deciding I would enjoy the game more without putting pencil to paper after each hole; instead, I remember enjoying the good shots when they came and taking the bad shots with grace, rather than a string of expletives aimed at the course. My annual fall ritual, after I’ve come back from the golf course – knowing that this is probably my final round of the year – is to give my clubs a good scrub, so they are ready for action first thing come spring. I use a tee to clean out the grooves of my irons and then wash each club with hot soapy water. With the clubs shiny and back in the bag, it’s now time for the real fun: opening up and cleaning out each of the pockets inmy bag to see what stories these items tell. Each compartment of your bag is like a dusty box in your basement filled with forgotten wonders and memories from seasons past. Maybe it’s a particular logoed ball you found one round, buried in the fescue at your favourite course. Of course, seeing this ball makes you remember that on that same hole, you did not find your tee shot but came out even in the transaction with Mother Nature. Dig deeper, what do you find? Maybe it’s simply some loose change (yes, some of us still pay for things with cash) buried underneath all of those balls… left over and forgotten after buying a sandwich or cold beverage during your round. Open another pocket and you find a few broken tees you put back into your bag for some unknown reason, rather than pitching them in the garbage. In a side pocket, you find a scorecard that is filled out. Read it and I remember the friends I played with, the conversations we had and, by reviewing the notes I made on the course’s design and some of my favourite holes, I’m transported back to that summer’s day and filled with gratitude. Before tucking it back into my bag for safekeeping, I notice a birdie on a par 3; immediately, I recall that unbelievable 35-foot downhill putt that curled in and brought a smile to my face and to the faces of my playing partners. Unzip another pocket and behold some crumpled receipts: green fees, lunch on the course or sunscreen bought in the pro shop because, of course, you forgot this essential item. When I used to go onmedia trips, these receipts were plentiful. Pulling them out at the end of the season reminded me of the places golf had taken me that year and of the incredible meals I had experienced on these travels – such as a lobster roll in Inverness at Cabot Links or a juicy cheeseburger savoured sitting on the patio at TPC Sawgrass after a morning playing this course where the PGA Tour’s Player’s Championship is held. Alas, what I find this year are just a few lonely pieces of paper for some coffees and other sundries. Still, they remind me of those wonderful rounds I was lucky to play at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley and St. George’s Golf & Country Club. Clean Your House After you finish cleaning your clubs, emptying your bag and storing it for the winter – and/or until you take your clubs with you when you head for your winter away from home – it’s time to make sure that your body and mind are clean and in tip-top shape for next season. Just like cleaning out your golf bag and getting it ready for your first round in the spring, winter is also a good time to get into playing shape, so whenever you put a tee in the ground again, you are ready. Make sure to take five to 15 minutes a day this winter to stay in golf shape. Practise some putts on the carpet to work on your pendulum technique and you’ll be ready to make more birdies and pars in 2023. Why not try some yoga to help your balance and stability. These exercises are good for your limbs; they keep you limber and ready and warmed up when you use these muscles to swing a club again. The breathing exercises involved inmany types of yoga are also good for the mind – they help you focus, relax and get into that Zen golf state where, like the mantra espoused by Chevy Chase’s character Ty Webb in the 1980 slapstick Caddyshack, you can “Be the Ball!” Do not forget your core. Do a series of planks every day or even three times a week and you will notice a big difference when you play your next round, guaranteed. Start by holding the position for 30 seconds and work your way up to 45 seconds or even one minute, as you get stronger. Most of the power which you generate in your golf swing, believe it or not, comes from these muscles. Flexibility is also key to staying in golf shape – especially as we age. Daily stretching is important tomaintain your flexibility. Here’s a simple exercise you can do first thing in the morning before rising from bed: Lie on your back and pull one knee to your chest with the opposite leg extended. Repeat on both sides several times. Enjoy your time this winter wherever you hang your hat: in Florida, Arizona or other warmer climes south. Keep in mental and physical shape with a daily exercise routine. And, if you are putting your bag into hibernation for a while, don’t forget to dig deep into those pockets; you never knowwhat treasures youmight uncover that will bring backmemories of a round and make you smile at all of the joys golf brought you last season. Sorry my son, and Mr. Carlin, golf is far fromdumb. Don’t ever “foreget” it! Golf CSANews | WINTER 2022 | 55
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MzMzNzMx