the GOLF BLOG of HYPE....by one man

When people ask me what the weather is like in California I like to tell them that we have two seasons...Summer and Rain. I live about 30 miles from some of the most famous beaches in the world and the year round weather here is very moderate and tolerable almost all year. And yes, we do have cold weather, well, cold for us. It does get down into the high twenties - low thirties, but for a very short period of time. Winter is a regular length season for us just like everyone else, it's just that we don't have to shovel snow where I live and we only have to wear warm jackets for a few months of the year.

Golf is a year round activity here and in most of California actually. So the ability to stay fairly sharp and on top of your game is good. We've been pounded pretty well off and on the last few weeks with equal amounts of storms and sun.....and that's typical for us. I feel for the North and Eastern parts of the U.S. where the golf season is typically over around November for about 4-5 months. Whew...no thank you.

I'm supposed to golf tomorrow with some friends but the weather is supposed to be like today, cold, wet, and windy at times. Cold..about 48-50 degrees, wet...light rain off and on all day, and windy but not too windy. This storm has been coming in from the North so it's a cold one. I'll have to wait until the morning and see what the weather guy says.

I golfed last week and played pretty decently for not having gone out in a while. Shot an 81 with a triple on the front. My round could very easily have been 5-6 shots less. I'll chalk it up to a bit of rust but mostly to my new swing I've been working on; I'm working on more consistency with my ball striking, direction, and with it all comes added distance. I was 8 over on the front and 1 over on the back including 6 pars in a row and finishing with an eagle on the long par five 18th.

I'll let you know if I go and how I do. I'm enjoying getting my new swing in place and am looking forward to a very good year on the course.

Well, well, well....another day, another year already started.

What resolutions have I decided to work on this year? There are definitely a few but nothing I'm going to spell out here except for my golf related choices.

Let's list at least a few items to work on this year regarding my game;

1. Practice consistently, mid to short irons, dial-in my distance with each club.
2. Practice putting skills (which I normally haven't done much of).
3. Work on getting the ball on the clubface properly ALL the time when hitting. NO MISS-HITS.
4. Increase my flexibility through exercise, which will create more distance.
5. June/July, new set of clubs.
6. By end of summer reduce my index to a solid 3 handicap or less.

When you go to the driving range to hit balls remember 2 important things;
- range balls are almost always limited flight balls (they don't go as far as normal)
- golf mats may not be the best alternative BUT they make you concentrate on swinging smoothly and picking the ball cleanly with the clubface, not digging into the turf.

I've noticed that the major loss in my game from lack of consistent play over the last 12-18 months has been distance. My ball flight has not moved much, I still either hit it straight or pull it just a little left, but my distance has decreased by as much as a full club length. That's been very frustrating and completely my fault due to less time at the range and on the course.

My putting has always been very good from distance control to reading of the greens. I need to improve my accuracy and can accomplish that through time spent on a practice green, something that I've never really done before.

To play consistently takes a real concerted effort since I have very few friends that golf. This means that I have to get motivated to play as a walk-on single almost all the time, which means I have to usually get up early and to my chosen course early in order to get on the singles list. This is also a big part of my not golfing much the last 12-18 months. As much as I love to golf it's always more fun to be able to golf with friends.

Golf is a singular sport from a participation standpoint, but a social sport from a public perspective. That's why most people enjoy the game so much. You get out of it what you put in to it. I've always excelled at singular sports from track and field, to tennis, to racquetball, and obviously the great game of golf.

List out what you want to accomplish with your golf game this year and start working towards your golf goals. If you're in an area where there's snow for the next few months, work on your putting in your hallway, get a practice club you can swing, clean and re-grip your clubs, empty your golf bag completely and clean that out. Keep golf in your mind one way or another and when the weather gets better you'll be more excited and prepared to play.

Play well.

Wow! It's hard to believe that 2007 is already over, it seemed to go by in a very quick blink. I haven't even posted an entry in 7 months, I apologize. I have a lot of readers around the world on this site and will work harder to make sure that I post properly. With the year ending, we all look back on what we accomplished and what we did not. Did we keep to our resolutions set a year ago, did we veer off track, or did we completely forget them? Personally, I veered off track and don't think that I met any of them fully.

"At least you have your health" is what we all seem to hear, "that's what is most important". I guess it's all perspective though, right? My health is the last thing that I ever think about as I've not been sick in any way for about twelve or thirteen years I think. My kids are doing great, done with college last year, working towards their future, whatever that may hold for them. And oh yeah, they're healthy too. My favorite dog had to be put down after 14 years of incredible love and friendship, that was a huge loss. I still have one more but she's also getting old. I'm still working to make my business dreams come true but that has proved much tougher than I thought, though I know it's not easy or everyone would be wealthy. I'm a huge optimist and continually look forward to the positive and learn from past mistakes.

It was a challenge this year in many ways though I always had a bright outlook and was and am still working hard to be able to walk around the corner where all things are good and bright and rewarding. There are a lot of things in my life that I love and there are a lot of things in my life that need improving. There always will be. It's not a balancing act as much as some people may think, it's been many things the past couple of years. First and foremost it's been enlightening. I've found out more about myself in the sense that a lesser man would have collapsed under the weight of everything that was thrown at me. That was a recent realization and a day to remember for sure. Second is the discovery that I learned some heart lessons this past year that reinforced some previous learnings and shattered others, and as Forrest Gump would say "that's all I have to say about that". Third, last, and most important of all....John Lennon wrote on his last album in a song to his son that "Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans". This past year I would have to amend that a bit to state that life is what happened to me while I was trying to make other plans. I like me a lot, my friends like me a lot, and all the experts say that you have to be happy with yourself before you can be happy with others, and I'll add...if you want to be happy in life. Does that mean I'm fine and dandy and content where I'm at?....NO.

2008 is a year in which I will set out to regain control and move forward once again. I do want more in my life, as we all do, and I will continue to work hard towards that goal.

GOLF...ok....let's talk a little golf. My game this year was just ok. I'm still a five handicap but did not play much this year much to my displeasure (20 rounds), so that's going to climb. Golf will continue to take a slight back seat in the early part of the year but will make a strong comeback. I was good once and will be even better soon. I've been practicing again and will continue that process. Practice in all areas of life no matter what you want to accomplish, is important. In an earlier post I talked about golf reflecting life in various ways. I believe that golf does say a lot about a person but mainly from a manners perspective. You can still be an ass, a good golfer, and have manners, and not show it on the golf course (at least not all of it), but most of the time you can't hide the fact that you only care about yourself.

Golf is a respite from the everyday world for me and most people. You're in a park for 4 hours, riding in a cart (if that's your choice), enjoying great weather no matter what kind of day it is, you can have a drink if you choose, a cigar if you want, and you're with friends talking having a great time, and oh yeah, every now and then you have to stop and hit a little white ball. What can be better than that, really. I love golf and the vagaries it provides. I enjoy the challenge of needing to stay consistent in mind and body, both the mental and the physical state. I relish working hard at trying to repeat on the course what I'm accomplishing through practice. I've never hated a shot or a putt or a partner....well maybe a partner a little bit, usually the self absorbed person that I'm paired with that day, and I've never hated going out to play. It's awesome. Getting up early to go play is a drag but once you're on the course all that goes away, the sun comes out, the sky clears up, you hit your first drive, and life is good!

SO....have a great New Year in 2008. Practice for the course, Practice for your life, and enjoy all of it.

MrGolfBall.........

It's been 2 weeks since Fathers Day. Congratulations to all the fathers. I'm a father so every day is my day. I love being a father more than anything in the world really. It's a pretty incredible feeling.

It's one day also that I know my children are definitely thinking of me.

My children graduated from college last year, both with honors, and both happy for their own success. What an achievement for a father also.

It's harder as they're getting older and more on their own that the time spent with them (in person) is that much more special. I know it's special to me because I'm the father and I know it's special to them because, well, I tell them it's special to them. And I can tell them that because I'm their father.

My father is still alive and I call him every Fathers Day also and every now and then in between, 'cause he's my dad and because he has all the same feelings about being a father that I do. It's great being fathers.

My kids call me pops, dad, and daddy (once in a while is still nice).

And as Forrest Gump would say...."and that's all I have to say about that".

When you're on the course what do you talk about?

First question that comes to mind, obviously, is...who are you with? 3 friends that make up the foursome?, your significant other and another couple you invited?, just you and a buddie?, or did you walk on as a single?

Each one of these scenarios plays to a different level of conversation covering potentially numerous and wide ranging topics. And depending how everyone in the various groups are playing that particular day the decibal level of conversation could vary greatly.

I've been in all of these groups at one time or another and have experienced all the various topics and sound levels there could possibly be. In fact, this is one of the many "dynamics" that I like to experience on occasion when I play. Do take notice that I said "on occasion", as too much of one is not always conducive to a consistent level of play. Personally, for the majority of rounds that I play I prefer to have specific short discussions or very little chatter at all.

The singularity of golf as a sport for me is one of the attractive parts. It's me and the ball. Racquetball was another sport that I excelled at for many years, again a solitary sport, just me and the ball. There is no one to blame when you do poorly but yourself. And when you win you know that you're the one that performed at that level, all by yourself. You can't experience the same levels of defeat or success when you're part of a team sport. Oh sure, you may be on the team that wins the World Series, but you may have been on the bench the whole game and got to "watch" the guy hit the home run that won the game.....for the team. Not to say that you didn't play a part in "getting there" but you didn't really win the game by yourself.

I love golf and I really enjoy the group I'm playing with no matter whether they're close friends or friends that I just met at the first tee. Close friends are always preferable though.

Conversation with close friends is different than with people you just met, obviously. You never really know what to talk about with people you just met so that's when I just play my game, keep up, and make sure that I play better than them. That makes me feel good and my concentration level is higher.

Playing golf with new friends or old friends...it's still about the experience. So whether you're experience is talking during the round or just playing the round, it's up to you. I'll let you know what I prefer one way or another.

Just make sure that if you're talking about something it better be interesting!

You hear it all the time...Golf is like life. OK, in what way?

I do believe that you can learn a lot about a person by playing a round of golf with them. You also hear that a lot. But that does hold true I believe. You're able to get a pretty good look at how they handle certain situations and reflect back on how they may relate that to their daily life.

There are a couple of people that I golf with on various occasions and for the most part they are pretty even tempered. But if their game starts going the wrong way watch out! I'm not saying that I haven't been upset on certain days but I've always pretty much accepted the shot I hit and moved on. I may not have liked the shot but once I've struck the ball there's no way to get it back. You go get it and make a better stroke the next time.

In trying to relate it to life I guess there could be a couple of ways you would do that;

First - Financially....in life you can run a surplus or a deficit vs. in golf you are over par or under par. All of us at some point are on both sides of that equation, that's life right?

Second - Emotionally....in life you are pretty happy, consistent, and can have a good attitude about most things, or you can believe that everyone is against you and that you'll never succeed because "they" won't let you vs. in golf you're either playing great and having fun or your game sucks and you're really angry and playing poorly because the other players are making too much noise, they're talking too loud, or their poor game is bringing yours down (been out with a few of those types).

A third comparison and probably the most telling of all is how you handle all of this around other people. What I mean when I say that is...Are you able to control your emotions when things aren't quite going the way you want them to? Do your expectations of your game exceed your actual level of playing ability? Do you make excuses for a poor shot when in reality you don't have the ability to produce a better shot?

On the flip side, if you're a good player do you throw your great game in your playing partner’s faces? Even in jest? Or do you simply play the game you're capable of and provide positive remarks when your partners hit a good shot?

Within this third area of comparison lies a very telling way of exposing a bad side of yourself and the people that do this aren't aware they're doing it because this is how they truly are on the inside; Are you constantly telling someone what they're doing wrong, whether or not you're able to do it right? That is a BIG error in personal exposure.

I love playing golf and the group dynamics associated with the game, especially when I'm introduced as a single joining another group. I usually keep to myself and stick to my game, which is usually pretty good (low single digit handicap), I acknowledge when someone does well, rake the bunkers, fix the ball marks, and do the things that a good golfer and a good person would normally do when being conscientious of myself, my surroundings, and the people that I'm with.

So yes, Golf is like life I suppose. You just need to know what type of life you're projecting when you're on the golf course.

We can't all be happy all the time, but we can all be courteous, cordial, and polite, both emotionally and vocally.

So be a good person, you'll play better and enjoy the game more. And most of all...have fun!

You add 2 more and heighten the score,

and the rest of the year you don't see her no more!!!

AND ONE MORE........

This little Wie-sy hit bad drives,

And this little Wie-sy can't putt,

This little Wie-sy can't count right,

and this little Wie-sy's a nut,

and this little Wie-sy lied "my wrist, my wrist, my wrist, all the way home.

OK...ONE MORE.....

There once was a golfer called Wie-sy,

Whose game was once good now it's cheesy,

Her golf score went HIGH,

She quit 'cause that guy,

And the excuse she provided was sleazy.

I won't tell you that I belong to a country club because simply put I don't. I have played at a number of them though over the years, mostly in tournament play. They are pretty and they are in great condition....at least most of the ones that I've played.

Recently one of my best friends stepmother passed away. She lived on one of the oldest country clubs in California, San Jose Country Club. I think it's the second oldest course in the state at about 108 years old (give or take a year). Her backyard overlooked the 8th green and the 9th tee. After the luncheon we had gone back to her house and had drinks and talked. There were three of us, all lifelong friends and we were watching all the players come through late in the afternoon.

There was a shotgun tourney finishing up and we were watching the last few groups go past. From the yard we had a straight shot looking from behind the 9th tee to the green. It was a par 3 marked 190 yards from the white tees to the center of the green. No one had hit the green from any of the groups that played through for over 2 hours. It wasn't long before the tournament was over so us being us and having known each other for 36 years we thought let's go get some clubs from the garage and play a couple holes. We usually didn't play by all the rules growing up so why should this be any different. And it was a beautiful afternoon/evening.

My friends father has passed away about 6 years ago but his clubs were still in the garage, which by the way is cleaner and neater than most peoples homes, and we found the key to the gate that let us out on the course. No one was around so we went to the 10th tee. Again, marked 190 to the center, slightly up hill to a well bunkered green with a slight breeze back towards us to the left. I took out this old 3 wood (metal) and a ball that had been in the bag for over 6 years and teed it up. I had come back to the house from work and was still wearing my dress shoes, suit pants, and my dress shirt. I took a few practice swings and hit a perfect shot about 12 feet past the pin. My buddy who was playing with me shanked one nasty one right, over the fence between some huge redwoods trees and just absolutely nailed this house. We laughed pretty hard of course and he teed up another one. He played the next one up near the green and took a 6. I putted down hill past the hole about a foot and then sunk the par putt.

We then went back the other direction towards the house and walked over to the 8th tee. It's a flat par 4 about 353 yards, pretty narrow fairway with big redwoods lining both sides (remember this is a very old and historic course). I pulled the old driver out, used the same old ball and smacked one down the right side of the fairway just inside the first cut of rough. My buddy was able to shank another wild one right, over the shorter redwoods. I was just about 145 to the flag, pulled an old 7 iron and hit it stiff about 8 feet above the hole. I sunk the putt for a birdie. 2 holes played, 1 under par, old clubs, old ball, even older course. Easy game. Yea, right. It was karma that day and we were all feeling good to be with each other, despite the circumstances.

San Jose Country Club is a very well known golf course and still a favorite for high caliber celebrities from all walks of life. Since its' creation a long time ago, many golf celebrities have also enjoyed the challenge and subtle design of the San Jose Country Club golf course, Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Walter Hagen, Babe Didrickson-Zaharias, Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Joe DiMaggio, Patty Berg, Gene Sarazen, Johnny Miller, Julie Inkster, Patty Sheehan, and Fred Couples, just to name a few.

My friends father Bob, was a very well known attorney and had lived there and was a member there forever, and he loved to play golf there. I remember about 15 or 16 years ago I was visiting him with my friend (his son) and I told him I would love to play there. He asked me what my handicap was and at the time it was about a 15. He said "when you get down to a 10 call me", well I was well below a ten but never called him to play in time before he died. But I did finally get to "play" the course and it was great. I even got to play with the same clubs he played with at the time. They sure don't go very far compared with todays clubs. But it was awesome. I guess I can honestly say that when I played San Jose Country Club I played it 1 under par. Bob would have enjoyed my "little joke".

I thought of him when I played those two holes and in my heart dedicated my score to him and the lifelong great friendship I have with his son. Golfing with him would have provided more pressure but certainly would have been more fun. It would have been great to have played a round with him... because without him.... like the title says, country club golf is easy. I'm looking forward to getting out there now and playing the other 16 holes. But I think I'll use my clubs and balls this next time.

http://www.sanjosecountryclub.org/

My handicap just dropped back down from a 7.1 to a 5.8....finally moving in the right direction once again. It all happened in only 6 rounds over 4 months. That's not a lot of golf and there was no practice during that time period either, so let's count 'em down...in January I played only one round but I shot a 76, it was a very good round; in February I played twice and posted rounds of 82 and 81, they were ok rounds but I definitely felt I left 4 or 5 shots out there each time; in March I played only once and shot another 81, not good at all considering the course was pretty easy, but not that bad either; and in April I played two more times playing very well both times shooting a 77 and an 80, with the 80 coming at a tough course and only my second time playing there, that was Roddy Ranch (Saddle Up..see below). That round very easily could have been a 74 or 75 and that was only due to my putting that day; I missed 5 putts, 3 birdies and 2 pars.

In each of these rounds I reviewed my game later in my head remembering each shot and what I did good and what I did poorly. It's actually fun to review your round in your mind and remembering what your thought process was on each shot, and what routine you performed before hitting each shot. You can really learn a lot by doing this. For starters you're able to review where you probably "should" have hit the ball and definitely "how" you should have hit the ball. You also can "see" the course again and get a better look at where you can place the ball next time you play there. I started doing this a long time ago when I started to get more serious about playing better.

Metrics or Statistics; whatever you want to call them, you have to "Count 'em Down" when you keep your scorecard.

I keep track of 4 things on my score card -

1. Score for the hole
2. Fairway hit yes/no - Fairway missed left/right
4. Approach shot distance to hole, did I make it yes/no
5. Putts per hole

My overall score per hole minus my putts per hole tells me if I hit the green in regulation. My distance to the hole for my approach shot tells me how well I'm hitting my drives. And my putts per hole tell me a lot about my short game, when compared to my approach shots hit.

I know my game a lot better because I do this. It gives me confidence when I play my favorite courses. And I'm far better prepared mentally when playing a new course or one I may have only played once or twice. When I started keeping track of these different areas of my game my handicap dropped from a 14/15 to a 6/7 in less than a year. I've been able to maintain that level of play still with minimal play last year and improve it once I started playing again this year because I know where my strengths are and I play to those as much as possible. Keeping in mind that this is Golf and you get good and bad bounces, keeping track still will make a vast improvement in all areas of your game and your attitude towards continued improvement.

We are all driven by numbers in our lives in almost everything that we do daily. This is simply another one of those areas but one that's far more fun to keep track of.

Count 'em down and you'll be counting up the better scores and having a whole lot more fun doing it!

Ahhh....California. What a place to live, what a place to golf.

California is the third largest of all the States.

California is the most populous state in the United States.

California has the highest mountain in the contiguous U.S. in Mt. Whitney, and the lowest point in the U.S., Death Valley. AND, they are only 85 miles away apart. Amazing statistic in itself.

I like to tell people that in California we have 2 seasons...Rainy and Dry. As a matter of fact, that is actually true for the greater majority of California. Talk about a place where you can golf year round, wow!

California has over 1,100 golf courses covering every kind of terrain you can imagine and appealing to every level golfer. We are also one of the most traveled to destinations in the world for vacationers, golfers very much included. One of the most famous golf courses in the world is on the California Coast....the Pebble Beach Golf Links.

California has had 2 movie star Governors...the first was Ronald Reagan, who went on to become the 40th President of the United States, the second and our current Governor is Arnold Schwarzenegger, The Governator.

California has the 6th largest economy IN THE WORLD. Over 35 million people call California home with over 25% of the population being non-native Californians.

California beaches are world renowned. California is home to Hollywood and is the world leader in the motion picture industry.

In California you can snow ski in the morning, golf in the afternoon, and sit on the beach in the evening and watch the sunset.

California is a way of life.

California is a lifestyle.

California is a religion.

California is a world all to itself.

For many.....California is where they dream of going.

California Dreamin'.....I wouldn't live anywhere else.

http://www.californiagolfing.com

http://www.califmall.com/beach/BchIntro.html

http://golflifestylemagazine.com/

http://www.seeing-stars.com/

http://www.mybeachcams.com/california/

http://www.pebblebeach.com/

http://www.worldfest.net/

You best be a cowboy when you play Roddy Ranch and you best be wearing your spurs in addition to your soft spikes. As Jed Clampett would say....Woooo Doggy!

I was a Golfer Golfing Golf (see below entry) yesterday with a casual golfing troupe I was introduced to a few years back. They all work in the Auto, Yachting, or Construction businesses and it allows them time to get out and play each Tuesday. I used to join them on occasion as they play all over the San Francisco Bay Area (mostly the North and East Bay areas) but this was my first outing with them in over a year. One of the group takes it upon themselves each week to make 2, 3 or 4 tee times at a course of their choice and then emails the group to see who commits. They almost always are able to get a great package price that includes golf and the cart. On occasion they are also able to get lunch included, depending on the course.

Yesterday we played Roddy Ranch Golf Club in Antioch, California. It's a wide open course in the low rolling hills of the North Bay Area, just about due West of the Delta valley (Sacramento Delta). It's one of the highest rated courses in California and for a good reason, it's not a walk in the park but if you play well, you will score well, and it's very pretty with not a single home on the course (though they're trying to get permission). You don't have to be deadly accurate as most of the fairways are pretty wide, but if you're too far off the marked course you can lose your ball in the wild grasses, down a gopher hole (or was that a prairie dog hole), or even worse you can lose it in one of the many rock croppings in many areas surrounding the course that house Rattlesnakes. Yes, that's right, Rattlesnakes. We have those on a lot of the courses in California, mostly the newer ones that have been carved out of the many foothills we have throughout California.

The course offers challenges to every level golfer but appeals most to the better player. Most tee boxes are built up with most tee shots carrying out to a fairway that usually drops in the middle, like a string held loose between your two hands, high at each end, low in the middle. You are hitting up to the green most of the time so you have to allow for that, and did I mention the wind? Wow, yesterday was very windy so you have to account for the cross breezes, frontal breezes, back breezes, and on the approach to a lot of the greens you have to account for swirling breezes. Oh, and there's water on a couple of the finishing holes, near the greens of course.

But what a great course!

And on top of that I played very well once again. I think I'm liking getting back out again. Now I just need to increase the frequency to at least once a week. My score was 80 to a par of 72. We played back with a rating/slope of 72.6/134.....not too tough. I was 6 over on the front and 2 over on the back. I had a birdie on the front but missed 6 other putts by just a hair. The greens are in great shape and are VERY quick. Lots of fun.

Playing golf can be such a relaxing way to spend time and playing well no matter what your level makes you really want to get back out again...and soon. I miss playing with my close friends though since that's what makes the game really enjoyable. One of my closest golf buddies and one of my best friends now lives in Spain. I miss golfing with him but look forward to visiting and playing a few of the courses there. Another lifelong best friend moved about 75 minutes south of me and on top of that has injured his shoulder (he's a Painting contractor) and no longer plays. My cousin who is one of my closest friends lives in Lake Tahoe about 4 1/2 hours away and I look forward to playing when ever we're together, it always makes for a great day together.

Oh well, I go by myself, I enjoy the game immensely, I see my handicap dropping back low again this year, and I enjoy everyone that I'm able to golf with when I'm out.

So if you're out this way look up Roddy Ranch, saddle up, and hit away. Just remember to keep your eyes on the ball and your ears perked for any little "rattles".

http://www.roddyranch.com
http://www.forbes.com/lists/2005/fictional/07.html
http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/flatt-and-scruggs/ballad-of-jed-clampett-11700.html

Zach Johnson, the 2007 Masters Champion.

PGA Tour Player since 1998.

31 years old.

Only his 2nd PGA Tour Win.

He played better than the rest.

Masters Champion.

Easter Sunday.

Egg - Zach - Ly

CONGRATULATIONS !!

http://www.pgatour.com/players/02/40/24/

http://www.pgatour.com

http://www.themasters.com

When you golf early on the weekend or any other day of the week for that matter, one thing that you like to do and need to do while you're out there is to eat and drink something. Like most hardened golfers I usually pack a bottle of water in my bag along with an energy bar or two of some sort. On occasion I'll get a Polish Sausage or maybe a Hot Link at the turn. If I'm going out early I'll usually have coffee in the car on the way to the course.

But what happens when you forget to do ANY of the above? What happens when you get going just a few minutes late and even though you grab your coffee, you forget the rest? You look for the Cart Girl. They always have hot coffee, some type of snacks, and maybe some sandwiches, right? Right!

But what happens when they aren't there? What then?

I played this past Sunday morning at one of my favorite courses, Poppy Ridge (in California). I had made coffee at home the night before so I was able to get in the car with a fresh travel mug of hot coffee. I'm out of snack bars but I figured I'd get something at the course during my front 9. But alas, it was not to be. In fact, it was NEVER GOING to be! Apparently there was no Cart "Person" that morning for whatever reason. And of course the Pro Shop mentioned that to everybody when they checked in for their round so that helped....NOT!

Poppy Ridge Golf Course is a beautiful 27 hole complex in the East foothills of Livermore, California. It's a tough course, especially from the back which is where I usually play from and if you have to walk it's even tougher, very hilly. When you are able to tee off early you enjoy the cool morning air and get to experience the sun warming everything up while you continue and then finish your round. I really enjoy this course and love playing there. BUT, there was no Snack cart at all.

We teed off at 7:40 and at 11:42 I was on the 9th tee (my 18th) looking back towards the clubhouse and lo and behold, there's the Snack Cart pulling out of the garage up to the Snack shack apparently for it's first load. Well I'll tell you what that was a load of. Almost four and a half hours on the course with nothing except the occasional water tank and who knows if that's even fresh water. Luckily, I did have my own bottle of water but it was early Sunday morning and some hot coffee on the course and maybe a snack of some kind would have been great.

The Pro Shop should know if there is going to be a problem like this and they should inform all the golfers as they check in for their round. This would allow them the opportunity, should they want, to get something to stash in their bag from the Snack shack before their round. It's almost like paying for your round and when you get to the first green, finding out that they've aerated all the greens the day before.

TELL US BEFOREHAND SO WE CAN MAKE A DECISION!!

Oh well, I played really well, shot a 77, and then drove to the nearest place to eat something.

http://www.poppyridgegolf.com/livermore/index.htm
http://www.beercartgirl.com/home.php

9 holes...Hmmm. I almost never used to just go play 9 holes, but then my girlfriend picked up the game. Everytime I venture out for a great round of golf (golfing is always great by the way) upon my return I almost always get asked the inevitable question....Did you play 9 holes? The inevitable answer is "No...I never play only 9 holes unless I'm playing with you". 18 holes for her right now would just be overwhelming... or should I say more tiring than anything else. She can't even imagine me playing 27 or even 36 holes, can't fathom that, yet it seems that when I'm able to play 36 it always ends up being such a great day.

Also, I usually play really well when I golf 36 holes. It's the practice, the continual swinging, developing the rhythym of the club, allowing me to play better and score well.

A good round of 18 is only 9 holes twice....yet we don't seem to be able to score as well as if we were to only play 9. And that's for many reasons; the course is shorter (yea, but you're still having to hit wedges and sink the putts), you never get to pull out your driver or 3 wood or long iron (yea, but you're still having to hit wedges and sink the putts), and it's not really golf if you're only playing 9 holes (yes it is, but you're still having to hit wedges and sink the putts).

So the way you need to look at playing only 9 holes is to take the approach and thought process this way; you've already hit your drive, you're sitting in the middle of the fairway, and now all you have left is to hit your wedges and sink the putts. How hard can that be? It's easy right? After all, from the middle of the fairway the rest of the hole is really only a par 3 so this should be no problem....or is it really that simple?

They say the longest distance to overcome is the distance between your two ears (or something to that effect). If you can go play 9 holes on a consistent basis and play to only 1 or 2 over par each round, then your full 18 hole course game should be just about the same, give or take 2-3 strokes. If you're playing an average 18 hole course, something that is within your abilities (very important) then even if you take the high end of both those estimates you're playing to about 7 maybe 8 over par and that puts you shooting 80 or less.

This is where the distance between your 2 ears comes in to play. "Ain't never gonna happen", you tell yourself, "It isn't that easy", you say. Well I'm here to tell you you're half right. It isn't that easy. BUT, it IS that easy to take the game from the 9 hole course and playing the last half of each full length hole from an 18 hole course, improve your play quite a bit.

Golf is not a game of exponential improvement in a short period of time. It's a game of practice, and little improvements, and a little better scoring, over a reasonable period of time, that eventually will show you great results....for you.

Remember, you need to keep this all in perspective to your game and find out what it is that YOU need to improve on, what part of your game has the ability to show the most profitable improvement to your game....and practice that first.

Patience - Practice - more Patience - and more Practice. That's what it takes.

And when your buddies (or your significant other ..male or female) wants to go play 9 holes...just pretend you've already played the first half of the first half of your favorite course, your drive is just sitting in the middle of the fairway.... and all you have to do is hit your wedges and sink your putts. It's that simple and what a great day you'll have too!

What is the correct way to use the terms golf, golfing, golfer, or any form of that word?

I play Golf. I enjoy Golfing. I am a Golfer.

Now as a Golfer I like Golfing, I am pretty good at Golf, and when I Golf I'm a Golfer Golfing.

When I'm Golfing I'm playing Golf as a Golfer.

I'm a Golfing Golfer playing Golf.

A Golfer is to Golf as he is to Golfing.

If a Golfer Golfs while Golfing, he's a Golfing Golfer playing Golf.

If you're a Golfer that likes Golfing, did you Golf, did you play Golf, or did you go Golf?

Now, if you're Golfing Golf as a Golfer, that means you played Golf as a Golfer Golfing.

Golfing Golf as a Golfer makes you a Golfer Golfing Golf.

Unless of course you play Tennis and I'm not sure if that's even a real sport.

Are you now totally confused? The way that I like to unconfuse my confusion is to play the game of Golf while Golfing as a Golfer.

Golf......out!

I'm not sure how many of you golfers may have taken formal lessons from a Certified Golf Instructor but I think there are quite a few of you. And within that group I would imagine there are a number of you that have had an actual lesson while playing a round with your instructor, whereby he/she is actually able to see how you handle yourself and your game while in a live setting out on the golf course. I believe that this could actually benefit a person in quite a number of ways and at the same time allow the Certified Instructor to gain a better understanding of your actual abilities.

But what about the "On-Course Golf Instructor" who is not certified? You know the one that I'm talking about, in fact some of you reading this right now fall in to this category. The problem here is that you're neither certified nor an actual golf instructor. For the average golfer the problem with people like this is two-fold; first, their game is usually no better than yours, and second, they think their game is A LOT better than yours. I've never seen a woman do this so I'm going to follow the path that this person is normally a guy. This guy doesn't start telling you what to correct right away, in fact he'll usually wait a couple of holes. This provides him a better understanding of just where you need assistance and what type of assistance you will benefit from most. He then starts with simple pieces of advice such as; "keep your head still, slow your swing down, let the club do the work." He'll then try to come across as even more of an expert and ask about your clubs, "What's the lie on your irons?; Have you had your clubs fitted?; Are those cavity backed?, because you should probably use a cavity backed iron to help get the ball in the air." Meanwhile he's hacking it all over the place grumbling the whole time about his "game being off today".

I'm certainly not one of those people and I've only had someone like this try to tell me about my game once. When he did I immediately asked him if he was an instructor. When he said "no" I said "oh, I thought maybe you were since you seem to see a needed correction in my game." He started to make some grumbling noises so I asked him what his handicap was and to make a long story short, his was 12 strokes higher than mine and at the end of day I beat him by 15. Here's the rub; I don't even tell my buddies what they're doing wrong unless they ask me. And even then I'll keep my comments short, simple, and easy to understand simply because I'm not an instructor. Can I see things that might be correctable?....sure. But my advice may not be right for that person and bottome line....unless I'm asked a question specifically I don't offer advice.

Golf is a game that's hard enough to play even when you're a good golfer. When you're learning or even when you're a 15-20 handicap, the last thing you need is someone of equal ability (or in most cases worse) telling you what you're "doing wrong". All for the simple fact thay they're doing it wrong too. But "you'll get it if you keep practicing and keep at it", they'll tell you. "And don't forget to keep your head down!"

I played 9 holes again today with my girlfriend and her girlfriend. We played at Mariner's Point Golf Course, a great little 9 hole venue with a great practice area. We were joined by Brad, a single walk on player. Brad appeared to be carrying a big wallet in his back pocket and I think, no I'm sure, there must have been an On-Course Golf Instructors card in there because after only a couple of holes he began to tell my girlfriends friend how to correct her game. Now she is just learning the game, has taken a few formal lessons, and most importantly is trying. She is also like most of you, unfortunately easy fodder for these guys. I didn't say anything to her ...or him...since he had it well in hand. He gave her a bit of advice on most every hole until we finished, and the last thing he said to her when we walked off the course was "keep at it."

I love golf and today the weather was beautiful which makes the game even more enjoyable. Brad was certainly not a pain in the ass but he definitely fell in to that 15-20 handicap range. At least he didn't grab her club from her hands to show her how she should be doing it. I've seen that done before. She's going with her mother to Quail Lodge Resort and Golf Club in Carmel in April to golf. Quail Lodge is an absolutely beautiful resort and she wants to be just a bit better when she goes, that's why we went out today. The Brad's of the world don't help, they think they do but they're only hurting and confusing to someones game. But they don't understand that that and they don't get that. They do this second nature and with the only thought that they know how to do it better.

If you want to get better go find a "Certified" PGA Instructor, there are thousands of them out there. Find one that's nice, is genuinely interested in making you better, and most of all one who enjoys teaching this great game. The only advice I gave her about Quail Lodge was to keep up with the others and have fun. That's why we all play, because it's an extremely fun way to spend your time. And when you hit a great shot, it's just about one of the best feelings in the world. Practice, get better, and enjoy!! Oh, and don't forget "keep at it."

http://www.quaillodge.com
http://www.marinerspoint.com
http://www.pga.com/improve/find-an-instructor/
http://lpga.nemexinc.com/directory.cfm

Well, well, well....it's been a very quiet few months with almost no golf outings. But that didn't keep me from thinking about golf or my game or my swing or how I'd play whenever I did happen to get back out on the course. I played once in December, once in January, once in February (on my birthday), and again this past weekend. That doesn't count the couple of times that I played 9 holes with my girlfriend.

Last year went by pretty quickly and I played less golf then any previous year in a long time. I believe that I only posted about 16 or 17 rounds, that's it. My practice schedule became almost non-existant and that always hurts your game. The biggest single thing that I noticed in my game from lack of play is the loss of distance with all my clubs. Consistency is what keeps your game sharp. When you are able to play on any kind of a consistent time table your game should remain the same. If you're able to put in some practice sessions, which is even better, your game should show improvement. The more you swing the club, the better your game will get, and the more you'll enjoy golf.

My game has always been fairly decent and my handicap hasn't been higher in the last 8 or 9 years than it is right now, I'm just under a 7. Of course, that's over twice what is was just 3 years ago but I'm happy with that and accept it because I know that I do not put in the extra effort right now. I don't have either the time or money to be able to play anywhere near as much as I did a few years ago. As long as I know that and understand that, I don't get angry when I don't play as well as I had in the past. It's nice to know that I can still go out and score well over 18 holes and show improvement through my round.

The last 4 rounds that I played were 82, 81, 82, and 80. The first 3 were on par 72 courses and the last was on a par 70. Not bad, and in reviewing my rounds there were easily a few shots left on the course. Practice will take care of those and THAT is what I'm really excited about. Can I get back down to a two and a half handicap?....sure. But I've got to hit balls once a week minimum, play at least every other week and most of all have fun. It's time to start playing again with some frequency, I miss it a lot. For everyone who is just starting to defrost and dig out, get to stretching, swing your clubs in the yard, clean the clubs, regrip, replace the worn spikes, and get really excited to be Back in the Saddle Again!!

http://www.ridgemark.com
http://www.springvalleygolf.com
http://santaclara.americangolf.com

The theory goes that if you've ever parred 2 holes in a row then you should be able to do it 18 times. That of course would have to be taking into consideration the fact that making those 2 pars was on purpose and not one of the best things you've ever done on a golf course.

Let's look at it another way...most of us who have played the same course or courses for a long period of time, have at one time or another parred each hole at least once. All you have to do now is put it all in to a single round and you've got a career round in your pocket. Sounds easy doesn't it?

What usually ends up happening is that we'll par the first couple of holes, then get a bogie, and then we tell ourselves.....ok, I can birdie one of the next 2 holes and get that stroke back. The problem is you then bogie again and completely lose your thought process, or you overthink it, or you try to get too cute with a shot, or you try for the long ball, or the long shot, and then you just get angry. You're now walking off the course with one of your worst rounds in months and you wonder what happened. It started out so good and ended so bad. Oh well, that's golf.

I've thought about my better rounds many times and have tried to evaluate what it was that happened that day that made my round so successful. I've broken 80 quite a number of times. There was a time when I was breaking 80 at least every other round. I've played a lot of rounds where I was only 3 or 4 over par and that felt great. What I've realized that I did so successfully then was that I practiced with a purpose. At the range I knew what I wanted to do, I practiced what I wanted to practice, I looked for the shot that I wanted to hit, and overall I got the result I was looking for with each practice session. On top of all that, I really enjoyed it because I knew that I could take it to the golf course more times than not and get the same results.

I've only broken par once, and on a very tough course. But I've had a lot of real opportunities to repeat it and except for a shot here or there it would have happened. But then I know that those scores will come with more consistent practice and play. Practice is great but don't become a driving range pro, you know the type, great off the tee but can't find the green for your life.

It took me a lot of time and effort (and money, it's not cheap in California) to get my game to a point where I was consistent. I played for a long time with scores above 90 and on a good day breaking 90...and it felt great when I did. But it takes a concerted effort to be good at anything and it takes a want to make that concerted effort a reality. I almost always play as a single and for many years I played in groups where I watched some "guy" crush the ball and play a great round.... and I wanted to be that guy. It took work but I translated my "want" and now I am that guy a lot of the time. It's a good feeling and we all like feeling good. Here's what you should do...practice away from your buddies and then when you go play, no matter what your groups' handicaps are, you can be "that guy" in your group.

Playing to par is not easy to do. Statistics have not changed for many years and they still show that 90% of the people that play golf NEVER break 100. What I would say is that those 90% of the people never practice, even once. And that's ok too. Just don't stand over the shot after it goes WAY off line or only 10 feet in front of you and complain that it didn't go where it should have. It went EXACTLY where it should have, accept it and the rest of your round will be better. If you're a 20+ handicapper add a stroke to each hole and play to that par. Give yourself a reachable target. Golf and Life is about goals and the attainment of those goals. Make them realistic and you've given yourself a chance of reaching them.

Whether in life or on the course, par is a great score. Working consistently towards par is equally just as good. By the way, sub-par is only good on the golf course. The question is....What's your par?

I've been thinking about getting a new set of irons and I've been thinking that for the last couple seasons too. There are so many choices out there and they each have their own "thing" that makes them the best to play....Nike, Titleist, Callaway, Ping, Cleveland, Mizuno, TaylorMade, and all the International manufacturers too. The experts say go with what feels good, or go with what looks good to your eye, or go with the most forgiving. All the manufacturers are using the "latest" technology, the "special" mix of graphite, steel, magnesium, titanium, aluminum, or whatever word they develop when they "develop our own special blend" of whatever is right that day.

I've been playing golf for a long time, though more seriously over the last 8-10 years than the 10 or so prior. I started with an old beater set of clubs that I don't even remember where I got them from. I was in sales then and I earned enough points with one of the manufacturers that I was working with (I was in office equipment sales then) and I was able to get a complete set of clubs free. They were made by HEAD and had rubber grips. What I remember was that they were brand new and I was now an "official" member of the sport. I didn't have an official handicap at the time, didn't even know what that was back then but I would go out with my best friend and we'd beat the hell out of the ball and with that one great shot that "you shoulda' seen it" I was hooked and a golfer for life. The clubs had steel shafts, steel heads, and did I say they were brand new?

I played with those for about 5 or 6 years, don't really remember. Then I met someone that made clubs at his house, knock-offs, and I bought a set of irons pretty cheap. They were the Taylor Made Bubble Burner knock-offs with graphite shafts, cool logos, nice grips, and a really cool look. For my woods I bought the Orlimar Tri-Metals, great clubs. The irons played really well and I fell in love with them. I had been starting to play pretty well at that point, that's why I upgraded my set. I also applied for an official handicap because I wanted to see exactly what my game was like. Over the next few months my handicap rounded out at about 15 or so and I played at that level consistently for a couple years. I worked harder and practiced a bit more and in about a year got my handicap down and played to a 6-7 for about 5 years. I didn't play alot though, about once every few weeks or so but I was a good golfer and the sport was now very enjoyable. My irons were dead on for distance and very reliable. My 8 iron was spot on 155 yards, my 4 iron was a perfect 170 yards, I knew exactly what distance each club would deliver when I hit it. I had a very consistent game and now wanted to get a lot better.

So, about 6 years ago, after being a 6-7 for a number of years I thought I would get a "real" set of clubs. I went out and spent about $900 and bought the Titleist DCI-990 irons. They were beautiful and they felt great and they were Titleist. What a great set of clubs and I still love 'em. The biggest difference though is that I went back to a steel shaft because they are supposed to provide a much more consistent shot. My game immediately got worse and my handicap jumped to an 8 then a 9 within a few months. I lost 10-15 yards on each club and seriously had to re-adjust my game. I knew I would get the distance back (and I have) but that it would take time. I continued to use my Orlimar woods, the driver and fairway woods.

I got my handicap back down to a 6 and actually a hair below that over the next year or so. 3 summers ago I wanted to see just how good I could get if I made a concerted effort to improve my game. I've always had a pretty natural swing and knew how far I hit each club so I set out over a 3 month time frame to see what a difference consistent practice would make and what these clubs could really do. I religiously hit balls (4 buckets) 2-3 times each week, and played a round at least once or twice a week. I practiced putting in my garage, though not a lot, that's never been a problem in my game. At the end of 3 months I lowered my handicap to a 2.7. And in that time I broke par for the very first time on one of the more difficult courses that I liked to play, Cinnabar Hills Mountain/Canyon courses. The greatest feat in all of this was that my handicap was built over about 10 different courses. I took pride in that. At that time I knew that I could play any course and break 85 each time I went out. That was a great feeling to have.

Now, 3 years later I'm back up to a 6.9 but not playing hardly at all. Mostly because of time and money. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and it's not the cheapest place to play. During the week it costs on average for a good, challenging course, about $55-75 dollars and usually toward the higher end. On the weekends you can plan on paying on average $85-105 to play.

So now, back to the original decision about getting new clubs. The answer is yes, but sometime over the next 6 months or so. And I'm going to stick with what looks good to me, and what feels good to me, and what offers the "latest and greatest", so I'm going to buy Titleist once again. I bought the Titleist woods 3 years ago and I am very happy. Now I need to look at the various new sets of irons that Titleist offers and make a decision.

Oh yeah, before going on that 3 month "experiment" with my game, I had my irons fitted for my swing, they needed a 2 degree adjustment. After that they fit just right.

What would make my new year right would be if Titleist came to me and offered me a new fitted set of irons FREE in exchange for the prime advertising spot on this site for an entire year!

I love golf and I'm working to make more time in my schedule for it. My next goal is to become a scratch golfer. That always turns peoples heads when you're asked what your handicap is, doesn't it?

http://www.titleist.com
http://www.orlimar.com
http://www.taylormadegolf.com
http://www.cinnabarhills.com
http://www.nikegolf.com
http://www.callawaygolf.com
http://www.mizunousa.com
http://www.clevelandgolf.com
http://www.pinggolf.com

As this is my first official "blog entry" I felt I would tell you about my day walking on at one of my favorite golf courses in Northern California, Poppy Ridge. Poppy Ridge is a Rees Jones (redesigned) course in the hills of Livermore, California. It is the home of the Northern California Golf Association or The NCGA. It's sister course is Poppy Hills in Carmel that is used early in the year as one the 3 rotating courses for the AT&T Pro Am, held at Pebble Beach and Spyglass, and of course Poppy Hills. Both Poppy Hills and Poppy Ridge are member courses for the NCGA and offer great price breaks for daily fees.

It was real cold (for the Bay Area) here this morning so I didn't go out early, mistake number 1. I went over to the course about 9:30 and the first tee time available was in 3 hours!. I waited for about 30 minutes, putted a bit, loosened up a little, then found out that there was a tournament in process of going out (the desk jockey didn't tell me) so I left. I knew that I would be able to get on at a course on the way back home, a course called Sunol Valley.

Sunol Valley is two 18 holes courses that are old courses but still in pretty good shape. They get a lot of play and don't cost an arm and a leg, at least for the San Francisco Bay Area. It was a bit cold and breezy when we teed off about 11:15am. I was paired with 3 other guys, from the New York/New Jersey area. We were following 2 groups of 4, half of which were wearing jeans and tennis shoes....it was going to be a long day.

3 hours later I finished the front 9, 2 birdies, a few bogies, a few pars. Not bad but not good. 3 hours is ridiculous for 9 holes. What I remembered about why I don't play there much at all anymore is that you get a lot of "newer" golfers there who don't really know the rules or etiquette and were all over the course in front of you. On one particular par 4 we had to wait while the groups coming at us from the neighboring fairway finished playing from "our" fairway.

Bottom line....golf (almost) always beats sitting at home. The sun did come out, I was on a golf course, and I did hit some great shots. All in all, not a bad day.

http://www.ncga.org
http://www.poppyridgegolf.com
http://www.pebblebeach.com
http://www.sunolvalley.com