20 (More) Random Thoughts About Golf

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Dumping a bunch of random thoughts can be a cathartic experience. At least it was last time I did it. Time for round two. Feel free to add your own or to comment on any of mine. At one point, I was certain that Tiger Woods would get a little time past his infamous marriage troubles and then would be right back to his old major-winning self. Now, I’m not so sure we’ll ever see that again. I’m not sure we won’t either. How’s that for a definitive prediction? If I straddle that fence much longer, I’m going to get splinters in my rear. Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re not good enough to hit forged blade irons. They might not be as forgiving, but when you hit them right, there’s nothing like it. And when you don’t hit them right, it’s not as bad as they make it out to be. Of course, if your handicap is high, then you’re probably not getting the same kind of benefit to justify the cost, but

Did I Miss Anything?

Ah, the return to normal life. Three weeks on the road was just what I needed. It was awesome! I wish I could say I was glad to be back, but honestly, I’m not. I could have stayed out on the road for a while longer. There was so much to see and do that I would have liked but that we just couldn’t get to. I must admit that every time I saw a golf course, it was calling to me to play. Unfortunately, the pulled muscle or whatever I have going on in my rib area isn’t completely healed, though it is much, much better than it was before I left. I’m going to take it easy for a while longer and try to ease back into practicing this week, but I don’t regret not taking my clubs with me because I needed to let myself heal. I saw a lot of great stuff on the road, and by my count I passed through 16 states. If you haven’t taken advantage of the natural

Gone Fishin’

Gone Fishing

Ok, Ok, I’m not technically going fishing, per se, but I’m going to be on vacation for the next three weeks so you may or may not see any new posts showing up before I get back. It all depends on whether I have any rainy days or other down time which would allow me to crank out some stuff while I’m gone. This vacation is certainly well-timed. I know I haven’t done a progress update in a little while, but a week ago at the driving range, I hit a shot, got into my follow-through and immediately felt something blow right along my ribs on my side (kind of more toward my back). It felt like someone sticking a knife between my ribs. Right now, coughing is very painful and sneezing makes me want to cry. It’s not a back problem or anything like that (I’ve dealt with a herniated disk in the past), so I’m assuming it’s some kind of pulled muscle that just needs rest. Oddly, it doesn’t hurt to walk, sit,

Last Call for the Big May Golf Book Giveaway

OK, folks, this is it.  The Big May Golf Book Giveaway is winding down.  The day 1 contest will be closing tomorrow evening.  The rest of the contests will be closing one at a time each evening through Friday. Winners will be determined over the weekend and I’ll contact each winner via e-mail and post the results shortly thereafter. Don’t forget – eligible individuals may enter all four contests and winning any one will not disqualify you from winning any (or all) of the others. Here are links to the four contests.  Be sure to get your entries in before the deadline for each. Big May Golf Book Giveaway, Day 1 – Golf Courses of the World: 365 Days Big May Golf Book Giveaway, Day 2 – GOLF Magazine Private Lessons Big May Golf Book Giveaway, Day 3 – Bad Lies Big May Golf Book Giveaway, Day 4 – Moment of Glory

Augusta National Golf Course: The Ultimate Test For Any Golfer

Following is a guest post by Dr. Eric Wilson. Dr. Wilson is a PGA Master Professional in Instruction at the College of Golf, a Keiser University school in Port St. Lucie, FL. Every year the cream of the crop in the field of golf descends on Augusta for the Masters tournament.  The Augusta National Golf Club, first opened in January of 1933 for play, has hosted the Masters since 1934. Currently ranked the number one golf course in the United States by Golf Digest, it’s one of the top courses in the world. The course, known to be unforgiving, is the ultimate challenge to any golfer. But why? What makes the Augusta national golf course so tough? Golfers who have had the chance to play Augusta, quite often talk of the “mystery” of the course.  It is said that knowledge of the course is just as important, or perhaps more important, than a player’s actual golf skill.  Players study the course, sometimes drawing diagrams to get a feel for it. Not understanding Augusta National Golf