Chipping In!

November 12, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / 3 Comments

One of the most rewarding shots in golf is chipping in. It not only saves strokes, but provides an adrenalin rush for a couple more shots. All golfers try to hole the ball on every shot, but are we really doing the right things to accomplish that ever elusive chip in?

Being within 5 yards of the green provides the best opportunity to chip the ball in the hole. To carry out this feat – the bump and run is the best shot. Yes, if a bunker is in the way or a sprinkler head or….then a lob shot is best. However, if you have a straight shot at the green, the percentage shot is the bump and run.

Over the years, I have realized that I can save 5 strokes around (depending on if I hit the green in regulation or not) by focusing on my set-up for a bump and run shot. Recently, I have made some changes with some excellent results.

First, line the bump and run up like a putt. Take the time to actually read the green, the slope, grain, and location of the hole.

Second, decide how hard to hit the ball by choose the landing spot for the ball. This part is extremely important! By determining where to land the ball will result in how far the ball will eventually travel and the line it travels on.

Third, select a club. Normally, I use a 7-iron. But that will change depending on what hazards I have to navigate around. The traditional wisdom is to use an 8-iron, but I am anything but traditional. The point is, pick the club you feel will get the job done.

Fourth, I use a putter grip on the club. It softens your hands, ensures your wrists remain locked and enables the club head to follow the path of your line.

Fifth, take practice swings. Take as many as required until you have determined the speed required land the ball on your aiming point. It is very important that you take these practice swings in the type of grass your ball is in.

Six, I visualize the ball going in the hole. This step is also very important. Some will say to visualize a three-foot circle around the hole, but think that approach is not aggressive enough.

Seventh and last, do not be afraid to hit the ball past the hole. 100% of short puts do not go in! It is easier to hit the ball a little softer on the next stroke than to try to hit it a bit harder. Additionally, watch the ball go past the hole – it will show you the line coming back if needed.

Well now you know my secret to the bump and run. I believe it is a very important skill that is easily practiced. It will save strokes.

If you have any bump and run tips, please pass them on! See you on the links.

What Is Your Favorite Club?

November 1, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

This question is asked daily on the golf course. Everyone has a trusty club that they rely on to get out of trouble or to deliver that miracle shot. When the club gets in their hand, their confidence grows, they focus more, and they see the upcoming success. So is it really the club or something else?

I suggest that it is all mental instead of the club being magical! On the flip side, how many of us have said, “I can never hit this club” and surprise you never do! It is amazing and almost no fail. I have a sports experience I want to share that may hammer my point home.

I was assisting a very successful volleyball coach a few years back and he said something one practice that really shaped my mental thinking about sports. One of the players was trying learning a new skill and the player quickly got frustrated and said, “I just can’t do it”. He looked them straight in the eye and said, “You are right! You cannot do it. So take your shoes off and go home!” The player was aghast. After about 5 seconds, he said to the player “if you think and say you cannot do something – you will not do it. I do not want to hear “I can’t” anymore on this court.” Not surprisingly the player changed their view and were very successful learning skills in the future.

Image if every club was your favorite club! I believe many of golf’s challenges are mental and a positive attitude goes a long way to having success on the links.

Remember what Norman Vincent Peale, the author of The Power of Positive Thinking, said “Change your thoughts and you change your world.” and “Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.”

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

Visualization to Success!

August 28, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / 5 Comments

Visualizing is the key to success in golf. I believe that visualizing your ball path will have nothing but positive results. So what does this really mean? How does one visualize anything? These are very good questions.

The Golf Sage says that “A perfect golf swing extends well beyond just having the best equipment to play the game. Yes, you need quality, reliable equipment and a lot of practice but that practice needs to be both physically and mentally as perfect as possible. Don’t replay your negative or unsuccessful plays in your head. You must focus on thinking about the positive and successful visualization of your game experience in every way.”

Jack Nicklaus said that: “I never hit a shot, not even in practice, without having a very sharp, in-focus picture of it in my head. First I see the ball where I want it to finish, nice and white and sitting up high on the bright green grass. Then the scene quickly changes, and I see the ball going there; its path, trajectory, and shape, even its behavior on landing. Then there is a sort of fade-out, and the next scene shows me making the kind of swing that will turn the previous images into reality.”

At Golfblogger.com the method described is the one I use. I pick a spot one foot ahead of my ball and visualize the flight path along that line. I focus on where I want it to land and how far. On the green, I do the exact same thing with one small change…..it goes in the hole every time. I find that I can easily duplicate this process and it enables me to quickly visualize success.

There is one thing in common in all the above comments. Visualization works and is important to improving your game. I visualize success everyday and while playing I visualize the perfect golf swing. I am a grateful golfer.

Preparing for Tournament Play

July 21, 2012July 21, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

I have just returned from a 54 hole regional tournament. It was fantastic and I thoroughly enjoyed my time on the links. Unfortunately, I did not qualify for the national tournament, but maybe next year!

During my time at the Garrison Golf and Curling Club, I had time to think and wonder why I was not performing to my expectations. I wondered if I practiced my chipping and putting enough; did I play in enough tough conditions; was a physically fit; or did I mentally prepare properly? After much debate, I determined that my mental preparation was lacking.

I believe that pre-tournament preparation is as important, if not more important, than our physical preparation. Obviously, the physical preparation includes chipping, putting, hitting balls, and playing rule enforced rounds of golf. However, the most overlooked aspect of tournament preparation is the mental game.

At the Mental Game of Golf, it outlines many aspects that are very important to success on the links. They state in their blog on the mental game three aspects that I agree with to significantly improve your performance during a competition. They are: establish your rhythm, mentally preview your round, and have a game plan. These are three aspects of the game I have used for years and believe they significantly improve performance. Playing during the tournament I realized I was not as prepared as I could have been; well next year I will be ready! I am a grateful golfer!

Golf is both a physically and mentally demanding game. A mentally strong player will be able to navigate the course easier and with more precision. There is no doubt in my mind that proper preparation will help everyone meet their expectations.

How do you prepare for tournaments?