golf

2016 Golf Majors Predictions

/ The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments
Lost and Confused Signpost

This is how I feel predicting Major champions!

2016 is an exciting year for golf.  Many of the new young players and all the seasoned veterans are ready for golf’s biggest tournaments.  Golf’s major championships are just around the corner and, as seen in previous years, players are setting their schedules to peak at the right time. Given the rise and fall of players in the top 10 of the world rankings, it is anyone’s guess who will win golf’s most prestigious events this year.

All professional golfers covet the four Majors: The Masters, US Open, The Open, and PGA Championship.  Each unique tournament tests the skill and tenacity of every player.  This year proves to be no different.  In 1930, Bobby Jones became the only player in modern golf to win all four tournaments in one year. Several other players have come close, but none have achieved this great feat. Given the skill of today’s players, this amazing accomplishment will likely not happen this year either, but everyone keeps waiting and hoping for another grand slam in golf!
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Golf Stats – Strokes Gained

/ The Grateful Golfer / 13 Comments

This is my last installment on golf stats. As previously discussed in two different articles (1,2), golf stats are deceiving. As with all stats, the analyst can draw many different conclusions depending on the criteria that the data is measured against. The PGA Tour is trying to rectify the confusion by introducing a new set of statistics that measure the player’s performance against the field. Sounds interesting.

I decided to copy Mark Broadie’s explanation directly from this website. I thought by trying to simplify this new golf stat, I would just muddy the waters. So here it is in its entirety.

“Mark Broadie is at the forefront of a revolutionary new approach to the game of golf that uses analytics from the financial world to uncover the secrets of the game of golf. He crunches data to show both professional and amateur golfers how to make better decisions on the course.”
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The 10-Minute Golf Lesson

/ The Grateful Golfer / 3 Comments
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Practicing for my 10-minute golf lesson

What can you learn in a 10-minute golf lesson? This is the second 10-minute lesson I received from a PGA Ontario member. During the Toronto Golf Show, PGA Ontario had it usual kiosk with and large number of teaching professionals waiting to help amateurs improve their game. This years lesson proved that even an old dog can learn a few new tricks.

I was fortunate to be paired with PGA Canada Golf Professional Kyle Docherty. Kyle is an Assistant Professional, Scarboro Golf & C.C. and if you are in the area looking for a lesson or two, I recommend you give Kyle a call. He is a positive, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic teacher who quickly identified some fundamental errors in my swing. Continue reading →

The Difference Between Teaching or Coaching Golf

/ The Grateful Golfer / 14 Comments

Lowering your score in golf is a key to most players. We spend time practicing, reading, watching videos, and taking lessons to improve our game. This post was sparked by a question from a grateful golfer, Sharkgolf13, “Could you explain the difference between coaching and teaching?” Thank you Sharkgolf13 for this very interesting question.

At the same time, golf is a very simple and complex sport. There are many moving parts to a swing, different ways to play a round, and infinite possibilities on how to improve. During the journey to improvement, it is important to understand the difference between being taught and coached. This distinction is important because both can have a positive impact on your game in different ways. Continue reading →

GAO Growing the Game!

/ The Grateful Golfer / 9 Comments

Walking around the Toronto Golf Show I was happy to see a variety of booths and kiosks. As we meandered down ‘demo alley’, I spied the area for the Golf Association of Ontario. As a current member, I was drawn to their location like a moth to light. I talked to many of the hosts and hostesses about the GAO and was impressed by what they had to offer. There were two ‘Grow the Game’ initiatives presented at the Toronto Golf Show I had never heard of and after some research realized there were more worth mentioning!

The first was a pledge to play golf in 2016! The GAO provided a unique way to challenge golfers to hit the links this summer. Like all goals when written down, most people become motivated and accountable to achieve them. In the 2016 golf season, I have committed to play 80 rounds of golf. Given I have 28 weeks to achieve my goal, I think it is achievable. I will let you know when the season is over. Continue reading →