Fixing your Golf Swing in One Easy Step

September 16, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 3 Comments

I have the sure fire way to fix your golf swing in one easy step! It came to me while playing golf yesterday. It fits every level of player and can be adopted with little or no trouble. Yup, it is amazing how simple it is and I am not surprised that I did not think of it sooner.

For $19.95, I will send you blah, blah, blah…..how many times have I read or heard about the one solution that will fix everything. The funny thing is that I do believe there is one thing that any golfer can do to improve their swing at any given time.

Yesterday, I was playing golf with a couple of friends and someone I never met before named Kevin. Kevin is our club champion and his swing is as smooth as silk. He was always in control and his shot routine was flawless. However, what caught my attention was his tempo! It was always the same regardless of which club he was using. After watching him, I realized that my swing tempo was way out sync!

After coming back from a long break, my swing was actually out of sync regardless of my scores. Watching Kevin I realized that if I fixed my tempo, many of my swing challenges would be fixed. So, I decided to slow down my tempo. I know, this is the wrong time, but I our season is quickly coming to a close and I need to take advantage of every opportunity to improve my game.

Immediately I found success! My ball striking improved and my confidence increased. I felt better about my swing and hoped that it would continue through that round and during my next. So, I today headed for a quick 9 to see if my new-found success was still around. And to my surprise and happiness, my slower tempo is still working.

This video is an example of my tempo that is quicker than I want:

I go back to my original statement, ‘fixing your swing in one easy step’ is possible and anyone can do it! However, I will admit that finding that one area to change can be challenging, but it is possible. It just takes time and patience to work your way through whatever it is you want to fix.

The only real suggestion I have is that once you decide on what you are going to change, do it with confidence, focus and intent. It will be challenging at first, but you what you can conceive and believe, you can achieve!

I am a grateful golfer!

Who Likes Talking About Golf?

August 14, 2015August 14, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

It is always a good time to talk golf.

The PGA Championship is in full swing and media hype is continuing to grow. Every sports venue is pontificating on the possibilities of what is to come. It appears that the Tiger watch is over, The Open Champion, Zach Johnson, is done, and John Daly shot a 10 on a par three (and threw his club in the water). All of these, and many more aspects of this Major, top the list of things people like to talk about. It appears that no matter where golfing nuts turn, all eyes are on the last Major of 2015…..or are they?

Since the start of the PGA Championship on Thursday, my regular day consisted of work, talking about golf, playing golf, and following the events of this weekend’s tournament. Surprisingly, while talking about golf with my friends it had nothing to do with the PGA Championship.

I had a discussion on Facebook with a friend about the advice I gave him last week about keeping his left arm straighter during his swing. He was filling me in on how this advice helped and what he was doing to improve his score.
I talked to a friend about how a high follow through (putting your right wrist on the nape of your neck to finish your follow through) was helping him crush the ball with a slight draw. His excitement was contagious.
I discussed the attributes of learning to play slowly while on the links yesterday. We discussed that slowing our pace and taking more time to read putts helps pass the time when waiting for others to play.
And, an old friend dropped me a line and we were able to set up a game at Keystone Links Golf and Country Club on Sunday. Neither of us have played this course, but more importantly, we will get a chance to catch up.

Talking about golf is a daily thing for me. It does not matter what the aspect, with whom, or when, it just happens. It is not that golf is my only interest, but I never shy away from the opportunity to talk about my favorite sport. Of course being from Canada, we talk about hockey and basketball in the winter, but if the topic of golf comes up, I am always game.

So, I ask again, Who Likes Talking About Golf?

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

Angle of Attack

June 9, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 7 Comments

The angle of attack in golf is a fuzzy subject for me. I understand it, but have never really been able to explain it very well. Mark Crossfield does a very good job in the video below.

This makes total sense to me. How about you? Is your angle of attack correct or do you need to adjust something? Let us know what you think!

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

Travelling With Golf Clubs

December 26, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 6 Comments

Ice Storm – I need a golfing vacation!

Another Christmas Day is in the books! I hope everyone enjoyed their time with their special someone and had time to relax, eat, and laugh until your belly hurt. For most of us, winter is still limiting our ability to hit the links. With cold temperatures limit our activities, thoughts of sugar plums in our heads has shifted to golf trips to warmer climates. If you are planning on travelling to play golf anytime soon, it is important to pack your clubs with care.

Packing golf clubs properly makes a tremendous difference to their well-being. Additionally, identifying them with a unique tag, cloth, or ribbon is a must to prevent confusion at your destination. But, these are just a few things that every golfer could do to make sure their golf vacation an overwhelming success. Mark Aumann at the PGA has even more great tips. Here is he has to say:

Try to get a non-stop flight, if possible.

Get a durable, well-made travel bag.

If you use a soft-sided bag, don’t forget to pack a golf club protection device.

Don’t forget that golf bags are considered “oversized check-in”.

Add some personal ID marking to your bag.

Don’t wind up with more luggage than you need.

Think about a cab or car service (or ride to airport).

Pack your clubs so they won’t move around in the travel bag.

Use your travel bag for additional storage.

Don’t leave your expensive electronics in your golf bag.

If you’re still leery of putting your equipment on a plane, do use a shipping service.

For more details, you can read his entire article at PGA.com.

Planning a golf trip anywhere warm is always fun. Proper care of your golf clubs only enhances the experience. I am not planning a golf trip this year, but if you are, I would like to hear about it. So drop me a line and let me know where you are going! It is always fun to share golfing stories when snowbound for 4 months!

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links

A Golf Tip For Everyone

December 19, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 8 Comments

Universal golf tips are difficult to find. Depending on the skill level of the player, a golf tip could be too difficult or too simple. Focusing on more than one movement during a golf swing is often overwhelming for amateur golfers. Therefore, it is very difficult to find that one universal tip that fits the needs of every golfer. Well, for two years I have searched for the elusive tip and I think I have found it!

This drill is so simple, I think everyone can do it! It helps meets the criteria of focusing on one aspect of a golf swing and can be performed by any golfer. It takes only 5 minutes a day and can be practiced anywhere! It is called active visualization. I know we have discussed visualization at length (Visualization for Success, A Growth Mindset, and Visualizing a Shot) and I have finally figured out what was missing.

What was missing was the active part! Normally, when visualizing my golf swing, I think my way through the shot. I try to picture my swing in my mind’s eye through my pre-shot to post-shot routine. I try to keep my concentration on the moment and have achieved relative success. However, I found that I am sometimes easily distracted by other thoughts creeping in, noises, or falling asleep! Ok, now that you have stopped laughing…..

Active visualization is nothing new. My idea actually comes from the movie “Seven Days in Utopia“. The seasoned golf coach in Utopia was helping a struggling golf professional. The first step to improvement was to write out his golf swing. It made the player concentrate on how and why he swung a golf club in a particular way. After some reflection, I think this approach is brilliant.

Active visualization does start with writing out your golf swing. If you are having difficulty, there are many sites that will help. However, it is important to focus on your swing. As you go through the step by step process of writing out your swing, you are in fact analysing your mechanics. This is an important step towards understanding your golf game and is critical to improving your overall game. Once you are done writing, read it out loud to yourself several times.

After reading your Pulitzer prize article aloud, you will remember it step by step. Now, close your eyes and recite your swing to yourself. You will be surprised to see images form within your mind’s eye! You will also see your swing in all its glory!

The cool thing about this process is the ability to make changes. After you have written your swing out in detail, it is easy to identify that part of your swing that is causing you the most difficulty. Once identified, change that part until you are satisfied – watching videos of professional golfers may help if you are experiencing challenges. An important aspect of active visualization is being engaged in the entire process. For 5 minutes (once you have written out your script) anyone can visualize their golf swing and as a result build confidence in their game. Visualization does help lower your golf score, active visualization will provide the foundation to a great golf game.

In future articles, I will share what I have written for my active visualization. But, before I do, what do you think? Do you think this will work? Or am I just crazy?

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