Golfing for Fun

August 5, 2015August 5, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 7 Comments

You never know what you will find in a golf hole!

The past month or so, I have focused on preparing for a 54-hole golf tournament and lowering my score. All of this preparation was driven by focused intent and my desire to be a scratch golfer. Over the past week, I consciously took my foot off the gas pedal in order to relax and have a bit of fun before making the final push at the end of my golfing season.

The last three rounds demonstrated that having fun (a more relaxed type of fun) on the course is just as important as remaining focused during every shot. The result is two-fold.

First, I really enjoy walking around the course with my playing partners because we light-heartedly poke fun at each other.

During this time, my score raises slightly, but it is of little consequence. Additionally, I try different shots. Ones that I would not normally try, but should have in my bag in case I really need it.

For example, trying to hit over a bush when the smart play is to go under. Or, hitting my 3-hybrid from 220 yards out over a creek. Or, hitting my driver on holes that only require a 3-wood off the tee. Trying these shots go against my normal focus on course management, but the risk/reward makes my rounds a bit more enjoyable.

The second change is my wife’s interest in golfing more. This aspect of my game that excites me the most. We casually play 9 holes or hit the range for a large bucket of balls. My wife knows the fundamentals and is implementing each aspect of her swing at her own speed. If she asks for help, I am there to offer a suggestion. The part I like the most is spending time together in a relaxed and fun environment. This is my idea of fun in golf.

It is important to change things once in a while. There are times to be serious, but just as importantly, there are times to just have fun. Right now, I am doing the latter. This mid-season pause usually lasts about two weeks, however the fun of playing golf with my wife will last a lifetime.

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

Teamwork in Golf

August 1, 2015 / The Grateful Golfer / 6 Comments

Teamwork helps accomplish great things!

Developing and maintaining the perfect golf swing is next to impossible! The better we play, the better we want to play and to accomplish this amazing feat takes time, effort and dedication. Many of us try to improve our game alone or with help from some well-intentioned friends. Personally, I fit into this category or at least I did a few years back.

Professional golfers have a team of experts to help them with every aspect of their game. If one expert is not cutting the grade, they are politely asked to leave the team. This process, however well-intentioned, is designed to make the professional golfer better, but is difficult for amateurs to duplicate. Some teams instinctively work like well oiled machines, and others, not so much. Regardless, their goal is always to obtain the best results they can…..always.

Amateur golfers are less fortunate. We generally do not have any sort of team to help us improve our swing mechanics. Practice and training is worked into our daily lives as much as possible. The challenge for most amateurs is to effectively juggle the multitude of life events with the demands of playing great golf. Many believe that they are going it alone, and their success on the golf course lays solely in their hands.

I used to feel that way until about 3 years ago when my eyes were opened to a plethora of golf resources available at a click of a button. The internet has allowed many amateur golfers to improve their game by watching videos, reading articles, and watching professionals ply their wares on various golf shows. The trick is to find the right resources to match your game. On a side note, I have only met on person who has significantly improve their game this way. He really worked at his game and it paid off in spades.

For me, the evolution in my golf game started in May 2012. It was the time I stared this blog. On that faithful day, my real education about golf had officially commenced. I slowly started talking to like-minded golfing fanatics whose unique perspective showed me that my narrow view on golf was holding me back.

As we discussed topics such as putting, chipping, or the mental side of play, my game improved. I would use their suggestions on the practice range and slowly shape my game into something better! By a fluke of nature, this team of unsung experts, I have never met, has helped reduce my learning curve as I attempt to be a scratch golfer!

Teamwork can be found in anywhere. I was fortunate enough to find and build a group of experts who I rely upon to help solve the challenges in my game. I am confident that if they do not know a specific answer, they will know where to find it. To you my silent teammates, I say THANKYOU!

Do you have a team that helps you with your golf game?

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

The 2015 Golfing Season is Here!

December 31, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

The New Year’s celebrations have started all around the world! People are taking to the streets to embrace the sense of hope January first brings. Hope for changes in all aspects of their lives and for some of us in our golf game.

The 2015 golf season is upon us. As I prepare my plan for success, my sense of hope to reach my elusive goal of being a scratch golfer is in my sights and grasp one more time. I plan to build on my positive improvements in 2014 and let them fuel my desire to play even better in 2015.

The Grateful Golfer blog will be making changes as well! I plan a slow evolution towards….well I am not exactly sure yet. This is where hope definitely plays a huge role. Like all aspects of our game, changes are inevitable. Because if we always do what we always have done, then we will always get what we already have.

2015 is going to an awesome year! It will be a year full of hope and endless possibilities. I believe that our daily path is created by our intentions and actions. We all have the ability to create the future we want. My 2015 golf season will be exciting, focused and full of hope!

I wish everyone a Happy New Year! As the clock strikes 12, your 2015 golf season will officially begin. What are you going to do different to make it your best golf season ever?

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

Golf Report Card From 2014

November 24, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 12 Comments

Back in April, I reaffirmed a plan for my 2014 golf season. The intent was to improve my overall game to help achieve my goal of being a scratch golfer. My plan was met with varying success; so I thought I would share the goods, bads and uglies with you.

I have four main focus areas that help guide every golf season. With a plan in place, I am usually ready for anything on the links. Here is my plan:

get fit – focus on exercises designed to improve my golf game;
research – the drills and techniques required to improve my game;
practice – dedicate time to practice to improve my game; and
compete – either formally or informally compete every time I hit the links.

The Grateful Golfer in 2014!

Well I can say that my overall fitness for the golf season was pretty good. I felt strong during most rounds and rarely waned heading down the home stretch. I could have improved on my physical strength, but that is what this off-season is for. I would rate my fitness a B+.

My research on drills and techniques continued all season. I improved my chipping, widened my stance, and found better methods to score low. I have shared these tips and drills through the year in my blog, and they might be worth taking a look at. Interestingly, I improved more in the last two months of the season because I started hitting the ball farther off the tee. I will continue researching better ways to improve this area this winter. I would rate my research as a solid A.

Practicing was up and down this year. I started off extremely strong, but slowed during various times in the season. When I did practice, I felt rushed and unfocused. I write about practicing with intent all the time and should heed my own advice. I would rate my practice as a C+.

I did compete a bit this year, but mostly in fun tournaments. This type of competition is not good for my competitive edge, but it is competition. I played in 2 stroke events and was underwhelming. My competitive edge was not as sharp as in years past, but keep in mind that my criticism is relative to my handicap. I would rate my competitive edge as a B.

So overall, my season was about average for sticking to my plan. It is amazing how quickly the season passed and by not staying focused, I think that I missed some opportunities to improve. However, the most surprising aspect of my entire 2014 golf season is that I dropped my handicap from 4.7 to 2.8!

Wait, before you say not nice things to me, I cannot believe it either. I had a 4 week period where I could do nothing wrong and I actually broke par once. From a pure handicap perspective, 2014 was a fantastic season.

Hopefully, I will build on my successes from this year and achieve my overall goal of being a scratch golfer.

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

Desire to Succeed

April 18, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

Desire is a driving force! It is the fuel that drives the machine of life. Desire is what quietly pushes you towards achieving your goals. This philosophy, if followed, can expand your very existence beyond what you may think is possible. Desire provides the ‘get up and go’, for those who always seem to be motivate. This very ideal is important to any golfer wanting to achieve success.

Many amateurs talk about wanting to be better golfers. They discuss various techniques of great shots to lower their score, but rarely practice. They continually buy more equipment thinking they are working on their game, but nothing changes. They watch the professionals, looking for the next big tip, but forget to try it when they go to the course. Personally, I have been in this exact situation early in my golfing days. I thought I was working on my game, but actually I was not changing anything yet expected different results.

About 25 years ago something changed. I received a taste of what it was like to break 80 and thought how great it felt! From that point, my expectations changed and with that my desire to be a scratch golfer was born. Since that time, I have practiced, learned, and focused my attention on how to play better golf. The cool thing is, as I took baby steps towards improving, my desire continued to grow. Now, my desire has morphed into a passion for golf. Interestingly, as my desire/passion grew – my baby steps turned into a brisk walk – then a jog. Now, my desire to improve all aspects of my game is like an erupting volcano! As I move forward, I am learning to harness and focus this passion to steadily improve my game.

Desire is important to success; however people must decide for themselves how good of a golfer they want to be! The only right answer is the one the individual chooses!
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links…soon!