With the arrival of 2025, every golfer looks forward to the their playing season with renewed hope and excitement. Yup, as the events of 2024 are now in the history books, it is up to all of us to chart a course of success on and off the golf course. While thinking of new ways to improve my golf game, it is important to accept that the highs and lows experienced in the previous golf season will likely emerge in the upcoming 2025 season. This is nothing new, but I have found ways to hopefully reduce the lows in improves the highs of my golf game…..they are not profound, yet do provide a foundation that will shape my upcoming year.
Continue readinghickory shaft golf clubs
Having Fun Trying A Unique Hickory Golf Club
As my golfing world expands due to hickory sticks, I am learning how much I do not know. I am taking my lack of knowledge as an opportunity to learn new things and to embrace different experiences. Of course there is a bit of frustration along this path, but the fun and enjoyment of learning and succeeding in new endeavours outweighs any negative aspects of my new golfing path. Having said that, I had an opportunity to try an unique hickory club design by BTI club makers. It was quite a bit of fun and offered something new to think about with respect to my game.
Continue readingLast Practice Round Before My Hickory Stick Tournament
Yesterday, I decided just to play golf. I have practiced a fair bit this week and now it was time to put it to the test. I went to the Mattawa Golf and Ski Resort for a quick nine holes with the intent of playing alone. Fortunately, I met up with Logan and we decided to play nine holes together. I was going to play the reds (2557 yards) but move back to the whites (3039 yards) to play with Logan. So we teed it up to see what would happen.
Continue readingFeeling Good About Losing A Match
I was knocked out of the Open Match Play event held at the Mattawa Golf and Ski Resort. It was the second round and he is a very good player. I played very well, but I was out gunned yesterday. Golf is an amazing sport where on any given day anything can happen. The interesting thing about our match, each of us only gave one hole to our opponent. The rest of the time, the holes were won outright by a birdie. Misha closed me out 3 and 2, yet the match was much closer than the score.
My opponent, Misha, is a long hitting player whose greatest advantage is length. I hit some very good drives, yet Misha was easily 40 yards longer. Not only did he hit the ball a great distance, he was straight and in play on all shots except for one (he still shot par on the hole after taking one penalty stroke).
During the front nine, neither of us putted all that well. We had several opportunities but I was the only one to make birdie. After the front nine, I was 1 up and I shot a one over par 38. Misha also shot a 38 with only one bogey for the round.
On the 10th hole I missed a short putt to go two up. I opened the door a crack and Misha took total advantage. Rattled off four consecutive wins with three birdies and a par. Suddenly, I was down three with four holes to go. After pressing the next two I was closed out 3 and two.
I played Misha last year and won the match. The difference this year was Misha’s control with every club. If he missed, he did so by the narrowest of margins. His putting heated up on the back and I could not keep pace. When we finished I was one over and he was two under. It was a great match and I am hoping to play against him again next year.
On a side note, I mentioned that I play hickory sticks and had an extra set given to me by Lorne Emery, president of the Golf Historical Society of Canada. He said that he would be interested in playing a round with them in September. I will connect with in a few weeks and he can give them a try.
Well, I am out of the match play competitions for this year. Not winning is new, but my ego can take it. 😉 I a happy to lose to Misha because he won the match!
I want to thank Mike and Brenda the owners and operators of the Mattawa Golf and Ski Resort for their continued support of the match play tournaments.
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
500th Hickory Stick Golf Game
In just a few short years, my friend Lorne Emery has played his 500th game using his hickory shafted golf clubs. An ardent player of old clubs, Lorne invited me to join him on his historic journey. As I arrived early at the Cambridge Golf Club to discuss Lorne’s hickory stick passion, I quickly realized that this phase of his golf journey has only just begun. Listening to him talk about the history of golf and how it applies to present day equipment demonstrates that today’s innovations in clubs are rooted in hickory sticks. Lorne and I had a fantastic day that encompassed more than just talking about hickory sticks.
Continue reading
The Grateful Golfer 