Tiger Woods

Golf Books and DVDs

/ The Grateful Golfer / 13 Comments

Any Recommendations?

There are thousands of books, DVDs, videos, apps, and on-line lessons.  The difficulty is selecting the right media and material.  Selecting any type of golf instruction can pose a challenge, however it is not overwhelming or impossible.  Yesterday, I was asked:  “Would there be some advice of some other books for beginners?”  This is a great question and the answer depends on so many variables that it really is hard to recommend just one type of medium. Having said that, here is what I have in my library and a list of links that would recommend to continue your search.

A Good Walk Spoiled by John Feinstein.  It is the first book I ever received.  It is not a how to book, but a great read.  It touches on many aspects of professional golf and is a must read for golf nuts.

Tiger Woods Made Me Look Like a Genius by Don Crosby.  Don Crosby was an early coach of Tiger Woods.  The topics in the book are generic and cover the main aspects of golfing.  I look at it periodically, but do not follow it extensively.

Recommended for BeginnersGolfing for Dummies by Gary McCord.  An excellent book for any beginner.  It covers all the basics and some intermediate skills.  It is highly recommended and is on most to 10 golf book lists.

The Best Golf Tips Ever by Nick Wright.  This is a great book.  I use it often to look up challenges encountered on the course.  I would recommend it for the intermediate golfer.

365 Golf Tips and Tricks from the Pros by Jay Morelli.  I am currently reading it.  It is a very good book on how to play some challenging and not so challenging shots.  I plan to use it this year, especially early in the season.

The More Series by Golf Magazine.  This three part DVD series is excellent.  I watch it a couple of times during the winter and just before I start playing.  It is a recommended golfing resource.

Secrets of the Short Game by Phil Mickelson.  It is by far my best resource.  I watch this DVD three or four times over the winter.  I also grab a club and try to copy what he is teaching….and no I do not chip balls in my basement…..or should I?

I read golf magazines all the time.  I do not have a specific preference.  I look at the cover and decide if the tips or articles are of interest.  I also keep my golf magazines and review them as specific topics arise.

The following are links I found and thought were worth sharing.  On a side note, most of the links above are to Chapters.ca.  This is a Canadian company; Amazon has all the same books.

Lastly, there are countless golf blogs that offer tips on the golf swing, fitness, mental preparation and course management.  If you are looking for something specific, the internet provides the answer.  You just have to sift through the white noise!

I enjoy talking, reading and especially playing golf.  The amount of information and data available could easily overwhelm even the most avid golfing enthusiasts.  Through the years, I have found that word of mouth recommendations have been the best!  So I ask this very important question:

Any Recommendations?

 

Slow But Steady

/ The Grateful Golfer / 7 Comments
Turtle1

Golf is a Game of Patience!

Golf is a game of patience. Those willing to be the tortoise generally enjoy the game far greater than those trying to be the hare.  It is sometimes difficult to describe the inner thought process when playing a shot, but watching the pros and elite golfers they all take their time.  Sometimes watching them play equates to watching paint dry, but you will never see Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson rush through their pre-shot routine or their actual shot.

Golf is a game of patience.  Many golfers have the best equipment, a gadget or two, and change putters routinely. They follow golfing innovations and always seem to have the newest driver in their bag. They are chasing the dream of shooting low, but never seem to play better than they did the year before.  I have often heard “I am 20 yards farther with my new clubs!” or “this new putter makes the ball roll truer!” Unfortunately, they never seem to score better.

Golf is a game of patience.  It is important to work on your game in little increments.  Too many changes at one time has the tendency to cause more harm than good.  Many players ask that if they practice, which part of the game will reap the most benefits.  My response is usually, which club do they use the most when they play?  As they think for a minute, the usually say their putter, followed by their short irons around the green.  I respond “well that answers your question, your short game to reap the most benefit, most of the time.

Golf is a game of patience.  It takes practice and more practice to become an elite golfer. It takes the willingness to put in the time to hone you golfing skills.  This thought is not always popular because playing is way more fun than practicing.  However, it improve your score and really enjoy the finer aspects of golf, practice is required.

Golf is a game of patience.  I am a grateful golfer.  See you on the links!

Surviving The Open at Muirfield

/ The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

Surviving the Open at Muirfield

Lee Westwood could be the first Englishmen to win The Open since Sir Nick Faldo in 1992.  Westwood has played extremely well through the first three rounds and has demonstrated that persistence and patience does pay off.  Westwood’s greatest attribute to date has been his putting.  His skill on the green resulted in being the only player to shoot sub-par rounds in the last two days!

As we watch 90 yard roll outs on the fairways, players hitting medium irons 270+ yards, bunkers that guard the course like soldiers on sentry, and greens that are faster than your kitchen floor, Muirfield Golf Course is a relentlenss beast that challenges the world’s best golfers!

Players said that the dry conditions and constant 15 mph wind almost makes the course unplayable.  It is on the cusp of being unfair, but as the players continue to challenge the beast they are finding new and creative ways to keep their score low. Whether they are putting while standing 4 feet in a bunker or shooting eagles from the fairway, it is not difficult to understand why only so few players are breaking par each day.

The last round of the Open should prove to be as exciting as the first three. Regardless of what the odds makers have said, the winner is too difficult to call. However, watching the first three rounds, anyone at +3 or less has a chance to raise the Claret Jug!.  Here is why:

Players at +3 are going out earlier than the leaders.  All three days, Muirfield has player easier early in the morning than later in the day.  If players like Sergio Garcia or Brandt Snedeker can post a 68 or 67 early, the leaders may have some difficulty keeping their scores low enough to win.

The wind picks up through the day.  Each day the wind blew less during the morning rounds than the afternoon rounds.  The few extra mph of wind, added to the dry conditions may just be enough to cause a major shift in the leaderboard.

Lastly, the famous unknown of the Open.  Muirfield has demonstrated that the bounces off the uncountable knolls and bumps are unpredictable!   None of the players really know how far the ball will release or how the undulating fairways will affect their ball.  How many times have the pros raised their hands in a “you’ve got to be kidding me!” stance because the ball did something completely unpredictable!

The final round of the Open is going to as exciting as the first three!  Given the current leaderboard, the Grateful Golfer predicts the following:

  1. Lee Westwood
  2. Ryan Moore
  3. Phil Mickelson
  4. Tiger Woods
  5. Hunter Mahan

Prudence would suggest not betting on my prediction.  However, we can all agree that it is high time an Englishman won The Open and brought the glory home!

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

The Rules of Golf

/ The Grateful Golfer / 3 Comments

The rules of golf are in-depth and attempt to explain some of the crazy situations that may occur on the links.  They are varied and sometimes a little off the wall.  They can be applied after the fact or during a match that could mean the difference of winning or losing.  The rules are applied evenly (we hope) or perceived not to fair.  The rules will undoubtedly make you scratch your head.  Regardless, the rules of golf are important and should not be taken lightly.  Or should they?

In a previous article called Gopher It! I explain how rule 25-1, Immovable Obstructions and Abnormal Ground Conditions, from the 2012 Royal Canadian Golf Association rule book impacted a tournament I participated in several years back.  Needless to say, we discussed this rule for quite some time.

Sergio Garcia took the meaning of “play the ball where it lies” to a whole new level.  The Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Golf and Country Club, Garcia climbed a tree to play the ball out into the fairway.  It can be seen at PGATOUR.COM.

The penalty for slow play against the Guan Tianlang, the 14-year-old, grade 8 player from China, who made the cut at the 2013 The Masters caught everyone’s attention.  A statement, in The Guardian, by rules officials stated that his age did not matter.  I would have to agree with that statement.  He obviously has the game to play at the Masters, so he must play by all the rules.  Whether the rules are applied equally is the real topic of conversation of most analysts.

Of course the Tiger Woods rules challenge at this year’s Masters.  In this case, the rules officials were under tremendous pressure to make an appropriate call because a television viewer called in and challenged Tiger Woods drop.  Woods was not disqualified for signing an incorrect score card as many had suggested, but was assessed a two stroke penalty.

The RCGA, USGA, R&A are all governing bodies that routinely examine the rules of golf and make what they deem as appropriate changes.  They focus mainly on the elite players, but do attempt to keep the average duffer in the mix.

The Putting Rule

The Putting Rule

So, what about those unwritten rules used by local players?  No, I am not talking about etiquette, but the fun rules!  Rules like:

  • The 30 Second Rule – If you can pick up your ball and place it back in the spot you just hit from within 30 seconds, the shot does not count.
  • First Tee Do Over Rule – You arrive at the first tee before 7 am and duff your drive – you get a do over because you are not warmed up yet.
  • The Putting Rule – On the first green, if it has not been cut yet, you are allowed two putts from the same spot to get a feel for the speed.  If the ball drops on either stroke count one!
  • Foot Wedge Rule – it is used regularly and without shame!  It is the – I am here to have fun and do not care about the score – shot!

These unwritten rules are for the fun of the game.  Golf is challenging and the rules were developed over centuries of play, however golf is meant to be fun!  Using your own rules sometimes is just the break we duffers need to have a memorable round. If we were making money at golf, maybe the rules would be more important!  Since we don’t….remember – be a grateful golfer!  See you on the links.

Where is Rory?

/ The Grateful Golfer / 2 Comments

As Tiger Woods won for the eighth time at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and vaulted to the top of the world rankings….where was Rory McIlroy?  One would figure that he would want to defend his world ranking, but I guess not.  So where was Rory?

According to Yahoo Sports, Rory was spending time with is girl friend in Miami.  Additionally, he was practicing at the Miami Municipal Golf Course hitting balls on the range.  He was cool and relaxed keeping his game tuned for next week.

Golfing Dweeb brought up some great points about journey-men golfers who have to grind it out from week to week.  He brings up points about how difficult it is mentally and how demanding it can be on your personal life.  Maybe Rory is playing select tournaments to make sure he has a well round life that he will always enjoy….everyone knows he has the talent to pick and choose.  Rory will have two-week rest (according to his website, he was not going to play at Arnie’s tournament anyway) before this weekends Shell Huston Open – will he be fresh or rusty?  I guess time will tell.

The question of the day is:  Is Rory McIlory doing the right thing by playing a bit less and being fresh for all the tournaments he enters?