Try this tip – It could make a difference!

One nice day several years ago, I was playing golf with my sister. She asked me for advise. Now I am NOT generally one to offer golfing advice, however, if you are asking me – I may just oblige you.

My sister asked, how do you hit the ball so consistently? I said, “Take a swing and let me see if I can see anything.” She stepped up to the tee, with intense concentration and all of the effort she could muster – she took a mighty swing, WHIFF – she missed the ball completely. “What am I doing wrong?”, she asked. I responded – “I believe if you keep your eyes open and on the ball you may make more consistent contact.”

Now I know this is not very profound advice, but you might just try it on your next trip to the tee box – “Keep you eyes open and on the ball!”

Until next time – May you hit ’em long and straight while keeping your eyes open and on the ball!

Wisdom from Rodney :)

Does anyone remember Rodney in Caddyshack ? All the way back to 1980!

Do you remember where you were, and what you were doing in 1980? I graduated high school in 1980 in a small town in Iowa. Enjoy this quote from Rodney 🙂

“What a kid I got, I told him about the birds and the bees and he told me about the butcher and my wife.” 
― Rodney Dangerfield

#golf #Rodney #caddyshack #golf shoes #golf products #golf stuff

A Brief History of the game of Golf

The game of Golf has been around for hundreds of years, all the way back to the 1400’s.  Some of the earliest records of Golf go back to Scotland in 1457 while under rule of King James II. In 1502, King James IV made peace with England, and the game of Golf expanded rapidly around Scotland.

St. Andrews in England is widely known for its history of the game, and is thought by many to be the origin of the game of golf.  However, Edinburgh, Scotland’s compact and hilly capital is really the origin of the game we call golf.  It was on on the “links of Leith” that the game of golf emerged.  The first known golf club also emerged in Edinburgh on March 7th 1744, and was known as “The Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers”.  They drafted a formal set of rules to oversee play.  This was the beginning of the ruling body of golf known today as the “Royal and Ancient Golf Club”, or simply the “R&A”.

Eventually the game became very popular in Scotland and England.  Finally it found its way over the pond to the US of A, and evolved into the game we know today.

That’s it for today – Enjoy your next round, and hit ’em LONG and STRAIGHT!

How’s Your Swing?

How’s Your Swing?

How well you can strike a golf ball is not only determined by your muscle strength. Your swing is   influenced by several other factors involved in the mechanics of your golf swing. A playing partner might tell you to swing easy and hit hard. Your caddie of the day might whisper lightly in your ear that your golf swing is at its best when you don’t think too much.

How’s Your Swing?

While I would never argue against these words of wisdom, I also suggest an alternative: record yourself to see what components you are lacking.

With the rise of mobile everything, and apps for anything you can imagine, it makes sense to take this approach. Recording your golf swing via video is inexpensive and most of all, visual.

How’s Your Swing?

However, it’s easy to become bogged down with detail.  It’s easy to forget that the golf swing is fundamentally very simple. The seemingly elusive golf swing sequence is no more difficult than throwing a ball!

When you throw a ball, or swing a bat or a racket, you start the “downswing” with your feet. When stepping into the throw,  fire your lower body, your abs, your back and shoulders, and finally your arm as you release (or hit) the ball.

How’s Your Swing?

The golf swing is just the same. It’s a natural throwing motion, something that we can all do without conscious effort, once we learn to stop thinking and get out of our own way!  

This drill is a great way to feel what that sequence is like in a golf swing, and will serve as a great reminder every time you think that things are getting complicated.

Remember, sequence is key!  Do not try to hit the ball harder.  Harder means tension, tightness, and restricted movement.  Harder often means trying to power the swing with your upper body.  Harder is shorter and less accurate.  Speed comes from sequence, and sequence requires relaxed muscles.  Try to swing faster, not harder.

The Great Balls of Golf

The Great  Balls of Golf

Information about the early history of golf balls is unfortunately very scarce. According to most authors who investigated the early history of golf ball,the first balls (if we ignore the story about the shepherd and stones) were probably made of wood, most likely beech, boxroot and similar hardwoods.

Golfers know that the first record of a sold golf ball dates from 1452, while the first feather ball known as the featherie was introduced only in the early 17th century. Until the mid-19th century, the featherie was the standard golf ball. The featherie was made of cow or horsehide which was stuffed with  goose feather. The leather, in order to be easier to work with, was soaked in water.


The invention of the golf ball that was about to trigger a revolution.Robert Adam Paterson is traditionally attributed to the Scottish divinity student Robert Adam Paterson.. (1829-1904).

The Great Balls of Golf cont..

Some authors,however, have questioned the story about a poor golf enthusiast. He was just  looking for ways to be able to enjoy the game.His quest would eventually lead to the invention of the gutta percha ball or the guttie.

Haskell’s rubber-wound core ball is traditionally regarded as the first modern golf ball. The origins of the ball that is used by today’s pros and amateurs alike dates from the 1960s.

With the ball now covered in dimples, the new 20th Century golf ball could be smacked into seriously controlled flight. Pros could even put backspin on it to make it stop more quickly upon landing. Golfers can thus today choose from more than 1,000 golf balls (excluding those that are not on the USGA and R&A Conforming Ball List) . The New balls are designed to provide more control, achieve greater distances, increased durability and optimal spin.   Ultimately, the new balls make the game more enjoyable while helping golfers improve their score.

You look good enough to golf!

You look good enough to golf!

Golf has been a sport enjoyed by men since the Middle Ages. Finding its way to America in the late 1800s, it erupted in popularity during the Roaring Twenties as a way for the well-to-do to engage in sport and socialize at the same time. With the birth of Ivy Style  Trad and Prepdom, it emerged as one of the most stylish sports for the modern gentleman .Apparel companies, meanwhile, entered a similar arms race, chasing that ever-elusive technology that kept you from sweating over a six-footer in triple-degree temperatures.

You look good enough to golf! Cont..

Many labels became focused on functionality, and forgot that golf, at its core, is a sport that has always valued style. Walter Hagen? Dandy. Ben Hogan? Stoic. Arnold Palmer? Sex symbol. All those guys wore classic sportswear on the course, and you should do the same. Sure, the general appreciation of clothing by men who play the game (like guys everywhere else) has increased tenfold, but like mainstream fashion, there’s a lot of ugly crap out there. If you’re going to tee it up, you needn’t look like you’re running a marathon or going to space.

Golf fashion  is first seen in the United Kingdom during the 18th century when it was common for men to wear kilts and animal skins.

YOU LOOK GOOD ENOUGH TO GOLF!

Luckily for players and spectators, that fashion trend ended fairly quickly. In the 19th century knee length- breeches and tailcoats were introduced. This switch began moving golf fashions toward a more conservative style that has been a common theme throughout the 20th and 21st century.

Today, golf has become streamlined, sportier, and technologically fueled. Brands like Nike, Adidas, and Puma are popular among golfers. Professional golfers look for something that is both trendy and will aid in the performance of their game when looking for a golf outfit. Professional golfers want their style to reflect a great game of golf; sleek and uniformed with a splash of color.