Golfing In Formation

November 29, 2015November 30, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 8 Comments

This is a typical sight on a golf course. Everyone moves along at a steady place and as happenstance has it, we are all aligned in a golfing formation the would rival the RCAF Snowbirds or the USAF Thunderbirds!

When playing in a foursome, where people stand during someone’s shot is very important. It is critical to great golf etiquette and has a direct impact to the shooter. When waiting for someone to play it is important to understand field of view, proximity, and respecting their personal space.

Field of view is pretty self explanatory. It is important that the waiting player not stand in a sport where the player can see them during their shot. So, those players who stand directing behind the player during a swing should move off the side to stay out of the field of view of the player. Everyone golfer is different and it is important to know where to stand. Personally, I am not usually fussed where people stand, but I would prefer if they stood at a 45 degree angle, about 10 feet away. However, that is not always possible, so I have learned to be flexible.

Proximity is important for noise. If you are close enough for a player to hear you doing anything, you are too close. I have played with many players who fidget with things while waiting, they end up breaking the ambient noise of the golf course. All I can suggest is that the person waiting stop fidgeting or move further away from the person making the shot.

Last is personal space. I enjoy talking to my fiends on the golf course. That usually means that we stand nearer to each other when playing. Unfortunately, some strangers like to stand to close and quietly chat when someone is talking. I do not like this, actually I suggest most golfers feel the same way. I recommend that a 5 foot ring when talking to someone you do not know well is a good distance. If you have to get closer because you a have to whisper something during someone’s shot, maybe it can wait.

Golfing in formation is important. Proper etiquette is important so everyone can enjoy their precious time on the links. What do you think? Do you have other formation tips?

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

Journey to Scratch Golf: A New Hope

November 27, 2015November 23, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

Being Grateful A long time ago in a galaxy far far away…..

Of course we all know this epic line to the original Star Wars movie! I bet the song is going off in your head right now! Before the rest of the opening scenes explain the challenges faced by the rebels against the empire, our minds soar to new possibilities in almost every area of our lives.

That is where I sit right now. Golf season is over, I have 5 months before the links open, and I need to prepare for next season if I ever expect to be a scratch golfer. As with previous years, I like to take time to think about where I can most effectively make changes to lower my scores.

For me, it is a creative time. It is a time to be grateful for great 2015 golf season! It is a time to be introspective. It is a time envision the how to take my game to the next level. It is a time to embrace a new hope in my golf game.

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

Hole-In-One or Albatross?

November 25, 2015November 22, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 8 Comments

It is the best round of your life! You are playing 4 strokes under your best score ever! The only thing at would top off this fantastic round is ……. a hole-in-one or albatross?

I have played about 1500 rounds of golf in my life. That equates to approximately 27,000 holes and 123,000 strokes on the links. This does not include any partial rounds or fun tournaments I have played in over the years. Through all this time, I have only had 3 holes-in-one. I have never had an albatross! I have been close a couple of times, but I have never felt the exuberance of conquering a 500+ yard hole in two.

If you think about it, an albatross would be better for your round; going 3 under in one shot is what dreams are made of! But for some reason, everyone thinks a hole-in-one is the only metric worth using when talking about a great golf.

#golf – What would you rather shoot in golf:

— The Grateful Golfer (@TheGratefulGolf) November 21, 2015

I actually believe I have a better chance at shooting a hole-in-one than an albatross. During each round, I have four opportunities for a hole-in-one and maybe one or two chances for an albatross. Do not get me wrong, I would take a hole-in-one every round, but I think I would like to shoot an albatross at least once!

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

Golf Tip: Using Your Dominant Eye

November 23, 2015November 22, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 10 Comments

Eye Dominance and Putting – Important?

As kids, he have all made a circle with our thumb and index finger to encircle a distant object. Then we opened and closed our eyes and notice that the object flips in and out of the circle. Little did we know that the movement of our circle was an indication of which eye was considered dominant. I have found that as I age, my dominant eye is becoming more and more dominant; as a result of this physical change, in need to adjust my golf game.

Before we move forward, it is important to determine which is your dominate eye. Look at something on the wall across the room. With your index finger and thumb make a circle. Place the object in the circle – be sure you can clearly see the object in the circle. Close your left eye – did the object move? Close our right eye – did the object move? Whichever eye was open with no movement is your dominant eye. I have determined that I am left-eye dominate.

As a left-eye dominant player who plays right, my alignment must take into account how my eye’s view my golf shots. My primary rule is that my dominate eye must be over or slightly behind the ball during all strokes.

Here is what I mean:

When putting, I putt best when my ball in line with my dominant eye; this means my ball is slightly ahead of center in my stance. I find that if my ball slides back to the middle or behind center, I end up pushing the ball because I am not able to square my putter head through contact. Also, I have a tendency to leave my putts short if the ball is not aligned with my left eye. By placing my dominate eye over the ball during putting, I have great success on the greens.

When chipping, my dominate eye must be slightly ahead of my ball, but not far enough back where my right eye is directly over or in front of the ball. By placing the ball slightly behind my dominate eye, my weight distribution fits my stroke, I do not pull the ball to the left of my intended line and I make crisp contact on instead of hitting it thin or fat.

My dominate eye has the greatest effect on my driver. I must have my dominate eye in line with the ball during my set up. In my case, the ball appears to be back in my stance more, but in fact, it is not. Having the ball on either side of my dominate eye will cause a push or pull. The biggest error I constantly work on is not having the ball too far forward in my stance (forward of my dominate eye); the result of my poor alignment causes me to hit the ball left.

Understanding the effects of eye dominance is important to your golf game. It took many trial and error trips to the range and putting green before I figured out how my eyes were causing fundamental challenges in my swing. Had I known about eye dominance earlier, it would have reduced my range tips and frustration on the links.

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

A Grateful Golf Shot!

November 21, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 6 Comments

Hole In One!

Periodically, I like to reminisce about all the awesome experiences I witnessed on the golf course. I was a walked down memory lane, I wondered which golf shot was the best! There were many to choose from and most of them were not mine! In my view, part of being a grateful golfer is to find happiness in the successes of others. One of my favorite experiences on the golf course occurred about 15 years ago.

I was fortunate to be golfing with my Mom, wife, and daughter because it was one of the few times we were all together on the course. We chose an executive course so it would fit all our games. And this is when the one of my most grateful golf shots occurred.

It was a beautiful summer day; the birds were chirping; and the course was in good shape. My Mom was the first on the tee of a 125 yard, downhill, hole with a sand trap guarding the left side of the hole. She grabbed her 11 wood (yes, 11 wood) and effortlessly made solid contact. The ball flight was pure and it tracked exactly where she aimed.

Suddenly, the world entered a Matrix slow-motion scene. In anticipation, we watch the ball land just short of the green, pop up and roll towards the hole! It was a magical moment as the ball ever so slowly trickled towards the cup.

If this shot was made on the 16th hole of the Waste Management Phoenix Open, the crowds would be yelling for the ball to get into the hole! Well, in an instant the ball disappeared! It was gone! In a shocked moment, the 4 four of us started to cheer. It was a moment of gratefulness for us all.

Yet, this exciting experience is only half the my grateful moment. The next to the tee marches my 10 year-old daughter. She grabs her driver and pounds her tee in the ground with her golf ball. Satisfied with the height, she went through her pre-shot routine and was ready to match her Nana’s fantastic shot.

As she drew her club back, I realized very quickly she intended crush the cover off her ball! Her backswing emulated John Daly’s over-swing perfectly! Launching into a perfectly timed….well, actually she topped the ball; it skipped a couple of times before dropping over the edge of the elevated tee box. Expecting to see her ball at the bottom of the hill, it suddenly rocketed into view and headed towards the green.

As the scene from “Tin Cup” where Don Johnson hit his 7-iron down the road, my daughter’s ball continued to bounce off every tufted of grass as it made its 125 yard journey towards to hole. Patiently, we watched her ball make the green and then we suddenly realized that it was on the same track as her Nana’s! While holding our breath, we watch the ball bounce off the pin and come to rest 6 inches from the hole! But wait, there is more!

The real delightful moment about this entire scene was may daughter’s reaction. My daughter was extremely disappointment that her ball did not drop in the hole like her Nana’s! We tried to explain the: “it is difficult to get a hole-in-one”, but she was not buying it! As she made her way to play her ball and make her first birdie, she mumbled about being disappointed! We all consoled my daughter and moved on!

Over the years, I have become more grateful for witnessing those golf shots. I can still close my eyes and see the whole scene unfolding as if it were yesterday. It is one of my most cherished moments the golf course! Being grateful for the success of others is an important tenant of being in part of The Grateful Golfer Community!

Do you have a cherished memory of someone else’s success on the links? If so, share it so we can all be grateful!