The Golfers' Home

November 2008 - Posts

• My 2008 Golf Retrospective

  I am so excited to announce our December outing for The Golfers Home Golf Outing Presented by Hooters, Monday, December 8th, a noon shotgun at The TPC at Craig Ranch.  What a way to end the year with your chance to play one of the best courses in the Metroplex.  This event will sell out quickly, so please register immediately.  We will have plenty of special prizes and a few special events that we will announce over the next week. I will miss so much … Annika – I hate that she is leaving right in the middle of the best competition possible.  With all the economic upheaval, can you imagine how cool it would have been to see Lorena, Paula and Annika going at it next year?  We might have finally seen an increase in the number of male golfers watching the LPGA. I will not miss – The Nick Faldo ego.  No matter how hard Nick tried to make it about the players, it was the Faldo mentality that was the only low part of the Ryder Cup.  I will miss so much -- Not having a Ryder Cup in 2009 – No matter how much they try, the Presidents Cup is no Ryder Cup.  The competition might actually be a higher level, but it just misses the emotional highs and lows that we get from the Ryder Cup.  And after being in Louisville for the entire week, it will be something I truly miss from the 2009 schedule. I will not miss – another season without Tiger Woods.  I know we don’t get all the Tiger we want, but some Tiger is better than no Tiger.  Every friend I have spoken to feels the same way.  Golf with out Tiger just is not as much fun.  I remember growing up and seeing Palmer play less and less; that wasn’t fun either. I will miss so much – The old Charles Barkley Golf swing.  Rumor has it that he and Hank Haney has been working together on a new reality show to fix the worst swing in the history of golf.  Hell, can you imagine life without the Charles move? I can’t. I will not miss – The Sergio misses.  I feel so bad for the guy.  I know how badly he wants it.  I know it eats at him each time it comes to that one putt or one shot and he does not pull it off.  I wish we did not have to watch it.  Hopefully 2009 will bring Sergio what he wants: a major championship. I will miss so much – Seeing Lorena Ochoa’s face as she walked off the golf course this last week at her event in Mexico.  What a dream come true for this young lady that has an entire country on her shoulders.  She and her charity event (incidentally, congrats to our own Angela Stanford for winning) are what make golf so special.  I will just have to wait until next November to see that reaction again. I will not miss – Boo Weekly on a horse.  Call me Mr. Conservative, but I just had a problem with the horse-ride.  I know it was in fun, but I think there is a time and place.  I also know I pretty much stand alone on my feeling about this. I will miss so much – The tremendous finishes we saw in 2008.  Over the next few weeks as I do my year in review articles we will go through them more specifically, but 2008 saw so many dramatic moments.  I will never forget Tiger on one-leg or Padrig winning 2 majors.  Anthony Kim beginning to reach the potential I have spoken about for three years.  The PGA Tour and the majors brought tremendous entertainment in 2008 and I can’t wait for Hawaii to start it all again. One last one – I will not miss – John Daly articles.  Can we now all let John ride off into the sunset (this is of course assuming he could actually stay on the horse long enough to ride off.)  One year without a Daly debacle, how cool would that be? See you at Craig Ranch.   Posted Nov 20 2008, 12:47 PM by Steven Gribin with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Steven Gribin, The Golfers Home Golf Outing Presented by Hooters

• 8 Ways to Become a Better Golfer

  How do I become a better golfer?  This is a question I ask myself every time I step on the course.  So here are a few suggestions that I believe can assist in getting this done. 1. Make the decision – We all talk about getting better, but honestly, most of us just don’t mean it.  We think we want too; we believe we want to, but we never start to pay the price.  So the first step in getting better is making the commitment.  Take a minute and write a contract with yourself. “I make a commitment to spend ___ hours a week working to improve my golf game.” Sign this and put it on your bathroom mirror.  One other very important aspect of this letter, you must add a second paragraph pertaining to your goal.  Do you want to make it to the tour; do you want to break 90 or 80?  Want do you want from your improvement?  Please be honest.  Take into consideration the amount of time you are willing to give to the process and how that will relate to your goal.  Example – lets say you currently have a tough time breaking 90 but your goal is to play scratch golf.  When considering this goal, take into account that to play scratch golf could take a couple of years of practicing 10 – 15 hours a week and that does not count the two or three rounds you will need to play.  If you are a mom or dad with two kids, a job and a life, ask yourself, “Am I willing to change my entire lifestyle to reach my goal?” 2. Find a teacher -  I know we all think we know everything about the swing, but we know nothing.  To get better, seek professional help.  Take the time to interview three or four candidates for the position.  Just like you would for a family doctor, this person will be in charge of your golfing time; you need someone you can learn from and who understands what you want from the game.  3. Swallow your pride – To get better at this game you must be willing to admit you know nothing.  You must be willing to put your entire being in the hands of your PGA Professional.  This is much more than just learning a swing.  You must forget your current swing, your current stance, your current grip.  Go to the beginning.  Each time your mind floats to, “Why am I doing this?” slap yourself on the face and focus on the task at hand.  In order to get better, we must first admit we are flawed. 4. Keep to yourself – This is extremely important.  Everyone wants to help.  It always happens.  You must…you must nicely ask these people, friend or foe, to “stay the hell out of your golf swing.”  Working to improve you game is a marathon, not a sprint.  A good teacher will move you – step by step – through the process of making you a better golfer.  Average Joe, standing in the next stall has no idea where you are in the process.  I know this is difficult, but for your own good, you must ask everyone not to give advice. 5. Keep the Faith – This is a long process.  At times, it will get very discouraging.  This is a “glass is half-full” situation.  Enjoy the baby steps and they will be baby steps.  There will be plenty of bad shots; there will be lots of questioning, “Why am I doing this to myself?”  The end goal is all that matters.  Stick with it; I promise it’s worth it.  Playing better golf is so much fun. I have been going through a major swing change for 6 months.  I make myself and plenty of people around me crazy.  One week it works perfectly the next I can barely break 80… but I keep reminding myself there is a light at the end of the tunnel. 6. Be courageous – There will be times you want to quit; there will be times you’ll want just to use the old swing.  Try to remain in the present.  Be strong; you can do this. 7. Play with better players – As you begin to improve, search out better players than yourself.  You will be nervous, but you will begin to understand the goal.  You’ll give yourself opportunity to see how the other half lives.  And one more point, remember they went through this too.  It makes it easier on you. 8. Most importantly, love the game.  Golf is life.  As you get better in golf… as you begin to understand the steps you have to take to improve, magically these steps will begin to become a part of your entire life.  Because getting better is contagious.  It will consume you… it will make you enjoy life more. Hope you have a great weekend... Posted Nov 13 2008, 12:30 PM by Steven Gribin with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Steven Gribin

• Golf Pet Peeves

  Hope this newsletter finds you well.  Before I get into this week’s article, I want to take a minute and send my prayers to Cindy Payne.  Cindy has worked for me 2 years.  She has done an unbelievable job on our website and on this newsletter.  She is an amazing woman that might be the best worker I have ever met.  After months of difficult times, earlier this week, Cindy’s dad passed away.  I hope you can all take a moment and say a little prayer for Cindy and her Dad.  She deserves it. I have decided it’s time to open our annual discussion about Pet Peeves.  While thinking about this article, I’ve decided to go public with my biggest problem, face the truth, and do something about it.  More about this in a moment. I define a Pet Peeve as anything on a golf course that feels like fingers on a chalk board.  They get under your skin; they can get in the way of having your great time on the course.  So here are my top Pet Peeves, let me know yours.  This will be the major topic of our show on Sunday morning so please give a listen.  And email me your pet peeves. 5 – The rule about Divots - I hate this rule.  “Rub of the green,” what a stupid idea.  You hit a ball down the middle (something I don’t do often), and your ball lands in a divot from another golfer.  If I were made USGA Rules Chairman, this is the one rule I would change immediately. I know God works in mysterious ways, but even He says we should not have to play out of a divot. 4 – People that do not pick up the tee area – How difficult is it to pick up after yourselves.  We pay big money to play golf in the metroplex and I should not have to be the “Clean Police” for every Tee Box.  Before I get too crazy about this, I do throw some of the blame on any golf course that doesn’t make the small expenditure for those little cone waste baskets for their tee areas.  But still, come on guys, hit a ball, bend over and pick up the tee.  I have to tell you how crazy it makes me.  One day I’m playing at my home course.  We are behind a foursome where one player left his tee on every single hole.  Now I know who it was because the tees had his business logo.  With each hole I got more upset.  Beginning on the third hole I starting collecting the tees.  At our course, the 18th tee box is right next to the 16th fairway.  So walking down 16, I run over to the 18th tee box and dropped all the tees in the middle of the box.  He was not happy with me.  Probably a very bad idea on my part, but I just believe we have a responsibility to leave a course better than we found it. 3 – Cigar smokers – Because of my job, I play plenty of golf with people I don’t know.  It’s usually very fun, unless I am put in a cart with a cigar smoker.  What is it about these guys that they assume everyone wants their smoke.  After a round with Mr. Cigar Guy, I reek for about a week.  Smoke out of the cart and please, stop dropping your ashes on the greens.  2 – Slow play – I admit it.  I probably get to play more golf than most of you.  I know it’s unfair but someone has to do it.  Being on the course so often usually leaves me less time in the office so I tend to play fast.  My Wednesday group can walk 18 holes in 3 ½ hours very easily.  Golf should never take more than 4 hours.  A tour player once told me the biggest problem with the average golfer is they do all their thinking over the ball.  Just a suggestion, but as you are driving or preferably walking to your next shot, begin to see the shot.  The worst place to be slow is over the ball.  The more you see and decide prior to your shot the better you will be.  1 – For anyone that has been around me on the golf course, they know how I feel about Sunflower Seeds, especially on the greens.  I am a pretty passive person, but anyone that leaves sunflower seeds on the greens should have their mouths wired shut.  Better yet, these guys should have to vacuum every golf course green in America.  Let’s see, I really look forward to “picking up someone’s spit” on a course.  I often wonder what these guys’ living rooms look like.  Can you tell these guys make me the most crazy? That’s my list, what is yours?  But I am not done.  See I know I break many people’s number one pet peeve on the golf course.  So I am going public with this.  I plan to enter into counseling and rehab immediately and from this moment forward I promise every player that I will break my worst habit.  Phone on the course.  From the first tee to the 18th green, can I do this? “Yes I can!”  From the mountain tops of Dallas National to the valleys of Stonebrair, can I do this? “Yes I Can!”  I will take to the cart paths and the rough; I will leave my phone in my bag, “Yes I Can!”  From this moment forward, change is coming to those that play golf with me, Yes I Can!” But you have to let me text… Posted Nov 06 2008, 01:27 PM by Steven Gribin with 3 comment(s) Filed under: Steven Gribin, Pet Peeves