Last night I brought out my hickory sticks for the first time in 2024. It was a perfect opportunity to play nine holes with some you players, Alex and Cedar, who have amazing potential. Both are hooked on golf and love to practice as much as play! Looping around the links, we talked plenty of golf. We did not discuss their swing much, but more about how to course manage their round. With me using my hickory sticks, it afforded us an opportunity to discuss potential shots as I was considerably shorter than both of them on every club, but still scored the same at the end. Using my hickories accentuated some swing challenges I was experiencing, but also provided an opportunity to fix my errors…..which I did. Playing with hickory sticks is fun and educational; what a great combination!
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Bridging The Gap Between Old And New In Your Golf Game
Golf is a unique sport that is steeped in history. Regardless of the situation, the ebbing and froing of how to improve our scores is a battle waged each day. It is a challenge sometimes to venture into the realm of a new golf game when our old one feels so comfortable, but stagnate. Unfortunately, to be a better golfer with the desire to constantly improve, living in the the uncomfortable zone is a must. The question is how to bridge that gap between our old comfortable game and the possibility of a new a better game. It is a question all golfers ask themselves from time to time.
<!I have reached the tipping point many times in my game. I have worked so diligently that when the time arrives to take that set forward in to a new a better game I have hesitated. Why you might ask? That is a great question. It means change, permanent change. That scares people at the best of time and with the protentional of regressing in our score, it frightens the heck out of all golfers. Personally, I have been there. However, I do have on thing that helps to progress me forward.
The decision to move forward is driven by two things. Hope and desire to be a better player. The hope aspect is one that all golfers have. I think everyone hopes they are making the proper decision and that never changes. Hope is a quintessential aspect of all our make up and will be present in all major decisions, especially golf decisions. Hope is what starts to improvement process to make the decision in the first place.
The second aspect of leaving our old game for a new one is desire. Desire is a strong feeling that impels us to the attainment something that is within reach: a desire for a new and better golf game. Desire is the driving force to lower our golf scores. If the desire is big enough, we can overcome all obstacles including the fear of bridging the gap to a better golf game. This driving force is key to any golfer improving and has sustained me over the years as I strived to improve. I will admit my desire is waning a bit over the years, but it is still alive and present. Therefore, I am hoping for improvements this year as I pursue a better golf game.
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
Staying Positive and Motivated During A Round Of Golf
Every golfer experiences moments of frustration and down right disappointment with their golf game. During every round, we hit poor shots (sometimes way more than we want) mixed in with great shots. Other times the opposite is true. Regardless of which game shows up, my experience shows that staying mentally positive and motivated is the best way to dampen the poor hitting moments during each round of golf.
Continue readingIf You Don’t Make Mistakes, You Are Not Trying
Over my 40+ years of playing golf, I have made a ton of mistakes. I have tried so many swing fixes that I have forgotten most of them. Interestingly, some of my efforts have paid off because my handicap and gross scores continue to improve. The last five years has been tough because cause of life events and my journey to be a scratch golfer has slowed. Regardless of the roller coaster I sometimes ride, I keep making mistakes that help guide me to eventual success. Making mistakes is all part of the learning process!
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The Grateful Golfer 