Update on the swing progress

So the training continues and I can't believe how much a golf swing can be changed with some key mechanics adjustments.  I really hope the finished product is a success next spring.   Who knew a 30 minute lunch break could be so effective in adjusting ones golf swing and not to mention preserve one's sanity!!  The best way to break up a stressful day is with 30minutes of exercises over the lunch hour according to our health and wellness coaches at work and for me golf is providing that avenue.  With only a few trips over there in the last few months I can really see my swing taking shape. The main thing I have been working on is to get my hands to start hinging earlier and lower with respect to my waistline which starts the backswing.  I then focus on getting the right elbow in close so at the top of the swing I have good shoulder turn and good club depth.  Club depth can be judged by looking at where the butt end of the shaft is with respect to your right foot at the top of your back swing.  I have been trying to get it to the heel of my foot.  To practice this technique I have been working with the extendo-club, which is two clubs put together so you can see the shaft at the top of your backswing and make sure that it is in correct plane alignment and not to flat or shallow.  I am still struggling with getting a good full shoulder turn and this will be key to maximize power so I have to focus on that in the next few weeks so that when the hands get set at the top they are locked and loaded with maximum energy for the downswing.
For anyone having issues with their chipping this extendo club is a great idea to practice with because it forces you to keep your hands forward throughout the whole shot.  I think this is really going to help me and my wife as we focus on our chipping next spring too!!  You just take an old club and cut the end off of the shaft and stick another club into it and presto you have a great training tool with some old crappy clubs that were in your garage.

Working on the early wrist hinge

 

Extendo club help set position at the top of the backswing

I think a few more weeks and its on to the down swing to work on impact!!

Winter learning

So I finally decided to head on over to Golftec in Eden prarie to checkout what this training facility had to offer.  To my surprise I was pleasantly delighted to find out this is pretty darn cool.  I went through my first full swing video analysis and I couldn't believe my eyes.  Its hard to believe I was even able to make contact with the ball when I compare my swing to that of Tiger, Adam Scott, or Ernie Els.  Then the pro showed me some footage of typical 10 and 20 handicappers and I felt a little bit better about myself.  However, this video footage sparked something in me.  I now know that if I work hard over the winter I should be able to gain 5-10 yards with all my clubs and I should be able to improve my consistency.  So far the game plan has been to focus on drills that enhance my core movements better.  This is going to take some getting used to since my swing has basically been the same without modification for 15 years.  The good thing is the pro set I was still young and my muscle memory should be able to be reprogrammed pretty easy with some decent effort over the winter.  Below I will show you a few snapshots that I am focusing on with my swing.  1st is the take away.  I need to ensure I get my hands below the belt and initiate some wrist hinge to promote more shoulder turn and start the club head on the right path for the backswing.

Take Away positioning looking good

Next its on to the backswing from there and my focus is going to be to get rid of my little man syndrome and start focusing more on the turn.  Over the years my backswing has gotten longer and longer to try and hit it as far as the guys I play with and for the most part it has helped however it is killing my consistency and forces my tempo to be A+ for a good round to be put together.  This club to club drill they have given me to work on should really help get my shoulder turn going for more power in a much more compact swing.  On the left is my current top of the back swing and on the right is more how my shoulders should be positioned.

I am super excited this winter to continue working on this type of stuff and having the live video taping your swing gives you instant feedback of your flaws and helps you see the things you can't feel.  Here I come 2 handicap!!

what a way to finish

Haloween is here and the sun was shining all day. I got to play Minikahda this morning after the frost burned off an it was amazing. This course is quite possibly one of the best I have ever played. It was laid out in a way that just appealed to my eye and shot shape. Not to mention the greens were in great shape for this late in the year. I captured a few photos shown below such as this shot of the clubhouse, practice green, 18th fairway, and a awesome view of downtown. The 2nd photo I have is of the 7th hole which is a short little par 4. Minikahda has a few of these holes and they were awesome. You would think they are sure fire birdies but they are well protected and great green settle which require nice short game to score. If the opportunity to play here ever presents itself be sure to jump on it because you will thoroughly enjoy your afternoon at the links

long time no see

I haven't been playing much golf lately due to being an old man ie I have tendinitis in my elbow and it has really slowed me down. That being said I got out twice this weekend in October. You heard me correct oct 15 in mn and still golfing without parkas on!
My wife and I started the weekend with a beautiful drive down to lake city where we played for the first time the Jewel golf course designed by Hale Irwin. The course was in fantastic shape and the location is premo with big river bluffs all over the place. Also lots of whispy grass between holes which I also really like. My wife and I had a ton if fun as usual even though we didn't play as well as we could have. I did get a few birdie kisses though which means it couldn't have been to bad. Only negative about the course is the layout...to many times I hit 3 wood wedge on one hole and then driver 3 iron on the next. 18 is 473 yard par 4. Really? I lipped out a putt for par but I probably hit two of my best shots all year just to get greenside in 2. The clubhouse was super cool and 2 dollar pints were a plus

Walk between Hole 5 & 6

Birdie putt attempt on 14

Teeing it up on 10 (217 yard) and I hit it to 8 feet! Missed the putt though :(

Then the day of golf continued as my wife and I went to hazeltine to snoop around the new clubhouse and watch the wild game. We ran into some guys I work with and drank some wine by the fireplace. It was awesome and I have a feeling both of us will be drinking beer and lounging in this new 3 season porch a lot. Below is a shot of the big gas fireplace in the bar


Finally Sunday ended with a round at golden valley country club. All I have to say is I hate their greens. Everything else about the course is cool with me but back to front on every green and pins that are placed so a ball can't hold the green even if you lip out is not for me. Vikings won and the beer and dinner in the clubhouse was good though so all in all I would have to say it was a success


Golf tech and the doctors office are in the future! Time to get the body and swing healthy for next year.

On to the Ryder cup

Early morning golf on ESPN!  Here comes the Ryder cup where the Americans will try to defend their previous win on American soil.  It has not been a friendly road for the US when playing in Europe but for some reason this year I think will be different.  Mostly because their captain is Corey Pavin who I have the utmost respect for because I think he might be the smallest guy on tour and yet he was able to compete with the big boys for quite some time.  He kind of reminds me of me except with a heck of a lot more talent.  Here are a few photos of the area and why a golf trip to wales might be a great thing to experience some day.  Albeit if you could avoid the crappy weather.  Not much of a golfer who wants to play in the rain all the time and if I did I think Ireland would come first but still this area looks pretty damn awesome.

Scoreboard Watching:

Celtic Manor Aerial View

 Seriously....this is the hotel to a golf course nearby where the Ryder cup is being played.  It is called the Old Rectory.  How fantastic would it be to wake up in a castle every morning after a long night of whiskey drinking to grab the sticks and do it all over again!

The Old Rectory Hotel

Finally I leave you with an image that just screams old school and tradition.  When visting Wales there is plenty of history and cool stories.  Not to mention you could take a tour through my vacation home shown below (ha ha just kidding) but man wouldn't it be fun to have lived in a time where people actually stayed in buildings like this.  I totally would have had a pet dragon for my moat.

 

And remember if you are playing bad golf or losing a match it might be handy to whip one of this one-liners out there to lighten the mood.  Enjoy!

One Liners

and now for something different

So golf season is winding down here in mn and that means the hockey season is firing up! Unfortunately as a Minnesota wild hockey fan I think I am in fir a long winter. The boys are off to a very slow start and reality is that it's gonna be a long year. Lots of new guys to watch and hopefully Todd Richards gets them to skate for him but really mikko an Brent can only do so much and the depth is just lacking. In the meantime I am going to find out if my summer of p90x pays off for my hockey prowess. Season starts next week in my work old man league.

Here's a link to the old men playing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRchwWpKcxg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

I love hockey even though I was introduced to the game late in life. We have a great group of guys that play and the pickup games at the local rink near my house are awesome. God bless mn and it's love for the sport. If the real stuff goes bad I guess there is always the beauty of sitting in the club level at the X and taking a pro game either. Man I can taste the labatts already. Go Brent burns!!!



Next on the docket. Vikings scramble at the beautiful creeksbend golf course in new prague mn. Would have been a contender but we lost my good buddy dan because he got attacked by a raccoon at work fell down and torn ligaments in his wrist. I ant make that crap up. :(. Well we will have some beer and enjoy a round of golf anyways

Stack it

I just found this surfing the web and it made me laugh.  Can you believe it is back.  Stack and Tilt from the new hottest swing coach on tour.  Keep it short and simple and let it rip.

Sean Foley saving your back with Stack and Tilt

Home Sweet Home

I love home.  Everything about it makes me happy.  Did I mention that I live close to my parents (original house where I grew up) and my wife's parents house.  There is something great about always being home.  That is why I am so excited that I have a new golf home!  Hazeltine National Golf Club baby.  I have looked across the street for so many years while I worked at the Chaska Town Course at Hazeltine and wished that I could just go play there and now I can!  By the way the Chaska town course is probably one of the best golf courses in the entire world.so don't take my previous comments the wrong way.  I think Chaska is a secret little golf mecca in the state of minnesota.  They have Bluff Creek, the TPC@CTC, HNGC, Dahlgreen, the par 30,  and within stones throw are countless other golf courses.  I got to go out to HNGC today for the first time after work and just look around.  I was super stressed about a crappy day at work and there was nothing better than driving up to the course and seeing all the canadian geese flying around and the trees turning colors and the greens looking absolutely amazing!  Next June cant come soon enough.  The clubhouse is completely new and will be open in Oct. 

Wedge Range at HNGC with Number 7 in the background

Up next on the golf experience is a gem in northern minnesota called Wildflower.  This course is super cool because it is a links style course that is really low key and is maintained to absolute perfection.  I have had many good rounds up there with the buds having a few beers and enjoying a great day of golf.  This weekend will be no different.  It is Me, Dan, Chris and My wife playing an early morning time before our good friend Blakes wedding.  Rest assured if the golf is going rough the BAC will be in good shape before the wedding.

Cool photo I found on the web of Wildflower

Up next on the docket....a quick peek into my 2nd pastime.  I will give you a hint...Training camp just started!

In the beginning

When the leaves turn colors and you put on 3 shirts before you leave the house you know that you have entered the Minnesota fall golf season.  Today marks a few beginnings for me.  I walked 36 holes of golf in one day and I decided that it was time to write about the thing that I love the most (other than my beautiful wife of course!!)

Dwan Golf course known for its grueling fairways and greens and ferocious length, ha just kidding but this place is a fantastic city course that I love to play golf with my wife at.  This morning we got up at 7am and headed to for some bagels and coffee before we hit the links.  My wife snuck in some baileys for our coffee at brueggers today!  We then got to the course (3 minutes early I mind you) to find out our tee time had been given away.  Luckily the man was kind enough to let us play anyways.  We had the pleasure of playing with a man and his dad.  The dad could hardly walk yet he hit it dead straight down the middle every time and the best part was his under the breath comments to his son.  "Bring me my damn putter in case I ever get to this stupid green" -Old Dude at Dwan.  Absolutely classic!  It was a beautiful for morning for some golf except for the 2 minute downpour when the sun was peaking its head out for the first time at 930am.  You can never go wrong playing golf at a city course for 55 bucks for 2 people.

Dwan Golf Course, Bloomington MN

After completing my round of 77 at Dwan :(  not my best effort because the damn tee ball just wouldn't stay in the fairway for me we headed home for lunch.

Then came the afternoon which I had been waiting for.  I had the opportunity to play my first round of golf at the Minneapolis Golf Club!

MGC scorecard photo

I was super excited to that the chance to get out there and the course and weather didn't disappoint.  This course was in absolutely fantastic shape and a real gem of the Twin Cities.  Too bad that the inside of their clubhouse can't hold up the golf facility or it would be on the top of anyones list to join as a private club.  Beautiful building but the locker and dining areas need a little updating.  Enough about the clubhouse though because really you come to a golf course to play golf.  I hadn't been to MGC since Tom Lehman hosted his Dayton's Challenge out here many years ago and I didn't really remember what the course was all about.  Let me tell you....beautiful fairways, gorgeous mature trees and very fast greens that were pristine!  I played much better in the afternoon than in the morning and was able to get around with an 82.  Still had a few duck hooks going on but the wedge game was going well.  I hit a monster par 5 in 2 as well and lipped out my eagle putt on the back nine.  I lost my original playing companions on this hole when they had to go to his son's soccer game.  Number 10 is a beast.  230 yards and into the wind....somehow I managed to get up and down from near the bunker and made one of my nicer pars of the day.  MGC is pretty long 6800 yards from the blue/white tee layout but they really get you on a few par 3's and the par 5's are all pretty long as well.  I think it is a very fair setup for a golf course and if I ever get the chance I will be back out there again!

10th hole at MGC (230 yards)

Luckily after only two holes I caught up to a threesome of players from Edina Country Club.  They are in the same boat as me, a member at a club where they can't currently play due to renovation.  It was great.  They were very friendly people and very light hearted which is the type of people that I really enjoy golfing with.  Tension drives me nuts when I am playing golf!!  As the sun was drifting away at the end of the round I couldn't help but take a photo of some of the trees starting to change color.  Minnesota is greatest place to live for all the beautiful season and here is just a snapshot of the color starting to showup for Fall.

Now its time for a relaxing beer and a little reflecting on my wonderful day of golf!

Preview for my next blog thought:

#7 of my new golf home!