Fairways, Greens, and Four Letter Words

"It's Just Good to be Out Here!"

noreply@blogger.com (Lost Balls) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 13:47:00 +0000

Finally! The weather has started to change around here. I'm getting sick of trying keep myself from going crazy doing all those typical winter activities. Bowling league is getting old, playing pool has been a good distraction, and sitting around thinking about fishing just isn't gonna cut it anymore. Hopefully, the driving range will open up in the next few days and I can get to work.

So, I've joined a golf league for the summer which will make sure that I get at least one round in during the week. According to the info I've been given, it's a 2-man, 9-hole, play once a week any day thing. A good friend of mine who I don't see nearly enough asked me to play on his team, so it'll be good to spend some time making divots with him.

Strangely enough, I managed to get out on the golf course last week...and a bit of advice for everyone, never let your friends talk you into golfing when you think it's way too cold to be out there, because you're probably right. Mid 30's and sunny is not "Get a few holes in" weather. Cabin fever is a funny thing...it makes the words, "Yeah, but it's sunny" sound like a perfectly rational argument. So we did.

Bundled up like Ralphie's little brother from A Christmas Story, we hit the first tee. We had a little trouble getting off the tee, (the drives were ok, the cart was stuck in the mud) but we managed. After a couple holes we warmed up a little, and even made a few birdies. Good to get the first birdie of the year out of the way. Once the wind picked up around the 8th, there was no such thing as feel anymore. Really, my hands were numb from the cold. But, we toughed it out through all 18 because according to my playing parter, "It's just good to be out here!"

Four Letter Word of the Day - PLAN

noreply@blogger.com (Lost Balls) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 20:02:00 +0000

PLAN- Something I'm not very familiar with making. It's one of those things that never really seemed necessary. Whenever a plan is made, something usually changes that plan causing someone (usually my wife) to get upset about it. Not this time. For once, I'm going to make a plan and force myself to stick to it. By whatever means possible.

Step 1 - Get Physically Prepared. It's winter in Illinois. Nobody around here is in as good of shape as they should be. Golf may not require perfect physical fitness, but it will be a great way to start my commitment to this project. I wont be ripped like Tiger, but I won't be as round as Daly either. My Plan and Goals:

8-Week intensive training/nutrition program
High Protein/Low Carb diet to promote weight loss & strength gain
15% increase in overall strength
15 lbs. overall weight loss
Maintain or improve upon these after completion

Step 2 - Get Mentally Prepared. The web is an endless source of help, tips, and motivating articles that I'll reference as needed. My main goal and plan here is to actually have a plan. Every time I touch a golf club, there will be a rhyme, reason, and plan for what I am doing with each swing. No more "Grip it and rip it" style golf. Every shot, from the range to the practice green, to the course will have an intent and purpose.

Step 3 - Get it together. The Golf regimen is pretty simple. A minimum of 1 hour for a minimum 5 days per week. Hopefully playing at least twice a week. If I'm not on the course playing, I'll be on the range, or practice green for at least an hour. The actual practice and playing schedule will vary and be recorded here.

Step 4 - Reach my Goals. My goals for the course:

Break par on a real course. I have had a few rounds in the 71-75 range. Some of those courses weren't exactly the most difficult. I have 2 candidates picked out for this already.
Consistently shoot in the 70-75 range on the home courses, last year I ended up around 80.
My biggest goal is to qualify for the championship bracket of an annual tournament I play in. Sure I'll get eaten alive by the really good players...maybe being competitive is a good goal for next season.

So, Golf season is fast approaching. 3-4 weeks (weather permitting) and courses should be getting ready to open. I've been swinging once a week all winter on a golf simulator, so I hope to pick up close to where I left off last fall. A week or two of range work and I'll be ready to hit the course. Tomorrow starts a long journey. Hopefully, a successful one.

Getting Started

noreply@blogger.com (Lost Balls) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:07:00 +0000

Well, this is where it all begins. An attempt to change my life...through learning how to play golf. What exactly does learning to play golf have to do with changing one's entire life? Nothing, actually. Golf is just the avenue I chose. Let me explain:

Over the past 27 years, I've been able to basically coast through everything in life. I'm one of those people who is pretty good at most things, but not particularly good any anything. Sure, it's a great gift to just pick something up weather it be a golf club, a book, a computer, a fishing rod, or whatever the case may be, and be "naturally good" with it. Well, as it turns out, that gift is a nasty curse in disguise.

Ever since I learned way back in grade school that I could be just as good as the next person, while putting forth half the effort, I've been doing everything half-assed. Not a good lesson to learn at such a young age, because now, when I look around, everything in my life is just "good enough" to get by. This is my curse.

Over the next year, I intend to break that curse with the virtues of commitment and hard work. I'm setting goals for the days, weeks and months ahead, all aimed at ultimately ridding myself of what I've become. An unmotivated, lazy, procrastinating, and half-hearted individual.