GAO Growing the Game!

February 27, 2016February 27, 2016 / The Grateful Golfer / 9 Comments

Walking around the Toronto Golf Show I was happy to see a variety of booths and kiosks. As we meandered down ‘demo alley’, I spied the area for the Golf Association of Ontario. As a current member, I was drawn to their location like a moth to light. I talked to many of the hosts and hostesses about the GAO and was impressed by what they had to offer. There were two ‘Grow the Game’ initiatives presented at the Toronto Golf Show I had never heard of and after some research realized there were more worth mentioning!

The first was a pledge to play golf in 2016! The GAO provided a unique way to challenge golfers to hit the links this summer. Like all goals when written down, most people become motivated and accountable to achieve them. In the 2016 golf season, I have committed to play 80 rounds of golf. Given I have 28 weeks to achieve my goal, I think it is achievable. I will let you know when the season is over. Continue reading →

Biggest News in Golf

April 4, 2015April 4, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 6 Comments

He is back! Tiger Woods announced that he will play in the 2015 Masters! This revelation is not surprising and many people associated with golf are elated the hear that the biggest draw in golf is ready to play. His two month absence has stirred speculation on whether Woods would even return, but now all the musing, nay-sayers and arm-chair golfing pundits can focus on if Woods has a chance to win this year.

Woods announcement was short and to the point. From TigerWoods.com yesterday: “I’m playing in the Masters,” Tiger said Friday afternoon. It’s obviously very important to me, and I want to be there. I’ve worked a lot on my game and I’m looking forward to competing. I’m excited to get to Augusta and I appreciate everyone’s support.”

The short message has fueled a fair bit of speculation because it does not mention that he his ready, is game is in form, or that he expects to win. Actually, his announcement was perfect. His attempt to manage expectations by under playing his current state of readiness will allow for a positive reaction to any number of outcomes. If he wins, he smiles rides the wave of excitement in the golfing world and he lets the media take care of spreading the word that he is officially back. If he plays poorly, he will be considered a tough competitor who understands the importance of the Masters and he was playing for the love of the game. Quite brilliant actually.

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Lydia Ko’s spectacular run to break Annika Sörenstam’s record for the most consecutive rounds under par can to a sudden stop yesterday. After 29 rounds of sub-par play, Ko shot a one over 73 at the ANA Inspiration. It is amazing that anyone would shoot 29 rounds under par, but to be 17 years old, be the number one player in women’s golf, and have an excellent attitude is incredible. Watch her composure below:

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In less than 5 days, the world’s best golfers will tee it up in hopes of winning the green jacket. There have been many great articles already written about the first Major of 2015 and of course the speculation of who is going to win is at the top of the list. One of the best to date is by Brian Penn called 2015 Masters Picks. If you have not read it, I suggest you do because it has a unique twist.

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But, before I head down that path of selecting my picks for the Masters this year, let’s focus on the Shell Huston Open which is still under way. It is quite exciting to see some familiar names and unfamiliar names at the top of the leader board. Although this article will be released before the end of the third round, the biggest news from the Shell Huston Open is the play of Canadian Graham DeLaet. I picked him as a “Dark Horse” for the 2015 professional golf season and winning this weekend will only reinforce my psychic abilities. It is great to see DeLaet playing to his potential!

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There is plenty of news out there! Being bombarded by all aspects of golf is sometimes overwhelming. Personally, I try to focus on the positive aspects of golf, fun topics, great tips, and the ‘good news’ stories. If you find any you would like to share, please pass them on!

This is my 501st article since starting The Grateful Golfer blog and I want to thank everyone who has read, commented, and passed on my articles! Thank you for being part of The Grateful Golfer Community!

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

The Dark Horse of 2015

October 26, 2014 / 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!

2015 PGA Tour Golf Season

October 8, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

Tomorrow, 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!

Sunglasses and Golf

July 27, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 15 Comments

The RBC Canadian Open Golf Championship is heading into the fourth day. Jim Furyk is holding a 3 stroke lead over Tim Clarke and seems near impossible to beat. Graham DeLaet shot even par on moving day and will take a miracle to win his national title. The Royal Montreal Golf Club is living up to its hype and today’s final round should be exciting and fun to watch.

For the first three days, the weather was normal for the Montreal area with plenty of sunshine. The grass and trees are very green and when the sun shines an aura of brilliant colors surrounds the players and gallery alike. Interestingly, many players wear sunglasses either all the time, or at least during some aspect of their round. Personally, I do not wear sunglasses while playing, but wonder if it provides an advantage.

Sunglasses when fitted properly are very comfortable. According to my research, it is also important that they have the proper UV protection. It is only recently that professional golfers started wearing sunglasses and according to Robert Allenby are a must.

“Australian-born professional golfer Robert Allenby, one of the first pros on the PGA tour to wear sport sunglasses during tournament play, has said that he prefers polarized copper-colored lenses with a 50 percent transmittance rating for golfing.

“Polarized lenses help take glare and shine off the green so I can see the line better . . . The color helps me see the definition of the grass and covers all climates and light scenarios,” Allenby said in the February 2008 issue of Eyecare Business magazine.

Allenby mentioned that wearing sunglasses has helped him perform better on the links by relieving the need to squint, which keeps him more relaxed.

Following Allenby’s lead, many young players on the PGA tour are starting to wear sunglasses during tournament play, including Zach Johnson, winner of the 2007 Masters Tournament.

Also, Annika Sorenstam, perhaps the best woman golfer to play the game, with 72 career LPGA victories, has worn sports sunglasses during most of her tour wins. (AllAboutVision.com)

Sunglasses are definitely here to stay. The fact that many players sign endorsements to wear a particular brand has helped cement their place as must-have golfing equipment. I definitely see the benefits of wearing sunglasses, but I find it difficult to read the greens with them on. Now, it might help if I paid more that 10 dollars for a pair, but I am not really sure.

So Grateful Golfers, it is time to help me out: