I made myself practice my short game over two hours and the next time I played my overall score improved dramatically.  If I made myself practice three times a week I might actually reduce my handicap 12 or more strokes. 

I (sort of) like to practice.  Practicing is faster and cheaper than playing.  It can be less frustrating.  However, it’s not much fun because there is no aspect of the game in which I am any good. I hit a lot of bad shots while practicing, which reminds me of what I’m likely to do on the course.

Practice is productive and gratifying when you’re already good at what you’re practicing.  Practice borders on torture when you’re not.

I guess the motivation to practice comes from knowing one’s limits.  Duffers won’t ever become pros no matter how much they practice.  However, any one shot, be it a 10 yard chip, a 20 yard pitch or 6 foot putt can be imprioved with practice.  If that shot occurs frequently in your game you have something to practice that will definitely improve your score.

It’s taken me awhile to get back to the blog.  I wanted to sell my clubs, end Golf Talk and get out of the business altogether last Saturday after another lousy day of play and rain.  

I can’t believe how much it’s rained in Chicago since March.  This area has had more rain in the past 14 months than any other similar period since rainfall was measured (about 140 years).  The last time this happened was 2002, resulting in the demise of several golf chains across the country.

Maybe if I was playing better I would feel more optimistic.  Maybe if it stopped raining I wouldn’t mind that my game stinks.  Maybe if we could get three nice days in a row and a store full of customers I wouldn’t mind being in this business. 
 
Business sure ain’t what it was before the recession hit.  And if it doesn’t stop raining I have doubts about celebrating 100 years next spring.  

The leading makers of range finders (Bushnell) and GPS systems for golf courses (Sky Caddie) are heavily promoting their respective products to a golf audience that has grown significantly since my last blog on this subject (May 14, 2006).  Recent articles in the trade publications trumpet the growing use of and demand for both types of devices despite the price.

Our experience has been that a rangefinder is better suited for the golfer who has steady hands, likes the flexibility of a mechanical device and can take advantage of accurate yardages.  The GPS units work best for golfers who find holding up binoculars are too difficult or time consuming (rangefinders require some adjustment for viewing properly), are comfortable with electronic gadgets and more variability in distance measurement.

Someone using a GPS and another person using a rangefinder on the same course at the same spot will get different yardage readings for reasons that are not clear to me.  The variability, however, is small and the majority of golfers cannot hit their clubs within three yards of their target most of the time anyway.