First Leg Complete

June 26, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 5 Comments

A couple of weeks ago, I was talking about my attempts to make the Base Golf Team. Well, I was successful. I shot a combined total of 161 over two days, which was good enough to finish first overall. I am extremely grateful to have made the team and hopefully I will play even better during the Regional Championship in July.

We have five men and two women on the team and it is an honor to represent your military base at any competition. The golf competition is extremely tough because of the number of participants. Usually, each base has 15-30 players tryout – the total number of players in my region will be upwards of 200 overall. This is whittled down to about 40 players for the regional competition. It is very difficult to win the team competition and even more difficult to win the individual event. I have finished second or third about seven times over the past 20 years and won the regional competition once. Overall, it is going to be every exciting to play in the three-day competition.

As the competition unfolds, I will keep you posted. I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!

A Million Dollar View

June 24, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 2 Comments

I see deer quite regularly during my early morning rounds. However, this darling decided to watch me play for awhile and follow me a bit. It was as close as 25 feet. It really was a million dollar view!

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

Confidence is a Powerful Tool

June 23, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 1 Comment

Golfing is a unique sport that has so many moving parts, that even the slightest change can spell disaster or success. Take the Travelers Championship today! Ken Duke won his first PGA tournament in his 187th start. He played very well in the last round and was beaming with confidence after winning the second playoff hole over Chris Stroud. Today was his day and rose to every challenge. His performance may be very difficult to duplicate, however it can be done if he continues to believe he can play well and compete with his peers…..he must remain confident!

How many times have you stepped up to the ball and hit the exact shot you envisioned? Your confidence increases and your next shot is pure as well. Conversely, how many times have you stood over the ball and the voice in your head fills you with doubt. Then you shank your shot and say “See, I knew you could not do it.” Confidence is a powerful tool!

So how do you gain and keep your confidence? Is it really something that can be turned on and off? Is it something you have to find or is it a state of mind?

DR. BOB ROTELLA, from Golf Digest, has ten things that will build confidence in any golfer. Rotella suggests: “I believe every golfer has the potential to be much better than he or she is, and that using the mind is one essential way to improve. You will never know if you have the ability to be the best player in the world, or the best player in your club, unless you commit yourself to developing both your physical and mental skills.”

David MacKenzie from Golf State Of Mind, also suggests ten things that all golfers can do to improve their confidence. My favorite is #10 – Believe in Yourself! There is simply no reason not to! That can be applied in all aspects of our lives, but that is a discussion for another day.

Regardless of which points resonate with you. Confidence is a state of mind! By mentally staying positive and focused on each shot, any golfers confidence will grow. My specific trick to build confidence is to mentally play the shot in my mind from behind the ball. It is like watching the shot on TV! Even if I hit a bad shot, I go through the same routine on my next shot. It works for me and something I am confident in!

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

Garmin Approach G6

June 21, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 21 Comments

Three weeks ago I went looking for a range finder. Being in many groups where someone has this tool, I thought it would be something to investigate. I looked at several types, but did not see their value. I found them difficult to use. So I went away still considering my next course of action. Two weeks ago, I was playing with a friend who received a Garmin Approach G6 for his birthday. It was his first time using this device, but we found it very valuable because it provided valuable yardages on a course we had not played in years (the Highview Golf Course). Specifically, we found the distances to the hazards, middle of the fairway and the green extremely helpful.

Excited about this device, I went to the nearest Golf Town and bought one! Since my impulsive purchase, I have improved my club selection and approach shots into the green. Using it 4 times already, it is now an integral part of my game. The following video gives a very good overview of the device.

The Garmin Approach G6 has 28,000+ preloaded courses, excellent back lighting for in the sun, measures distances, keeps score in four different modes and gives exact distances to from, middle and back of the green. It fits in your pocket and has a battery that will last up to 15 hours. Lastly, it has free lifetime uploads of new courses constantly being developed for display. Overall, it is an excellent device and I am grateful to have purchased it!

Previously, I often wondered if using a GPS or range finder took away from the spirit of the game. However, after using the device I can honestly say that it is improving my course management, pacing off of distances, and focusing on proper club selection. So, I have stopped wondering and started using this rules sanction tool. Do you use a device to help with yardage? What do you think?

Phase One Half Complete

June 20, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

A follow-up to my earlier post, Shooting to Make the Team, I completed the first of two aggregate rounds of golf to make our Base team. Using some great advice from Brian at All About Golf and Pete from White Dragon Golf, I hit many fairways and greens and reminded myself to have fun.

As it turns out, I am leading the competition. Of the 15 players trying out, I have a very strong lead that I should be able to maintain. Although the conditions were windy and dry, I managed to keep my composure and record a reasonable score. It is my belief that you can win and lose a two-day competition on the first day.

I struck the ball well. I even poked a drive out 282 yards! That is huge for me. I hit 13 of 18 greens in regulation. I had one penalty stroke for a ball in the water; I was hitting three from point of entry which resulted in my only double of the day. So for the most part I struck the ball fairly well.

Where I struggled was putting! I had 5 three putts to help make my total number of putts as 35! I missed 3 putts under 3 feet. Needless to say, I was not happy about that part of my game, but still managed to shoot 81. So I bet you can guess what I am working on this week! Ian Hardie’s Putting 101 is a good place to start.

I am one step closer to qualifying for the Regional Competition. Day two of the Base Playdowns is next Tuesday. Unless I do something really crazy, I will make the team.

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