I have recently finished reading a book by Fred Shoemaker titled Extraordinary Golf, The Art of the Possible. This is the first book out of the handful of golf instruction books I have read that has changed the way I THINK about golf as a whole and about the golf swing in particular. Most of the other instruction books presented formulas for executing the golf swing that only seemed to add more "noise" in my head rather than helping me focus on hitting the ball TO its intended target. Fred Shoemaker's book has already helped me with my focus and concentration as well as my ball striking.

As I step outside my back door and see the 2 and a half foot deep snow drifts, I realize that my 2007 golf season is at an end. But what an eventful year it has been. I celebrated my first year anniversary of playing golf in March and also started an official golf handicap around the same time. I made my first eagle on a par 5 chip-in, and hit my first 300+ yard drive. I had the privilege of playing golf while on a family vacation in two other states, Michigan and South Carolina, and I broke 90 for the first time which I repeated again and again.

Not long after I first started golfing, I was told by more than one golfer not to feel too bad about shooting in the 100s, that many recreational golfers never or very rarely break 100. Well that did it, I was not going to stand by and let myself be the “average” golfer; I was determined to break 100 and more.

The snow finally melted enough for me to get out a play 18 holes. It was two weeks ago today that I last made it out for 9 holes and even then it was 34° F and no one else was on the course or at the clubhouse. Freezing rain followed the day after and the temperature stayed below freezing for a day or two before dropping about six inches of snow on the ground. It took more than five consecutive days of sun and temperatures in the 40s to melt the majority of the snow on the most open course in the area, Sand Creek Station Golf Club. I really do not like winter weather and would prefer to live in a more tropical climate, but being able to play winter golf almost makes up for it.