golf

The Dark Horse of 2015

/ The Grateful Golfer / 7 Comments

I could not see the first for the trees!

The strength of field in professional golf continues to grow. Each year a new player appears to separate themselves from the pack in a flash of brilliance. Last year two players seemed to take the golfing world by storm. These players would not have been chosen prior to the start of the season, but at the end of 2014, they we standing beside the world’s best as players to beat.

These two dark horses are now household names, but only time will tell if they will remain in the spotlight. Jimmy Walker and Billy Horschel proved that at any time, anyone can emerge from the forest.

The focus on the world’s best often overshadows players who continuously compete to be crowned champion of a professional golfing tournament. The ability to compete day in and day out with the best golf has to offer is a goal of all golfers. It is not ego, but desire. And for those who follow sports, you will immediately understand the difference!

So this year, while the golfing world focuses on Rory McIlroy, the possible return of Tiger Woods, and the stellar play of players like Justin Rose, Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler and Sergio Garcia, one or two players will pop out of the shadows. They will be considered rising stars and will create the media hype normally reserved for the elite players of golf.

As the season slowly unfolds, I thought it would be interesting to predict my dark horses of 2015 and hopefully hear who you would choose as a player to beat. My intent is to write them down and compare our crystal ball gazing later in the season.

My dark horse for 2015 is Graham DeLaet. He is slowly making his way back from injury a few ago and is poised to break through to the top of the golfing world!

I am laying down the gauntlet! Who is your dark horse of 2015?

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

“I am Quitting Golf”

/ The Grateful Golfer / 6 Comments

That is it, I have had enough! I am quitting golf!

How many times have you heard someone walking exasperated off the course, only to mutter those terrible words. They weave a tail of the course being too difficult, they have an injury or that their clubs are not suited for their game. I think that over 35+ years, I have heard almost every reason why someone is quitting golf. And not to my surprise, I see most of them on the links a couple of days later!

Proclaiming that it is time to quit golf is something I have never even considered. I have taken sometime off because of life, but to quit…..never! I guess I have been blessed with the desire to continue playing no matter how frustrated I feel when my game does not meet my expectations!

Having been around golf for so long, I believe that your ego and not managing your expectations about your golf game is what evokes the greatest stress and frustration while playing.

I have talked to players who play 5 to 10 times a year and expect they can keep up with players who actively improve their game. It is possible that someone can compete for a hole or two, but over the long haul, the player who does not play often usually fails to meet their expectations. As a result they walk away from their round feel frustrated and disappointed in their play.

I have also talked to players who play 50 rounds a year and have the same problem as described above. Yet, they refuse to change the way they play. Overall, it is an ego or expectations issue which prevents players from enjoying their round and uttering that they should quit golf.

I have talked about ego and expectations before and won’t repeat myself. However, there is a point to my diatribe. I am playing golf with my friend in just over a week on his home course. When we play, I will not have swung a club in about one month. Normally, I offer him strokes to even things out. I am not so sure I am willing to give him strokes this time (actually I might ask for stokes ) but that will be negotiated when I get to his house.

More importantly, I have to check my ego and expectations at the door. I am not suggesting that I will not try and score low, but I must keep in mind that I will be rusty and when things do not go the way I expect, to remain calm and remember that I am golfing in November! I must keep in mind that I am playing golf with my friend instead of working. I must keep in mind that no matter how I score, I must remain grateful for the opportunity to play golf on a new course.

I am looking forward to playing golf soon! And am very confident that I will be playing golf for a long, long time!

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

Creating a Winning Mindset in Golf

/ The Grateful Golfer / 9 Comments

Have you ever wondered why certain players are always in the winner’s circle? When the pressure increases during the finishing holes of a match, these players remain calm and execute winning strokes without hesitation. Many experts point towards great form, a balanced approach to golf or confidence from hitting a winning shot a thousand times. But is that really all that is needed to play winning golf?

I agree with most of what the pundits suggest, but I also believe there is more to winning in golf than a great swing. Of course, that is the basis of any world class golfers, but there is more to winning than strong fundamentals.

A winning mindset is as important as perfect mechanics. It is critical to have a mindset where all self doubt is non-existent when making that crucial shot. Your mind should be focused on a positive result and not the possibility of failure! Continue reading →

Golfing at a New Course

/ The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

Golfing at a new golf course can be daunting. The unknown is always challenging and can have detrimental effects on the mental aspects of golf. Most amateurs will fill their minds with self-doubt once the excitement of a new adventure on the links runs it course. Personally, I love playing new golf courses because of the challenge it provides my overall golf game.

In a couple of weeks, I will be playing golf in the United Kingdom with my best friend. We plan on playing at his home course at the Northwood Golf Course in Middlesex, UK. I am excited to play there and I am mentally preparing myself for an awesome time on the links!

To prepare to play at a new golf course, I use visualization, positive thinking, and research to help shoot the best score I can. Since my golf season is over in Canada, I will need to focus more on the mental side of my game to ensure the rust of inactivity does last very long.

There are a few aspects I like to focus on before playing a new course. These things help me score low and enjoy my time on the course.

First, I play a bit more conservatively than normal. I focus more on course management, try to leave my approach shots at around 100 yards, and do not challenge hazards. By playing more focused golf, I tend to score better.

I spend a bit more time on the putting green. Most of the time, the most strokes are lost on the greens. By learning the roll of the green, the length of the grass, and some subtile aspects of the breaks of the greens, my scores stay relatively consistent.

Lastly, I focus on hitting off the tee. Using my driver is not always the smartest play when faced with unknown shots. However, I try keeping the ball in play more than normal and sometimes that means using a different club than driver off the tee. It is important to park my ego at the clubhouse.

Playing a new course can be both challenging and fun. Personally, I like both aspects when playing a course for the first time. I will have that chance soon and I will let you know how it went! Do you like playing new courses?

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

2015 PGA Tour Golf Season

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PGA TOURTomorrow, the 2015 PGA Tour Golf Season starts! After a short two-week rest, the Frys.com tournament will again start for another exciting season of golf. For some players fresh off the Ryder Cup event in Gleneagles, Scotland, the two-weeks was a blur, but they seem ready for the stresses of competitive golf.

Last year’s winner of the Frys.com Open Golf Tournament, Jimmy Walker, is hoping for another quick start to this year’s golf season. Winning three events early last season, Walker was able to carry on this momentum through most of the 2014 golf season. His quick start earned him seventh overall at the FedEx Cup standings. His play at the Ryder Cup was also noteworthy and he hopes to build on his steady play going into 2015.

The first seven PGA Tour events are a great opportunity for journeymen to break into the winner’s circle and earn enough money to secure their card for the 2016 golf season. This time of year is fantastic for the golfing fans because it allows us to watch great golf and not stress about missing the big name players compete.

The start of the PGA Tour is always a great time of the year. Predictions about who will win the majors,  abounds. I have made my predictions and you can read them at PunditArena.com. Last year, I picked two winners, a third pick came second, and one pick…well, the first three were good.

Players to watch this year are Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, and Graeme McDowell. These players are already household names, but I expect them to do bigger things this year. A dark-horse who may surprise everyone will be Graham DeLaet. He played strong last year after coming back from a back injury and the 2015 season may be the season he wins a couple of tournaments. If you are interested in the power rankings by the PGA Tour, click here.

The 2015 PGA Tour golf season starts tomorrow. This year will see the rise of  many great players and the passing of the torch to the young lions. Although many great names will still be near the top of the leaderboard, expect players like Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed, and Jason Day to also be at the top!

I am a grateful golfer! Bring on the 2015 PGA Tour golf season!