Golf is Hard TV

Posting from 2026!

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 12:00:00 -0400

Hello world!

New Here?

Wed, 13 May 2015 13:00:42 -0500

We realized we haven’t published new shows in a while, but our old catalog is still rocking… check out the Big Show to tune up for this spring!

Fore!

The Big Show

Wed, 13 May 2015 12:44:10 -0500

Welcome to Golf is Hard TV!

If you are new here, like most visitors, check out the 5 seasons of Golf is Hard TV!

Season 1

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL86BD1985F14E47DC

Season 2

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8ka_HIBnKKF7uvPiSamEOlCrHVhMRJc7

Season 3

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8ka_HIBnKKFOlIdu37FmkeolE20q0eP1

Season 4

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8ka_HIBnKKHDEajAA0EpsOGxUGnGZxi4

Season 5

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8ka_HIBnKKEaE5LR1VCKSDLSCiZmoFoe

Top Golf Club Packing Tips

Thu, 07 May 2015 10:27:12 -0500

This is a guest post from Fastlane International. Apologies for the currency being in £ - they are a UK based company.

We know a real player values the tools of his or her trade. You might not be a Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman or a Tiger Woods, but you’re as dedicated as they come. Whatever the reason for needing to ship your clubs, you’ll benefit from these insider tips.

Maybe you’ve just swapped your driver with a Taylor Made R15 or you’ve finally gotten around to clearing out the attic. If you are shipping a club to a buyer, you’ll probably have a golfing eBay store.

SDSU Women’s Golf Team Trick Shot Video

Thu, 19 Feb 2015 12:57:00 -0500

Incredible! Love this!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxR7UW3aeQ0

Best golf resource that has improved your game?

Wed, 28 Jan 2015 20:21:49 -0500

What is the best golf book, video, website or resource you have ever used?

A personal coach?

Lessons?

Books, videos, DVDS?

Whatcha got?

For me (this is Marc), lessons was the big bang for me, coupled with a few pro tips and a lot of time at the range. Now, granted, that got me from shooting in the 110’s to the mid 90’s. Still that’s like 10-15 strokes in about a year. I’m sure if I had played more I would have even done better. I’d be curious to hear more about what you have used? Perhaps Golf is Hard TV episodes have helped?

Happy Holidays

Mon, 22 Dec 2014 19:55:52 -0500

Wishing you and yours a very special, very happy holiday and New Year!

“It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Bubbaclaus" - Golf Video of the Season

Wed, 17 Dec 2014 15:15:29 -0500

[embed]http://youtu.be/8VdTXDrICmU[/embed]

Golf Is Hard TV Season 5 Pass

Tue, 16 Dec 2014 22:31:51 -0500

Can’t get enough of our old Golf is Hard TV episodes? Well get ready for a season pass to season 5 of GIHTV.

[embed]http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8ka_HIBnKKEaE5LR1VCKSDLSCiZmoFoe[/embed]

Golf.

Tue, 16 Dec 2014 21:33:07 -0500

What’s golf again? Someone please remind me. Happy Holidays to all!

First round of... 2011?

Sun, 18 Sep 2011 11:09:07 -0500

I finally got a chance to get out and play a round this year. Incredible and astounding I know. My daughter and I played 9 holes in a father/daughter tournament. I believe we may have finished dead last. The theme of the day was Lady Gaga’s “Edge of Glory” - each shot was preceded by me saying “on the edge” and trying to be as positive at Tony Robbins. It didn’t work, but we had a blast.

Snow in April

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 08:56:42 -0500

Is it really snowing in April? Really? We’re going to have a real problem here Mother Nature! It’s time to pick up the clubs and swing, but I’ve filled my head with the inner workings of the baseball swing in coaching fastpitch softball… it’s going to be a rough season of golf!

Pathetic and Sad

Sat, 13 Nov 2010 14:37:14 -0500

This hasn’t been the greatest golf season either personally or for Golf is Hard TV!

Let’s start with the personal golf side… I played less than 10 rounds this year, the highlight being a 9-hole round with my daughter. I managed to play 2 great courses while on vacation in Myrtle Beach, but outside of that, I made little to no progress on my game and in fact, probably took a big step backwards. I’ve invested a huge amount of time in coaching travel softball, which is eating up most and all of my free time.

GolfisHardTV vs. LifeisHardTV

Sat, 22 May 2010 08:21:41 -0500

What is the first thing you usually do when you get off the golf course? Although your options are many, chances are they include grabbing a bite and/or a beverage at the 19th hole, or heading home to finish off your latest home improvement project. Perhaps you need to stop by the wine shop to pick up something nice for your dinner guests? Or maybe you believe that although you just spent 5 hours on the golf course, you didn’t get much real exercise, so you’re off for a workout. Whatever you typically do after a round, be sure to check out www.lifeishardtv.com first. With close to 40 video posts to date, and many more to come, chances are we talking about something in which you are interested.

Golf is Hard TV #87 - How To Fade/Draw Your Golf Ball

Sun, 02 May 2010 19:12:06 -0500

[embed]http://youtu.be/eeRQ0xAaNq4[/embed]

This is a really simple explanation of how to either fade or draw your ball. Try this out, shape your shots as needed on the course. If you have any questions, please submit a comment and we will be glad top help. Thanks Ron for your help, nice work. Have fun out there.

Golf is Hard TV #86 - Golf Workout

Sun, 25 Apr 2010 11:55:35 -0500

[embed]http://youtu.be/o9qpRpc_8-8[/embed]

In this episode, John from http://www.getupandgofit.com takes Marc through a basic but effective workout for golf. Only on Golf is Hard TV!

Golf is Hard TV #85 - Equipment Review: Drivers, Fairway Woods & Hybrids

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 17:11:25 -0500

[embed]http://youtu.be/8EC-Wiiy94o[/embed]

Ron Nihoff shows off his incredible golf swing and he also previews 2010 models from the “big 3”, Nike, Ping and Callaway. Check out their latest in drivers, fairway woods (metals) and hybrids. If you are local to Tashua Knolls, Trumbull CT, then you won’t want to miss Nike Demo Day on Friday, April 30th from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. You can meet Ron and some of the Nike reps, try out all the latest equipment. Mention Golf is Hard TV and Ron will give you the special member’s discount. Enjoy the episode, and be sure to watch until the very end for a surprise appearance from a special guest! Have fun, now go practice!

Golf is Hard TV #84 - Warming Up For Golf

Sat, 17 Apr 2010 07:35:55 -0500

[embed]http://youtu.be/m7HHa3LyK2k[/embed]

John from Get Up and Go Fit (www.getupandgofit.com) outlines his warm ups:

Single leg swing
Arm circles
Overhead reach
Torso rotation
Torso chest stretch
Squatting lat stretch
Rear delts
Quad stretch
Glute stretch

It should take less than 5 minutes and you will be ready for golf!

Sunday Scramble #2 Winners - Stiletto Green Tool

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 21:52:44 -0500

Congrats to GIHTV’s Sunday Scramble #2 winners, as of Thursday evening at 10:31 p.m., it’s official…we have 10 winners:

1- Monte K. 2- John B. 3- Paula M. 4- Paul L. 5- John C. 6- Greg C. 7- Kevin 8- Vin N. 9- Michael M. 10- Dave C.

The winning answers are:

#1 Tiger eagled holes # 8 and 15 on day 1 of the Masters #2 The foot bridges on hole #12 are named after Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson #3 Hole # 18 at Augusta is named Holly #4 The winner of the 2010 Master, Phil Mickelson

Golf is Hard TV #83 - Sunday Scramble Masters Style

Sun, 11 Apr 2010 17:24:03 -0500

[embed]http://youtu.be/FCfzdi_iPIs[/embed]

It’s Masters Sunday and we are thrilled to present the 2nd Sunday Scramble for our Golf is Hard TV fans! Please watch this episode closely and answer leave a comment with your 4 answers. The first 10 correct answers will win a free Stiletto Green tool free* (* you pay $2.00 shipping, super cheap!).

Starting next week, you’ll be able to purchase the Stiletto Divot tool for just $7 ($5 + $2 shipping) - what a bargain.. now that’s a bargain!

Tiger, Did You Learn Anything?

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 15:57:25 -0500

Golf is Hard TV #82 - Tashua Knolls Update

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 09:39:19 -0500

[embed]http://youtu.be/DLhFmKvZ2p4[/embed]

Coach Dave chats it up with Bobby Brown, General Manager at Tashua Knolls in Trumbull, CT www.tashuaknolls.com. Only on Golf is Hard TV!

Do Golfers Bowl?

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 08:34:52 -0500

Our new friends at Talk Bowling chat us up a bit.. check it out and let us know if you crazy golfers also bowl.

Golf is Hard TV #81 - Getting Ready for Golf

Sat, 03 Apr 2010 06:35:10 -0500

[embed]http://youtu.be/5kCILbRbbLw[/embed]

It’s time to get ready for golf! Coach Dave talks about why it’s important to put the driver away and spend as much time as you can practicing your short game. Only on Golf is Hard TV!

Golf is Hard TV #80 - Trickery

Sun, 28 Mar 2010 10:31:04 -0500

[embed]http://youtu.be/it68wxIFZI4[/embed]

Dave imitates the famous Tiger Wood commercial with less than stellar results.

Golf is Hard TV #79 - Scramble Recap

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 19:30:23 -0500

[embed]http://youtu.be/zc0sysoI4DM[/embed]

We recap the first ever Sunday Scramble and tee up the next one, coming in April. Dave pitches Heavy Putter like a guy who makes a commission.

Injuries are a Blessing in Golf

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 08:45:04 -0500

Marc has presented us with an opportunity to address an interesting issue…the effects of minor injuries on your golf game. More often than not, I have seen minor injuries actually help a person play better golf (although in Marc’s case, it may be a bit more difficult since he has “broken” his finger). Fingers are obviously a very important part of the anatomy invloved in swinging the club, but at least it’s only his right pinky-finger. He may be able to get away with some short swings, and possibly some full swings with lighter grip pressure. This means that Marc should still be able to practice his short game and putting, and the mishap will definitely promote lighter grip pressure. We have repeatedly recommended here that we all spend more than 1/2 of all practice time on our short game and reduce our grip pressure dramatically (see prior eps on “grip”). This injury will be a blessing for Marc’s game.

Broken Finger

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:15:40 -0500

Darn you March Madness.

For the first time in maybe 20 years, I ventured out to play some pickup basketball, possibly fueled by watching March Madness.

Within a few minutes, a hard pass bounced off my right pinky finger and I knew I was in trouble. 12 hours later, I now know it’s broken (slight break) and splinted. I had big plans to get out and hit some balls this weekend, but instead, I will now be sucking on ice.

Golf is Hard TV Golf Shop

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:27:25 -0500

Welcome shoppers, to the newest feature on Golf is Hard TV… it’s the official Golf is Hard TV golf shop! Our golf shop is connected to the “Sunday Scramble” and features key items at great prices that you can only get from your friends Marc and Dave at GIHTV!

Check out our first set of products by clicking the “Golf Shop” Button above or this handy dandy “Golf Shop” link.

Sunday Scramble Winners - Nice Job!

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:23:44 -0500

Congrats to the 10 winners of GIHTV’s first-ever Sunday Scramble. Here are the answers to the questions along with our winners:

Computer Associates
Ernie Els
Puerto Rico. We also accepted Innisbrook (“this” week’s tourney) because my question was a little confusing.
Masters, US Open, British Open (a.k.a The Open Champ), PGA Championship Side note: the majors are not “run” by the PGA tour (my bad). Thanks Jeremy for clarification.

The winners, along with submission time and date, are:

Sunday Scramble Update

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:35:20 -0500

We have 7 winners, all prior submissions were correct. Need 3 more…answer the questions for a free Heavy Putter (+ nominal shipping cost)

Golf is Hard TV #78 - Sunday Scramble Heavy Putter Giveaway

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 16:24:11 -0500

[embed]http://youtu.be/IVL1KXYKHEc[/embed]

It’s finally here! The very first of monthly Sunday Scrambles here at Golf is Hard TV. Be one of the 1st 10 people to answer these 4 golf trivia questions and win a free Heavy Putter (you only pay the shipping cost of $10).

Here are the questions:

What does “CA” stand for in this week’s WGC event, the CA Championship?
Who was the winner of the 2010 CA Championship?

Golf is Hard TV #77 - Sunday Scramble

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 19:18:28 -0500

[embed]http://youtu.be/AFLJLKiB1DU[/embed]

Introducing a new feature here on Golf is Hard TV… it’s the sunday scramble where YOU get great deals on a single item… in this episode we discuss what Sundway Scramble is, and is not.

Please do leave your feedback and stay tuned for our very first scramble tomorrow, March 14th!

For the first ever scramble, we are giving away 10 Heavy Putters to the first 10 fans that answer three golf trivia questions correctly. We will post the questions next Sunday during the PGA Tour event. If you are not lucky enough to win one of the first 10, you can buy one here for less than the retail price of $119.99 anytime going forward.

Golf is Hard TV #76 - Snow Putting

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 10:18:12 -0500

http://youtu.be/3QbRCPDMEOE

We couldn’t wait - so we went out in the snow tried a short putting lesson. Only on Golf is Hard TV!

GIHTV's 1ST Sunday Scramble - Coming March 14th

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:35:37 -0500

GIHTV fans, see our upcoming video about the long-awaited Sunday Scramble. We are giving away 10 Heavy Putters to the first 10 fans that answer three golf trivia questions correctly. We will post the questions next Sunday during the PGA Tour event. If you are not lucky enough to win one of the first 10, you can buy one here for much less than the retail price of $119.99 anytime going forward.

Don't Rush Tiger

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 07:57:29 -0500

By now you have all seen Tiger’s public statement and you have likely read and heard most of main-stream media’s comments and predictions about what is next and “best” for Tiger. If you are an ESPN fan, you may have witnessed Woody Paige’s (panelist on Around The Horn) idiotic claim that Tiger must and will return for the Masters, that Tiger “owes” it to the PGA Tour to return to golf. Fellow pro golfer Ernie Els stated that Tiger was “selfish” to make his public statement during the Accenture Match Play event (although I think he later retracted his selfish statement). In short, those who really care about Tiger getting his personal life in order know that it will likely take an extended period of time.

Golf is Hard #75 - Swing Weight Explained

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 11:31:05 -0500

I asked Stephen Boccieri to explain swing weight to me, and we ended up getting a great episode out of it… if you’ve ever wondered what swing weights are, this is the Golf is Hard TV episode for you!

Warning: this is pure golf geekery… enjoy.

http://youtu.be/JyErixQx5vk

Ditka

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 07:18:19 -0500

[caption id="" align=“alignleft” width=“320” caption=“Good Morning Mike!”][/caption]

The name says it all, doesn’t it? Say it with me… Ditka. Ditka, Ditka.

Aside from his role in that terrible Will Ferrell film, Mike Ditka is an iconic figure that transcends football. The classic SNL parody of him is legendary, as is his secure place as one of the all-time great football coaches.

I got an e-mail from Brooke at Geneva Hospitality who asked me to blog Ditka’s upcoming annual golf tournament. This is the 2nd year of the event and all proceeds will be going to “Gridion Greats,” a charity that provides financial assistance and coordinates social services to retired NFL players in need who are pioneers of the game and have greatly contributed to the NFL’s status as the most popular sport in America.

Golf Cart 1, Jim Leyland's Toe 0

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:10:22 -0500

I was poking around some news sites today and came across this doozy of a story. Apparently, Leyland’s third base coach ran over Jim’s toe and broke it. Ouch.

In other news, we got a least a foot of snow here in CT. When will it be golf season again? I’m tired of complaining, but sheesh, enough is enough already!

Golf Digest Classifieds

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:28:16 -0500

Who else loves Golf Digest classifieds? Go on, admit it. You look. You know you do. I’m sitting here watching the Seminoles beat down North Carolina (hold on boys.. game’s not over yet!) and flipping through some back issues and came across some real doozies that I had to share.

Am I that desperate for new golf blog content? Apparently so!

Anyway, here are a few good ones. The Golf Knickers folks (you’ll have to guess at the URL, I’m not linking to them!) has an awesome photo of a guy in some cool red knickers. The hat matches the pants and his argyle socks complete the picture. Umm, no.

Golf Musings

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:50:41 -0500

It’s the end of February and we’re faced with yet another snow storm coming later this week. Sigh. I haven’t had time to work on my putting like I have in the past and I’m feeling way behind the eight ball for this coming golf season. I’m starting to come up with some goals for this year outside of a desire to simply play more golf.

First of all, this year I think I’ll focus more on having fun and less on shooting lower and lower scores. That said, I’d love to be able to consistently break 95 and maybe, once shoot a 90 at Tashua Knolls.

Golf is Hard TV #74 - The Heavy Wedge

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 16:19:19 -0500

http://youtu.be/DGIcJeU7sEU

We continue our series at Boccieri Golf and get to try out the new Heavy Wedge!

First, let us apologize for some fuzzy video towards the middle and end of this video. All we can say is, oops.

More importantly, let’s talk about what it felt like to swing this new club. Fundamentally, both the Heavy Putter and the Heavy Wedge are different than other clubs. By putting a backweight inside the handle, the club is completely balanced differently than what most of us have in our bags today. As I understand it, this radically changes how the club feels and works in your hands.

Free Golf Directory

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:06:43 -0500

Get ready for pure golf directory awesomeness…

We’re thrilled to launch our latest new feature - a free golf directory!

Here’s the deal - we love great golf businesses, cool golf stuff and tricked out golf social networks. Our directory will one day be the golf directory envy of the entire golfing world. Really. It will.

But right now, we need your help. We need listings! Do you have a favorite golf website or blog, or perhaps run one yourself? Please submit your listings today! Once you submit your listing, we’ll check you out and approve you, ensuring worldwide attention and amazing new traffic to your site. Really! Well, we’ll see.

Golf is Hard TV#73 - Boccieri Golf

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 20:36:38 -0500

http://youtu.be/OZflwt9TAfI

We spent quality time with Boccieri Golf shooting multiple epsisodes at their world HQ in CT. In this first episode, Marc spends time with Steven Boccieri learning about their classic heavy and mid-weight putters as well as the new lite-weight putter and the all new heavy wedge!

We love talking golf with Steven because to us, he’s the wonderfully mad golf scientist. His depth of knowledge on the science of the golf swing is astounding - if we had only taped the 45 minute chat we had BEFORE we remembered to turn on the cameras! Stay tuned for more with Bocceri including a lesson in swing weights coming soon.

Deal of the Day?

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 17:31:13 -0500

I just so happened to be in Costco earlier today in CT and saw a set of Taylormade R7 XD’s and thought it might be a pretty sweet deal at $310.

I found the same set on Overstock at $453 and what I think is the same set at Golf Galaxy for $399.

Happy shopping!

Sunday Scramble on GIHTV - You Will Want To Be Here!

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:00:50 -0500

Sitting here trying to get excited about watching the 2nd round of whatever tournament they are playing this week on Tour. Mickelson (Phil, I think), isn’t even on page two of the leaderboard, yet during his interview after the second round he’s talking about how he can come back to win. The Tour is doing everything possible to create drama, and ratings…Tiger, please come back soon!!

There is much hype and drama being created here at GIHTV however. In addition to offering new, cool and helpful golf products in 2010 at a substantial discount from retail, we will be giving away a limited number of some items on the last Sunday of the month in which we introduce them. This is what will become famously known as the Sunday Scramble.

Golf is Hard TV Season 2 Kick Off #72

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 12:37:58 -0500

It’s season 2 of Golf is Hard TV! We kick off the new season with some chatter about Tiger, the new grooves and generally catch up with you. We’re are excited for season 2! Look for a future blog post that will highlight some of the top shows form season 1 (2009) and lots more to come. Meanwhile, catch up with us right now and help celebrate season 2 of Golf is Hard TV!

Groovy Baby

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 21:18:27 -0500

For the average golfer, I’m wondering if all this talk (and sales of new clubs) of the new groove specification is even worth a blog post. Probably not, as you are about to find out.

I’ve read 2 or 3 forgettable articles about the new grooves and listened to some talking heads on The Golf Channel yap about how our favorite PGA players will have to adjust quickly. True as that may be, I’m afraid that it’s a bunch of hype for us average and high handicap golfers.

Test Post

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 23:21:41 -0500

Ok… you can just ignore this.. the gnomes (err, the groundhogs) are doing some maintenance and are upgrading the blog to a new version (Wordpress 2.9.1) and testing some new cool plug-ins… if it worked, you are reading this!

If it worked, this post should also show up auto-magically on tumblr, Twitter and Delicious! Let’s hope so…

RIP Bill Powell

Sun, 03 Jan 2010 15:51:42 -0500

As I was thumbing through the New York times, I came across the obit section and the headline “Bill Powell, 93, Who Faced Racism With a Golf Course” caught my eye.

In reading the obituary, I was amazed to read about this man, who I had never heard of before and his love of golf. Powell was an amazing guy and certainly loved the game of golf. He died last week in Ohio after being “shunned” from the sport that he loved for more than 60 years.

Free Downloads

Sat, 02 Jan 2010 11:29:57 -0500

Download these free Golf is Hard TV goodies designed to help your game! Bookmark this page and check back for more freebies—or even better, keep reading the Golf is Hard TV blog and watching new episodes.

Freebie #1

Golfer Self Evaluation Give your golf game a simple evaluation!

Freebie #2

Distance Tracker Easily track how far you hit each club!

Partnerships

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 17:31:42 -0500

Golf is Hard is passionate about golf… everything about golf! We are interested in your products, your web site, your business ideas. Please contact us right away to talk about how we can partner together. Heck, we’re even interested in non-golf related things that golfers like us love!

Happy 2010 GIHTV Fans! My Golf Story...What's Yours?

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 10:28:00 -0500

First, Thanks Marc for a killer New Year’s Eve party last night, great people, great food and a house full of nice kids.

For all of you folks out there living in a cold, snowy winter climate, remember that you can continue to improve your game without even touching a club. Putt and chip around the house during the winter, exercise 3-4 times per week, stretch your golf muscles (very important), review our episodes about grip, posture, putting and chipping. Incorporate some of these thoughts and you will continue to improve your game all winter long. Oh…and as you are going to sleep, think about hitting good golf shots.

We were chatting about childhood experiences last night and after reminiscing about all the wild, crazy and at times dangerous stuff we did, the topic of golf came up. “What’s the craziest thing that you ever did on a golf course?”, Marc asked. The story I chose to tell went something like this (all names have been changed to protect the innocent):

It was a slightly warmer, sunny winter day in February back in 1985, all the snow had melted and the smell of golf was in the air (what does golf smell like in February in New England you ask? In my house it smelled like fresh pasta sauce simmering for hours with meatballs and hot Italian sausage permeating throughout…on Sundays anyway. Back to the story…there was a really nice, haughty, private country club in town that you could only play if you were fortunate enough to be a member. My friends and I were not that fortunate, but we did have the major golf itch going and our sticks were shined up and ready to go. We joked about sneaking on the play the country club, the jokes progressed to plans, which later became reality.

The railroad tracks leading to some point on the golf course seemed to be the safest and smartest access route to temptation. We could park at a nearby small vacant lot and walk along the tracks for about 1/4 mile, taking us to the 12th tee. No one would question our car being parked there and if a train came by hopefully the conductor wouldn’t call us in. Since there were no cell phones back then, probably a safe bet. Who would he call anyway? The club was closed.

I don’t remember many of the shots I hit during that 7-hole round except for the 1st swing with a driver. It was 40 degrees, I was wearing a heavy jacket and hadn’t touched a club in months, I thought that just making contact would be good enough. It went about 200 yards, somewhat straight. Good enough. The adrenaline rush caused by our mis-adventure made it seem even better. Oh yeah…one other thing I will never forget, my buddy Jerry had to run off into the woods to relieve himself (I still can’t believe he had a roll of TP in his golf bag!).

Email us your golf stories folks, we will gladly publish them.

We hope your New Year is healthy and happy and you get to play a bit more golf.

About

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 13:43:01 -0500

Golf is Hard TV is…“The golf show for the rest of us!"

Golf is Hard TV is the golf show for the rest of us, the most passionate golf show on the internet that was created to take a look at the lighter side of the game. At Golf is Hard TV, golfers of all abilities can improve their games and interact about anything related to golf.

We discuss topics realistically including equipment, etiquette, Jr. golf, attire, rules, etc. This interactive golf show is where golfers can ask questions, send in video and get real answers about their games, always FREE. The founders of Golf is Hard TV know what average golfers like us want.

A Dying Game?

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:45:00 -0500

This article got us a little heated today. Titled ‘Bunker Mentality’ it’s a bit of a rant about how our president should give up golf because it’s a dying sport and that golf is somehow a “leisure activity that screams stodgy, hyperconventional Old Guard."

Perhaps.

Here’s Golf is Hard TV’s perspective instead. Golf is anything but a dying game. It’s an opportunity to reconnect with the outdoors, friends and family. It’s about challening yourself to a crazy hard game just because. As for the President of the United States, please give the man an opportunity to focus on a small white ball once in a while, just to clear his head a little!

All that said, the article points out that “the number of Americans who golf has fallen by four million.” It also points out that “men once free to spend all weekend on the links are now expected to help shuttle the kids to soccer (excuse me… coach soccer!), walk the dog (he’s so cute!), and generally pull their weight on the home front."

You got us there, not that there is anything wrong with paying attention to your family on a regular basis. We coach, we shuttle and we generally try to shoe-horn in our golf obsession. It is what it is we say.

As for our president, so long as it’s a balanced obsession, like ours, we say tee it up man!

Thank You GIHTV Fans

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 18:09:00 -0500

Dear GIHTV Fans,

We want to thank all of you for your support and loyalty throughout this incredibly remarkable year. We have made friends from around the world; more proof that golf is a sport of all ages, races, backgrounds and levels of ablility. From golf club owners, to industry folks, to beginning and advanced golfers looking for a bit of help and support, we thank you all. Hopefully we have provided insight to all.

Here are some 2009 highlights from Golf is Hard TV:

Basement golf: putting and fundamentals made easy
Watching golfers: a realistic look at what we are all doing out there
Golf social networks: Marc’s opinion of the best
Instruction: All the basics, archived on our site. More to come with real golfers
Tashua Knolls: Our home course, interview with Bobby Brown, club fitting with
Ron Nihoff
Creating Passion: Teaching new golfers (Pauline and Kate), more to follow. If
you want to be featured on this segment, let us know.
Equipment: A look at the new Heavy Putter and interview with the inventor
Gadgets: Our critique on funky golf items
Q & A: Your questions, our answers

Why else do we consider this to be a remarkable year?

Michelle Wie won
Tom Watson didn’t, but made us all believe
Tiger lost (dude, why did you get married? see Jeter’s website)
The Yankees won (yay!) and the Red Sox lost (ugh!)

Things to look forward to in 2010:

More “watching golfers”
Creating new passioniate golfers (you are invited)
Customized video analysis - send us your video and questions
The “Foursome” - average guys trying to get in a round of golf
Instruction kept simple and achievable
New topics
Beyond golf: max your day, keep your family happy, stay in shape, cook a great meal, get in better shape, lose weight, upgrade your tech life, have a killer lawn, coach kids’ sports, home projects, save money and tons more stuff as we think of it…

As we did last year, here are the Golf is Hard TV stats, for you stat hungry monsters:

Almost 12,000 visits
You spent almost 3 minutes per visit with us!
66% of you were new to our site - welcome to Golf is Hard TV
70+ new and unique Golf is Hard TV episodes
More than 2,000 Twitter fans
More than 80,000 total video views - really, wow!

2010 promises to be a big, big year… stay tuned, and keep giving us your feedback!

Arnold Makes an Arnold

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 16:39:00 -0500

How did I miss this? Had you seen this? Awesome.

Happy Holidays GIHTV Fans!

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:09:00 -0500

We do appreciate the guest blog post from Mikael below, more evidence as to why golf is hard, and why we as instructors can make it that much more difficult. Although some of what he offers is helpful, his “#1 Golf Tip for Beginners” actually contains so many tips and thoughts that even I was confused. This is the opposite of what we are trying to accomplish here at GIHTV, which is, keep it simple and achievable. Not a slam on our guest blog, we just want our fans to be clear as to the source of instruction here at GIHTV. Be confident knowing that you can find what you need here broken down into various simple instructional episodes. Just click on the links on the left.

Marc and I are jacked to move into our second year. We have learned a ton from you and truly appreciate our thousands of fans. Keep an eye out for an interesting look at the golf world and beyond in 2010. If there is anything you would like us to address in ‘10, let us know. Send an email, comment on our site, or attach a video. We answer all.

We wish you all a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season and New Year!

Thanks again for your interest in GIHTV!

Coach Dave and Marc

Guest Blog Post: Golfandcarts.com

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 13:45:00 -0500

This winter, Golf is Hard TV is spreading it’s wings a little and is inviting golf bloggers from around the world to contribute to the conversation. If you are interested in blogging on Golf is Hard TV (or videoblogging), please drop us a line and let us know who you are, and what you want to talk about.

I’m thrilled to present Mikael Rieck who is a passionate golf enthusiast from Europe. He is the lead contributor at Golfandcarts.com.

With that, here’s Mikael’s post, reiterating much of what you may have heard Coach Dave talk about during this past season of Golf is Hard TV!

#1 Golf Tip for Beginners

Are you looking to get into the sport of golf? If so, you’re about to make one of the greatest decisions of your life. Why do you think so many people play golf? It’s because once they start playing, it’s very difficult for them to stop. Golf is unlike any other sport in many ways. First of all, unless you’re constantly playing the same course, you’re always going to see new challenges and scenery. It’s not like a basketball court or a baseball field, where the dimensions always remain the same. Secondly, if you fail, you only have yourself to blame. This can be a good thing, as it keeps the challenge alive and constantly makes you want to get better. Thirdly, it’s one of the few sports where you can actually relax and have a good time while playing. It’s not a high-intensity sport. People who play high-intensity sports eventually burn out. Not only will you avoid that with golf, but it’s also a lifetime sport. All that said, if you’re going to play golf, you’re obviously going to want to do it well. Several golf training tips can be found below, as well as one super tip.

The first thing you need to do prior to approaching that first tee is grip the club. If you’re a beginner, then you’re probably going to want to grip the club tight. This will make you feel as though you have more control, but what you’re actually doing is reducing control and club head speed. Without control and power, you’re not going to have much success. Therefore, there is a good tip to remember, and it’s a tip that even many professionals use. The rule is to imagine you’re holding a baby bird when you grip the golf club. You don’t want to let it get away, but you don’t want to choke it, either.

When it comes to grips, there are three options. These are the overlapping grip, the interlocking grip and the baseball grip. Many people will say that the baseball grip is the best for beginners, but what happens if you begin using the baseball grip? You get used to it and never change it. This is bad because it’s not the most effective grip. It’s only a good option if you have weak wrists. Otherwise, you should use the overlapping grip. It offers the most potential for distance and control. To use the overlapping grip, point the club away from you at a 45 degree angle (with right hand). Place your left hand on the club with your thumb pointing up. Then place your right fingers over your left hand. Place right thumb up but slightly to left. Of course, this will be easier to understand by looking at a picture of watching a video. Just do a search for ‘overlapping grip’ and follow the instructions provided. The important thing is to use the correct grip from the beginning.

Stance is also going to be a key. There are a lot of golfers who have a great swing, but their aim is always off. The funny thing is that they’re often in denial about it, so they keep hitting the same poor shots over and over again. It’s important you don’t become one of those people. As far as aim goes, always make sure your weight is equally distributed. For drives, place inside of front foot slightly ahead of the ball. When hitting irons, make sure ball is centered in your stance. Either way, make sure your feet and body are aligned with the target. Equally important to aim is relaxation. If you’re not relaxed, your body cannot perform at its peak level. If you are relaxed, you will have a more fluid motion. As far as bending at the knees or not, it’s often a good idea, but it really depends on what you’re comfortable with. One universal rule is to keep your weight on the balls of your feet, not your toes or heels.

Backswing and downswing are very important. For your backswing, remember to turn your chest away from your target. This will keep you focused on your target and not on your arms. Also remember that speed on your backswing means nothing. It’s all about tempo. For more power, remember to cock your wrists. This will increase club head speed. For a successful downswing, try to turn your midsection (not your arms) toward your target.

Sometimes you can read so much about golf fundamentals and tips that it can make your head spin. All it does is confuse you. These tips were meant to be generalized and easy to understand so a beginner will actually be able to benefit from them. These tips, along with quality golf equipment, will allow you to reach your highest current potential. But before we end this tip sheet, it’s time for your super tip. The super tip will help you with consistency for straight golf shots. Here is your super tip: Always remember to begin your downswing prior to completing your backswing. While you might sacrifice a little power, it will keep you from using your arms, which will in turn lead to straighter shots, and make you a consistent golfer.

For only $18,000

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 08:39:00 -0500

We get A LOT of e-mail here at Golf is Hard TV, and usually, the spam and product pitches hit meet our delete button. Mostly.

Sometimes though, we get something that strikes us as funny or out of control enough that we feel the need to share.

So we’re sharing this doozy.

Here’s the basics. For around $18,000 you too can get a “golf car” (please don’t say cart) that has a built-in refrigerator and let’s you customize the color (Can I get mine painted in mud color with flaps?).

Our favorite part of the e-mail is where they compare the golf car(t) to an actual automobile, which for whatever reasons struck us as funny.

Built to the highest standards of the automotive industry The Garia features a double wishbone front suspension similar to those found in sports cars and inspired by Formula 1 cars. The drive train is built by an Italian company that also produces Ducati gearboxes. The aluminum profiles in the frame are made by the same company that supplies aluminum profiles to Aston Martin, Jaguar and Volvo. Hydraulic brakes on all four wheels with discs in the front and drums at the rear. The Garia is manufactured at the Valmet Automotive factory in Finland, manufacturer of the Porsche Cayman and Porsche Boxster.

Silly.

Happy Thanksgiving Golfers!

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:09:00 -0500

Here’s to a fully belly, time with family and perhaps… a round before watching football :)

Golf is Hard TV #71 - Club Fitting Insights

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 10:24:00 -0500

http://youtu.be/bUlP5CSJOLw

Our last show with Ron from Tashua Knolls on club fitting. Get the insights and see how club fitting really works.

Golf is Hard TV #70 - Club Fitting Series 2

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:15:00 -0500

This video is… missing. We’re looking for it.

More with Ron on club fitting! The 2nd (and long awaited) in our 3 part club fitting series.

Golf is Hard TV #69 - Club Fitting

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 09:57:00 -0500

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy9QTQsyzxk

Get ready for club fitting! This 3 episode series features Ron Nihoff, a Nike rep who is stationed at Tashua Knolls about the importance of club fitting. L

earn more here: http://www.tashuaknolls.com/pro_shop.php and look up your local club fitter by talking to a golf pro or visiting a local golf shop.

Golf is Hard TV #68 - Creating Passionate Golfers

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:51:00 -0500

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W18DfSvHwVU

In this latest creating passionate golfers, Paulina and Kate get a quick putting lesson, then compete for honors! Only on Golf is Hard TV!

Golf is Hard TV #67 - Kate's Confessional

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:49:00 -0500

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W18DfSvHwVU

Kate talks about her journey on Golf is Hard TV in this confessional, part of our “creating passionate golfer” series.

Golf is Hard TV #66 - Creating Passionate Golfers 5 - Paulina

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:54:00 -0500

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bkX2DiOjBo

Paulia tell us all about her experience in becoming a passionate golfer, only on Golf is Hard TV.

For more information on Paulina Plazas, visit her IMDB page and check out her film Dona Blanca.

Golf is Hard TV #65 - Creating Passionate Golfers 03

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 20:26:00 -0500

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QcT5WsMC4Q

Golf is Hard TV is thrilled to present the 3rd episode in our “Creating Passionate Golfers” series featuring actresses Paulina and Kate. Stay tuned for more including confessionals and a putting contest coming soon! Only on https://golfishardtv.com

For more information on Paulina Plazas, visit her IMDB page and check out her film Dona Blanca.

Photos from New Creating Golfers Episodes

Sun, 06 Sep 2009 14:55:00 -0500

We know you are patiently waiting for the new “Creating Passionate Golfers” episodes which are coming soon, we promise… for now, check out some photos from our recent shoot.

For more information on Paulina Plazas, visit her IMDB page and check out her film Dona Blanca.

Golf is Hard TV #64 - Yah-dage

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 22:00:00 -0500

How do you know how far you are from the pin without a fancy GPS or iPhone? Watch Golf is Hard TV #64 to learn all about yah-dage.

Cheers!

Sat, 29 Aug 2009 13:39:00 -0500

I was peeking at our visitor information and wanted to say hello to visitors from around the world! In top order, here are your custom shout outs!

Sup Americanos?

Cheers to you blokes in the UK

Bonjour to our French and French Canadian fans!

Hallo to Netherlands!

Merhaba to you people in Turkey (really?)

Hallo mein German fans

Just for fun, here are some fun numbers from our top 10 country visitors:

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 63 - Ground Under Repair

Sat, 29 Aug 2009 12:17:00 -0500

A quick little episode that talks about ground under repair, only on Golf is Hard TV!

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 62 - Secret Tee Box - Re-edited!

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 20:31:00 -0500

If you ever have a chance to play the executive course at Tashua Knolls (it's called Tashua Glen), be sure to find this "secret tee" box! Watch this episode to learn more...

Hello world!

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:27:53 -0500

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

Free Golf is a Business Model

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 13:44:00 -0500

I just finished reading Chris Anderson’s “Free” which, if you are interested at all in business models and the Internet you should read immediately.

Golfblogger recently posted about a course in Michigan who is trying to use “Free” as a business model. Rather than repost much here, I encourage you to check out the post and consider the implications!

That said, here’s the basic nut:

Last spring, Lake Forest Golf Club in Ann Arbor offered a two year, weekday pass for $200. Since the regular price for walking a round is $25, after the fourth round each year, you’re effectively playing free golf.

Free golf clubs, balls, cart rentals or vacations anyone?

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 61 - Red Stakes

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 10:04:00 -0500

http://youtu.be/3kTFJ62y25Q

This would be a better episode if it were about cooking steak, but as it were, it’s about what happens when your ball goes past red stakes. I guess I’m just hungry.

Emotionally Attached to a Golf Ball

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:09:00 -0500

<img style=“float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 387px;” src=“http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sZ6sMkNL6lM/So3v5uwG9iI/AAAAAAAADkE/XaWscjK87P0/s400/golfball.jpg" border=“0” alt=““id=“BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372213705604265506” />
I spent the week in Hilton Head and had a chance to play 2 nice golf courses - Barony and Oyster Reef. For the record, I really loved Oyster Reef, it was challenging and gorgeous - a terrific combination for sure.

I had a new box of Slazenger Raw balls with me and got out 2 boxes for that first round at Barony. On the 4th hole, a 364 yard (blue tees) par 4 I jacked my tee shot dead left into the rough. I hit a provisional ball a country mile but wanted to see if I could find my first ball and play it out of the woods.

After a few minutes of looking, I spotted 2 balls buried under some leaves, neither of which was my own. I traded the lost Slazenger for a Titelist and a TiTech and played my 2nd tee shot.

Cut to 2 days later, about halfway through my round at Oyster Reef. I hit an errant tee shot on #6, a gorgeous par 3 overlooking a lake butting up against the harbor. I managed to find my ball and as I looked down, I realized that it was that same Ti Tech that I had found at Barony. Some 18 holes later, I was still playing with the same ball!

I resolved to finish the Oyster Reef round with this scuffed mess of a ball. On the 8th (we played the back first, so this was the next to last hole of the day), I hit my 3 hybrid about 200 yards to the right, and headed towards trees. I yelled “no” and desperately wanted my new favorite ball of all time to bounce back from the forest. To my shock, the ball came bounding off a tree and landed on the green!

I knew I had a special ball, one that was going to do whatever it had to in order to stick with me, unlike those ungrateful Slazengers. Jerks.

In any case, I 3-putted my friend for a bogey 5 (no one said the ball you have become attached to will actually go in the hole in less shots!) and headed to my last hole of the day.

After somnething like 32 holes, I teed up a ball that I had strangely become quite emotionally attached to. My tee shot was again errant, this time slicing sharply to the left behind a tree jutting out into the fairway. I saw it bounce and I was elated. I was going to find it!

I drove up and found my ball laying in a deep bed of leaves and had only one shot - a safe play back to the fairway. Unfortunately, I thinned it and flew it over the fairway into a bunker. I tried to play a 7 iron out and thinned it again - my best friend ever landed back in the bunker, unwilling at this point to even leave my side.

A quick chip shot landed me in the fairway where I hit a beautiful 3 wood about 220 yards to the front of the green. I chipped it close and 2-putted for a triple bogey 8… but had managed to finish the round with this beautiful, mess of a ball that I might take home and put away forever.

Either that or I’ll tee it up and see how much magic is left!

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 60 - Creating Passionate Golfers 2

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 03:45:00 -0500

We're back with more of Paulina and Kate, this time checking their initial swing and knowledge of golf. Get ready for some laughs and some fun!

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 60 - Creating Passionate Golfers 2

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 20:45:00 -0500

http://youtu.be/Op4fXECmpTA

We’re back with more of Paulina and Kate, this time checking their initial swing and knowledge of golf. Get ready for some laughs and some fun!

For more information on Paulina Plazas, visit her IMDB page and check out her film Dona Blanca.

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 59 - Creating Passionate Golfers

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:07:00 -0500

http://youtu.be/iZ9lcvcBRHU

Golf is Hard TV wants more people to play golf. We’re taking things into our own hands by creating some new golfers… Join actresses Paulina and Kate in this pilot episode.

For more information on Paulina Plazas, visit her IMDB page and check out her film Dona Blanca.

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 58 - Ball Position

Sun, 09 Aug 2009 14:02:00 -0500

http://youtu.be/-8S339KWXCM

Where you put the golf ball turns out is quite important… who knew! Golf is Hard Episode 58 takes a closer look at why an inch here or there makes a difference.

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 57 - Marc's Casting Call

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 06:10:00 -0500

If you saw episode 57, you know all about casting... now watch as Marc gets an on camera lesson in Golf is Hard TV, episode 57!

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 57 - Marc's Casting Call

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 23:10:00 -0500

http://youtu.be/9-uB6W92Xd4

If you saw episode 57, you know all about casting… now watch as Marc gets an on camera lesson in Golf is Hard TV, episode 57!

The Long Awaited Pink Diva Golf Interview

Sat, 01 Aug 2009 13:47:00 -0500

I’ve been waiting for months to finally get my chance to interview the mysterious Sheila, aka “Pink Diva” after reading her blog and trading messages with her on Twitter. I’m thrilled to unleash the Pink Diva Golf on Golf is Hard TV. We love Pink Diva Golf not only because we love female golfers, but because we are both proud dads who have our own golf girls.

Q: Pink Diva’s Motto: Girls Golf, Get Over It! - talk to me… who needs to get over what, and why?
Let’s face it - golf is still a male-dominated sport. The motto is simply a light-hearted way to say girls are passionate about golfing too!

Q: What is Pink Diva Golf and what is the inspiration behind it?
Pink Diva Golf is an online golf boutique that offers women’s golf t-shirts, jewelry, and accessories with a hip, trendy golf theme. I was inspired to start Pink Diva because I couldn’t find fun, girly golf shirts to wear on or off the golf course. And when I say girly, that’s code for pink golf wear! Our golf boutique is unique because we carry one-of-kind items, exclusive to Pink Diva Golf and not the usual big-name golf brands.

Q: Does the Diva got game? How often do you play?
The Diva is working on her golf game – no handicap yet. But I found a fantastic local LPGA golf instructor who has really helped me improve in the past year and I recently joined my local Executive Women’s Golf Association (EWGA) chapter. My biggest challenge is finding people to golf with, so joining my local EWGA will be a great way to start playing more often. Right now I usually play two or three times a month.

Q: What’s one message you would love to give the next guy who plays a golf round with you?
I am a pretty competitive person, so you may think it’s a casual round of golf - but I’m really trying to figure out how to beat you! (Golf is Hard TV note: Bring it any time Pink Diva!)

Q: Do guys like playing golf with women? Why/why not?
That’s a trick question, right? I think it depends on the player! There are many men who love to play golf with women and others who are more comfortable playing only with the “boys.” Regardless of the sport, I think players should learn and follow the rules of the game and do their best. In golf, players should make sure they’re keeping up with the pace of play and following etiquette. I’ve seen both men and women not follow the rules at times, but it seems women golfers get a bad rap for this – and that’s not always true!

Q: Can you tell us about the new Pink Diva website and the “Golf Bling” line of apparel?
Yes. We have redesigned the Pink Diva Golf website with a new look and feel, including an easier to use online store! The website still offers a golf boutique shopping experience with one-of-kind t-shirts, jewelry and accessories, but also a new line of Golf Bling shirts! What is Golf Bling you ask? Take a high quality ladies t-shirt, add Swarovski crystals, and arrange them into a stylish golf design and you got Golf Bling! The jeweled shirts are available in five styles, including Kiss My Putt, Par-Tee, I “Heart” Golf, Golfer Girl and our classic Pink Diva logo.

For more info, visit Pink Diva’s newly redesigned site and her terrific Pink Diva Golf blog.

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 56 - Castaway

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 04:04:00 -0500

This new Golf is Hard TV episode features Coach Dave talking about casting the club head for better distance and control. Forget what you've learned!

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 56 - Castaway

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 21:04:00 -0500

http://youtu.be/OhtZmFbk8m0

This new Golf is Hard TV episode features Coach Dave talking about casting the club head for better distance and control. Forget what you’ve learned!

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 55 - Flop Shot Fun

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 03:26:00 -0500

Flop shots are pretty to watch, but hard to hit... learn more as Golf is Hard TV tackles the difficult flop shot!

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 55 - Flop Shot Fun

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 20:26:00 -0500

http://youtu.be/fTrbaiXd7mY

Flop shots are pretty to watch, but hard to hit… learn more as Golf is Hard TV tackles the difficult flop shot!

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 54 - Hard Chip Shots

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 11:21:00 -0500

http://youtu.be/8KuSUQA_hlk

Chips and dip is easy to make and to eat. Hitting good chip shots, not so much. Golf is Hard TV helps you perfect hitting those pesky hard chip shots in episode #54!

Golf Week - Day 6 - The Finale

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 11:08:00 -0500

I wrapped up my biggest golf week EVER with my 6th round in 6 days, teeing off at 6:39 this morning bright and early. The round got off to a good start, but went downhill quickly. I kept thinking back to my earlier rounds and even though I didn’t play well, I thought that this week was really amazing.

I got myself into the sand 3 times at Tashua, I think a new record for myself. I managed to get out nicely all 3 times and on the 18th, I used a great sand shot to save par to end the week. It felt great to end on a par!

Here are the final stats from this week:

6 days, 6 rounds
4 total courses played (Tashua Knolls, Tashua Glen, Fairchild Wheeler & Woodhaven Country Club)
81 holes played
Total score 437 (117 shots over par)
1 birdie
5 new Golf is Hard TV episodes filmed
1 Quadruple bogey
2 4 putts
3+ record setting drives of ~270 yards
1 new course played (Fairchild Wheeler)
1 cart used
1 round with a pull cart
1 sand save for par
One 12 year old playing partner (Coach Dave’s daughter)
1 Eagle (made by Coach Dave)

What’s the most golf you have ever played in a row?

Golf Week Day 5 - When Does this Get Easier?

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:44:00 -0500

Day 5 is in the books and I have a few thoughts, as you’d expect.

First, playing golf 5 days in a row is hard work. I’m tired. I’m also in trouble with my wife. I’m going to leave playing golf every day to the pros and retired folks. For me, it’s too much.

Secondly, and more importantly, when I do something every day, I expect to get better. I expect that because I’m a halfway decent athlete that I would see some improvement. Not today. For about 5 holes in a row, I started hitting drives off the hosel, directly left. It got so bad that I started dropping balls in the tee box on the ground and simply hitting hybrids (that worked).

Lesson learned, play with whatever you’ve got on a given day. Today, it was all about just getting off the tee safely (forget fairways!). I ended up shooting a 99 after a 51 on the front and triple/double on 10 and 11. Not good.

That said, I shot 7 over on the last 7 holes.

Now, I need to go pay some attention to my family (and catch up on British Open action. Speaking of which - Tiger, what up man?)

Golf Week Day 4 - It's Birdie Time

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 09:40:00 -0500

Maybe it was time, or maybe Coach Dave’s last blog post helped, but I finally got one! I played the back 9 at Fairchild Wheeler Black in Fairfield, CT today and on the second hole I caught a bit of magic.

The 3rd hole (middle tees) is 155 yards and today, the pin placement was slightly up front. I grabbed my 7 iron (love knowing I can actually hit a 7 iron 150 yards) and with total confidence wacked at it. As soon as it went up I knew it was good - I actually said these words:

“Go in the hole”

As soon as I said those words, I knew I had blown it… immediately, my playing partner said that he thought the ball lipped out of the cup. It stopped less than a foot from the hole, where I tapped it in for birdie.

I really liked this course, it has some interesting challenges and is quite similar to Tashua Knolls, my home course. Walking 9 this morning cost all of $13!

I shot a 46 but could have easily been 2/3 shots better if I could simply get my putter going. 3 three putts is not what I’m looking for :)

This week’s stats so far:
4 days
45 holes played
64 shots over par
1 birdie
5 new Golf is Hard TV episodes filmed
1 Quadruple bogey
3+ record setting drives of ~270 yards
1 new course (Fairchild Wheeler)

Birdies to follow

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 21:39:00 -0500

Just after reading Marc’s description of his ball rolling back to its starting point, I saw David Feherty on TV roll a ball on the 16th at Turnberry in Scotland, site of the British Open this week. I could not help but feel Marc’s pain…almost seems unfair after a good shot. At Turnberry, on the 16th hole, it is likely that if players do not get the ball far enough onto the green with their approach shot, it will roll back off the green…into a creek. Keep an eye out for painful facial expressions on this hole. They may even look live average golfers!

What I like most about watching the (British) Open…I can watch golf at the crack of dawn (or whenever I wake up), with breakfast.

I predict that Marc will make at least 2 birdies before the week is out. He and I are playing Saturday morning at 6:30 (we couldn’t get the 5:30 tee time). He will make a bird….btw Marc, we are playing the blue tees! Tape the Open.

Golf lingo quiz: what does “buzz his tower” mean?

How about, “hockey sticks”?

Tiger hits it at 4:09 ET on Thursday…may not be up for that!

Golf Week, Day 3... OMG Those Greens are Insane

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 21:08:00 -0500

The week of golf continues (6 days, 6 rounds of golf…) at the Woodhaven Country Club in Bethany, CT. All I can say about this 9 hole course is that the greens are.. stunningly hard at times. I managed to lose my scorecard this afternoon but see on the web that the slope from the blue tees is 128. That’s hard, right?

Here’s a sample of one hole…

I was lying 3 on par 4 after hitting a great chip shot to about 15 feet. Pin high (very high). My putt was going to break a tad to the left and was uphill about 10 feet or so. I nailed the line and I thought it was in… the ball stopped maybe 3 inches short and started to roll back a tiny bit.

Then it rolled faster. And faster. It didn’t stop until it was almost back to where it started.

Deep breath.

I lined it up again and hit my shot again. I did it again - the same exact thing. It took me a total of 4 putts and I ended up with a shiny 8.

I shot a 52 which, all things considered isn’t bad. Either way, day 3 is in the books!

This week’s stats so far:
3 days
36 holes played
53 shots over par
0 birdies
5 new Golf is Hard TV episodes filmed
1 Quadruple bogey
1 record setting drive, 270 yards

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 53 - Driving Lessons

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:03:00 -0500

http://youtu.be/A_hwVjYH8kM

I recently won a Nike Str8-Fit driver from my friends at OOBGolf.com and have been excited to hit it. A great refresher lesson from Coach Dave helped me hit it straight - and a new record distance of about 270 in a recent round.

The Week Continues - Day 2

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:24:00 -0500

Ahhh, another day, another round of golf. Today's round featured myself and Coach Dave at Tashua Knolls and ended with us shooting 5 brand new Golf is Hard TV episodes which I'll be editing and posting soon!

I played well today - putted extremely well on the back 9 and actually felt like I had some nice touch on several chip shots. I still am miserable in hitting fairways, but today was better as I'm getting used to my new Nike Str8-fit driver.

This week's stats so far:
2 days
27 holes played
36 shots over par
0 birdies
5 new Golf is Hard TV episodes filmed

My "Week" of Golf - Day 1

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:21:00 -0500

This week, I’ve decided that I need to play golf every day, starting today Monday July 13th. We’ll be shooting some new shows tomorrow the 14th, but today I played 9 with my 2 daughters on the terrific executive course here in Trumbull known as “Tashua Glen.”

I played well for the first 4 holes, making bogey on all of them. I hit some terrific gap wedge shots and putted well. Unfortunately, the last 4 holes fell apart when I doubled #5 after missing an extremely easy putt for bogey. I sliced a ball into the woods on #6 and doubled it as well, again missing a short putt for bogey after a pin seeker that stopped about 8 feet past the hole.

While I’m really enjoying my new “Heavy Putter,” it’s taking some time to get used to it. I three putted the last 5 holes, coming up short on long putts every time. The weight of the putter is a tad distracting, but the more I use it, the more I like how it feels in my hands.

Tomorrow, Coach Dave and I are playing 18, but I’ve got no firm plans after that until Saturday… either way though, the goal is to play some golf every day this week!

This week’s stats so far:
1 day
9 holes played
+13 over par

Holy Cow: Nike SQ Dymo Str8-Fit

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:14:00 -0500

Imagine to my surprise the e-mail I got from my friends at OOBGolf that I had won something! Not only did I win their Golf Addict monthly prize but the prize turned out to be a Nike SQ Dymo Str8-Fit driver! Schaweetness!

I played a round with it the other day and for starters, it’s a sweet looking club that has an adjustable head. I need to learn more, but the club pro helped me set it to “straight"while I get used to the club.

The other thing about this club is that the shaft is an inch longer than my current driver - which is causing me to slice the ball a bit more than I have been. That said, when I hit it right with this new club… holy cow, it goes far.

If you haven’t yet checked out OOBGolf, be sure to take a peek. There are lots of sites that will help you track scores, but none with a slicker interface and fun charts to play with.

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 52 - Putter Tech

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:13:00 -0500

http://youtu.be/nvI1htm53F4

Golf is Hard TV Episode 52 tackles putter technology. Grab your putter and find out about face balanced and droopy putters.

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 51 - Puttering Around

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:46:00 -0500

http://youtu.be/BdQ0r0hb4UY

We’re back with another episode talking about putting… Golf is Hard TV, episode 51 will have you puttering around.

Jimmy is Playing with his Wii

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:36:00 -0500

Fun video from Jimmy Fallon’s show playing the new (and amazing) Tiger Woods 10 on the Wii. I promise, my review is coming soon!

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 50? - Heavy Putter Part 2

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:11:00 -0500

http://youtu.be/t0bZZ_GLrq0

Dave continues his chat with Heavy Putter’s Stephen Boccieri in Golf is Hard TV episode 50 (yes, 50!!).

Links:

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 49 - Heavy Putter Part 1

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 03:34:00 -0500

We spent some time with the guys from Heavy Putter and are thrilled to present Golf is Hard TV episode #49 featuring owner Stephen Boccieri. Learn more at http://www.heavyputter.com

Golf is Hard TV website
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Golf is Hard TV - Episode 49 - Heavy Putter Part 1

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:34:00 -0500

http://youtu.be/QkdwvNH49-o

We spent some time with the guys from Heavy Putter and are thrilled to present Golf is Hard TV episode #49 featuring owner Stephen Boccieri. Learn more at http://www.heavyputter.com

Golf is Hard TV website Follow us on Twitter

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 48 - A Touch of Etiquette

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:16:00 -0500

http://youtu.be/JIFZ4xs_Kqk

Golf is a game of etiquette for sure. Episode 48 of Golf is Hard TV shows you some common errors and features a few live demonstrations of “bad etiquette.

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 47 - Putting Direction

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 10:37:00 -0500

http://youtu.be/D0PvcAycwCo

Which way did it go? Golf is Hard TV episode 47 helps you get the ball going the right direction!

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 46 - Judging Putting Distance

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 10:17:00 -0500

http://youtu.be/gLzOI0_SFKQ

Episode #46 Golf is Hard TV is all about improving how you judge putting distances. Don’t leave it short or shoot it 15’ past the hole!

Free Download: Club Distance Cheat Sheet

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:47:00 -0500

One of the things I’ve noticed as I’ve begun to improve is that my distances are all over the place. Most recently, I realized I’m hitting a 7 iron to about 150 yards, which is a full 20 yards or more than I was hitting it last year (thanks Coach Dave!).

Golf is Hard TV has developed this easy to use and super handy cheat sheet for you to throw into your pocket so you can have a reference guide during your round. Check it out on our free golf download page now and enjoy it.

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 45 -1-2-3-4 Tempo

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 08:03:00 -0500

http://youtu.be/-aaM1Ct33W4

Does your swing have tempo? Why do you even need tempo? What is the right rhythm for your swing? Check out Golf is Hard Episode 45 to learn more in our first episode on tempo.

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Golf is Hard TV - Episode 44 - Watching Golfers Again

Sun, 31 May 2009 10:24:00 -0500

Another Golf is Hard TV feature episode of us "sitting around watching golfers". In this episode, we're sitting again on #9 at Tashua Glen (http://www.tashuaknolls.com), a terrific par 5 finishing hole.

Golf is Hard TV website
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Golf is Hard TV - Episode 43 - The International

Wed, 27 May 2009 10:09:00 -0500

We're out golfing again, this time at the gorgeous and amazing "The International" in Bolton, MA. Enjoy episode 43 of Golf is Hard TV!

Visit the Golf is Hard TV website!

Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/golfishard

"Bang On" Zune

Tue, 26 May 2009 19:02:00 -0500

Hello again GIH Fans!

Here are a couple of recent emails and questions from your fellow fans, we wanted to be sure you had the chance to enjoy them as much as we have.

Thanks Eddie and Dave for your questions and comments!
D&M

From Eddie S:

I just discovered your shows. I love it. I down loaded all of them on my Zune so I can take to the course with me. I will continue to follow you guys.

From Dave in Scotland:

Guys, could you so something on ball below the feet (hanging lies) and ball above the feet? Cheers

To Dave in Scotland:

Hi Dave, Great idea! We will do an episode on uneven (hanging) lies. For now, be sure to aim to the right (if you are right-handed) when the ball is above your feet and grip down about the same distance the ball is above your feet. The more loft on the club the more right you need to aim. We will get into why this happens. Practice some shots to get a feel. For a ball below your feet, you will need extra knee flex to get down to the ball, aim to the left and concentrate on keeping your balance and keeping your eyes on the ball thru the shot. This will get you going for know, keep an eye out for video. Thanks for your note, hope all is well in Scotland.

Coach Dave

Dave’s (Scotland) reply:

Thanks for the response! I’m telling anyone who will listen about what you guys are doing. Your approach is bang on. d

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 42 - Golf Sigma

Mon, 25 May 2009 08:53:00 -0500

Golf is Hard TV Episode 42 features Golf Sigma - a great way to book online tee times. Rich and the guys at Golf Sigma reached out to show me their site and after looking at it, knew I had to do another tour.

Visit our website https://golfishardtv.com and follow us on Twitter!

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 41 - Uphill Lies

Fri, 22 May 2009 14:42:00 -0500

What's worse than a steep downhill lie? An uphill lie of course! Golf is Hard episode 42 explores the dreaded uphill lie.

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Where's My Beach Towel?

Tue, 19 May 2009 19:20:00 -0500

Played a quick 9 tonight after work - the weather was gorgeous and the course was wonderfully empty and quiet.

I started badly as usual, making double bogey on #1, a long and straight par 5. Then I went bogey, bogey on the next two and I was actually feeling pretty good after hitting some really solid shots. On the 4th at Tashua Knolls, a par 4 dogleg left hole with bunkers all around the green I found myself in the sand.

No kidding, I thought back to episode 38 and opened my club face wayyyy up to the point where I thought Coach Dave would say, OK, that’s far enough. I took a deep breath and a full swing. The ball floated high up and over the lip and gently landed on the fringe and rolled to about 10 feet! I made bogey and continued my round.

On the 9th hole, I teed off with a god awful duck hook that actually ended up on the far side of #1, about 50 yards left. I spotted the 150 yard marker and pulled out a 3 hybrid as I eyed a big bunker sitting right in front of the green.

I hit a terrific 2nd shot that looked great but ended up in the bunker. I was nervous and excited to give my new sand skills a whirl and again, opened my club face wayyyy open, then turned it just a tad further, hearing Dave in my head saying “more, more, more."

Once again, a took a full swing and once again, the ball lofted up and out of the bunker, landing 20 feet from the hole and rolled down towards the pin, stopping about about 12 feet, pin high.

Wouldn’t you know it, son of a gun, I made par with a firm putt and was totally shocked. That’s what Golf is Hard TV is all about!

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 40 - Downhill Lies

Tue, 19 May 2009 10:33:00 -0500

I like rolling down hills, spinning out of control like some crazed 6 year old. I do not however, like a severe downhill lie while playing golf. That said, Golf is Hard TV episode 40 teaches us the basics of how to play this shot.

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Golf is Hard TV - Episode 39 - Watching Average Golfers

Wed, 13 May 2009 08:38:00 -0500

We're taking a risk here at Golf is Hard TV. Episode 39 was a blast to film but might very well bore you to tears, let's see what happens. We sat down and watched as some golfers finish up their round at the 9th on Tashua Glen, a local executive course. In this episode, we also meet Mike who for some reason, decides to toss his ball away after making birdie.

Follow us on Twitter Visit our website for more golf goodness!

My Podcast Alley feed! {pca-c45d513d2f4cbeb57e1d55bd2018a352}

National Golf Day - Sign the Petition Now!

Tue, 12 May 2009 16:02:00 -0500

The golf industry provides jobs to over 2 million people in the US, with a total wage income of $61 billion and raises approximately $3.5 BILLION for charitable causes every year.

Go forth and sign the petition and show your Congressional Leaders that Golf is important to you and you have been impacted positively by the game we love.

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 38 - Day at the Beach

Sat, 09 May 2009 22:16:00 -0500

In our last Golf is Hard TV bunker episode for now, Marc finally learns what opening the face really means. This is classic average golfer stuff and is a great lesson on something simple that will improve your game immediately.

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter.

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 37 - Sand Wedges

Tue, 05 May 2009 08:16:00 -0500

Learn all about the Sand Wedge as Coach Dave talks about bounce, moving dirt and lots more. Golf is Hard TV episode 37 is all about the sand wedge! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and remember to visit the Golf is Hard TV web site.

Book Review: Better Recreational Golf

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:28:00 -0500

I had a chance to read “Better Recreational Golf : Improve Your Game in the Time You Have” after the author (Bob Jones!) emailed me and sent me a copy of this terrific book (how’s that for full disclosure?!).

While I very much appreciated what Mr. Jones tried to accomplish with his book, I think video would have helped very much explain some of the concepts and drills in the book. That said, I did want to point out that even so, this book is aimed perfectly at that golfer who just doesn’t have enough time to practice but wants to continue to improve their game.

I absolutely loved the tempo and impact ball drills and very much appreciated the recreational golfer perspective. For example, giving up some yards with a smaller turn could actually help save your back, and keep you playing longer! Now that’s some good advice.

I was intrigued by the suggestion in the chapter on chipping that recreational golfers use a 5-iron from around the green, and consider it a lofted putter. That might be worth trying!

I also very much appreciated that the book repeatedly talks about getting lessons from a local pro - smart advice and an acknowledgment that a book alone isn’t going to solve all of our golfing problems.

My favorite part of the book though, has to be the game strategy chapter. Bob talks a lot about thinking shots through and making safe plays. He includes breakdowns of par 3, 4 and 5 holes, and how to think about when to go for a good score, and when to simply avoid a horrible hole.

All in all, I totally recommend this book, but be prepared for a bit of confusion in some of the more complex drill examples. They don’t translate that well to book format, though there are plenty of photos to try to offset that! Here’s another link to the buy the book!

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 36 - Bunker Concepts

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 08:21:00 -0500

We kick off a new 3 episode series on bunker play. Episode 36 features Coach Dave talking about some basic bunker concepts to get you started.

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Golf is Hard TV - Episode 35 - Chipping Contest

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 09:15:00 -0500

As we were filming a bunch of new lessons (stay tuned for bunker, uphill and downhill lie episodes), we decided to do a quick chipping contest to see who would crack under pressure... Watch episode 35 to see if Marc and take on Coach Dave V or it is a blow out.

Remember, follow Golf is Hard TV on Twitter and visit our amazing website,

Improving Short Games in Scotland!

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 08:17:00 -0500

Dave, Thanks sending your thoughts, we are excited to hear that your short game is getting better and you are enjoying it. Have fun out there!

Dave & Marc

Guys,

I’ve been fighting with a rubbish short game for years. Your chipping vids have transformed my short game, I now actually understand what I’m trying to achieve.Sessions on the short game practice area are now a joy!

Thanks!!!Dave, Scotland

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 34 - Business Golf Country Club

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 21:06:00 -0500

Here's another golf social network you might not be aware of... Golf is Hard TV episode 34 features the "Business Golf Country Club." This social network is a terrific site that is growing quickly. Unlike the more general golf social networks aimed at players, this one is more about the golf business and is a great place to network if you have a golf business or are thinking of starting one.

Remember to follow us on Twitter and to visit our website Golf is Hard TV.

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 33 - Trip to the Range

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:16:00 -0500

I was traveling in Washington State and only had time for a very quick trip to the range. With no clubs and only an hour or so to spare, I hit a large bucket of balls at the Redwood Golf Center. Redwood Golf center's tagline "Swing a buck a day, slice your fat away!" convinced me that this was the place! Next time I am out there, I'll hit it again for sure.

Please do send us your videos and we'll analyze what's ailing you.. be sure, as in this video to send in a side shot and one from behind. My cell phone is a piece of crap and wasn't wide enough to get my head, so just do you best!

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and to visit Golf is Hard TV web site

The music playing softly in the background is from here: http://podsafeaudio.com/jamroom/bands/2019/

Concentrate on Being Great!

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:04:00 -0500

OK.. I just love this commercial. I love it because it is so totally different than anything else out there.. and because The Jungle Book simply rocks the house!

Don’t forget to focus through the ficus.

It doesn’t hurt to have the amazing Sam Jackson voice the commercial either!

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 32 - Rules for the Rest of Us

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 07:11:00 -0500

Golf is Hard TV Episode 32 is all about rules. We take a peek inside the rule book and have a little chat about mulligans.

Don't forget to visit our website https://golfishardtv.com or visit us on Twitter.

Ain't golf great?

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 31 - The Golf Space

Sun, 19 Apr 2009 10:04:00 -0500

It's time for another golf social networking tour - Golf is Hard TV episode 31 focuses on The Golf Space (http://www.thegolfspace.com), who just celebrated their 3rd year in existence! The Golf Space is a great site to meet golfers, track your scores and lots more!

Follow us on Twitter and visit our website https://golfishardtv.com

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 30 - Reggie's Swing

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 10:04:00 -0500

We love when you send us videos! Golf is Hard TV , Episode 30 is all about Reggie... Reggie sent us a short clip, and Golf is Hard takes some time to talk about what Reggie might do to improve his game. Send in more videos by uploading to any online video service (Blip, Youtube, Viddler, etc). Be sue to include a side and "down the line" view!

Follow us on Twitter and visit the Golf is Hard TV website

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 29 - Chipping Visualization

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 09:18:00 -0500

Golf is Hard TV gets back to lessons... Episode 29 rounds out or initial chipping shows with a show that will help you visualize the perfect shot.

Don't forget to follow us on twitter: http://www.twitter.com/golfishard and to visit the Golf is Hard TV website!

What Kind of Golfer Are You?

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 14:58:00 -0500

(Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/volleynerd/61150961/)

Recently, Golf is Hard TV ran a survey asking how aggressive you are on the golf course. Do you typically lay up, go for it or always play safe.

The results were:

Risk taker: I always go for it 26%
Moderate: I tend to lay up 65%
Safe: I always lay up 8%

For me (this is Marc posting), in almost all cases, I think the answer is “it depends.” In asking myself this question however, I started to think about my own playing habits, and in some cases, the decisions I make off the golf course. I’m wondered if my risk taking on the golf couse matches my poker playing style, my approach and work, and in life in general.

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 28 - Tiger Woods Masters Classic

Sat, 11 Apr 2009 13:54:00 -0500

Let's hope Tiger gets it going soon - our latest episode (#28!) of Golf is Hard TV celebrates one of Eldrick's more classic moments - once again in our own unique GIHtv way.

Remember to follow us on Twitter and on our web site, Golf is Hard TV.

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 27 - 1986 Masters Classic Moment

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 07:15:00 -0500

Golf is Hard TV is proud to present a new type of show where we celebrate classic moments in Golf, Mystery Science Theater 3000 style (that means, we talk over the announcers and attempt to be funny). It's Masters week, so we're kicking this off with a classic from 1986 and a man named Jack.

Remember to follow us on Twitter:

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 26 - The Masters

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 07:56:00 -0500

Episode 26 kicks off our 2009 Masters coverage - we get started with a review of a terrific book called, amazingly, "The Masters."

You can check out the book on Amazon here. This book compiles 101 reasons to love the Masters and is a worthy read. We put our own unique GIHtv spin on this book review, and hope you'll enjoy it.

Remember to follow us on Twitter!

GIH's Tribute to the Masters

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 05:33:00 -0500

It has to be the most exciting golf week of the year, can’t believe it’s April already and Masters week is upon us. Mark and I will be taking a closer (and slightly different) look at some memorable moments in Masters history…so keep an eye out here at Golf is Hard TV, coming this week. Go get ’em Tiger and oh yeah…watch out for the Shark, I have a feeling he will be in the mix on the weekend.

Golf is Hard TV Interview: Sandbox8.com

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 22:13:00 -0500

I spent some time with Rob from Sandbox8.com, the terrific golf equipment review site he started a few years ago. Rob’s a great guy and we had a fun conversation via Skype. I recorded the chat, but unfortunately, all you hear is me and my heavy breathing. For one reason or another, I didn’t capture Rob’s half of our chat.

That said, I wanted to talk a bit about Sandbox8.com and some of what Rob has been up to. Let’s start with an example of why his site is so good - check out this video:

What really resonated with me is how closely related our goals are - we both want to appeal to the “average golfer” and have built video based sites to really connect with as many golfers as possible. Sandbox8.com’s traffic is skyrocketing and because of Rob’s terrific reviews, it’s easy to see why folks keep coming back to hear him talk about golf equipment.

We spent a few minutes talking about the idea of emerging sites like ours that cover golf in a new and non-traditional way, and I think we both agree that we’re on to something big!

We also talked about Rob’s game - he’s a mid-handicapper who has been taking quite a few lessons. It sounds like he’s improved quite a bit which is terrific - but more importantly he’s got a real passion for the game which makes him someone that both Dave and I can really relate to. Be sure to check out Sandbox8.com if you haven’t already - Rob’s got a few great new posts up including one on the Masters.

I apologize that the audio didn’t work out, I continue to look for software that will allow me to conduct online video interviews and chats with interesting folks from in and around the world of golf.

Golf is Hard TV Interview: Sandbox8.com

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:13:00 -0500

Free Golf Evaluation and Checklist Tool

Sun, 05 Apr 2009 12:00:00 -0500

Golf is Hard TV is at it again and this time, Coach Dave has a very special (and free) gift for you! We’ve developed a free golf self-evaluation tool that you can download right now. Just visit this download page and pick it up for yourself!

The self-evaluation tool is a great way to take stock of your game and find areas of improvement. The evaluation also has some fun questions designed to make you smile (and watch more Golf is Hard TV), and also provides simple instructions how how to share your swing with us online!

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 25 - Chipping Part 2

Sat, 04 Apr 2009 18:01:00 -0500

In our 2nd chipping episode, Golf is Hard TV continues to teach you the basics of good posture, grip and how to properly chip the golf ball around the greens.

The Official Golf is Hard TV Press Announcement

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 06:56:00 -0500

Without an official press release, you don’t exist, right? If that’s so.. then we’re now officially official!

Golf is Hard TV is the golf show for the rest of us
Golf is Hard TV is a new internet golf show designed and produced for the “average golfer” like you! We focus on basic lessons and do fun and interesting shows about the great game of golf.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRLog (Press Release) – Apr 02, 2009 – Golf is a great game, but is commonly thought of as a sport played by elite or rich people with too much time on their hands. Golf is Hard TV disagrees and created the show as a way to reach the more casual and average golfer with a terrific mix of instructional and entertainment content.

Read the full Golf is Hard TV press release and tell your friends! You can also download a PDF version of the press release.

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 24 - Chipping Overview

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 07:37:00 -0500

The first in a 3 episode series on chipping, episode 24 starts with the basic concepts you need to chip better. Get chipping right, and you will score better in a hurry.

Hurry to twitter to follow us

Nike Night at Golf Galaxy

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:07:00 -0500

Coach Dave and I went up to Golf Galaxy tonight to check out “Nike Night” and scope out some good deals. I dig Golf Galaxy mostly because of the used bins of golf clubs - it’s like a fun treasure hunt, and I usually come away with something fantastic.

Tonight, I was tempted to buy a new gap wedge to match my TaylorMade irons, but managed to hold off! The big event was the putting contest. I hit a gorgeous putt that… how can I put this delicately… it basically went in but instead of dropping into the cup, the carpet pushed it back. That close to getting into a playoff to win a new Nike putter. Darn it!

Golf Galaxy has been really aggressive in running different events, I noticed a flyer for a “women only” night coming up soon as well which I thought was a great idea.

I ended up buying a shag bag which will help my back a bit - my last trip to the range included way too much bending over (wow, I’m lame!).

Swing Analysis - Peter

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:41:00 -0500

Peter,

Thank you for sending us a video of your swing. I have a couple of simple suggestions that should show immediate results, they are related to the fundamentals of grip and posture.

These adjustments will all occur before your swing, so right now there are no swing changes to make, rather, your swing will adjust based on these changes. Important: try your hardest to stick with the changes until they become comfortable (they will not at first, which is good).

Lastly, after you have given this some time and feel you are ready to move on, try to take the next video from 2 angles: 1) directly behind you in line with the target, 2) directly in front of you so you are hitting the ball off to the right side of the screen. THIS APPLIES TO ALL VIDEO THAT IS SENT TO GIHTV and will give us the BEST chance to help out;

Peter, here are the changes (which you can go back and review on past episodes as often as necessary):

Grip - the club appears to be in the palms and your hands are turned much too far in the clockwise direction. Put the club in your fingers and rotate your hands back so your thumbs are at 1:00 (now they are at 3:00). This will give your hands a chance to rotate better and wrists cocking ability, leading to more power with less effort. KEEP GRIP PRESSURE VERY LIGHT. Review Grip episodes.

Posture - You are too far back on your heels, which is causing you to lift your arms at address to make room to swing. Move weight to balls of feet, much less knee flex, bend from the hips to let arms hang straight down in front of you. Now you will have room to swing. Review Posture episodes.

OK Peter, keep us posted, send us new video in month or so and any questions you may have along the way. Good luck.

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 22 - World Golf Tour

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 08:05:00 -0500

Yes, I skipped an episode number in order to get that Charles Barkley name that swing episode out first... I didn't have time to re-render the titles so I just let it fly... in any case - back to our Golf Social Networking tour!

World Golf Tour (www.worldgolftour.com) is pretty incredible. It's the 3rd on my list of golf social networks and is Golf is Hard Episode 22! A tad light on more traditional "social networking features, WGT more than makes up for things with the most realistic virtual golf game in the world.

P.S. - You will notice that the video of me stutters a bit - WGT is a fairly intense application and can really slow your machine down - especially if you are playing while trying to record your screen!

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 23 - Charles Barkley Swing

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 10:17:00 -0500

Name that Swing is a new Golf is Hard TV Segment where we imitate a famous golf swing! In our first name that swing, Marc takes on Charles Barkely and his terrific looking golf swing.

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter!

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 21 - OOBGolf

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:35:00 -0500

Let's continue the tour of golf social networks... this time with the very slick, very cool OOBGolf.com. I used this site quite a bit last season for keeping track of scores because they make it so easy! Enjoy the tour! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter!

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 20 - Stracka.com

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 22:17:00 -0500

I have no idea what "Stracka" means - but I do know a terrific golf social network when I see one! Stracka.com is just such a beast and in this Golf is Hard TV episode, I give it a spin and talk about some of my favorite features.

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 20 - Stracka.com

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:17:00 -0500

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 19 - The Products Show

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 09:08:00 -0500

Episode 19 is our first "product" show where we talk about and review different golf products. In this show, we take a look at Cleatskins (www.cleatskins.com) and open a mystery box from Forte Promotions (www.fortepromo.com). If you have products you want us to talk about, contact us and we'll see what we can do!

Swing Thoughts Contest Winners!

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:12:00 -0500

I’m thrilled to announce the winners of our first ever Golf is Hard TV contest! If you recall, we announced this first contest “Winner Winner Chicken Dinner” back on February 20th, 2009. While the response wasn’t overwhelming, we did get a few terrific submissions. I’m thrilled to announce the winners here today (along with selected submissions). Winners should expect their box of Swing Reminders within a week or so.

I’ve listed out some of my personal favorite entries below… the winners are in bold and happen to be the last 3 in the list!

Andy: “Don’t miss it or top it”
Alan: “Thumbs Down” (not surprising since that’s what his book is about!)
Coach Dave: “Low and slow”
Marc (me!): “Just relax”
WINNER: Golfsupple: “Lead with your left”
WINNER: Peter: “The more you know the more you don’t know”
WINNER: Hugh: “Load……….fire………..and admire”

Congrats to the winners, Peter, Hugh and Golfsupple!

As an aside.. the phrase “Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner” comes from a legend. It tells that years ago every casino in Las Vegas had a three-piece chicken dinner with a potato and a veggie for $1.79. A standard bet back then was $2, hence when you won a bet you had enough for a chicken dinner.

Clambake Cafe

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 10:00:00 -0500

I recently join a terrific new online golf community called “Business Golf Country Club,” which is hosted by Scot Duke. The site is a terrific social networkwith the tagline “Where golf and business merge….” It’s definitely worth checking out if you are interested in the world of business golf.

Scot hosts a weekly podcast called “The Clambake Cafe” where he talks about different issues around golf and does an interview with a different golf business owner or personality. This week, yours truly is the guest. I’m talking about Golf is Hard TV, giving you my ultimate business foursome (Gates, Buffett and Obama!) and much more. I had a great time chatting with Scot and encourage you to check out the podcast and everything Scot is up to as well.

Links:

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 18 - First Round

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:48:00 -0500

It was pretty cold, but we braved the elements and got in our first round of the year here in CT. As we get outside to play more, we'll shoot more and more episodes on the course, giving you inside tips and strategies on how to improve your game.

Episode 18 features on course action, Coach Dave imitating a certain pro golfer and much more... enjoy it!

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter.

Dave's First Round

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 08:59:00 -0500

Well, as Marc said, it was great to get out on the course for the first time. It started out with multiple layers of clothing for the 10 am start, but by noon we were warming up and shedding the top layer. Of course, I kept the hat on for most of the round, as you will see in the video. I had very low expectations for the day, just get out and have some fun. I figured that if I could swing with decent rhythm, then I would hit some good shots (I only remember the good shots by the way). So, I hit some great drives (some with Marc’s driver) and my short game wasn’t bad either. Definitely something to build on for next round. As far as Marc’s putting, easy to fix. He will be in the 80s by the end of this year.

Thanks for your comments from Sweden ‘Backspin’, sorry to hear it’s still snowing there but guessing you will be out soon. In the meantime, work on those basement putting drills.

Dave

First Round of the Year

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 15:16:00 -0500

It started so well.

I made par on my first hole of the season!

It didn’t go quite that well the rest of the round, but even so, my first round of the year was a lot of fun. It was terrific to get back out on the course and felt great to just be out there. I’ll post some video from the round once I get a chance to edit it. There are a few choice words I have to remove!

I’m sure Dave will comment about his own round, but for me, it was extremely encouraging to hit the ball as well as I did today. I’m really excited about playing this year and am hopeful that my scores will go down dramatically through the year.

My driver was good, if inconsistent. I hit it straight except for one hole where I really, really sliced it hard right. Other than that, the fairway wood felt great as did my hybrids. I’m going to have to really focus some energy on making putts though. I was well on my way to 40 putts if I had played all 18 holes. I only played 13 holes today because I had to coach my daughter’s softball team this afternoon.

Stay tuned for more Golf is Hard TV shows this week, we’ve got some golf goodness coming up including shows giving you a personal tours of the different golf social networks including Stracka, OOBGolf and The Golf Space.

The Anticipation is Killing Me!

Sat, 21 Mar 2009 16:33:00 -0500

Despite feeling like junk today, I dragged myself to the range to hit some balls and get in some work in anticipation of my first round of the year tomorrow. Unfortunately, I’ll have to cut it short as I have a softball practice to run 4 hours after I tee-off which sort of stinks. Either way though, I literally am jumping out of my skin looking forward to kicking off what is sure to be the greatest golf season of my life!

Yes, I’m pretty jacked up…

At the range, I hit the ball pretty well and am really loving my new Nike driver. I’ve been working really hard on my posture in particular and can really feel the difference when I get it right. That said, I think I may be standing up as I make contact with the ball. Plenty to work on for sure!

I also had a chance to get some chipping and putting work in which was nice. I have a lot to learn in that part of my game, I feel like I have stone hands and hit everything either way to soft, or I completely crush it. That said, I hit some great shots today using my sand wedge out of fairly deep rough onto the green.

More to come tomorrow for sure!

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 17 - The Hat Show!

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 09:09:00 -0500

My favorite show so far, Golf is Hard TV explores the world of golf hats, looking at various styles and discussing the finer points of head gear. What's your favorite hat to wear on the course?

Home of Golf TV

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 18:39:00 -0500

One of the best things about the Internet is meeting new and interesting people from around the world. Andy, from Home of Golf TV seems like a great guy and is producing some terrific online videos that I wanted to share.

I’m reposting his first episode because it really sets the stage for what he’s up to but would mention that he managed to snag some time with Nick Faldo recently.

Keep up the great work Andy - we ALWAYS need more great golf shows!

What's in Marc's Bag?

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 13:15:00 -0500

Find the Fairways.com is giving away some great golf freebies… to enter the contest write a blog post (that’s what this is) about “What’s in your golf bag?” And you can also tag another golfer! I’ve been tagged by two bloggers… Scott from Swing Reminders and Pink Diva Golf. How lucky am I to have been tagged twice! Yes!

What kind of golf bag?

Black Slazenger Stand Bag

What clubs?

Driver: Nike 4450 I think… ($99 bucks with stiff shaft straight out of the used bin at Golf Galaxy!). Can’t wait to play it for the first time soon.
TaylorMade R5 3 Wood
Tommy Armour 855 - love these hybrids!
TaylorMade rac OS2 Irons
Odyssey White Hot blade putter
Warrior (beware of spam) wedges

What else is in Marc’s bag?

Tees
Various pencils, ball markers and more
Swing reminders
Tape (for my fingers)
2 or 3 gloves (no particular brand, whatever is cheap)
Tons of balls
A few sleeves of RAW balls
Old bag of chips
Half full water bottle

What’s the most important piece of kit in the bag that’s not a club, ball, glove or towel?
Tape for my fingers. Makes me feel like Tiger.

Do you carry a lucky charm?
Not really… if anything it’s my FSU ball marker.

What’s the oldest thing in your golf bag?
Probably a bag of chips or a water bottle that I forget about

Which is your favorite club?
My 5 hybrid.

Ok… I am supposed to “Bag Tag” four others.

Coach Dave (he can post here!)
https://golfishardtv.com

Carlos at Itaara Golf
http://www.itaaragolf.com/

Brian and Chuck at Sweet Spot Golf
http://www.sweetspotgolf.net/

Coach Joey or Ken at Golf Gym
http://www.golfgymblog.blogspot.com/

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 16 - Alignment

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 08:03:00 -0500

Golf is Hard TV episode 16 shows you how to get properly aligned for hitting the golf ball in our own unique way! This lesson includes great tips and ideas for making sure you get set up right from the start!

Remember to follow us on Twitter!

What Kind of Golfer Are You?

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:01:00 -0500

I love these commercials! Good timing too considering our latest poll... (look on the right side) and tell us what kind of golfer you are... risk taker, moderate or if you layup as a rule.

As for me, I'm moderate until you challenge me... in poker and in golf, I like the rush of "going for it." Bad idea usually, but fun for sure - and usually good for a laugh.

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 15 - Bobby Brown

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 08:04:00 -0500

We are crazy about our home course here in Trumbull, CT - Tashua Knolls. "TK" is public (it's a GREAT VALUE for residents) and is a 27-hole facility that features an original par 72 golf course and a terrific 9 hole, kid friendly course. Bobby Brown is the GM and runs a fantastic program. Coach Dave spends a few minutes with Bobby catching up on old times and talks about the golf course, getting it ready for the season and youth golf. Learn more, and play Tashua Knolls this year!

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 14 - Posture "2"

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 15:29:00 -0500

Part 2 of "Posture" was shot outside and features some great information for your swing and your game. Enjoy it!

Follow us on Twitter!

Distributed by Tubemogul.

Pardon Me

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:32:00 -0500

While I fix Episode 14, Posture 2… what a mess! Coming soon!

Inspiration, Incorporated

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 06:58:00 -0500

I want to start this blog post off with some trivia:

What is the only movie that I’ve cried watching, and that makes me cry more every time I watch it? I’ll give you the answer below after talking about inspiration in golf, and in life.

This week has been filled with some amazing moments and terrific conversations. It started out on Monday, when my 4th grade, 6th out of 7th ranked daughter’s basketball team (I’m the coach) upset the #3 ranked team in the playoffs. If that wasn’t enough, we went on to shock the #2 team on Wednesday night after jumping out to a 10-0 lead. At the end of that game, I found myself standing center court watching my girls jump up and down with each other in pure celebration and joy. I got the chills just thinking about this week as I was typing this blog post. You can follow my coaching journey on my “other blog” about coaching youth sports.

Last night, I had the pleasure of spending more than an hour on the phone with Phil Bundy. If you haven’t yet heard about him, get ready. Phil is on a personal quest to play on the PGA Tour. More importantly is why he’s on that quest. Phil takes his own inspiration from his son Charlie. Phil’s quest really, if you think about it hard is about showing Charlie that life is all about dreaming big and having the clarity and guts to go for it.

As a parent, Phil has reminds us all of what is really important in life. As an entrepreneur, he’s given me the inspiration to push forward with Golf is Hard TV. As a golf fan, he’s given me hope that I’ll have a new favorite to root for on Sundays. As a parent, he’s pure validation that I’m on the right track.

One more story before I tell you what movie makes me cry. This one is best delivered via video (see below). I heard about D.J. Gregory a few months ago and chose to ignore it. But like all great stories and all great leaders, D.J.’s story is not going away. I heard about him again this morning on sports talk radio and raced to my computer to find this video:

I’m not a good enough writer to add anything else to D.J.’s story.

As for what movie gets me every time… Rudy of course. Not only is Rudy’s story amazing and inspirational, but Sean Astin will forever in my heart be one of my favorite actors because of it.

Where do you take your inspiration from? Who inspires you to get out of bed every day? Tell me, tell me!

Golf is Hard - Episode 13 - Posture "1"

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 08:56:00 -0500

We're back to lessons on Golf is Hard TV with episode 13... the first of a 2 part series on posture. Episode 1 lays out the basics and in episode 2, we'll head outside!

Be sure to follow us on Twitter:

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 12 - Shopping

Sun, 08 Mar 2009 19:27:00 -0500

Golf is Hard TV talks shopping, discussing good deals (lots of them around) and what ball to play. Enjoy the show!

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/golfishard

YOUR LAWN - "STEPS" to PERFECTION

Sun, 08 Mar 2009 11:06:00 -0500

Hey there GIH fans…during an earlier episode, we talked about the fact that not only will your golf game get a heckuva lot better here, but so will your lawn. NOW is the time to put down Step 1. This prevents the germination of crabgrass and gives it a jump start with some fertilizer too. Also, now is the time to put down lime to neutralize the soil. You can put them down together and should do it before it rains so it can get washed in.

I just picked up all four steps of the “Scotts Best " program, 15,000 sq. ft. bags were approx $215 (the price has gone up this year, and smaller bags are obviously less money), plus I will get a $35 mail in rebate (net cost $180). Not bad for the best fert you can get. So get out there, clean up the twigs and leaves and put down Step 1 (no need to completely dethatch the lawn prior to step1, you can do that later on).

Check out the link http://www.scotts.com/smg/ (no they don’t pay us….yet)…Good luck! Send me any questions and I will be sure to answer.

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 11 - Looking for Golf

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 14:06:00 -0500

I had a few hours while in Lisbon to find signs of golf... and didn't have much luck. Yes, I should have played, by my schedule simply didn't allow it! In any case, enjoy this short video from Portugal as I search for signs of golf.

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 10 - Golf Magazines

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 07:31:00 -0500

We're talking about golf magazines! Ever struggle with Golf Digest and Golf Magazine because the sheer amount of tips confuses you? Us too! We talk about how to read golf magazines and dish out some opinions.

Don't forget to submit your own swing thought to our ongoing "Swing Thought" Contest - the contest is just getting started, so submit your best swing thought right away!

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 9 - Sweet Spot Golf Clubs Interview

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 12:34:00 -0500

We’re trying something new in this episode - an audio interview with the creators of “Sweet Spot Golf Clubs.” We did this interview over skype (excuse the poor audio quality).

For some reason, I find the idea of “boutique” golf clubs super interesting and I reached out to them to do an interview for the show. Brian is an ex-Apple guy and I thought it was very apropos that he’s now designing slick golf clubs. You’ll notice on their site and in this epsiosde, that these clubs simply don’t look like anything you’ve ever seen. Brian and Chuck are great guys and recently announced a new relationship with Women’s National Golf School. Learn more at Sweet Spot Golf Clubs.

REMEMBER - there is still time to enter the swing thoughts contest - go here for more information and to enter the contest!

Thanks for watching (listening)!

PS - Golf is Hard TV is still working on our revenue model - but this particular interview and post is all about my personal interest in what Brian and Chuck are doing and creating. If you have an interesting product or want to chat, let me know. I can’t promise you an interview, but want to hear from you!

Well...Tiger is Out, However...

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 04:56:00 -0500

You still have GIHTV, I like the kid at this point, a very confident 19-year old. My guess is Cink (NICE job beating Mickelson) will play the kid and on the other side, Justin will win and meet OHair (he’s been working really hard on his game). The finals: O’Hair & McIlroy. We will see.

Well...Tiger is Out, However...

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 21:56:00 -0500

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 8 - Putting Drills

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 22:37:00 -0500

Let's celebrate Tiger's return with a brand spankin new Golf is Hard TV epiosde!

Episode 8 is a fun and helpful episode with a terrific putting drill you can do anywhere! This episode features our camera crew (our daughters) demonstrating this terrific putting drill.

Don't forget to send in your best "Swing Thought" to win a box of Swing Reminders (www.swingreminders.com)... the contest continues!

Enjoy our latest show!

Welcome Back

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:54:00 -0500

Hello Brazil!

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 20:49:00 -0500

Apparently, Golf is Hard TV is catching on like wildfire down in Brazil, where Carlos and crew are hard at work. We got this terrific photo and caption the other day and I had to share!

Great stuff guys. Exactly what was missing: golf talk and tips for average golfers - we believe that you will grow exponential if you target that.

This is part of your audience down here: Lauren, my wife Julia and Fernanda. Lauren and Fernanda are some of our golf beginners.

You can use the picture in your show, if you want, as Julia says: “Nice golf ladies always atract more players."

Eng. Carlos Tondo & Prof. Julia Mistrello

www.itaaragolf.com

www.flickr.com/photos/itaaragolf/

Thanks for the e-mail Carlos and Julia!

Your Video Game Stats?

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 14:35:00 -0500

Play video game golf? Think you are good? Personally, I play Tiger Woods 08 on the Wii and when I travel I tee it up on my Nintendo DS.

I was curious about my Wii stats so I looked them up this morning before teeing off at Cog Hill for a quick round. It turns out, I am pretty good at Video Game golf!

Low rounds:
The National: 63
Doral: 65
TPC Boston (I own this course): 58, 61

More goodness:
Rounds played 24
Average score 61.8
Driving average 285
Long drive 383
Longest putt 62

What’s your best?

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 7 - Hit the Little Ball

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 18:20:00 -0500

Golf is Hard TV (GIHtv) is back to work with a short episode that will have you thinking about a great golf concept: hitting the little ball.

Golf is Hard TV is the golf show for the rest of us!

Don't forget to submit your best swing thought and win a box of Swing Reminders (www.swingreminders.com) - visit the contest page for details!

Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner!

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 08:08:00 -0500

Ok, that title makes no sense at all, but it makes me laugh. I think I heard either Shaq or the ESPN guy say it and I’m stealing it here to announce our first ever Golf is Hard TV contest!

Give us your best “swing thought” or submit a swing for us to analyze and you’ll be in the running!

We’ll select the best of the bunch and we will give the best 3 a box of Swing Reminders (www.swingreminders.com) each.

The contest will run through March 13th - that Friday is your last day to submit an entry. Winners will be notified after we sort through the submissions and decide on the winners!

Rules:

- No limits to the number of submissions

- Submissions can come in a variety of ways:

1. PREFERRED: Video entry via Youtube (or any video sharing service). Just upload and leave a comment or send us the link
2. Via Twitter: format like this: @golishardtv #swingcontest [your swing thought]
3. As a comment to the Swing Thoughts Contest blog post
4. Via e-mail to marc@golfishardtv.com

- We’ll pay the shipping costs (international folks… your swing reminders will be on the slow boat…)

Have fun!

Shankapotimus

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 21:54:00 -0500

Not a huge fan of the baby normally, but hey… shankapotimus? That’s good stuff.

Plumb Bobbing and Green Reading

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 20:20:00 -0500

This is definitely something we will address live on GIH and thanks Brian for your comments about Dave Pelz’s thoughts. Pelz has done extensive research on the short game and many top players believe in him, I for one became a much better putter after practicing his concepts and Jim Flick talks about the same stuff in his golf schools.

Regarding the plumb bob, the golf season is way too short in Saskatchewan for any opinion to be formed (kidding of course…I think). The first thing to know about PBing is how to do it correctly, and there is no study to prove that any given method of estimating a line (which is all that this is) is fool proof. This is a highly subjective topic and involves many factors, the most important of which may be a player’s skill to consistently stroke a put. Remember this when putting…it is much more important to be decisive than to be correct. Meaning, if you have doubt in your chosen line (no matter your method), you will make a tentative stroke and it can not be blamed on your method of choosing a line. So be decisive, you will get it closer more consistently.

I am a good putter, I plumb bob on longer putts only (20 ft +) that have significant break (12" plus). The only reason I do it is to get an estimate of the break, it is not exact. I then overestimate what a PB may show (Pelz advises players to actually double the break they see, which is very good advice). Together these thoughts usually form a good estimate of the best line.

How to PB: You need to know your dominant eye. To do this, place your index finger pointing upward approx 12" in front of your face, eye level, in the middle of your eyes and look past it to the wall behind (you should see 2 images). Alternate closing each eye and when your finger does not move, this is your dominant eye and the one with which you should PB if you choose.

We will explain the rest next week on GIH as well as basic green-reading concepts and methods….very simple and a great topic.

We are building YOUR game from the hole and out…stay tuned.

Coach Dave

Is Plumb-Bobbing a Myth?

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 08:57:00 -0500

I was thinking back to some of the putting discussions we’ve had on Golf is Hard TV and remembered that one of the things I was going to ask Coach Dave was about “plumb-bobbing."

This morning as I was drinking my coffee and catching up on the latest issue of Golf Magazine, I came across 2 different articles that mentioned that plumb-bobbing is a useless activity.

Apparently, there was a study done by some folks at the U of Saskatchewan (insert funny Bugs Bunny joke here) that showed “the plumb-bob method was found to be an invalid system for determining the break of a putt” (see page 79, March 2009 Golf Magazine).

Additionally, in a Steve Flesh article in the same issue, Flesch talked about his 10 year old son doing the plumb-bob in relation to it causing slow play.

I’ve been known to plumb-bob but never could remember myself what it meant for the break. To me it always seemed confusing; like turning in a car sliding on ice. Do I turn into the turn or out of it? No clue.

Anyway, I’m going to take the U of Saskatchewan’s study as truth and am dropping the plumb-bob immediately.

Unless Coach Dave says different.

Golf is Hard - Episode 6 - Grip

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:24:00 -0500

We're back with another great episode of Golf is Hard TV, this time talking about grip... it's a terrific little lesson, and something you can use immediately to improve your game.

Follow us on Twitter:

www.twitter.com/golfishard

www.twitter.com/coachdavev

Tell your friends... GIHtv is rolling!
https://golfishardtv.com

Golf is Hard - Episode 5 - Putting

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 08:37:00 -0500

Golf is Hard TV is the Internet's most passionate golf show!

This episode features another basic putting lesson. We focus on rhythm and show you a quick drill.

Our new show format is shorter and more structured - we hope you love it!

We're also working on a new show tagline...

Golf is Hard TV - The golf show for the rest of us... we stumbled over this badly in this show - proving that we aren't there quite yet.

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter for regular updates:

http://www.twitter.com/golfishard

http://www.twitter.com/coachDaveV

Happy Valentine's Day

Sat, 14 Feb 2009 09:32:00 -0500

Marc and I are not only excited about it being Valentines Day, but we are also pumped about the upcoming changes you are going to be seeing on our show. Not only do we have a really cool new banner, but the show format is going to change a bit….and our new website is looking really great…wait til you see it. As far as the show…shorter, more frequent and more focused segments…of course humor and lots of good information related to your golf game (and some not).

Keep an eye out, by tomorrow morning you will see the next episode.

Have a great V-Day!

HOLD YOUR BREATH

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 08:19:00 -0500

But only during the putting stroke…really…you want to stay as still as possible. As for the full swing…it’s OK to breathe (Marc). Just remember to keep your mind and your eyes out on the target…think about what you want the ball to do. We’ll talk about the best way to increse the chances of this happening…some pre-shot thoughts…very important…stay tuned.
Coach Dave

Golf is Hard TV - Episode 4 - Average Golfers

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 10:26:00 -0500

We seem to be getting better with each show and Episode 4 does not disappoint! We discuss what we think an average golfer is and then break down Marc's bag and talk about club cleaning. We wrap this episode up with the mental side of golf. It's a great show... please leave comments, email us questions and follow us on Twitter:

Special Thanks to

Brandi Chastain and Pink Diva Golf

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:35:00 -0500

One of my favorite golf bloggers to follow is Pink Diva Golf. I have 2 daughters, so anything the world of golf can do to encourage more girls to play is good in my book. I am looking forward to the day my girls outdrive and outplay me.

Pink Diva recently had what I can only imagine was the thrilling opportunity to talk with World Cup & Olympic Soccer Champion Brandi Chastain recently. It’s a fun interview although there is something in particular that I do want to complain about…

Brandi politely says she doesn’t have a favorite club. I doubt that very much. Golfers always have a go to club in the bag just in case (go on, admit it!). For me, that club has been my 5 hybrid. Not only do I hit it from any lie, I’ve chipped with it, putted with it and had a slice of pizza and beer with it. I just love that club. I’m sure Brandi has a favorite too, but perhaps she doesn’t want to offend the rest of her bag. Either way, she should try to be more honest when doing interviews!

BTW, I didn’t know this, but n the history of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am there has only been one woman celebrity to play in the Celebrity Challenge -Lisa Fernandez. Brandi is #2. That’s surprising.

Check out the interview and Pink Diva’s blog.

Warm-Ups

Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:12:00 -0500

Well, it’s great to hear that Marc got out today, really unbelievable since it has been sub-freezing for weeks. It sounds like he hit some good shots, not bad after hitting 5-7 balls after 3 months off in 42-degree weather (which is why I didn’t join him).

Reading about Marc’s experience today brought up yet another topic: what is the best way to warm up either during a practice session or before a round? Marc was on track by starting with 1/2-swings…especially after a long layoff, in cold weather, with extra clothing, staring at 130 balls and pumped about his new golf show (heck…I would have taken driver out of the bag immediatley and started ripping away). So after a few swings he starts to lengthen his swing, makes sense. No surprise he was struggling a bit but did realize that he was probably going too fast.

If I had gone out with Marc today, I would have most likey brought just a wedge, a 7-iron, gloves and a hat (you have seen my head) and hit about 60 shots (your average large bucket). I hopefully would have left feeling pretty good about things…keeping it light. Sounds like Marc left feeling good about his swing…which is really the goal.

This brings up yet another topic we need to address on golfishard…practice strategy/goals. Very simple…but not often “practiced”.

Nice win by Nick Watney today…if you watched episode #3, you will know what I am talking about!

Stay Warm! ttys!

A Day @ the Range

Sun, 08 Feb 2009 16:14:00 -0500

We finally got a decent break in the weather here in CT this weekend and I took a few hours to hit the range for the first time in more than 3 months. Armed with my new Nike Driver and grip lessons from Coach Dave, I bought myself a supersize bucket of balls $13!!!) and started to work on some things.

I took Dave’s advice and really loosened up my grip, trying to keep it at a 2 out of 10 on the pressure scale. I like to warm up with half swings using a 7 iron first and after 5 or 6 balls, I was connecting solidly and started taking some full swings.

It was ugly. Slices and hooks all over the place! I went back to taking half swings and once I started hitting the ball solidly again, I worked my way back to taking full swings. I was better this time and moved up from the to the 5, then 5 hybrid, 3 wood and finally my driver.

It felt great. I tried to stay loose and keep my grip nice and light. I hit the wood and driver really well which felt terrific.

With 16 balls left, I challenged my friend to a chipping contest - 8 balls each to a green about 40 yards away. Using my lob wedge, I was close on almost every shot, but only stuck one. I won in a tie-breaker, my 5th shot landed on a fake sand bunker connected to the green and my buddy gave it to me as a tie-breaker. Only sticking 1 of 8 wasn’t great, but it was good enough today!

Now it’s your turn! Do you have any video of your swing? Upload the video to Youtube (or any online service) and e-mail us the link. We’ll take a look, give you a review and help you improve your game just like that! Golf is Hard, but that doesn’t mean we can’t help you get better!

The photo is me in mid-waggle… I put my phone on the ground and let it take some short video!

Golf is Hard - Episode 3 - Get a Grip

Sun, 08 Feb 2009 09:28:00 -0500

Episode 3 of Golf is Hard TV features new lighting (although we still have work to do) and a new set. The upgraded audio will be ready in episode 4 if all goes well!

This episode features segments on putting and grip, super bowl pick re-caps and our Buick Invitational picks as well. We also discuss golfing with kids (especially your own).

As always, send us your thoughts and comments!

Golf is Hard "Behind the Scenes"

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 10:43:00 -0500

A quick “behind the scenes” and outtakes video!

Enjoy!

It's Time to Think About YOUR Lawn

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 21:22:00 -0500

Green grass is what golf is all about right? How do you feel when you pay your greens (pun intended) fees and walk onto a course that is not so green? Now…take that feeling home…how do you feel about your own lawn? I am really into having nice, healthy, green grass (no green weeds and no green crabgrass).

Yeah…I know it’s still frigidly cold here in the Northeast & Midwest, however if you are into your grass, there are things you must know and things you must do if you have northern-cool-season grass…and very soon.

Bottom line this is…step 1 needs to go down no later than mid march (if you live in upper NE), if you live in CT or south, you must put it down in mid-late Feb. This is earlier than you may have done in the past…but it will prevent crabgrass. Did you have crabgrass in May/June? then you put it down too late. Step 1 has no fertilizer, meaning you can’t put down too much.

Go get step 1 now and better yet, buy all 4 of the “Scotts Best” program from your local garden shop (not Home Depot, Lowes, Costco, etc. because they do not sell the best Scotts stuff), have your garden shop person explain. You will get a rebate check from Scotts and your local folks should give you another 10% off for buying it all now.

By being a Golf is Hard fan, your golf game will get better and your grass will be greener. Wait til we talk about grilling and Italian cooking…

Golf is Hard Episode 2 "Fantasy Foursome"

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 11:27:00 -0500

We have a lot of work to do on lighting and sound (we are listening and have lights on order!) and a new issue with Blip.tv… the video is skewed for some reason. Don’t ask me why, I thought I was doing everything right. I’ll fix it eventually.

For now, watch the “skinny” Marc and Dave talk about Golf Lingo and make their “Fantasy Foursome” picks.

We’re creating new episode outlines all the time, if you have a suggestion, leave a comment or email me. We’ve already got some great suggestions from viewers on golf tips and product reviews.

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

What are the Pros Up to?

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 00:03:00 -0500

At times here at Golf is Hard we will offer our opinion, make predictions and offer Monday-morning quarterbacking about the people who try to make a living playing this crazy game. In other words, you can expect pro-tour commentary and updates so we all stay in tune to what is
going on in their world.

Me? I am waiting for Tiger to come back…it has been kind of boring watching golf without Tiger, can’t wait to see him kick butt again.

In case you are not familiar with the pros, here is a brief rundown on the tours they play:

The PGA Tour - the best male players in the world, most commonly seen on TV
each weekend. Great win last week by Kenny Perry, what happened to Anthony, Camilo and Phil? Thinking about Tiger’s return I believe!

The LPGA Tour - the best female players in the world, Annika is gone, Lorena
rules. Paula Creamer is the best American (ranked 3rd). Watch for Natalie and Anna Rawson (and I hope they play well too). Michelle Wie will win in ‘09.

Champions Tour - 50+ year-old men, tons of great players from the past and
still highly competitive. Bernhardly has to hardly wait for a win any Langer.

European Tour - men’s tour across the pond. The best European and other
worldly players make a very good living there. How about the “teenager”, 19 y/o Rory Mcllroy, winning last week, 16th in the world already and hasn’t played in the US. We’ll see, hope he plays well here in 3 weeks.

Nationwide Tour - minor league tour for aspiring male pros, many have made a
nice career there. Not often on TV

Futures Tour - minor league tour for aspiring female pros, also not often on TV

Golf is Hard TV - The best place to get really good golf instruction that works. Send your questions to me…you will get better.

Here is a prediction. My partner, Marc, will break 90 this year and maybe even think about keeping a handicap. ttys

Why I Hate Punxsutawney Phil

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 18:55:00 -0500

That darn groundhog is killing me. Here in CT, we’re bracing for yet another storm, but all I can think about is playing some golf.

To make matters even more difficult, I was cleaning up my nightstand and found one more reason to hate that darn groundhog…

My older daughter got mad because I got in an extra round with my younger one last fall so I go this sweet Christmas gift! Can’t wait.

The Golf Fix

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 12:16:00 -0500

I just caught the premier episode of “The Golf Fix,” Golf Channel’s newest how to show designed to improve our games. This show is a little different, and I really liked it. The style is informal and friendly and I like that the host is doing it totally live. It’s an extremely refreshing format, not unlike our very own Golf is Hard video podcast!

A big part of the first show was “Celebrity 9-1-1” which is supposed to help celebs fix their games. While I don’t mind the occasional celebrity thing, the Jim McMahon segment was just odd. He was wearing sunglasses at night and was in bare feet. Very bizarre. I actually wanted to see less of him and more of Samuel L. Jackson’s fix. In thinking about it, how about getting some high handicappers on the show instead of celebs - hell, they can afford expensive lessons themselves!

As for the host Michael Breed (check out his website), I think just like us, he’ll figure out the right level of excitement and get better each show. I am actually looking forward to seeing how he progresses as a host.

I think it’s a worthy show to check out - I had been digging Personal Lessons but this show is a very good alternative. My only real complaint is the show’s tagline…“This ain’t your Daddy’s instructional show.” Didn’t Oldsmobile lean on that tagline too?

Golf is Hard TV Episode 1

Sat, 31 Jan 2009 23:11:00 -0500

We couldn't be more excited to present the first episode of our new video podcast (or vlog, or whatever you want to call it)!

Golf is Hard TV is going to be the Internet's most passionate golf show. Bear with us as we figure out the lighting, audio, content and everything else.

Please leave comments and suggestions or questions for Coach Dave. If you'd like Dave to take a look and make some swing suggestions, upload your videos to Youtube and send us the link.

Enjoy the show!

Show notes/links
Introduction and Welcome
Putting Lesson
You Spent What, On What?
Super Bowl Picks

Links
Golf Galaxy and Dicks Sporting Goods

World Golf Tour

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 13:28:00 -0500

Have you come across this amazing web/game site yet? From their web site (PR baloney…)

World Golf Tour^TM (www.wgt.com) (WGT) is the world’s most authentic online golf experience. WGT’s mission is to bring the golf lifestyle and game to everyone via the Web, making the sport accessible and affordable for all. The World Golf Tour experience allows golf enthusiasts to play the world’s most challenging and exclusive courses through superior HD graphics on a PC or Mac platform – for free, no download or software needed. WGT’s online community allows friends, families and golf fans to play a round of golf simultaneously, competing in tournaments for prizes, sharing scores, testing out the newest equipment and reading the latest news in the golfing world.

But the thing is… this site absolutely rocks! The game features individual play on high resolution courses and multi-player features. They also have tournaments and other great game features.

The game features several courses including Kiawah Island and Bali Hai. Golfers can play practice rounds or take the skill challenge. You can also tee it up in online tournaments that feature cash prizes.

Check out these awesome graphics:

Most importantly, this game is way addicting, seriously. My profile is “msirkin” - find me if you want, or leave a comment with your email address and I will invite you. Let’s tee it up!

It's Great to Join GIH...Hope to Help You Play Better, Laugh and Simply Have More Fun

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 02:02:00 -0500

Hello There Fellow GIHers…

Thanks Marc for the invitation to join in here at Golf Is Hard…I remember playing a lot of golf with one of the members at my first club, he was a 1 handicap. We would have some heated matches although usually they were just a $2 Nassau. Most of the time, after we finished and were walking up the hill to the clubhouse, he would look back and say, “Dave, that’ll be five ways!” (meaning I owed him $10). As a struggling, poor golf pro, it was very hard to hand over 10 bucks to a guy making 6 figures plus, but hey, I lost. When I kicked his butt though, it was like winning the lottery. No doubt a motivation for me to practice. Anyway…I remember this because he would always say…“this game is hard”. No doubt this is the hardest game in the world to master…and in fact, no one ever does. Just ask Tiger…he is always looking for a way to get better. The best athletes from other sports (Michael Jordan, etc.) have admitted this is the hardest game ever…so don’t ever try to get it…and don’t ever say you figured it out after shooting your best round, because the Golf Gods will certainly find you and you will have five bad rounds after! If you are laughing now, you know what I am talking about. Just have fun with it!

Looking forward to hearing from you…your biggest challenges on the course…where you want to improve in ‘09…any specific questions you have about your game, how to get your kids into it or into a good program…If you live in the northeast and need some help on getting your own lawn in perfect shape this year…we can help with that too….if you have a question about cooking an awesome Italian meal (and have it ready for when you get back from the course)..send it our way…if you are a Yaknees or Giants fan…my condolences and please direct those questions directly to Marc….let’s have some fun!

DV

It's Great to Join GIH...Hope to Help You Play Better, Laugh and Simply Have More Fun

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 19:02:00 -0500

Sadly, I'm Not the Best Golfer on GIH Anymore...

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:55:00 -0500

Golf is Hard is expanding… ever since I wondered out loud about what this blog was good for, I have been wondering if GIH could be something bigger, better or hell, even more useful.

For now though, I want to introduce you to a friend, co-conspirator and former PGA pro Dave Vitols. He’ll be helping me realize the true potential of this blog (lots of people reading and joining us in our love of golf). We both have a passion for the game and a rapidly expanding vision that we can both entertain and help people become better golfers.

So even though it stings to no longer be the best golfer on GIH, I am thrilled to have Dave to help provide some actual insights and help for us “average” golfers.

Look for Dave’s posts (coming soon)!

For now, Dave, this is everyone… everyone, this is Dave.

GIH Marc: Hey Dave, and welcome to your new home on Golf is Hard! What’s your golf background?

GIH Pro Dave Vitols:
I always had a passion for golf since I was a little kid. My Dad would take my brother and I to the local courses to look for balls in the woods. I would then clean ’em up and sell them to the players on Sunday mornings. One time, when I was 9 or 10, I remember making about $11. The best ones were the Titleists, I sold them for $.50 each. One day the golf pro saw me and was pissed because I was taking his business…he kicked me off the course. I ended up playing for my high school and college teams and got better every year. I played baseball too, otherwise I might have really gotten to be a good player.

GIH: How did you end up a pro, and why’d you stop?

Dave Vitols:
It was the passion that drove me into the golf business and the dream that I would play on tour (yeah…right). Anyway, after working for about 2 years in a suit and tie, during which time my game steadily improved, I decided to quit my job and pursue the dream. I got to know some of the local club pros, which were sort of mentors, and they hooked me up with a job at a 54 holed private club in Florida. Packed up everything I owned in my car and drove down for a $6/hr ranger job. This place was awesome, practiced everyday and really improved. I landed a great assistant pro job back in MA at a private club and for the next 3 years lived in MA in the summer and Florida in the winter. Worked through the PGA program and landed a great year-round job at a Nicklaus facility in AZ. Spent about four years there, ended up the head pro at one of the courses on property. AZ was the best, played or practiced just about every day, worked with the Nicklaus/Flick golf schools and really learned how to teach well. Played with quite a few tour players…got to be pretty good myself. My most fun round ever was playing with Alice Cooper and Paul Westphal in the same 4-some. Who would expect them to be friends, but that’s what golf does, it brings people together. “Coop” shot a 78 I believe, not bad…

Eventually I got a little burned out…working seven days a week…got married, had kids and decided I needed to not be working every weekend. Still miss teaching…and playing competitively but some day I’ll get back to playing competitively, maybe when the kids go to college…

GIH: What’s your best round played?

Dave Vitols:
Shot 67 a few times…but my “best” round was qualifying for the Mass Open, low 70’s but just remember the feeling of qualifying for a great tournament.

(GIH Marc’s note): 67! My best is slightly higher.

GIH: What’s your favorite golf course?

Dave Vitols:
Desert Mountain’s Geronimo course. Pine Valley is a close second, the caddies there have their own language

GIH: What’s your favorite club in the bag?

Dave Vitols:
Used to be the Taylor Made 13 degree burner (fairway metal), made a double eagle hitting it twice on a par 5 on the 12th at Desert Mountain. Always loved the putter too, believed I could make every putt.

GIH: What’s your favorite shot to make?

Dave Vitols:
I got to be really good out of the sand while in AZ. Nicklaus designs are usually elevated greens and deep bunkers, so you had to be good. However, there is still nothing like blasting a long straight drive, exactly where you aim it.

GIH: What’s your favorite drill when practicing or teaching?

Dave Vitols:
I actually hated doing drills, but the most effective one for almost anyone is hitting shots either with both feet together or balancing on one foot. This really helps promote feeling the weight in the club and helps keep the body relaxed while swinging. Most people are amazed when they see the ball fly more than 80% of their typical distance on a “normal” shot.

When I practiced, I would spend hours on my short game…wedges, etc. of all distances.

GIH: As a golf teacher, what was your favorite type of student?

Dave Vitols:
First, the student that was really passionate about the game, about learning it and about having fun while improving…they were the most fun to teach. As far as seeing the quickest results…the easiest to teach were those that played other sports, especially tennis, baseball, hockey, etc. I say that only because they may have better understood the concept of using their hands to move an object. It is quite easy to teach a baseball player how to hit a golfball…but really…anyone can do it. While in AZ, I gave a few lessons to former Red Sox player Dwight Evans…not only my favorite team growing up…but one of my favorite players…what a blast. Or course I made him swing the golf club like a baseball bat, I had to see the old sweet swing up close.

Folks… this is a new day for Golf is Hard… strap in because it’s going to get interesting from here on out.

If you have specific questions for Dave, please leave them here in the comments!

I Knew He'd Make That Putt

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:48:00 -0500

Have you stumbled onto this amazing essay/article by Joe Posnanski “The Meaning of Tiger Woods?"

It’s a wonderfully written article with some great insights and questions about the greatest golfer ever.

I love this Rocco quote in particular:

“I knew he’d make it,” Mediate shouted when Tiger made it. We all knew. Anyone could make that putt with the right read, a good stroke and a touch of providence. I’d even say that most excellent pros could make that putt in that moment, under that pressure, with a throbbing knee and a U.S. Open at stake. But only Tiger would make it. Maybe that’s the difference with Tiger, the difference between could and would.

What’s compelling about this essay is that Joe exposes us to the fact that we really don’t know Tiger at all… in a supposed age of transparency, Tiger’s true self is shielded from us in subtle but important ways.

Joe points out a few terrific stories including this one about MJ that I absolutely love…

I know a pretty telling story about Michael Jordan. It seems that he was practicing before a game, and arena people were going through all the scoreboard games to make sure they worked. “Hey,” Michael yelled out. “Who wins the dot game tonight?” They told him … say it was blue. That night, during a timeout, the dot game began. Jordan turned to Scottie Pippen: “Hey, bet you a thousand dollars blue wins.” Something about that gets me closer to Michael Jordan, his hunger for action, his need for control, his preparation, his desperation to win. Pippen agreed to the bet, which tells you plenty about him too.

Think about this for a moment.. where are all the great stories about Tiger?

He sanitizes his image daily. He speaks in platitudes and technicalities and circles — “I love competing,” he says, and “I just try to stay in the moment,” and all that. He does not want to be known.

That quote reminds me of when Crash Davis teaches Nuke Laloosh in Bull Durham about handling interviews…

Crash Davis: It’s time to work on your interviews.
Ebby Calvin LaLoosh: My interviews? What do I gotta do?
Crash Davis: You’re gonna have to learn your clichés. You’re gonna have to study them, you’re gonna have to know them. They’re your friends. Write this down: “We gotta play it one day at a time."
Ebby Calvin LaLoosh: Got to play… it’s pretty boring.
Crash Davis: ‘Course it’s boring, that’s the point. Write it down.

Thanks Joe, for a terrific essay on the greatest golfer. This is seriously, one of the best pieces of writing I’ve seen in a long, long time.

Finally, A Real Golf Tour for the Average Golfer

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 11:15:00 -0500

Golf Galaxy sent me an email to their VIP Golf Galaxy Tour titled “Finally, A Real Golf Tour for the Average Golfer."

I’m not sure how they are defining average, but the overview says that the tour is “Open to golfers who normally score 95 or less on 18 holes. Men, women and juniors welcome.” Average eh? I think maybe they’d get a few more entrants (me maybe!) if they expanded this to golfers who “sometimes break 100."

The entry form asks “What do you normally score on 18 holes?” The choices..

79 or less
80-84
85 or higher

Yea.. that’s average for sure!

So let’s say for arguments sake that you shoot 90 or normally, you might be tempted to sign up…

The package looks pretty sweet and has lots of goodies baked in. You can learn more on the VIP Golf Galaxy site. It includes a number of nice benefits including hats, balls and discounts. It looks like the basic package, priced at $99 is actually worth about $500 if you manage to take advantage of everything they are offering. Golf Galaxy also has a higher end package priced at $149 that includes a $50 Callaway gift card and a $20 Golf Galaxy card. In addition, there is potentially over $1000 in tour winnings.

You can check out all the different locations and select the one that’s closest to you. I’m in CT and they have a Milford, CT tour stop as well.

The Golf Fix

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 13:28:00 -0500

Anyone else going to check out “The Golf Fix” on GC tonight? I set my DVR to record it and hope it’s not more of the usual stuff. I’m starting to get a little sick of tips and technique shows.

I do like the idea of the live component of the show - even though I won’t be watching it live!

What is an Average Player?

Sat, 17 Jan 2009 18:53:00 -0500

I’m wondering what you all think is an “average” player. I’ve been doing a little digging and set up a poll over on the right hand side (please vote!) to see what folks think an average player shoots.

I’m convinced that if you look at the average handicap (I believe it’s around 15-16 according to the USGA), you are leaving out way, way too many casual and non-handicapped golfers. One of the things about golf that I really dislike is how elite it can feel at times.

I’ve personally been intimidated when playing golf for lots of reasons (lack of a fancy bag, perfect swing, the latest clubs etc…) and frankly, am a bit sick of it. Golf is a great, great game and the more I think about the barriers that exist for casual and inexperienced players the more I want to try to do something about it.

So… let’s start with what you think is an average player, take the poll on the right and leave comments below and we’ll go from there.

Photo credit

Golf Lesson Just For You!

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:28:00 -0500

Need a quick pick me up or some new swing thoughts? Check out this graphic and the embedded video below. You can thank me later!

(I have no idea where this graphic came from, I saw it on a mailing list. If it’s yours, send me a note and I’ll give you some credit!

GIH Interview: GolfGym's Ken Pierce

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 10:59:00 -0500

Getting in better shape has been a priority for me for a few months. I recently added an occasional pilates workout my other routines in an effort to focus on my core a bit more. Everything I read tells me that I’ll get some great golf benefits with a stronger, more flexible core.

To that end, I stumbled on to a company called GolfGym (or follow on Twitter) and decided to reach out to them to learn more and do a quick interview. I was thrilled that Ken responded so quickly and played along with my interview questions. He’s partnered with PGA Coach Joey D who works with Pat Perez, Tom Pernice, Jr., Ryuji Imada and Tim Wilkinson. I wanted to learn a little more about Ken, his business and getting fit for better golf.

I enjoyed doing this interview and plan to do more… so if you run a golf business, own a golf course, are a coach or just want to chat, drop me a note!

Golf is Hard:
Let’s start with golf… How often do you play, and what’s your handicap?

Ken/GolfGym:
It is a running joke that everyone in the golf business must play golf all the time…Actually we are busy running our golf businesses. So, I play as much as I can in the summer when the light is longer after I leave the office. I get out occasionally in the winter, given that we live in California. My handicap is about 15. I haven’t posted lately. I go out as a single most times and really enjoy just walking 18 holes with different partners and hitting good shots and generally don’t think so much about the final score.

GIH:
Let’s talk favorites… ho is your favorite current PGA and/or LPGA pro? Favorite all-time golfer?

Ken/GolfGym:
Favorite PGA Player is currently Ryuji Imada (he is highlighted on our new DVD’s and is a great guy and a very hard worker). I admire Morgan Pressel on the LPGA Tour.

GIH:
I’m fascinated by entrepreneurs who are able to carve a successful golf business for themselves, briefly tell me the story behind GolfGym.

Ken/GolfGym:
I created the Original GolfGym PowerSwing Trainer in 1987. I could go on for days. Better you go to: www.golfgym.com/story. Bottom line….tenacity.

GIH:
I’m a high handicapper and in decent shape (at least good enogh shape to walk 18), what should I be focused on during the winter to get myself into shape to play better golf this spring?

Ken/GolfGym:
Cardio is always good, but resistance training is the best. Go to my blog and view the last large post from December. It focuses on exactly what you are talking about.

GIH:
What are the key differences that amateurs and hackers should focus on that is different than training pro golfers?

Ken/GolfGym:
There really are no differences in the techniques you should use in your training. The difference is that the Pros hit so many balls every day and are so “Golf Fit” that they don’t necessarily have to concentrate on what their body is doing in their swing. They concentrate more on the tiny nuances that will make the ball go exactly where they want it to. If we would work more on our bodies and become stronger, we wouldn’t have to think so much about swinging harder only smoother. A firm base and strong core would help us develop a more consistent swing which would result in more consistent ball contact and better shots.

GIH:
My daughters are both lucky enough to play a bit of golf through the Girls Scouts but they are still very young (11 and 9). Can you share any tips for young female golfers?

Ken/GolfGym:
Most women, especially young women lack the strength necessary to generate enough club head speed to hit the ball farther consistently. Women for the most part are very flexible, that’s not the issue. It is the strength in the legs and core to hold a firm stance and control their upper body in the swing. Once again, golf specific resistance training is the answer. We recommend very light resistance with more golf specific repetitions to train the neurotransmitters in the body to fire more consistently.

Ken emailed me back a day after to clarify one thing on fitness:

Ken/GolfGym:
I did say that women are generally more flexible than men, but failed to make the point that both men and women have to make stretching (properly) a part of their regular routine.

What Would You Shoot?

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 13:36:00 -0500

Just saw this today and just entered myself. I think I will pass on the video though.

It’s your chance to test your game on one of golf’s greatest stages: The Black Course at Bethpage State Park in New York this June, playing under the same conditions the best golfers in the world will face at the 2009 U.S. Open Championship. We’re talking 7,426 yards of penal rough, fearsome bunkers and some of the fastest, firmest greens you’ll ever see.

Who is Blogging About Golf?

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 10:38:00 -0500

I’m on the hunt for some new great Golf blogs to read. Does anyone know any? I’m looking for offbeat and interesting blogs, not the big PGA focused stuff, or pure product blogs.

I stumbled onto a manufacturer/marketing company called GolfGym who has an interesting blog at http://www.golfgymblog.blogspot.com/ - yes, sometimes they are selling stuff, but more often it’s good content and ideas on fitness and training. I’m thrilled they are blogging! I wish they would do an online training course or something a bit more active during the offseason to help us duffers get into golf ready shape!

Know any others that you read on a regular basis?

Many of the golf blogs I had been following have either stopped posting or have become too advertising/marketing centric (not that there is anything wrong with trying to turn a buck here or there).

Right now, Life in the Rough is my favorite golf blog to read. It’s both personable and helpful, something I have been striving for here on Golf is Hard to achieve.

I’ve also added a list of golf blogs that I subscribe to on the right (—> look over there). So you can keep up with what I’m reading on a regular basis.

So, what golf blogs are you reading?

What's This Blog Good For?

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:33:00 -0500

I’ve been wondering lately, as I’ve written down some annual and long term goals for myself, what exactly is this blog good for? Hmmm…

It’s been really fun to write and to hear from some of you from time to time. It’s clear that I’m a pretty bad golfer, but that I really do enjoy it quite a bit. Right now, playing a round of golf is the closest I can get myself to a real “zen” moment - the game simply demands that you be completely present at all times. I think that’s what I love most about it.

I think the answer to my question though, is that this blog is good for new golfers and bad golfers alike. I hope that it reflects back the best of why you play golf and occasionally makes you smile, laugh or even learn something.

So for now, I think I’ll stick with my random and sporadic approach; posting on things that are interesting to me and complaining about my lack of focus, inability to hit a soft chip shot and my horrible putting game.

For those of you like me who love statistics, here are some traffic numbers to Golf is Hard from 2008:

2,943 visits from 67 countries
3,880 page views
85% of you were new visitors (where’s my repeat readers?)
Top referring web site was thegolfgirl.blogspot.com - thanks Golf girl!

I hope you’ll keep on reading and leaving the occasional comment.

Playing Golf Bad for Your Hearing

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:03:00 -0500

Saw this interesting piece on BBC News “Playing golf can ‘damage hearing” that is most certainly partially hype.

That said, here is the advice…

Players who use a new generation of thin-faced titanium drivers to propel the ball further should consider wearing ear plugs, experts advise.

The sonic boom created by these clubs apparently can damage your hearing. The worst offender was the Ping G10 at over 130 decibels. If you have one of those bad boys, you might want to dig up some earplugs!

Walk, Carry or Push?

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:45:00 -0500

I usually walk and use a cart for my clubs, especially after hurting my leg last year. I enjoy walking a lot and sometimes feel like the push cart isn’t allowing me to burn as many calories as I’d like by walking. After all, one of the ways I justify playing golf is that it keeps me in shape (but not apparently enough to make any sort of aerobic difference).

Check out this informative article on Golf.com “Hit ball, drag bag and burn some calories, too” ofr all the details.

There was virtually no difference in calories burned between carrying (721) and using a push cart (718)
Players in the tests scored best when using push carts and playing with a caddie.

I don’t have a caddie, so that’s out… but it’s great news that there is little caloric difference between carrying and pushing. Sweet.

Anyone?

Sat, 03 Jan 2009 17:53:00 -0500

Anyone wishing it was spring already?

I am.

Coaching Youth Sports

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 10:52:00 -0500

If you are like me, you are always balancing playing golf with your other commitments in life. For me, that includes work (of course) and coaching youth sports. Coaching sports gives me so much pleasure that I think I’ve become addicted to it. I’ve created a new blog, designed to document my experiences, but to also encourage anyone who does coach youth sports, to really put some effort into it and give the kids a fantastic experience.

Check out my Coaching Youth Sports blog now.

P.S. No, I do not coach golf, that would be scary.

Paul Goydos

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:57:00 -0500

Reading a recent Golf Magazine issue, I stumbled onto an interview with Paul Goydos, my new favorite golfer outside Tiger.

Yes, we all remember him fighting it out with Sergio and losing at TPC last year, but what I didn’t realize was his amazing back story and pure authenticity as a human being.

Are you better than Tiger and anything?
At being older.

Hysterical.

Goydos tells the story about the BBC asking him to do commentary for the Ryder Cup. He sat with Bob Costas who at one point apparently told him that it was OK for him to comment. Goydos said what was on his mind and after watching a highlight of himself making a 30-footer he says “He’s a good looking guy.”

Get Yer Facebook On...

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:45:00 -0500

While looking for a funny interview with Paul Goydos on Golf.com I saw that they launched a new Facebook golf game. Hours of addiction await you… go here to play. (Note: you have to have a Facebook account to play).

They have 3 games (long drive, closest to the pin and putting) and you can challenge your friends and enter tournaments. Silly, but fun.

Winter Sucks

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 17:27:00 -0500

It’s not even winter and I’m already complaning about it.

Winter sucks because I live in CT and it’s too damn cold to enjoy a round of golf.

I can’t wait until spring. In the meantime, I think I’ll start practicing my putting in my basement and dream of warm summer days.

Michelle Wie

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 09:52:00 -0500

Love her or hate her (why would you hate her?), big props to Michelle Wie for getting her card. One of the lessons I have been trying to give my daughters is perseverance. I haven’t read anything about Wie’s training plan or how hard she worked to get her card, but I do know she didn’t give up. Good on ya Michelle.

I did some searching but didn’t find much info on how she trained or even (re)dedicated herself online, if you have any links, please send them!

The End of the Season

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:44:00 -0500

I think thats about it for this season of golfing. My goal was to break 95 this year, and I didnt manage it. I came close and played well, but honestly, things never came together the way I expected this year. Ah well.

I did manage to play some really amazing courses including The Broadmoor and Steele Canyon, two really terrific layouts.

I managed to play the entire year without a driver, but I recently remedied that with a recent purchase of a Nike Driver. I cant wait to play with it!

The End of the Season

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:44:00 -0500

I think that’s about it for this season of golfing. My goal was to break 95 this year, and I didn’t manage it. I came close and played well, but honestly, things never came together the way I expected this year. Ah well.

I did manage to play some really amazing courses including The Broadmoor and Steele Canyon, two really terrific layouts.

I managed to play the entire year without a driver, but I recently remedied that with a recent purchase of a Nike Driver. I can’t wait to play with it!

Long Drive Winner!

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:14:00 -0500

No, I didn’t win.

From Steele Canyon

Yes, that’s my name on the 2nd line.

But I did crush the ball! I played a best ball round of golf at Steele Canyon in San Diego last week and had a great time. Playing well helps for sure, but the 30 mph winds and the huge elevation changes on this course made it like a fun house. I had a blast!

We ended up +4, but I take some joy from 3 factors:

We didn’t finish last by a long shot
In our foursome, I was the best player.
We shot +1 on the back 9.

How Tiger Does It

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:49:00 -0500

Just finished reading a terrific book “How Tiger Does It” by Brad Kearns. It provides some great insights into Tiger’s life and how he maintains his competitive edge. The book is much more interesting however, when read from a parent’s point of view, I think.

The author talks a lot about kids and parenting (he must have his own!) and translating Tiger’s winning ways into tools you can give your kids. The biggest takeway for me, across the board however is the idea that your child must be internally motivated (pure motivation), and that motivation must come from inside them.

My daughters both play sports (softball, basketball, soccer and golf) but never, ever practice on their own without being asked. Never. They do however, read, write and practice their instruments. My younger one draws pictures just because she feels like it. It’s hard as a parent who knows that in order to get better, your kids have to practice - but the very act of pushing them to practice could be just the push your kid is looking for to quit. I’d prefer they keep playing casually instead of quitting because I’ve been an overbearing, winning obsessed parent.

The author points out “tips for raising a Tiger” towards the end of the book. I think they are worth listing here:

Nurture your child’s pure motivation and natural potential (in other words, don’t project!!)
Be a good caddie (help your child navigate, but let her take her own shots!)
Place high expectations on your child (no for results, but honest, sportsmanlike and maximum effort in competition - direct praise at effort and behavior, not at ability or results)
Apply the success formula (don’t over do it, enforce expectations for effort and character and reduce emphasis on natural ability and winning)

The book is filled with great stories about Tiger’s youth, his dad and mom’s approach and full of quotes and bromides from the man himself. Well worth the time to read this book.

The Only Thing Better Than a Three Putt

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:52:00 -0500

Is a Four-putt.

This sage advice comes directly from Jeff Foxworthy in his new golf handbook “How to really stink at Golf."

The good news is that this book will take you about 10 minutes to read. More good news is that it makes for a terrific gift for your golf obsessed friend, spouse, etc. It’s also worth 2 or 3 really good laughs.

In particular, I loved Jeff’s swing thoughts:

“Feet shoulder width apart, relax at the knees, arms straight, hands forming a perfect V, remember to rotate your hips, not too fast on the takeaway, are your shoes tied? Yea, I’m pretty sure they are, check the wind, did I leave the stove on this morning?” Etc, Etc, Etc.

The bad news is that some of the jokes aren’t all that funny. Ah well.

The book does however make a good point in the end. Golf is about having fun and shouldn’t feel like work. It’s too bad I actually care about getting better.

If I were a reviewer who gave stars, I’d give it a 3 out of 5. Or, in golf terms, a bogey. Close to par, but not quite.

The Key, Please Be the Key!

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:00:00 -0500

I bought something called “The Key” the other day. I was so distraught after an absolutely horrid day at the range last week, I felt that I simply needed to buy one more golf gadget to make me feel better. I haven’t had a chance to use it yet, will it work?

At the range, I hit a bucket of balls… umm.. I didn’t actually hit much other than the ground and pieces of the ball. It was horrible!

I was thinking that golf season may in fact be over this year but just remembered that I’m playing at a CIO.com event in San Diego in November which means I’d better get my swing together quickly!

Here’s a link for more info.

Father/Daughter Tournament

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:03:00 -0500

Finally, some pics from the tourney I played in with my 9 year old… we shot a 38, +5 on an executive course and had an absolutely amazing time.

Member/Guest Tournament

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:06:00 -0500

As I mentioned in my last post, I spent the last few days down in Charlotte at a Member/Guest tournament - my first multi-day golf event and first member/guest as well. Instead of recapping the entire week, I’ll post here my highlights and lowlights for the record. Enjoy.

Highlights

Not being the highest handicapper (in fact, I was 5th from worst!)
Winning 2 matches on the final day to pull out 3rd place in our flight
Pecan pie
Hitting my 3 wood from 195 yards, over water to about 15 feet
Hanging out with an old, old friend for the first time in years
Big break challenge - I almost busted the glass and instead, plugged a ball right through the wood base
Punching out of the woods from inside a gulley about 15 feet down onto the fairway

Lowlights

Tournaments Galore

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 10:39:00 -0500

I have totally lost my blogging muse and have slacked off completely here at Golf is Hard. That said, I haven’t had much of interest to talk about either lately.

Last weekend, I played in a father/daugther tournament here in CT. She’s 9 and still very much learning the game. That said, she’s got the etiquitte almost down (she’s still restless on the green while someone else is taking their shot) and is a terrific little putter. She nearly dropped 2 20 foot birdie putts and missed a 30 footer for par by about 3 inches. It was way, way too much fun playing in a scramble like that and we plan to do it again.

Meanwhile, I’m headed to Charlotte to play in a member/guest tournament with a very old friend. I’m pretty nervous for two reasons. First, I want to represent well and have this feeling that the course isn’t going to be so easy). Secondly, I haven’t ever played that much golf in such a short time period and I’m worried about my back. I’ll have to add a ton of stretching every day to get ready and hope I’ll hold up well. We’ll see.

The Broadmoor

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 19:44:00 -0500

I was in Colorado Springs this past week for the CIO 100 event and had a chance to play in the tournament at the Broadmoor Mountain course. In a 4 man scramble, we managed to miss our only 2 real birdie chances and shot an ungodly 8 over.

How do you shoot 8 over in a scramble? Easy, you stink it up and miss putt after putt. That’s how! The winning team shot a 62, beating us by a country mile.

The course itself was gorgeous! Most holes are basically looking up at the mountain, and the views are really spectacular. Here’s a big time tip for playing this course… putt away from the hill no matter what your eyes are telling you!

We had a putt on the 18th hole that looked like a HARD break to the left. But after our first putt, we saw the ball seemingly break upwards, and away from the mountain. Incredible.

Walking on Water

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:17:00 -0500

This is just simply.. too cool for words.. watch…

More Golf

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:19:00 -0500

I’m finally back from too much business travel and hoping to get some rounds in shortly. My P.O.S. bag by Acuity that I bought about a year ago cracked at the bottom, so I went to buy a new bag tonight at Golf Galaxy. While I was there, I traded in 3 clubs for some fast cash. Gone are my 3 and 4 irons which I never, ever hit along with my lousy driver. RIP TaylorMade R580…

I picked up a stiff shaft TaylorMade R7 fairway wood which is now my default driver. In talking with a club fitter, he is convinced the stiff shaft will make a big difference for me immediately when using this club. Now let’s see how it all works out on the course.

I realize that I’ll eventually need a driver in my bag, but for now, I’m hoping I can hit the new fairway wood about 230-240 yards which would be a perfect compliment to my 3 hybrid which I hit about 200 yards or so.

I am hoping to get up early tomorrow and get 9 holes in before work, so we’ll see soon enough!

Book Review and Notes: The Seven Principles of Golf

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 22:34:00 -0500

Not only is this one of the best golf books I've ever read, it's one of the most useful life books I've come across as well. Check out reviews on Amazon and buy it if you feel so inclined.

(Full disclaimer: I received an e-mail from the publisher asking if I wanted to read and review the book... I'm a sucker for a free read so I said yes).

I'm thrilled to have had an opportunity to read this book and took extra time on this post to make sure I captured some of the more important ideas I'm taking away. At the end of the day, I feel like I get it - I really think golf is a direct reflection of how I live my life and I intend to use it as a tool to keep improving myself and learning to live in each moment fully. I'm far from perfect, but I am getting better at both golf and life, I hope.

Mentally Tough

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:13:00 -0500

I know, I know… pathetic showing of blogging lately. Been busy!

I played 9 holes last weekend and shot 44, dispelling my earlier notion that I’d continue to get better through the summer.

Here’s a great video to tide you over:

Hunter Mahan's Golf Magazine Interview

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 20:15:00 -0500

Mahan is an up and coming golfer on the PGA tour. His recent interview in Golf Magazine is OK but his answer to one question in particular caught my eye.

Question: Mentally, you have had your struggles on the golf course. Is that a result of your father always demanding perfection?

Hunter’s answer is a signpost (thanks Mr. Tolle) to greater awareness in life. Simple replace "golf" with "life" and add water…

Answer: No, that’s just me. That’s been one of my weaknesses: trying to be perfect. And then I realized golf (life) has nothing to do with perfection. It has to do with getting the ball in the hole in the quickest time possible (add your own life metaphor here). I haven’t seen anyone play perfect yet, and I don’t think I ever will.

Golf continues to amaze me.

The Best Partner... Ever

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:01:00 -0500

I played two 9 hole rounds this weekend with the best partner a guy could ever ask for. Way better than playing with Tiger or Bob Hope or any chummy celeb for sure.

I’ll take this partner over any in the world, in a tournament or just for fun. She’s a joy to be with, hits the ball straight just about every time and never loses her cool.

My 8 year old daughter is an absolute pleasure to play with - she’s so calm and funny. She plays quickly, lines up her shots and really watches what’s going on. It’s amazing to see her learn quickly, avoiding stepping on peoples lines and thinking through her club selection.

We played with two different pairs this weekend - both father/son duos and I know they were blown away by my kid. Not because she’s so great, but because she seems to be having so much fun.

I’ll take her as a partner any day and am looking forward to the day we can hit a full size course together.

A Smart Course for Data

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 10:14:00 -0500

Like many of my readers, I’m not a professional golfer. I make my living as a marketer working for Microsoft. My current role has me managing a web site for CIOs (if you are a CIO, drop me a line). In order to keep up, I read trade magazines like CIO and InformationWeek.

This month’s issue of CIO has a terrific article on how the PGA does data management. There is a ton of great insights in the article, but the thing that jumped out at me was ShotLink’s accuracy:

ShotLink averages about 27 inches of deviation (i.e. ShotLink is within 27 inches of being exactly right on the fairway). On the green, the deviation is 2 inches. Think about those numbers and then remember that a golf ball is an inch and a quarter wide. That’s amazing! The system manages more than 32,000 shots over a typical 4-day tournament resulting in some errors of course - but the team prefers to have the data flowing as fast as possible.

The article also points out that players have full access to the system and are able to use the data to refine and understand their game.

Separately, while I’m on the CIO/Golf connection, if you are wondering if Golf is good for your career, check this out.

The Rotary Swing

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 18:05:00 -0500

I got a copy of “The Rotary Swing” from the publisher who apparently, thought I’d love to read it and review it here on my blog. Luckily, for both of us, that turned out to be true! I read the book on a flight to Seattle last week and absolutely fell for it - hook line and sinker.

In my hotel room, I was practicing my turn, feeling the “bump” and working on my legs and body with the hope that my swing will get less “handsy” and I’ll start to hit the ball more consistently.

I had intended to get to the range this weekend, but my 9 year old convinced me to play 9 holes with her earlier today. I knew I was risking it by going out on the course without trying out the new swing, but what the hell… why not.

I was nervous at the first tee, but hit an amazingly solid shot with my hybrid and proceeded to par the first hole! Unfortunately, the rotary swing can tend to make shots go left if you don’t do it right… the next two holes proved that. I realized that I was over-turning and corrected my swing on the 4th hole by sticking an 8-iron from 140 yards to 20 feet. I was shocked!

I hit the ball so pure, I hardly felt it. Over the next 6 holes I shot 2 over with 4 pars and 2 bogies.

The book is written in a simple, conversational style and while there are illustrations, the quality isn’t great. That said, I do believe I’m a rotary swing convert. The companion web site and drills are terrific - I’d recommend this book, especially for high handicappers like me. I’m really looking forward to digging into some of the drills and working on this more as I try to improve my game.

St. Vincents Medical Center Charity Tourney

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 22:39:00 -0500

I played in a best ball charity tournament a week or so ago at Whitney Farms Golf Course in Monroe, CT. My friend Dave invited me to play because his company, Hudson Valley Bank was a sponsor and for some reason, there were extra spots (can you believe it?).

The course was in great shape, and we had a chance to play with Dennis, a course ranger who is 75. Not only did he know the course inside and out, the man was supremely consistent and knew exaclty how to play his slicing 150 yard drive every single time. I was amazed!

The winning team shot something like a net 57. C’mon!

I played OK - and as a team we did decently shooting 4 over with 4 bogies. It was a bit frustrating not to close out any birdies, but truth be told, we only had 2 legit shots at them, and the putts simply didn’t drop.

After the round, we had dinner and heard a lot of good stuff about St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport… I’ll be sure to go there if something bad happens!

Simply Awesome

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 15:47:00 -0500

It’s a great time to be a golf addict. Tiger and Rocco’s playoff at the U.S. Open was simply stunning.

Planning My Attack

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 12:39:00 -0500

I used Live maps to try to see where I might improve my course management on my home course. It’s interesting to take a bird’s eye view and see where I might be able to attack different holes in new ways.

On this map, I plotted our a 200 drive from each hole to the center of the fairway and 100 yards out from the center of the green (my favorite spot to play from).

Check it out and map your own attack!

I am Tiger Woods...

Fri, 30 May 2008 19:59:00 -0500

The weather was perfect.

The work week was over.

I had to play some golf.

When I entered my score, the handicap computer told me that the score was much lower than normal and was I sure I wanted to submit it… uhh… yea I want to submit it!

I played out of my mind. I have never, ever felt the way I felt on golf course as I did today. I wish to god I played with one of my friends (so they’d believe me) and played a full 18. But that said, the +5 (41) I shot on the back 9 at Tashua Knolls is a round I’ll remember for a long, long time.

I made par back to back TWICE!

I sunk a 20 foot putt for par!

I chipped up with a lob wedge twice to within 10 feet!

I channeled my inner Tiger Woods (hmm, maybe not - when was the last time Tiger shot +5 on 9 holes?). Back to regularly scheduled suckfests soon, don’t worry.

Seriously though, here’s what I think I did differently. I slowed everything down by 20 or 30% and took an extra club. I tried to keep my swing smooth and to stay “long” in my back. I’ve been feeling like I have been dipping down to hit the ball (lots of chunks) - staying long in my back worked for me today.

Yea, I Thought So

Wed, 28 May 2008 09:35:00 -0500

When I got my first ever handicap (18.7), I knew it was too good to be true; or rather, I wasn’t that good at all. I was right. I got my updated number today:

USGA HCP Index: 23.3

Shooting 104’s isn’t going to get me where I want to be. I need to get to the range today and get some practice.

Whitney Farms Golf Club

Wed, 28 May 2008 09:13:00 -0500

I played in the annual Father’s Club tournament to benefit my kids school at Whitney Farms in Monroe. It’s not an easy course!

I managed to remember to snap a pic on one of the nicer holes. I played OK - not great, shooting a 104 (adjusted for handicap).

Product Review: Swing Reminders

Thu, 22 May 2008 09:02:00 -0500

Full disclosure, I got an e-mail from the guy who invented “Swing Reminders” asking me if I’d review his product. I’m happy to do so and am thrilled to finally (yes!) have a moment to write up my review.

What are they? Swing Reminders are a bunch of hardwood tokens with golf swing tips to help you improve your game. In my hands, they feel like poker chips (that’s a good thing, especially if I’m holding a bunch of them!).

I stalled at first before using these, they sat in my bag for a few rounds before I pulled them out. But I really wanted to try them out and sure enough, I grabbed a few and thew them into my pocket along with tees and some balls a few weeks ago.

On the first tee, I went to pull a tee and ball out and instead, had a token in my hand that said “No Sway.” Because swaying is my biggest issue right now, I was surprised to myself. I dropped the token back into my pocket and hit a nice tee shot.

Throughout the round (and subsequent rounds since), I’ve been using the reminders every few holes. I think it helps if you don’t overdo it - there is no reason to look at 5 or 6 tips right before you take a shot. That said, I have found that glancing at a single swing reminder is a nice way to get my head back into the moment.

My favorite 3 reminders so far are:

no sway
quiet legs
pick your target

I think Swing Reminders are a great novelty or a gift item - they are inexpensive and quite useful. If I had a handy dandy product review rating system or if products were given a golf score, I’d give them a par. Check out their site at swingreminders.com.

Where the Hell Did It Go?

Wed, 21 May 2008 09:49:00 -0500

My swing is gone. Absolutely gone.

Midway through a great round my swing left me. I started topping everything and when I adjusted, the chunks came back with a vengeance. Last week, I played in a charity tournament at Whitney Farms and while I didn’t score horribly, I felt terrible about my swing. I ended up shooting an adjusted 104 (yikes) and would have shot worse except I managed to putt decently.

I’ve been getting physical therapy for a hurting leg (back of the thigh) and the therapist told me I was “wicked” tight. That can’t be good right? She then went on to tell me that I have essentially no mobility in my lower back.

I’ve been doing a ton of stretching and now I’m starting to think I’m going to have to re-learn my body positions as I get more and more flexibility. It never ends!!!

Annika, noooo!

Tue, 13 May 2008 16:49:00 -0500

Just saw this story about Annika Sorenstam planning on retirement… oh no! I was going to post this weekend about how the Annika/Lorena rivalry could develop nicely into a much needed matchup but I guess not! Just as Annika regained her swagger too… darn it.

The upside is that if Paula Creamer can really get it going, she can definitely push Lorena to the limit. Go Paula Go!

Man, I'm Tight!

Tue, 13 May 2008 09:50:00 -0500

I’ve been having a slight pain in my right leg for a few months and finally went to the doc to check it out. I thought it might be something horrible, but it turns out I’m just wound really, really tightly. The PT told me that while I have decent flexibility in my upper back and arms, my low back and hips don’t move at all.

Hmm….

Ya think that’s part of my problem? Me too. She’s hopeful that I will loosen up quickly (2 sessions a week for 4-5 weeks). Not only do I hope I start to feel better, but I secretly hope that this is why I am so inconsistent on the golf course.

Reality TV Opportunity

Thu, 08 May 2008 09:29:00 -0500

I got an email from ABC yesterday and wanted to share. My wife would never consider this, so I'm passing on my 15 minutes of fame to you, my loyal readers!

Here it is... good luck!

My name is Gaby Wilson. I'm a Casting Producer for ABC's Primetime show, "Wife Swap." I hope you don't mind me contacting you, but we're currently into our fourth season at the moment and we're looking for one-of-a-kind families with plenty of personality. Specifically, we're looking for families that love the game of golf! If your life revolves around getting to a tee time, golf lesson, or driving range and sharing golf with your family, and you've always thought your family was meant for TV, I want to hear from you! In addition, please feel free to forward this email on to any families you think would be interested in taking part in this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Book Notes; Putting Out of Your Mind

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:52:00 -0500

On vacation in Myrtle Beach I read the last of the 3 Rotella books that I have, “Putting Our of Your Mind.” Similar to his other books, it’s filled with stories and examples, some of which are hard to believe, but all of which are very compelling.

I liked this book about the same as I liked the rest of them - but I’m not sure I’m a good enough golfer quite yet to get the full value from these books.

That said, I will take away a few key points when putting, a few of which seem to be helping already.

The book reiterates what we all know but seem to forget - which is that roughly 40% of all your shots in a given round will be putts. That’s a lot… shaving 5 or 10 strokes is totally doable - that’s just 5 less 3 putts in round!

I also liked that Rotella doesn’t prescribe any particular mechanics to putting. I recently switched to a “left-hand low” style and was wondering if I should switch back. After reading this book, I do believe it doesn’t matter. I’m sticking with the new style simply because it’s comfortable for me.

The biggest point however, is the assertion that I already “have the touch” and just need to relax and let my body do it’s thing. This is tough in reality, but I’ve been working hard in my routine to take a look, line it up and just let it go. I played a round recently and think I started to really allow myself to feel this while putting. I played well - breaking my 9 hole course record on an executive course here. I believe I only 3 putted twice (that’s a miracle!).

In any case, I do recommend Rotella’s books - the books are not going to help your mechanics, but they have brought me a certain amount of psychology that I’m able to bring to the course with me. The proof is going to have to be in my scoring though - I’m simply not scoring like I should be yet.

Golf Fitness Academy

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 19:46:00 -0500

This post is a blatent (but unforunately, unpaid) advertisement for the website http://www.mytpi.com/ and the Golf Channel show “Golf Fitness Academy.” I was watching this weeks episode while working out this morning that featured the very cool Ben Crane. First up, the fitness show is terrific. Tons of great exercises and tips that you can use immediately.

But thank god I watched through the credits because I learned about http://www.mytpi.com/ - the companion site chock full of content and amazing interactive tools. I visited thesite this morning after working out and was so excited to see the terrific catalog of exercises. I was inspired and developed my very own workout based on their tips and tools.

The best part about the site though is the “View My Swing” tool. The site allows you to record your own swing and use their analysis tools and content to start to figure out all sorts of stuff. Personally, I saw how curved my posture is, and confirmed that I do in fact, sway like crazy in my swing. I’m telling you, this is one terrific golf web site.

(This isn’t me, just an example photo)

Myrtle Beach Photos

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:37:00 -0500

A few photos I snapped while in Myrtle Beach

Terrific looking Par 3 at Tidewater… I hit my gorgeous tee shot right into the front bunker. My first sand shot left me… right back in the bunker, up against a 1-2 foot high lip! Triple bogey baby.

Amazing Par 3, again at Tidewater. No where to go but on the green. See that tree on the left? I didn’t and hit my tee shot smack against it. Drop and three putt for what else… triple bogey.

Nice fairway at Myrtlewood Pine Hills. The course was fun to play! Lots of challenging holes. Apparently, very challenging as I shot a 106.

Neat sign posted at Myrtlewood.

Ahhhh, sunset means time to relax and drink up.

PGA Superstore - Myrtle Beach

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:41:00 -0500

After having an amazing experience at the GA PGA Golf Superstore, I expected even more in Myrtle Beach. The joint was totally jammed, and I got the major cold shoulder in trying to get some attention. Out of curiosity, I wanted to hit the TaylorMade R7 CGB because I read it was easy to hit for a high handicapper like myself.

I took a bunch of swings and quickly realized that equipment is not my issue! I’m standing way, way too close to the ball when driving, probably trying to emulate the success I have with my 3 hybrid. I heeled a few in a row, then finally caught one clean. I hit it about 195 according to the computer with a swing speed of 94 miles an hour. Is that even possible? Blah! I didn’t even bother to pull it out at Tidewater, and will probably not pull it out tomorrow at Pine Hills either. I get just enough distance out of my 3 hybrid (200-210 yards) to ignore the driver for now.

Anyway, the store was HUGE and I ended up buying some new Seminoles head covers for my hybrids and a bag of tees. I wanted some new shoes, but ended up wanting $150 ones, and didn’t want to spend the loot. I tried on some Nikes but didn’t like the feel. I’ll just stick with my Foot Joys for now I think.

I guess I was more impressed the in GA at their Superstore, but to be fair, it was a lot less crowded than yesterday. There are 2 superstores here, but I think I’ll pass on the other one for now.

Tomorrow, I’m playing Myrtlewood’s Pine Hills and can’t wait to get back out there!

Tidewater - Myrtle Beach, SC

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 19:42:00 -0500

I played a terrific round of golf at Tidewater today - playing as a single I matched up with 3 brits and played my first ever round with money on the line. It was only a buck… no big stakes. That said, it added some very nice flavor to the round. I quite enjoyed it, though I did miss a par putt on the last hole to secure a win.

In any case, even though I shot a 107, I feel like I played quite well - I struck the ball fairly well all day, only chunking one badly. The biggest surprise of the round was how far I’m hitting the ball.

Last year, my PW was a 100 yard club - but today, I was able to hit it 110-115 on a regular basis. That pulled my GW distance another 15 yards as well - giving me fits all day long. Even worse (better?) was the 6i I hit close to 170 yards - over the pin, the green and deep into the marsh. I hit it perfectly - new grip and all and paid the price. I’ll need to continue to adjust my distance control as I strike the ball better.

Oddly, I chipped amazingly well today - knocking one to 2 feet from the fringe. What a great feeling.

I had one really terrible hole - a par 3 that started well with a beautiful PW that landed 10 yards short and in a bunker. Tidewater has tons and tons of bunkers btw - if you play, watch out! From there, I hit a SW right back into the bunker. The ball was sitting half buried about 3 inches from the edge - perhaps 8-10 inches straight down. Ack! With no other good play, I just hacked at it and it popped straight up and found the lip, rolling down to the green. What a crazy shot. I ended up triple bogey.

I hit lots of great shots, but none better than on the 17th, a par 3 180 yard hole with no where to go but on the green. The hole is pretty much marsh from tee box to the front of the green. I hit a great shot with my 3 hybrid on to the green and managed to 2 putt for the par - my first all season.

Want to Play Golf?

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 19:24:00 -0500

Just push the “golf button” on your phone.

Seriously. The condo I’m at in Myrtle Beach has phones with golf buttons on them. Really. How cool is that?

Unfair Shots

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 19:17:00 -0500

Doesn’t everyone just love and underdog and hate whomever is #1? Why is that? At the gym today, I overheard a woman talking about how she hoped that Tiger would lose today (he did), saying to her friend on the treadmill that all he cared about was the money.

I hate that line of thinking. I hate it about golfers as much as I hate it about baseball players and pretty much any other professional athlete. There is no way a performer can get to the top without loving his or her sport deeply and being fully committed to it for their entire lives. When I was a kid, all I wanted in life was to be a pro baseball player. Money wasn’t even a thought. What I couldn’t reconcile was that the amount of work I needed to put in didn’t match my true desire. I didn’t have what it took.

Guys like Tiger and A-Rod don’t do what they do for the money - that’s a by product of a person pursuing their true calling in life and dedicating their entire lives to that pursuit. Because of how markets work, they get the loot. But I doubt that any of these guys ever starts out thinking about money. Performing at the top of any profession is hard enough, but put a microscope on an individual performance and it’s an entirely different ballgame.

It’s human nature, but it’s not fair. I wanted to tell the woman to shut the heck up, but I left it alone. Turns out she is a Red Sox fan too, and as we watched the highlights of the Red Sox beating the Yanks 4-3, I had to eat it and admit that Paplebon was…. “OK, I guess."

In other news, I’m playing Tidewater tomorrow (can’t wait) and very much enjoyed the Masters. I’m still waiting for Tiger to make his move.

Obligatory Masters Post

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 19:35:00 -0500

It’s Masters week. yep. Blah blah blah blah, Tiger, blah blah blah Phil, blah blah blah, Jack. Tiger, Tiger, Tiger, Tiger slam, blah blah blah.

I’m watching as much as possible sure, but am more excited to play some courses in South Carolina this week.

A bit more on my new grip… my hands HURT like hell! I asked my wife if 38 was too young for arthritis and after she laughed at me, I realized again at how oddly I had been holding my clubs. The joys of getting the right grip, swing and tempo. I’m trusting it though, my game is about to get to another level.

I think there is a big PGA Superstore in Myrtle Beach - I hope to get there this week and will try to get some good pics of the joint. Maybe they have some Masters specials.

Blah blah blah.

A New Grip

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 21:01:00 -0500

Totally forgot to blog about my most recent lesson… the pro told me that I was using my right thumb to press down on the club and it was causing me tons of inconsistency. I hit a bucket of balls with him looking on and started to really feel that the proper (and new) grip was allowing my arms to release. When I managed to hit the ball square, I could feel the extra power and saw the results immediately. Problem was, my hands feel so weird!

Besides the grip, he has me bent over way more than I was in a much, much more athletic position. I hope that it will stop me from swaying, which apparently is the cause of most of the chunking that I do during a round.

We’ll see how this plays out - I’m in Myrtle Beach next week playing courses way, way harder than my home course. Uh oh :)

A New Earth (of Golf)

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 18:58:00 -0500

Yes, I had to do it… I’m reading Ekhart Tolle’s A New Earth and doing Oprah’s web master class to boot. I’m very much enjoying it and learning a lot about myself and my ego. I will try to blog more about A New Earth later, but wanted to connect the dots to my current golfing obsession with a quote from a golf book I just finished.

Bob Rotella’s Golf is a Game of Confidence is a terrific book (read more here on my golf blog). I read it while on a trip to Seattle while I was finishing up the Rotella book. In a chapter about how Byron Nelson won eleven straight tournaments, Byron told Rotella that he never knew how he had scored until after his round. “He felt as if he played in a trance."

The book goes on however, and startlingly hits one of Tolle’s key concepts right on the head.

“I would come in and I’d have to go hole by hole on my scorecard, carefully, to realize what I’d shot. I didn’t ever know if I was five under, three over, or whatever it was. I never carried that in my conscious mind,” he said. “I never knew where I stood in a tourament."

He won eleven straight tournaments this way!

It’s is remarkable how often I’m seeing parallels between what Tolle talks about in his books, being present and living each moment fully conscious matches what great golfers do themselves. Astounding!

Turns Out, Golf IS a Game of Confidence

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 10:27:00 -0500

I recently finished reading Rotella’s Golf is a Game of Confidence and have to say… I think the guy is right! I took a few keys from this book that I put into practice yesterday on the course that I felt like helped me immensely.

First, I’m developing a pre-shot routine that involves a look down the course from behind the ball, picking out a specific target, lining up my shot, one practice swing and let it fly. Trusting the shot helped me a lot. On the course yesterday, I actually hit my targets more than ever before, even if the ball flight wasn’t perfect, somehow the ball went to the target.

Secondly, I am really learning to accept each shot and move on. When I played last week, I actually cursed out loud and embarrassed myself with how I behaved. This week, I hit the shot, watched it and started immediately thinking about the next shot. Only when I got home did I think back about mechanics during the round. I’m trying to NOT adjust things on the course but to play with what I have that day.

Third, and perhaps most important, the book taught me to get creative. I started chipping with my 8 iron and played a couple of terrific bump and run shots up the fairway to the green. I still need to work on distance control, but it feels good to know I can hit a simple shot when I need it.

I broke down badly on the back 9, it started to get cold and my endurance isn’t up to par yet. However, I shot a 49 on the front 9 and struck the ball extremely well. In fact, on the first hole of the day, a long par 5, I was about 155 yards out and hit a 6 iron. As I stood over the ball, I told myself that the worst thing that could happen was that I hit it pure and would be 10 yard long. I guess I visualized the pure shot, cause that’s what I hit. The 54 on the back was pretty horrible, my short game left me wondering what the heck… I chunked about 5 wedges which explains the scoring in the simplest of terms.

If only...

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 18:19:00 -0500

If only I played on the course as well as I practice on the range. Why is that?

It’s frustrating to say the least. I need to practice more for sure (that muscle memory is coming along nicely), but why doesn’t it transfer better?

That said, I simply can’t chip consistently. I need a chipping primer - anyone out there have the basics for me? Ball position, hand position etc? Every 3rd of 4th chip squirts off 90 degrees to my right. Nice eh? I felt like a real duffer today at the range - sticking 3 chips to 5 feet, then squirting the 4th or 5th ball 15 yards directly right. Yikes.

Season Opener

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 12:45:00 -0500

Let’s be upfront about things here, OK?

I stink. I love golf, but I’m just not very good. I played my first round of 2008 today in less than ideal conditions - it was darn cold out! So cold we had a freeze delay and my tee time was pushed back 45 minutes. Luckily for me, I’m a glutton so I hit a bucket of balls and froze my butt off. I should note, that I have never hit a better bucket of balls in my entire life. Absolutely crushed the ball and with accuracy.

We tee’d off with these two guys who I could tell were trouble from the get go… one guy was such a talker that at the turn we actually separated from them and replayed the front 9. Yea, that bad.

In any case, armed with my new 3 hybrid and Odyssey White Hot putter, I stunk up the joint with a +21. Yea, you read that right. Oddly, I drove well - but played my wedges horribly. I actually hit a shot that when at a 90 degree angle from me. Sideways! That hurts.

The 2nd time around, I played much, much better and finally found my swing again. I even hit 2 drivers in the fairway! The +17 wasn’t great, but I took a few things away.

Relax, it’s early. Lots of golf to be played.
Relax, it’s a game dummy.
I need more time on the range to work on building up muscle memory, especially with the pitching wedge.

Best shot of the day however, was a PW from 100 yards out that landed less than 5 ft. from the cup.

I’m also using a new site to keep stats this season - oobgolf - check it out. When you have a moment - very slick features. I should also note that oobgolf is my official sponsor this season! More on that later…

Drop that 'cap

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 10:36:00 -0500

I call my handicap a “cap” because I want to be cool like the kids. I found an absolutely incredible article on Golf.com from Dave Pelz that you have to check out. I hope it really will help me drop my ‘cap.

I especially love the graphics showing where pros hit their balls vs amateurs.

My favorite tidbits from the article:

Driving: Hit for accuracy
Do whatever it takes to hit the fairway, even if that means hitting 3-wood or a hybrid off the tee. If you give up 10 percent of distance for 10 percent more accuracy, you’ll shoot lower scores.

Yep… I started this trick at the end of last year by simply forgetting to pack my driver!

Par 3-Irons
Go long
Select the club that will get you to the back edge of the green. The ball will end up past the flagstick if you catch it pure, but no harm done since your shots are rarely straight enough for you to make the next putt anyway. Choosing a stronger club will carry your average shots closer to the hole, leave shorter putts and keep you out of hazards

Sand Shots
Play the ball forward
Try this: Hit a normal wedge shot from grass. Notice how your divot is forward (toward the target) of the center of your stance. This exact same swing which contacts the ball before it hits the ground on fairway shots can also serve as your sand swing. It will correctly hit two inches behind the ball in sand if you simply position the ball forward.

Putting
Pelz asks for favors this season: (1) Focus on rolling putts beyond the hole on average; (2) Allow for a little more break on every breaking putt you see; (3) Recognize that for every putt you leave short you’ve thrown away a chance of holing it; and (4) Realize that until you miss as many putts above the hole as below, you’re STILL not reading enough break on average. Do these things for me and you just may start putting like a professional.

Interesting… for me - I either leave putts way short - or they go a mile. Drats.

Read it, it’s good stuff!

Wedgie

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 10:33:00 -0500

Been working really hard on hitting better chip shots with my wedges. I’m so inconsistent!

I found a good note on Golf.com and thought I’d share. I’m going to try the one-handed drill Pelz recommends immediately (well, maybe this weekend).

Practice hitting wedge shots with your lead-arm only. When you first try one-armed swings, your shots may turn out badly. Don’t worry and don’t stop trying. Stay with it for a few sessions, making sure you move your body as normal. As your strength and timing improve, you’ll start hitting some reasonable shots.

Home on the Range...

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 19:38:00 -0500

and in the basement.

I managed to sneak away for 30 minutes and hit a quick bucket of balls tonight. I grabbed my PW, 5 and 7 irons and wanted very specifically to work on a 2-piece takeaway that I read about in a golf magazine. According to the article (I’m too lazy to go find the link right now), you take the club head back with your wrists first, then turn the shoulder.

I had great results with this move - I think it acts a bit like a timing mechanism for my body. The thing is, I really think I have figured out one of my major issues. When I take the club back, I sway quite a bit like I’m going to hit a baseball. I did in fact play baseball. After all these years I do believe I still have a tiny bit of muscle memory!

When I’m very conscious of the turn I feel like I’m on a pivot I hit the ball very, very well. I hit a 5 iron the furthest I’ve ever hit one today - it must have gone close to 170 yards. I was shocked because I didn’t even feel the ball on the club - just like in baseball when I hit a homerun. It felt great.

Then, tonight, I not only cleaned all my clubs with some soap and hot water, but I practiced putting a bit on the carpet in the basement. Totally loving my new hand on thigh, left hand low routine I’m developing.

I’m addicted, I know.

I’d blog a bit about this weekend’s golf action, but what’s to say other than I’d be very scared to play Doral. To me, it looks like a nightmare!

2 Hour Practice Session

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 14:43:00 -0500

The weather was perfect today in CT and I knew I’d find myself at the range. I ended up with 3 buckets of balls and really started to work on my swing. I’m focused on the turn and trying to avoid the sway. I tend to chunk the ball when I’ve swayed so at worst, I’ve got myself a warning system in place and ready to go.

I spent about an hour hitting balls. picking out targets and rotating through my clubs. I think I must have gotten tired towards the middle and started really hitting the ball poorly after a great start. After 5 solid drives, my driver went back into hibernation. After 3 or 4 pop ups and mishits, I put it away for safe keeping back in the bag where it will remain for most of this season.

I also think I’ve found that I’m rotating my hands too much at impact, unlike last year at this time, I’m hooking the ball consistently which is the opposite of my normal slice. I know my faithful slice will return at some point though - it’s lurking around. In the meantime, I’ve got to find a way to get the club head square at impact again.

Distances are a bit hard to gauge at this point but I did manage to hit bunch of balls cleanly with my PW, GW and LW.

PW is 100-110 yards at 90-100%. I just can’t seem to hit it much further than that.
GW is 80 yards at 90%.
LW is 50 yards at 90%

After the range, I hit the putting green and took about 100 strokes, setting balls up at various distances and lies. My left hand low grip feels great on the course, but I do think I need a new putter. Because of how thick and solid it is, it seems as if there is very little room for error in speed. A tiny bit extra sends te ball flying, and a tiny bit less lands me a ridiculous distance from the hole. That said, my new grip, along with a slightly new routine seems to have me on target and closer to the pin than I can remember from last season.

Finally, 30 minutes chipping - my least favorite practice drill. Happily, I did well using my PW as my primary chipping club. I’m confused if that’s the right club to use, but I did fairly well with it.

After a 2 hour practice, I feel like I should be getting ready to try out for my high school golf team - too bad I’m 38 and not in high school. Or good enough to make any sort of team.

Now it’s time to watch some golf on TV and relax before dinner!

Flat Wrist Action

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 14:59:00 -0500

Hit the range today for a bit and really focused on trying to keep my wrist flat at the top of my swing. It took a half a bucket but I finally was feeling it. It was subtle but when my wrist stayed flat at the top, I felt like my swing was much more on plane and was actually swinging around the arc better.

The other thing I noticed was how smooth my swing felt when I was able to keep my wrist flat. Super interesting to see how such a subtle movement can affect my swing.

Can’t wait to hit another bucket this weekend and work on it some more.

What I did well:

flat wrist action
hit solid pw, gw
felt I hit the driver well
solid contact on hybrids

What I still need to work on:

Slow down!
Stay focused
turn and don’t sway - when I make a full turn with my shoulder and don’t sway, I make clean contact with the ball. I sway way too much and too often

New Strategies

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:28:00 -0500

Tashua Knolls 16th strategy
Originally uploaded by msirkin

Ok, here’s an example of how I’m going to score better this season…

Shot 1: Lay off the driver. On this example hole, the 16th at Tashua Knolls (495 yards from the whites, par 5) I can regularly hit the ball about 200 yards with my 3 hybrid. The tee is high up above the fairway, so I get a good extra 10-20 yards.

Shot 2: Use my 5 or 6 iron to punch the ball up about 150 more yards in the middle of the fairway. From here, I’d normally try to use my 3 iron or hybrid and try to get it up close the green. If I was lucky, I’d have a 30-40 yard chip to the green (a shot I’m not so great with). If I was unlucky, I’d be way right and OB.

An alternative if I was really playing well would be to use my hybrid 5 here and try to skip shot 3.

Shot 3: Use my pitching wedge to get the ball as close to 100 yards out as possible. I’d actually prefer to under hit this shot to make sure I was 100-120 yards out.

Shot 4: Pitching wedge from 100 yards is about my best shot. Worst case here, I chunk it and try again from 80 yards. Best case, I’m putting for par and happy with a bogey.

I can’t wait to get back out there!

Putting Grip

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 12:02:00 -0500

Been thinking more and more about putting since it’s the only thing I’m able to practice regularly during the winter. I read a recent article about grips and have decided to try a left hand low grip this season. While I eventually to buy a new putter with a bit more feel (the thing I have now is a fricken brick), a new grip might just be the ticket.

Left hand low feels really awkward, my hand muscles don’t seem to want to adjust to the feeling, but I’ve been putting about 50 balls a day in my basement from different distances and it’s feeling pretty good.

My guess however, is that new putting grips more than anything encourage you to think good thoughts as your brain tries to adjust to the new grip. We’ll see how it plays this season!

Oh yeaaaaa!

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 15:05:00 -0500

TASHUA KNOLLS WILL OPEN ON GOOD FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 2008.

Sweet!!!

Thought I Was Joking Did You?

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 13:14:00 -0500

The sponsorship offers are rolling in… just working out the details before I make an official announcement…

That's Just Wrong

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 08:05:00 -0500

I’m planning to spend all day with the wife and when she asked me what we should do, I suggested hitting the range to hit a few balls.

I forgot that she doesn’t play golf.

Oops.

TaylorMade's Neat Custom Fitting Web Site

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 14:35:00 -0500

TaylorMade.com has a very slick (but who knows how good) custom fitting application on their web site. They let you plug in tons of stuff like typical distance, shaft type and accuracy (you drop balls on a fairway, err, in the rough). Once you finish, you click the recommendation button and voila.. time to buy a new driver!

The site is suggesting that I get the r7 CGB Max, 9.5 loft. Yea, not this year (unless TaylorMade wants to be my first sponsor and sends me one)…

I Want A Sponsor

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 14:12:00 -0500

As I was reading this post on The Grouchy Blog about Tilghman and Faldo being corporate shills, I decided that I’d like an official golf sponsor.

I offer several key sponsor benefits:

Complete coverage on my blog that includes gear review, ads and more
I’ll wear or play with whatever you send me (and blog and twitter about it). I play about 25 rounds a year on various CT and Myrtle Beach courses.
You get great PR for sponsoring perhaps the worst golfer possible.

Here are, then in top 10 form, who I’d like be be sponsored by… (but I’m not picky)

10. EA Sports (how much more can I blog about golf video games?)
9. Adams Golf
8. Microsoft, Google and/or Yahoo! (how fun would that be)
7. Adidas
6. Oakley
5. People’s Bank (that’s my bank)
4. Titleist (c’mon, I’ve already blogged about how I mark my ball!)
3. Callaway
2. TaylorMade (I already have TaylorMade irons!)
1. Nike

Which is Harder?

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 13:30:00 -0500

Golf is Hard (the blog) is wondering and opining (is that a word?) which version of golf is actually the hardest.

1. Real golf.
2. Tiger Woods 08 on the Wii
3. Fantasy Golf

Which is harder?

Real Golf
Real golf is pretty darn hard. I’ve been playing for about 10 years and have yet to break 90. Umm, 95. It takes dedication, talent and tons of time to get better at real golf. I’d say out of 10 stars (10 is Tiger Woods), It’s a 7.

Tiger Woods 08 on Wii
Not that hard at first - but I tried my game on Doral and shot +15. In real life, I’d probably shoot +35. Real golf is harder for sure. I’d give Tiger 08 on the Wii 4 hard stars out of 10.

Fantasy Golf
So here’s the deal with fantasy golf. It’s super easy when Tiger is playing, otherwise it’s hard. Really hard. Not harder than real golf, but I’m giving it a solid 5 hard stars out of 10. Take this past week for instance… I had to change my lineup on Sunday because just about everyone else I had picked either “MC” (missed the cut) or was playing horribly. I stuck Allenby in just before the deadline and nabbed 14 quick points. Thanks to the weekly preview, I managed to give Luke Donald the start.

So there you have it.. real golf it turns out is quite a bit harder than Tiger 08 on the Wii and Fantasy Golf.

How Do You Mark Your Titlest?

Sun, 24 Feb 2008 16:56:00 -0500

Neat new feature on titlest.com that let’s you show how you mark your ball.

But they stopped short! They should have created a widget that let me embed my ball on my blog and websites. Darn!

I took a screenshot because I just had to share… this is my NEW ball marking strategy. I didn’t have one before! Two dots, one purple, one red - my daughters favorite colors.

Yea Paula!

Sun, 24 Feb 2008 16:49:00 -0500

Amazing round by Paula Creamer to win the Fields Open shooting an incredible 66. She’s awesome and is my favorite LPGA golfer right now. I saw her on a show on the Golf Channel and was impressed by her maturity and talent.

But as good as Paula was this weekend, Tiger is even more awesome. I watched a lot of golf this week and can’t take my eyes of Mr. Woods. The guy is simply electric. His concentration is simply amazing. I’m in awe.

I’m watching Tiger get the trophy as I type this out. When he’s on, he’s not beatable. But what makes him great (just like it made MJ great) is that even when he’s not on, you still have to be nearly flawless to beat him (talk to Aaron B. about that).

You are Welcome Tiger

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 08:44:00 -0500

About 20 minutes after my post yesterday, Tiger caught fire and putted his way back to victory.

I managed to be smart enough to Tivo it and caught the ending late last night.

The guy is iconic, thrilling and rock solid. That was fun, fun, fun to watch.

The Range

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:08:00 -0500

Hit the range (and picked up a golf club) for the first time in more than 2 months. Whatever I had found towards the end of last year is long gone.

Meanwhile, Tiger looks human today at the Accenture Match play against JB Holmes. He just shanked one that was unplayable and is down 3.

We both had bad days.

I Must Have Tiger/Nike on the Brain

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 22:11:00 -0500

I’m Tivo’ing this tonight… it looks terrific!

Nike Golf

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 22:08:00 -0500

Who’s better… Tiger at Golf, or Nike making amazing commercials?

Jack's Rules

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 16:30:00 -0500

Caught up on issues of Golf Digest on a trip to Seattle and read a great interview with Jack Nicholson who laid out some of his own rules:

No double bogeys on first six holes.
I don’t gamble. But, if we must gamble, I only collect. I don’t pay.
Under pressure, I’ll cheat ya.
Any green in regulation, the second putt is called goo-oo-ood.

It’s a terrific interview.. read on.

Dimes for Diapers

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 17:32:00 -0500

This is exciting… my 10 year old daughter is doing her very first service learning project. She’s picked the New Haven Diaper Bank to try to help and is hard at work both in school and online trying to fundraise. I’m using a bunch of different outlets to try to help her reach her modest goals of $500 by February 11th (that’s the due date on the service learning project). Obviously I’m proud of her, and am even more excited to see her accomplish her goals.

She and I shot a video (outtakes coming soon), built a blog and started to use my Facebook account to promote her efforts (i.e. we’ll do anything to raise the money!) In addition, she got the school principal to agree to let her distribute flyers to every class in school - pretty slick I thought.

Kids today, eh?!

Here’s her first post on her new blog:

Fantasy Golf

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 16:27:00 -0500

Not only is real golf hard, it turns out that fantasy golf is hard as well! I’m playing as part of The Golf Space’s fantasy golf group on Yahoo! and am having a tough time picking players. I mean, if it isn’t Tiger or Phil, then who the heck do you pick for points?

This week I’ve done especially badly picking guys like Pat Perez and Carl Pettersson, neither of whom I’d know if they knocked on my front door and said hi, I’m Pat Perez (or Carl Pettersson for that matter).

In any case, fantasy golf is sort of fun for just this reason - it’s a chance to get to know some guys who you wouldn’t normally have even noticed. J.J. Henry is from Fairfield Country in Connecticut near where I live. Being a homer, I usually try to get him on my roster as much as possible (bad strategy usually).

GolfGameNews.com

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 19:12:00 -0500

Grant from GolfGameNews.com reached out to me to let me know about his new golf newsletter.

GolfGameNews.com (GGN) operates a free email newsletter to help you improve your golf game. Our newsletter includes a combination of the latest golf tips, instructions, course locations and reviews, products, articles, and more.
Delivered to your inbox daily!

I’m an official partner (woo-hoo) and because you are a faithful reader and because it’s invite only right now, you are officially invited!

My 2008 Golf Resolutions

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 15:10:00 -0500

Happy new year!

Sure, I have other new years resolutions (less bread, more exercise etc), but what’s really important are my golf goals for the coming year. I have 3.

1. Play more golf! This happens to mean a new job that will allow me to play more. I played the most golf I’ve ever played in 2007 (about 20+ rounds), and this year I’d like to play at least 5-10 more.

2. Stay in the moment on every shot. I’m very zen about golf (it’s why I started playing in the first place). But as I started to shoot lower scores last year, I noticed that I kept looking ahead and figuring out what I needed to shoot to make my goal over the last few holes. That’s bad! I resolve to not do that and enjoy each shot for what it is.

3. To fully counter #2, above, I want to shoot a 95 or lower this year. Take that Mr. Stay in the Moment.

How about your golf resolutions, got any?

Golf in Africa

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 15:00:00 -0500

Not really golf, but I did grab a club and do some putting on the green while we were on Safari. I played a little putting game with myself and won the Africa Cup. Sweet.

You can read about my amazing African adventure on my other blog.

GolfGameNews.com

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 12:12:00 -0500

Grant from GolfGameNews.com reached out to me to let me know about his new golf newsletter.

GolfGameNews.com (GGN) operates a free email newsletter to help you improve your golf game. Our newsletter includes a combination of the latest golf tips, instructions, course locations and reviews, products, articles, and more.
Delivered to your inbox daily!

I’m an official partner (woo-hoo) and because you are a faithful reader and because it’s invite only right now, you are officially invited!

Book Notes: Golf is Not a Game of Perfect

Sun, 06 Jan 2008 21:17:00 -0500

I finally got around to reading the first of a few different Rotella golf books. I chose “Golf is Not a Game of Perfect” to read first and was thrilled with what the book gave me.

I took several key lessons from the book and want to focus on just 2 right now.

The first thing is how to manage my game on the course. The book goes on and on about to manage your game while playing a round of golf. What I loved most was specific details and ideas on how to tailor my game based on the clubs and shots I am most confident in making.

For example, instead of risking a driver on a long par 4 or par 5 hole, why not plan out a series of shots that will get me in position to get on the green in regulation with my best shot - a 70 yard gap wedge.

Instead of hitting driver on a 450 yard yard par 4, next season I’ll try this.

Tee off using my 3 hybrid to about 200 yards.
To get to 70 yards from the hole, my second shot will be my 5 hybrid which I hit between 170-180 yards.
At that point, I’ll be about 70-80 yards from the hole/green and will be in position to hit my favorite shot - the one I have the most confidence in, most of the time. If I chunk the 2nd shot, I can still play my pitching wedge or 9 iron from 120 yards or closer - both shots I’m fairly confident with.

This is a key difference than what I’m doing today, which is hitting driver (badly) to try to get to 150 yards, then trying to hit a 5 iron to the green. I usually mis-hit or over hit that club and end up in the rough. Can’t wait to try this!

The second big thing I took from the book is putting. Basically, I was taught to try to put to either a 3 foot or 6 foot circle. Rotella’s technique is to try to sink the putt - go for the hole. I like this because it makes sense. Why not try to sink the putt, then if you miss, you miss close. My putting is horrible anyway, and I figure it can only get better from here, right? Right?

I absolutely loved this book and the mental/confidence approach it preaches. I am anxiously awaiting to play this coming year.

It's Time to Buy New Gear

Tue, 01 Jan 2008 20:40:00 -0500

Isn’t it?

Drivers get started here…

Putters here…

Winter Sux

Sun, 23 Dec 2007 10:39:00 -0500

Happy holidays all!

Living in CT has it’s big time downsides… the golfing here stinks when it snows.

I’m halfway through Rotella’s book “Golf is Not a Game of Perfect” and learning a lot. It’s good reading for winter golfers because so much of what he is saying is about the mental game.

The Last Round

Sun, 18 Nov 2007 10:50:00 -0500

Played my last round of the year (most likely) a week ago. After an hour frost delay, the greens were extremely tough. Some were frozen, and some were muddy. It was odd. My putting was horrible, and I missed 4 par chances, which is 3 more par chances than I ususally miss on any given day.

After starting horribly, I settled in and ended up with a 100 on the nose (give or take a mulligan). I was disappointed at first, then realized that I’m averaging a 98 in my last two rounds. This year was a total success on the golf course.

Interestingly, I didn’t pull my driver out of my bag once in either of those rounds. I managed to tee-off with my 3 hybrid which I hit about 200 yards. I think next year that I’ll try to figure out my driver and will most certainly have to work on length.

That said, course management is finally something I need to consider, especially mid-iron range shots. Once I started hitting the ball somewhat consistently earlier this year, I started to realize that I need to be more strategic playing my 2nd and 3rd shots. I’m pretty good from about 40-60 yards with my gap wedge, and very good from about 120-130 with my 8 iron.

I think I’ll try to play to those spots next year and see if I can lose a few more strokes. I’d love to shoot under 95 next year, maybe even get close to 90 (I’m a dreamer).

Just for the hell of it, and so I can remember, here’s my club list with estimated distances.

GW 70 yards
PW 100 yards
9I 110 yards
8I 120 yards
7I 130-140 yards
6I 150 yards
5I 160 yards
3I 180-190 yards
4Hy 160-180 yards
3Hy 180-190 yards
Driver 200-220 yards (150 with a 40 yard slice)

In the meantime as the weather gets colder, I’m engrossed with Tiger Woods ‘08 on my Nintendo DS. If any of you play, leave a comment and we can become “friends” and play against each other online.

Holy Cow!

Sun, 04 Nov 2007 16:05:00 -0500

It’s a cinderalla story - I shot a sweet 96 today, over coming 2 triples and a disaster hole by dropping in 4 pars and a stack ‘o bogeys. The weather here in CT was unreal after a big storm passed by on Saturday. Sweetness!

Best round ever, doh!

It Figures

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 09:34:00 -0500

I was out of my mind with golf goodness on Sunday. +12 on the front 9 at Tashua is a new record - and I had a solid chance of actually making my goal this year of breaking 100. Unfortunately, I had a softball game to coach and had to leave after the 11th hole after 2 more bogeys. I added it up as if I played all 18 assuming I played a little worse on the back 9 and came up with a 96… holy cow! 96 is good! Sweetness!

Figures I had to leave early (or maybe it was a good thing?).

Meanwhile, I had coffee with someone this morning who totally HOOOOOOKED me up with some golf books that I cannot wait to read…

Putting Out of Your Mind - Rotella
Golf is Not a Game of Perfect - Rotella
Golf is a Game of Confidence - Rotella
The Scorecard Always Lies - Lewis

What should I read first????

It's Blog Action Day!

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 12:06:00 -0500

Golf requires a good environment.

It's Been a While

Mon, 08 Oct 2007 17:26:00 -0500

Yes, it’s been a long while - not only since I’ve blogged, but since I’ve touched my clubs. I hit the range today and hit quite well - why oh why does that always happen?

Take 3 weeks off and you hit the ball great. Practice like a mad dog and get worse and worse.

I’ll get a chance to play next weekend - can’t wait.

Girl Power

Sun, 26 Aug 2007 17:31:00 -0500

Wow! What a great round of golf with my daughter. We played in a scramble/best ball tourney together today. We had to use at least 2 of her drives and she had to play from the green tees, which I think are the women’s tees.

Some notable action from today:

Hole 1, Par 4.
I totally mis-hit my drive and barely made it past the green tees. Julia hit a decent shot just off the fairway about 100 yards forward and we played her ball. We had a chance to get on the green in 3 but I chunked a wedge badly and we ended up with a triple bogey. It would get better, thank god.

Hole 3, Par 4.
Julia drove her ball into the woods and I hit a big time drive off the fairway, but up about 100 feet on a huge hill. Oops. Thankfully, I found the ball and made an amazing recovery, hitting a 7 iron about 140 yards to just off the green. We made bogey after Julia just barely missed her par putt.

Hole 5, Par 3.
I hit a too long 9 iron but Julia hit her longest drive ever - about 150 yards. Too bad it hit the cart path and bounced out of bounds. Bogey.

Hole 6, Par 4.
I hit a perfect drive, and Julia matched my effort within 15 yards. We played her ball and ended up with par after I hit a 7 iron on the green.

Hole 9, Par 5.
I hit a good drive with my 5 Hybrid. The guy we were playing with took his turn and when he hit the ball, the club head flew off his club. We were all shocked - it was funny as hell, but we managed not to laugh too hard. Then, his kid (a 6th grade boy) drove out about 140 yards. Julia stepped up and in a pure moment of girl power nailed her drive about 15 yards past his, just off the fairway. Unreal! I flubbed a short wedge and we made bogey.

We finished +10 with a 43 and had an amazing, terrific time.

Can't Wait

Sat, 25 Aug 2007 09:36:00 -0500

I’m playing with my 9 year old daughter in an adult/youth tournament at Tashua Glen tomorrow! She’s played twice on the course before, but has been getting much better at hitting the ball.

Given the fact that it’s best ball, and my best ever on that course is +8, I’m not sure we have a shot. I can’t wait to hang out with her though. How cool is this!

Great Golf Joke

Sun, 19 Aug 2007 12:59:00 -0500

No idea who to credit on this joke, but it is funny.

Shortly after the Pope had apologized to the Jewish people for the treatment of Jews by the Catholic Church over the years, Ariel Sharon, then Prime Minister of Israel, sent a proposal to the College of Cardinals for a friendly game of golf to be played between the two leaders, or their representatives, to demonstrate the friendship and ecumenical spirit shared by the Catholics and the Jews.

The Pope met his College of Cardinals to discuss the proposal. “Your Holiness” said one of the Cardinals, “Mr. Sharon wants to challenge you to a game of golf to show that you are old and unable to compete. I am afraid that this would tarnish our image in the world”. The Pope thought about this and, since he had never held a golf club in his life, asked, “Don’t we have a Cardinal to represent me?” “None who plays golf very well,” a Cardinal replied. “But there is a man named Jack Nicklaus, an American golfer, who is a devout Catholic. We could offer to make him a Cardinal, and then ask him to play Mr Sharon as your personal representative. In addition to showing our spirit of co-operation, we will also win the match."

Everyone agreed that this was a great idea. The call was made. Of course, Nicklaus was honored and he agreed to play as a representative of the Pope.

The day after the match, Nicklaus reported to the Vatican to inform the Pope of the result. “This is Cardinal Nicklaus. I have some good news and some bad news, your Holiness,” said the golfer.
“Tell me the good news, Cardinal Nicklaus”, said the Pope. “Well, Your Holiness, I don’t like to brag, but even though I have played some pretty terrific rounds of golf in my life, this was the best I have ever played, by far.

I must have been inspired from above. My drives were long and true, my irons were accurate and purposeful, and my putting was perfect. With all due respect, my play was truly miraculous."

“How can there be bad news?” the Pope asked. Nicklaus sighed, “I lost by three strokes to Rabbi Tiger Woods.

Myrtle Beach, SC

Sun, 19 Aug 2007 12:11:00 -0500

I absolutely love golfing on vacation. For the first time ever, I played a round during a family break - our first visit to Myrtle Beach. We headed down on one of those Marriott special preview deals (more on that later) and I got a free round as part of the package.

I got up early and hit a bucket of balls in the morning mist before teeing off with 3 strangers - a guy from VA and a father/daughter from Boston. The girl was probably 16 or so, and shouldn’t have been on the course. She was a new player and could barely swing the club.

No matter! I was golfing on vacation and had an amazing time. I shot a 103, but the round could have easily been 6 shots better - 2 chunks and 3 triple bogeys really hurt bad. But again - no matter - I was totally relaxed and had a terrific time.

The course was nice, not too hard and had a few pretty difficult par 3 holes.

As for the Marriott weekend - we got 4 days/3 nights for $199 plus the golf and $50 in “Marriott bucks.” We sat through a 90 minute sales pitch and guess what - we actually bought a timeshare!

This means 2 things:

More golf on vacation for me - yes!!
You have an opportunity to get a sweet deal on a weekend from me as a reader of this blog. I’ll post up more details as I get them, but it’s pretty simple. You get a very similar deal as I described above - and I get Marriott points if you buy. No pressure, no big deal. Stay tuned and I’ll post up details as soon as I get them.

Myrtle Beach Vacation!

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 07:43:00 -0500

Headed to Myrtle Beach for some family vacation time next week and I can’t wait.

I’m going to play some golf - can anyone out there suggest which courses I should consider, taking in to account I only have about 30 balls and haven’t broken 100 quite yet?

Here are the one’s I’m considering:

Rory, Rory, Rory

Sun, 05 Aug 2007 14:52:00 -0500

Did you say something you want to take back? The smack down is on - Tiger is 8 under playing bogey free golf and you are not having a great day.

I love how Tiger has remained silent - the big dog doesn’t have to say a thing and just keeps on going and going.

Perhaps next time Rory will keep his trap shut and just go out and act like the champion that he could become. But not yet.

Calling Tiger “more beatable than ever” is like talking smack about Tom Brady on the eve of the Super Bowl. It’s stupid, immature and can only cause you grief.

I really enjoyed reading Tiger’s quotes where he deflected. The best one is classic talk from a true champion:

“He’s trying to think of ways to motivate himself,” added the 12-times major winner, who held a share of the third-round lead with Sabbatini before bogeying the last.

It’s not officially over quite yet officially. But we all know, it’s over.

Hipsway

Sat, 04 Aug 2007 21:55:00 -0500

When I was in High School, there was this amazing band “Hipsway” that hit the scene big time.

I played 18 today with a guy who is really, really good. He’s a 4 handicapper and I met him because we were both playing “singles.” So this guy crushes the ball - his driver are 280-300 easy - and I can tell he’s taking it easy, sizing up the course and seeing what’s what.

I can also tell he’s looking at me funny half the time - I get the silent treatment when I duff the ball - and the occasional “good golf swing” comment when I manage to actually hit the ball. (Side note… new favorite club is the 5 hybrid. God I hit that thing great).

By the 17th hole, I’m +30 or so and he’s about to finish with a 73. I slice the crap out of the ball and for the first time after 4+ hours, the guys says “Marc. Hipsway."

I’m trying to figure out what he just said and ask him what he means. What he was talking about what how I have now started over-compensating my shoulder turn by adding a nice hip movement (left to right) which is completely throwing off my angles.

I’d like to make 2 comments about this story:

1. Damn, golf really is hard!
2. Say something earlier man. Could have saved me from myself.

I was going to play again tomorrow, but I think I’m due for some time on the range instead.

Lost My Temper

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 20:55:00 -0500

Things were going OK - I was +3 and playing bogey golf before I hit the 4th hole, which I promptly tripled.

Took a deep breath and got it back together with a bogey on the next hole. Then things fell apart again - triple bogey and a hole so bad I just picked it up. The first night were up and down but not horrible, I shot a 51.

I should have sat down for a minute at the turn, but kept on going - it was getting late and I knew I was going to run out of daylight at some point. I would end up triple bogey on the last hole in darkness. Can I give myself a shot for that? Didn’t think so.

Back to back double bogeys and I really lost my temper. Good thing I was all alone on the course. I cursed out loud in bad form and slammed my 3 iron into the ground in frustration. The darn club deserved it after what it did to me!

I took a deep drink of water and ate a bag of chips and felt a bit better. I promptly hit a totally crap shot… never mind, that’s a mulligan. I’m allowed OK? C’mon. It didn’t help and I ended up playing the first ball. Yea, it was that bad!

Then, on a hole that gives me fits I nailed a fairway and hit a magical 52 degree to within feet. Easy putt for par! Then more magic… another par, then a bogey.

I slowed down my swing and held my back arm in tight and started to really crush the ball like I know I can. I hit a 6 iron about 160+ which is way long for me. What was going on?

Don’t worry though, it was fleeting. Triple bogey, triple bogey on the last two holes to limp in with a 50 and a total score of 101.

I am mostly disappointed in myself for actually losing my temper. Golf is supposed to be my “zen”. I think the expectation of shooting in the 90’s is getting in the way of my just swinging the club and relaxing. I’m getting better, but apparently I’m not so patient a person.

Golf Galaxy Tour

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 13:24:00 -0500

I stumbled on to this earlier this week - my new goals include getting down to shooting 95 or better so I can qualify to play in what would seem to be a really cool opportunity.

Finally a Golf Tour of the Public Golfer, For the Public Golfer

The Golf Galaxy® Tour offers one day, 18 hole events open to all golfers (men, women and juniors welcome) who normally score 95 or less on 18 holes.

Played on the weekends at top local courses in your area, come experience the camaraderie and friendly competition of tournament golf. 2 person team, Best-Ball, and Scramble formats hosted. Sign up today and experience why thousands of golfers just like you nationwide are getting “inside the ropes."

Look up your local tournaments and get the scoop here.

Natalie

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 07:18:00 -0500

Yes, she’s got a pretty face, but this girl can play golf. I’m happy she finally won, I was getting way sick of hearing about how she’s the Anna K of golf. No way. Rock it Nat.

Hmm.. have you seen her official site? Very slick.

She’s also got a wicked sense of humor as this video shows.

H. Smith Richardson - played 9

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 07:15:00 -0500

Played 9 holes late yesterday and despite hitting no fairways, I managed to shoot a 49. I only lost one ball due to the “big slice” which was great.

I keep hearing all the best players talk about a pre-shot routine, so I’m working on one. Two quick practice swings, focusing on my back elbow and hands in the slot. Step up and get aligned. 2 quick take-aways and hit it.

I spent 30 minutes on Sunday chipping in my backyard and lo and behold, it seemed to work well. Even my putting picked up.

Let’s see what happens next time out…

Swing Video

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 10:45:00 -0500

My lessons have been very helpful so far - I’m hitting the ball further and further and with a bit more accuracy. One of my biggest issues is my elbow coming up too high which among other things is causing me to not get the club face in the right position at impact.

Watch the video below to see what I’m talking about.

Yes, I realize I have other issues to manage - in particular my follow through and hips.

Going "Low"

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 16:44:00 -0500

Who wants to go low anyway? Don’t you get more for your money when you shoot in the 100’s?

Think about it - I get mad when I pay $9.50 to see a movie that is less than 2 hours. I get angry when I pay a jazillion dollars at disney and only get on 6 rides all day long.

So why would I want to shortchange myself in golf? I’m getting 20% MORE value out of my greens fees than a player who shoots 80.

Right?

Golf Lesson #2

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 08:22:00 -0500

I had my 2nd of 3 lessons last Friday before my round on Saturday. I ended up shooting a 101, which all things given wasn’t too bad. I’m working on so many different things, it’s hard to keep track.

The main thing we did in the lesson was focus on swing plane and impact. My swing plane is terribly steep, so I’ve been visualizing flattening it so that it feels almost completely flat. It’s a totally new feeling and in order to feel it and get into the proper position, I need to open up my hips faster and keep my elbow down.

I’m a baseball player (or was one) - so my right elbow wants to come up. This may be my big problem. I used a nerf looking training ball in between my forearms and took a few swings - no way to raise my elbow!

I believe alignment is a huge issue as well - once I got my swing groove and was blasting away with no slice, I realized everything was going way, way left. I adjusted by laying down 2 clubs and immediately, I was on target.

The next day, I hit 6 fairways and came very close on 2 others. Getting there… slowly.

These Girls Rock

Sun, 22 Jul 2007 19:23:00 -0500

We took my 2 girls to see the finals in New Rochelle today at the HSBC Women’s Match play. First of all, the Wykagyl Country Club is simply gorgeous. The grass was so green it hurt your eyes.

Secondly, before even talking golf, the place was empty. No idea if this is because LPGA isn’t a big draw, or because the top players were all knocked out early or because the Open (I knew Sergio couldn’t go wire to wire!) was on. The good news was that we got close, real close to the action. The bad news was that it was QUIET, unlike when I saw Tiger last year at the U.S. Open. That was loud and exciting.

The golf however, was great. The accuracy and precision of the shots were stunning. The women were so athletic and solid looking in person - it always amazes me at how big athletes are when you see them up close.

Seon Hwa Lee of South Korea jumped out to an early lead and held on the entire way for the victory.

Afterwards, we got Maria Hjorth to sign my girls hats which was pretty cool. HSBC also did a great job with freebies (chairs, water, granola bars) and had a terrific spectator area set up with putting, golf simulators and even free lessons (no, I didn’t get one!).

All in all, a terrific day! I just wish Natalie, Morgan or Paula had been playing.

PGA Superstore

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 08:23:00 -0500

I had an incredible experience at the PGA Superstore in Roswell, GA this week. I took a break from my trip to check it out and ended up sending almost 2 hours inside the place. After wandering around for 30 minutes and seeing some incredibly cool things I asked how much the simulator bays cost. When I was told it was free, I was just about in heaven. With just about every club known to man in demo racks, I started right away hitting balls.

I also want to mention that the genius who figured out the licensing agreement to put sports teams and college logos on hats deserves a free round somewhere. When I first saw a Titleist hat with a Yankees logo, it never occurred to me that they might also be licensing colleges as well. They are!!!

After hitting balls for about 30 minutes, one of the store pro’s came over and we got to talking. He offered me a free club fitting (wow!) and watched me hit some balls. I had no consistency hitting the ball off the sweet spot on the driver head. We tried a few different clubs and different shafts but still got very little. With my swing between 88-95 miles per hour I was only hitting the ball about 230 yards or so.

The guy grabbed a Ping and asked me to hit it. Straight shots every time but only 200 yards of distance. I looked at the club and saw it was a “2” - he told me that the club was basically a fairway wood with a driver head. Looking at the tape on the club head, I managed to hit the dead center just about every time. Hmmm…

Perhaps I need to add a fairway wood back to my bag and leave the driver at home. We talked a lot about how the longer shaft makes it even harder for high handicappers to get consistent shots. We both agreed that I should play my fairway woods or hybrids off the tee for now, presumably I’d get a ton more consistency and would not be giving up much distance. I’m playing on Saturday, so we’ll see!

Finally - when I made my hat purchase, the PGA store even gave me a cool black bag loaded with golf tips!

PGA Superstore

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 07:24:00 -0500

I’m in Atlanta a few miles from the PGA Superstore - anyone need anything?

No Excuses, I Stunk

Sun, 15 Jul 2007 17:33:00 -0500

Shot 107 today. Lots of possible excuses: heat, humidity and more. Bottom line was I simply didn’t drive well and lost tons of balls. It was very frustrating and I struggled to keep my zen on. I played the back nine first (54) and had a good run on the front, but 2 late disaster holes really killed me.

A guy we played with on the last hole took 4 shots just to get out of the sand trap. Whoo - he was so pissed! He tossed his club like 20 yards. If not for golf etiquette, it would have been funny. What can you do?

I have noticed though that with the lesson I took I am finally starting to drive the ball a lot further than ever before. On 2 different holes I really let it go - hitting one at least 250 if not further. With golf, there is always a silver lining!

Golf is Hard is now on Squidoo

Thu, 12 Jul 2007 10:54:00 -0500

What? Never heard of Squidoo? Get with the program - the new Golf is “Really” Hard lens is up and running.

More about Squidoo:

A lens is one person’s view on a topic that matters to her. It’s an easy-to-build, single web page that can point to blogs, favorite links, RSS feeds, Flickr photos, Google maps, your eBay auctions, CafePress designs, Amazon books or music, and more. Then, when someone is looking for recommended information, fast, your lens gets him started and sends him off in the right direction. Win, win!

HSBC Women's World Match Play

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 19:57:00 -0500

Yes! I got some tickets for this great event - and I’m taking my 2 young daughters to their first ever golf tournament. Should be tons of fun if it isn’t too hot in New Rochelle on the 22nd. They have a pretty cool site with games and a golf academy as well - check it out.

In the meantime, as I was coming into Grand Central tonight, I saw that HSBC had a terrific interactive display promoting the event. I snapped a few pics, but didn’t have time to try the simulator or the putting game because I didn’t want to miss my train. In addition to HSBC and Golf info, First Tee was there promoting themselves - it’s a terrific kids golf program. Check it out if you have kids.

Check Out The Golf Space

Sun, 08 Jul 2007 18:53:00 -0500

I just signed up - seems pretty cool. I’m looking forward to seeing what the site has to offer!

Personal Golf Tips

Sun, 08 Jul 2007 18:25:00 -0500

I found this great post on the Golfchick blog about personal golf tips. I’ve been developing one of my own, but it’s not there quite yet…

G (grip)
A (alignment)
A (rotate Around)
P (pull it through)

My lessons bore small fruits with me shooting 100 the last full round I played. That’s 10 shots lower than the last time I played!

I hit some balls on the range this week, but didn’t have time to get on t

52 Degrees of Separation

Mon, 02 Jul 2007 11:21:00 -0500

I recently added a 52 degree wedge to my bag and I can’t stop hitting it. I hit it short, I hit it long and I hit it perfectly more often than not.

I have yet to figure out at what distance I should switch back to the pitching wedge - which has created a few problems (leaving the ball way short for example) - but overall, this is the best addition I think I’ve ever made other than the hybrids.

I seem to hit it from about 15-40 yards very well - it’s totally changed my very short game.

One Hundred.

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 18:34:00 -0500

I set a goal and I made it - though just barely. Played today and shot a an even 100 - which is supposed to feel great!

But not quite.

I want to go lower now (darn it!).

I chunked a 4 easy pitches and putted like garbage - I can do 95 - I know it :)

Golf Lesson #1

Sat, 30 Jun 2007 09:47:00 -0500

I had a terrific golf lesson yesterday - within 10 swings I had adjusted my alignment and swing mechanics and my slice was all but gone - we’ll see what happens tomorrow on the course.

You get so many different pieces of advice from magazines, tv shows and other players - it turns out that I was simply not sticking with the basics.

More bend in my stance - my angles were all messed up
I need to bend my front knee to give me more rotation - and when I did the ball literally jumped off my club
I need to work hard to get my club face around and in position - I get lazy sometimes on my swing and that creates my incredible slice
And when I get lazy, I get real lazy and don’t finish well. I’m working on really getting around on the swing - blasting open my hips and finishing all the way around
The proper driver position feels completely awkward - but it works. Because I can’t get my shoulders in alignment, I actually start my swing with the driver head about 8-10 inches BEHIND the ball which gives my shoulders room to pull into alignment.

Can’t wait to play a round and see what happens.

Golf Joke

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 09:11:00 -0500

A friend sent this to me - no idea who to credit - but it is funny.

Two women were playing golf. One teed off and watched in horror as her ball headed directly toward a foursome of men playing the next hole. The ball hit one of the men.

He immediately clasped his hands together at his groin, fell to the ground and proceeded to roll around in agony.

The woman rushed down to the man, and immediately began to apologize, " Please allow me to help. I’m a physical therapist and I know I could relieve your pain if you’d allow me," she told him.

“Oh, no, I’ll be all right. I’ll be fine in a few minutes,” the man replied. He was in obvious agony, lying in the fetal position, still clasping his hands together at his groin.

At her persistence, however, he finally allowed her to help. She gently took his hands away and laid them to the side, loosened his pants and put her hands inside. She administered tender and artful massage for several long moments and asked, “How does that feel?"

He replied, “It feels great …..but my thumb still hurts like hell.

If you have any good golf jokes - post them as comments.

Hmmm

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 12:22:00 -0500

I played last Friday with a guy who used to be a golf pro - he gave me what amounted to on course lessons - and ended up changing my swing and my grip. Needless to say, I played lousy, shooting 110. On Sunday, I took the girls back out and shot a horrible 46 on the par 33 Glen course - struggling with grip, swing and swing speed.

That said, I realize that I’m on to something because when I hit it, I hit it a lot further than before, and a heck of a lot straighter. Perhaps a tiny light at the end of the tunnel? Doubtful, but we’ll see.

I add a 52 degree wedge to the bag as well, and played the hell out of it. Problem is, I don’t have sense of distance with the thing - I need to hit the range with it.

My first lesson is coming up Friday - I have very high hopes which are most likely totally irrational.

3 Lessons, coming right up

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 12:18:00 -0500

For father’s day, my family gave me a hint - and 3 lessons with the local pro… I hope to take them soon - and stop sucking so bad!

Sub 100 can you hear me? I’m coming for you!

First Timers

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 07:41:00 -0500

Both my girls have been doing a Girl Scout golf program for a few months and we decided that it was time to hit the links.

For me, seeing them on a golf course was pretty incredible - they seem to get it immediately; from teeing off, to chipping and putting. We played Tashua Glen, which incredibly includes markers at 150 yards for kids. We spotted them after driving off the women’s tees and realized that without those markers, playing 9 holes would take forever. Instead, the course immediately became manageable and fun for the kids.

My 9 year old (between eating snacks and yelling at me for trying to help her swing) parred the 4th hole. She was so excited it was incredible. She sank a 15 footer for par and when she realized it, she was jumping up and down.

Teaching green etiquette was equally interesting, the kids kept stepping on everyone else’s lines - not a big deal given how lousy the greens were (so slow, so bumpy).

All in all, an amazing experience for all of us!

As for me, I was +1 after 3 holes before it all fell apart. I literally cannot drive the ball. I shot 42 (+9) with 2 birdies.

Most importantly however, both kids want to go again as soon as possible!

Tecolote Canyone...

Sun, 20 May 2007 22:57:00 -0500

Does it count if I shot an 84 on a par 58 (+26)? I did technically break 100 and earned a certificate from the Golf Digest Challenge. It counts like a 6 foot gimme.

I officially suck (still)

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 19:33:00 -0500

Slice.

Lost ball.

Chunk dropped ball.

Decent PW on or near the green.

2 or 3 putt.

Repeat 18 times.

I shot a friggen 113 today at a charity tournament. Terrible.

Fighting Joe

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 08:27:00 -0500

I went to a wedding in Alabama this past weekend and had a chance to play an amazingly hard golf course - rated in the top 30 I believe by Golf Digest in fact. Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail features the Shoals - Fighting Joe Golf Course. We didn’t play from the blacks (I suck, remember!) which is 8,092 yards long. Instead we played from the white tees which are a mere 6,154 yards long - and quite difficult.

Playing with rental clubs is always interesting, but the King Cobra’s they gave me where in good shape and quite similar in feel to my Taylormade Irons. The driver however had a graphite shaft, and I never really did manage to get a feel for it.

I played OK - shot a 105 in total thanks to losing a ton of balls and taking penalties left and right. If I had been able to keep my drives in play, I’m sure I would have broken 100, or come close.

I did manage to stun the guy I was playing with by sinking a 30 foot putt for a bogey (whew), and even managed to par the 10th hole.

The guy I played with shot an 89 and really, really picked it up on the back 9 shooting +3. Unreal.

The First Round of 2007

Sat, 07 Apr 2007 16:24:00 -0500

Played my first round of the 2007 golf season in chilly weather this morning at Tashua Knolls. We had a delayed 7:30 AM start time and finally tee’d it up at 9:30 as a shotgun start. Teeing off on 18 to start the round was odd, but gave us a short walk. I started the season with a decent drive, but tripled the hole for an 8.

I’ve mentioned how much I love my new hybrid before, and the club continues to perform as I hit it from just about anywhere on the golf course. I had 3 solid pars on the day and shot a 102 - not terrible. I would have saved a few strokes but continue to slice most every drive. I also need to shake the rust off, as I chunked at least 4 shots that most certainly hurt my score.

It was a GREAT day though - I’m so glad golf is back!

Meanwhile, the Masters is terrific - I’m just now watching the end of the 3rd round and loving every second.

I Think I Need This Badly

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 12:04:00 -0500

The Golf Launchpad :)

http://www.electricspin.com/

This is too cool. Wonder if it works well…

Sunday at the Range

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 07:17:00 -0500

Sunday was gorgeous out so I hit a couple of buckets of balls at the local range. The weather was unreal and there was only 2 or 3 other guys there with me.

I have the notion that I should learn how to draw the ball, if nothing else than to help me fight off my natural slice. I worked on that a bit, with some success but should most certainly invest in a lesson or two shortly. Maybe I’ll even have to rename this blog (doubtful).

I also tried out my new irons (Taylormade RAC OS) that I bought a few weeks ago. I like em a lot, I hit the ball very consistently with the 5 iron but can’t seem to control the 3 iron at all.

Meanwhile, my girls are taking golf lessons in Norwalk so they won’t grow up to “suck” - Julia hit a driver in the simulator 90 yards - improving from 71 which was her previous best distance. It’s fun to see them learn so quickly. I can’t wait to see what happens when we get out on the course.

Virtual Golfer

Wed, 28 Feb 2007 13:39:00 -0500

I’m sick for golf season to come back. I’ve been putting in my basement and messing around online with mygolfrecord.com and meez.com.

Playstation Golf

Wed, 14 Feb 2007 10:25:00 -0500

Oh my god, I also suck at Playstation Golf. I couldn’t sleep last night so I teed up Tiger Wood 2005 on the PS2. Playing in Tour Difficulty mode I totally stunk it up shooting 13 over at Harbor Town. I played in regular mode and shot 6 under and missed the cut. So sad, so pathetic.

Tour difficult mode removes the caddy tip - without which the game suddenly becomes very, very hard.

How pathetic. If I’m not even good at video game golf, what chance do I have in the real world?

Winter stinks

Mon, 12 Feb 2007 08:16:00 -0500

I managed to hit a few balls at the Norwalk Golf center and set up a mini-putting area in my basement so far - but basically winter stinks worse than I am at golf.

The Norwalk golf center is pretty amazing however - they have a simulator, a ton of bays with computers and cameras and a full bunker. My girls are doing a girl scouts/LPGA thing so they can learn to stink at golf too - and while they were getting lessons I hit a bunch of balls on my own.

Seeing yourself on video is odd - my swing really isn’t that bad but I have literally no power - something to work on for next spring. It would be nice to be able to hit the ball another 30 yards or so - there’s no reason why I shouldn’t be able to hit the ball 250 yards with a driver (or more to be honest). I’m capping out at around 225/230 and think it has to do with my hips not opening soon enough.

Maybe I should get some real lessons!

This blog pays off!

Thu, 11 Jan 2007 12:16:00 -0500

I did a little talk at American Cancer Society (don’t worry, I wasn’t talking about Golf!) and they gave a me a goodie bag filled with Titlest balls, tees and a brush. Blogging really does pay off!

One last round...

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 12:06:00 -0500

It was gorgeous out yesterday (12/17/06) so I hit the links one last time for the year… shot an unimpressive but very typical 44 on Tashua Glen. However, after shooting double bogeys on the first 5 holes, I par’d out the rest.

The hybrid I bought is really amazing - I blasted it almost 200 yards - it didn’t even feel like a full swing.

I played with a chinese couple - the guy was hysterical running around yelling BIRDIE BIRDIE every time he had a chance for birdie. He even did this when he was in the rough 150 yards away from the hole. That guy ruled.

I resolve to play more golf on full-sized courses next year… and to break 100 consistently, even it it means more mulligans (just kidding).

Best Round Ever

Sun, 26 Nov 2006 20:16:00 -0500

I’m in love with my new Walter Hagan hybrid club! Today I:

Drove with it
Chipped with it
Played bump and run with it
Even hit it from 15 yards off the green to within 3 feet of the hole!
I considered putting with it, but didn’t :)

I also played with my new TaylorMade R580 ($99 bucks at Dick’s) and absolutely loved it. Not the latest, greatest model, but still a real driver.

I shot a 41 on the Tashua Glen (Par 33, Executive course) for pretty much my best round ever. Even better, I took the kids with me and they had a great time. Hope still lives that they’ll take up golf!

New Toys

Sat, 25 Nov 2006 22:55:00 -0500

Black Friday was good to me.

Bought a TaylorMade R5 Driver for $99, threw in a Walter Hagan Hybrid 3 Ironwood and a Ben Hogan putter. I’m going to play 9 or 18 tomorrow, probably the last golf of the year. Can’t wait to try out my new toys!

I spent at least 45 minutes agonizing over these clubs at Dick’s in Milford - the best part was hitting them in the simulator. After shanking a few balls, I got into a groove, hitting my farthest ball almost 250 yards - and that was with the hybrid!

Tags: golf, taylormade, benhogan

The Rain Held Off

Sun, 12 Nov 2006 12:24:00 -0500

In probably the last golf of the year (I hope not!), I played the back 9 at Tashua Knolls. I killed myself on the first two holes (+4 then triple bogey) and then settled down a bit.

I played the first 3 holes alone which was sort of nice, but a bit lonely. The course was very wet, which probably affected a few shots.

Broke My Best Score!

Mon, 09 Oct 2006 14:12:00 -0500

I played another round of 9 at the Tashua Glen (2036 yards from the blues) and shot a 44 (+11) - my best yet! 3 pars, 2 bogeys and 1 missed opportunity. In between my new golf bag and watching the Golf for Dummies DVD, I hit the ball solidly almost every shot today.

What a gorgeous day as well… nothing like golfing in the fall.

I’m still stymied by the first hole, I tripled it today. That first shot off the tee seems to want to hurt me.

New Golf Bag!

Sat, 07 Oct 2006 15:00:00 -0500

I picked up a new golf bag at Dick’s today - does the bag help you shoot better? Let’s hope so!

Tags: golf, golfequipment

Technorati

Mon, 11 Sep 2006 08:05:00 -0500

Just claiming my blog on Technorati.

Technorati Profile

47 at Tashua Glen

Sun, 10 Sep 2006 13:45:00 -0500

Finally! I broke 50 on Tashua Glen with 2 pars, 3 bogeys and an assortment of worse than that.

My best shot was an amazing 8 iron that gave me a birdie chance (that I missed) on the 7th hole.

We played with some noobs who played so slowly we got yelled at… would have taken 7 hours if it had been 18 holes.

The Driving Range

Mon, 04 Sep 2006 21:10:00 -0500

I spent some time at the driving range last Friday - and thought I really had worked out my shoulders and legs. I hit the ball pretty well with the driver - longer than I ever had before.

Then something changed and my ball was suddenly all over the place again. Frustrating as hell.

Tags: golf

Ballyheighe Castle, Ireland

Mon, 28 Aug 2006 07:21:00 -0500

While in Ireland on vacation, I managed to get in a round at Ballyheighe Castle, a wonderful 9 hole course just north of Tralee. It was a bit cloudy and it rained (of course!) for a few minutes. I played with my brother-in-law. To be honest, this was the most amazing course I’ve ever been on (not that I’ve been on too many great ones).

The entire course was surrounded by castle ruins - the 8th and 9th were out front, overlooking Tralee Bay to the South, and the castle gate to the North.

I shot a 54 (9 holes) and played decently given:

How bad I am at golf
The fact that we rented some horrendous clubs (I wish I could blame them) - we had a frayed 5 wood, a very old 3 wood and a collection of irons including a 3, 4, 5 (super tiny), 3 6’s, one lefty 7, 2 wedges and a putter.
I didn’t have my golf shoes (like that matters)

After playing the first 2 holes horribly, I played pretty well - actually parring a par 3 and making an incredible shot from the rough about 180 yards out over at least 50 yards of out of bounds area (easily my best shot ever). If you take out the first 2 holes, I actually played +10 from holes 2 through 9. 1 Par, 2 bogeys, yahoo!

Before going to the course on Thursday, I bought a box of 15 balls for 15 euro, thinking I’d lose them all… we ended up finding 2 balls, and ended up even/par for losing balls.

Tags: golf

I stink

Wed, 16 Aug 2006 09:38:00 -0500

I’m taking my inspiriation in concept from Kaimac, who started a blog about golf, but never actually posted about golf because he got distracted.

In any case, here’s the deal… I shoot between 110-120 and am horrible at golf. Just call me Marc McMulligan if you want. I’m that bad.

My hips open too fast so I slice everything.

I can’t concentrate when putting.

I’m just not good.

But I LOVE it.. Golf is my zen moment (or 5 hours, depending).

I’ve been practicing at the range and hitting the ball real well, but last weekend on the course, it all went to crap again.

More to come…

Tags: golf