Groundhog Day and Golf

February 1, 2015February 1, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

Groundhog Day is tomorrow. On 2 February, all golfers in the northern hemisphere wait in anticipation for the weather prediction of rodents: Wiarton Willie and Punxsutawney Phil. The pressure on these special creatures to predict an early spring is overwhelming. Each year, these loveable creatures climb out of their hole; if they see their shadow and scurry back home to safety, it means that golfers will have to wait an additional 6 weeks for winter to slowly become a distant memory.

Is it GroundHog Day Again!!!

Groundhog Day is also a famous saying that stems from the movie “Groundhog Day” with Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. This romantic comedy is set in a small northeastern town in the United States where “a weather man is reluctantly sent to cover a story about a weather forecasting “rat” (as he calls it). This is his fourth year on the story, and he makes no effort to hide his frustration. On awaking the ‘following’ day he discovers that it’s Groundhog Day again, and again, and again. First he uses this to his advantage, then comes the realisation that he is doomed to spend the rest of eternity in the same place, seeing the same people do the same thing EVERY day.” (IMDB)

The storyline in the movie should be familiar to most amateur golfers. We hit the links time after time with no substantive change in our golf score. We try quick fixes in the hopes of permanently lowering our score. Unfortunately, the only real result is frustration and confusion on why the changes are not having their desired effect. It reminds me of the Albert Einstein definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results!

Real change in golf, as Phil in the movie discovered, comes from within. The realization that to successfully and permanently change our golf game takes real effort, focus and desire. To effect change in your game, I recommend developing a plan, taking the time to execute it, and accepting the results. After a reasonable time (reasonable is relative to every person) repeat the process by making small changes to your learned behaviour. By following your successful game plan, like in the movie, your golf game will have miraculously changed and frustrations of Groundhog Day will be gone forever!

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

Conquering FEAR in Golf

January 30, 2015January 30, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 9 Comments

Hitting the ball short of the hole is a constant problem for amateurs. Off all the challenges I face on the links, under-clubbing is the most frustrating and obvious in my game. Using the wrong club can stem from many reasons, but for me it boils down to one thing. FEAR of going long! Yup, that is it. For some reason I am afraid to hit the ball past the hole or even worse over the back of the green.

As of right now, this FEAR is over! I choose not to let this FEAR influence my game anymore! I am exposing this dark cloud to the sunshine and making it disappear!

There are many reasons I can accept for playing a short approach shot. A poor lie, small green, blind approach shot, being outside of 175 yards or poor playing conditions. These challenges are realities while playing golf and proper course management usually helps reduce their effect on my game. Occasionally, I can accept misjudging something that results in a short approach shot, but none of the above cause any real frustration in my round of golf! But, hitting the ball short of the hole because of being afraid of hitting it long….well lets just say it really affects my next shot.

It is time for a change! Proper mental preparation will help me conquer my FEAR of hitting the ball long on approach shots. I must reframe the feeling of hitting the ball long from anxious to relaxed. To accomplish this, I believe that visualization will be the key. As I wait for the golf season to start, I mentally and physically prepare to play golf. This year, my mental preparation will include visualizing hitting the ball to hole on every approach shot!

If there is a situation on the golf course that causes you to feel uncomfortable or afraid, now is the time to address it! It is time to rip off that Band-Aid!

Personally, I like to use visualization. Others like to use positive self-talk to reframe the tough situation. Others hit the range using focused practice. Regardless which method you choose, you have accomplished the toughest part – deciding to make a change.

Improving your golf game is very much about conquering FEAR. Mine is mostly centred around hitting the ball short of the hole. I am choosing to make a positive change!

How about you? Are you ready for a positive change?

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

Golf Shots of the Week

January 22, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

As an amateur, we often hit that special shot which makes our round of golf special. Sometimes, we hit an amazing recovery shot that ends up being perfect by going in the hole.

Professional golfers are no different. They sometimes amaze themselves just like amateurs! Take a look and see what I mean:

European Tour

PGA Tour

What was your favorite shot?

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

On A Train Bound for Nowhere!

January 20, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

Are you a gambler?

The Gambler by Kenny Rogers is stuck in my head. For some reason I keep saying the words and humming the tune. After a short while, I realize that there is a lesson to be learned if I decide listen to what Rogers has to say. The chorus particularly applies to golf. Take a look:

You’ve got to know when to hold ’em
Know when to fold ’em
Know when to walk away
And know when to run
You never count your money
When you’re sittin’ at the table
There’ll be time enough for countin’
When the dealin’s done

How many times are we faced with a risk/reward shot? We walk up to our ball and weigh all the possibilities for success. Then a small voices starts to point out a small percentage shot that would advance the ball towards the green. Suddenly, we are more focused on a ‘losing hand’ then making the smart shot. Tunnel vision sets in and now the only option available is to make the impossible shot.

Enter stage right – The Gambler! Instead knowing when to make the safe shot and invoking proper course management, we attempt the impossible. Most of the time, it does not work. We attempt another crazy shot, then the score counting starts. The pressure mounts and low and behold, a bogey turns into a triple! Ouch! We walk to the next hole mumbling to ourselves how foolish we played the last hole!

Course management is critical in golf! It helps players navigate around the links in the most efficient way possible. It helps players decide when to ‘take their medicine’ or to press a difficult situation. Course management is extremely important if a player wants to lower their golf score. Want to learn more, check out one of my previous articles on course management.

Next time, before you hit the links, think about the chorus from The Gambler! I bet it will change your mental approach to your game and positive things will happen!

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

PGA Tour: These Guys are Good

January 14, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 3 Comments

I stumbled across this video: The top 10 shots of the 2013 FedEx Cup Playoffs. As I watch all the great shots, all I could do is smile. It is amazing how good professional golfers really are!

My favorite was Number 8. Scott Brown’s bounce off the cart path on a drivable par 4 hole. It brings back many memories of hitting something on the course which resulted in something special.

Which shot did you like the best? I would like to know!