Mid Season Break from Golf

August 31, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 8 Comments

Grateful for Golf!

Have you ever decided that a week or two off in the middle of your golf season would be good for your game? Depending on how much you play, a rest from the sticks might just improve your outlook on how you play. I am sure there are many articles about the psychology of letting our brains focus on things other than golf, but I have never really been convinced.

If you find yourself dragged out and not enjoying your rounds, then a rest is a great idea. Because our season is so short in Canada, I have never really taken a conscious break from the game, life usually does that for me.

The last time I hit the links was 2 weeks ago on Tuesday. Yup, almost 14 days. Additionally, I have started my holidays and it looks like another 10-12 days before I loop the course. Unfortunately, I was sick a couple of weeks ago and it last a good 7 days. I rarely get sick, but in this case I was off work and laid up waiting for my sickness to pass. That was the start of my time away from the links.

After healing, work got in the way and now I am on vacation with my wife. I expected to take the 2 weeks off for our vacation because of our plans, but the two weeks prior was a surprise. So after all that is said and done, I will be away from the links for quite some time during peak golfing weather.

The funny thing is, is that I am not concerned about it at all. I think that I will be refreshed and ready to get back into the swing of things when it is time. I am blessed with the opportunity to golf often and a doubly blessed to have an understanding wife!

So, my mid-season break is a bit longer than normal this year. I do miss hitting the links with my friends, but they will be there when I get back. Overall, life is fantastic and I am truly grateful!

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.

Rules of Golf – Immovable Obstructions

August 19, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 2 Comments

Knowing the rules of golf are important for any player who has aspirations of being a better golfer. The rules, especially in competition, can work to advantage or against your understanding of how to apply the rules is fuzzy. I read the rules yearly and I am often asked for an interpretation when an unusual situation arises.

On the fence at Black Bear Ridge Golf Course.

While playing at Black Bear Ridge Golf Club last year, my friend Jean hit his ball into the woods. The woods were to the left and not near the boundary of the golf course. As you can see, the woods were pretty open, but the fence was perpendicular to the fairway! This was an old fence, but there were no makings suggesting it was a hazard or ground under repair.

If you look closely, Jean is pointing at his ball that came to rest on the bottom rail of the fence. We search for quite a while and finally we were able to find it in this odd position. The question that came up was, “Now what?”

Under Rule 24-1 – Immovable Obstructions, our interpretation was that the fence should not have been there or be considered a hazard. It is man-made and be classed as a building or a sign post. The exact rule reads as follows:

An immovable obstruction is an artificial object on the course that cannot be
moved (e.g., a building) or cannot readily be moved (e.g., a firmly embedded
direction post). Objects defining out-of-bounds are not treated as obstructions.
An abnormal ground condition is casual water, ground under repair or a
hole, cast or runway made by a burrowing animal, a reptile or a bird.
Except when the ball is in a water hazard, relief without penalty is available from
immovable obstructions and abnormal ground conditions when the condition
physically interferes with the lie of the ball, your stance or your swing. You
may lift the ball and drop it within one club-length of the nearest point of relief
(see Definition of “Nearest Point of Relief”), but not nearer the hole than the
nearest point of relief (see diagram below). If the ball is on the putting green, it
is placed at the nearest point of relief, which may be off the putting green.

Determining Jean was entitled to a free drop was the easy part. The next question was where should he take his full relief. Following the fence, the nearest point of relief was at the edge of the woods almost in the rough! This drop location was of great benefit because he now had a shot at the green.

Yes, this does sound strange, but we also had to consider the definition of ‘nearest point of relief’. Basically, without going into a long explanation, the immoveable obstruction must not impede the player after they take relief.

In this unique situation, we had to follow the fence to the end, establish his relief position, and then allow his one club length no closer to the hole! If we went in the other direction, the nearest point of relief would have been farther than the direction we chose.

In this case, knowing the rules was very beneficial for Jean. Of course, his playing partners had to agree and this is what we decided.

What do you think? Did we make the right call according to the rules?

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

Using Your Imagination in Golf

August 17, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 8 Comments

Yesterday I played golf with my old friend Blair. We have known each for over 30 years and for the always enjoy hitting the links together. Meeting in the middle, we made our way around Keystone Golf and Country Club, Peterborough, ON, we laughed, joked, and caught up on the goings on in each other’s life.

For the most part, we played very well. The course had its challenges and on the 16th hole, Blair found himself in the woods after his approach shot sailed over the green. The ball was in the woods about 12 feet nestled among roots, dead sticks and leaves. After removing all the loose pediments, Blair was now faced with an almost impossible shot.

Standing with his back to the green!

His options were to play it where it laid or declare an unplayable and to go back to his original spot. He decided to play the ball where it lay. Unfortunately, there was a root about 2 inches behind his ball. There was no way he could make a swing at the ball and make contact….or so I thought!

Blair surveyed the ball position and decided the best play was to stand in front of the ball, chop directly down on the ball (like chopping wood), hit the ball and pop it out through his legs!

I know what you are thinking and I was thinking the same thing. Chances of making solid contact were very low. Chances of hitting himself with the ball, very high! This seemed like a very low percentage shot, but he was convinced this was the right shot to take.

Ball in the foreground of the picture.

Well as it turned out, Blair’s chopping motion was perfect. He made solid contact on the ball and it popped out as if he hit it normally. If I did not see it myself, I would have called, well you know what I would have said. But, I did see it and was amazed at the results!

Using your imagination in golf is very important. It takes an open mind and willingness to take changes to pull off shots like Blair’s. Players like Seve Ballesteros and Phil Mickelson have that special talent and I guess so does Blair.

Next time you are in a strange predicament, do not be afraid to try the “impossible shot”! Use your imagination and you might be surprised at the results.

Have you ever made a shot like this?

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

Professional Golf Winners

August 16, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

I am calling it early! Congratulations to Jason Day on his first Major! His win at the PGA Championship solidifies that day is an élite player and a force that cannot be ignored! His play was rock solid and the fact he was chased by Jordan Spieth only solidifies his place in history. Congratulations Jason.

Additionally, congratulations to Brooke M. Henderson. The young Canadian phenom who crushed the field at the Cambia Portland Classic, Portland, Oregon. At 17 years of age, this win will all but ensure Henderson will earn her card for the LPGA tour in 2016. Congratulations Brooke!

The future of golf is bright! The multitude of young players on both tours is amazing. Golf is entering into a new era that will see players dominate, but only for a short time! The feeder tours are growing in strength and the road to the big leagues is challenging and exciting! If you have not had the opportunity to watch these mini tours, I suggest it is worth your while to make a day of it.