Once again Grayden has set my mind going with his carrot peeling exercise. His latest comments and insight appear here and require further comment.
Is thinking about peeling a carrot going to help your golf game? Here’s my take.
I’m reminded of going to a party in my hey day. I was able to walk into a room of strangers, meet them once, and then remember their names.
But there was a problem with this.
It took work. I had to be concentrating from the moment I entered the room and I needed to be on the ball. The bottom line is that while it was interesting, I wasn’t really at the party. I wasn’t having fun.
By being so focused on people’s names, I missed out on other interactions and conversations that make party going so much fun. I didn’t have some magical ability to remember names – I had to work hard at it.
And this is where the carrot thing seems to fail. It’s hard work and quite possibly getting in the way of making the game fun.
The golf swing is complicated. It’s a tough skill and automatic golf works because it gives you a system for making execution as simple as possible.
So here’s my main point: You can play golf in any number of ways. You can go to the golf course with lots of baggage and have your mind full. Or you can simplify the process and let your subconscious do what it’s designed to do. The choice is yours.
And just maybe Steady has summed up my thinking and the automatic process perfectly:
I have found that automatic golf ain’t rocket science. Get behind the ball, stick with your decision, count, get set and swing.
If you can come up with a better description I’d like to hear it.
Earlier this year I received some sample golf balls from Vision Golf. Boz, the founder, is an Aussie who is taking on the big guys head on. I reckon he is doing something great here and the product is top notch.
The golf balls are bright colours and have a big number on them. Boz can tell you more about them here, but performance wise they stack up. Give them a go if you want to try something new and innovative.
The Vision Golf Ball
In the spirit of this blog I thought it would be good to offer these balls to you guys. And the best way to do that is to get you to earn them. So here’s my plan.
Let’s have an Ask Cameron blog post. You get to ask me any golf question that you want answered. Get creative and specific because I’ll award the best (I’m the judge) questions a pack of Vision Golf Balls. Best of all I’ll answer the questions below.
The aim is to turn this into an informative post, help out the guys at Vision Golf and give you guys the chance to win some new golf balls.
All you have to do is come up with ONE question and post it in the comments section below. Keep your eyes peeled for my replies.
Go for it, enter your question below.
This is a place you’ve just gotta play. If you’re looking for a golf adventure you’re unlikely to forget then Barnbougle Dunes will do the trick.
From the moment I arrived it was like being transported back to Scotland. Windswept coastline, misty rain and links golf that’s hard to find anywhere else. I was hooked from my first look (I arrived late on Friday and walked a few holes) and it only got better once play commenced.
Here’s a list of what I like about Barnbougle Dunes:
- The golf course is amazing. It really is. I love links golf and really think it’s a pure version of the game. All the hazards are on the ground and it challenges you to play the right shot at the right time.
- Although Barnbougle Dunes is a tough golf course it is incredibly fair. The fairways are wide, the greens are at medium pace and the layout gives plenty of options to avoid bunkering and the punishing rough.
- It’s isolated. This adds to the charm. If it was near a big city I think this golf course would be over run. Because it’s a little bit difficult to get to it attracts real golf enthusiasts, not those playing it for the wrong reasons.
- It’s challenging. From the back tees and with a little wind this course will throw more than enough at you to keep you interested. I don’t think I’ve played a more challenging and fun golf course
- Speaking of fun, there are so many shots that are exciting to play. There’s short par fours that you can drive (downwind of course), little par threes and lots of shots that you can play over rough, sand and dunes. This place really does excite the golfer’s senses.
- The staff are amazing. Everyone is made to feel welcome and they do everything to ensure you enjoy yourself. Nothing is too much trouble and for me the staff make it more than just a great golf course. It’s a fantastic experience.
- Pricing is affordable. Seriously, they could charge a lot more for golf, accommodation and food. But they don’t.
- The place is relaxed. The clubhouse was a hive of excited golfers talking about their adventures. The place was humming each night and there were no stupid dress regulations. Everyone was having a great time and it was good to be there.
- The course is set up for all standards. I played with Clare who enjoyed the course as much as I did. Despite being a 45 handicapper she was able to make some pars and negotiate the course without too much trouble.
- Great practice facilities. Everything you need to work on your game and take in the place when you’re not playing. I particularly like the practice green near the accommodation.
- It’s a walking course. No motorised golf carts in sight.
But beware. The rough is super tough. You’ve got to hit the ball in play otherwise you’ll lose your ball. The rough reminded me of Muirfield, unbelievably penal but it forces you to focus on the fairway and the shot at hand. It’s a great course for automatic golfers. You have to find your mojo early otherwise you’ll lose a dozen balls.
If you’re serious about your golf then Barnbougle Dunes is a must. I wasn’t surprised to find that although it’s only five years old it is already ranked the 35th best course in the world. I think in time it will get even better.
They also have a new course that’s nearly completed. It’s called The Lost Farm and Michael Clayton says it’s even better than the original. From what I’ve seen it looks amazing and will make the trip to Barnbougle even better. It could be the best 36 holes going around.
For those interested, I’m thinking about arranging a “Cam’s Way” get together there later in the year. The idea at the moment is a clinic, golf and discussions over dinner. Let me know if you’re interested.
No matter what you do, get down there and take a look, you won’t be disappointed.
I did take some photos but after visiting the Barnbougle website they have done a much better job than I have. I’ll stick to the golf and let others worry about photography 
