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Ok, time for another REALITY CHECK!

Why are there so many aggravated people on the golf course? Why is everyone so unsatisfied with their scores? Maybe it’s a case of unrealistic expectations.

If you’re out on the course frustrated because you’re not playing “Par” golf, maybe you’ve been watching too much golf on television. Let’s take a look at real numbers, instead of trying to compare ourselves with guys that hit thousands of balls a week for a dozen years.

What is the average golfer’s score?

According to the National Golf Foundation, research shows that only 22 percent of all golfers regularly score better than 90 for 18 holes on a regulation length course. Here’s the breakdown: Females – 7 percent score below 90

Men scoring below 90 per round – 25 percent.

Starting to feel better yet? No, then let’s look at another statistic.

The average score for 18-holes on a full-size course is 97 for men and 114 for women. It’s an even 100 for all golfers.

Only 6 percent of the men and 1 percent of the women say they break 80 regularly.

Oh, and by the way, even with the advent of all the new technology, average scores have not changed significantly over the years. Hard to believe, but it’s true.

I hope this has put things in a little clearer perspective for you. Maybe you can get a little more enjoyment from the game, knowing that you aren’t really as bad as you thought.

Enjoy your next round.

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You’ve chosen the right club for the shot. You line up the ball with the target. You make sure the ball is in the proper position in your stance. You take a couple of practice swings and are now comfortable with your shot. You position the club behind the ball, draw the club back, initiate the downswing, and top the ball, which rolls approximately 35 feet into a water hazard.

You now take out the mental punching gloves and beat yourself up, make excuses, justify the error, and the ball is still soaking up water.

Chill out, it’s just one shot. I know you put out a lot of effort and weren’t rewarded with a gracefully arching shot that lightly lands 3 feet from the cup, then gently rolls in. I don’t know why the stars have lined up against you. But, I do know that if you stay in your current mindset, you’re going to ruin the next shot, and the next, and the next, and possibly your whole round.

Put it aside and start over on the next shot. Pick your club, line it up, go through your routine, and voila! More than likely the next shot will bring a glimpse of hope, a round of applause, the awe of your fellow players.

Every shot won’t work out for you. It doesn’t for the pros, and trust me they practice a lot more than you do.  Relax.  Enjoy the game, the weather, the scenery, and the company of your friends. Not only will you get more enjoyment from the game, your partners will enjoy themselves as well.

Oh, and once you take off the gloves, your clubs are easier to grip. Enjoy your next round.

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Keeping on the topic of Mental Golf, I was listening to an interview with a PGA golf pro the other day and heard him share a thought that became the title of this article. I wasn’t paying complete attention, so I don’t remember who was talking. But the idea that he shared stuck with me.

“Every golf shot is an opportunity” – what an outlook on the game. If you approach the game with this kind of attitude, a lot of the frustration that you experience while playing will go away.

Every shot is an opportunity to succeed. Every shot is an opportunity to be spectacular. Every shot is an opportunity to feel good about all those hours of practice.

Take this principle to your everyday life, and things will start looking up as well. Every obstacle is an opportunity to conquer. Every problem is an opportunity to find a solution that will help others. Every struggle makes you stronger when you come out of the other side.

Look for you opportunities to succeed, on the the course and off. Here’s to your success.

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Some will debate whether the most important aspect of your golf game is the physical or mental side. Of course, a successful round of golf is a blending of the two, but today I want to look at the mental side of the game.

Have you ever been so frustrated with your game that you want to pitch your clubs in the nearest water hazard? (or maybe you have) Have you ever felt like your head were going to  explode as you set up for a shot after you’ve really goofed up the previous shot? Have you ever found yourself trying one thing after another during a round, in an effort to “fix” something, only making it worse? How do you keep from finding yourself in these situations?

Get a grip on REALITY! See the big picture. Let me explain.

You can’t go back to change the last shot you took, good or bad. You can’t control the next shot until you successfully complete the shot that you are standing over currently. So where should your mind be? Answer – On the current shot. The only thing you need to do, is make the best shot you possibly can, no matter what situation got you there to start with.

If you have spent adequate time practicing on the range, getting to know how far you hit each club, your swing tendencies, etc., then each shot on the course should simply be reminding yourself of a few basic things. Ball placement in your stance, line up properly, how far is the target, get comfortable over the ball, make a smooth swing. Each shot stands on it’s own. If you make a bad shot, it’s not the end of the world. You have an even chance that the next shot will be spectacular, if you go through your routine and stay focused.

Granted, each shot may present it’s unique challenges, but that’s why we spend time on the driving range, chipping area, and practice putting green.

Once I got it and applied it to my game, I got a lot happier about playing golf.  What about you? Tell us about how you stay focued on one shot at a time by clicking on the add a comment link below.

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I hope you get a chance to go out and enjoy a round of golf this weekend. Enjoy your freedom. Remember to thank a veteran for their service an effort to keep us free. God Bless America!!

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Yesterday, I told you that I would go into a little more detail about a great youth golf program located in Houston, The First Tee of Houston.

First Tee program home bases at the Dick Harmon Learning Center, across from the HGA office in Humble, Texas.  The program is run as a non-profit organization, with partners and corporate sponsors. Several Houston golf courses function as affiliate courses for the program.

The stated mission for the program is to impact the lives of young people in the Greater Houston Area by creating affordable and accessible golf facilities primarily to serve those who have not previously had the exposure to the game and its positive values. I have heard that there are more locations in the Houston area in the works.

This is a great program to get young people involved in the game of golf at an early age, with the right perspective on the game and life in general. The First Tee of Houston program focuses on 9 core values: Honesty, Integrity, Sportsmanship, Respect, Confidence, Responsibility, Perseverance, Courtesy, and Judgment. Values that are important on and off the course. Values that I wish more adults on the course would apply, but I digress.

The First Tee of Houston is a great place to volunteer to give something back to the game and to the community. For learn more about The First Tee of Houston, click here.

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Lately, I’ve been hearing a lot of talk about how golf is on the decline. Writers have jumped on the bandwagon of bemoaning the fact that there are not enough of the next generation getting involved in the sport.

I’m not sure where these guys live, or where they get their data. But, let me tell you what I have observed in the Houston area.

On a recent trip to the driving range, I took an informal survey of who was there hitting balls. Most of the people on the range were in pairs, husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends, college buddies, fathers and sons, fathers and daughters, and a group of high school kids. Most of the people on the range were in their late teens to early 30s.

The driving range also runs a Par 3 course. I found the same demographic of people on the course as well, having fun, and getting to know the game of golf.

According to what I can see, golf is thriving in Houston, Texas. All these people were out at the range on a day where the heat index was over 100 degrees. Seems to me that these young people want to learn the game and play.

Here’s the other side of the coin. Check out golf courses that have sky high green fees, stuffy staff and clientele, players on the course that are simply impatient with anyone who is just learning the game, and I’ll bet you’ll see a decline in young people playing there.

The answer to a declining game is to make it more friendly for beginners. Patience and practice is the key to developing your game. Patience with beginners is the key to helping the game of golf to survive a downturn in the economy. Show a little courtesy to the newbies. It’ll pay off in the long run for everyone.

In an effort to help promote the game of golf in Houston, we at Houston Golf Review are working on a “Beginning Golf Club” for those interested in learning the game in a non threatening environment. We will meet for group lessons, driving range practice, Par 3 course rounds and more. If you’re interested in becoming part of the Beginners Golf Club, know someone who would be interested, or would like to help in teaching some newbies the game, let me know through the comment section below.

We’ll keep you posted in the Newsletter also, so be sure to sign up at www.houstongolfreview.com

Tags: beginner golf, future of golf, golf houston, golf in houston, houston golf, Houston Golf News, youth golf// Category Golf Lessons, Houston Golf Instructors, Houston Golf News // Add Comment »

I stopped by Sellinger’s Classic 3 golf course this past week and got a bit of a surprise. I hadn’t been to the facility for quite some time and stopped by to let them know that we were starting the Houston Golf Review website.

As I turned the corner, I was greeted by a completely torn up golf course! No grass, just dirt as far as I could see. It looked like a tornado had come through.

I went to the pro shop, spoke to the young man behind the counter, and found out that the facility is undergoing a full facelift and has changed ownership. The facility was bought by Matt Swanson, golf pro and owner of the Swanson Golf Center, operating at Wildcat Golf Club. The facility will no longer include the Par3 golf course, but will be dedicated to lessons and club fitting. The driving range and other practice facilities are getting an overhaul and will continue to be available to the public.

The expected date for opening is sometime in August. I’ll be trying to contact Mr. Swanson in the coming weeks to get more information. I’ll keep you posted.

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We’ve just opened our new Houston Golf News category in this blog. For all the latest in golf in the Houston area, click on the Houston Golf News link on your right.

Add your comments to keep us posted about events and happenings that we haven’t heard about yet.

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Hello and welcome to Houston Golf Review.

Our goal is to build the most informative, most comprehensive, most entertaining and educational site related to Houston Golf as possible.

We are currently interviewing Houston area course managers and teaching pros, in order to build a comprehensive list of Houston golf courses, golf instructors, driving ranges, and upcoming events. We are also going to be adding video lessons and product reviews that you can be a part of.

Houston Golf Review Team

One of the unique features of what we are putting together involves developing a review team, composed of Houston area golfers of all skill levels to help us with course reviews and product review events in the Houston area.

Those who participate will receive updates and notices of our upcoming FREE events, with opportunities to play FREE rounds of golf and test the newest equipment on the market.

If you are interested in getting our updates and participating as a Review Team member, simply go to our website at: www.houstongolfreview.com to fill out the form at the bottom of our home page.

You will receive a FREE One Year Subscription to Houston Golf Review and in addtion to that, you will receive a Seven Part Golf Lesson, delivered directly to your email inbox, also absolutely free.

Take some time to sign up right now. We’re just getting started, so you will be in on the ground floor.

Looking forward to hearing from you and meeting you at one of our upcoming events.

Teddy Levron

Editor

HoustonGolfReview.com

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