Are You A Slowpoke?

If you answer yes to any of the questions below, you may be a slowpoke!

 1. Do you get to the first tee without a ball, tees and a ball marker in your pocket?
 2. Do you stay on the putting green of the hole you just finished, to right down the score(s)?
 3. Do people repeatedly say, "You're away!" or "Your turn!" to you?
 4. Do any of your playing partners lie down and fall asleep waiting for you to hit the ball?
 5. Do you "waggle" several times before you hit your shot? (waggle: the way you move around to get settled before you hit the ball).
 6. Do you take your time and finish your stories even when it's your turn to hit?
 7. Do you wait for the grass to grow under your ball so that you'll have a "fluffier" lie?
 8. Do you stop at ponds to fish out balls that aren't yours?
 9. Do you park your cart in front of the green and leave it there while you putt?
10.Do you wait until it's your turn to hit, before thinking about which club you should hit?

Ponder these questions.  With most of these situations, a simple habit change will get you moving along at a more comfortable pace for you and your playing partners. 

Fore you, Sue

Fundamental Pedal

POSTURE = How you stand over the ball when you are ready to "take a swipe" at it. Most people tend to bend their knees too much and bow from the hips too little.  When this is done, the club ends up being a straight lined extention of the arms.  NOT GOOD.  So these are the key factors in having good  golf posture :

1. An outfit that makes you look 10 pounds lighter.  :)
2. Feet shoulder width apart
3. Slight knee bend
4. Upper body bowing from the hips
5. Arms hanging straight down, on a perpendicular plane to the earth (they are where they would be if only gravity affected how your arms hung)

REASONS that these are key factors :

1. Looking good and feeling sassy!
2. Feet too far apart won't let you turn well and feet too close together, won't give you room to move your weight well.
3.  Neither knees bent too much, (sit you back on your heels) nor knees locked straight, will allow good weight movement.
4. Hunching ones shoulders is bad for swinging the club back well. Keeping your upper body in a vertical line with your lower body, encourages you to miss the ball completely, which is not that fun...unless it's a hot day and you need to create a little wind chill. :)
5. Your arms need to hang down, because it makes them more like hands on a clock, swinging from 3 o'clock to 9 o'clock.  The ball sits at 6 o'clock, waiting to be hit.  If you swing them at any other "plane," it will be harder to hit that 6 o'clock ball!

These are common sense things that set you on the best course (pun intended), for a good swing.

Fore you,  Sue 

Are Both Feet On The Pedals?

Imagine a bicycle rider, riding with his right foot on the pedal and his left foot tucked under him on the seat. He's learned to ride this way, and can get himself from point A to point B. A well meaning friend told him that it would be easier if he only pedaled with one leg.  So he did it.  But before long, he notices people riding past him, more smoothly and at a faster pace.  He feels like he should be able to ride better too.  So he goes to an experienced rider and asks for help.  He is told that he needs to put both feet on the pedals to take advantage of the structure of the bike and the strength of his body.  So he untucks his left foot and places it on the unused pedal.  He pushes off with great anticipation and tips over immediately.  Because his body has been compensating for the fact that he has pedaled with only one leg, it is used to leaning way to one side to keep the bike upright.  This lean will not work with both feet on the pedals.  At this point, he can either go back to leaning and riding with one foot, which allows him to stay up on the bike, or he can fall a few times, allowing his body to readjust and balance with both feet on the pedals.

This is often how it is with golf.  A player either learns on his own or is given advice that limits his movements, even though it allows him a little initial success.  When he wants to get better, he is faced with a challenge.  He will have to endure "tipping over" for a time, until his error is corrected and his compensation movements fade away (error = sitting on one foot, compensation = leaning to one side).

There are fundamental "pedals" on which all golfers need to place their feet.  I will talk about some of these in the next post!

Fore you, Sue   

Do Your Best. Accept the Outcome.

I just worked really hard on a document.  I said exactly what I wanted to say.  The tone and feel was just right.  I was excited to send it.  But somehow, it disappeared from my screen.  I wrote with good effort, solid fundamentals, and hearty zeal.  But I didn't get the result I wanted or anticipated.  This happens in golf a LOT!  You work hard.  You pay attention to detail.  You execute the fundamentals the best you can. You care and put your full effort into it.  And the ball does not go where you want it to go. 

What do you do?

A. Break your club in half over your knee and walk off the golf course
B. Laugh because you think it's funny
C. Cry because you are so disappointed
D. Acknowledge your good effort and remain hopeful for the next shot

I have to admit that over the course of my life with golf, my reaction has often been a hybrid of A and C.  If B has occurred, it was with great sarcasm and if D resulted, it was because I had some idea of why the shot went bad. My challenge to you, is to be patient with yourself.  If you're a "hot head," throw your fit and get over it fast.  Try not to break clubs or offend your playing partners. If you tend to mock yourself and golf when things aren't going well, mutter a few good ones and move on.  If you're a weepy sort, get it out with a good cough - and make sure you have a little pack of kleenex in your bag.  All in all, I'd shoot for D.  Hang in there and keep working hard.  Enjoy your surroundings and the fact that you get to be out in the fresh air, and that most likely, you don't have to make a living playing golf.  :)

Fore you, Sue