ibleedgolf

I bleed Golf

noreply@blogger.com (I bleed Golf) — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:37:00 +0000

It's never just a game I play
It isn't a temporary fad that will fade away
I practice it
I play it
I watch it
I read it
I talk about it
I dream it
I sleep it
I eat it
It eats me
It beats me
It grinds me down
I get back up
I need Golf

I bleed Golf.

Swimmingly

noreply@blogger.com (I bleed Golf) — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 14:32:00 +0000

Wow, it's been an amazing 6 weeks for IBG.

We launched the site on 12/12/12 and since then it's been non stop. Golfers from all over the world have been visiting the site and commenting on the various features and articles. We've had many touching and very funny articles submitted to our Fore!Word page. Lots of you have interacted with us on Twitter and shown your support.

'Defining Bleeders' - one of the many great articles on our Fore!Word page

Let's be honest, the site could be a lot better in terms of functionality and design. But, we did the best we could on the budget we had (which was almost nothing) and we feel we've created a perfect V.1 web platform. The plan is to improve on all fronts as we grow.

Personally I'm really pleased that people see the value in I bleed Golf. There are so many of you out there who 'get it'. When I first came up with the idea, I was worried that it was crazy nonsense that only made sense in my own head. Now I'm thinking maybe it wasn't such a bad idea after all, or PERHAPS all the people who like the site are equally as nutty as myself? Either (or both) of these work well for me!

The only minor downside for me is I haven't had the time to do any of my own writing but hopefully I'll get organised, inspired and motivated soon to get back to it. I've got some ideas floating around.

There's so much great stuff to come on the IBG front, here's a short sample of what's in the pipeline:

An IBG shop with some cool IBG merchandise (I cannot wait to wear my IBG branded hat on the course!)
We're going to try increase awareness of the site by giving out business cards, putting up posters in places where golfers congregate and IBG merchandise (if you're interested in helping with any of this please let us know)
The relaunch of #showusyournumber for 2013
An IBG style 'News' section will be added to the site soon.
We're also going to feature some charitable organisations and their golf related activities.
A 'Champion Flogger of the Year' golf tournament
An 'Article of the Week' feature which will highlight a different piece of user submitted Fore!Word writing each week
More competitions!
More videos!
Lots more #lovegolf & #laughalot

This is our first attempt at transferring our logo onto a hat, we'll be selling them soon from the website!

Thanks everyone for your support and friendship. Without your passion for life and love for the great game of golf, I bleed Golf wouldn't exist.

See you around,

Steve

Guest Post - 'We Bleed Golf' by Herb McNally

noreply@blogger.com (I bleed Golf) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 17:10:00 +0000

It's time for the first ever guest post on here, hopefully the first of many. Very appropriate that the first guest post is by my creative partner in IBG, Herb McNally. Herb is the genius behind the artwork you see across the platform. We to and fro as we fine tune the ideas behind the imagery that is so central to the IBG message. Once we've got a concept in place, Herb goes away and does his thing.

He always comes up trumps not only as a graphic artist but as a great person and I feel lucky to work with him.

Anyway, time for a few words from Herb, and unsurprisingly he's going to let his artwork do some of the talking.

See you around,

Steve.

We Bleed Golf

As many of you know, my life has been somewhat of whirlwind for the past few months. I have been a part of many cool projects and have been asked to create a lot of new designs. During this period of time, I also had the honor of meeting most of you. My twitter account has grown by well more than 700 followers since July. I have gotten to know some of you pretty well, and there are many of you that I would call friends.

There is one common thing that has brought most of you into my life – A love for the game of golf. We think about it countless times a day. It pumps through our veins. We bleed golf.

It seems like only yesterday that I met Steve Power, Mr. I bleed Golf himself. He asked me if I would care to be a partner in a “little” project. He wanted to create a place where those of us with this affliction can come together, #lovegolf & #laughalot. I am as honored today as I was that first night we spoke.

There are many other people who I would like to thank, but the list is long and I don’t know how long my ramblings can keep your attention. Steve’s the writer. I just try to make things look cool.

Anyway, THANK YOU ALL. I hope I make you proud. If there is something you would like to see me do, you know where to find me.

Herb Mc Nally AKA @mctwentytwo

The original post and Herb's golf blog (which contains lots of fantastic golf course photos) can be found here: http://mcnally22.wordpress.com/

It's Alive!

noreply@blogger.com (I bleed Golf) — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 12:08:00 +0000

It's Alive!!

Flogging Times (2nd edition) headline.

The new I bleed Golf website is now live over at http://www.ibleedgolf.com

The new address for this blog is http//:blog.ibleedgolf.com

Thanks everyone for your patience over the past few months as we've been developing the project. Thank you also to everyone who has supported us and laughed along with us. There's some fantastic content on the new site - funny photos and videos and original writing from golfers all around the world.

This is just the beginning!

12/12/12 - The IBG big switch gets flicked.

noreply@blogger.com (I bleed Golf) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 11:09:00 +0000

Scroll down to see what happens when this switch is flicked.

The new I bleed golf site is going live on Wednesday 12/12/12. Thank you to everyone for your support & patience over the past few months as we've been working on it.

We'll be announcing the winner of our 'Basket Case' competition on Wednesday also, the video showing which 'bleeder' completed the basket challenge will be going live on the video section of the new site.

On Wednesday, the journey begins in earnest. No map, no plan, just a determination to spread the #lovegolf & #laughalot message as much as possible.

If you are currently linking to this blog please change your link to the new blog address below.

From now on, this blog can be found at;

http://blog.ibleedgolf.com

and, the new website can be found at (some of you will know this used to be the blog address)

http://www.ibleedgolf.com

Please update your favourites or bookmarks to reflect the above.

See you around!

Steve

PS - Very soon I'm going to write a post to thank everyone who has supported me personally on this journey. Until then, let's just say you know who you are ;)

T MINUS I BLEED GOLF

A day in the life.

noreply@blogger.com (I bleed Golf) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 19:46:00 +0000

An eyelid flinch,
Fraction of an inch,
The ball flies wide of wide.

Nestled in nettles,
He strikes hosel metal,
Rebounding, bounding, drowning.

The ball, his heart sinking,
'Why won't you love me?' he's thinking,
Distraught, he shuffles on.

Flogging through filth & fog,
A superb thwack of the big dog,
Striding down the last,

Beaten but smiling.

New IBG #AntiHype Golf Products Will Save You Money & Ensure That YouLive to (at least) 100!!

noreply@blogger.com (I bleed Golf) — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 13:09:00 +0000

News just in - The I bleed Golf team have started working with an exciting new product deveLopment, marketing & branding team known as 'McNally & Power' aka 22p.

In the coming weeks and months we'll be collabOrating closely with 22p and releasing some golf products which will help you to realise your TRUE potential as a golfer.

Obviously, we are Very excited about this partnership and we firmly believe that when you see the new #antihype product range, your life and your golf game will be irreversibly, irrevocably, undeniably changed forever. (Or at least until the next nEw product comes out).

Some of you may already have seeN a couple of our early product releases. For those of you who haven't, please see the promotional graphIcs below.

ThanKs for reading, we hope you are as excited about all of this as we are!!

Yours Golfingly

@ibleedgolf1
@mctwentytwo

and the team at 'McNally & Power' aka 22p.

end of messagE

#gohigh #justflogit #lovegolf #laughalot #antihype #investinlessons

Please click on any image below to enlarge it.

Site update & Promote your golf course for free

noreply@blogger.com (I bleed Golf) — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 14:07:00 +0000

Hi all,

The new site is almost ready to go, there's just a few final tweaks to be made before the V.1 launch. I'm calling it V.1 because the overall plan is vast and encompasses a great deal of features. We've decided to prioritise them and add to the site as we go along so it should hopefully continue to grow and evolve long after the launch.

For example I'd like to have a charitable aspect to what we are doing in the first release but it requires a great deal of organisation to get set up. It should 'fit' in with the overall theme of the site and our visitors. For this reason the charitable portion of the site will be added at a later date. We're also possibly going to add a merchandising page in a future release to meet the ever growing demand for #flogger branded undergarments.

There's much more I could say here regarding 'what's to come' but lets move on to an issue that requires urgent action. :)

We're adding a new enhanced 'Call The Shot' feature to the website. If you're unsure what this means, please click on the Call The Shot menu page above to have a look. This was a very popular feature amongst golfers and one I'd like to expand upon in the new site. We had a lot of interaction from golfers on Twitter, Facebook and the comments section of the blog when this feature first went live.

I'd like to feature at least two more 'shot scenarios' from two different golf clubs on the new site. In return, the participating clubs will get free promotion on the IBG site, and a link back to their own website. Additionally the features will generate a great deal of debate about how golfers with varying degrees of talent would play the shot and perhaps even encourage golfers to go to the course and play it for real.

Please pass this on if you know a club secretary or manager that might be interested. I believe its a great feature and there is very little effort required on behalf of the club.

If you'd like to get in touch to discuss in detail, please drop me a line info(at)ibleedgolf.com

Thanks and see you around!

Steve

Choose a Basket Case - Win a Prize!

noreply@blogger.com (I bleed Golf) — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 18:55:00 +0000

It's time for a little competition.

To enter, you need to watch the videos below in the order that they are displayed. Then, you just need to guess which one of the four 'bleeders' (shown in the 'Meet Some Bleeders' clip) was successful in getting the ball straight into the basket in the yet to be released, hugely anticipated 'One Basket, Ten Yards, Zero Skill - Part 2' clip.

We'll announce the winner when we release Part 2 of the clip in December 2012. If we have multiple correct guesses we'll pick a winner at random from all the correct answers. The winner will receive an IBG bag of golfing goodies. (Try saying that very, very quickly.)

Do you think it will be Russell the Boy Wonder, Pro Dave, Steve Eldrick or Matty Boom Boom?

To enter, please email your bleeder choice to:

info(at)ibleedgolf.com**

And here are the clips! :

Meet Some Bleeders:

One Basket, Ten Yards, Zero Skill - Part 1:

Thanks for reading and for playing our little game!

#lovegolf #laughalot

**We won't misuse your email address and you won't receive any unsolicited mail from us or any of our partners as a result of entering this competition. Your email address WILL NOT be passed on to any other parties**

The Vortex

noreply@blogger.com (I bleed Golf) — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 12:19:00 +0000

Vortex : 'a dangerous or destructive situation in which you become more and more involved without being able to escape.' Source: Wikipedia or something.

Golf: The final frontier.
These are the voyages of the Golf loving #floggers
Their never ending mission
To explore strange new lies and hazards
To seek out new life and new civilizations
To boldly go where no man or woman has gone on a golf course before.

Most, if not all of us mere mortal amateurs have been there. A moment of lunacy and the next thing you know you've been sucked through a portal into another dimension, 40 or so yards on the wrong side of the out of bounds stakes.

Just the other day I found myself stuck 15 yards behind a bush after two terrible opening shots on a par 5. The bush was blocking any sensible long shot to the green. It's logical to assume that an experienced golfer such as myself pitched back out to safety.

A thought caressed my mind for a millisecond, it went something like this;

'It's time to take my medicine, play for the cheeky up and down from 150 yards, I'll make a bogey 6 at worst.'

However, before common sense could prevail, I'd committed to the '220 yard 5 wood fade from behind a bush in the rough'.

I pulled it left, out of bounds. Now playing 5, I took an 8 iron from the bag and sure enough, hit a nice recovery back onto the fairway. I made an 8, eventually.

The power of the vortex was too great.

Why do we do it? Why, time and time again, do we take on the almost impossible shot? The list of reasons is a long one, here's a few that spring to mind. (Please feel welcome to add your own reasons in the comments box below.)

Is it because we consistently overestimate our talent?
Is it a lust for glory, a burning desire to play an immaculate recovery shot to resounding applause from our peers?
Is it because we cannot control our minds enough in pressure situations?
Are we motivated by fear and sheer desperation rather than confidence and belief?
Can we completely rule out disruptions in the space/time continuum or alien involvement?

A few weeks ago I was playing in a club matchplay final. My opponent and I were going down the last, the game was all square and I felt in control. I'd already played two shots, compared to my opponent who had played three. I found myself in a tricky spot in the rough about 160 yards from the pin.

As I stood over the ball I was COMPLETELY LOCKED IN to the pin and to playing what I can only describe (with the benefit of much hindsight) as a near impossible shot. Not once did I consider playing out sideways. Actually I don't even think I looked sideways. I was fixated on the flagstick. It was as if the pin was firing a tractor beam directly at me, it's gravitational pull enchanting me to my 1 down after 36 hole doom.

Since then, many times I've said to myself - 'I won't let that happen again, next time I'll play a sensible shot.'

It's not that simple. The power of the vortex is stronger than the lies you tell yourself. Even if you do manage to play a sensible shot the next time, the time after that, and the time after that, it doesn't matter.

One day soon the vortex will consume you again and spit you out into a hostile pot bunker, a manure infested perimeter field, a neighbouring county, or the most frighteningly barren of all places,

the
dark
void
inside
you.

There you see yourself for what you really are....

a #flogger.

(More about floggers soon!)

Thanks for reading!

Steve

Many thanks to my partner in crime, Herb Mc Nally (@McTwentyTwo on Twitter) for his wonderful artistry.

Never give up.

noreply@blogger.com (I bleed Golf) — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 21:38:00 +0000

Yesterday was one hell of a day.

I played in a 36 hole matchplay final in one of the last major events of the year at my golf club. Some of you will already know this. My friend Matty Boom Boom was live tweeting from the course during the second round of 18. After going 4 holes down with 5 to go, through sheer grit and determination I pulled it back to all square with only 1 hole remaining.

I lost on the 18th hole by a single stroke.

Today I'm deflated, disappointed, reflective but not beaten. I've experienced so many emotions since shaking hands on the 18th green yesterday. First of all it was a sense of shock, I was stunned and emotionless. Perhaps I was putting on a brave face. Disappointment kicked in quickly, sadness ensued. Disbelief and denial linger. It will take some time to accept it, but I will. I think it's important to be disappointed, I don't want to sweep it all under the carpet. I want to learn from this loss.

I've had ample opportunities to learn from defeat. Here's a summary of my notable performances in club majors since I started competing 4 years ago;

May 2008, Camden Salver, 18 hole stroke play event - 2nd place (1 behind winner)
June 2008, Hewett Goblets, 36 hole stroke play event - 2nd place (1 behind winner)
May 2009, Shearline Trophy, 36 hole stroke play event - Joint 3rd place (2 behind winner)
October 2011, Kilrymont Trophy (a tournament for players who have won a stroke medal during the year) - Lost in a playoff
July 2012, Captains Day, 18 hole stableford event - Joint 3rd (2 behind winner)
September 2012, Stanley Cup final - Lost 1 down on 36th hole.

The quest for my first trophy and my name in gold on the club house winners board continues!

As I rested at home yesterday afternoon, completely spent having had no more than 2 hours sleep the night before, I thought about giving up. 'Perhaps I'm just not meant to win a big one', I thought. 'Why do I put so much into my game? Golf needs to be lower in my priority list.'

I was just feeling sorry for myself and I'm entitled to do so for a few days more!

There are MANY positives to take from yesterdays experience. I've come close to winning in the past, but this one is different. I can be proud that I contended so vigourously, with very little sleep. When it seemed all was lost after 31 holes, I dug deep, pulled it back and took it down the last.

I lost by the tiniest of margins, it was a singular mental error that cost me.

I wasn't nervous at all on the last few holes, I truly believed I was going to win. I'll carry this positivity into future events. Now, more than ever I believe I can win big. There is no reason why I cannot keep on putting myself in contention.

The irony of it all is that as I walked the final 5 holes yesterday, clawing back ground shot by shot, I kept saying to myself 'Never give up'. I believed this mantra was willing me over the line.

Little did I know that these words were preparing me for defeat.

Onwards we battle into the unknown, we love our defeats, we embrace our defeats for these teach us how to be victorious in the future!

NEVER GIVE UP.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO WAS ROOTING FOR ME ON TWITTER. I HAVE TRIED TO THANK YOU ALL BUT HONESTLY I CANNOT EXPRESS HOW GREAT IT WAS TO HAVE YOUR SUPPORT! I WANTED TO WIN FOR ME OF COURSE, BUT ALSO FOR YOU!

See you around my friends.

Steve

775DPNWJR7V2

#lovegolf #laughalot

noreply@blogger.com (I bleed Golf) — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 17:44:00 +0000

We all know life is all about balance. Whether or not we choose to live balanced lives is a different issue and one I'll leave to the psychologists, fitness instructors and tightrope walkers, to name a few.

I bleed Golf is about balance too. Just the other day I was talking to fellow bleeder, golf lover and Twitter dude @MattHolbrook86. Oh, actually I probably should call him 'Matty Boom Boom'. If you don't know why, watch the clip below.

Matty Boom Boom and I pondered on whether or not our antics in the video above, on Twitter and my often feeble attempts at humour on this blog were giving out the wrong impression.

Questions such as these were bandied about;

Are we making a lame effort at creating the golfing equivalent of 'Jackass'?
Perhaps we're making people think we're advocating the antics of the dreaded MPC (The Mashed Potato Crew)? Dauphinoise, dear boy.
Are we really serious about golf at all?

I considered the last option most of all and not because I thought even for a nanosecond it could be true. As I've said before, golf is not a thing I do, it's part of who I am. I wondered if I'd started to inadvertently give off an image of someone whose focus is more on making fun of the game rather than trying to become better at playing it.

And here we are talking about balance.

On Saturday, I'm playing the biggest game of my golfing life. I'm in the final of my club Matchplay Tournament, also known as the Stanley Cup. It's a 36 hole tournament, the winner gets a trophy that's been doing the rounds since 1938 and their name in golden lettering on the club house honours board. Immortalised.

No pressure then.

The right side of my lower back is almost in constant pain from the many thousands of swings I've made in preparation for the event. My bed, if you can call it that, has been reduced to a memory foam matress on a carpeted floor to try alleviate the strain. My left wrist is knackered with tendonitits (I'm currently wearing a support on it). Both knees need a well earned rest. You could say I am literally bleeding golf. Thanks to all the coaching, I have an athletic swing these days but a not very athletic body!

These are not excuses by the way. I'm really looking forward to the final and I'll be doing everything I can to focus on every shot, stay in the present and achieve a life long goal. Whatever the outcome, I know on Saturday night I'll have given it my best.

Why devote so much time and energy to playing golf at club level? Why play through injury, covering it up with good old Ibuprofen and a smile?

The answer is simple, I love golf.

Why the antics? The light-hearted jokes and blog posts about fellow golfers, the funny videos and countless other bouts (to come) of tomfoolery?

You got it, I want to laugh A LOT.

I really hope the new I bleed Golf website we're building appeals to people who have similar goals in life. I would like people to see the funny and the serious side. Everyone working on the project will be striving to achieve and maintain that balance.

#lovegolf
#laughalot

Thanks for reading, thanks for your support and thanks for laughing along with us.

See you around,

Steve AKA Eldrick

:)

The times they are a changin'

noreply@blogger.com (I bleed Golf) — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 12:40:00 +0000

I bleed Golf is changing. Some of you may have noticed this week I've been changing our artwork and logos on Facebook and this blog. Change is essential, inevitable and in this case a great thing for everyone who's visited and supported this site over the past year and a bit. If that's you, you should know that for the most part, you have inspired the change. More about what's to come in a minute.

I'm not sure if 'sadness' is the right word, perhaps it's got something to do with nostalgia. In a sense it's like saying goodbye to an old friend (cliché, I know). For example, the simple headline banner was very personal to me, I created it and it truly represented what I wanted to do with this blog.

Here's a reminder (and an excuse to stop me from having to delete it completely!)

By the way, if you haven't read \ heard the '4 iron up a tree' story that the above graphic refers to, let me know and I'll gladly share it.

The new artwork is amazing. Graphic designer Herb McNally (@McTwentyTwo) and I have been brainstorming for weeks, toing and froing with JPEG packed emails and Twitter DM's. You may have seen the image below on Facebook recently, we've been asking people to choose their favourite / least favourite images and tell us their reasons. The idea is to capture a person's passion for amateur golf whilst keeping it within the 'I bleed Golf' philosophy. Admittedly some of the images are a little gory. You should see the ones that ended up on the cutting room floor!

Please stay tuned for more cool graphics as we develop the idea further. If you'd like to comment on the images you can do so in the comment section below or on the IBG Facebook page post.

So where are we going with all of this? Good question! We're building a new website. The blog will continue to thrive but it will become a component part of the overall website plan, as opposed to the center of it all. The website is going to be aimed at people who are extremely passionate about the game of golf and like to have a laugh along the way.

We're going to try make next years #showusyournumber even bigger and better for Open Championship week. More news on that to come.

There's a whole load of other stuff I can't talk about right now but trust me, it's going to be something unique, media rich, rewarding and fun packed! There'll be a charitable aspect to it too. I'll be posting development updates on the blog as we go along. It's going to be a cool journey!

Thanks everyone for reading and thanks for your support to date. See you in the next chapter ;)

#lovegolf
#laughalot

Steve

The Sapp factor - Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (I bleed Golf) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 20:45:00 +0000

'There's a fine line between trying to be funny and being a cynical, sad grump'.

(Me, 5 minutes ago).

Golf can be a lot more difficult than I'd previously accounted for. It's next to impossible for me most of the time even without the added frustrations I'm going to focus on here. I'm sure a majority of mere mortal amateurs would agree.

I've been so preoccupied on 'internal' challenges. Shot techniques, swing mechanics and the psychology behind achieving a Buddha-like focus (and a winning mentality), to mention a few. With such a heavy workload, I neglected to consider what 'external' obstacles one might encounter on course to becoming a single figure player and / or champion in a major club event.

I'm talking about Stupendously Annoying Playing Partners. SAPPS, for convenience. You've probably got your own name for them. If it's rude, keep it to yourself. We're not here to offend anyone.

Oh go on, send me a private email ;)

The sight or sound of news that you've been drawn with a sapp brings hyperactivity to your adrenal gland. Perhaps this is how you feel every time you learn you've been drawn with me. Just ask @mattholbrook86

Many lists have been made to label and categorise the many sapp subtypes but I'm going to share my experiences with you in story form. Of course, this list is not exhaustive but I can assure you, all the experiences described below (and in Part 2) were exhausting.

1) Rules were meant to be broken (the same can be said for my sanity):

I'm no cheat. Golf has many rules, some of them ridiculous. We need only think back to what happened to Carl Pettersson in the PGA Championship recently when he moved a leaf / blade of grass / gnats whisker or some other inconsequential object on his backswing when his ball was inside the hazard lines.

I'm keen to learn but realise the only way to do so is to educate myself, make mistakes and be corrected. But please, break it to me gently. I'm of a delicate composition.

I've played with a few rules freaks over the years, it's nerve wracking. In their company, I struggle to make a swing at the ball for fear of violating one rule or another and being subjected to a right old telling off and the humiliation that comes with it. Thereafter it's shank o' clock.

I've become better at dealing with this particular sapp subtype. As soon as I learn I've been drawn with one, I feign injury and then go home to Mum for a hug.

2) Cheats never prosper (yeah right)

Cheating sapps are on the other end of the spectrum. I've seen people cheat at golf without hestitation right in front of my eyes. One particular experience made me very sad. You can read about that here.

Let's not devote too much more space to them. Onwards and downwards...

3) It don't mean a thing if you ain't got that swing (54 handicappers)

A few weeks ago in our club Thursday swindle on a medal day, I got drawn out with a 28 handicapper. No problem, I'm not a snob. I've said it before, I put people before the golf. He's a nice guy. Very annoying (laughs at everything, even unfunny things, nervous chap), but a good human being. Did I mention he was annoying?

Anyway, it was a good day for him - he had 16 points off his 28 handicap. He says things like:

'I remember when I was golfing in Vegas.' (I'm thinking, 'they must have had the Golden Tee video game in the casino.')

'I used to be able to play this game!' (I'm thinking, 'Not even in a past life could you do that')

'I'm just standing close to you to see if I can pick up on a few things' (I'm thinking, if you don't move NOW I'll decapitate you on my backswing'.)

'Thanks, for the game - enjoyed your company.' (I'm thinking, PLEASE GO AWAY AND DIE SLOWLY AND PAINFULLY!!!)

After our game, I was in a bit of a mood because I'd allowed him to steer the ship into an iceberg and I went down with it, as did the other two in our group. I had a 'quiet' word with the organiser. To summarise, his reply was:

'I know he's a pain in the arse but it was your turn today to carry the load. If you want to tell him that he's not welcome back, please feel free but you need to learn how to deal with people like that.'

Wise words from a wise man, a great golfer and someone I respect very much. Is there such a thing as a Sapp victims rehab clinic?

4. Over competitive underachievers (Chew on them, spit them out)

It's happened to me twice in a matter of weeks. I've been paired with guys who are so focused on beating everyone else in their 3/4 ball, they get sucked into a high blood pressure inducing space/time distorting vortex. It's fun to watch. But the game is a hard enough battle without having to battle a thwarted ego.

These are two things I recall hearing, one from each Sapp.

'Every time I try to beat you, you just pull away on points' (I'm thinking, 'Focus more on your game and less on mine and you might have a chance.)

On the 18th tee; 'We're level, if I get a par on this hole and you get a bogey - I win'. (I'm thinking, 'That's the first time in this round I thought about beating you because I'm trying to do my best / win a competition here.')

I think I'll wrap up this part of the post here, but hope you come back to read part 2 when I'll talk about:

Chatterboxes (Please shut it!)
Self destructors (They might kill you too.)
Snails (How to grow a full beard over 18 holes.)
Beginners (We were all there once, but would we go back?)
Golf bloggers (The most evil sapps of all, they kiss and tell).
Any others that you'd like to suggest?

Until then, it's farewell.

BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING.

See you around!

#showusyournumber in the media

noreply@blogger.com (I bleed Golf) — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 08:31:00 +0000

Shon Crewe (@ShonCrewe on Twitter) will be talking about #showusyournumber on the Golf Show on ESPN NW (Seattle) on Sat 21st July.

You can tune in to the show at the following times or afterwards there will be a podcast available:

8 am PST
4pm British Summer Time

For those who want to listen live, please visit:

tunein.com and search for 710 AM Seattle,
or stream directly from: http://mynorthwest.com/category/sports There's a 'Listen Now' button on the right hand side of the page.

As soon as the podcast info is available, I'll upload details!

Enjoy the show, many thank to Shon and ESPN 710!

#showusyournumber!!

Steve

#showusyournumber

noreply@blogger.com (I bleed Golf) — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 20:25:00 +0000

To enlarge any images in this post, please click on them.

The Beginning:

On Tuesday this week I played in a weekly golf game with 17 other club members and shot a 73, my best ever gross score over 18 holes.

Naturally, I was extremely pleased and VERY keen to let my Twitter buddies @mattholbrook86 and @philp1977 know about it. We're having a mini competition (first to 7 wins over the summer) and I thought if I rubbed their noses in it a bit, we'd have a good laugh and perhaps I'd even gain a psychological competitive edge!

I made a decision to change my Twitter profile image to the number 73, a constant reminder to my opponents of my golfing prowess, and my sole intention to show them who's boss in the coming weeks.

I'll let you know how that goes. @philp1977 is currently in the lead with 3 wins, Matt and myself have 2.

This morning, another Twitter buddy of mine, namely the great and wise Mr. Ross Murdoch (@cafebrouge) asked me a question;

I replied and told him the significance of my '73' icon and he thought it was a cool idea. Within minutes he'd also changed his profile pic to show his lowest ever round, a 78.

Soon after @MattHolbrook86 changed his picture to highlight his PB of 87.

Next, @neverupneverin1 changed his picture and started tweeting the #showusyournumber hashtag.

A trend had started.

With the help of @golfshake, @darrenram, @prinsjoel, @ron_lewis. @3_putt and many, many other passionate golf nuts, #showusyournumber became a worldwide trending topic at approximately 2pm UK time. Please search for the #showusyournumber hashtag on Twitter to get an idea of what I'm talking about.

At 21.15 UK time tonight, European Tour player Rafael Cabrera Bello sent the following tweet to another one of our band of golf manics, @DannyGordon4;

I'll keep updating the blog as and when the fun progresses, but in the meantime, check out the #showusyournumber hashtag and if you want to get involved, just change your pic to show your lowest gross score!

It's fantastic to see people who are so passionate about the game of golf getting behind this. To try and give some perspective, check out some images below from my timeline. There are many more golf lovers getting involved from all over the golfing / Twitter world. This is just a tiny sample!!

Maybe you'll be the next person to change your Twitter profile pic?

Go on, #showusyournumber!!!!!

Update: Sat 14th July 12.22pm

This blog was posted only last night at approx. 10.30 pm and already it's the most popular post I've got on here. Over 500 of you have visited the blog and I'm now following lots of new twitter users (as well as the old ones) who have numbers for their profile pic! My 'following' list looks something like this:

Update: Monday 16th July 00.45am

I think it's fair to say at this point #showusyournumber has become a mini phenomenon amongst golf lovers around the world, particularly in the UK, Ireland, North America and Australia. I'm trying really hard not to overstate the situation :)

All of us who have taken part have connected with so many new people in the past few days. Just take a look at my twitter feed and following / follower list to see a selection of #showusyournumber fans and contributors.

One of the many cool people I've met since it all began is Herb McNally (@McTwentyTwo on Twitter). Herb is an artist / graphic designer by trade. He's been kindly making highly creative, personalised Twitter profile images for people who are taking part in the campaign (so it's becoming a campaign now? - so much for understatement!) Herb's work is fantastic - you can see some samples below. Thanks Herb!

Tour Players!

I can't believe that all of this has come from a 73 I shot on Tuesday, did someone spike my Guinness? :)

Another big development occurred on Sunday night. European Tour Player Pablo Larrazabal has become the first tour player to change his profile picture to show his lowest ever score. Thanks Pablo!

Oh, and soon after Pablo's tweet a certain Sir Nick Faldo sent the message below to #showusyournumber member @johncoates14:

Who knows what the coming week will bring? I for one, will be looking forward to the Open Championship and I may even try and beat that 73, if the rain ever stops...

See you around!

Steve (@ibleedgolf1)

Update: Monday 16th July

Two new professional golfers have taken part in #showusyournumber:

US PGA Tour player Arron Oberholser (@arronoberholser) has updated his Twitter feed to show his lowest ever round of 60, which he shot in the second round of the Byron Nelson Championship back in 2006! Wow!

Kristie Smith (@nikegolfchick) is an Australian professional golfer playing on the Futures Tour and the Ladies European Tour. Kristie the first female pro golfer to participate in #showusyournumber, thanks for taking part Kristie!

Update: Monday 23rd July

The #showusyournumber bandwagon has been pushing on and on in the past week. People are still changing their numbers as they hear about the trend for the first time. As shown in the must recent blog post which can be found here, the trend was mentioned on ESPN 710 Seattle on Saturday 21st July.

I've also mentioned the trend on a few golf forums and it seems the artistry of #showusyournumber has taken a new creative turn. Here are some of the cool ways that members of the Golf Magic forum have been expressing their low scores!

To celebrate, I'd like to propose a toast...

Sorry, couldn't resist!

See you around,

Steve

Fighter V Lover

noreply@blogger.com (I bleed Golf) — Mon, 28 May 2012 20:14:00 +0000

We've all heard the expression 'you need to get out of your own way'.

Here's the problem;

You've practised all through the Winter months, you've hit thousands of balls, you've disassembled, reassembled and tweaked your swing, worked on your short game, fine tuned your putting stroke. You may have even read a golf psychology book or two. Now that the season has begun you should be able to just go out there and shoot a low score, right? You have a divine right to get cut by 2 to 5 shots having put the hours in over those dreary cold months.

Maybe. Maybe not.

You know for a fact that you're a better player, your skill levels are much higher than they've been in previous years. Why is it that those low scores aren't coming yet?

In recent weeks I've come up with a few excuses.

'The weather hasn't been great, the grass is too wet and the course is playing long.'
'The greens are so inconsistent, some days slow, others quick.'
'I'm having lots of bad luck lately on the golf course.'
Insert your own excuse here!

I think there's a difference between 'making' something happen and 'letting' something happen.

To me, the expression 'making it happen' suggests that something needs to be forced, odds need to be overcome and every ounce of will, determination and energy in my body will be required for the battle. Actually, just reading those words is making me tired, stressed and fearful of what's to come! If things don't go my way during a round, I'll feel like I need to increase my intensity level and try even harder. A few rounds like this and I'll get very frustrated, maybe even angry. Chasing is hard work.

On the other hand, 'letting it happen' suggests an openness, an acceptance, thoughts of 'going with the flow' rather than 'swimming against the tide' come to mind. If things don't go my way at some point during a round, I'll be more likely to accept it and move on to the next shot without carrying any baggage from the previous one! A few rounds like this, and dare I say it, I may even enjoy myself whilst playing golf, imagine that!

Get out there and let it happen.

#lovegolf

King Cal bleeds Golf. Part 2 - Interview

noreply@blogger.com (I bleed Golf) — Tue, 22 May 2012 21:55:00 +0000

Chapter 1: Bloody Nora

I arrive at Cal's ground floor flat, where he lives alone. The front door is open but I give it a gentle knock anyway. 'Come on in!', he shouts, 'straight down the hall and turn right.' I close the door behind me and walk to the living room where Cal is sitting and smiling in his armchair, ready for the interview to begin. We have a quick general catch up on news from our golf club and I explain that I'm interviewing him for my blog. Aware of the brief and with obvious enthusiasm, Cal begins to speak..

Cal (furthest on right) during World War 2
1945, Verona, Italy.

'I've always been a keen sportsman and ultra competitive, I've never been pleased with mediocrity', he says. I end up being disappointed with myself a lot! I get annoyed with myself when I play badly, but I try not to let my frustration affect others.

Before the war I was into cycling and after it, tennis. I didn't cycle competitively, I met my wife (to be) through the cycling club. We bought a tandem and we would cycle on it together, setting the pace for the people in the club who were preparing for competitions.

I've always played to win, and nowadays when I play golf, bridge and bowls it's for the same reason.'

He continued, 'My wife and I once made it to the semi-finals of the Cambridge mixed doubles tennis competition, she was an extremely good tennis player.'

In his late thirties, Cal took up golf. Two years later, his wife followed suit.

'She was a bloody good golfer' he says. 'She went from a 36 handicap to 15 in two years. We won many mixed events together at the golf club.'

'Once I placed a fake golf ball (soap based) on the first tee for my wife to play, unbeknownst to her of course. I didn't realise a crowd had gathered on the tee behind us. Anyway, she hit this ball and it dissolved into thin air. I was up the creek for a long time after that!'

Cal in his 'heyday'. Aged 60
and playing off 9.

Cal disappears from the room for a moment and comes back with a few photographs. 'This is me in my golfing heyday', he says. 'I was 60 years old and I'd got down to a 9 handicap.'

As I gaze at the photo, I begin to wonder what my handicap will be if I'm fortunate enough to reach 60, let alone 93.

'I used to be able to hit it 230 yards off the tee, now I'm lucky if I hit it 150 yards. It's soul destroying', he says. As he utters these words, I look him in the eyes and I can see he's hurting. He wants to be out there competing with the long hitting whippersnappers.

I tell him that for 93 years of age, he's doing extremely well. I quietly wonder if it sounds patronising. He nods and smirks. And once again I sense that the young man inside him is frustrated by the physical limitations that come to all of us in time.

Cal posing with two of his many trophies. I'm jealous.

'The thing about golf is, well - you're always learning, no matter what age you are or what your level of skill is. It's a true challenge.'

I ask if he's had any golf coaching over the years.

'Oh yes', he says. 'And you know, the best lesson I ever had was with a lady golf coach called Miss Anonymous' (For privacy reasons I won't mention the lady in question by name. As soon as Cal mentioned her name I realised he must have had this particular lesson in the past 5 years. The coach he spoke of had only been in the area for that amount of time.)

'Ah yes, I know her, I've heard good things. So this was a recent lesson then Cal?, I subtly enquired in amazement.

'Yes', he replies. 'I must have been 88 or so at the time, she sorted my swing out for me and helped me enjoy the game again.'

'What an inspiration', I thought to myself, realising that Cal was still searching for the Holy Grail of golf, just like the rest of us. And why shouldn't he? Seeking that one quick 'fix' or 'tweak' to get an extra few yards from a drive or get the ball closer to and into the hole.

'Years ago, I went through a phase where I was having trouble with short chips around the green', he says. So I bought a chipping club, you know - one that looks like a putter with a bit of loft.'

I nodded.

It worked wonders for me, so much so that my playing partners christened the new stick 'Bloody Nora!'

'Bloody Nora!' they would say, 'he's only gone and holed another one!'

The room fills with laughter and as it subsides I ask a question - 'If you could give one tip to someone starting out in the game today Cal, what would it be?'

He doesn't hesitate in his reply.

'It's alright saying 'keep your head still, get your stance right, grip the club properly and so on', he says, but all of this requires concentration. You lose that when you get older. It makes the game much harder. But I still try hard to concentrate and I think that's what anybody who wants to be good at golf needs to do. They need to be able to focus and concentrate on setting up the shot but at the same time not have too many thoughts floating around in there when they're playing the shot. It's a delicate balance.'

Wise words from a man who's been playing the great game for over 30 years. Both of his sons are in their 60's now, one playing off 6 and the other off 9. One can only assume what other pearls Cal could share with me if we had the time.

Perhaps I'll ask him to have a look at my swing sometime.

Speaking of swings, here's a clip of the man himself in action!

Chapter 2: The Oldest Bandit in the Club

Cal is a multi major winner at our club, but his biggest win came in 2008 at the healthy age of 89 years young.

He won the Captains Day event, with a score of 47 points, playing off 28. The course is par 69, to save you the maths he played to 15, beating his nearest rival who was half his age and 6 points behind on score.

He made the Cambridge Evening News.

'They cut me by 5 shots and I deserved it', he said. 'Everything went right for me that day. After 9 holes, my playing partners knew I had a great score going and they geed me up - 'Keep it going, keep it going Cal!', they would say.'

'I got some stick from my playing partners at the club after that win. They got a caricature of me drawn up (pictured left). 'The Oldest Bandit in the Club!'.

I'd planned on taking no more than an hour of Cal's time, but we ended up chatting for two. We concluded the interview, shook hands and exchanged goodbyes. With a notebook full of scribbles and a head full of thoughts and images, I walked to my car.

The voice in my head said; 'When I grow up, I want to be just like him'.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks so much for reading, see you around!

Steve

(P.S I'm currently planning an interview with another local golfing great. He's 78 and plays off 9. Every time I've approached him with a swing problem he has solved it. If you enjoyed reading about Cal, I'm sure you'll enjoy reading about 'The Fixer'. But that's for another time, another place.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks Cal. All hail a King amongst Bleeders.

1 year on - We Bleed Golf

noreply@blogger.com (I bleed Golf) — Wed, 09 May 2012 09:44:00 +0000

Today marks the first birthday of this blog.

27 posts and almost 5000 page views in, I would like to thank all of you who have read it, shared it, RT'd my posts on Twitter and 'Liked' the Facebook page. Thanks also to everyone who has commented and said they enjoy reading. As long as people are interested in reading, I'll keep writing.

There's a few people I'd like to say a special thanks to. The list below shows some of the people I interact with on Twitter - fellow and lady golf addicts. If you're not currently following these people on Twitter, I suggest you check them out!

Three reasons, not exclusive:

There's plenty of fun to be had if you follow these people. (Bags and bags of it!)
You might even learn a thing or two. (I have!)
You may even make a *real-life*, golf obsessed friend or two on the way. (Check!)

Sorry if I've left anyone out, there's so many great people to list. In addition to the list below, please have a look through my 'following' list, they're all great people and true lovers of the game.

We Bleed Golf!

Matt Holbrook - @MattHolbrook86
Sean Tracey - @seant666
Sophie Walters - @FD_ShWomenstore
Kieran Clark - @OnParWithGolf
Jay - @JaysGolf
Ron Lewis - @Ron_Lewis
Matt Wabe - @mattwabe
Patrick McLaughlin - @lochlainn
Shelley Hardman - @ShelleyHardman
Jackie Smith - @jackieesmith
Anthony Roberts - @kennykeano
Lee Skidmore - @LeeSkidmorePGA
Eric Dyer - @TheGolfingGuru
Gordon Blackwood - @GordonBlackwood
Neal Hamer - @Mock0503
Hank Haney - @HankDHaney
My biggest fan, the one and only @TigerWoods ;)
And me! - @ibleedgolf1

Thanks again everyone, looking forward to plenty more laughs down the line.

Fore Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight!

Call the Shot! - How we did it..

noreply@blogger.com (I bleed Golf) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:20:00 +0000

Thanks to everyone who commented on the 'Call the Shot' page. There was a great response on Twitter, Facebook and of course, the 'Call the Shot' page on this blog.

Here's a video of my buddy @russellggolfer playing the shot. From what I recall he used a 58 degree wedge, ball central, club open a tiny bit and weight favouring left side.

We'll do another one soon... thanks again everyone!

By the way, I have tried to play this shot several times since and failed miserably. : )

King Cal bleeds Golf. Part 1 - Introduction

noreply@blogger.com (I bleed Golf) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 21:04:00 +0000

The very instant I met Albert 'Cal' Crompton, I knew he had golf written into his DNA.

It was 8 years ago, I'd just recently joined the golf club and showed up one day for the tri-weekly 'swindle'. I'd been invited by a chap who saw me out playing alone a few weeks prior. (For those of you unfamiliar with the term, a 'swindle' is an unofficial club gathering of players. We show up, pay a pound or so and get drawn out in groups. There are small cash prizes for the 1st and 2nd placed individual stableford scores, as well as a prize for best team score.)

Cal used to be a regular 'swindler' and I had the pleasure of being drawn to play with him many times over the years. His membership at the club started in 1956 when it was just a 9 hole course. Cal is now 93 and still playing golf, and is truly an inspirational man, as well as a very entertaining one!

Cal, pictured here in 2008 after his big win.
More about that in Part 2!

Today, I looked Cal's number up in the club diary and gave him a call. Here's a snippet of how the conversation went, pleasantries have been edited out for convenience sake :)

'Cal, I've been writing some articles about golf and now I'm thinking of writing about people I know who are passionate about the game, are you interested in doing a little interview? You'd be the first!'

'I'd be happy to help Steve, do you want to drop by?', I was relieved to hear him respond.

'Sure, when's good Cal?, I live just down the road. I'm fairly flexible'.

'How about 10 minutes time?

'See you then!'.

And off I went.

----------------------------------------

Before I write and publish Part 2 of this blog post and document the actual interview, I'd like to tell you about some of my experiences with Cal over the past few years. An introduction of sorts.

Countless times I witnessed Cal's competitive nature. Every time he played, he was playing to win and would often get frustrated with himself over a fluffed chip or a missed putt. At first it amazed me to see a guy in his late 80's still playing with such fire in his belly. It didn't take long for the amazement to turn into inspiration and aspiration.

One day, we were playing together in the swindle when his second shot on the 13th, (a short dogleg par 4) went into the dry ditch about two thirds of the way up the hole. Just as I was about to offer to retrieve his ball for him (I'd assumed he'd be taking a drop), I noticed that he had climbed down into the ditch with a lob wedge in his hand.

'Aren't you going to drop that Cal?, I asked.

One swift flick of a wedge later, his ball was back in play and a good 20 feet closer to the hole.

When Cal was 89, some guys at the club had a little surprise party for him, which unfortunately I couldn't attend. A few days later, I met him on the course...

'Cal, sorry I missed your surprise party the other day, did you have a good time?'

'Yes, it was great Steve', he replied with a smile.

'But don't worry about missing it, the big one is next year!'

Nowadays, Cal no longer plays in the swindle. By his own admission he 'gets a little tired after 10 or 11 holes.' However, he's still playing 3 times a week in a regular 4 ball.

'I often think about turning up for the swindle', he says - 'but I'm not sure I'd make it round and I don't want to hold anybody up'.

I sensed some sadness in his voice, and my immediate thought was 'this guy wants to be out there competing.'

A caricature artwork of Cal, presented to him by his two sons on his 90th birthday.
The text reads 'The oldest bandit in the club'.

I'm going to end Part 1 now, but I do hope you'll read Part 2 (the interview with Cal), when I publish it in a few weeks. We discussed a great deal, one of the highlights being Cal's victory in our club Captain's prize in 2008, at 89 years young. It made the Cambridge Evening News.

Oh, and by the way - I videoed his swing too. You've got that and much more to look forward to!

Thanks for reading, see you around :)

Steve

We gotta get right back to where we started from...

noreply@blogger.com (I bleed Golf) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:44:00 +0000

If you've read this post, you probably already know that three years ago I made it down to an 11 handicap and then decided to change everything about my game, and I mean E V E R Y T H I N G.

I felt that a complete refit and overhaul was necessary to get me to single figures. There was something about the way I was playing back then that made me think I'd peaked as a golfer, my skill level couldn't get me any further. Some disagreed and thought I was crazy to embark upon such a seemingly sadistic journey. At times I thought they were right. For a while I went back up to 14, which was soul destroying. I generally hovered around 12 for most of the three years, scrapping out results with a new swing I couldn't trust, and moreover a new swing which put extra pressure on my (already average) short game.

After almost 3 years of lessons and hundreds of hours on the course and driving range I've arrived at my first milestone. I'm right back where I was when I decided to change everything. Back to an 11 handicap.

Perhaps from the outside, it seems nonsensical to celebrate such a milestone. Nevertheless, I'm smiling.

During the process of change I sometimes thought I had completely scuppered any chance I had of becoming a better player. I started to think that I'd added too much mechanical action whilst subtracting a substantial amount of personality from my game. Now I know this is not the case. Despite the long and winding road, I now know 100% it was worth it.

Lately I have been producing very good results even when I'm not playing particularly great. Furthermore I'm shooting in the 70's about 80% of the time whereas before it was more like 20%, if that. I've made it back to 11 without firing on all cylinders whereas in the past I needed to work hard to get to and maintain that handicap.

This time round it's going to be different. A few years ago the number 11 represented the end of the road. This time it represents the beginning.

I'll keep you posted!

Elvis

noreply@blogger.com (I bleed Golf) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 11:31:00 +0000

He was a nice guy off the course, but on it, he drove me insane. One day, I asked a psychologist friend of mine for advice on what I should do about Elvis.

'I play golf with this guy, he annoys the hell out me when we're playing!'

'Go on', says the doc.

'Well, we're neighbours. We don't have much in common but he's a good guy. We've been playing golf together for a while now and I'm not sure what to do. His on course behaviour really irritates me! I feel guilty, like maybe I should have more patience and be more accepting of others, you know?'

'Tell me about his irritating behaviour, what does he do that annoys you so much?', quizzed my new golf shrink.

'Well, there are a few things he does actually. His pre shot routine is 45 seconds to 1 minute long, which feels like an eternity. He also thinks he's much better than he really is, (which perhaps we're all guilty of from time to time) but it's not even that....', I continued.

'....during his pre shot routine, he over flexes his knees, which is technically incorrect, but not offensive. But then, club in hand, he performs an unsightly thrusting movement with his hips. It's almost like he's.....well.... 'making love to the air' would be a fair description. It's very off putting to have to watch it 50 or 60 times a round!'

At first it was amusing but eventually, my acquaintances Elvis impression combined with a multitude of other niggly on course antics began to grind. And hence I found myself faced with a dilemma.

The doc gave me two options:

'Cut him off, don't play golf with him anymore. Can you deal with that?'

'Be a good Samaritan, learn to accept his behaviour - don't let it get to you.'

In the end, it resolved itself naturally. Elvis moved to pastures new and I assume, joined a golf club closer to his new abode.

And who knows, maybe on a golf course somewhere near you, he's at it right now.

Making sweet love to oxygen.

3 reasons. Part 2: Birds Eye View

noreply@blogger.com (I bleed Golf) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 20:08:00 +0000

Occasionally, I fondly recall playing at Felixstowe Links on a blustery day a few years back. As I strolled down the 15th fairway I saw a falcon hovering about 20 foot above the wispy marram, fixated on his prey. I watched as it watched, and swooped, snatching a field mouse and soaring off into the misty distance. The first thing that went through my head was; 'How the hell can that bird see a brown mouse in brown grass from twenty feet when I can't see a white ball from 4 - 6 feet?' It was an amazing sight. I can't remember what I scored that day, but I will never forget the falcon.

I've yet to play an ugly golf course. Don't get me wrong, I've played some poor or average quality courses, but none that I'd class as downright ugly. Something natural always catches my eye and makes me feel good to be out there. Sometimes I think that in order to play good golf you need to connect with the landscape. Whether its looking for the wind in the trees, adjusting your set up for a side hill lie or reading a green for a 20 foot putt, you need to 'tune in' to your surroundings.

I'm not a Buddhist but I once read a book called 'Snowboarding the Himalayas'. In it, a monk tries to explain the principles of Buddhism to a young thrill seeker through the medium of snowboarding. The monk encourages the snowboarder to see the board and the snow underneath as an extension of himself. He claims that by creating this 'oneness' with the board, the snowboarder will perform better. He'll be more likely to get 'in the zone', so to speak.

Can you, the golfer create a feeling of connectedness with your environment and your clubs? The clubs become an extension of you, and you and the landscape work in unison, not against each other? Dare I say it; 'Be the ball!' : )

Possibly before, but certainly ever since the day I saw the falcon, I'm more inclined to enjoy the view for a few minutes at some point during a round. I don't find it distracting, it actually helps me to relax and get more connected to my game and the course.

It can take the edge off a bad day and maybe even make a good day better!

See you around,

Steve

And remember, if all else fails, be the ball.....

http://youtu.be/LGKkmpbhv9k

3 reasons. Part 1: Band in the rain

noreply@blogger.com (I bleed Golf) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 13:41:00 +0000

I play golf for three reasons. I can rank them in order of importance.

The people.
The scenery.
The challenge.

A few years back on a dreadfully dreary, chilly and wet winters morn, I told my girlfriend I was heading out to play in the Thursday swindle at my club.

'In this weather?!', she replied. 'You'll be the only one there, you're a lunatic!'

At that time, I lived about 15 miles from the course. As I drove there through the less than favourable murkiness, I considered that she may in fact be right. Perhaps I was a lunatic?

I thought about turning back.

In spite of doubt and powered by a combination of stubbornness and desire, I kept going.

When I arrived at the course, there were 20 or so other lunatics there waiting to play, waiting for the rain to clear.

It was such a great feeling. A feeling of affirmation, a feeling of belonging. Connecting with other human beings is a very powerful thing and will always be my No.1 reason for playing golf.

More about my other reasons soon!

See you around ;)