The day has finally arrived when I washed and stored my golf clubs for good. I know that I stopped playing at the beginning of October, but I kept my clubs handy just in case. Well, the temperatures are dropping, the courses in our area are closing and I have soooo much yardwork to do that hitting the links did not workout. Regardless, this is still the saddest golf day of the year. I only have 200 days until I can dig my clubs out of the closet and hit the links for the first time in 2023.
Continue readingGrateful Golfer
Are You Sure You Want To Golf?
I sometimes wonder if golf is a universal sport designed for all athletes. Don’t get we wrong, golfers are athletes. Like all professional and amateur sports the higher level of play (or elite players) have a combination of athletic ability and a passion to excel on the links. This combination is nothing new, but in golf, it seems that the stakes are higher because of the frustration level of trying to achieve a high level of play. With the combination of so many factors, I often wonder why beginners take golf thinking that this sport is fun and easily mastered!
Continue readingStop Using All Your Golf Clubs
I carry 14 clubs when I play golf. I never add or subtract from that number because each club has a specific role. Although I might not hit every club during each round, the situation will occur where I will need a specific club within two rounds or so. I realize that carrying a specific club (like my lob wedge) for limit use might not be the best strategy, but it works for my game. As I continue to play, there are days when I am not hitting a specific club well and it is costing me strokes; so, what should I do to rectify this weakness in my game. Well, some recommend to stop using that club and work around it. However, I am not so sure this is the best way to approach my game.
Continue readingPlaying A Scramble In Crazy Weather
Yesterday, I played in a four person scramble at Laurentide Golf Course in Sturgeon Falls. The tournament was set up my the 22 Wing PSP staff so that serving members at 22 Wing and retired veterans could tee it up for some fun in the sun. The tournament was very well organized and a great time was had by all. The only thing that the PSP staff could not control was the crazy weather. Despite their best efforts we playing in the sun, rain and hail; regardless of the crazy weather we had a great time.
Continue readingI Just Want To Play Golf
Golf is a game that demands each player dedicated time to becoming a better player. Rarely have I noticed anyone play golf as a ‘natural’. The swing movement is so complex, that picking up a club and shooting a low score seems impossible. Therefore, it is easy to conclude that dedicating time to practice is important for any golfer to improve their game. Through the years, I put in that time, but now it seems that I just want to play golf!
As a senior player, I think that my game has peaked and I will be riding a plateau for quite some time. There is always a fork in the road where every athlete must decided they have reached the point of diminishing returns. It seems that I am at the point. I still try to practice, but hitting the links and playing an extra ball or two seems to be the norm right now. Of course I can approach my game this way because I have already put in the hundreds of hours needed to be a low handicap player.
I like playing golf more than practicing; actually, I always have. Most athletes, in my opinion, think that way. We experience the joy of competition more than the satisfaction of honing a skill. I do not think it is a far stretch to conclude my statement above because the thrill of playing is what most of us look forward too.
Keeping in mind what motivates us to play golf, I do recommend that practice be a part of your plan to shoot lower golf scores. It is important to hone skills that will set you up for success. Practicing from the pin outward is always a great place to start. There is no wrong answers here because your desire to a certain level of golf will drive your need to practice. The joy of playing will never go away, the desire to practice will dim as we approach our point of diminishing returns.
Ultimately, I am a grateful golfer. I am grateful to be able to practice and play. However, right now I am leaning towards the ‘I just want to play golf’ path. How about you? Where is your game right now?
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
The Grateful Golfer 