Golf Saga

Hitting Straighter!

2006-11-27T10:05:00.000-07:00

I think that I needed to lay my bag down for a few weeks in order to get my head on straight. On Wednesday, I played an executive course near my home (The Reserve at East Bay), and I was thrilled by the results. I only sliced the ball once! Once as opposed to nearly every shot! I also hit my first G.I.R. (Green in Regulation). For those of you that don't know, each hole in golf has a "par" associated with it. Par is the number of shots that it should take for a good golfer to get the ball into the hole. For example, if there is a par 3 hole, it should only take one shot to get onto the green, followed by two putts to hole the ball.

Unfortunately, I'm not able to report that I parred the hole. Though I was shooting straighter, I wasn't putting at my best, which meant that my score still suffered. One of these days, I'll be able to put both halves of my game together in order get a great score.

The weather was great, and I was able to satisfy my itch for the time being. Until next time, swing away!

The Itch

2006-11-13T16:04:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting at my desk, wearing a Callaway golf polo. I've just added me two sense to the Golf Link Forums, and I want to hit the links! It is cold here in Utah, but that isn't going to stop a golf junkie like me. My wife and I have had a lot going on over the past several weeks, and the only golfing that I have done is a few putts in my living room. I have to say that my 2-Ball putter is super accurate! I just want to challenge the course to try and stop me just one more time this season before I concede to the elements for the winter.

I want to try one more time to make par (by myself). I want to actually make the green in one on a par 3. I think that these are realistic goals that I can see through before I hang up my clubs until spring.

Man, oh, man do I have the itch!

The Company Tournament

2006-10-19T20:45:00.000-06:00

Back in August, my company had its annual golf classic, which is always a four-man scramble. I fielded a team consisting of my brother-in-law (Matt), his younger brother (Kevin), my sister's boyfriend (Mike--ooh, he does have a name!), and myself. I was by far the least experienced on the team. The tournament was actually my first full round of golf. It was a brisk Saturday morning when we all met at the driving range to warm up. I was feeling good, and was very excited to take part in the tournament with these guys that I got along with very well.

The time for the shotgun start came, and we drove our carts out to the 17th hole. The team elected me to tee off first, and when I did, I hit a decent shot (for me at that time) about 130 yds. down the right side of the fairway, my ball coming to rest just off the fairway.The other guys bombed the ball, and we ended up with a great lie about 100 yards from the hole. We birdied that first hole, and got our round off to a great start.

We had birdied eight of the holes when we made our way to the 9th green (pictured above) with another birdie opportunity. I read the putt, stepped up, and did like I had done all day for the team, give them a good read for their putts. I had read a little right to left break, but to my dismay, the ball started straight, and kept going straight, until suddenly--as if an invisible hand had pushed the ball--it broke right, and dropped into the hole. I had just one putted the ball from 15 feet, and with a pretty crappy putter, I might add. I was exstatic! For me, that was the highlight of the tournament, even moreso than what followed.

We finished the 16th hole--a par 3 with a massive green--with a par, and headed back to the clubhouse to turn in our score: 62 (-10). We were happy with the way we had played, but felt like we had given up too many birdie or better opportunities. We had reached 17 of 18 greens in regulation or better, but hadn't been able to hole out in just one stroke on several of the holes. At least, that is what the other guys were feeling. I felt so happy to have been part of a team that even birdied a single hole! When we turned in the scorecard, we were in first place, but we didn't think that we'd remain there. Another team had to be able to beat us.

Well, another team tied our overall score, but the tiebreaker was the 1 handicap hole, which we had birdied, and they had parred. We won! I couldn't believe it! It was a lot of fun, and I can't wait to do it again next year when I'll be hitting straighter, sinking more putts than I miss, and giving my team better lies.

Save a Life

2006-10-18T20:30:00.000-06:00

Permit me to deviate from the subject of golf for a moment. One of my favorite new bands, The Fray, has a song, How to Save a Life that discusses the loss of a young man to drugs due to alienation from those who wanted to "save" him, but ended up alienating him, fighting against him and trying to change him instead of standing by him and being a pillar of strength to him. It has caused me to look at myself, and how I try to help those that I love.

This summer, I had an uncle commit suicide. During his life, he had huge struggles in his relationships. His children accused him of terrible things, and he always went against the grain as far as our family's religious and moral views were concerened. I loved him dearly, and looked up to him so much for his sense of humor, his brilliance and his charity. He was the kind of person that would literally give you the shirt off his back if you told him that you liked it. My dad experienced this first-hand when my dad commented on his tie, my uncle took it off and gave it to him. He was just that kind of person.

As I found myself aligning more and more with my religious values, and seeing that he differed from them so much, as I look back, I see that I began to distance myself from him, allowing myself to become indifferent to his lifestyle because of the contrast between our lives. I allowed myself to become at odds with him, though neither of us ever knew I was doing this. Especially at the time that his children betrayed him, accusing him of unthinkable things, even plotting with their mother to accuse him, I should have called. I should have stepped in to support him. Even just to let him know that I still loved him and was thinking about him in such a difficult time for him. Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend somewhere along in the bitterness. I would have stayed up with you all night had I known how to save a life.

Go to the link above. Listen to The Fray's lead singer/songwriter, Isaac Slade, talk about his experience. I know that after thinking about this for the last few days, I am going to make the effort to in a sense stay up with those I love all night in an attempt to save them during hard times. You never know how your action or inaction will affect others. Be a friend. Stand by those who need a shoulder to lean on, or who may not be strong enough to stand by themselves. If a family member or a friend can't count on your help, whose help can they count on?

A New, Shiny Putter

2006-10-11T17:52:00.000-06:00

Well, the shoulder has been bothering me on and off, so I haven't been to the driving range, or on the course, although I almost took a golf cart for a ride around the course on Monday (I'm not psycho, I just needed to find my golf coach). What I have done is practice putting and chipping. I was average on Monday when I putted, but today I was darn near unstoppable.

Why? Because I just got my Odyssey White Steel 2 Ball Blade. It is the most amazing putter on the face of this earth! It has a urethane insert for great response and distance control, and a milled steel sweet spot for better feel. Its alignment is where it gets the name "2 Ball" because of the two simulated golf balls that you line up behind your ball. The weight is perfect, and the grip is phenomenal!

I was able to line up a putt from 60 feet away, and not only get the distance, but putt the ball right down my intended line. I had only misjudged the break by about two inches, and the ball rolled only one foot past the hole! I was able to duplicate this nearly every time today! Once I get back on the course, this putter is going to help me lower my scores so much! It allows me to take my mad skills to the next level!

I love this game!

A Small Hitch

2006-10-06T09:27:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I gave a training on effective written communication at work. Everything went very well. A lot of discussion was generated, and I felt that the message was delivered clearly and concisely. After finishing the training, I was gathreing my things, and as I went to pick up my laptop, this terrible, searing pain shot through my shoulder. The pain persisted the rest of the afternoon, becoming accentuated any time I would reach for something in front of me. I decided that I should have my shoulder examined, so I left work and went to my doctor. After moving my shoulder around, and having me resist the movements in all directions, he sent me over to the radiologist for X-Rays. The X-Rays showed that everything was normal, and he concluded that I must have strained my tendons connecting my bicep to my shoulder and pectoral.

I've come to the conclusion that I must have strained it by swinging too hard. Word to the wise: don't swing so hard! Let your hips start the motion, and move your body fluidly through the swing. And also, if you're going to lift weights, don't lift the morning after a round of golf. Lift the morning before a round of golf. If your muscles are already worked, you'll be forced to develop skill and technique instead of using strength to whack the ball down the course.

I may have ended my season. I'll be out for a couple of weeks while I let my shoulder heal, and by that time, for all I know, we could have snow here in Utah. It's unlikely, and I should be focusing on the positives, not the negatives, but I'd really like to get out on the course! Maybe even just the practice green. Okay, I've determined that my season isn't over! I'll get better, and I'll make it back out there. No bum shoulder is going to keep me off the course! I'll be back out there as soon as my two weeks are up!

Giving Credit Where Credit is Due

2006-10-05T12:04:00.000-06:00

My brother-in-law, Matt, has been my biggest supporter, and help as far is golf is concerned. He just popped in on my blog for the first time today, and I realized that I've spoken about the help that I've received from my sister's boyfriend, but I haven't really mentioned the help that I received from Matt.

Matt took me out for my first round of golf this summer. I may have sucked, but that didn't matter. He stayed with me, and we had a great time. He has given me so many pointers, and many of those pointers that I have mentioned were probably given by him.

I mentioned that I recently scored 59 on my local nine hole course. That was in large part due to better putting. Matt and I went out to Cedar Hills Golf Club the Saturday before, and just worked on putting for a few hours. He was willing to do that, and helped me calm myself down when putting. I mention all of this because he has been monumental to me, and I just want to say, thanks, bro!

The Dreaded Yips!

2006-10-03T08:42:00.000-06:00

Well...I had to convince myself that it would be fun out there on the course yesterday, due to the sporadic showers that were coming down. One minute it was dry, the next minute it was pouring. But, being the golf junkie that I am, it wasn't too hard to convince myself that I'd have a good time. I just rented a cart, and away I went. I had practiced a little drill to help me with my drives. It's called "Tap, Tap, Tap, Push, Push, Hit." You can see the video on YouTube. On the first tee, I pulled out my 3 Wood, and it hit the ball long and straight down the middle of the fairway. I was so happy with my stroke, and thought that I was on my way to conquering my tee-shot jitters. My second shot was equally long and straight (also with my 3 Wood). On my third shot, I was about a 9 iron away from the green (Hole One is a par 5), I took some practice swings, and then...shanked the ball into the rough. Then I overshot the green with my Pitching Wedge, but luckily chipped it to around 10 feet from the hole, and one-putted the ball into the hole.

The rest of my drives weren't as nice. After messing up my third shot, I couldn't get my calm back. I improved my putting, taking two more putts off of my total, but it took me too many strokes to get to the green each time, and I ended with a 63. But, even though I couldn't do well off the tee, I still felt good about my game, because I continued to improve my putting game. Now if I could only conquer my tee-shot jitters...the dreaded yips!

Going golfing this afternoon...

2006-10-02T09:35:00.000-06:00

I'm going to my local golf course this afternoon, and I hope to be able to build off of the momentum I had last time I played. I only three-putted two or three times, and I had a few one-putts. You see, what I'm doing is working on my game from the inside out. I'd rather be able to sink the ball in as few of strokes once I get to within 100 yards, even if it takes me an extra stroke or two to reach that radius.

My most dreaded shot, oddly enough, is my tee shot. I'm always worried that I'm going to shank the ball, or not get under it. A friend told me once after a drive only made it to the women's tees, that I had to drop my pants and go get the ball. I tell you what, had I actually done it, I would have looked only slightly more foolish. Once I get out to the fairway, or even in the rough, I feel more at ease with my shots, and I hit the ball a lot straighter. I just need to conquer my yips off the tee, then I'll never have to contemplate dropping my pants in shame again.

I've only recorded four scores ever (besides a very fun, very successful four-man scramble that I participated in) and they've all been on nine holes. My scores have been 66, 68, 68, 59. If that was on 18 holes, I'd be a pro! What excited me the last time (in red), was the difference between all of my previous scores and that one! Seven shots under my previous low! I love being able to see the improvement, and it has all come from within 100 yards!

Insomnia

2006-09-29T23:35:00.000-06:00

I just met with a group of friends from my time in California. These are men and women that I served with as an LDS missionary. It is insane to see some of them come in with babies in their arms. When we were serving together, we were all celibate, focused on spreading the Gospel and serving the Lord and our fellow men. Now many of us are married, and some are starting to have children. Life is full of circles.

Somebody once made one of those weird comments that stuck with me. They were talking about life being a circle and golf being a circle. They said, a golf ball is a circle, a swing is circular, the hole is circular, when you play 18 holes, you make a complete circle out and back to the clubhouse.

Our days are circles too. In normal circumstances, one awakes in their bed, and at the end of the day, retires to their bed. But then there are those nights where you somehow tumble out of orbit, and can't seem to manage the retiring to bed part. I'm glad that I have this blog to work in during those times. Luckily for all of you who may happen on this, my first attempt at blogging, I'm not a regular insomniac, so these night-time posts will be few and far between.

This post is going nowhere. I'm going to try going to bed, and see if I can force myself to sleep. Any tips on how to get to sleep?

Fast Learner This One Is

2006-09-29T13:50:00.000-06:00

After seeing how much I sliced the ball, I decided that I needed to get help from someone who knows golf. The first person that I went to was my sister's boyfriend. Back in high-school, he was a scratch golfer, but a car accident and multiple concussions have taken him away from consistent play. He accompanied me to the driving range, and gave me some sound advice that every new golfer needs to follow.

Keep your knees bent (Don't stand up as you swing through). This was causing me to hit the ball on top, sending the ball fast and low for only a short distance. Keeping my knees bent has helped me strike the ball at the equator, letting the loft of the club launch the ball.
Keep your head down. This is probably the most common advice that I've heard, but it is the most universal, and the truest. If you look up to see where the ball is going, you throw your body off balance, and the ball's trajectory will be changed from its original path. Look up after your follow-through. You'll still be able to see where your ball is going.
Don't swing so hard! Swinging hard takes power away from you. Let your body guide the club through your swing path; starting with your hips shifting toward the target, your weight shifting from right to left, your left shoulder moving from the ball to the target, which will bring the club down to the ball, and bring the wrists back to neutral position as your club makes contact with the ball. It should be a nice, fluid motion (I'm still working out kinks with this one, and it has taken me months).

Well, these were some of the first lessons that I received, and as far as free advice goes, it helped out a lot. Mostly, though, I've been self taught. What I've gained from session's with my sister's boyfriend, has been confidence. Having someone who can critique you in a non-confrontational way makes you want to improve and succeed.

Up until this point, I had only been to the driving range. I'll tell you how far my confidence got me next time...

Technorati

2006-09-29T13:06:00.000-06:00

I've just signed up with Technorati to further promote my blog. Hey, a little self-promotion is good, right? Check it out at the link below, and while you're there, check out some of the other great blogs featured.

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My Admiration Keeps On Growing

2006-09-29T09:30:00.000-06:00

Tiger Woods... What can I say about him that hasn't already been said. Because of school and work, I missed the opening round the the American Express World Golf Championship. But this morning while working out, I saw all of the highlights on ESPN. What Tiger did out there was nothing short of amazing. He put all of his match play disappointments behind him and shot nine-under! If you wonder what my ultimate dream is, that is it: to play golf like Tiger Woods, and be able to display the U.S. Open trophy, the Claret Jug, the Wanamaker Trophy, or the Green Jacket. Oh, to dream...

But anyway, I digress. I'll get on to my training later today.

(AP Photo/Tom Hevezi)

Starting Down the Path

2006-09-28T16:40:00.000-06:00

Several months ago, I took my wife to a movie that was being shown in the auditorium at my company's headquarters. The movie was The Greatest Game Ever Played, which is about amateur golfer, Francis Ouimet, winning the 1913 US Open Championship. I absolutely loved the movie, and although I've been interested in golf for many years, for some reason, this movie captured my imagination, and I've been itching to play ever since.

I stepped into a local sporting goods store about a week later looking to buy a set of clubs. I was dismayed at the price tag: $399 for a starter set of clubs. I've come to find out that $399 is a decent price to pay, but I wasn't willing to pay that much to start out. Next I went to ebay, but after a bad deal with a laptop from China, I've been leary of online auctions. Finally, I did what I should have done from the beginning, and I froogled golf clubs. I found several sites that offer inexpensive golf equipment, but the site that topped them all was Golf Outlets USA. They feature knock-off clubs, which are great for starting out. If you've golfed for a while, you should probably bite the bullet and purchase some name-brand clubs. I finally settled on a set by Confidence Golf that included all that I would need to start out. Driver, 3 Wood to 5 Wood, 3 Iron-Pitching Wedge, and of course a putter. It came in a nice stand bag and only cost $109 ($140 after shipping and insurance). There was one additional cost... I had to get my wife a new digital camera, which cost $199. It was her bargain for letting me get clubs. Oh well, small price to pay for what I hope will be a lifetime of enjoyment.

The day the clubs arrived, I went to the local driving range. For the price of a burger at Carls Jr., I was able to slice 50 balls, and realize that I have a ton of work to do to even be able to hit the ball straight.

I learned a few great lessons from the experience: do your research before making a purchase. If I had insisted on getting Calaway, Taylor Made, Titlesit, Ping, Cleveland or some other big-name brand clubs, I would have gone to the course and hit the ball exactly like I did with a set of generic clubs. I also learned that watching Tiger Woods on television does not mean you can hit the ball like him. I decided that I needed to get some lessons, but being the cheapskate that I am, I decided to get lessons from friends before opening my checkbook, but I'll tell you about that in my next post. Until then, Chris (NexTiger).

Introductions

2006-09-28T09:59:00.000-06:00

Hello, and welcome to the Golf Saga blog. As a new golfer, I want to use this blog as a journal of my progress, and hopefully help other new golfers to progress. I will include techniques that have worked for me, and techniques that haven't had such hot results. I want this to be a record of my quest to get from a handicap too high to mention down to scratch golfer, or barely breaking 90, wherever I plateau. But I will not be satisfied unless I can shoot par!

For this first post, I just wanted to let everyone know what this blog will cover. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Until next time,

Chris (NexTiger)