short game

My 2017 Golf Season Starts Today!

/ The Grateful Golfer / 8 Comments

Another journey starts today.

The day has finally arrived. After 200 days (yes, that number is correct), I am hitting the links! The long, cold off-season is over and at 2 pm today I am teeing it up with my friends Blair and Rick. Our course has 9 holes open because of the wet front nine and this will be a perfect start for me. Of course I am not planning to just show up at the course and play because that is how injuries happen after such a long lay off,. So, here is what I am thinking. Continue reading →

If I Had a Choice…..

/ The Grateful Golfer / 16 Comments

I was asked a question by one of my friends yesterday about golf. This is not an unusual thing; however this question got me thinking. I answered very quickly, but now that I had the chance to think about it, I thought it would be a great topic for an article.

Of course, the choices he gave me were very pie in the sky, but sometimes it is fun to play the “what if” game. It is great fun to think of how good my game could be come if I had half the skill of some of the pros. I would be able to hit the ball over many hazards and zero in on pins as if it was second nature. Continue reading →

What is Your Tipping Point?

/ The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

The definition of a tipping point is “the point at which a series of small changes or incidents becomes significant enough to cause a larger, more important change.” This particular phenomenon is the root of great golf. It helps define a path to success through mini steps of a larger challenge.

Every year, I hope to experience one or two tipping points that leads to lower scores. Last year, unfortunately, I did not achieve a tipping point on any aspect of my game and as a result, I did not really improve. It is a bit disappointing, but that is the nature of amateur golf. Continue reading →

The First Time I Broke 80

/ The Grateful Golfer / 13 Comments

This article was inspired by Jimmy at Tiger Golf Traveler. He wrote an article about breaking 80 for the first time and his story resonated with me. So I thought I would take it one step further and outline, in my opinion, the key to breaking 80 consistently.

As most golfers understand, wedges are the key to low golf scores. Of course, hitting a solid driver and consistent iron play are very important, however, great wedge play will help ensure you break 90, 80, or even 70 consistently. But first, my story.

Continue reading →

Is a Landing Area Important in Golf?

/ The Grateful Golfer / 11 Comments

You are playing well and unfortunately you approach shot has left you 15 yards short of the green. A difficult up and down will leave you with your lowest score of the year. It is now time to put all your long practice around the green to work.

The next and important step is to determine which shot to make. Shall it be a flop, chip, pitch, or bump and run? The many variables have you thinking about which approach will be best and so the process begins. Continue reading →