In Case You Need A Resolution for the New Year...

 I don't use New Year's Resolutions anymore.  Not that they are bad, they just are no longer a catalyst for change in my life. Last year, I quit sugar in October.  The week before Halloween.  And it was very difficult but I am still sugar-free over a year later. And the idea of an auto-immune disorder looming over my head was enough initiative to kick the habit.

I most recently liked the idea of picking one word that would inspire me for the year.  However, words are like colors for me; I like a lot of different colors and it almost changes on a daily basis.

I believe there can be something deeper inside of us that can initiate change besides the flipping of a calendar. However, that is not my reason for writing. I want to offer up help for those that might want ideas of how to be better in golf, and maybe just health or life, and lend a hand if needed.

So how can Golf Ranch help you resolve to be a better version of yourself? Maybe try one or four of the following:

Yoga for Golf and Well-Being

We offer yoga every Thursday from 10-11am and it is amazing! Yoga may seem intimidating for those who have never tried, however, my friend Karen is essentially offering gentle movement that can help with everyday living, pain management or increase your backswing rotation. I originally asked Karen to help me by offering individual and group instruction for my students that could use some basic exercises that provide a huge benefit on their daily activities and make golf more FUN. Her passion is to help people live better and Larry and I want to provide an environment where people can do that. Come join us!

Become a Better Golfer

This could obviously be golf lessons (and that is very much available), but my thought was more along the lines of learning how to practice better and transferring it to the golf course. 

Larry and I created a "perfect practice" that is ever-evolving but the gist is to have a purpose when you show up to the range, practice green, and golf course if you truly want to LOWER SCORES. The perfect practice focuses on hitting A LOT of wedges (because those are your scoring clubs), hitting a few irons and approach shots and then focusing on getting your driver in play. This process uses only 20-40 golf balls during a session.  This is when you do your DRILLS. We then emphasize the ability to get up and down (one chip, one putt).  The better putter you are, the better your chipping gets (no fear because you are now a great putter). When you are a great chipper and putter, ball striking gets better because again there is no pressure to hit a perfect shot because you are such an amazing chipper and putter...I think you get it by now. The last component is playing golf often. This can be 3 or 5 holes, 3 to 5 days a week. No one needs to play 18 holes every time they play to get better. It often creates diminishing returns because we can become unfocused or tired or bored or you name it. 

Our perfect practice takes 45 mins to 2 hours depending on your focus for the day and can be completed at Golf Ranch. And yes, we encourage playing only 3 or 5 holes!

Understand Your Numbers

A lot of the golfers we teach do not know how far they hit each club, and even more so, they do not know how far the golf ball carries in the air (before it hits the ground). This is where TrackMan Range is your friend. We are all going to hit really good shots and really bad shot but somewhere in the middle you can find an average of how far each one of your clubs carry.  This is an important number especially if  you are trying to hit over a bunker or water or trying to carry the corner of a dogleg with your tee shot. TrackMan Range is different because it uses radar technology to measure your golf ball from start to finish on the driving range.  It is 99% efficient because it is measuring true ball flight and not using a camera to capture a quick moment in time and then performing a calculation. 

In addition to collecting data, TrackMan Range offers games, golf, and practice on a golf course!

Clear Your Head

It's always amazing to me how I can make one turn down a driveway and I have left crazy town and I am in a quiet golf oasis. Hitting golf balls has always been my go-to to relax, forget the daily struggles, and remember who I am.  We have 88-acres of nature where you can take a walk, commune with birds, deer, squirrels and bunnies and get 9 chances to make a hole-in-one. When done on a regular basis, one can really turn the stress ship around!

Happy New Year from Golf Ranch! Please let us know if we can help in your golf and life endeavors.

Many Birdies, 

Melissa