Thank you

I want to thank all of you for reading my blog. I really enjoyed giving you guys some insight of the game of golf through my eyes. I hope that if you didn't already know something about the sport that you do now and I also hope that I have sparked some interest in you to go out and start playing this lovely game. I will continue to post on here and give you guys the most up to date information on what is going on in the golf world as well as any specific tips that you guys may have for me.

Gripping a Putter

In the majority of cases when a golfer is having problems with their putting, it tends to relate to how they grip their putter. A grip you use for your tee shot, or your iron play, should not be anything like how you hold the putter. When hitting a drive off the tee you hold the club with your fingers, allowing free motion of the wrists to generate power. When you’re putting, the wrists should not be involved at all, they should remain neutral throughout your putts.

Instead of gripping the club in the fingers, like you would a driver, move the putter grip up into the palm of your hands, so that the top of the putter grip is above the hinge of your wrists. This hinders any movement in the wrists and allows you to play a much smoother consistent stroke. If you’re gripping the putter correctly, it should feel like an extension of your forearms. In contrast, if you grip your driver as if you’re ready to tee off, you’ll get the feeling that the club is an extension of the wrists.
To help picture what this grip should look like, I have included two pictures below.

 

 

Other than the fundementals of holding a golf club there are many different ways to hold one. Personally there is no right or wrong way. It is whatever feels comfortable to you, as long as you are making the same consistent stroke everytime you putt. I have seen some very unorthodox putting grips but it was the same unorthodox grip for every putt which made them a very good putter. So go out there and find out what feels good to you and learn how to repeat it. 

Why I believe Tiger Woods is the Greatest Golfer of All Time

For me why Tiger Woods is the greatest golfer of all time is simple. To me it has way more to do with than just his actual playing ability. (even though I would still consider him the best). The reason I believe this is because of the attention that he has brought to the sport. Before Tiger, yes people still watched tournaments and attended them. But when Tiger joined the PGA tour everything changed. There were tens of thousands of people lining the fairways and surrounding the greens just to watch this kid play. He has changed the way that African Americans look at the sport. Opening a door for them to start to play. He has started many successful programs for kids to teach them the game of golf as well as set them up with essential tools to be an overall successful person. Other than his marriage scandal Tiger Woods is about as good as it gets when it comes to a professional athlete. He gives back and he still finds a way to dominate the sport of golf which I think amazes me the most.

Young Guys on Tour

Young golfers are beginning to take over the sport. Every year there is a new 20 year old who makes a statement in atleast one tournament that season. In the past few years though we have noticed that there is a good amount of 20-25 year old golfers who have been dominating the sport of golf. A few on that list would be:

• Dustin Johnson -25
• Rickie Fowler- 23
• John Huh- 22
• Ryo Ishikawa- 20
• Rory Mcllroy- 23
• Kyle Stanley- 24
• Keegan Bradley- 25
• Jordan Speith- 20

The bottom line is that the game of golf is changing. These young players are a prime example of that. In a field once dominated by household names, the above players are changing the sport. They are bringing in younger viewers, they are bringing a fresh energy to the PGA Tour that had been severely lacking since Woods dropped off the leaderboards. Now with Woods rising back up to lead this group of rising stars, the PGA Tour will find itself soon competing with Nascar for weekend fans.

An update to my golfing career

Right now I am currently in my offseason. Now I know what you're thinking, there isn't much to do for golf in the offseason, well you're wrong. I still have to work on my game and try to improve even though I cannot make it outside. With the Washburn University Men's Golf team I had a pretty successful fall season. You can always play better but overall I am content with my performance and the perfomance of the team. The spring season will begin in March and I cannot wait. This could be the longest 3 months of my life waiting to get back on the course with my boys. I'll keep you guys updated on my workout regiment and what I am doing to keep my skills from escaping me this
winter.

Michael Jordan comes out with Golf Shoe

The New York Daily Times reported that Keegan Bradley had enlisted the help of the hoops legend to help him rediscover the attitude that, Jordan believes, fuels Bradley's success.

"He just wanted me to be more cocky out there, more aggressive and I’m learning through him the mental side of what he was thinking and it’s a big help to me," said Bradley. "It’s a really good thing to have, somebody like that to be able to text and reach out to. He’s very approachable, very willing to give me information and help me out, which is really cool."

Bradley will once again team up with Phil Mickelson to take on Internationals Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel in Thursday's four-ball matches.

Most important Aspect of Golf

I think if we look at the physical aspect, our scratch golfer is probably in the mix with those guys. Maybe some coaching and he’s right there. Let’s assume he’s as physically fit as many of the other guys. If so, then we have to look at the intangibles. There must be things that our friend lacks that the guys on Tour have. Here are the things that come to mind:

§  Luck. Getting through Q-School and winning on the mini-tours can come down to getting the right breaks. Both on and off the course. Getting a good bounce or catching fire at the right time can mean the difference between a player moving up the ladder or going home with his tail between his legs.

§  Desire. Could it be that our scratch player friend doesn’t want it bad enough? What about the ones that do? Are they working hard enough? What about the ones that are, but that still don’t make it? There has to be enough desire to make sure the player is putting the work in: practice, diet, fitness. All the things that need to be done to excel.

§  Determination. This goes hand in hand with desire. With desire, you want something, but determination makes sure that you’re not going to take “no” for an answer. Watch the movie “The Pursuit of Happyness” for a tutorial on determination. There must be enough determination to overcome all the things that make someone want to quit.

§  That leaves: Mental Game.

The more I think about it, the more I think that mental game could be the biggest factor keeping our friend off the tour (assuming that he has sufficient desire, determination, and luck). I don’t think that mental game is just limited to course management, though that’s a big part of it. I would include all of the following:

§  Excellent course management. Knowing how to play the course like a chess match.

§  Playing within oneself. A player must know his limitations and play to his own strengths.

§  Mental toughness. A player of that caliber must find a way to overcome fear. Fear of failure, fear of ridicule, whatever.

§  Along the lines of mental toughness is the ability to deal with pressure. At high levels, pressure exists internally and externally. The best players must find a way to deal with it.

§  There must be a great level of confidence. Confidence in his swing, in his mental game. Confidence that keeps him free from intimidation.

§  Aggressiveness. That doesn’t just mean always “going for it”. It can include the ability and desire to put opponents away. It can mean taking a chance when the chips are down.

There are probably many more aspects to the mental game, but those are the ones that come to mind right now.

I see all those aspects of the mental game as things that can be nurtured and developed. If that’s true, then it means that our friend, the scratch player, given the proper amount of desire, determination, and luck could develop the mental game to make it.

How to be Effect on the Driving Range

As you can imagine, I spend a lot of time at the driving range during golf season. I spend a lot of time watching other players so I can try to learn things about the golf swing. I observe different tendencies and the results they produce. One thing that surprises me is how many people practice without purpose. It’s sad because the people I’m talking about obviously are dedicated enough to put the time in. But the return on their investment is not being maximized.

Without a doubt, there are lots of people who hit the driving range every once in a while to get into a groove or even just to have a little fun. These aren’t the people I’m talking about. But I do see a lot of the same people there repeatedly over the course of a season. In many cases, these people are engaging in the “Rake ‘n Beat”. They hit one ball and rake another one over with their club and hit it and do it over and over until they’re out of balls. It’s as if their practice session is just a trip from A to B.

Maybe you’re one of the people I’m talking about. When you practice, do you use the same pre-shot routine that you’d use on the course? Do you hit each shot with a purpose? Do you watch each shot to completion and learn from it? If not, then you’re probably not maximizing your practice time. It’s much better to hit fewer balls, but hit each one with a purpose, than it is to rake ‘n beat as many balls as you can.

You might be wondering what “hitting with a purpose” means. I suggest the following guidelines as a start:

§  Go through the same pre-shot routine on the range that you’d do on the course. That means for every ball. It’s hard to build that discipline and in fact, that’s one area of my own practice that needs work.

§  Before hitting a shot, always have at least a specific target in mind. Aim at a tree or house or light pole in the distance. But always hit at a target. When you’re playing a round, every single shot will be directed at a specific target, not just thrown down range (it should, anyway!)

§  Before making a shot, imagine what you want the ball flight to do. Are you trying to hit a draw? Fade? Straight? If you don’t have a plan (before you execute the shot) for what you want that shot to do, then you can’t judge the effectiveness of your swing.

§  Observe the wind that day. How is it affecting your distance and direction? Are you making subconscious wind adjustments that will translate to poor directional control later on the course? Windy conditions can be used to your advantage at the range. You’re bound to play a round in the wind eventually, so spend some time practicing in it to learn how to make proper adjustments.

§  Try and get a feel for your club distances. Depending on your range, it might be difficult to get hard numbers to take to the course because the balls they use on the range may be made to fly shorter distances or may be beat up some. But your distances should at least be consistent. For example, if you’re seeing swings of 10+ yards on pitching wedge shots, then you have a problem with consistent ball striking and should be working on that.

Sometimes practice gets monotonous and it’s hard to stay focused. One technique I like to use is playing my regular course in my imagination. I’ll start with a ball and imagine I’m on the first tee. At my course, the ideal shot is a 250 yard fade off the tee, so I’ll get my 3-wood out and play that exact shot. From there, whatever happened, I’ll play the next shot as if I had gotten that same result on the course. If I slice right, then I know I’m punching back out of the trees and going from there so I’ll execute that shot. If I hit it perfect, then it’s a 2 iron down to the bottom of the hill and I’ll execute that shot instead. I continue this until I get through 18 “holes”.

If you don’t normally practice with purpose, then give it a try over your next few practice sessions. I think you’ll start noticing a difference.

Winter Drills

Living in Kansas we are often faced with whether that a lot of states don’t experience. For starters we have very cold winters with strong winds, when in Texas right now it is sunny and calm. Having lived in Topeka my whole life I have realized that you still have to find a way to stay on top of your game because the schools in the south get to practice year round. I’m going to share with you some of the basic drills you can do while staying warm inside.

The first drill you can do is set a cup down about 8 feet in front of you and make 50 putts from there. Then scoot it back to around  12-15 feet and make another fifty. This is an important drill because short game is the key to success when it comes to golf so you need to make sure that you are always working on your putting even when you can’t actually get outside to play. The second drill you can do is get out a wedge and pick a spot on the floor and hit to that spot. Make it a goal to either get it a few inches past every time or leave it short every time to work on your distance control around the green. The better you’re you short game is the easier it will be to come back playing at your full potential in the spring. Along with these drills you should strive to do around 100 pushups and 200 crunches.

The right clubs for you

I am not one to blame my equipment on the golf course. If my shot goes awry, it is almost always because of a mistake I made in the swing. That said, there are certain things women can do to make sure they are giving themselves the best chance at success. In the age we live there are literally thousands of different options for iron sets out there. So what should you look for? Below are three key components of a good iron set for women golfers.

Lightweight

First, you want to find a set of clubs that has a light overall weight. The equation is simple – the lighter the club, the faster you can swing it, and the farther you will hit the ball. Don’t confuse lightweight with cheap, however. You want to search out a set of clubs that is well-built by a good manufacturer. The name brands you have heard of all make quality products, but there are other good ones out there so be sure to do some research before buying.

Right Shaft

Shaft flex is probably the most overlooked, and important, aspect of selecting a set of clubs. The job of the shaft is to load the club up with energy during the downswing and unleash it at the ball. If the shaft is either too stiff or too soft for your swing, it will not do the job properly. Picking out a ladies shaft is a good start, but that might not be right for everyone. The best method is to find a teaching pro that does club fittings and have them test your swing with a variety of shafts. This should only cost $30-$40, and will be well worth it when buying your new set confident that you have clubs well suited for your game.

Low Center of Gravity

The main job of any iron is to get the ball up off the ground. It is not teed up as with a driver, so we need to do most of the work in getting the ball to rise into the air. A great start toward that goal is irons with a low center of gravity (or COG). By putting much of the weight of the club head into the sole of the iron, club builders create that low COG effect. When you strike the ball, the COG will be below the middle of the ball, and therefore cause the ball to climb up into the sky and land softly at its destination.

Don’t go on fighting your clubs thinking there is something wrong with your swing. By making sure that your set of irons is perfect for you, one variable is eliminated from the golf equation. A good idea is to take your current set to the aforementioned club fitting and start there. See what is working and what isn’t with the clubs you have now, and that will give you a place to start when shopping for new sticks. Remember also that irons have a much longer useful life than a driver does, so don’t hesitate to invest some money in set  that you can use for years to come.

Different Types of Golf Clubs

There are many different types of golf clubs that a player can choose from. These clubs are all designed to go different yardages and come in an assortment of different degrees to get the ball in the air. A player can only carry 14 clubs at a time when they play. This usually contains 3 woods, 7 irons, 3 wedges, and a putter.

Woods
Woods are used to hit the ball the farthest. These can be hit anywhere from 200 yards to the pros hitting a driver 350 yards. The driver's club face is big and is the least lofted club in the golf bag. This is why you are allowed to use a tee when you hit your first shot on a hole.

Irons
Irons have club heads made of metal and are typically used when a player is 200 yards and closer to the pin. A 3 iron has more loft than a 9 iron, thus making the 3 iron go further.

Wedges
Wedges are used to strike the ball and make it fly higher into the air, landing on the green soft and with an increased amount of backspin. Wedges are typically used from 110 yards and closer.

Putter
The putter gets the most use out of any other club in the golf bag. It is designed to roll the ball along the green toward the hole. Putters come in all shapes and sizes.

Places To Play Around Topeka

A: Cypress Ridge- This is one of the better quality courses in Topeka. It is challenging for any level golfer. The prices are around $20 for 18 holes.

B: Lake Shawnee Golf Course- This is also one of the better quality courses in Topeka. Prices compare to those of Cypress Ridge. Also has great scenic views of the lake.

C: Berkshire- A very easy golf course for the golfer who only plays a couple times a year. Prices are around $12 for 18 holes.

D: Forbes Field Golf Course- This course is a fun place for the family. It is only a 9 hole course making it the cheapest.

E: Topeka Country Club- This is by far the nicest course to play in Topeka. It is a private course, meaning you have to either be a member or be playing with a member to get on the course.

G: Shawnee Golf Club- Shawnee Golf Club used to be a country club until it started losing money and got bought out. It is a nice design but the course conditions are not the best.

Look Good, Feel Good, Play Better

A large part of playing well in competitive tournaments. Playing well in tournaments requires a great deal of confidence. An easy way to gain confidence is to look good and feel good about yourself. There are many different ways to be unique and every golfer has his own style. The key to looking good is doing it for a low price. (because golf clothes can get a tad bit pricey.) If I had to buy an outfit right now it would be this:

This Adidas golf polo is a high performance shirt. It is made to soak up sweat as well as be light weight and keep you cool. A shirt like this runs around $40. Making it a steal for what its quality. 

I would pick these Adidas shorts for one because they match the shirt perfectly. They are priced around $60 but when it comes to shorts you get what you pay for so that decision is up to you. 

For $100 I just put together a very confident building outfit that will have me playing golf with the utmost confidence. 

Type of Golf Competitions

The two basic forms of playing golf are Match play and Stroke play. Although there are many other tournament formats that exist. Stableford, Four ball, Scramble, and Chapman.

Stroke Play: 
Stroke play is the most common form of competition at most professional tournaments. In stroke play, every player competes all 18 holes and counts the total number of strokes and the player with the lower total score wins.

Match Play:
In match play, two players play ever hole as a separate contest against each other. The player with the lower score wins the hole, regardless of how many shots he won the hole by. If the scores of both players are equal the hole is "haved" (draw). The game is won by the player that wins more holes than the other.

How To Keep Score

Keeping score in golf is sometimes a mystery to those who are unfamiliar with the game. The confusion comes from the idea of the one with the lowest score wins.

Instructions:

1. Count the strokes it takes you to reach each hole and mark it down on the scorecard. 
2. Every time you swing at the ball, it counts as a stroke. Even if you swing and miss it counts as a stroke. (If you are playing by the rules)
3. There are things called penalty strokes. A couple examples of a penalty would be hitting the ball in the water which would be a 1 stroke penalty and you get to drop your ball close to where it entered the hazard. (Marked by a red stake). Another example would be hitting the ball OB (out of bounds). When you hit the ball out of bounds (marked by white stakes), you must place the ball where it was and take a two stroke penalty. So if you hit the ball out of bounds on your first shot, you would then re-tee your ball and would be hitting your third shot. 
4. When you're finished, add up your scores from each hole for a cumulative total. Double check it. If you're playing in a tournament, one of your competitors will be keeping your official score. You must check it and sign your scorecard to make it official. 

Extra Terms:

Each golf hole is a different length. Dependent on the length, it will be categorized as a Par 3, Par 4, and Par 5. Par 3's usually range from 100-225 yards, Par 4's range from 225-500 yards, and Par 5's range from 500-660 yards. 

• Par- The standard score for the hole (Par 4 = 4 on the hole). 
• Birdie- A hole played one stroke under par. (Par 4 = 3 on the hole). 
• Bogey- A hole played one stroke over par (Par 4 = 5 on the hole)
• Double Bogey- A hole played two strokes over par (Par 4 = 6 on the hole) 
• Eagle- A hole played two strokes under par (Par 4 = 2 on the hole)
• Hole in One- A hole played in one shot (Par 3 = 1 on the hole)
• Albatraz- A hole played three stokes under par (Par 5 = 2 on the hole). 

A scratch golfer is a player who averages a round of even par. 

Focus On Your Target

"In golf, what this stationary ball often leads to is attention being drawn exclusively toward the ball, with little or no attention paid to the target" - Andy Griffiths

Just like if you were going to shoot a basketball, you must put your focus for the shot towards the rim. There is no difference when it comes to golf except for the fact that the ball is stationary. If you stand over the ball too long, the harder it will be to perform effectively. Most amateurs place a great deal of thought on the ball and body movements, resulting in the target being lost (mentally). Your main focus should be to get the ball to end up at your target after every shot. Spend most of your time getting zoned into your target rather than being fixated on the ball or even your swing. This is the reason most peoples practice swings are better than their real swings because the don't have the ball in front of them.

Tips to becoming more target oriented:

1. During your pre-shot routine, take a long look at the target and do so with extreme care
2. Visualize the flight of the ball going to the target (or the ball rolling into the hole) 
3. Maintain your awareness of the target as you are about to start your swing/stroke. Stay connected with the target even when you are not looking at it. 
4. Be committed to where you want the ball to go

I personally would say this is the most important aspect of golf. When you are playing, you do not want to be thinking about your swing but instead where you want the ball to go. Playing good golf is about having a clear mind and playing free, allowing the body to perform without interference. The freer the mind the freer the swing. 

For more information visit: How to focus for golf

Pre-Shot Routine

Along with having strong fundamentals, another huge part golf is the pre-shot routine. The importance of the pre-shot routine is to get you mentally prepared for the shot you are about to hit. The importance of a pre-shot routine is to help you get mentally prepared for your current shot. It helps take the pressure out of the moment because you know that if you go through the same routine before every shot that in a sense it is the same shot even though there is a great deal of pressure. It doesn't matter if you are on the course or enjoying a practice session, every shot you hit should include a pre-shot routine. Here are some steps to developing your own routine.

1. Choose your target standing behind the ball. Look down the target line and choose a spot a few feet in front of the ball. Keep your eye on that spot and approach the ball by setting your clubface pointing to the target. 
2. Once club is set, align your body parallel to the target line with the butt (where the shaft meets the club head) of the club pointing to the first belt loop left of your belly button. 
3. When it comes to the grip, hold your club vertically and take your grip while looking down your target line, zeroing in on exactly where you want to hit the ball. 
4. Take a practice swing. Feel the swing and then step back up an address the ball. 
5. Take one last look at your target. Focus on your current swing thoughts and commit to the shot
6. Hit the ball! 

Study the professionals, watch for their pre-shot routine and re-evaluate yours. Find a style that fits your game and has been perfected on the driving range. Remember, it is important to know your pre-shot routine so that you will be prepared to make the best possible swing for the shot at hand.

I believe that this was a relevant topic because I have been in many situations where I needed to hit a specific shot under pressure and with a pre-shot routine it is the same as anything other shot that I had on that day. I see the routine as a way to get away from anything going on that is irrelevant to my current shot. In my pre-shot routine, all my focus is on where I want to hit the ball and how I am going to get there. It is not on my swing. If you're thinking about your swing, you are not going to be swinging as free resulting in not playing to your full potential.

pictures taken from golftoday.co.uk

The Need To Knows About Golf

There is some basic knowledge that I need to make sure you understand before I begin talking in depth about golf. A complete round of golf is 18 holes. There are many people who will only go out and play 9 holes but in a tournament, a "round" is considered to be 18. In college tournaments on the first day we will play 36 holes which can be rather exhausting if you ask me. Some of the more basic rules to golf are that you are not allowed to carry more than 14 clubs in your golf bag otherwise you get penalized. Also you must keep pace of play up. Pace of play for 18 holes is four hours. If you fall behind that an official may put you on the clock meaning that if he or she has to come tell you to play faster again you will be assessed a penalty stroke. Now to the golf swing! The basic fundamentals to a golf swing are typically messed up with most amateur golfers. The things you must take into account before hitting the golf ball are:

1. Alignment (Where am I aimed) 
2. Feet shoulder width apart
3. Eyes behind the golf ball 
4. Hand in front of the ball

If you focus on these things before you swing, it is much easier to distinguish what is wrong within the swing. I know this might be a rather hard concept to catch onto but just keep believing that it will work out and I promise you will begin to see some improvements. Here is a video on how to properly set up to a golf ball. 

Welcome

Learning how to play golf can be a challenging, yet ultimately very rewarding experience. Golf is one of the few sports that can be played for a lifetime and the exciting part is that you’re never too old to pick up the game. Most importantly anybody can play. It doesn't matter if you are tall, short, weak, or even lacking flexibility, there is always a way to hit a golf ball. There are even people out there who are playing with one arm or one leg. Hence why I believe it is the greatest sport ever played. 

With that being said I understand that in the beginning, learning how to play golf can seem like an uphill battle. To save yourself from constant frustration I will keep you guys updated with tips and help on working towards being able to play the wonderful sport of golf. I will also share a little bit on how golf impacts my life personally. 

The first thing to remember when learning how to play golf is to stay patient and positive. Things are not going to always go your way when you are practicing, even I experience that, but you just have to believe you are going to get better. Golf is a sport that until something mentally clicks for you it can seem borderline impossible. I realize that there are number of you who have not played or even watched golf before but I hope through this blog you gain some interest in the sport and hopefully one day want to try it. 

About me

My name is Tyler Wright. I was born and raised in Topeka where I attended Washburn Rural High School. I am an only child and somehow managed to be an only grandchild on my moms’ side. My most notable quality is my personality. I believe that a simple smile can make somebody’s day so why not have one all the time? At Washburn University I play on the golf team while working towards my major in Mass Media with an emphasis in Public Relations.

I can honestly say that if being a golf nerd is possible than I am definitely in that category. It doesn’t matter if it is on TV or if I am playing, everything about the sport interests me. I think it has something to do with the fact that I didn’t start playing until i was in 7th grade.

The reason I believe that I choose public relations is because I love people. It doesn’t matter what background you have anybody can have an intellectual conversation. Another reason being my outgoing personality would not appreciate me sticking it behind a desk in a cubicle after college. I cannot wait to see what this class has in store!