Golf and Patience

May 21, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

Golf is a game that tests your patience every round. Regardless of how well, or poorly, you are playing, something always seems to happen that challenges your ‘zen’ state of calm. I have discussed the tale of two nines recently and experienced another round like that today.

I started off my round with a par on the first hole. Confidently, I walked to the second hole and as I strutted to tee box the wheels suddenly fell off! For the next 7 holes, I shot 3 doubles, 3 bogies and 1 par! I was 9 over after 8. I will admit that my ‘zen’ was gone and I was feeling quite frustrated. The main reason for my poor performance was my driver. I did not hit one fairway…..not one! I was in the rough quite a bit, but not on the short grass at all!

Ever the optimist, I told my playing partners that now was a good time to screw my head on straight and start playing golf. Well something amazing happened. I striped the ball down the fairway about 290 yards. It was by far the my longest drive of the year! Sitting just under 200 yards to the green (the ninth hole is a par 5), I stoked a smooth 4 hybrid to 8 feet! I was putting for eagle! As I lipped out the putt, I still felt a sense of relief that my game was not totally gone.

Playing the back nine was fun. I had 2 birdies, 3 bogies, and 4 pars. I shot even par for the last 10 holes! Additionally, I was putting for eagle on the 18th hole. It was very long, but I was still putting. The difference between the front and back nine was my improvement off the tee. Also, I caught a few lucky bounces, but overall my last 10 holes were pretty solid.

My final score was an 81. Not my best by far, but reasonable considering the roller-coaster round I played today. A golf lesson for us all would be that these games are very important. Sometimes in competition, players have to grind out a good score. Today was one of those days. Most of all, I had a fantastic time. Gratefully, the company was very good and that always helps turn my mood around when things go sour.

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

Double Hit in Golf – Rule 14-4

May 17, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 11 Comments

Watch out for the double hit!

Today was an interesting round. There were many ups and downs, but I encountered a situation that I have not seen in about 150 rounds of golf. It is truly a rare thing and it happened twice in the same round!

On the third hole, I was playing the ball out of the long grass to beside the green. There was not much room to get my club down on the ball to make a clean hit, so I tried a scoop like shot. I used a steep down swing, mixed with a steep up swing to try to pop the ball out of the long wet grass. As I made contact with the ball, my follow through felt strange. Almost as if I was carrying the ball and helping it to the hole.

After completing the hole, I asked my playing partners what they thought. One thought I hit the ball twice. And another thought that I scooped the ball and contacted the ball only once – but for a longer than normal time. Now understand that all of this happens in milliseconds, but it was quite noticeable that something strange happened. Not knowing exactly what had happened, I called the double hit ruling on myself at the fourth tee box.

The other situation happened on the 16th hole. One of my playing partners, Mike, obviously struck the ball twice as he followed through on his short chip shot. His lie was similar to mine on the third hole and the ball did not pop out as quickly as he anticipated. So, he hit the ball again at about knee level. He also called the double hit on himself.

Rule 14-4 is very clear. Striking the Ball More Than Once – If a player’s club strikes the ball more than once in the course of a stroke, the player must count the stroke and add a penalty stroke, making two strokes in all.

Both Mike and I ended up with a double on our respective holes and walked away a little disappointed, but clear that a rules infraction had occurred.

Now here is the rub. On my shot, one of my playing partners suggested that I did not hit the ball twice, but scooped the ball. Such that the ball stayed in contact with the club head longer, but did not leave until part way through my follow through. I tried to find a ruling or anything to suggest this was legal or illegal. I cannot find anything.

So readers, I need some help. Has anyone had this happen to them before? If so, what is the ruling? Any feedback or similar story would be great. I am curious to know what you think?

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

Recovery Shot’s in Golf

May 15, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 9 Comments

I love this recovery shot. From behind the trees, through and opening, to just short of the green! I always wonder what people are thinking when they make awesome shots like this!

Do you see the ball! What a fantastic recovery shot!

Do you see the ball? What is your favorite recover shot?

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

The Duck Stays in Europe!

May 11, 2015May 12, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 12 Comments

The Duck Stays in Europe!

After three years and on the fourth attempt, the duck finally changed hands. Last Thursday, my friend Kirk and I went head to head to determine who is the lucky person to carry the duck for the foreseeable future. Still giving him 2 stokes aside and using his son’s clubs, I finally put together a game that beat him on his home course at Northwood Golf Course in Middlesex.

As we teed off at 10 am, the sun was shining, it was dry and the wind was not a factor for the entire round. The course was in great shape, especially the greens. Overall, the outcome would be determined by how we would play and not by the conditions of the course. Fortunately for me, my wife as able to walk the course with us and witness my eventual triumph!

Making a tough shot!

During the first 9 holes, we battled back and forth. After six holes, I had eked out a 2 hole lead. But, in true golfing fashion he easily won two of the last three holes to even the score after nine holes. By his own admission, he thought that being tied after 9 holes and finishing so strong down the stretch was going to be my downfall. But, Kirk was not playing his best and he was having trouble finding the fairway off the tee.

Deep in the bush!

Well, as we started the back 9 something changed. I started to hit the ball in the fairway and Kirk continued to spray off the tee. I am not sure what happened, but he found every difficult spot on the course and my confidence started to grow. He made some amazing recovery shots from the bushes, behind a tree and out of the sand, but eventually his inconsistency got the best of him. It definitely was atypical of Kirk’s game and as a result I closed him out on the 15th hole – 4 and 3. As we walked toward the 16th tee box, Kirk, in true gentlemanly fashion, shook my hand and congratulated me on the win.

In the woods!

I was surprised that I won 4 of the first 5 holes on the back nine. However, when I looked at the scorecard after the round, I realized that I shot a 39 with a double on the 11th hole (we halved it).

More importantly, the duck will stay in Europe. It will travel around seeing different courses that most golfers only dream about! It took a few attempts, but I finally won a match against Kirk. After losing on three previous occasions, I was beginning to wonder if I was every going to beat him. But as fate would have it, last Thursday was my lucky day.

So the ball is in his court to carry the duck back across the pond for another challenge. Regardless of the future results, at least for now, the duck stays in Europe!

A visitor from Canada!

The duck challenge is always fun. We joke about it often, but more importantly, we both realize that the bragging rights is the real prize.

On a side note, another friend made its way to visit Kirk, just to keep the big prize company! I wonder if he found it in his house yet?

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

The Duck Challenge Goes Today!

May 7, 2015May 7, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

Today is the day for the duck challenge! As most of you know, the loser must keep the duck safe and carry it periodically while playing a round or two until we have a chance to play again.

The last three challenges have not gone well for me. At first, I gave him too many strokes, that issue is fixed. The next two times, he won straight up and the matches were close.

Today’s duck challenge will determine if the duck returns to Canada or goes on a European vacation!

The rules are straight forward. The challenge is a match play format and I give my friend two strokes a side. If we are still tied after 18 holes, we count the strokes (he receives a total of 4 towards his score) to break the tie.

Although I have only played twice in 5 months, I think today is my day to finally “not” win the duck!

Stay tuned for the results!

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