Terminology – How Confusing!

January 10, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 3 Comments

I love to visit golf blogs. I have a few favorites and I like to post comments on great articles. Well the other day I was posting on MindfulGolfer.com regarding chipping and pitching. Well, not paying attention or something (actually not enough coffee probably) I confused golfing terms. I confused chipping and pitching. So I thought I would write the definitions of these terms to make sure I am all squared away. So here it goes:

Chip shot – a chip shot is generally a shot played around the green in which the player hits the ball into the air and rolls it forward towards the hole. The distance the ball travels in the air depends on the distance the ball is from the hole.

Pitch shot – is played from 30-60 yards. The ball goes high in the air with very little roll when the ball hits the green. The idea is to stop the ball quickly close to or in the hole.

Bump and Run – the ball has very little height after contact and lots of roll. It is generally used around the green in place of a chip shot.

More in-depth definitions can be found at About.com Golf.

The confusion occurred when I said I use my 7-iron for a pitch shot instead of chip shot or bump and run. Needless to say, I confused my host. I have clarified my remarks, but I realized how easy it is to confuse people when talking about golf. So in the future, I am going to make sure I use the correct terminology when talking about golf, especially to people who may not know their meaning anyway. I love learning new things! I am a grateful golfer!

Golfers and Their Toys!

January 8, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 1 Comment

This is my 100 Post. Thanks for reading.

Golfers love to talk about their clubs and equipment. I believe the most interesting pastime for Canadian golfers in the month of January is talking about the new stuff they received for Christmas.

Between Christmas and New Years, a friend and I went to Golf Town on our yearly pilgrimage. While in Golf Town, I bought a Callaway Razr Fit drive and 3 wood. It was a deal I could not pass up. My friend bought a PING cart bag and four-wheeled push cart. We were very happy with our purchases and are anxiously waiting for spring to try them out.

Today in the gym, another golfing friend asked me about my new “weapons”. I never told him about my purchase, but through our conversation I found out that my friend had told him. We excitedly talked about our purchases after he told me about his great deal on shoes.

Another time while waiting for a meeting to start, I had time to discuss my Golf Town trip with usual playing partner. He was unable go with us and I as I went through all the details he expressed joy for our success and disappointment he missed a trip to the golf store. We agreed to make a trip in the next month or so in search of some more deals.

I could go on and on, however I believe you get the picture. We Canadian Golfers love to tell stories during the winter months. We dream about the good times to come and the excitement of hitting the links for the first time. The more I think about it, the more grateful I am to be a golfer. Life is fantastic!

Do you have an stories to share about your recent golf purchases?

Golf vs Basketball – Is There a Comparison?

January 7, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 2 Comments

I have played golf and basketball most of my life. In my early years, basketball dominated most of my time, but as I slowly aged; golf started to take over as my number one sport. At 51, I ache way more after a basketball practice than I do after a game of golf. But can the two sports really be comparable? I say absolutely and here is how:

Both are played with round balls.
The goal is to put the ball in a hole.
Both take coordination to play. (unlike football and hockey – just kidding)
Both require practice to achieve success.
Both require intellect to play.
They are played before crowds (the pros anyway).
You can give advice on how to play (well maybe this is not a good idea).
You have to leave the couch to play them.
They are great ways to meet people.
They both are lots and lots of fun to play.

Okay, all joking aside, golf is really about having fun. We always talk about how to improve our game, what we could have done better during our round, but ultimately, if we were not having fun playing, than why would we play!

Golf and basketball have been my favorite sports through my life and I am grateful to have been able to enjoy them both.

How about you? See you on the links.

Choosing a New Wedge

January 5, 2013April 1, 2016 / The Grateful Golfer / 9 Comments

Today I received an email from a friend asking about wedges. He is a good golfer and getting better all the time. He was talking about which wedge he needed from 110 yards. As we had played quite often, I was familiar with his game and was able to explain that he required a 52 degree wedge. As our discussion continued I realized that selecting the correct club is very important to all aspects of your game. So I did some research and this is what I came up with:

Pitching Wedge

A pitching wedge has a loft of about 48 degrees. This club comes with most sets and is used for long approach shots. The distance varies, but I suggest that it is used by most amateurs from 130 yards or closer.

Gap Wedge

Gap wedges range from 50 and 54 degrees. The distance the ball travels varies from about 110 to about 75 yards. It allows for a bit of action on the ball and probably used most of the time.

Sand Wedge

Sand wedges range from 54 to 58 degrees. Many players use a sand wedge for some approach shots as well as sand shots.

Lob Wedge

Lob wedges range from 58 and 62 degrees. The lob wedge allows for a greater amount of spin and is used to fly over hazards or when you are pin hunting.

One of the things to be aware of when purchasing a wedge is the bounce. The conditions of the course, especially the traps, will determine the bounce required when using a wedge. See Golfsmith.com for an explanation on bounce.

I use a 48 degree pitching wedge, 52 degree gap wedge, a 56 degree sand wedge and a 60 degree lob wedge. I have experimented with different lofts, but I have found that these wedges work best for my game.

Now back to my friend. Ultimately he made the best decision. He decided to try out a few wedges before making his purchase. He was going to try wedges with different loft, brand and bounce. I suggested that it was a great idea and thus has sparked the reason for this blog.

When picking a club, I recommend that you go the to range, golf store, putting green and practice with your intended choice. Most courses have demo wedges/clubs and will allow you to take them on the course for a test run. By doing a bit of research before you buy, you will be happy with your choice and likely lower your score.

How you do you pick your clubs?

The Shoveling Snow and Golf Connection!?

January 4, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

Clearing my driveway of snow this morning gave me time to think about a great many things. One aspect of shoveling I notice is the importance of my legs. Each time I moved, lifted, turned or tossed the snow I bent my legs. After 30 minutes of moving the white stuff, the connection between shoveling snow and my golf swing hit me; proper use of my legs generates power required to throw snow or hit a ball a long way.

The proper use of legs is critical to generating power in your golf swing. Fancy Footwork By Jim Suttie, Ph.D. suggests that legs are the heart and soul of the golf swing. In fact, it was Byron Nelson who brought us the idea of “flexing the shaft with the lower body.” Jack Nicklaus also has repeatedly said that the swing begins from the ground up. This article explains the mechanics of the legs in a golf swing and provides some drills. Personally, I like the heel drill because I lock my right leg now and again.

At golftoday.co.uk they discuss the use of the left arm, keeping your right leg bent and that your left heel should rise during your golf swing. Each person is different and their swings are grooved to their capabilities, but the guidelines of this article may be something you may want to work on. More importantly it highlights the importance of legs during a golf swing.

Legs are critical to developing power in your golf swing (or shoveling snow). So how can you make your legs stronger without having to run 5 miles a day or develop an intense weight lifting program. I have three simple suggestions that will help strengthen your legs in preparation for next year.

First, sit in a chair so your knees are bent at a 90 degree angle. Now stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down. Do this for the commercials during your favorite TV show. Second, if you have stairs in your house, walk up and down your stairs during the commercials of your favorite TV show. Third, go for a walk. This distance and speed is up to you. You will find that if you keep walking in the off-season, you will be better prepared for walking the course.

Only 14 weeks until golf season. I have started my training program because it is never to early to prepare for golfing. See you on the links!