Golfgal in Texas: 10 rules to Follow While Learning from 'Golf For Dummies'

Waiting...waiting for a warmer day to get started on my first series of lessons. My new clubs are crying out like a new baby for its' mama.  It is torture for the new mama....as you mama's know.  McCord, the writer of Golf For Dummies now to be referred to as the Wise Guy...says, "Stay Calm.  Anxious people don't make good pupils."  So I guess I have to stop stressing and take a deep breath.

OK....inhale....exhale....inhale....exhale. 

Rule #1:  Find a good teacher and stick with that person.  If you have been following my blog, you know that my husband purchased lessons for me for Christmas.  I spoke with my instructor and I think we have a good rapport.  So I think I have this one covered.

Rule #2:  Follow a timetable. Discipline yourself to work on what you've been told.    Hopefully the weather will cooperate and my lessons will flow well.  As for the discipline....well...I try to follow direction.

Rule #3:  CONCENTRATE....(I think I took my Selenium today)

Rule #4:  Learn from your mistakes.  You'll make them, so you may as well make them work for you.     Yah, yah..The old saying....try.. try.. again.

Rule #5:   RELAX.  Take your time, and you'll learn and play better.   I have seen lots of others rush their golf games as quickly and I have always wondered if the 'enjoyment factor' was compromised.  I know that we have to be careful about lallygagging on the greens, but I also believe that golf is played better when in a relaxed state of mind. 

Rule #6:  Practice the shots you find most difficult.   Yes, we are only as strong as our weakest iron, so I believe in this whole heartily.  Pump those irons!!!

Rule #7:  Have goals.  Remember, golf is a target game.   I have no preconceived ideas at this point.  I just want to finish a respectable 18 holes.

Rule #8:  Stay Positive.  Golf is hard enough.  A bad attitude only hurts you (and everyone else within ear shot).

Rule #9:  Stop practicing when you get tired.  That's how sloppy habits grow.  I followed this rule in my teens when performing gymnastics and it is so true.  It also can lead to serious injury.  There is always tomorrow.  Go have a Merlot and forget about it.

Rule #10:  Evaluate yourself after each lesson:  Are you making progress?   I plan to keep a note pad with me to jot down some ideas or thoughts after my lessons.  Even though in the past there have been occasions when I do not go back to read my notes, the act of writing notes helps me to retain better.  I learned that years ago.  A simple rule of learning that using more than two senses increases retention dramatically: seeing, hearing, and writing it down.  That is the ticket.      FORE!!!!!

TOP GOLF USA: Coming to Allen, Texas in Spring 2011

Last year before moving from Maryland to Texas, my husband and his friend Ken drove over 100 miles to a boutique driving range in Alexandria, Virginia called Top Golf USA.  They had a fabulous time.  Just after moving to McKinney, Texas in the past couple months, I have learned that Top Golf USA has four locations in the US.  My husband and I are excited the Dallas area houses not one but two of those courses. The fourth will be open in the Spring of 2011 in Allen, Texas.  Just 10 minutes away.  Shazam!!!  You can have a great meal in a private three wall room open to a very large driving range.  It is a first class operation.  I'll let ya know when we have a date to try it out.  How fun.  Check out the link in the left column of this blog to find http://www.topgolfusa.com/ which boasts 96 hitting bays, 5,000 square feet of private event space, roof top terrace,  and a full service bar and restaurant.   The golfballs have a microchip that keeps score of the shot.  Not for the faint of heart. 

BUY THE SHOES...Adidas; The Most Popular Sports Shoes and My Personal Choice

I bought the ADIDAS golf shoes at Golfsmith’s.  

Adidas: The Most Popular Sport Shoes according to many sports enthusiasts…. and My Personal Choice.  AdidasGolf is a German sports apparel manufacturer and part of the parent company of the Adidas Group which consists of Reebok, Taylormade-Adidas, Ashworth and Rockport.  Adidas is the leading sportswear manufacturer in Europe and second in the world, only after its rival American company Nike.

When visiting the local Golfsmith store in Frisco, Texas, I tried on golf shoes from Footjoy to Nike to finally Adidas.  There were quite a few very snazzy digs to select from on the shelf.  I asked Gordan Bass, the pro, “What is the best ladies golf shoe you have on ‘close out’ that has great arch support?”    He smiled, held up a nice looking pair of white Adidas Womens Driver Isabelle 3.0 golf shoes.  It was love at first site.  So, I put them on….we are now embarking on a new long term relationship   Just when I thought it could not be any better, the sale price was under $50…yippee.

I needed a golf shoe with good support for high arches, narrow heel, wide foot area, with a flexible toe, not stiff, all leather, and lots of grip.  This shoe had it all.  I never tried on a shoe that had the tongue sewn into only one side so it does not slip during use.  What a great idea.  I have a very high Navicular bone and have trouble finding a shoe to accommodate it.  Adidas Driver Isabelle 3.0 fit just right.

And YES, I ALSO BOUGHT THE PREVIOUSLY OWNED SET OF ZEVO GOLF CLUBS!!!!  I took the driver and the 9 iron into the pro pit to try them out: it went very well.  On a whim, I also took a Taylormade Driver to find out for myself what all the hype was about and for comparison purposes.   For the record….there is just no comparison…I’m just sayin.  Taylormade is smoothe.  Definitely one for the dream list when MegaMillions pays off J.  Until then its Zevo for me.  Kidding aside.  The Zevo set looks brand new.  No scuffs, purchase included the golf bag, balls, and headcovers.  I love the putter.  I am very happy with my purchase.  So.....I am ready for some real action.  Tee time is no longer about Earl Grey and strawberry scones.  FORE!!!!!

Shopping for Golf shoes can be an adventure!

OMG…Have you ever shopped for golf shoes?  Online?  Well trust me…when you do…you are in for an adventure.  Make sure you have an hour or so for appropriate browse time.  There are hundreds of online sites out there each having special online deals/deals/deals.  I had no idea there are so many brands of ladies golf shoes to shop.  OK, Where to start:  A couple of golf blogs with website suggestions, women’s online sports apparel vendors like www.GolfGalaxy.com  and I was well on my way to golf shoe cyberspace.  Two hours later I emerged with a list.  I will post a list of my fav websites at the end of this post.  My fav’s so far are Nike,  Footjoy, Calloway, and Adidas.  Though it is very tempting to purchase online with these very great deals….I hesitate…take a deep breath and put away the credit card.   AAArggg, that was harder than I thought.  I decided that I need to visit a couple local stores to try on a few pair to see which shoes give me the best fit. Yes, that is the practical thing to do.   I will be playing golf in the summer in Texas so I need a shoe that breathes and as well as gives me a good support for high arches.  I prefer a shoe that is not real stiff, gives me flexibility and has more width.  Hummmmm, what to do.  I remember seeing a Golfsmith store in Frisco, Texas beside the mall.  I called the pro, Gordon Bass, great guy.  We had a delightful chat about sporting equipment.  Find a store near you on http://www.golfsmith.com/ (click on the word zip code and it will bring up a map, click on your state to find your store location directory).   I called the husband at work to see if he wanted to eat out tonight J and visit the local Golfsmith store.  While I try on shoes and chat with the pro, he can check out some drivers in the pro pit.  He said “ok let’s go”.  Sounds like a plan.  I love it when a good plan comes to together, don’t you.

So what kind of ladies golf shoes will it be…Nike Womens Air Summer Lite, Footjoy Greenjoys,   or the Footjoy Women’s LoPro or Adidas Isabella.   

Stay tuned for the results.

Check out these sites:   http://www.tgw.com/   http://www.golfdiscounts.com/   www.GolfGalaxy.com   http://www.ladiesfootjoygolfshoes.smarter.com/   http://www.torockbottomgolf.com/     

SNOW IN MCKINNEY, TEXAS:

Oh, did I mention that I have not been able to get out to the golf course since we have 5 inches of snow on the ground!!!!!  So much for the fine winter days in January in McKinney, Texas.  As soon as it clears up, I will be scheduling my first lesson.  In the meantime, finding equipment and furthering my reading in Golf for Dummies is on the agenda. FORE!!!

January 2, 2011 First Day ever on a GolfCourse

Somewhere in the USA there is snow on the ground, ice on the barren winter trees and/or blustery winds that can make your facial appendages turn as bright red as the nose on Rudolph. However, here in Mckinney, Texas the sky is blue.  The sun is very bright.  The wind is very gentle.  It is 45 degrees and a beautiful winter day. 

According to my husband....TODAY is the perfect day to begin. 

Today is the day I will attempt to play my first nine holes of golf.  I hesistantly agree and off we go to our local golfcourse for my first lesson in driving a golf cart and tee box etiquette.  Since I have no clubs of my own just yet, we borrow a woman's set from the pro.  We begin by putting a few balls on the practice green to get loosened up.   I find myself adapting a lighter touch to my putting swings...it is a challenge to lighten my touch. 

We're off to the tee box.   It was my turn to tee off.  As an avid reader of "Golf for Dummies", I knew I had to relax, sit deep, keep my stance, stay on the balls of my feet, keep my eye on the ball and most importantly....breathe...at the same time.   Geesh, I think I'm already exhausted.  I took a new "pink" Christmas ball from my pocket and the borrowed driver and approached the tee box for the first time.  OK, My first drive.....WOW....it actually went straight.  Very straight...about one foot from the ground straight...a line drive of about 100 yards.  I guess my softball years had surfaced.  What to do.  hmmmmm.   Well I thought, "let's see what happens when I use this nine iron".  I never used a nine iron before.  Little did I know...it was nothing like a driver.   Whoooosh.  Nothing.   I completely missed the ball.  Ok, focus, hit the blade of grass to practice (like my husband kindly instructed on the tee box).  Breathe...swing...ping...WOW another straight shot in the middle of the fairway.  It didn't get more than two inches off the ground again, but it did go a fair distance.  And so I was now officially playing my first hole of golf. 

My goal today was to keep the balls on the fairway and not loose any of the three new pink Christmas balls I had in my pocket.  For some reason, my husband thought this was a very humorous goal.  We proceeded to complete three holes and I still had all three balls and kept within the rough of the fairway.  I was amazed and so was my husband.  Shocked was likely more like it, but he was a complete gentleman and told me I was doing great. 

Hole six was a par five that had a small pond to clear from the tee box.  Oh no.  Knowing my goal to keep all my new pink balls, my husband kindly presented one of his older balls to contribute to the drink on my first tee off over the pond.  What a wise man.  Swing...Slice...Plunk...in the drink.   He smiled, I smiled.  Determined...I teed up a pink ball, set my stance, swung a practice shot, focused on keeping my stance and approached my target with the passion of a new rookie.  Swing...PING....WOW...that ball rose, cleared the pond, went straight up the fairway past the 150 yard market and rolled another 20 yards.  My best shot of the day :).
As my husband stood with his mouth agape.....that said it all.  I was now on the path of no return.   

We finished nine holes.  I did actually loose a ball somewhere; not sure where.  I only had two left in my pocket.  Overall, I was shocked at how well I actually played my first game.  I learned much today about my swing.  I learned that I was breaking my stance and standing up in the middle of my swing causing the ball to fly less than one foot from the ground because I was hitting it too tall.  Once I corrected this, I was able to get lift.  Thanks to this informative tidbit from my husband, I was able to make that drive of 170 yards over the pond.   It was a lovely first day.  I am now hooked.  

I guess it is time to investigate a purchase of some clubs of my own and perhaps a my first new pair of ladies shoes.  What color will they be?   Hmmmmm.

Happy New Year 2011!!!! FORE.......

My New Year resolution is to seek to become one of those obsessed individuals who make first tracks on a dew covered green while watching the sunrise over the most beautiful green that can be found.

MISSION:  it is a moral imparative this year to learn how to swing and chase little white balls for a full 18 holes on as many Texas golf courses that can be found in the 2011.

Stay posted as this new golfgal rookie reads "Golf for Dummies" and learns how to par.  My husband surprised me this week with golf lessons for Christmas.....and so the fun and adventure begins.