I just finished watching the final two episodes of "The Haney Project with Charles Barkley." I've seen it a dozen times already but I just can't get enough of it. I love routing for the underdog and I am hoping that Sir Charles sticks with it. I can't wait to see how Ray Romano does when he becomes Haney's next pupil. Romano's goal is breaking 80. It will be interesting to see if he can meet his expectations. Barkley's main problem is his infamous hitchwhich takes him off the proper swing plane. Teachers always talk about swinging the club on the proper swing plane which gives the golfer the best opportunity to make solid and square impact with the ball.
I have been working hard for past few weeks on keeping my posture and making a consistent swing along the proper plane. I have noticed that I am making better ball contact and eliminating the "shanks" that always seem to creep in every now and then.
This short video by Hank Haney is a great start in getting yourself swinging on the right plane. Practice this and soon you will be hitting straighter and more solid shot. Have a good one and always hit your target.
It's been windy here in S. Florida for the past few days and I have been having a hard time getting used to it. Everyone enjoys the perfect day on the golf course, but it is necessary, as I am finding out, to know how to play different shots, adjusting for wind direction.
The following video gives us some good things to think about when standing over a shot on a windy day. The key is to get out there and practice under these conditions. That is the only way you will begin to see improvement
Enjoy the video and enjoy hitting more greens under any condition. Have a good one and always hit your target.
I just got back from practicing. I just hit my 52 degree wedge today. I haven't been striking the ball well lately(a bout with the shanks) so I've decided to make this a wedge only week. I am trying to just find my shot and groove it so that it becomes second nature.
Today is Monday and that always means The Golf Fix live with Michael Breed for me. Tonight he welcomes The Christina Kim of the LPGA Tour. I write "The" Christina because that's her screen name on twitter(TheChristinaKim).
I'm a fan of Christina Kim. I like her attitude and the energy she brings to the game. Some of said that she may be a little over the top. But I don't think so. In a game that is sometimes considered to be stale and boring, she brings excitement and brightness that is good for the game.
I can't even imagine how crazy this episode is going to be. Breed is already like a fire cracker and adding Kim is going to be explosive. I don't think that they will be able to keep up with each other.
On another note, I finally created a twitter account for Golf Tips & Quips. You can check it out here. Kim is an avid tweeter and as is still tweeting right now minutes before her appearance on the show. I wanted to see what other golfers were tweeting and I found twitter-athletes.com. If you click on the golf tab you will find players from both the PGA and LPGA. This is a way to see the players just being themselves. We only see them on the golf course, but sometimes it's interesting to find out what they do on a daily basis.
Well I have to go and finish cooking dinner so that I don't miss any of the show. Make sure to follow this blog on twitter to find out what I'm doing to get better at this frustrating yet addictive game. Have a good one and always hit your target.
Posted by Dexter Francois
| Posted in
Golf Courses,
Misc.
| Posted on Sunday, February 7, 2010
Iwas supposed to play a round yesterday but my friend bailed out on me. How disappointing. I was excited to play because I haven't been able to play in a week. I've been practicing at myprivate course, but nothing beats actually playing a course.
We were supposed to play Crandon Park Golf Course at Key Biscayne, FL. It's one of my favorite tracks to play. It has held Q-School qualifying tournaments. The course is always in great condition and the scenery rivals that of any course in America.
It sit off the shores of Biscayne Bay and it would be surprising if you didn't see an alligator or two somewhere along the way. There are all kinds of wildlife that call Crandon home. There are many species of birds. The domesticated raccoons are not shy and will wander up to your cart in search of food. My favorite are the Iguanas. They rule this course. They number in the hundreds and can be found at every turn. Normally they are afraid of humans and run away(They are surprisingly fast). If they ever decided to chase me, I would have no chance.
On our last outing we came up on the 11th and we were greeted by a welcoming committee. A group if iguanas were sunning themselves on the green, basking in the afternoon sunlight. All of them save one ran off immediately. He was the biggest of the crew. My friend Kevin is the adventurous one of the group. He decided to get in close for a photo op. He coaxed "Iggy" the iguana up onto the green for better shot. I was expecting him to try to pick him up, but even Kevin isn't that crazy. I wasn't getting near him. I took the picture. It seems like I'm close but I actually zoomed in. I was keeping my distance.
So how about you? Have you had any encounters with nature during a round? Hopefully all of your encounters with nature are pleasant ones. Have a good one and always hit your target.
So John Daly has changed his mind again. He has decided to keep playing. He cited frustration for his recent contemplation to retire. After missing the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open it was evident that he was fed up with his game.
Some say that this last episode was a publicity stunt to help promote his new reality show "Being John Daly" to be aired on The Golf Channel. Whether or not this is true is debatable but I'm sure that it has enticed a few more people into viewing the show. If just out of curiosity.
Larry Jackson, chief executive of Loudmouth Golf, the company that makes Daly's LOUD pants told reporters at the PGA merchandise show, "John's an emotional guy. He's not quitting, he's already said he just needs some time. He will be back. He'll be at the AT&T." Daly received a sponsor exemption to play the AT&T held at the famed Pebble Beach on February 11-14.
Personally I am glad Daly has decided to stick it out. We all make mistakes and life is all about how we rebound from them. I respect the fact that he is trying to deal with his problems and the fact that he is doing so in the public eye. You and I do not have the cameras following our every move. He is always in the spotlight and this makes his situation even tougher.
On another note, I'm pulling for John Daly because we have the same taste in style. Last May a few buddies and I played in the annual South Florida S.P.C.A Golf Tournament and Fundraiser Par For The Horses held at The Westview Country Club in Miami.
Since it was the first tournament I had ever played in, I wanted to have fun with it. I decided to find the craziest pants that I could find. I came across the Loudmouth website and fell in love with their pants. They are loud. A little bit arrogant, in your face, and down right ugly(By the way. I bought them before J.D. went public with his. So it can be said that he got the idea from me).
My friends chickened out and didn't get any pants. They regretted it though. I was the talk of the tournament. When I got out of the car I walked to the pro shop and I could hear people whispering as I was walking by. They were wondering if I was someone famous. Who could this be? The funniest thing I heard as I was walking was this guy who said, "I bet you he ain't s*?t." I just laughed because he was absolutely right. But my pants didn't say so.
When I got to the cart one of the caddies ran over to me and offered to drive me to the driving range. He was asking me if I had ever played there before. He gave me advice on reading some of the greens. My friends on the other hand were left standing there to find their own way to the range. The caddy obviously thought I was somebody. Little did he know I was just a 24 handicap(currently 16.9) hacker who just had a great sense of style.
Two things I learned that day. First, don't be afraid to be different. Second, being different gets you noticed. I made a lot of new friends that day and some potential contacts for projects down the road. I don't think that would have happened if I had stayed in my shell.
I know I had a much better time than my friends did. It's amazing what simple pair of pants can do for you. I got all kinds of extra free stuff that they didn't get. It's all about how you portray yourself. People make their assessment and assumptions about you in the first few minutes you meet. And that can make or break an opportunity.
Well it's time to go practice. If I'm going to be wearing these outlandish pants I better have the game to match. Have a good one and always hit your target.
I'm sure everyone has watched this scene from the Jackass movie. What would you do in this situation? We know how the pros react. Some of the glares that they give the gallery can be deadly. John Daly was injured trying to stop his back swing after being distracted by a fan taking his picture. Concentration is paramount with the pros.
This is something I deal with often. I'm am fortunate to have a free golf course near my house where I can practice everyday(weather permitting as it floods when it rains a lot). It used to be a par 3 course that cost $7.00 to play. The city ended up giving part of the land to the local high school but kept 6 holes open.
The neighboring golf course maintains it pretty well. Nothing to rave about other than the fact that it is free and I can practice there all that I want. I have made a few friends out there over the past year. Fellow hackers like myself who just want to get better. Dreaming of what could and may be.
Like I said the course neighbors the local high school and of course the students make their way into the line of fire from time to time. While I'm hitting, kids will scream at me to try to distract me. They make fun of my swing and shout out all kinds of silly names. It's comical actually.
I don't get angry. I used to do the same thing(sometimes still do). I take it as a challenge to concentrate harder. It actually prepares me for when I play with my regular foursome. A group of guys who's etiquette on the course is sometimes questionable. My buddies and I are always trying to get in each others heads. What my buddies don't know is that my high school pranksters are only making me mentally stronger.
So what would you do if you were in the middle of a round and suddenly you were interrupted by an air horn or a snotty nosed teenager? Would you lose it, or just laugh it off? You have to admit. It is pretty funny. As long as it doesn't happen during the middle of your swing. Have a good one and always hit your target.
I just finished watching The Farmers Insurance Open and I have to say I was the definition of a couch potato today. It rained all day so I couldn't get out to practice. I did practice some putting though so it wasn't a totally useless day.
I wasn't too upset though because golf was on television all day. The final round of the Qatar Open was on early in the morning and The Golf Channel started coverage at Torry Pines shortly after.
I'm one of those rare people(or maybe not so rare) who can watch golf without getting bored. My friends still can't understand how I can do it. You see I grew up playing basketball and baseball and that was my life. I used to be able to name every player in the NBA, where they came from, and how long they have been in the league. Not anymore.
I was watching a game the other night and the analyst mentioned a players name and I was like, "who"? Now times have changed and I now recognize many if not all the names that have been in the early tournaments of the 2010 PGA season. Maybe it's because I don't play anymore, or maybe it's because I think these sports have become too businessy(okay, I'm making up words now. Been on the couch too long).
The first two days of the Farmers Open was aired on The Golf Channel. I think I prefer their telecast better to that of CBS. I like how The Golf Channel is putting an emphasis on teaching the game of golf as well as presenting it.
I'm all about improving my golf game and I look forward to the swing tips segments. I've always been a good copycat when it comes to sports so when I see these drills I am able to take it to the practice course until I get it right, or at least as close to right without the aide of a teacher.
The Golf Channel featured Michael Breed of The Golf Fix at the first two tournaments of the season during the Hawaiian swing. These tutorials are just the fix I need to get me through the day. I hope that The Golf Channel continues to bless us with these great tips and drills. There are some of us out here who are crazy and just like to practice. I'm one of them, so keep 'em coming Golf Channel. By the way. The Golf Channel does an encore presentation of the CBS telecast. Looks like I'll be on the couch for a few more hours watching the beautiful backdrop of a legendary course. It's still raining anyway. Have a good one and always hit your target.
Most amateurs have a hard time hitting their long irons. I am no exception. I really haven't learned how to hit my 3 and 4 iron, and I still struggle with my 5. From time to time I will get a good shot off, but they are few and far between.
As a result on long par 4's and par 5's I am forced to layup a lot. My greens in regulation percentage is currently around 11%. Not good. In most situations I am putting a lot of pressure on my short game to get up and down just for par. Sometimes I get close and can salvage par. On a lot of occasions I leave myself with a long putt which if I'm not careful results in the dreaded 3 putt, leading to a double bogey.
I needed to find a solution to my problem and the solution came in the form a new hybrid club. My girlfriends father(Big Ron) visited for Christmas and he took me to Dick's Sporting Goods. He was asking me what ball everyone was playing now. I told him that the most popular was the Titleist pro V series. I don't play them because they would all end up in the water anyway. Until I get better I'll play whatever is cheapest in the pro shop.
He said that he was going to by me a box of Titleist. Cool I thought. When we arrived at the golf section, he passed the ball section and went straight over to drivers. He picked up the TaylorMade R9 driver and asked if this was the new driver everyone was raving about. I said yes and he said, "Okay, I'll get it for you."
I was surprised. I thought I was going to get a box of Titleist which would have been awesome, but now I'm face to face with the R9. You are not going to believe this but I didn't take it(I still can't believe it myself). A friend of mine had just given me a brand new Ping G10 driver and 3 wood. He had purchased the G10's and a week later demoed the Ping Raptures. He like those better and bought them. He let me borrow the G10's for a round and I loved them and he just gave them to me. Lucky me.
So anyway Big Ron said that he still wanted to get me something so I looked around and remembered that I had been wanting a hybrid club. While my driver and 3 wood are by Ping, I play TaylorMade R7 Draw irons, so I decided to get a club from TaylorMade. I picked out the Rescue Mid with a 22 degree loft. I know you're supposed to get fitted but we were in a hurry so I went with gut feeling.
When we got home I read some reviews and most of them said that it was easy to hit, look good behind the ball, and it produced a draw. Everything I needed as most of my misses are to the right.
I finally got a chance to take the new club out about a week ago and I am too excited. The first shot I hit with it was on a par 3 measuring 218 to the flag. Usually I would hit my 4 iron and hope for the best. Now I had my hybrid. I teed it up and hit the ball within 10 feet of the cup. I nearly did a cartwheel. I barely felt the club hit the ball and it did indeed produce a soft draw.
My next opportunity to use it was on a par 4. It was my second shot and I was about 225 from the front of the green. Normally I would lay up to about 100 yards. This time I took out the new hybrid. I hit another soft draw that landed about 20 feet short of the green and just barely trickled up onto the surface. I still had a 40 foot putt but I was still on in regulation.
I'm excited about my new hybrid. I'm hoping that I will be able to drop at least 4 to 5 shots over the next year. More greens in regulation leads to more chances at birdies and easy pars.
If you're struggling with your long irons, look into getting some hybrids. They are easier to hit which will build up your confidence. A confident player always plays better.
Here's a short video explaining how to hit the hybrid club. Once you get the hang of it your score will begin to drop. Have a good one and always hit your target.
This morning I practiced out of the bunker. If you have read any of my prior posts you know about my nemesis. I am getting better but the blood pressure still rises at the thought of having to hit long bunker shots.
I always hear the announcers say that the pros don't mind being in the sand. They practice it so much that it is second nature to them. Some of the shots they pull off are simply amazing. They are able to put the ball within tap in distance when all I can think about is not sculling it and putting it in the water on the other side of the green.
One of the masters out of the bunkers is Phil Mickelson. What he does out of the sand is just pure beauty. And the sheepish grin that he gives when he knocks it close is classic. To us it says, "I'm so embarrassed. I got lucky." To him it means, "Suckers. That's exactly what I knew was going to happen." While we hold our breaths in anticipation, he has already seen the shot in his mind and predicted its result.
Like I said Phil is amazing. I came across this segment from his instructional video Secrets of the Short Game on youtube. This is nuts. Here I am just hoping to get it within comfortable putting range and he has developed a two ball trick shot from the bunker. I'm looking forward to watching Mickelson during the 2010 season. I think he is going to do well. He finished the 2009 season strong and has a legendary camp surrounding him which includes Butch Harmon, Dave Pelz and Dave Stockton. He begins his 2010 campaign at The Farmers Insurance Open(formerly known as the Buick Open) held at Torrey Pines.
Enjoy the video. See if you can pull it of. I'm going to try it tomorrow. Just have to make sure no else is too close to the green. Have a good one and always hit your target.
The fairway divot. You finally get a good drive off the tee box and you ride/walk up to your ball only to find that your ball is resting comfortably in a divot. This happened to me during my round yesterday and there was nothing comfortable about the situation at all.
I like to practice. I could stay out on the range all day if it were up to me. I was a gym rat when I played basketball and now I guess I'm a range rat. I love to see the improvement over the course of time and practice.
When I used to practice for basketball I would put myself in every possible situation that I might face on the court. By practicing under these difficult situation, when I encountered it on the court it was natural for me and I knew how to handle it without panic.
I have been trying to use this same technique for my golf game. I'm still a relative newbie to the game and one of areas I haven't worked on is hitting out of a divot. I like hitting off of a nice lie so that I can see the ball come off the club face cleanly. In reality and especially at my current handicap, I encounter more bad lies than I do good ones.
Looking at that ball laying in that divot, the sweat starting build up on my brow from nervousness, I realized that I need to practice all aspects of the golf swing. And that means putting myself in difficult situations from time to time instead of just practicing from the ideal lies.
I found the following video on youtube. It's a short instructional on how to hit out of a fairway divot. It's going to come up in one of your rounds so you might as well practice it and be prepared when it happens. Better to be prepared than to be surprised.
I'm just trying to get better at the game I love. This blog is kind of a journal of my progress. I will share all the tips, drills, exercises, and experiences that I am using to improve. Hopefully they will help you too.
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I just finished watching the final two episodes of "The Haney Project with Charles Barkley." I've seen it a dozen times already but I just can't get enough of it. I love routing for the underdog and I am hoping that Sir Charles sticks with it. I can't wait to see how Ray Romano does when he becomes Haney's next pupil. Romano's goal is breaking 80. It will be interesting to see if he can meet his expectations.
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