Golfer Newbies

If you've been here before you no doubt have noticed this site has a new format. I haven't finished fixing all the little quirks, but I wanted to create my own custom template – the previous one was an off-the-shelf theme. If something isn't working on the site, please let me know and I'll fix it.

In an earlier post I mentioned a book I am enjoying called Every Shot Must Have a Purpose. I thought the chapter on practicing with a purpose was especially helpful. Some of the main points in that chapter are:

• Have a plan when you go to the practice range
• Hitting balls for an hour is not a plan
• Change your target with each shot
• Change your club after each shot
• Putt with one ball to several holes rather than several balls to one hole
• Chip and then putt
• Create a par-2 course around the practice green
• Great play begins with thoughtful practice

These tips are designed to simulate what actually happens when you play a round of golf. Not only am I finding them helpful in improving my game, but they make practice much more fun as well.

This morning I was reading the January 2010 issue of Golf Magazine where I found the following factoid.

"2,900: Number of calories burned by golfers who walk 36 holes a week, which could translate into a 40-pound weight loss over one year, according to a study by the Rose Center for Health and Sports Science in Denver. The study also concluded that on average, walkers score better."

Now, I don't know how I could possibly fit in 36 holes a week while working, since that would take at least 8 hours (not to mention I don't know anyplace in Chicago I can play in the winter) and I am not yet retired. Also, I can barely make it through 18 holes while riding in a golf cart. However, I think I could fit in 2 9-hole outings that included walking the course, so if I can figure out how to do that in the winter, it could mean 20 lbs loss a year, and that's something I can definitely use. It would be great to be in terrific shape by the time I do retire – sometime in the next four years.

While I was in California my sister-in-law took me to a very nice golf store called Roger Dunn (near the Mission Viejo Mall). One of the things I bought while I was there was a book called Every Shot Must Have a Purpose by Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott. This has turned out to be a really great book and is changing the way I think about my strokes and my scores. The front flap says,

“Unlike any other golf book, Every Shot Must Have a Purpose offers cutting-edge techniques for integrating the physical, technical, mental, emotional and social parts of a player’s game. The book’s revolutionary pre-shot routine improves a player’s focus, leading to a golf swing that is not only successful but can be repeated under extreme pressure. Emphasizing the individual golfer rather than a rigid set of mechanics, their VISION54 method takes the frustration out of the game.”

Now, I recognize that the book flap is meant to make high claims for the book so that people will read it, but in the case I have found it to be true. When I apply the principles of the book my shots are much better. So, I highly recommend this book. It has a foreword by Annika Sorenstam and she recommends it highly as well.

Well, from a golf standpoint, being back in Chicago after 2 weeks in California doesn’t have too many advantages, but today I did get to participate in the “Great Eskimo Shoot Out” at the Fresh Meadows Practice Center. The deal was, if you bought one small bucket of balls (50 balls) you got another one free. There was a large plastic tub out on the range at about 75 yards. At the end of your practice, you got five extra balls. The golf pro watched, and if you got any in the bucket you got a prize – there were prizes for 1, 2, 3, 4 and all 5 balls getting in. I didn’t get any in, either during my practice or with my last five balls, but I did manage to hit the bucket 4 times from rolling balls. Overall, I was very pleased with how generally straight my shots were, and the pro even commented on that. And, it was great fun playing in the winter. Snow on the ground, light flurries coming down, lots of people having fun trying to hit the bucket. If you live in a cold climate, you might see if your driving range has something like this you can participate in.

In a previous post I mentioned the importance of putting in improving your overall scores. There was a brief sidebar in the Sports section of the Wall Street Journal on November 28, 2009 that provided some interesting data in support of this.

“LIKE THEY SAY, IT’S THE SHORT GAME

Go figure: none of the PGA Tour’s top 10 players in greens in regulation for 2009 won a tournament. But six players who led a tournament field in putting won that event, while five who led the field in getting up-and-down did likewise. Only one driving distance-leader for a tournament, Dustin Johnson, son that event. – J.P.N.”

So, even though it’s a lot of fun to go out on the driving range and hit the long-distance balls, you’ll likely get more bang for your buck by working hard on your putting.

For those of you who have been following my blog and wonder why nothing has been updated – well, it’s because I have been in California playing golf. Lucky me! I apologize for being away so long, but it was worth it. Although, that being said, I had my worst game ever back at the Lake Forest 9-hole course. I did get to go play at another course while I was there – Casta del Sol. It is a beautiful short 18-hole public course near Lake Mission Viejo. My first 18-hole game. I won’t tell you my score, but I will say that I did have some really great shots that I was very pleased with. In that game, I played with my brother Rob, my sister-in-law Carrie, and Carrie’s mother Mary. Mary told us a story about a time she played at Casta del Sol. The first hole starts up on a hill and at the bottom there is a little ditch with a creek running through it. Mary teed off and her ball lofted high and then plunk went straight down into the ditch. She heard something when it hit the creek, but didn’t know what it was. When she went to retrieve the ball, there, laying on it’s back, wings outstretched was a dead duck. I’m not sure Mary will ever get over it, but it does give new meaning to someone yelling “duck!”

It should come as no surprise that I asked for and got golf equipment for my holiday gifts. One thing I got was a new putter (see the link below). The thing that made me choose this putter was that it had a choice of lengths – 34″, 33″, and 32″. After trying the various lengths at Golf Galaxy, I chose the 32″ length which was somewhat of a surprise to me. I’m not particularly short (5′6″) but I found I had much more control over the shorter length. And the club weighting just felt right. I really didn’t think it would make much difference, but it did – at least on the practice green. I’ll be going to California this week and have a tee time at Lake Forest for Saturday at 9:30, so we’ll see how it performs then. They say it’s the short game that makes or breaks your golf score, so any improvement on that front is welcome.

See larger image Divine Line Rossie-- (Misc.) List Price: $119.99 USD New From: $119.99 In Stock

Well, given his latest mishaps, I guess any golf blog is going to have some mention of Tiger Woods. In this video, you can see yet one more way in which Tiger has “dropped the ball.”

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The following information comes from Golf Grips Direct (http://www.golfgrips-direct.com). If, after reading this article,you feel like your club grips are the wrong size you might want to check them out. They have other products and information that you may find useful as well.     “Determining the Proper Grip Size The proper grip size plays a significant role in a golfers’ ability to control the club and in turn, the ball flight. With a neutral (standard) grip size, the golfer can normally return the clubface square to the target at impact. Too large a grip can limit the players ability to release the wrists through impact causing a block of fade. Too small a grip can cause early release resulting in a pull or draw. However, the above can be used to advantage should your normal swing produce undesired shots or the fact that you have small or large hands.

A larger grip (built up, midsize or Jumbo) would benifit.. A player with large(r) hands. A player who consistently draws or hooks the ball. A player with arthritus who struggles to hold and smaller grip. A player whose fingers wrap round the grip and dig into their palm. A smaller grip (ladies, ladies built up) would benefit.. A player with small(er) hands. A player who consistently slices or fades the ball. A player who requires more clubhead ‘feel’. A player whose fingers do not fully encircle the grip.

Take the professional approach to grip sizing The professional approach to grip sizing requires the hand to be simply measured and the results matched against our chart towards the bottom of this page. The two measurements required are taken as follows. 1. Using a inch ruler/tape (because the majority of grips are produced by American companies inches are still used as a standard) measure the distance between the Dominant Wrist Crease and the tip of the longest finger. (see picture below) 2. Next measure the lenghth of the longest finger from the web to the tip. (see picture below) 3. Now refer to the chart and notes at the foot of this page

Golf Grip Sizing Chart The chart below shows the ideal grip size taken from your measurement and also how to achieve the correct size grip. Please note that this chart applies only to GolfGrips-Direct.Com’s SOLVENT BASED TAPE / GRIPS STRIPS and solvent. Sizes will differ using other manufacturers tape and/or products. 1. First of all take your first measurement (wrist crease to tip of finger) and find the block in the chart under ‘Measurement 1, your measurement falls into. 2. Then reading left to right along the chart, find the second measurement (finger web to tip). To the right of this block will read the grip size plus the total number of wraps of golfgrips-direct.com solvent based grip tape required to build up the shaft butt to acheive your recommended size grip.

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