British Open

The British Open seems always to be good. I liked the weather when it was more British Isles like with the wind and rain. Neat course, not as well manicured as the courses in the United States, but I like them. Airports and Railroad tracks, big ugly fences, great history to these courses.

 Oh, two last thought, I love the castles of Scotland and the hot weather is good for old guys like me and their golf games. 

My British Open Impersonation on a course closed for 50+ years

 

A Great Day On The Links

I always enjoy playing golf, good or bad, as the old saying goes – it beats working. Today was one of my, turn back time, days. Not the double, double and bogey start, but the rest of the round. After going five over on the first three holes, I preceded to shoot 79, including four birdies the rest of the way. First of all, four birdies are my norm for about eight or ten rounds, not one.

Keep Rolling

What else? I drove two short par 4s. A bit of a tailwind but not much, maybe all that stretching is finally paying off. As I said, short, 270 yards and 290, but come on, I am less than two years from starting my seventh decade of life and driving a par 4 is fun. Some days I can only average about 210-215 off the tee. On my best days, I might average closer to 225-230. On occasion I hit one 250 but wow! What a day.

Cannot wait to get back to the course.

A Little Practice With My Grandson

On another note, my murder mystery, that will be my ninth book should be out around the first of the year. I am about 40% in, and so far, I really like it. By the way – My working title is - Murder On The First Tee.

Interested in any of my other books? Take a look here, and thanks.

Book 6 Coming in Two Weeks

Golf at Age 66

Weather is getting better, played three times this week and three last. I am hitting the ball pretty well for 66. I am still doing my stretches and quite a bit of walking.

Looks like my distances will be the same this year as last.

PW-105
9 Iron-115
8 Iron-125 and so on  -   Now hitting my five wood 190-195 and
 3 wood, 205-210.
 This leaves my driver in the 230 range. About right

These are pretty true distances for me, I occasionally hit a drive over 250 but the 225-235 range is about right.

I have some new Irons, haven't tried them yet, Adams V4, can't wait to hit them but waiting for the course to soften up. I also have a new Ping Putter, now I will putt like Bubba.

Miguel Angel Jimenez - a Very Flexible Man

Like many golf fans I have long been intrigued by Miguel Angel Jimenez. Doesn’t look like he is in the best of shape, and there are always photos of him drinking and smoking cigars. He is partying while the rest of the tour guys seem to be running, lifting, resting, meditating, visiting with their personal sports psychiatrists or any number of stroke loosing activities.

But players on tour refer to him as the Mechanic, and for a reason. He is good, and can adjust on the go, he can easily fix things with his swing when needed and even if he is 50 he can still play with the young guys. Last year he became the oldest winner ever on the European Tour breaking the record of a 49 year old winner –oh, never mind, that was him also.

It is well known that he doesn’t practice much, other than hitting some balls before he plays, so what is his secret?

Flexibility, he seems to be blessed with it. Watch the video below, forget what he is saying just take a look at the 50 year old and see how flexible he is, that is why golfers, above all else, must stretch and stay flexible.

 

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/grill-room/video-jimenez-leads-group-stretching-class/

 

Miguel Angel Jimenez one of my favorite golfers!

How To Find Lost Golf Balls

Americans lose 300 million golf balls a year.

The reconditioning and reselling of those used balls has become a hundreds of million dollars a year industry. The Internet and large retailers like Wal-Mart sell thousands of dozen each week. In the old days the only place you could find these ‘water balls’ was in the golf shop. Why don’t we find a few ourselves and cut out the middlemen.

So where do you look to pick up a few of the millions of lost golf balls.

When looking for balls try the out of bounds to the right 170 to 180 yards off the tee.

For the expensive balls try about 220 yards but still the right side.

Most golfers that should be looking in the 170 area look in the 200 yard area and most that should be looking in the 220 range look in the 250-260 area.

If you can’t find your own ball walk back, you likely didn’t hit it that far.

Better balls are often found left and behind longer holes.

When looking along water, more balls are found on the tee side than the green side.

Check out new tree wells, the edges of paths and any grass boarders that need a weed eater.

And lastly, if you find one, there is a good chance another is hiding nearby, make a circle around where you found yours.

Please don’t stop and look while playing, but there is always a chance to walk by some of these ball happy areas. Remember if you hit it here someone else probably did too.

The Women's Open at Saint Andrews

The Open, then the Senior British Open and this week the women and their British open.  And this one might have more drama than all the others with Inbee Park at St. Andrews. If she wins she’ll become the first golfer to ever win four professional majors in a single season.

The LPGA doesn’t get the following of the men or even the seniors, but they play some great golf and this one will be worth the watching.

My prediction- I will take the field against her, but it would be fun if she pulled it off.

 

The British Open

The British Open is underway, great looking course, but maybe a little tricked up. Not all the players were complimentary of the setup. I believe when the course is purposely dried to an almost dead state, the games committee may have gone a little too far.

Last week I walked the course in Omaha with the U. S. Senior open players, as a spectator not a player, and am just now recovering, and some of those old guys are playing in the British Open, they are tougher, and in much better shape than this old guy. But I did shoot 85 today.

 

 

Old Golf Pro Secret

The real reason your pro tells you to keep your head down?

So you can't see him laughing at you.

 

 

U.S. Senior Open - No Walk in the Park

Had a great time watching the old guys hit the ball in Omaha last week.  I am in pretty good shape but I was hurting some just walking the very hilly Omaha Country Club layout. I loved the course, old fashioned, not too long, but it took some real thinking to play this course.

For those that didn’t hear Kenny Perry shot a 63 giving him a five stoke win for his second senior major title this year.

Perry, who two weeks ago won the Senior Players Championship, was 10 shots behind Michael Allen after 36 but a third round 64 and a seven-under round to end it gave him, the walk in the park victory, at Omaha Country Club.

Perry described the course as,” the hilliest course I have ever seen.” And after the win saidy d it gave hime the walk in the park victoryking to play this course.

maha Country Club layout. I loved the course, old fa, "It all came together today."  

I thoroughly enjoyed the course, the tremendous crowds and watching some outstanding golf. I think it was a great test, both of golf and fitness.

-A few random observations-

1. Tom Watson walks very fast, even up and down these hills.

2. Corey Pavin hits it farther than I thought he would

3. Jay Hass looked like he stepped from a golf clothing add, all the time, looked cool and very well dressed

4. Only saw one player hitting a colored golf ball (yellow)

5. Lots of smaller bags with the tough walking conditions, a lot of stand-bags, like all of us carry, or used to carry

6. The crowds were knowledgeable and very loud or very quiet when needed

7. These guys are still pretty long

8. Mark Calcavecchia got some pretty good cheers from the Nebraska crowd (he lived in Nebraska until his early teens)

9. Fred Couples swing is even sweeter in person than on the big screen

10. They need to bring this Open back here in three or four years, maybe two, it’s a great venue, the natural hills make it a tough walk but great for spectating.

 

Stretch Your Way to Better Golf

People, usually older people, might ask, “when is a senior citizen a senior?” and the best answer, should be “when they think they are senior.” Don’t let it happen, fight it off, head to the golf course or your favorite walking or biking path forget about the easy chair and TV, save that for later in the day.

Keep the senior tag away by staying active. And if you are active you need to stay fit. Playing golf is a great way to stay fit, but once a week will not be enough. Fitness is ongoing and something that needs to become a daily habit for seniors, just like it was when we were little kids.  If you only play once a week, swing a club for a few minutes on the off days, walk, bike, stretch, twist and turn, stay ready to play again.

One of the keys to fitness is to stretch daily. Yes, daily! It will take you only a few minutes to get them done, but the improvement in your fitness and to your golf game can be fast and you might be surprised at how much better you feel. The time invested (usually not more than 15-20 min a day will be well worth it.

Stretching exercises alone will energize even the stiffest joints and muscles. And will help you body and soul.  Stretching does not have to hurt burn or be difficult, in fact it should be kind of easy. If the stretching exercises are difficult, they are not correct!

Google some stretches today- try, golf stretching, or stretching for senior citizens, for a start and you will find some very good and easy, workouts, What are you waiting for golf is just around the corner, get started.

 

Getting on the Front Foot - and Tiger Too -

Well Tiger has one in the bag. Every time he has won the Masters he has a win before, now he is ready. Once again he looked pretty good until round four, then just held everyone off. Not a bad way to win.

*Today – The proper way to get on the front foot*

Now a few words about going from the back swing to the golf or hitting swing. Too many golfers look like they are chopping wood (poorly) with this movement. Here is a simple drill to help. (Once again this drill can be done in your back yard, and you don’t even need a ball, but you will need a club).

Place your feet together while hitting a few shots. If you do not coil the upper body onto your right side in your backswing and let it release naturally on to your left side in your golf swing, you will lose your balance. If it is real bad you can even fall down. If you don’t get hurt that will be really funny and you will have learned something about your swing.

Especially for people that want more distance this is a great drill. Despite all that is said and done about getting more distance and more accuracy on each shot you must properly shift from back foot to front, or nothing will help’

Easy drill, add it to your practice format.

 Until next time - have a great round!

Is this a Bad Sign?

Too much wind to play golf in Hawaii-too bad. I see where one famous teacher said playing in conditions like that could ruin a golfer’s swing.

I now feel much better about my ruined swing, playing here in Wyoming, with a lot of wind that must be what happened.

Hope they do get the tourney going, feel like watching some golf later today. The first pro tournament does tell me that warm weather is getting closer, not farther away.

 

Remember- There are two ways a golf ball bounces: unfair bounces, and bounces just the way you meant to play it.*

*Not sure where I saw this first but always thought it was appropriate

STRETCH Turn-Turn-Turn

Don’t forget to stretch, no matter how old you are. I have recently got into a bad habit; well actually I am revisiting an old habit. Get to the course, ride to the first tee take three or four violent practice strokes with my driver and hit away with shot number one. And how does this work? Not so good. What I have found is that if you stretch, regularly, at home you will not have to feel like a fool stretching for 10 minutes while the rest of the foursome makes fun of you.

The most important stretch, trunk twisting, just like with the club, back to target, chest to target, can’t hit it if you can’t turn.

But I don’t have time to stretch at home-yes you do-in the morning shower, 50 turns, 25 each way, nice and slow. And stretch again after dinner or supper if you grew up in the Midwest with me.

No skipping of days-do it and your back and your foursome will thank you.

Easy tip – yes it is-but only if you do it, I have not missed a day in over a year. Is my game better-NOPE-but my back is.

Columbus went around the world in 1492. That isn't a lot of strokes when you consider the course. ~Lee Trevino