Getting the body ready for the golf season

With warmer weather coming, would be a good idea to get the old body ready for the rigors of the upcoming golf season. This is especially true if one has done an inordinate amount of sitting around over the winter reading books or watching movies or chit chatting with friends down at the local coffee house (that would be The Cabin or Dairy Master or Dairy Queen or Uncle Bucks around here), or even working and not playing. Personally, I have done a lot of resting-of-the-back-side activities over the past several months and find myself more than a little out of shape. And that is with a daily regimen of half hour walks.

What especially brought this to mind is a current backache that screams and yells at me when I'm trying to putt a little in the living room. It's one of those recurrent problems that pops up every now and then or when I over do any one particular thing. Don't like it; is restrictive; need something to do away with it.

Conveniently, an email from about.com lead me to 'Fitness and Health for Golfers', a good place to go to find something to get my back back in shape. Or at least more ready for the warmer weather coming our way and the surge in physical activity that will no doubt follow.

First up for me, the Cats up and cats down exercise to stretch and strengthen the lower back. Seems easy, is easy. Now to build it into a part of my exercise routine, that will be the hard part.

Or will it? If my back continues to give me problems, then I will have a pretty good reminder that it's time to get back to the stretch and strengthen exercise, the cats up and cats down. So, this is the mind imprint I'm looking for: back pain > stop current activity > stretch > strengthen. Got it.

There's more in the days to come. Check out the link and see if you can stay one step ahead of the aches and pains of too much of a good thing after months of too much of another good thing.

Monday Opening

Should be open by 11 am tomorrow. Should be a great time to see if your clubs still work.

Sunny and 45 degrees...

...by 1 o'clock today. So says weather.com. If that is the case, I'll be out at the golf course. Still might have snow on the greens and you know the ground is still going to be frozen but what the heck. Over 40 and sunny? My oh my...

Looking out the front window, I see frost and fog and cold and it's 9:25am. So, guess things are going to change in a hurry. That has happened before.

Golf Tip for a Winter Day: Eyes Closed Putting Drill

It's still well below playing temperature here in Loogootee so we have time to do other things with our lives. Like, for instance, take a long walk and concentrate on posture meaning walking upright and keeping the old belly tucked in. Or, do some more putting in the living room or the play room, wherever there's a little space to roll a ball or two. I happened to do some of both of those this morning and ended up just a few minutes ago trying to putt with my eyes closed. Yep, with my eyes closed. The gurus of golf instruction suggest that so as to develop a feel for that magical putting stroke that we all have been looking for (feel and distance control actually). I did try this a few months back just for a day or two; I remember it being totally unsatisfactory and unnerving; in other words, I found myself completely lost without my eyes wide open. Today, on the other hand, after a couple of months of down time and the chance to relax a little, I found the idea of putting with my eyes closed more palatable; and after giving it a go, although only from shorter distances (5' to 10'), I am 'seeing' the value of putting such a drill into one's practice routine. Feel; you are looking for feel. Close your eyes and feel the stroke. No, don't be falling asleep now or even letting your mind take you back to feelings of another sort usually enhanced, and practiced, with one's eyes closed. Give it a go, a try, as you get yourself ready for the temperatures to rise just a little. You can go here for more on the eyes closed drill.

John Foddrill, Golfer

In case you missed my note at the golflakeview blog, our good friend and fellow golfer John Foddrill passed Tuesday morning. The Washington Times-Herald has an obit and information about the memorial service being held this Saturday:

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Westminster Presbyterian Church, with Rev. Andrew Holmes officiating.

Directions here.

Update: p.s. John made the news at the Lakeview blog several times over the course of this last season, and indeed did himself proud the last two weeks of the season in the Tuesday Men's League, so well that he vaulted to the top in the individual competition and also won his flight in the final tournament of the season. He fired 38's in each of those two final weeks. Those references to John can be found by using the search element at the blog. Just type in his name and click on the search blog feature.

New Calendar Link

Note the new calendar of events at Lakeview Golf Course, Lakeview Golf Course Calendar, that is now up and running. In the Links of Note section...

Saturday Open by 11am

Hoping the weather is nice enough for a round of golf. Golf course will be open by 11 am.

Tuesday Opening

Be open by ten this morning though windy. Might get rained out part of the day.

Sunday Opening

Should be open by 10 am today. Mild and windy.

Saturday Open by 11am

Well, today the sun did not get very high nor did it get very warm and on top of that the temperatures didn't break the 40 mark. Did I mention the wind? Tomorrow will be different and we expect to be open by 11am.

Friday Opening

Expect to be open by 11 am tomorrow. Hope the sun is high and warm.

Friday, January 4th, brings back warm weather

Cold today but looks like we are going to get a major warm up starting in just two days. And that to be followed with a week of very mild January temperatures. And that means an opportunity for you to go after that very elusive winter time hole-in-one you have been chasing for all these years.

So, we expect to be open this Friday and for the several days after that if the weather turns out as predicted. Call the clubhouse at 295-5678 to check on particulars though, as a general rule, expect the doors to be open by 11 am.