Met a wonderful teaching pro in Tucson, Jim Kirwan, who tells me there is a secret to golf! Hmmm I wonder???
The 3 keys he tells me are…
- 1. proper placement of the hands,
- 2. proper stance and posture
- 3. a consistent, repeatable, and trustable routine with a good finish.
Sounds easy!! Now comes the dreaded PRACTICE part!!! but with a different spin! Only 15 – 20 minutes/day with your focus on the 3 keys above. When you commit to this routine you will be …
***Swinging with a ‘consistent pace of swing’ that creates effortless power.
Now, pick your target – a positive target – generally above the horizon, a cloud, a tall tree, a crane, aim at it, and swing away!
This could work for you! TRY IT!!
And if you are in Tucson, look up Jim for a lesson!
Are you getting enough sleep? Research suggests that 90% of us need more that 7+ hours of sleep!
Here are interesting facts about sleep….
- Sleepiness causes more accidents than drunk driving.
- Poor sleep can increase pain from arthritis, fibromyalgia and other conditions.
- Sleep problems emerged with the advent of the light bulb, when people no longer lived by daylight and nighttime patterns.
- Untreated sleep apnea makes a person 2 – 3 times more likely to have a heart attack.
Can’t sleep? Try…..
- Reserve your bedroom for sleep and intimacy
- Maintain a cool but not a cold temperature
- Create a quiet dark environment. Block out light.
- Turn off the TV, computer, cell phone and other distractions.
Establishing a consistent bedtime routine can also train your body to expect sleep at a certain time. Try winding down with calming activities such as reading a book, practicing gentle stretches, or listening to soothing music about 30–60 minutes before bed. Avoid caffeine or heavy meals in the late evening, as these can disrupt your natural sleep cycle.
If sleeplessness persists despite lifestyle changes, it may be time to consult a healthcare provider which you can even do online now a days thanks to the telehealth platforms offered for this. Chronic sleep issues can be symptoms of underlying medical or mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, or insomnia. Getting the right diagnosis and treatment can help you reclaim your nights—and your overall well-being.
Good night, Good golf!
Still here at Canyon Ranch, recognized as the #1 fitness facility in the US – lucky me! A lecture I attended (thanks Dr Dedhia) revealed the following causes of weight gain in the 20th Century as follows…
- Trans Fats – rise of processed foods
- Soft Drinks – sugar consumption, rise of sweet index
- Refrigerators – greater availability of food
- Cars/Computers/TV’s – sedentary lifestyle
- Electric lights – reduced sleep time
- 24/7 Expectations – “normalcy” of stress
Did you know – the average American adult will gain ~ 22 lbs from age 25 til 55? – an increase in 1 lb in weight will equal 4 lbs on the knees? – the average American now comsumes 140 lbs of sugar/yr?
Is there a solution to rising obesity? Think!!! ….balance your food intake with your activity! …or, calories IN balanced with calories OUT/BURNED.
Will head to a lecture on Sleep tomorrow – will keep you posted!
Thanks to a dear friend I am spending a week at Canyon Ranch Fitness Resort in Tucson AZ! Among the mega list of programs offered here is a golf program. I was delighted to meet John Bell the PGA Teaching Pro who runs the program….he has been an avid fan of the pink book and had 6 books sitting on his desk when I dropped in.
In a golf session John asked me to do a pitch shot….then compared it to one by Annika Sorenstam!!! A true revelation for me – and great tips!
Between hiking, swimming, and tough fitness classes, I am off to a couple of lectures – will keep you posted!
The latest LPGA Major tournament was held in London, Ontario, Canada. At the conclusion of the tournament, the major sponsor, Canadian Pacific presented a cheque to the community hospital for $1,100.045. It is reported that golfers, via tournaments, contribute more than the “big boys” (NHL, NFL, NBA) combined.
Another interesting note was that the players were also challenged. For each birdie during the 4 day tournament, CP donated $5,000…and there were 68 birdies! Nice work!
A couple of things that I’d not mentioned in yesterday’s blog…
– Weather! all volunteers had to be alert and ready to respond to weather changes… ie a storm with lightning required that the course be evacuated. Often this was the responsibility of the Transportation Committee.
– Uniforms for volunteers (over 1000!) had to be issued. Usually a t-shirt and a hat/visor…occasionally tournaments require the volunteer to pay a nominal fee for these items.
– Vendors – often a large area/tent was set up for sellers of golf paraphernalia.
Lots to learn for a volunteer – a super way to spend a few days!
Tournament location is designated at least 2 years before the event. A steering committee will start planning at that time. Approx 12 Committees will be required
1000 – 1400 volunteers will be required to look after Players, Caddies, Sponsors, VIP’s, Volunteers, Spectators, Rules Officials, and Media.
I was lucky to CoChair a Hospitality Committee for a LPGA Major with the following responsibilities…
- Hospitality Desks – airport, host hotel, and golf course
- Locker room
- Transportation – donated vans driven continually between the golf course, airport and hotel
- Billets – for those not choosing to stay at the hotel
- Day care – personnel were responsibility of the sponsor, but securing a location with specific criteria was ours
- Hairdresser – needed a hairdresser and a proper chair
Other areas requiring volunteers
- Golf course…marshalls, walking scorers, scoreboard(s), spotters, crowd control
- Food & Beverage had to cater to the players, caddies, VIP’s, volunteers, media rules officials and the media.
- Special Events organized the opening and closing ceremonies.
AND MANY OTHERS…tickets, parking lots, restrooms, bleachers, first aid, security, corporate tents,…..
IF YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOLUNTEER – GO FOR IT!
“G -day mates”……the most common greeting down here!
Yesterday was our last golf day in Adelaide – a beautiful, well laid-out city of 1.2 million. Again, fortunate to play on the Royal Adelaide Golf Course.
Golfers in Australia use the Stableford scoring system – this is a popular formula used around the world but seldom in North America. Using one’s handicap, the scoring is …3 points for a Birdie, 2 for a Par, 1 for a Bogey…ideally(!!!) if you are playing to your handicap you would score 36 points. If you cannot score any points on a hole – that is if you have hit the little ball toooooo many times, you will pick up….therefore the game can move quickly.
Off on the Great Ocean Road – an 800 km trip along the south Australian coast – playing golf a couple of times en route and ending in Melbourne – a city of 4.07 million!
“Have a good one”
Thanks for coming to this website – it is different than before and is in the midst of another change!
Since I am playing golf in South Australia…thought I’d share some thoughts…
– Common to pull carts across the tee boxes and the greens….however please don’t drop the flag on the green!
– I have found the game to be different here due to the grass. the fairways are a short, hard, compact grass (think berber carpet), and therefore you can count on lots of roll…but it is a bump and run as you approach the green – no beautiful high shots – very difficult to stop the ball on the green before it rolls to the sand at the back!
– A new scoring system is in place here – the scorecard is 3″x 12″ and after being marked is put into a computer….the little man in the computer does the rest of the work!
– Two courses I have been privileged to play = Royal Adelaide and Kooyoonga – both considered world class.
Off to pet the koalas (no, they are not bears!) and feed the kangaroos….will keep you posted!