One of the cool things about spending too much time on the driving range is that you eventually start to gravitate toward the other regulars. It’s a good way to meet other serious players and, most importantly, to catch some great tips. This one comes courtesy of a fellow range rat at my local course (thanks, Phil!). As you’ve probably heard many, many times, tension is a killer in the golf swing. I’m sure I’ve heard it from the likes of every famous teaching pro, and I’ve no doubt read it in various books and magazines. It’s virtually impossible to consistently hit good golf shots when you have tension that creeps into your hands and arms during the swing. It prevents smooth, free motion and can cause all sorts of problems. The photo at the top-left depicts a guy with more of a mental tension problem, not a physical tension problem, but it kind of makes me laugh so I couldn’t resist. But we’re definitely talking about physical tension creeping into your arms. Your muscles
Playing a Three-Club Round
You might have noticed the poll in the side bar that’s been running for a while that asks, “If you had to play a round with only three clubs, which would you choose?” My golf league does a three-club event which, unfortunately, I missed this year. It got me thinking about it some, though, and I thought I’d see which clubs you all would choose. It’s really a great exercise in course management. It forces you to think about which clubs you need most and which clubs you can most easily adapt to fill in the holes. Many teachers would tell you that a limited set is the best thing for juniors, too. It gets them out of the analytical mindset that overburdens many of us and teaches them just to grab a club and hit a shot, and if they don’t have a club that’s perfect for that shot, then they have to make that shot with what they have. It’s a great way to learn creativity and to become versatile shot-makers. As of now,
Post-Surgery Update
I made it! OK, there wasn’t really much doubt in a logical sense, but for a week beforehand, the idea that a certain small percentage of people die from surgery or from post-surgery infections was weighing heavily on my mind, even though it probably shouldn’t have. Anyway, the deed is done. I haven’t done much of anything for a couple of weeks, choosing instead to just relax and recover. I had more soreness the first week. Now it’s mostly just an annoyance and doesn’t bother me too much. Well, except for tying my right shoe or picking something up off the floor. That gets really painful. I believe it’s from the internal stitches that were used to close the largest incision. Once they dissolve, I think that pain will diminish significantly. For now, bending over feels like someone is sticking a red-hot knife into my abdomen. Surprisingly, since the first day of my pre-surgical diet, I’ve lost around 30 pounds. Since the surgery, I’ve found that I don’t really feel like eating much. It’s not
Taking a Giant Leap
Those of you that have been around these last few years, or that have dug through the archives and poked around are aware that since the beginning, my weight has been something I’ve felt the need to address to make the most of my golf game. To be truthful, it’s something that affects my health and life beyond golf. It’s also something I’ve struggled mightily with since a very young age. After a lot of research and preparation, about a week from today, I will be undergoing a surgical procedure to help me with weight loss, and hopefully to get the weight off, and keep it off for good. The procedure is known as a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy. I’ll leave the gory details for you to Google, but I want to talk about the situation some more detail. I can’t remember a time in my life where I wasn’t overweight to a fairly large degree. At birth, I was 11 lbs., which I’m told is bordering on ridiculous, but it didn’t bother me any (sorry,
DVD Review: The Story of Golf
I love golf. I love history. Naturally, I really love golf history. That’s precisely what The Story of Golf delivers. This three hour documentary has an ambitious purpose. Namely, it aims to adequately cover a sport whose rich history literally spans centuries. Hosted by Golf Channel personality Rich Lerner, The Story of Golf starts at the very beginning, exploring the birth of the game and moves forward through time covering changes in the game that include everything from advancements in equipment to the various stars to the lesser known but equally important figures that have had a lasting effect on the game. The big names are given ample coverage: Jones, Hagen, Nelson, Snead, Sarazen, Hogan, Palmer, Nicklaus, Woods, and others. But many of the other issues of the game are touched upon: gender and race issues, the evolution of equipment, architecture, golf in the digital age, and much more. Aside from Lerner’s narration, the Story of Golf is told through a lot of historical photographs and footage, as well as various interviews with many experts
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