Golf Tip: Respect your Caddie

If you watched the recent Masters Tournament, or any professional golf for that matter, there’s one thing you should realize:  Behind the success of every golfer lies an exceptional caddie. 

Yes, a golfer’s relationship with his caddie can make or break his chances of winning.  But looking for the perfect caddie is only half of the equation.  The other half is how you build the relationship with them. Here are a few tips and etiquette rules in engaging with your caddie, whether you’re in it for the long haul, or would just love to have a great game on your golfvacation:

You’re not his master

Your relationship with your caddie goes beyond the whole “master-servant” deal.  But while part of a caddie’s job description is carrying the golf bag and cleaning the clubs upon request, it does not entitle the golfer to treat the caddie like his or her personal bellhop or assistant.  Remember that your caddie is working WITH you - not for you.      

Respect begets respect, and giving your caddie the same amount of respect you’d expect from anyone can go a long way.  But with that sad;

Don’t get too chummy with your caddie either

It’s for the benefit of your game and anyone else’s who’s within earshot.  Keep it to golf talk with how you can improve your swing or your game in general, don’t over-engage with your caddie.  The last thing he’d want to hear from you is your problems at work or what's happening at home. 

Tip generously

Remember that your caddie will do anything to make sure that you play the best possible game, from keeping you out of trouble to giving you a tip or two about your swing.  Carrying that bag, too can be difficult, especially if you’re walking on uneven terrain.  A generous tip should be in order. The rule of thumb in giving tips is 50% for a good job done, or 100% on top of the regular fee for an exceptional one. 

Don’t forget to say thank you

It only takes a simple gesture of appreciation to let your caddie know how much he has helped you improve your game big time. Caddies have been pivotal to the success of many golfers.  Just ask Jordan Spieth, who won the recently concluded Masters.  His relationship with his caddie, Michael Greller, has been crucial to his win in the Masters. 

It all comes down to respect.  If you treat your caddie with respect and gratitude for helping you in your game, you get something back, tenfold.  It’s not just the rule of the game.  It’s the rule of karma. 

Don't forget these small things on your next golf trip!  

Golf Trip Tip: Keep a Score Journal

“On my next golf trip, I'll play better”... That's easier said than done.

Crossing from novice to expert level is not as simple as most would hope. Moving from A to B in golf (or any sport for that matter) proficiently is a slow process involving an effort that is “multifaceted”. The best way to track your progress over time is to keep a score journal, which here are some tips to remember when doing so:

My total score was...

Sure it's nice to see your overall score improve but there's more to it than that. The systematic score tallies only tell two things: how much improvement you've made and how much effort you need to exert to achieve your annual goal. The most important thing to remember is the more numbers you include in the score journal, the more you can understand what pieces of your game need improvement. 

Count fairways, greens and putts

In case you still can't wrap your head around the score tally journal stuff, you can segment your scoring into some basic skill-areas. This method involves identifying three aspects of your technical game handicap. You can count how many times you've managed a quality trajectory in hitting your ball around the fairways. You can also track how many times you've landed on the “putting greens” while avoiding the hazards. Lastly, count how many putt attempts it takes before getting successfully completely each hole.

Let technology help you

In case you're still having a difficulty in simplifying your score journal, let those nice little handheld devices do the math. After all, crunching all those numbers on your own takes away from what you're really there to do... play some golf! Depending on what device you use, there are some handy applications that can do all the math-y stuff for you. It'll also allow you to enjoy the impressive landscape of the golf vacation destination more leisurely!

Eventually you'll see the numbers don't lie. In the competitive (and occasionally frustrating) sport of golf, numbers will tell you your areas of strengths and weaknesses. Be patient with numbers on the next golf trip, and learn how to use them in your favor.

The Importance of Hand-Eye Coordination in Golf

Golf vacations are not only avenues for one to have a good time. Serious players also dedicate this alone time for honing his or her skill in playing the sport. One must be able to perfectly synchronize vision and body movement to achieve higher proficiency in playing golf. Almost every sport known to man employs a great deal of hand-eye coordination. Specifically, golf requires a highly complex scope of visual and motor skills to be in harmony.

To improve overall visual acumen in playing golf, one must take note of these three basic elements:

1. Focal flexibility allows players to be able to determine various targets by easily shifting from varying distances. Whether the target is near or far, a player can concentrate on the probable destination of the ball being struck. Understanding the difference of how to strike a ball according to the distance from where you stand and where the hole is can take lots of experience to perfect. 

2. Contrast sensitivity is the ability to differentiate the smallest of details like the varying shades or hues of color that are being presented to you. Sensitive tincture vision allows players to easily gauge the irregularities of the terrain regardless of the various golf vacation he or she is playing at. Players with high level of contrast sensitivity can ascertain useful geographical features of the golf course location such as sand craters and slopes, or even if the grass appears to be thicker in one area versus another part of the course. 

3. Peripheral vision is a very important element in playing golf because it allows players to have a wider area of visibility. After all, golf courses are vast. It is relatively difficult for golf players to have a narrow peripheral vision because the sequence of the flags do not necessarily follow a linear path. A broader horizontal area of visibility makes it easier for golf players to evaluate their location and the ball's destination.

When it comes to moving the ball at a short distance, a player must have good kinetic precision. It is relatively difficult for most people to apply minimal amounts of force to move objects. Golf players encounter the same level of difficulty one would experience when striking a billiard cue ball against a ciphered ball sitting at the hair's breadth edge of the pocket hole.

But despite its relative level of difficulty, playing golf has appealed to a lot of people with a considerable degree of competitive spirit. Golfvacations can be a creative outdoor pastime that enhances hand-eye coordination for efficient movement, which is not only important in such chosen sport but also in all other aspects of life requiring mobility.

Golf Trip Forecast: Expectations During the Winter

Golf in the winter is a whole new ball game than any other time of the year. Here's what makes winter golf the kryptonite of every golfer:

Where did my ball go?!

This question is just as frustrating as whatever conceivable reason for deciding to play the game in this time of the year. If you hit the ball in the midst of the fine snowfall, you'd be surprised to know that it may probably be the first and last swing you'll make within the entire flaky day. Finding that precious round object is something close to impossible.

Hit the ball... But which one?

Some weather conditions in winter are so bad it is simply not advisable to be staying outside, let alone play golf. Though it can be an acme of clumsiness not to find the ball you yourself have laid on the tee, it is easy to miss that annoying projectile at first casual swing. Furthermore, its flight trajectory can be greatly impaired. Even if the wind velocity is not that substantial, winter breeze is chock full of “almost solid” spray. In case your ball's trajectory don't make sense, your decision to play can definitely relate.

At least you get a “cooler” outfit

Is there anything good about playing golf in winter? Fortunately, there is one redeeming quality on top of the heap-load of challenges this hostile season has to offer. Playing in winter makes you wear a very “cool” attire (pun intended). On top of the awesome ski jacket, your footwear has spikes... which can serve for more than one purpose! On such expected weather, this wicked footwear helps you with the crucial task of “walking”.

Nineteenth hole: the best - and only - place to be

Winter golf games are what separates boys from men, and men from....... supermen? In any case, it's definitely the worst season to play a normal game. Which is why the best place to be around the ski vacation destination is none other than the nineteenth hole (pub or restaurant) lounge guzzling a full glass of beer next to a nearby fireplace. Cheers to the normal people!

It is also fitting to remember that golf courses might be practically deserted during winter. At list scheduling this serene golf trip doesn't run the risk of hecklers.

Organize Your Golf Bag Now To Focus Playing Later

"Having your golf bag organized will help you greatly as you improve your skills. Knowing where each club is within the bag, you will not lose focus on the shot you have planned, while you search for the proper club."

--John Hughes, PGA.com

There is no written rule on how to correctly arrange your clubs in your bag during a golf trip. But having them organized in a way that makes sense to you, can do a lot to help a golfer. Perhaps it's the first step to improving your game. What you bring and how they are brought is also a matter of pride and can increase self-confidence.

So, here's a guide you on how to organize your golf bag and hit the course like a pro:

Check the sections

A golf bag consists of different sections and compartments. Knowing how to utilize each of these sections and what club to put in each will make it easier to focus on the actual golf play.

Know the two kinds of golf bags

2 basic types: (1) the one you carry while walking and (2) the one kept on the golf cart when riding. A cart bag has a front section, where the hand-carry is, and a back. Despite the difference, the set-up of your clubs remains the same.

Follow the club arrangement

To correctly place your clubs inside your bag, follow these steps:

1. In the front compartment, all wood, putter and hybrid clubs (if you have each of them) should be placed here.
2. In the second row, all your long and mid range irons. This would typically include 3 to 7-irons. You can also put the 3-iron on the compartment nearest to your body while the rest remains in order.
3. The 8 and 9 irons, the pitching wedge, as well as the sand wedge should be placed on the final compartment (or the compartment near to your body). Noticeably, the longer clubs located toward the back, and the shorter ones toward the front compartment.

Towel placement

A towel may be your most important accessory to have when playing. The proper way to place your towel is to have it clipped at the front of your golf bag so it hangs down while on the move. This way, it's accessible when you clean your golf balls and clubs. Most golf towels have come with hole lined with metal for easy clipping.

Tees and Golf ball placement

Tees and golf balls are highly important and frequently used items on your game. Use the front side pockets to keep them. If you have other side pockets you may also put your spare balls and gloves, ball markers, divot repair tools, and other less frequently used items.

Above all, stay organized. Every time you pull out a club, you should also know where to place it when it's done being used. Make this a habit because later on, you won't have to think about where to place tool, instead, you can focus enjoying the game during your golf trip.

Why Women Should Go on Golf Trips

It’s sad, but certainly not surprising, that only a handful of women go on golf trips.  In a 2012 Forbes.com article, author Leslie Andrews explains that intimidation and fear of embarrassment are among the top reasons why you rarely see women on the greens.  Many women feel that in order to be part of what has always been considered an exclusively “gentleman’s club”, one has to be highly skilled at the game.

But PGA professional Suzy Whales argues that “No one picks up a golf club for the first time and is a good golfer.  As a matter of fact, there are more 'not so good golfers' than there are 'good golfers' ".

It wasn't until 2014 for St. Andrew's R&A Golf Club, and 2012 for Augusta National, that they started extending memberships to the sport’s most overlooked demographic. It could be just the start of a large number of women to tee it up with their peers, friends and family for plenty of good reasons:

Their career depends on it.  Well, not literally.  But it can help them propel themselves up the corporate ladder.  

Why?  Because golf is the “language of business”.  It has been used by countless executives and entrepreneurs to make transactions and close deals.  Golf has given them a chance to rub elbows with other corporate bigwigs and build relationships with existing clients and prospects.  By allowing yourself to miss out on these opportunities, you have done yourself great disservice.  

So don’t let apprehension paralyze you.  Get in the game and learn more about the sport.  You’ll be surprised with how much fun you can have when you start playing golf.

Socializing.  Again, it all boils down to networks.  Through golf, you are giving yourself another opportunity to expand your social and networking circles by meeting co-members (if you are a member of a golf course) or other golfers through a friendly round of golf or competition.

Plenty of sunshine and fresh air.  You get to breathe fresh air, bask in the sun, and marvel at nature in all its splendor. This can be beneficial to your health and well-being.

Travel opportunities.  With over 30,000 golf courses and possibly thousands of golf vacation destinations all over the world, each surrounded by an awe-inspiring backdrop of rolling hills or pristine beaches, golf is certainly a great way to combine sports and travel.

It’s a great way to lose weight.  Provided that you don’t mind walking under the heat of the sun, you’ll probably burn an average of 1500 calories per 18 holes of golf. 

Of course, it may help that you learn the fundamentals of the sport before you pick up the club and start swinging.  A certified golf instructor can teach you the basics of game and help you develop winning If you’re planning on your first golf trip with the rest of your family, or your friends, do make sure that golf lessons are part of your itinerary.