Change Focus Midstream During Your Round

October 31, 2016October 30, 2016 / The Grateful Golfer / 8 Comments

Many discussions about the importance of focus while playing golf percolate every day on the internet. They outline how to mentally prepare or execute your game to always have a chance to shot your lowest score? But, I am not so confident that this unsolicited advice is really helping my game.

I try to play approximately 80 rounds of golf each season and focus is definitely a challenge during some of the rounds. There are various reasons for my focus challenges, yet it the grand scheme my lapses are minor. Sometimes, it is okay to change your focus during your round; it is a matter of choice. Continue reading →

Is a Landing Area Important in Golf?

October 17, 2016October 16, 2016 / The Grateful Golfer / 11 Comments

You are playing well and unfortunately you approach shot has left you 15 yards short of the green. A difficult up and down will leave you with your lowest score of the year. It is now time to put all your long practice around the green to work.

The next and important step is to determine which shot to make. Shall it be a flop, chip, pitch, or bump and run? The many variables have you thinking about which approach will be best and so the process begins. Continue reading →

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.

Golfing at a New Course

October 14, 2014October 14, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

Golfing at a new golf course can be daunting. The unknown is always challenging and can have detrimental effects on the mental aspects of golf. Most amateurs will fill their minds with self-doubt once the excitement of a new adventure on the links runs it course. Personally, I love playing new golf courses because of the challenge it provides my overall golf game.

In a couple of weeks, I will be playing golf in the United Kingdom with my best friend. We plan on playing at his home course at the Northwood Golf Course in Middlesex, UK. I am excited to play there and I am mentally preparing myself for an awesome time on the links!

To prepare to play at a new golf course, I use visualization, positive thinking, and research to help shoot the best score I can. Since my golf season is over in Canada, I will need to focus more on the mental side of my game to ensure the rust of inactivity does last very long.

There are a few aspects I like to focus on before playing a new course. These things help me score low and enjoy my time on the course.

First, I play a bit more conservatively than normal. I focus more on course management, try to leave my approach shots at around 100 yards, and do not challenge hazards. By playing more focused golf, I tend to score better.

I spend a bit more time on the putting green. Most of the time, the most strokes are lost on the greens. By learning the roll of the green, the length of the grass, and some subtile aspects of the breaks of the greens, my scores stay relatively consistent.

Lastly, I focus on hitting off the tee. Using my driver is not always the smartest play when faced with unknown shots. However, I try keeping the ball in play more than normal and sometimes that means using a different club than driver off the tee. It is important to park my ego at the clubhouse.

Playing a new course can be both challenging and fun. Personally, I like both aspects when playing a course for the first time. I will have that chance soon and I will let you know how it went! Do you like playing new courses?

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

Distraction, What Distraction?

September 10, 2013April 3, 2020 / The Grateful Golfer / 7 Comments

Golf is a particularly interesting game. One of the greatest attributes to a great golfer is concentration! In the modern era, Jack Nicklaus demonstrated the greatest ability to concentrate while playing golf. Through 18 PGA Tour Majors, 8 Senior PGA Tour Majors, 2 Amateur Titles he showed that to stay focused for 4 hours was very difficult, especially during the stop and start tempo of a round on the links. While zeroing in on a shot for 15 seconds, many distractions could occur that would have an impact on the intended results.

“I was blessed with the ability to focus intensely on whatever I’m doing right now, free of distractions and to the exclusion of whatever else might pre-occupy me.” –Jack Nicklaus

If you have never played in front of a gallery of onlookers, it is difficult to describe the feeling of all those eyes intently watching your every move. The pros make it look easy. Each click of a camera, a cough, people shouting or the eerie quiet of a hushed crowd are all factors that could create distractions and interrupt your concentration. Having played with a small gallery of about 40 people watching, it is a bit unnerving. However, it was possible to stay focused and calm the nerves; it just takes practice. “Concentration is a fine antidote to anxiety.” (Jack Nicklaus)

There are many ways to keep your concentration while playing. It does take effort and practice, but ultimately the pay off is reduced scores and more consistent play. The following are concentration tips will help any player start to develop their own concentration techniques:

Develop a solid pre-shot routine. Annika Sörenstam states that “a pre-shot routine is a consistent and systematic procedure that is executed prior to hitting a golf shot and is very instrumental in the focus and relaxation process.”

Don’t over concentrate. The Telegraph published an article regarding a study that being too focused may be detrimental to your overall game. “One trick that people can certainly try is to try to distract your external focus. Make sure that your focus is on the hole or on a spot on the green and do not think about your technique or how your limbs are moving.” Basically, clear your mind when playing; to much activity between the ears does not really help.

Switching your concentration on and off. Golf Today suggests that “the absolute ideal in a round of golf is that you switch ‘ON’ for your shots and then switch ‘OFF’ in between shots.” Being able to be prepared to hit the ball when it is time to perform is an extremely valuable skill. It is impossible to stay focused for 4.5 hours (as well all know); some Golf Today suggests are:

A particular mark on your glove like the RED DOT. Make it personal to you and then look at this before you start your routine.
Have a particular word you say to yourself like ‘FOCUS’
Open and close the Velcro fastener on your glove paying attention to the sound.

Regardless what you do to turn your concentration on and off, it has to be yours and something that will enable you to focus when required.

Visualization. Visualizing your shot is another way to hone your concentration skills. See yourself hitting the ball successfully. When playing, take 5 seconds behind the ball see your shot, then step up, and perform. Visualizing a shot will allow you to stay focused when needed most!

There are countless ways to stay focused on the course. To achieve the greatest success while playing golf does take concentration. How a players develops this skill is really an individual process. Everyone is different, however having a pre-shot routine, not over concentrating, being able to turn your focus on and off or visualization are but four ways to lower your score and play consistently.

What are some techniques you use to stay focused on the course?

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