What have I learned over the years about the game of golf? Why do I love the game like I do? What could I possible offer to the rest of the world about golf?

To quote from Elizabeth Barrett Browning: “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways? Words like freely, purely and passion can all refer to golf.

My first few, far too many, years of golf I was certainly swinging freely.  I, stupidly, had no idea that I should take lessons and I freely hit the ball a long way. Yes, a long way to the right, with a huge sweeping slice. It was not till I had been golfing four or five years that I went and took lessons from Wade Hudyma at the Wascana Golf and Country Club.

I have taken lessons often. Somehow my body reverts to those bad habits. Even a good running car needs a tune up and the same applies to your golf swing.  I, of course, have a book of the many lessons I have taken.  Some are the original write ups by the Pro,and some are my own recap of the lesson just taken. Others I have taken lesson from are Scott, Stu, Brad, Jennifer, Ken, Gord, Cameron and Bob, just to name a few. A copy of the last lesson I had is in my golf bag now.

Pretty well all the lessons are in the same vane.

• Check your setup and your grip.
• Stand tall, bend slightly forward,let your arms hang down and bend your knees slightly.
• Relax, take a practise swing behind the ball.
• Keep your feet closer together.
• Make sure your hands are inside the head of the club in your backswing.
• Turn your left shoulder under your chin.
• Make sure you keep in balance
•  Finish your swing down towards second base (as if you were a batter in baseball.)
• Push that Driver back and then up making a larger arc but don’t go too far back.

 

 
One thing I have been working on lately is to let my left heel lift on my back swing and planting it on my downswing and let my right foot rise onto my toe.

I booked as a single this morning at 8:00 a.m. at Elbow Springs, Elbow and Mountain nines.  (Coincidently I had booked on the same day July 6 as a single two years ago at River Spirit.) It was a time for me to work on my game as the threesome I was playing with had no idea what to expect as they had never seen me before!

I also had a new right lens put in my glasses late afternoon on Tuesday and I wanted to see if there was an improvement in my sight on the golf course.  Being alone on a golf car gave me lots of time to think about “the next shot”.  The weather was perfect – sunny and NO wind. I played smart golf the first four holes with Pars.  In fact the first Par 5 I hit my drive 198 yards in the center of the fairway. All was not perfect for the rest of the game.  With my new, improved, swing I am hitting my short irons further than I have been and needless to say I was long on some of my approaches. The fairways are cut really close and sometimes I should use my 5 Wood instead of my 3 Wood. I think I am going to be giving up distance but in a lot of cases I have better contact with the 5 Wood.

As with any changes it takes time to adjust.  I was happy with the results, mostly.  I know when I make the proper back swing and follow through how great the feel was and the sound of  that pure click when the club hit the ball.  I started out with four pars but ended up with 42-45 = 87. Now I can’t wait to get out again.  More work needed from that 140-110 yard distances.

Every time I pick up a club I want to hit it purely. Needless to say, my passion for the game keeps me trying to improve.  That’s all for now folks!