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!

Confidence is a Powerful Tool

June 23, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 1 Comment

Golfing is a unique sport that has so many moving parts, that even the slightest change can spell disaster or success. Take the Travelers Championship today! Ken Duke won his first PGA tournament in his 187th start. He played very well in the last round and was beaming with confidence after winning the second playoff hole over Chris Stroud. Today was his day and rose to every challenge. His performance may be very difficult to duplicate, however it can be done if he continues to believe he can play well and compete with his peers…..he must remain confident!

How many times have you stepped up to the ball and hit the exact shot you envisioned? Your confidence increases and your next shot is pure as well. Conversely, how many times have you stood over the ball and the voice in your head fills you with doubt. Then you shank your shot and say “See, I knew you could not do it.” Confidence is a powerful tool!

So how do you gain and keep your confidence? Is it really something that can be turned on and off? Is it something you have to find or is it a state of mind?

DR. BOB ROTELLA, from Golf Digest, has ten things that will build confidence in any golfer. Rotella suggests: “I believe every golfer has the potential to be much better than he or she is, and that using the mind is one essential way to improve. You will never know if you have the ability to be the best player in the world, or the best player in your club, unless you commit yourself to developing both your physical and mental skills.”

David MacKenzie from Golf State Of Mind, also suggests ten things that all golfers can do to improve their confidence. My favorite is #10 – Believe in Yourself! There is simply no reason not to! That can be applied in all aspects of our lives, but that is a discussion for another day.

Regardless of which points resonate with you. Confidence is a state of mind! By mentally staying positive and focused on each shot, any golfers confidence will grow. My specific trick to build confidence is to mentally play the shot in my mind from behind the ball. It is like watching the shot on TV! Even if I hit a bad shot, I go through the same routine on my next shot. It works for me and something I am confident in!

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

1 Down 79 to Go

May 5, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 6 Comments

This year, I hope to match my last years number of 80 rounds. In the short northern Canada season it is difficult, but at least it something to shoot for! Yesterday was my first round. I have scored as low as 1 over at Osprey Golf Links, however yesterday was not the case. I did shoot close to what I expected after only hitting 40 balls at the range on Friday.

I could go into all the poor shots I made (and there were a few), but that is not what this blog is about! It is about being grateful for playing golf and focusing on the fun and positive aspects of hitting the links. So here is what was great yesterday.

I played with two of my good friends. We laughed, cried, joked, and supported each other around 18 holes of fun in the sun. I have golfed quite often with these guys and every time I walk away feeling happy and grateful. That is what good friends are all about.

The weather was fantastic. A little wind, bright and sunny, no bugs and the temperature was perfect – 23 degrees Celsius.

I made great contact on some of my shots. Especially with my new Callaway Razr Fit Driver and 3 Wood. I have added about 10 – 15 yards distance from my old clubs. I am excited because using these clubs should only get better as the season unfolds.

I chipped pretty well. My 52 degree Vokey Wedge was working extremely well. However, my 56 and 60 degree wedges need some work. Although, my best shot came from my 60 degree wedge. I was 5 yards off the green and the pin was 10 paces on. The grass was thick, so I opened the face slightly, swung with a firm grip and flopped the ball within 6 inches of the hole….and yes I made the putt. My short game will get better, especially when I practice!

Lastly, I carried my clubs. Some may not think that this is something to be grateful for, but I do because I like to carry if possible. Golf is a sport that does require a certain level of physical fitness and carrying my clubs is a good indicator if I am ready for the golf season. I am not far off, so I will be hitting the gym next week.

Yesterday’s round of golf was fantastic. It was a great way to start my season. I am looking forward to getting out there on Monday or Tuesday!

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

Are You Ready?

March 29, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 6 Comments

Are you ready for golf season? Are you ready physically? Are you ready mentally? Are you ready with the right equipment? Are you ready? Are you ready? Are you ready?

As the last of the snow leaves northern Canada, many golfers are frantically running around asking the these questions over and over. The anticipation of playing soon is raising their anxiety level because after 5 months putting on their carpet, it will soon be time to hit the links.

Preparing for a golf season is something unique to each player. Everyone has different ideas on how their season will unfold; they have dreams of the elusive hole-in-one; breaking 100 or 90 or 80 or even 70; or winning their local club championship (or flight). So how does someone prepare for success in the upcoming season?

Some focus on fitness. At Golfsmith.com, Brian Hill from Demand Media suggests that working on your upper body, core, lower body and flexibility is the way ahead. Callaway Director of Fitting and Instruction, Randy Peterson, talks about looking after your equipment, starting early and working on your short game in the early stages of the season. At mindbodygolf.com, Rick Williams, a PGA member, tells how he uses various tools to keep fit and flexible during the off-season. All of these suggestions and hundreds more can help prepare you physically for the upcoming season. Personally, I believe staying fit for golf is a year-round process, but everyone has to decide for him or herself what level of commitment they are willing to put forth.

However, is fitness the only area that needs preparation? How about being mentally ready for the up coming season? Mental preparation is as important as physical preparation to succeed in golf. Napoeon Hill‘s famous quote: What ever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve is so true for golf!” So what exactly does all this mean?

Dreaming of success on the links gets everyone excited. At golf-mental-game-coach.com suggests that preparing for a round of golf (which can be applied to the season) each player should establish their rhythm, preview their round, and have a game plan. These three points can be very important to lowering your score. At the Heart of Golf, Rick Semple lays out an off-season process to use mental imagery that will prepare anyone for swinging the clubs successfully at the start of the season.

If you are like most golfers, all of this can be overwhelming. There appears to be no right or wrong answer. However, preparation can be boiled down to one simple concept: managing expectations. That is it.

Managing one’s expectations is the basis to an awesome golf season. Before the season starts it is helpful to establish a couple of goals. Make them reasonable, but something you have to work at to achieve. Think big and do not worry about the details; they will take care of themselves.

For example, this year’s goal is to break 80. Start to focus on this idea. Just quietly think about breaking 80. Do not dwell on the details, but just mull it around for a little while. Next ask what part of your game you should work on to achieve this goal; your swing, short game, off the tee, etc. Once you have selected the focus area, break it down further. For example, if you have a tendency to three putt, work on your lag putting. Finally, write down what you have been thinking.

Go through this process a couple of times. After a short while, a realistic game plan for the season will unfold. You will have managed your golf expectations, written it down (thus making it real) and reduced the mental anguish not changing anything, but expecting different results.

Golf is fun. Each player has different goals, expectations, and aspirations. Regardless, golf is meant to be enjoyed. How are you managing your expectations this year?

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

Wiarton Willie and Punxsutawney Phil

March 8, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 1 Comment

Wiarton Willie and Punxsutawney Phil are my two favorite rodents. Each year, they have an extremely difficult job to predict the weather. This year, both of these lovable creatures predicted an early spring.

3 Feet of Snow and it is time for it to go!

This means that I have only 38 more days until the golf courses are open. To prepare, I have adopted a muscle-building yoga program (actually it is from the Biggest Loser and it really works well) to increase my core strength and flexibility. I have worked out for three weeks now and I feel great. Additionally, I play on a men’s basketball team. It is also keeping me in shape. When the basketball stops, I will start swimming. Additionally, my wife and I walk at least once a day for 45 minutes. All this exercise has me excited about the upcoming golf season and with the coming of spring, I can hardly wait to hit the links. In my next blog, I will talk about how I mentally prepare for the up coming season and my plan for success.

As you can see from the picture, there is still a bit of snow left, however in three weeks it will all be gone….I can hardly wait. For those already golfing…..I hope you are having fun. For those of waiting, preparing will help re-entry into golf so much easier.

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