Controlling the Unknown in Golf

June 22, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 3 Comments

On any given day, we as amateur golfers really have no idea what our golf game will produce. Don’t get me wrong, the better golfers have a better understanding of what to expect and most of the time the surprises are limited. But for the amateur who plays infrequently or does not have the time to improve game, the unknown of golf can be a source of excitement or dread.

For those who have ever walked into a casino, the anticipation of winning big and walking out is always on your mind. As you pensively walk around looking for the ‘lucky’ machine, many thoughts of how to ‘beat the house’ surface. Finally, you pick a slot machine and in goes your money. As you pull the arm and watch the tumblers spin, your excitement grows! As the wheels stop spinning, you find yourself talking or yelling at the machine as if you influence the outcome. The machine gives you just enough back, thus providing a sense of control in an uncontrollable situation. The unknown of where the dials will stop continues until you walk away!

Golf is very much like your adventure into the casino. The player who is unprepared or has not played enough to develop a consistent swing creates a world of unknown possibilities in golf. They will repeatedly hit the ball unsuccessfully and wonder what is going on. Like the slot machine, the player will hit just enough good shots as to give the illusion that things are looking up; when actually their good golf shots was ultimately the result of the law of percentages.

Every shot in golf provides a plethora of options and the ability to control all the factors is impossible. We cannot control the wind, the ground, course layout, speed of the greens or the sand in the bunker! These things all play a role in golf and their unknowns are uncontrollable! However, for golfing fanatics they are what makes golf interesting and in some cases exciting. Just ask Brian at All About Golf who recently recorded his second hole in one!

Of course this is not all bad! There are many things in golf we can control that will significantly lower the unknowns and increase the percentage of making consistent, great shots. You can control how you putt, when to chip, driving the ball, and course management to name a few. Golf is a game that needs nurturing for players to reach their true potential!

Controlling the unknowns in golf is possible. It does take effort, that eventually will be rewarded.

Today, I am heading to play Glen Abbey Golf Course, the home of the Canadian Open! I hope I can control some of the unknowns, but regardless, today is going to be an awesome golfing experience!

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

3-6-9 Chipping Drill

May 26, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 10 Comments

Today was practice day. I stole 30 minutes to quickly practice my chipping. As many of you know, I use the 3-6-9 chipping drill to sharpen my skills and focus my practice time. I always practice with the intent of learning or honing something. Today was no different.

Lately, my chipping is chunky! For some reason, my club is striking the round about an inch behind the ball. This failure to execute results in my wedge pouncing off the ground (when dry) or digging in (when wet). Regardless, the ball comes up extremely short and as a result it is costing me unwanted strokes. So, today’s practice round was time devoted to figuring out why.

After about six balls, the answer was obvious; my lower body was too active, which resulted in my flexing my knees during short chips. This in-turn, caused my club to hit the ground behind the ball and as a result….chunk!

Recognizing this error, I immediately adjust my chipping style and poof….problem fixed. After about 5 minutes, I was seeing definite improvement in my chipping.

In the first image, I was 25 yards from the flag using my 52 degree wedge. The result was very good with 4 out of 6 balls were within 6 feet and 3 of those were within 3 feet. (the stars are where the tees are)

The second image, I was 25 yards from the flag using my 60 degree wedge. The result was okay with 2 out of 6 balls were within 6 feet and 1 of those were within 3 feet. All balls were within 9 feet.

I found that the 52 degree wedge was easier to control because of the lower ball flight. It had less bounce on the green and released further and consistently. With the 60 degree wedge, I could not control the direction of the bounce when the ball hit the green. Additionally, I had to be more aggressive hitting the ball to reach the hole which made it more difficult to control.

Additionally, I realized four other things that I will take forward and practice the next time I hit the links. They are:

Keep more weight on my front foot;
Keep my hands ahead of the ball on contact;
Keep my right elbow (trail elbow) tucked near my side; and
Most importantly for me – quiet lower body when chipping within 25 yards.

The 3-6-9 chipping drill enable me go gauge my success immediately on every chip. This made adjusting very easy. Ultimately, my goal is to be within 3 feet every time or at least within 6 feet. These are make-able putts more often than not.

Practice chipping, or any golf skill for that matter, is the practical aspect of playing golf. Research is great, watching videos is fine and listening to the experts important; however if we do not take the theoretical aspects of golf and covert it to the practical aspects then we are really limiting our potential to lower our scores! In case you are wondering, my GAF was high today!

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

Chipping to Break 100

May 9, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 7 Comments

Golf is a crazy game! On Tuesday I shot 78 with bogies on the last three holes – with two 3 putts! Thursday, I shot 76 with 2 birdies and two pars on the last 4 holes! I felt exactly the same, played almost the same way and scored two strokes better. As I think back to my round, and I know most of you analyse your last round of golf, I was wondered what the difference was between the two rounds. My conclusion is that It all came down to chipping.

I have talked about practicing my 3-6-9 chipping drill before and suggest that it will help anyone break 100. The most important aspect of the drill is just to practice and develop a solid go-to stroke that will help build consistency. As I played today, I realized that chipping is as important as putting to score low.

I could go on about how to hold your hands or how to grip the club or where to align or, or, or. As your skill develops, there will be time for improving and refining your chipping touch. The trick to breaking 100 is to build a consistent chipping technique. The video below outlines a repeatable process that will benefit all players trying to break 100.

The clock drill is very good for using the same swing for multiple shots. It helps develop consistency and improves your chance of lowering your score. Give it a try; let me know how it works.

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

Canadian Forces National Golf Competition

August 22, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

The Canadian Forces National Golf Competition finished yesterday. This three-day event pitted the top golfers from five regions in Canada in an individual and team competition. To participate in this tournament, each region submits five male and two female golfers who have qualified by finishing at the regional and base level qualifying events. Additionally, due to operational commitments, some players can apply to participate in nationals, but only in the individual event. I, due to operational reasons, was selected by the Ontario region as an independent player.

CF National Golf Competition at Circle Pine Golf Course, CFB Borden, Ontario

18th Green at the CF National Golf Competition at Circle Pine Golf Course

We arrived two days before the event at Canadian Forces Base Borden, Ontario, in preparation for the upcoming tournament. After two practice rounds at Circled Pine Golf Course, (Slope: 127 Rating: 71.2) we felt ready for the next challenge. Gary Corriveau and his team had the course in fantastic shape. The greens were running true, the fairways lush and the rough challenging. Circle Pine Golf Course was definitely the venue for this elite golf tournament.

Tournaments such as this do not happen without an organizing committee. The National Sports Committee are a dedicated group of professionals who enhance this already exciting experience. Upon our arrival, there was a banquet and meet and greet; three days of golf, meals, lodging, fun games, a closing banquet, sports therapists, rules officials and a whole lot more. Their behind the scenes work was nothing short of spectacular and all the golfers are grateful for their efforts and sacrifices.

The results of the competition are found at the CF National Sports Competition Facebook page. Needless to say, that the male and female champions put on a show! They were smooth, consistent and accurate. Given how difficult the course was playing, their scores were outstanding. Congratulations to all the winners!

The CF National Golf Competition is an outstanding event. After 99 holes of golf; which included two practice rounds, three competition rounds, and one nine-hole fun scramble; I learned a few things that need to be shared.

FITNESS

Some think that golf is an easy sport that anyone can play anytime anywhere. However, after five days straight of walking this 6500 yard course; fitness is extremely important. Walking in 28 degree weather (humidex in the mid 30s) for five days definitely challenges ones fitness. We were fortunate that most rounds were completed in 4.5 hours, however some rounds in the past have taken as long as 6 hours to play. One definite take away is that a stretching and aerobic program is required to play golf at the elite level.

NUTRITION

Eating well-balanced meals and staying hydrated will go a long way to finishing strong at the end of a round. A proper balance of fruits, vegetables and protein is very important. While playing, I focused on eating apples and bananas and proper meals for breakfast and supper. Sometimes it is difficult to eat properly while travelling, but it is definitely possible.

PRACTICE

Practicing and preparing properly is important. Hitting the range to groove your swing so when you are tired, you can still perform is important. Less thinking and more mechanics will ensure that your swing remains pure during all aspects of the competition. Practice chipping and putting regularly. The greens at Circled Pine Golf Course were running at 10 – 11 on the stimpmeter. For those who don’t know, that is like putting on your kitchen table…or almost. When chipping and putting, ensure you practice your shots in all kinds of lies; you will never know where your ball will end up on the course.

MENTAL PREPARATION

Golf is a mentally challenging game. Mental preparation starts the moment you wake up until you are finished playing for the day. Additionally, mentally preparing for a national competition starts weeks before you arrive. Mental imagery and focus visualization will help focus your mind to play well. Playing in local tournaments before elite events will also be helpful. It will help you perform under pressure on those side hill three-foot putts that end up 12 feet past the hole if you miss!

This year’s golf event was fantastic. Although my play was underwhelming, the tournament itself was fantastic. Each year it is one of my goals to play well enough in the two qualifying competitions to return to nationals. It is a definite highlight of my golfing season.

Again, thank you to all those behind the scenes, tireless workers. Your efforts made the 2013 Canadian Sports National Golf Competition a memorable event. I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!

Breaking 100 Through Chipping

August 20, 2013August 22, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

Breaking 100 is the first major challenge for any golfer. As discussed in my previous article, building a consistent putting stroke using the 3-6-9 putting drill will greatly reduce strokes and help develop confidence on the green. For those whose who have a tendency to hit their approach shots just off the green, then chipping to break 100 is very important.

As a rule, keeping all drills as simple as possible is the key to success in golf. Building on the 3-6-9 concept, will help tie a previously learned skill in to your growing arsenal. To set up this drill, grab 12 tees and six balls from your bag. No, you do not require clubs yet! Set up the tees in the same pattern as the 3-6-9 putting drill. For those who have not read the previous post; at 3,6,9 and 12 o’clock, place a tee at 3-6-9 feet from the hole.

Next, grab the six balls and walk anywhere off the green. Ideally, you should start at least 15 paces from the hole. You still do not require any clubs. Now toss the ball towards the target hole. Pay attention to how far you tossed the ball in the air and how far the ball rolls after it hits the ground. Do this with all six balls. The intent is to toss the ball within the 3 foot circle…inside nine feet will be ok since you already have confidence putting from that range.

Retrieve your balls and return to the same spot where you tossed the 6 balls. Now, roll the balls along the green without tossing the ball in the air. Pay attention to how fast the ball is travelling to get within your 3 target.

Practice tossing and rolling the balls until you can consistently place the 6 balls within your 3-6-9 foot target. Now, grab your 8 iron and a wedge (which wedge is up to you depending on your stroke – this is the time to experiment with which club is good for you). Use the wedge to replicate the tossed ball and use the 8 iron to replicate the rolled ball.

Obviously, the goal is to chip the 6 balls in your 3-6-9 target. Now once you feel confident and have achieved success move to a different location. Eventually, you will not have to hand toss or roll the balls.

The most important and final step of this drill is to pace the distance from your chipping spot to the hole. This step will help develop your distance gauge around the green. Additionally, you will develop confidence with your chipping irons so you will automatically be able to assess your chipping and have confidence you will be able improve your up and down stats.

Using the 3-6-9 chipping and putting drill help,lower you scores and break 100. I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!