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Chambers Bay-Watch

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On the verge of this year’s US Open it is very likely you’ll see the unlikely. I doubt viewers will catch Pamela Anderson running across the fairways clad in a red bikini or David Hasselhoff flexing his pecs, but this edition of golf’s sternest exam is likely to frustrate, baffle, confuse, and ultimately eliminate many top tier players seeking a major. This Open promises to be so obscure an amateur has a chance to climb high on the leaderboard. That may or may not stimulate golf fans to track the travails of Sang Moon Bae battling the likes of other non-household names such as Robert Streb, Shawn Stefani, or Danny Willett but it is a strong possibility. The only known in the second major of 2015 will be the unknown.

The new venue that is Chambers Bay was brought to life by Robert Trent Jones II and a boatload of money from Pierce County in Washington state. John Ladenburg, former Pierce County Executive floated the idea to bring a world class golf course to his backyard. Despite the controversy surrounding the layout, we are now only a few days away from watching the best players in the world try their luck on a rumpled pinball track Ladenburg originally envisioned.

Links golf in a US Open? Surely this idea is bound to fail. In a country where lush fairways, long putters and high ball hitters cash huge checks for top-ten finishes how can Chambers Bay be worthy of providing a compelling US Open story? In two words — it can’t.

Start with the top FedEx Cup players. Jordan Spieth is a great all-around player but will he be able to accept the bad bounces that will surface off the canted surfaces of Chambers Bay? Rory McIlroy has already commented his strength is not links golf. Jimmy Walker may disappear between the dunes while Ricky Fowler will bump-and-run his way to slipping in under the cut line. Tiger and Phil should plan to jet on down to Bandon Dunes for a casual weekend since it’s just down the coast. Neither will be around for prime time Saturday and Sunday.

The list of the final three majors in 2015 reads as follows — Chambers Bay, St. Andrews and Whistling Straits. Not a parkland layout in this threesome.

St. Andrews is the only true links test. Why the USGA and PGA are serving up pretenders is puzzling. What happened to the traditionalists? Wherefore art thou Baltusrol, Winged Foot, Oakmont, Oakland Hills, Shinnecock Hills or even Pebble Beach? Oh yeah, we’ll be in Pittsburgh next June. The defending champion won’t have a clue there.

In 2011 I tromped around the 2017 US Open site, Erin Hills, taking in the US Amateur. Erin is the other new kid on the block catching the eye of the USGA. While walking down the tenth hole during the playoff for final match play qualifiers, I spoke with a contestant that had missed the cut. He also played the previous year at of all places, Chambers Bay. I asked the young man to compare the two layouts. He responded there was no comparison — Erin Hills was flat out the better course. Chambers he noted had too many quirks, severe slopes and putting surfaces that were challenging to three putt. If that is the case you can eliminate half the field from contention next week. Pampered tour players expecting perfect bounces and receptive greens might as well get to the Travelers early. Golf will get back to normal in Hartford the following week.

It is admirable for the USGA to sample an eclectic mix of Open venues but in my mind it has caused me to reshuffle my major rankings. During my youth it was the US Open followed by the Masters, the PGA and the British as I referred to it back then. Now I’ve completely flip-flopped. The Masters is on top by a wide margin. The Open Championship ranks second with the PGA maintaining its position as the US Open drops to last place. Maybe that indicates the fallacy of an amateur golf association running one of the best professional championships in the world. At times things are askew.

This may be one of those years. Next week Bay-watchers are in for an unprecedented set of prime time events. Wayward shots may find the bottom of the hole while well-struck efforts get repelled by grassy sideboards cultivated by Trent Jones II. Entertaining? I suppose so for a few days but I doubt if I’ll watch much if the Open turns into a fiasco. If luck trumps talent in deciding this year’s champion then the USGA has wasted our time. We’d be better entertained by watching reruns of Baywatch. I don’t anticipate seeing any bad bounces with Pamela Anderson.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taking the Ryder Cup to Task (Force)

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It’s hard to believe today’s news conference at PGA headquarters was covered with such urgency for an event that awaits 19 months in the future. Davis Love III will get another shot at bringing the cup back to America. He led his 2012 team two-thirds of the way to victory at Medinah only to watch a Euro rally derail the celebration. Now a task force has assembled golf minds from the PGA of America and the PGA Tour to determine the “formula” for winning the Ryder Cup. DL3 is the man and this time things will be different. The point system will be altered, the Captain’s picks stretched a little bit closer to the start of the matches and past captains and influential players will supposedly have more say. We’ll see what happens.

Of course my reaction to all of this hoopla is a feigned yawn. As a member of the PGA, this mercurial association that now administers perhaps the game’s greatest spectacle, I have my doubts whether this meeting of the minds will produce a winner. Yet I would like to see Team USA hoist the trophy at Hazeltine. I plan on being there.  I’m 1-1 at Ryder Cups.

The 2014 Ryder Cup proved to be most forgettable. From the selection of Tom Watson as the leader who would claim the cup on foreign soil to Phil’s open mic forum at the end it was never boring. Old Tom was committed to putting his team on his back the only problem was he never hit a shot. Believe what you want but Tom Watson did not lose the 2014 Ryder Cup. He may not have communicated a winning formula to his players but Tom’s old school and sometimes those personas lead by example. Perhaps none of his team members were watching.  Regardless of who was at fault it was brutally painful to watch an uninspired team hack their way around Gleneagles. Ultimately the event turned out to be not just a drive-by but a hit & run with the PGA’s Derek Sprague driving the bus and Pete Bevacqua riding shotgun. Losing is ugly but some of the behaviors after the final putt was holed could only be described as unprofessional.

There are several ways to view this current Ryder Cup voodoo. You might consider it a display of smoke and mirrors, clouding performance on the days of the matches with decisions made months in advance.  One thing about this newest game plan is it takes the burden off the PGA of America. They selected Davis, a player favorite and a tremendous representative of American professional golf. If the Euros take this next contest you can’t blame the PGA. They formed the task force. They got it right (so far?). You can only blame the players, the men hitting the shots. Isn’t that the way it should be? Somehow Team USA has strayed from this responsibility of owning up to the fact that performance matters.

Another spin is that the PGA of America is desperate to produce a win after owning this event for so many years. When the system allowed European players to participate the game changed. Nicklaus losing at Muirfield Village? Unfathomable. Since then America has been beaten soundly at home and abroad. Such a trend may result in a diminished viewing interest from fans especially when college football and the NFL are well underway in their seasons. If the Ryder Cup loses its polish it could significantly impact the association’s revenue stream (the membership never sees a dime) for years to come.

The reality of this pep rally (thanks John Feinstein) is that one team will supposedly be fully engaged while the other could care less. Darren Clarke will bring a strong team to Minnesota and not much will change for the Euros. Why should it? They’ve beat Team USA in a variety of fashions over the years. They have nothing to lose even if they do let their opponents borrow the cup for two years. They’ll get it back probably sooner than later.

The pressure will mount as the fall of 2016 approaches. Not on the Euros mind you. Should the red white & blue lose this match what will be the next strategy? A new task force? More colorful uniforms? Better pairings? A new cast of motivational speakers? Watch out for that bus and little girls President Sprague. You never know what might come back to haunt you.

In the end the 2016 matches will only reveal what most golf fans already know. Team USA wants it so bad they end up throwing up on their shoes instead of embracing the opportunity. I don’t know about you but I would be thrilled to say I participated in the Ryder Cup matches — win or lose. That’s the problem with our teams. They expect the attention with all the perks but when it comes to stepping up to the tee they forget that competitive golf requires desire, perseverance and ability. The days of “mailing it in” are long gone.

With so many “qualified” task force members trying to figure out the new formula for success it is actually as simple as breathing. In order to win the American’s just need to play better. Hopefully Captain Love can get that through their egocentric heads his second time.

 

 

 

America’s Competitive Decline in Golf

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As another year of professional golf commences, it is easy to see how the rest of the world has caught up with American players. There has been a gradual erosion over the years but don’t downplay it. American professionals are not feared as they once were. They no longer own the “edge”.

Pick a starting point — PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, International competition, Amateur rankings, your local junior putt chip and pitch events, we’re seeing more success take place from across the globe rather than in our own backyard. No, I’m not playing the Ugly American card here. Global success in golf is great for a game that needs to be restocked with participants. Rather, I’m saying that over the course of the next decade you are going to see more international players garnering headlines than American players. In fact it’s already happening. Get used to it and embrace it.

The LPGA Tour is a prime example of the changing of the guard. No one can deny the influence of Asian players over the past decade. They are the best players on this tour. Year after year new players from this part of the world show up and are competitive immediately. Why? Because they work harder, they work smarter and they simplify the game.

Need we discuss the recent Ryder Cup matches? You can delve into the Watson-Mickelson soap opera but stripped down to its simplest form, we just can’t beat the Euros. Golf is an easy game to understand. The winner shoots the lowest score. We can’t seem to do that. Since 1979, the first year players from continental Europe were allowed, it’s been 11 – 7 Euros. At this point it has become a head game for the American side. Once it starts to rattle around in the grey matter I don’t care how perceptive Paul Azinger is. Individuals swing the clubs and a doubtful mind is tougher to overcome than any course hazard.

Regarding the Mens Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) only four of the top ten are Americans. While I don’t agree with the formulation of this ladder, it does indicate more competition is coming from overseas. Bubba Watson is currently the highest ranked American. His mercurial mentality shuts down when he doesn’t like something. Jim Furyk is next at #7. While Jim has had an outstanding career, is he the seventh best player in the world? Rounding out the top ten are youngsters Spieth and Fowler. They seem to be worthy competitors but, c’mon. Compared to McIlroy they don’t quite measure up.

While American players slide further down the food chain, hungrier international players are on the rise. In mens major championships played since 2000, Americans have taken home 31 titles out of 60 events. From 2010, the US is 7 for 20. No longer is there a dominance of American players. Our competitive edge has dissipated. It’s doubtful we’ll ever get it back.

The reason for this slide is lack of accountability. Today’s American players don’t own their games and at times are not willing to make the commitment of that ownership. The line that defines a great player from an average one runs from the left ear to right ear. Watching PGA Tour pros walk to the practice tee with their manager, fitness guru, swing coach and psychiatrist it’s no wonder they don’t own their games. Bobby Jones didn’t rely on that sort of entourage. Neither did Nelson, Hogan or Snead. Surrounding oneself with that many influences only serves as an outlet to dish out blame. Sadly, this attitude is reflective on our society as a whole. No one is willing to stand up and be accountable. Blame and lawyers are everywhere. I’m of the view today’s players don’t need swing coaches. They need life coaches.

As a professional, a player, a spectator and a fan, this state of American golf doesn’t dampen my enthusiasm. I want to see the best compete in a game I believe to be the best. The cream does rise to the top. I’ll follow young players coming up from China, Thailand, Belgium, Chile, or Portugal that are willing to play for the sake of winning rather than a comfortable lifestyle. Yes, golf is now truly a global game.

Look for a major championship to be contested away from America in the next twenty years. It won’t be the Masters, United States Open or Open Championship. Most likely the PGA will be contested around the world in cooperation with other PGA federations. It is a distinct and welcome possibility.

So as you watch golf this year embrace the changes in the competitive game. You may scratch your head from time to time wondering who the players are. Announcers may get tongue-tied with pronunciations other than Watson, Reed and Fowler. In the end it will strengthen the game and in fact have a hidden affect. It may cause golfers in America to take back their games. They may focus on raising their game a notch and getting back to competing instead of cashing checks. Then it might be possible to bring the Ryder Cup back to America.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Know Your Student

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The basis of being a good instructor involves one fundamental axiom – know your student. Establish this as your foundation and you’ll be effective at teaching the game on every level.

With the incredible acceleration of technology I often see younger instructors latching on to gadgetry in order to dissect the golf swing from hundreds of angles. It reminds me of the book by Homer Kelly, The Golfing Machine that breaks down the swing into various facets of Geometrically Oriented Linear Force (GOLF). To read the book you need focus and patience. It is not for the casual student. In the end, too much information about each component of the swing is not neccesarily a good thing.

Learning golf relies on three senses – the sense of sight, the sense of hearing and the sense of feel. Good instructors will incorporate all three in order to get their message across to their students.

Every student has different capacities related to each sense. Some prefer to listen to instruction and decipher it for themselves. Some like to watch and then attempt to imitate what they are seeing. Yet the feel component is the most crucial in learning golf.

There are thousands of ways to swing a club. Showing those to students will only pile on the amount of information some instructors feel is pertinent to improving one’s swing. However putting students in fundamental positions and allowing them to feel it without visual interpretation can make all the difference in the world.

In college I was fighting a double cross and went to see a local professional, Willie Miller. Within twenty minutes he adjusted my set up and the change produced a controlled cut shot that improved my game. As we took a brief break I asked him how the changes were dictating my swing. Willie replied with one of the greatest comebacks I’ve ever heard – “Why do you need to know?”

I had affected the changes through feel by adjusting my setup. All I had to do once I got in position was swing the club. Willie didn’t want a bunch of thoughts running through my head so he simply didn’t provide them. It was one of the best lessons I ever received.

The key point is Willie knew what sense to appeal to in the lesson. I wasn’t writing a dissertation, I just wanted to hit better golf shots. He made it happen simply and effectively.

Today’s technology may actually make it harder for students to improve because of “informational overload”. The good teacher knows the right dose of information to dispense and how to do it. Even though students may feel shortchanged if they don’t receive all the facts and figures, as instructors we must focus on the aspects they respond to best. Often those are simply adjustments dictated by introducing feel.

Ultimately golfers play their best when thoughts are few and feel is heightened. It is an awareness created by repetitive moves the mind trusts. As long as nothing gets in the way of this feedback, players can hit good shots throughout their round. But if one thought filters in, “I heard Sean Foley say…..” or “I saw Rory do this during his forward swing…..” then all bets are off. The process can be disrupted and feel dissipates into thin air.

If you have a student who is progressing well through your training by focusing on feeling their golf swing, maintain the momentum. Should the student cross the line and ask why it works that way, you have my permission to use Willie’s reply – “Why do you need to know?”

As instructors I encourage you to discover how your students learn. Hone in on that ability and run with it. If you’d rather show up with technology capable of heaping reams of reports on your students you are no longer a teacher, you are an information processor. Don’t stoop to that level. Golf instruction isn’t “Show & Tell”.  It is a process of discovery for every individual.

It’s extremely easy these days to break down a swing into myriads of angles and movements. Sometimes students are better off not knowing what is actually taking place. Don’t introduce additional elements that will disrupt how they learn. It’s up to you as an instructor to know your student.

 

 

 

 

The Defining Quality Of Golf

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As 2015 occupies our calendars let me wish everyone a very Happy New Year. I admit on this first day of January I have not been watching golf. The first college football playoff has garnered my interest. Oregon took care of business by thrashing Florida State and now as I type the Buckeyes and Crimson Tide are teeing it up in New Orleans. Meyer vs Saban, a classic grudge match of football egos. Truly entertaining.

Surprisingly as I watched the first contest a few parallels entered my mind. Obviously football isn’t golf. Yet it is still a competitive sport and some of sport’s axioms are inherent in both. Or are they?

Golf is often an individual endeavor. It’s man against man (match play) or man versus course (stroke play). On only a few occasions is team competition involved. Golf is one of those sports where the focus is on the player, rather than a team of players in most cases. You play the game, write down the scores than add them up at the end, pure and simple.

Today I find sport has taken a wrong turn when it comes to one of the important aspects found in any game. I blame much of it on the over-saturated media attention from sports-only networks. You know them. You watch them. They focus more on showmanship instead of sportsmanship. That is becoming a serious problem in many of the games being played.

This was on display this evening as the final gun sounded in the Rose Bowl. The majority of players from FSU headed for the locker room rather than crossing the field and congratulating their opponents. Sure, I get that a 40-point beat down is tough to take but when you play a game you had better be ready to engage in every facet of it. Sportsmanship is very much a part of sport.

A few Seminole players, Jameis Winston for one, did make an effort to shake hands with a few Ducks. The majority of ‘Noles probably had their pads off. Two questions popped into my mind with this display. First, why are the FSU players acting like this? Secondly, who is the role model encouraging such behavior?

By answering the latter you can figure out the initial inquiry. Certainly FSU’s head coach sets the tone. The actions of his players at the end of this game speaks volumes about his program. Imagine this kind of attitude in golf? Imagine Palmer walking off against Nicklaus without extending his congrats? Tiger isn’t the most gracious loser as compared to some of his predecessors but at least he extends his hand. Is golf in jeopardy of losing this important feature? I hope not.  Imagine a taunting penalty in golf?

It’s probably very apparent I am old school. I’ve been around this game for more than fifty years. One of the first things we were taught as junior golfers focused on the etiquette inherent in the game. Part of that doctrine involved sportsmanship. Knowing how to act was just as important as swinging the club. Sadly that attitude seems to be missing in other sports. It was null and void after tonight’s Rose Bowl regarding Florida State.  It was sad to see.

As we head into a new year I ask that everyone involved in sports validate the importance of sportsmanship. Be an advocate rather than an antagonist. Winning is fun but knowing how to lose is just as important. In the past year we’ve seen several occasions of stupidity by athletes so far removed from sportsmanship it makes you scratch your head. Part of the problem is generational. Today’s players haven’t been taught how to act. Etiquette is an unknown concept.  Parents, coaches, it’s up to you to reinforce the lesson. Let’s make sure one of the most endearing features of our game leads as a strong example for others.

Why Stop At 100?

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In a March 2006 Links Magazine article regarding the Top Courses, George Peper apologized for devising such a ranking while working at Golf Magazine. He acknowledged the following:

Twenty-seven years ago while editor-in-chief of GOLF Magazine, I perpetrated something called “The Top 100 Courses in the World.” For that mistake, and everything it has wrought, I am deeply and eternally sorry.

GOLF Magazine has also established its Top 100 Instructors listing. Obviously they didn’t get George’s message.

I know a few of the names on this list. I read their monthly columns from time to time. What amazes me is that many of their efforts deliver topical remedies most experienced instructors know. There aren’t many new thoughts, just semantics. I wondered what qualifies an instructor for this list.

I thought some of the attributes might include the following considerations:

Instruct Tour players

Operate their own teaching academy

Teach at a recognized golf club

Be a quality player

Have a Masters or Doctorate degree

Be associated with a recognized teacher

Have their own TV show

 

Many of these teachers are deserving of recognition. But don’t stop at 100. Oh my, gosh no. Several more are worthy or this recognition. If you wonder what the difference is between one of these Top 100 Teachers and others working weith adults and juniors on a day-to-day basis, I’ll tell you. It is marketing pure and simple.

I don’t doubt some of these noted instructors are qualified to make up such a list but how many are reaching out to the mainstream that comprise the golfing public? Teaching tour players provides a wonderful platform for recognition and marketing but what task is more difficult – teaching a player with incredible talent or one with very little? How wide is the moat they’re sticking their Trackmans into?

These days some of the teachers to the “tour stars” throw down their technological voodoo to refine swings a few tenths of a degree off kilter. However most know a tour player’s success lies between the ears and on the putting green. Quite often they just need to be told they are the best player in the world. I know several individuals capable of performing that task.

Yet others are instructing players with multiple degrees of inefficiency. Their challenges are often visible to the naked eye. I doubt many of these mainstream swingers are hitting the “fitness trailer” six days a week. Tour players they aren’t but they still want to improve. It’s like the old saying – “when the student is ready the teacher will appear.”

The best teachers in the world are the ones who interact with their students on more than the aspect of swing improvement. They promote the enjoyment of playing golf at every level. They talk about the history of the game. They inform players about the benefits of equipment features. They go out on the course with their students and observe/direct their playing habits. They highlight basic rules applications. These are the best teachers in the game and in too many cases they go unrecognized.

A top teacher in my book might instruct juniors in the morning, conduct a beginning ladies clinic in the afternoon and finish up with a variety of individual sessions before sundown. There might be a chance to grab a drink and half a sandwich between appointments. Through all of the time spent with his/her students the professional is intent on improving other’s games. This happens day in and day out. Instructors you’ve never heard of providing the connection to help others truly enjoy playing — scores of instructors not mentioned on GOLF’s list.

Currently the PGA of America boasts some 28,000+ members. For a magazine to single out 100 teachers is shortsighted. In a way it is also an insult to those who teach and promote the game throughout their career. I expect better of a national golf publication.  It’s like paying an eighteen hole greens fee and only playing one hole.

So for those whose teach under the radar for the love of the game, CONGRATULATIONS! You’ve made my list. I won’t limit it to the first triple digit number. My list is malleable. One thing is certain. If you’ve just given your first lesson or hit four figures, your efforts have made a difference to a person who loves golf. That is the main criterion for my list. But more importantly we need to grow the list of players discovering the great benefits of our game. That is the list that matters most. Go add to it.

 

 

 

 

My FAKE, FAKE, FAKE Q&A with Dan Jenkins

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At Dan Jenkins front door. (knock, knock, knock)

 

PPG: Mr. Jenkins, it’s PurePlayGolf. We had an interview scheduled today.

 

DJ: Huh, who’s there? Whaddya sellin’?

 

PPG: Mr. Jenkins open the door. It’s PurePlayGolf.

 

DJ: Pure what?? I don’t need any. No one’s home. Go away.

 

(Pound, pound, pound on the door.)

 

DJ: I told ya, get the hell outta here, ya lil’ queer….

 

PPG: Mr, Jenkins I don’t think you can use that term any more.

 

DJ: I can say and write anything I damn want to!

 

PPG: I’ve got Perkins gift cards if you’d just open up…

 

DJ: Why didn’t you say so in the first place? Love their Grand Slam breakfast…

 

PPG: I think you’ve got the two confused. Denny’s has the Grand Slam breakfast.

 

DJ: Nope, never hit a grand Slam myself. Played a lil’ fantasy football awhile back….

 

PPG: Please open the door!

 

Rustling, a loud “clunk”, heavy breathing. Finally the door opens. Jenkins appears with a rocks glass in his right hand, dressed in Augusta National boxers and a wife-beater that has an “I am the Greatest Sportswriter” patch sewn on the front. A 1967 US Open visor sits on his dome, Harry Carey glasses cover blank eyes.

 

DJ (whispering): Ya ain’t no Jewish sports agent are ya??

 

PPG: No, I’m a catholic that goes to church when there’s snow on the ground.

 

DJ: Pheww, get in here quick boy. Folks is after me.

 

We sit down on rusty lawn chairs facing a portrait of Jenko hung upside down on a wall.

 

PPG: What is that hanging off your ear, Mr. Jenkins?

 

DJ: It’s my Clapper hearing aid. Just have to smack my hands together to turn it up. Sponsor was givin’ em away at the St. Jude Classic.

 

PPG: Looks like a smoke detector….

 

DJ: Say you’re a defector?? Where you from boy?

 

PPG: I’m from Illinois. You know the Land of Lincoln, the Fighting Illini.

 

DJ: Wait a damn cottonpickin’ minute PureGay, I mean PureSay, PureDay, whatever the hell ya go by. You ain’t a college bud of Steinie’s is ya? Ya know he was a part of the Non-Flyin’ Illini hoops team in ‘89. Ever see a Jew with hops?

 

PPG: Didn’t know that Jenko.

 

DJ: Ain’t nothin’ I don’t know.  It’s my job to make stuff up. You have any idea who yer talkin’ to boy??

 

PPG: Some ole dude who pecks out nonsense on a typewriter?

 

DJ: Damn right I did. Never worked a day in my life. Didn’t earn a nickel. Everything was given to me or else I took it from the media tent. Augusta has great towels. Got a whole closet full of ‘em. Want a couple? $25/each.

 

PPG: Mr. Jenkins, can we talk about golf and your noteworthy career?

 

DJ: Huh?

 

PPG: Lemme turn that up for ya (Clap! Clap!)

 

DJ: OOOOOWWWWW… Not that loud boy.

 

PPG: Who was the greatest player you ever saw?

 

DJ: Geez, I seen ‘em all. They all adored me. They used to buy me drinks and food even before there was any damn Perkins. I never paid for nothin’. You should’ve seen my expense accounts at the magazine. Heeewwww Boy, those was the days…

 

PPG: So did ya ever pick up a check?

 

DJ: Hell, never been to that part of Europe before.

 

PPG: So who was the best? Hogan, Nicklaus?

 

DJ: Hmmmmmm, wanna drink young man. I think I got some grape Nehi in the ole fridge.

 

PPG: What are you sippin’?

 

DJ: Iced tea….. maybe scotch. Not quite sure. Got quite a kick to it.

 

PPG: Jerki, I mean Jenko, who was the best?

 

DJ: Well, Hogan and me were buddies. I knew Hogan before Hogan knew Hogan, ya know what I mean boy? Without me there wouldn’t have been any Hogan legacy. Damn shame he got hit by that bus. That was a brand new car….

 

PPG: Nicklaus?

 

DJ: Ridiculous???? Hell no. Hogan was a bit strange but he wasn’t ridiculous.

 

PPG: I said (Clap! Clap!) NICKLAUS!

 

DJ: Oh, Jackie boy, yeah he was ok.

 

PPG: What about Arnie?

 

DJ: Annie who? No let’s not bring up the past boy.

 

PPG: No, Arnold Palmer…

 

DJ: I told you… GRAPE NEHI is all I got!

 

PPG: What about Woods?

 

DJ: Those guys were so good they never hit it in the damn woods! Split all the fairways, hit the greens and romanced that flat stick. Ever see Demaret putt?

 

PPG: No, I meant Tiger….

 

DJ: Love Tigers. Back in the day the sponsors used to give me free tickets to the circus if it was in town. I loved seein’ them tamers smack those big furry cats. Kinda reminds me of a gal I met in Pensacola one night……..

 

PPG: Geez, have you ever had an affair Jenko?

 

DJ: With which hand? (loud laughter). That’s a joke boy…. I think. Hell I can’t remember. I’m 12 over par.

 

PPG: How many times have you been married?

 

DJ: I don’t remember…

 

PPG: Divorced?

 

DJ: Enough times to be selling Augusta National towels for $25.

 

PPG: Did you ever do a sit down with Sarazen?

 

DJ: Never took a likin’ to ‘em. Don’t own a single one.

 

PPG: Huh??

 

DJ: Cardigans. I just don’t like ‘em.

 

PPG: Tell me about “Dead, Solid, Perfect”.

 

DJ: That’s what’s goin’ on my tombstone. Pretty appropriate don’t ya think boy?

 

PPG: Not much of a literary masterpiece. A second grader could’ve written it.

 

DJ: Not just ANY second grader……

 

PPG: Did Snead and Nelson get along?

 

DJ: Oh, you mean Sam and Byron. Or was that Bam and Siren…. Snelson and Bead? Geez, this iced tea is kickin’ my ass…. What was yer question?

 

PPG: Never mind. Were you buddies with Murray?

 

DJ: Who?

 

PPG: The sportswriter from LA. Loved reading his stuff. It was pertinent, thoughtful, informative and to the point. Great golf writer. A lil’ more polished than your efforts.

 

DJ: Hmmmm, Murray, Murray…… oh, hell, Bill Murray never wrote anything worth a damn. His movies suck too.

 

PPG: What about McIlroy?

 

DJ: Damndest thing I ever saw. The guy makes a movie, Tin Hat or something like that and resurrects himself as a young man winnin’ all kinds of majors. He was a trainwreck in that movie. You had to see it. Venturi and Nantz were there….

 

PPG: Geez, ya old geezer, it’s McILROY not McAVOY.

 

DJ: Who you callin’ old, punk?

 

PPG: Look, Jerko, I just wanted to get some insight from you on your career. Some call you the greatest sportswriter ever (can’t imagine who). I wanted all four of my readers to get a sense of what you’ve accomplished in your lifetime. You interviewed all the greats – Snead, Hogan, Nelson, Demaret, Palmer, Nicklaus, Trevino…. Why do you think they wanted to talk to you? You seem like kind of a jackass.

 

DJ: They knew if they’d talk to me it would further their careers. Ya see boy, I’m the greatest and when ya hang with the greatest good things happen to ya. The year Hogan won his Triple Crown, I was there. Palmer at Cherry Hills, I was there. Nicklaus at Augusta in ’86, I was there. No other way to explain it, boy! I AM the man.

 

PPG: So that was you the fans were yelling for back in the 90’s when the “You Da Man” chant was big?

 

DJ: Damn straight. I’m still the man and don’t you forget it ya lil’ puny flatlander. You wanted to know about Cardigans…..

 

PPG: Dano, we covered that a while ago. You still with me?

 

DJ: That portrait looks great don’t it?

 

PPG: I guess it depends on how many iced teas you’ve had….

 

DJ: Ya know what’s great about bein’ old?? Wearin’ diapers again. I can drink a helluva lot and never get outta my chair.

 

PPG: I suppose…..

 

DJ: Nope I ain’t wearin’ no support hose. Got the legs of a 30 year old..

 

PPG: (Under my breath) And the mind of a …..

 

DJ: Huh? (Clap! Clap!)

 

PPG: So has this Politically Correct Movement hampered your writing?

 

DJ: You said you were gay, right? Hell no. We’re all humans. Humans all have a sense of humor. I like to poke fun at everyone – Jews, Blacks, Asians, Rastafarians, retards, poor folks, ugly folks, those wooden shoe wearin’dudes from Holland, ISIS, lions, tigers and bears……

 

PPG: Geez, Jenko you can’t say that. You’ll offend someone and the PC task force will be looking for you.

 

DJ: Ya know, the other night while I was sittin’ in my lawn chair whizzin’ my diaper I saw something big pass by my window. Big glowing eyes….

 

PPG: Bigfoot?

 

DJ: Might be. Never gotta a chance to interview him. Bet he hits it outta sight huh?

 

PPG: Probably. What about Feherty? Ever hang out with him. I think he’s pretty funny.

 

DJ: You would. He’s just a lil’ smartass with an Irish accent. Of course folks think he’s cute. I’m way better at parody than that weasel.

 

PPG: What’s your take on the Asian influence on the LPGA Tour?

 

DJ: Egads, they’re everywhere. Kim’s, Kong’s, Wong’s, Li’s, Lo’s, Ko’s….. You need a damn program to tell ‘em apart. I get in trouble sometimes when I’m having a drink and start talkin’ about that tour. Gender and Asians gets folks riled up a bit. It’s a double negative thingy…

 

PPG: So you stick mainly to covering mens golf.

 

DJ: One gender at a time I always say, except in a threesome…..

 

PPG: So, did you ever interview Tiger Woods?

 

DJ: I told you I see ‘em at the circus. They won’t talk to me during their act.

 

PPG: No, no, no, I mean the golfer Tiger Woods. You know, the guy that has won 14 majors. The dominant player of the modern era? Tiger, flippin’ Woods!

 

DJ: You mean the dude who crashed his Escapade? That guy? Wears red on Sunday afternoons? Geez, that ain’t happenin’ lately is it?

 

PPG: Yep, that’s the man.

 

DJ: Nope, I’m the man. I keep tellin’ ya..

 

PPG: I meant he’s the guy.

 

DJ: What guy? Where? Bigfoot back again?

 

PPG: How old are you Dano?

 

DJ: Is that a multiple choice question?

 

PPG: How many over par are you?

 

DJ: 12

 

PPG: Any birdie chances left as your life winds down?

 

DJ: Not as long as lil’ jerks like you keep tryin’ to ride my coattails. Hey, I stole it on my own. I ain’t givin’ anything back. I am THE BEST DAMN SPORTSWRITER that ever lived!

 

PPG: What is the deal between you and Tiger Woods anyway?

 

DJ: He won’t bow down and kiss my Bic.

 

PPG: Excuse me?

 

DJ: I was here long before he was. Did I tell ya I knew Hogan, Snead, Demaret, Nicklaus, Chi Chi, Trevino………

 

PPG: Arnold Palmer too?

 

DJ: Kid, I told ya…… GRAPE NEHI!

 

PPG: So you’re looking for a lil’ love as they say?

 

DJ: Who said that? You been checkin’ out my ole tour stops? Everything those dames tell ya about me ain’t true.

 

PPG: You know I’m kind of worn out from this nonsense. Can you give a coherent summary of your career, all of the things you’ve accomplished.

 

DJ: I’m in the damn Golf Hall of Fame ain’t I !!! What else do you need to know?

 

PPG: Thanks for wasting my time. Don’t get up. I’ll see myself to the door.

 

DJ: You do that ya lil’ queer (whizzzzzzzzzzzzz). Ahhhhhhhhh….

 

PPG: Clap! Clap!

 

DJ: OOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

When The Curtain Comes Down

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One of the perils of living in Green Bay is not knowing when the golf season will come to an end. I have recorded rounds in each month, even January, since I came to the “Tundra”. Last season was the first time I did not swing a club in November. Caught up with yard work I rationalized there would be another day. I should have known better.

As this year’s calendar page flipped from Halloween to November I knew there would be a few more bonus days to do some outside swingin’. The start of the month brought damp, unseasonable cold temps but I knew a glorious day would arrive for one last round. The weather forecasters painted a bleak picture last Thursday. The prospect of a visit from the “Polar Vortex” loomed Monday and it looked as if the curtain was coming down quickly. With temperatures in the mid 40’s, Friday golf was my only option. Three buddies and I bundled up, grabbed our tricycles and wheeled around the county course on a grey, windless afternoon. It may have been the most enjoyable round I played all year. Final rounds often are.

Every principle of PurePlayGolf availed itself during the round. There were a few rules situations (RulesPlay) affecting play. FitPlay was evident as I subbed a new 50* wedge while another buddy wanted to hit a few of my Mizuno irons since he had ordered the same clubs. PracticePlay entered the equation as I employed a new chipping stroke. Naturally the day was about CoursePlay as the focus centered on a highly competitive Four-Ball match. MindPlay ebbed and flowed throughout the round as all of us dealt with the cold, the speed of the greens, good and bad shots plus the thought sitting in the back of our minds that this might be the last round of 2014. Yet the best aspect of the day, ComradePlay, stole the show. The four of us absolutely enjoyed the round from the first tee to our 19th hole bar stool. This is what PurePlayGolf is about – enhancing the experience.

Looking back on this year I PurePlay’ed my way around Wisconsin and Illinois with good friends at some great venues. I remember a few of the shots I hit, none of them from the practice tee. I recall some of the entertaining stories told by my playing partners. There were times my game fell into the zone (MindPlay) for a few holes but keeping it there is a task I realize is becoming tougher with age. A few of the scores are faint recollections. The most memorable occasions involved playing with friends who share an appreciation of the game and enhance the experience. Taking a break from life among fairways and greens is never a bad thing. That is why I play the game. It enhances my life. It is the catalyst for developing friendships. It teaches me that golf, like life, isn’t always fair but in most cases you will always have a shot. I will continue to play this wonderful game until I am unable.

I hope your PurePlay season was one filled with memorable occasions as well as those special moments where there is no greater enjoyment than the feel of a well-struck shot finding its target. I hope the frustration that comes from labored instruction falls away to reveal a simpler solution to improvement. If your scores were not in the range you desired, did you appreciate the venues played and the companionship of your playing partners? Were you able to take more out of the game than just a number?

Take a look at the many ways PurePlayGolf can heighten your playing experience. Whether it’s a round at the local muny or a golf trip with close friends, be open to creating unique memories. When this is the case the emphasis on the numbers is only part of the equation. PurePlayGolf’s scorecard is bigger. It’s more than just numbers. The boxes are large enough to paint pictures and transcribe stories. It captures the total experience for the players who put one in their pocket. It enhances their game.

If you’re looking for ways to improve in 2015 look no further.  PurePLayGolf will make a difference. Take the time this off season to discover the possibilities.

 

 

 

 

Ted Bishop’s Un-Excellent Adventure

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Many in the golf world were surprised when PGA President Ted Bishop was relieved of his duties this past Friday. Apparently Mr. Bishop engaged in a he-said/she-said fight on Twitter and FaceBook with Ian Poulter about a few comments Poulter had penned in his new book.   Mr. Poulter (she-said) slammed Nick Faldo for some words the latter offered about Sergio Garcia’s Ryder Cup play in 2008. In this elementary schoolyard brawl he-said (Bishop) called she-said (Poulter) a little schoolgirl and the PCP (Political Correct Police) arrived faster than a brush fire with a tail wind. The incident resulted in the PGA Board of Directors removing Bishop from office, three weeks short of the expiration of his term.

For those believing this action stemmed from the he-said/she-said dialogue, you might as well go wax your shafts. There was a much larger issue between President Bishop and the PGA Board than lil’ schoolgirls. As the months passed on Bishop’s presidency it became known he was not the most popular kid on the PGA’s playground. The social media comments only served as a conduit to throw him under the school bus. Some sources within the Association have told me the Board did not approve of his actions while in office. Once the moment availed itself, they swooped in and pulled him off the course.

I’ve met Ted Bishop. I have not met Ian Poulter, Nick Faldo or Sergio Garcia. I can only speak about Bishop while I have observed him during the course of his tenure with the PGA. He has gotten behind programs to grow the game, a game that is experiencing dwindling play. I have seen him as a visible proponent of his association, much more so than any of his predecessors. He took a stand with the R&A and USGA regarding the ban of long putters. I did not always agree with him but I liked the way he stood up and spoke his mind.

His selection of Tom Watson as Ryder Cup Captain may be seen as the ultimate failure but to me it was a brilliant move. Watson and Bishop did not hit one single shot at Gleneagles yet they are taking the hit for the American’s loss. The fact is our team did not play as well as the Europeans – case closed. Many of Team USA’s players don’t understand when it comes down to competition you stick your tee in the ground, grind it out, play your best and shake hands at the end. This bunch didn’t step up for themselves through their play or their captain by way of respect. Instead they laid the blame at his feet on Scottish soil. Imagine if Ben Hogan were their captain? The fact is Hogan would have little to do with these players. They wouldn’t comprehend his simple message – go out and win.

I suspect some within the ranks did not approve of Bishop’s visibility. Perhaps they expected him to cow-tow a bit more but I don’t believe that is Ted Bishop. Bishop is used to calling the shots, cutting through the crap and getting things done. He is the owner of The Legends Golf Club in Franklin, Indiana. When you are the owner of a business you make decisions, probably don’t sit in on too many committee meetings, pay the bills and administer the operation to the best of your ability. Contrast this to other PGA Professionals who may work at member-owned facilities, make decisions through committees, have to justify their job performance to a board of directors, and bite their tongues on too many occasions in order to remain employed. They are two different worlds. Bishop didn’t want to operate under those constraints so he became a facility owner. He is used to doing it on his own. That work ethic in my view is worthy of respect.

At a time when the PGA (an association I often don’t understand and I’ve been a member since 1986) needed some leadership and visibility, Ted Bishop stepped up. His presence put an identity on the Association’s involvement for many of the initiatives promoting the game.

But in this day and age the temptations of social media can sabotage careers quicker than a double-cross. Should he have known better? Yes. Frankly, Ian Poulter is not worth the effort to jeopardize one’s standing in the golf world. Yet it happened. Bishop is going to pay a severe penalty, a penalty that in my estimation is unwarranted. His two comments do not outweigh the efforts and hours he has put in serving the PGA the last (almost) two years. Perhaps he is the victim of being his own person (politically correct term) but in the end isn’t that what all of us should aspire to?

My wife and I were watching the fallout from this decision Friday night on the Golf Channel. When I told her about the situation she asked, “How is this worse than Bill Maher calling Sarah Pallin the “c-word? Nothing happened to him.”

Or maybe Don Imus calling the Rutgers women’s basketball team “a bunch of nappy-headed ho’s.” I see him now in the mornings on Fox Business News. He resurfaced without suffering too much damage.

Or the next time I’m playing with three male friends and I leave a putt woefully short, one of them utters, “Nice putt, Alice….” Should I ask the ranger to have him removed from the course never to return?

I could go on but why? Many folks in prominent positions have uttered things much worse than Ted Bishop and have suffered little if any consequence. What he did may have been in poor taste and lacked judgment. However ask yourself this question – does the punishment fit the crime? As I said previously there have been many times when I did not understand the actions of my Association. This represents one of them. Questions about Bishop’s removal should be asked of each member of the PGA Board. What were their reasons from throwing a “death-penalty” at him? That is where the truth lies but unfortunately is not likely to ever be known. It will all slowly dissolve once all of the lil’ school children (I checked with the PCP) are called in from recess. Somehow this scorecard doesn’t add up.

 

 

Pure Raynor

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In the past month I had the opportunity to play two wonderful Seth Raynor courses – Chicago Golf Club and Blue Mound Golf & Country Club. For those who appreciate architecture from earlier days, these two layouts offer incredible examples of classic design.

Raynor was mentored by Charles Blair Macdonald, the noted architect who crafted the National Golf Links of America. The two collaborated on many superb courses including Chicago Golf Club, Yale Golf Club, Camargo in Cincinnati and The Country Club of Charleston (SC). The interesting characteristic of these courses is certain hole designs are repeated at each venue. If you tend not to notice such similarities, you still may walk away with the feeling that you’ve played a certain hole before in another place.

Raynor often incorporated hole designs Cape, Redan, Short, Biarritz, Alps, to name a few. The features migrated from layouts in the British Isles. If you examine courses on Google Earth it’s easy to spot common characteristics in the green complexes and surrounding bunkers. While the holes aren’t exact duplicates the strategy employed to play the holes are the same.

Playing with two longtime friends at Chicago Golf (some aficionados like to simply call it Wheaton), I progressed through the round absorbing the many subtleties Macdonald and Raynor employed. It wasn’t my first time around the venue. I played it back in the persimmon/muscleback era with balata ammunition. Despite the advances in technology the course more than held its own. Yes, some of the approaches to the greens may have been a bit shorter but undulations, false fronts, and strategic bunkering demanded precision. I remarked to my buddy RB on the twelfth (punchbowl), how amazing it was to take a straightaway hole and give it movement through the use of cross bunkers and sweeping fairway definition. Top it off with the elevated punchbowl green and number twelve at CGC is one of the finest par fours you can play.

I had never played Blue Mound so the experience would be similar to opening the pages of a new book. The course has been compacted by the urban sprawl surrounding the property but the routing is well thought out with the outward nine surrounding the inward. EJ, the retired starter told us to watch out for the three-tiered putting surface on the second. Little did my nephew and I expect the tiers would not run up the green. Instead they were placed left front, right front, and back right, three different elevations that offered a stern putting challenge. After that encounter the par-three third threw a Biarritz green at us and we were on our way. I managed to sling a five iron to the back of the green at the Redan (#13) although the flag was placed in the middle of the heaving putting surface.  The Redan at Blue Mound is fun to play.  At Chicago, it can be excruciatiing

Holes eight and nine are excellent models of solid par-fours. The long, uphill eighth offers players a ground option to its punchbowl although you’d better not be short as a cavernous bunker left of the green swallows the weak appraoch. The shorter ninth leads players back to the wonderful lannon stone clubhouse through a maze of cross bunkers to a deceptively sloping green. It is a wonderful finish to a solid outward nine.

Both courses feature unremarkable property. However the ingenious talent of the architect(s) more than compensates for any deficiencies. The green complexes at both offer marvelous tests. While Chicago intricately mows square edges on their putting surfaces, Blue Mound still maintains the integrity of their design at a well-manicured level. The start in Illinois will quickly grab your attention (450, 440, 220) whereas the initiation north of the state line is a bit more cordial. The first green at Blue Mound does remind the player of what is to come with its two-shot Redan. As severe as the yardage test is at Chicago on the opening threesome, you had better bring your best putting touch to Blue Mound’s starting trio.

I’m often asked to name my favorite course. I’ve played tournament courses, sleepy country clubs, ranked resorts and upscale muny’s. I’m lucky to have seen so much and been able to bring a decent (some might debate this) skill level to these offereings. Yet when I’m asked to name a favorite it has to fall under the category of “a course I’d enjoy playing every day”. Certainly CGC and Blue Mound fit the bill. While both venues fall well short of 7000 yards, they prove themselves is so many ways. Yes the design features are markedly similar but in reality show me a modern day architect who doesn’t employ the same tendencies from course to course. Dye, Fazio, Trent Jones and Nicklaus have the same things up their sleeves as Macdonald, Raynor, Ross and MacKenzie. Great design is timeless.

As years roll by and the adage “the older I get the better I used to be” rings true, I understand the importance of walking off the eighteenth green with an appreciation of all the game has given me. Whether it’s a decent score, the beauty of the day, the camaraderie of close friends, an admiration of the architecture, or some combination of these factors, a day on the golf course is always an enjoyable privilege.

Another good friend, JV, contends that to play a “shrine” is a very special golf experience. They’re out there but most players don’t understand the connotation. Most don’t take the time to appreciate what they are walking across. Most see it as sport rather than a game. With sport, the only thing that matters is winning. However, playing the game of golf affords several chances to win regardless of the numbers on the card. Holing out on the final greens in Wheaton and Wauwatosa allowed me to put many “W’s” on my memory scorecard. The essence of PurePlayGolf was very evident those two fall days.

Raynor’s works granted me a chance to step back in time and see that indeed great design and great golf are truly timeless. Before the snow flies get out and open your eyes to the many wonders golf provides.  Get out and PurePlay.