Having Fun With Golf!

October 14, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

Having fun with golf is the really why the game was invented. Seeking enjoyment in any part of our lives is truly important to one’s well-being. Many golfers find ways to enhance their time on the links but inventing new games, playing from different tees, playing in fun tournaments, and just socializing with your friends.

Golf Digest has an article with 18 different ways to have fun playing golf. Several different authors quickly outline their views on how to spread joy in your game. My favourite is by Stina Sternberg who suggests you throw out the score card. It takes pressure off the player and allows them to try different shots without worrying about hurting your score.

Personally, the best way to enjoy golf is to play early in the morning, carrying a cup of coffee, and playing with a friends. During that time, we can use a foot wedge, mulligans, and do-overs. I also have my fail safe way of spreading joy. The 30-second rule!

The 30 second rule can be used by anyone. If you hit the ball off the tee – well if you miss hit the ball of the tee; run, pick up your ball and put it back on the tee within 30 seconds, the stroke does not count. You will be surprised how happy it makes everyone.

Overall, golf is all about fun. There are many ways to enjoy your round and using your imagination is the best way. See you on the links!

How to Align Your Shot

October 5, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

Aligning your shot is far from easy. I have heard of many methods to align a shot. For example: point your left shoulder towards your target; draw an imaginary line along your toes; place a club on your thighs and let it point to the target; align your elbows, stick out your tongue and close your right eye…. OK, I made the last on up, but my point is that there are hundreds of suggestions on how to align your shot while playing golf.

Recently, I came across a method I had never heard before and it actually is repeatable, simple and makes sense. This is a recipe for success if you asked me! In my Golf Canada Magazine, David Hearn provides a unique tip on how to be successful when aiming at a target. Align your heels! He says it is “imperative that the club be placed on the ground flush against your heels and not your toes. Because feet tend to flare out, the heel line is the best indicator of where you’re currently aimed.” This is brilliant. It makes absolute sense to me.

Aiming your shot has many variables, but the important point about this tip and many others is to consistently have the same set up routine. That is what really ensures success.

If you have a tip about aligning your shot, please pass it on; we would love to hear about it!

Sand Play – Not Just a Day on the Beach!

September 7, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

Hitting it close out of the sand!

I was reading a post by Ian Hardie from Golf Habits – Simply Better Golf called “Don’t hit the ball out of a sand trap”. He talked about how to successfully play out of the sand. His advice resonated with me because this skill is one of the least practice of all. There are many aspects to consider when playing out of the sand. To expand on Ian’s post here are a couple of things to consider.

In a green side bunker that has compacted sand and no lip….use a putter. This type of shot is called using a Texas Wedge. Strike the ball with some authority and you will find that the ball will play like a bump and run shot. It works very well, especially if you are not confident with your sand wedge.

In a green side bunker that has compacted sand and a lip….use a 8 iron. Play it exactly like a bump and run from the fringe. Ensure that you do not take any sand and make contact with the ball first.

From a green side bunker with soft sand regardless of the lip…use a sand wedge and follow Ian’s advice. It really does work. One important point about this type of sand shot (and all others aswell) is the follow through. You must follow through towards your target and the club head must finish above your head. If you follow through your ball will come out of the sand just like the pros!

If you are in a fairway bunker and you are plugged….use your sand wedge or pitching wedge and get the ball in play. Sometimes it is best to take your medicine and advance the ball 50 yards down the fairway than to hit your next shot from the same bunker.

If you are in a fairway bunker and you are sitting on top of the sand….use one club more than you would from that distance. If you are right-handed, aim a bit left and opposite if you are a lefty. Make sure you do not use any legs and the ball will travel the distance you wanted….one club more is the key to this successful shot.

Playing out of the bunker is an important skill. Making an up and down from the bunker is rewarding and significantly lowers your score. If you get a chance to practice, take advantage of the opportunity. Remember, playing out of sand traps is not just another day on the beach!

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

Playing Golf for Fun!

September 6, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / 3 Comments

Hole In One from 208 Yards
Man I Love This Game!

Fundamentally, golf is a game! I know this is a profound statement, but it really is just a game. I realize that this blasphemous statement does not sit well with many of you, however it is important to take stock of why we play.

Take me for instance, I have played golf for 35+ years. I have had many ups and downs throughout my golfing days. My game has continued to evolve and I can honestly say that I still have plenty to things to learn. So what drives me to continue, to push the edge, to challenge myself….the love of the game. I love the competition (both in tournaments and against myself on regular days), the social aspect of playing, learning from my fellow competitors and hoping for that one perfect shot….the elusive hole in one.

Many golfers may not look at golf this way. They look at the game of what they cannot do…not what they can do. They see the negative aspects of a bogey instead of the positive view that it could have been worse. A positive attitude will drive every golfer to great successes and real appreciation for the game.

An article in the New York Times outlines some very good aspects of why we play golf. The following is from that article: “Does being a golfer mean enduring clumsy embarrassment? Well, yes, it does sometimes, but that wasn’t the point. Being a golfer is to join a tribe with an elaborate set of tenets and canons, one with its own mores and protocols and no definable mission other than to chase a little ball into a hole.

It is a silly game, somewhat childish, a good walk spoiled, as Mark Twain said. It is all those things. So why do we love this game?

The allure of golf is its simplicity, which leads to a thousand complexities. It is sophisticated because it is subtle. It is perfect because it is wholly and forever imperfect.

I once asked David Duval, a British Open champion, what made golf so difficult and yet so appealing. He said, “It’s all the time to think between shots.”

I asked the great Phil Mickelson the same question and he said, “It’s all the choices you have.”

I asked Jack Nicklaus and he replied, “Because you must master so many elements, including yourself.”

I asked the golf commentator and author David Feherty and he said, “Because it’s a ridiculous game and it’s our fault for playing it.”

There you have it. Golf means something different to everyone. I can say that the reasons for playing golf over the years has morphed. Now, I play to enjoy the walk, talk to my friends (old and new), and challenge myself hitting a little white ball into a hole. I am a grateful golfer!

What to you love about Golf?

Keeping Your Composure!

September 3, 2012April 5, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

Keeping your composure when the wheels fall off is the most difficult skill in golf. All of us have played the front nine as if we were pros. We start to count things up, figure that we are going to set a personal recorded…..the poof, our game comes crashing to earth.

I am sure many of you are thinking….yeah too many times. So how does an amateur keep their composure when things are falling apart. This does not mean showing zero emotion like Jason Dufner; it means keeping calm like Rory Mcilroy during the 2011 Masters. Staying focused when the whole world is falling down around you. So what to do?

The great Bobby Jones referred to composure when he said that “Competitive golf is played mainly on a five-and-a-half-inch course, the space between your ears.” I have read many different methods to keep your composure and I have my several techniques.

One technique is to laugh and smile at my silly shot. I do not hop around like a fool, but smile to myself and give a little chuckle. I find that I remain calm and I can easily refocus and prepare for my next shot.

Another technique is to say my name to myself like I am correcting something. It is sharp, quick and allows me to move on without carrying pent up emotions.

Lastly, I walk to my ball, look around at the beautiful surroundings, the sun shining, the birds singing, the gratitude of being able to play golf in an awesome country….I feel calm already. I guess you get my point.

The one thing in common with all three techniques is they quickly eliminate the negative focus of making a bad shot and focuses on the positive aspect of playing the game. Golf is meant to challenge your inner sportsman and remaining calm and enjoying your time on the links will only enhance your inner pro. I am a grateful golfer; see you on the links!