It is mid-summer and the heat is on!  A question I don't see a lot but should is "How can I prepare to play golf better in the heat?"  They’re several things you can do to alleviate the pressure of hot weather.  I myself am fond of hot weather as I had my first hole-in-one in 104 degree weather. 

Personally, I think the heat is an advantage.  First, it is real easy to get limber.  Second, the golf ball flies further.  Finally, if you are in good condition, your opponents/ fellow competitors’ scores should falter if they have been neglecting their conditioning.  ***Playing golf in extreme heat is not for everyone, and you should certainly check with your doctor if you have any concerns/health conditions.  This is general advice for those who have already deemed the weather safe for themselves. 

Tip 1 - Hydrate early and often.  Drink water, water and more water.

Tip 2 - Throw some ice under your cap, whether in a Ziploc bag or just in there.  Either way it will feel great. 

Tip 3 - When possible, run your wrists under cold water and splash cold water on your neck. 

Tip 4 - Pick a light colored out fit with breathable technology.  White shirts are just cooler.  Think White Hat, White Shirt, Khaki pants (shorts if you can get away with them). 

Tip 5 - Have your caddy have a dry towel and a wet one.  If you are only carrying one towel... go 1/4 wet, 3/4 dry.  It doesn't make sense right?  The point is, with your sweaty paws, you'll want to dry your hands frequently. 

Tip 6 - Bring extra gloves in your bag... I like to keep a zip lock bag full of extra gloves, so as soon as I start to sweat thru one, I switch. 

Tip 7 - Lose the slick Winn grips and be sure to have a grip with some cord in it.  I prefer Golf Pride's New Decade line.  These are helpful for rain and sweat.  A little friction never hurt anyone, and will toughen up your hands.

Tip 8 - Stand in the shade as much as possible.  Sounds simple, but you'd be surprised how many times people just stand in the sun for no good reason.  

Tip 9 - Adjust your expectations.  Your opponents will most likely trip up down the stretch as the heat wears them down.... so be persistent and finish the round with long term expectations. 

Tip 10 - Rehydrate once in the clubhouse... probably a good idea to skip the adult beverages for a while and throw back a couple H2Os.   

Be safe and have fun in the heat!  Please wear white and make some birdies.

McIlroy and McDowell, back to back US Open champs both from Northern Ireland!  It must be a Mc Thing.  Personally, at this rate, I think perhaps I myself might try and qualify next year, and perhaps McDonalds will consider being my sponsor.  Well perhaps McDonalds should just become the US Open sponsor and I'll save myself the entry fee and bogies.  But seriously, Rory played a great game of golf right from the get go.  It was obvious that he had control of his golf ball at a different level than the rest of the field.  The last guy to pull off these runaway type feats was the Tiger.  Well at 22 years of age, losing the Masters in such a painful manner might have been just the seasoning this young man needed to harden his game into steel.  People are already making comparisons between McIlory and Tiger.  Personally I believe these conversations are premature.  Until McIlroy withstands the test of time, it is unfair to Tiger to even mention him in the same sentence.  For golf's sake and the sake of the Mc's everywhere, I hope we can someday have that conversation.

Fowler, Watson, Holmes and Crane's video is worth a look and a laugh!!

<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PM2NocuEihw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Golf Season is here, it is time to get your Handicap Card.  Different courses seem to charge different amounts.  Private clubs raise the rates and actually view it as a revenue stream.  Personally, I find the Village Links of Glen Ellyn to be a great place to renew your handicap card as they traditionally keep their Handicap Card Rates at the lowest possible level. 

It doesn't matter where you get your handicap card, just that you have one.  You will need it to play in any serious tournament, and you'll need a minimum of 5 rounds to get an index 

Get your golf grips now before the season starts.  A tackier grip means a more relaxed grip.  The more relaxed the hands, what we call a live tension, leads to higher clubhead speed.  Higher clubhead speed means higher ball speed.  Higher ball speed = better distance. 

In short, get a fresh grip, get more distance and control!  Check out the new Golf Pride VDR grips, they are pretty sweet.