A player who has an outside chance to win, but the odds are not in their favour. For The Open Championship this year, Graeme McDowell is my dark horse. I selected him to be the outright winner last October, but I am less confident now. He has the game to win and understands the “Links Mentality”. For McDowell to have an opportunity to win, but he will have to play better than he has lately.

There you have it. The Open Championship is upon us and the golfing world is ready to for the action. I have selected Dustin Johnson as The Open Champion and to raise the Claret Jug above his head on Sunday. It is fitting that this prestigious Major will be his first of many.

The Duck Update!

July 12, 2015July 12, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 2 Comments

For those that are wondering, The Duck has moved to Belgium! Attached to the hip of my buddy Kirk, it must go where he goes. As I was talking to Kirk yesterday, he showed The Duck sitting proudly on a table in his new house.

I miss The Duck (ok not really) and wish it fun travels throughout Europe! I am looking forward to another match and sending that little yellow treasure packing to where ever its travels will take it.

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

New Titleist Golf Clubs – 1Week Old

July 11, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 12 Comments

From earlier posts, most of you know that I purchased new golf clubs. Well, I finally picked them up Sunday. I was fitted about 3 weeks ago and I am completely happy with my new purchase. Since picking them up, I have played three rounds of golf and hit the range twice. Everyday is a better day and contact is improving each time I swing my new AP2 irons.

My results have been very good and the are easily meeting all my expectations. My first round with the new sticks was at Wildfire Golf Course. It was fantastic! The course was in awesome shape and I plan to write a review in the coming days. It was the first time I hit my new irons and the third time I hit my new 915 D2 driver, 3-wood, and 3-hybrid. Some shots were a bit of an adventure, but when I hit the sweet spot the results were amazing. I ended up with an 82 (with 4 doubles) with 28 putts!

Brandon showing us how it is done on the range!

Next, I hit the range to work on contact and alignment. I brought out the alignment sticks and they really helped. I was able to determine the positioning of the ball in relation to my clubs and more importantly, what it looks like when my setup was correct. I took my time to examine my feet, hand position and my head position when swinging the clubs.

I also hit the range today, (after playing 18 holes this morning) and continued to work on the same things I worked on last time. I am feeling more confident every day! The best part about the range today, besides my wife being there, was a close friend of the family joined us. Brandon, who I know since he was 6 months old, came to the range to show how to hit the ball a long way. He was using my old clubs and showed me the way to really hit them.

My second round was a 9-hole loop with my wife last Thursday. It was fantastic to play on a local course, Quinte Hills, and support a course that is just starting out. Quinte Hills is 5 minutes from our house and its relative obscurity affords us the opportunity to play 9 holes without anyone pushing us. It was very relaxing and my wife enjoyed playing without feeling rushed or that we were holding anyone up. This course is rough around the edges and the hilly terrain is a bit challenging. But overall, it is a great course for my wife and I play and enjoy the time together on the links. I shot an even par 36, but sank 3, 20+ foot putt along the way. My contact with the clubs was better and my putting saved the day. Hence the great score.

Today, I played 18 holes with my normal group. We enjoyed the warm sun and a cool breeze. Starting off 2 over after three holes, I settled down to par the last 6 holes of the front nine. Feeling confident, I walk to the 200 yard par 3, 10th hole and quickly doubled it. I was a bit frustrated, but still felt very good about my round. The next 8 holes I ended up 2 under and left 3 shots on the course. My ball striking was very good and my putting deadly. With a final score of 74, it is my best round this year and with new clubs in my hand, I feel that I am peaking at the right time.

My new Titleist clubs are well worth the whole ordeal of being fitted and purchasing clubs made for my swing. With the Regional military competition just over 10 days away, things are looking very good.

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

A Point to Ponder in Golf

July 9, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

I came across this quote from a fellow blogger sometime back. With my Regional golf tournament coming up in about 10 days, it struck home with me and I thought I would share. Thanks David at One Bearded Golfer for reminding me to stay focused and to use my head when competing.

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

Golf’s Jedi Mind Trick

July 8, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

The famous Jedi Mind Trick is the most valuable resource in golf. By using the force, golfers are able to clear their mind of all potential hazards and hit successful shots time after time. This skill is not a difficult as one may think, it really comes down to believing in your swing and course of action chosen for that moment.

I am sure many of you are questioning my sanity right now, but if you really think about it, golfers can eliminate potential hazards all the time. Whether it is a shot over water, sand, a tree or right down the middle of the fairway; we are able to blank out many unwanted distractions in a blink of an eye.

Personally, I use the power of positive thought. I never (or at least hardly ever) think about the negative aspect of any shot. I visualize the end result, pick my target line, look at the desired ball flight, select the proper club to achieve your intended ball flight, set up according to your target line, and then step up to the ball – swing as if I was nothing bad could happen. When I use positive visualization, good things happen a majority of the time.

This is not a difficult skill to learn. I suggest trying it anywhere on the course next time. Stand behind your ball; take a deep breath; let it out slowly and visualize the result you want. Sometimes it takes two breaths. When you are sure of the result, go through the above steps, then step up to your ball and execute! You will be surprised at the results!

Let me know how you make out!

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