Flexibility Flexibility Flexibility

November 3, 2012November 3, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / 1 Comment

Well I guess you know what this post is about…..power…..okay not really. Is flexibility really that important to your golf swing? Does it really help you hit the ball further? Can we really have more success on the course because I can touch my toes? These, and many more, are questions golfers ask themselves every day. My response to those skeptics people is a resounding YES! YES! YES!

“If you look at some of the players on tour who can really bomb it–guys like Hank Kuehne
and Charles Howell–they’re not the most physically intimidating athletes. But they all are
very flexible players who can generate tremendous clubhead speed while swinging in
balance. That’s also one of the keys to my power. I’m convinced that if you increase your
flexibility, you’ll add power to your swing.” – Tiger Woods. This quote is from a free flexibility program from the RCGA.

Sean Cochran from About.com says, “…to help get golfers back into the game following a layoff – is to work on golf flexibility. The goal of the golf flexibility part of our fitness program is to develop the required ranges of motion within your joints and muscles so that you can execute the golf swing correctly.” This is absolutely true. I would suggest that starting and maintaining a flexibility program now will prepare you for early spring and another season of golf.

MensHealth says, “Flexibility may be the single most important factor in making a successful golfer.” This is absolutely true. Flexibility allows for increase range of motion – therefore more power – therefore more distance and ultimately bragging rights as your tee shot sails past your friends!

Flexibility is extremely important to success in golf. Being flexible helps improve all areas of your golf game. I stretch, not as much as I should, and plan to adopt an exercise program that fits my capabilities. I want to ready for next year and it is never too early to start!

See you on the links!

What Is Your Favorite Club?

November 1, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

This question is asked daily on the golf course. Everyone has a trusty club that they rely on to get out of trouble or to deliver that miracle shot. When the club gets in their hand, their confidence grows, they focus more, and they see the upcoming success. So is it really the club or something else?

I suggest that it is all mental instead of the club being magical! On the flip side, how many of us have said, “I can never hit this club” and surprise you never do! It is amazing and almost no fail. I have a sports experience I want to share that may hammer my point home.

I was assisting a very successful volleyball coach a few years back and he said something one practice that really shaped my mental thinking about sports. One of the players was trying learning a new skill and the player quickly got frustrated and said, “I just can’t do it”. He looked them straight in the eye and said, “You are right! You cannot do it. So take your shoes off and go home!” The player was aghast. After about 5 seconds, he said to the player “if you think and say you cannot do something – you will not do it. I do not want to hear “I can’t” anymore on this court.” Not surprisingly the player changed their view and were very successful learning skills in the future.

Image if every club was your favorite club! I believe many of golf’s challenges are mental and a positive attitude goes a long way to having success on the links.

Remember what Norman Vincent Peale, the author of The Power of Positive Thinking, said “Change your thoughts and you change your world.” and “Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.”

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

Hunting for the Pin!

October 30, 2012October 30, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

Golfing is an interesting sport. On any given day, you can go through a roller coaster of emotions that keeps you coming back for more. I have several ways of minimizing these crazy feelings, but my favorite is hunting for the pin!

Normally, this approach is frustrating and ill-advised. Most people would say that hunting for the pin will add stokes to your game, but I say – NO WAY! It is the only way to go.

On those days when we feel that we need a change from our normal game and want to challenge ourselves, hunting for the pin is the way to go. So, no matter where the pin is located, try firing darts. You will be surprised on how much fun you will have.

Usually I will only hit the ball close one in five, but that one shot usually makes my day. Sometimes a surprising thing happens…my first shot is golden and the rest of my game is like it is from a dream. I just cannot miss!

Hunting for the pins is a way to have fun and challenge ourselves while strolling around the links. Trying different things allows us to step out of the norm and see what you can really accomplish!

Dead of Winter – Golf Blogs

October 29, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / 3 Comments

I always knew there were plenty of golf blogs out there. Many come and go, but a few strike a chord for the average golfer. As I explore more, I am surprised at the different types of golfing blogs that peak my interest.

I mostly follow the blogs that are not selling anything, that have a personal interest and will help my game in one way or another. Here are a couple that I enjoy:

Ian Hardie at Golf Habits.com – this blog has plenty of useful tips and interesting discussions.

Tony Carbon’s the Duffers Digest talks about everyday stuff that I enjoy.

Golf Tutorials Hub has many tips and hits in video format that will help the weekend golfer.

Slicedtee deals with the trials and tribulations of a new comer to the game of golf.

Just a Few Photos is a photo blog that has many interesting photos with some relating to golf.

These are just a few blogs that I check every day or two. Some give great tips, some make we think and some just make me laugh. So now that the winter months are closing in, you can use golf blogs as ways to stay connected to the game I love in preparation for next season! I am a grateful golfer….see you on the links!

V-Grooves. U-Grooves. Really?

October 27, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / 1 Comment

I was reading the rules of golf from Golf Canada and came across the changes to the grooves on clubs. I read their intent and have concluded that technology is making the game of golf too easy. Well, I for one completely agree….haha! I will concede that technology has allowed the amateur to hit the ball a bit further, lob the ball higher, and hit recovery shots easier. But, a player still must hit the shot straight, strike the ball to obtain the proper distance, and manage the course to lower their score.

So what is the big deal about V-Grooves or U-Grooves! The table below from the RCGA outlines when the rule will take effect.

Date	Change	Effecting…
Jan 1, 2010	New specifications introduced on club-face markings.	All new models of clubs launched after January 1, 2010. Existing models of clubs will continue to conform to the Rules of Golf.
Jan 1, 2010	Condition of Competition will be available to Committees requiring players to use clubs with markings which conform to the new specifications.	Strongly recommended that this Condition should be introduced only on the major Professional Tours. All other golfers, playing in competitions where this condition has not been introduced, can and should be permitted to continue to use old model clubs which do not satisfy the new specifications.
Jan 1, 2014	Condition of Competition will continue to be available to Committees.	Strongly recommended that this Condition should be extended only to lower level Professional events and expert level amateur events. Club level golfers can and should be permitted to continue to use old model clubs, which do not satisfy the new specifications.
Jan 1, 2024	Earliest date that the Rules will be applied to clubs manufactured prior to 2010. This date will be reviewed in 2020 and may be extended.	All players, all abilities, all forms of play.

Golf Digest’s excellent article on grooves explains why they are changing….or not changing the face of golf. I never really understood the reasons before, but I guess it make sense. The sharper the edges the more grip the club face will have in the rough or wet conditions.

Titleist.com has the best guide I could find. It explains everything. Their view is that the design of the grooves really do not make any difference. The main point of the guide is the angle of the groove face and the volume of the groove. This article is very good and will explain much about this issue.

So What? Why am I telling you this! Rules are changing. It is important that we stay on top of the changes so it does not have a negative impact on our game in the future. The rules are an important part of golf and levels the playing field. I am not fussed about the rule change on grooves, but would not change my clubs because of the rule change.

What do you think about the change in the groove rule?