January 16th, 2010 by Barb Hanson
In Minnesota we are forced to take a four to five month hiatus from the game of golf, so when nice weather returns, we are wild to get back out on the golf course. I find that the first round of the year is different from many others. It’s exciting; it’s free-flowing; it feels comfortable; it’s just fun. Why? Because I approach it with NO EXPECTATIONS! I’m just happy to be swinging the club again, to be taking a nice, long walk, to be outside in warmer weather, and to be with my golfing friends. In my mind, what happens with my game is secondary.
Expectations can really mess you up. They crop up after playing a round with few mistakes (“I’m going to golf this well every time!”), after breaking through a score barrier, i.e. breaking 100 (“I’ll never shoot another score of 100+!”), after taking a lesson (“I’ve got it figured out now!”), after reading a great tip (“Now I know how to get out of a bunker!”), or after a good practice session (“I’ll never shank another shot!”).
That’s just not how golf works. We need to have goals, and we need to take lessons, read tips, and practice in order to reach those goals. But the ascension to those goals is not a steady upward path. There are peaks and valleys. What’s important is what you do/how you react to those times when you slip backwards.
Dr. Bob Rotella in his book, Golf Is Not a Game of Perfect, says that “expectations are great i you confine them to long-range considerations. It’s fine, for example, to expect that if you work at your game intelligently for an extended period of time, you will improve. But expectations can hurt you if they are narrowly focused on the results of a particular stroke, hole or round…. You have to put expectations out of your mind by the time you get to the first tee.”
Posted in The Mental Game | Add a Comment »
January 10th, 2010 by Barb Hanson
A heavily-wooded golf course provides lots of opportunities for lost balls. There are generally no colored stakes along a tree line; in other words, the woods are not considered to be a hazard or out-of-bounds. So how should one proceed upon hitting a ball into the woods?
The first thing to do is to hit a provisional ball. It doesn’t take much time to do so and it could save you a bunch of time later. (Rule 27-2) Although you don’t have to, you may go look for your ball, searching for a maximum of five minutes. If you find it, you must play it as it lies or declare it unplayable and take a one-stroke penalty. If you don’t find it, you take a one-stroke penalty and continue play with your provisional ball (Rule 27-2b).
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January 3rd, 2010 by Barb Hanson
Club selection should be done efficiently and decisively. It’s important for overall pace of play as well as for your mindset when you take the shot.
What should you consider as you select your club? Here are a few questions to ask yourself:
- How far am I from the center of the green?
- Where is the hole located on the green - front, middle or back/
- Is this an uphill shot where I should take more club or a downhill shot where I should take less club?
- Should I take more club to carry a hazard?
- Is the wind a factor - either for or against me?
Once you’ve got the club in your hand, there should be no more thoughts about which club you’re holding. Your mind should go to the target and stay there. Let your body make a confident swing
Posted in Pace of Play, The Mental Game | Add a Comment »
November 13th, 2009 by Barb Hanson
Barb Hanson
“I didn’t know what I was doing, so I was uncomfortable.” This is a direct quote from a businesswoman I met recently. She has succintly stated the reason many women don’t play golf, much less play golf for business.
My daughter just told me about her friend who was hired by a major company looking to 1) hire more saleswomen, and 2) do more business outside of the office, specifically on the golf course. Sounds like a fun job!! The flaw in the plan lies in an assumption that these salespeople (men or women) are going to be successful in generating or retaining business without some specialized training.
That specialized training is golf education. Not necessarily swing training, although that’s an important part of playing the game. A broader training is required in order to feel “comfortable” and “at ease” in the golf environment. A golfer should have a basic grasp of the etiquette, rules and vocabulary of the game as well as a “business game plan” in order to bring a deal to fruition.
I offer a “Golf for Business” course to individuals and companies who are interested in giving their sales staff this competitive advantage.
Golf Education: Knowledge = Confidence
Posted in Business Golf | 1 Comment | Add a Comment »
November 10th, 2009 by Barb Hanson
Women In the Golf Industry (WIGI) is an unique organization of women whose careers are within the golf industry. This group seeks to support and encourage women within an industry that is heavily male-dominated.
The goals of WIGI are:
- To provide networking within the golf industry.
- To encourage a woman’s voice in the golf industry.
- To make members aware of new opportunities in golf.
- To give support to other women in golf.
- To create workshops, seminars, and meetings, as deemed sensible, that will assist women in their professional lives.
- To enjoy the game.
If you are working within the golf industry, you’re not alone. Please join us! The annual dues are only $50. The benefits are many, one of which is free admission to the PGA Expo in Orlando, FL.
Go to www.wigi.info for more information and an online application.
Posted in Business Golf, Women's Golf Topics | Add a Comment »
November 3rd, 2009 by Barb Hanson
I’ve been rereading “Golf is Not a Game of Perfect” by Dr. Bob Rotella - a must-read for every golfer. He says so many interesting things, but his analysis of slow play jumped out at me:
“Slow play may be caused by three types of golfers. People who aren’t ready to play when it’s their turn because they’re too busy chatting, or watching their friends hit, are slow. Indecisive players, second-guessing their club selection, are slow. Players who give themselves swing lessons as they address the ball are slow.”
Be sure you’re not one of these players. In my opinion, there is nothing more important in the game of golf than keeping a good pace of play.
Posted in Etiquette, Learning to Play | Add a Comment »
October 23rd, 2009 by Barb Hanson
Look ahead, not behind. This phrase applies to more than one area of golf.
First of all it’s very important in maintaining a good pace of play. The location of the group behind you is not important. The location of the group ahead of you is. You should be within a shot or two of the group ahead or YOU are playing too slowly.
Secondly, you can’t do anything about the shot you just made. The only shot that’s important is the shot you are about to make. Put the best possible swing on each shot and after that, what happens happens. Move on and look ahead. As a friend of mine told me, “Pick up your bag and walk to your ball.” That’s all you can do.
Posted in Course Management | Add a Comment »
September 29th, 2009 by Barb Hanson
You MUST post your score if you’ve completed 7 out of 9 holes or 14 out of 18 holes. How? You add your handicap strokes to the pars of the holes you did not complete to get your score. For example, let’s say you completed 15 holes before it began to rain and your handicap is 18 (one stroke per hole). You add one stroke to the pars of 16, 17, and 18 and then add those scores to what you got on the first 15 holes.
If you play in a tournament of any kind, your score should be posted with a “T” or “tournament” indication. These scores are given a little extra weight in figuring your handicap.
You can even post your score in a fourball event where the best score of two players is taken on each hole and you may not have to finish out a hole or two. You simply put down the score you most likely would have had if you had completed the hole.
It’s important to post every score you shoot. That’s how you get an honest, accurate handicap.
Posted in Improving Play | Add a Comment »
September 20th, 2009 by Barb Hanson
Barb Hanson
I happen to be traveling right now, and I’m stopping at golf courses along the way just to take a look at their facilities, scorecards and pro shops. My intent is to get a feel for their women-friendliness. Granted, this is a very cursory judgment, but there are a few clues:
- Am I greeted by the staff as a golfer?
- Are there at least two sets of tees sloped and rated for women?
- Are the holes handicapped for women?
- Are there similar locker room facilities for both genders?
- Is the Pro Shop equipped with merchandise for both genders?
I visited a club today that was very imporessive in all of these categories. I was so anxious to play! Better yet, it was a walking course. Unfortunately, my trip was not designed as a golf trip, but I’d love to return and play some of the courses I’ve visited.
Posted in Women's Golf Topics | Add a Comment »
September 20th, 2009 by Barb Hanson
Two of my friends had similar experiences with moving their ball accidentally. Being honest competitors and wanting to do the right thing, they accepted penalty strokes graciously. But should they have done so?
In the first case, Ann was getting ready to address her ball when her putter nicked the ball causing it to jiggle. She told her fellow competitors about it and added a penalty stroke to her score. However, when I questioned her about it, she said the ball didn’t actually move from its position; it simply wiggled and returned to its original spot.
The second scenario occurred in the fairway when Nancy unintentionally moved her ball about three feet with her club. She, too, added a penalty stroke to her score.
What’s wrong with these two pictures?
They both pertain to Rule 18 which says: “When a ball is in play, if equipment of the player … causes the ball to move, the player incurs a penalty of one stroke. If the ball is moved, it must be replaced…”
In Scenario #1, the Decisions Book answers this very clearly in Decision 18/2:
“Q: In addressing the ball, a player accidentally causes the ball to oscillate, but it returns to its original position. Has the ball moved?
“A: No.”
So Ann did nothing wrong and she should not have taken a penalty stroke.
In Scenario #2, clearly Nancy moved her ball with her equipment, so her penalty was deserved. However, she should have replaced the ball before continuing play.
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