Greetings Golfers,

I go to golf meetings and read golf magazines. Though I’m mostly just involved in running Deer Run GC, I do try to know what’s going on in the golf world.

But sometimes what I read and hear bothers me – I feel that too often the “leaders” become too removed from the trenches to really know what’s going on. So, I’m going to talk about what I see as a disconnection. But as Oscar Wilde said “If you want to tell people the truth, make ’em laugh. Otherwise they’ll kill you”.

I’m not sure I’m that funny – so this might be pretty risky.

The United States Golf Association has a new President – Diana Murphy – and Golf Digest recently interviewed her. Their first question was: “What do you hope to accomplish as USGA President?” Mrs. Murphy’s response was “Obviously championships are our heart and soul”.

She was referring to championships such as the US Open and the US Amateur.

I think those tournaments are very cool and good for golf. But … the “heart and soul” of the USGA?

Obviously, (I had to use it) the average golfer is not the heart and soul of the USGA. But, she does care about the average golfer … just listen to her response to this next question: “Golfer retention is still an issue – what can the USGA do to help?” She replied, “You don’t have to be a scratch golfer to come to a championship”.

How refreshing! You don’t have to be a scratch player to watch a golf tournament! … and that’s the secret to retaining golfers? Really?

What about retaining golfers with these options:
* design more player-friendly courses
* improve and simplify golf instruction
* simplify the handicap system
* simplify the golf rule book
* emphasize hospitality at golf clubs

That’s how I see it. I hope Oscar Wilde was wrong.

Cheers,

Tom Abts
GM and Head Golf Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com

Greetings Golfers,

Why does Adam Scott fly under the radar? He’s got a perfect swing and is a great shot maker – has been for 15 years. Is it because he’s never really dominated? He seems like a really nice guy … and my wife thinks he’s great looking.

Maybe it was because he was using that long putter. But he’s won two tournaments this year without it. People go to the long putter when they get yippy with little putts. It’s usually not about medium length or long putts … but the tall putter seems to help people make those testy short putts.

Well I’ve got some thoughts on that subject – hang in there while I try to make my point. Everybody goes through a phase when they miss little putts. But sometimes it becomes a phobia and can really become a problem. The typical analysis is that the player is using too much right hand and is too “flippy”. So, the recommended fix is to putt cross-handed or as they say “left hand low”. The reasoning is that it’s a good way to take the right hand out of the stroke.

But what if that doesn’t work? Well the next step was the tall putter. That style meant anchoring the top of the putter on your chest and stroking the putt with your right hand.

Yeah … I said “stroking the putt with your right hand”. And, with a somewhat “flippy” stroke.

I think the yips are a result of NOT using your right hand in a natural flippy stroke. How often have you left yourself a short putt and just tapped it in with your right hand only? I bet you never miss.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, I believe that you should hit up on the ball with the putter – and with a wristy action especially of your right hand. You then use more of a swinging arm stroke as the putt becomes longer.

The problem with all of this started because too many people tried to scoop the ball on their full shots. That wristy scooping action leads to hitting behind the ball or hitting the top of the ball. Trying to get the clubhead under the ball is the opposite of the proper impact with an iron shot.

But the goal of putting is not the same impact position as that of hitting an iron. Putting is about rolling the ball. You roll the ball with a flat-faced club on a smooth surface. The best and easiest way is to use your right hand and wrist to hit the ball on the way up and impart topspin to your putt.

There is no need for the long putter. Just use your right hand on a normal size putter and your yips and fear of short putts will be gone.

Adam Scott might become the superstar he seemed destined to be … if he starts putting more with his right hand!

Cheers,

Tom Abts
GM and Head Golf Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com

Greetings Golfers,

Four years ago we opened the golf course on March 16. That seemed crazy … our average opening date is April 6. But, the record is about to be broken – we’re going to open onMonday, March 14.

I’m tempted to rant about what is new for this season at Deer Run GC … but I’m not going to do it now (wait a few weeks!).

We’ll be good – Barry says the turf is perfect – but we’re not in mid-season form. So, we’ll have Senior Rates for everyone-all day-every day during March and April. This is our preseason – just like the Twins in Ft. Meyers. May 1 is our Big League Season opening day.

That’s my story – what’s yours? Are you ready to play? Have you practiced over the winter? Do you have new clubs? Have you got a new swing theory?

Swing theory. The secret is in the word swing. When I play poorly I don’t swing – I try to hit the ball with a golf club. Though I know that, I still need ideas to help me swing and not hit. Here’s a thought that helped me this winter: “Take the club back low and slow”. That helps me find some rhythm right away in the backswing.

The other day I saw a golf swing video by Rick Smith. I loved it. Smith had a drill to get golfers to swing low to high with a lot of hand rotation. It’s a great drill to overcome the tendency to come over-the-top and smash down on the golf ball.

A few years ago I was at a seminar by a semi-famous golf instructor who mostly works with PGA Tour players. He talked about how the new swing technique on Tour was to finish the swing “low and left”. Of course I had to disagree. Finishing “low and left” for most players is a disaster – they need to finish “high and right” like in the Rick Smith drill. Maybe that move works for Tour players (maybe), but that’s not what the other MN Golf Pros at the seminar should be instructing their students.

As I said, this is the pre-season. Let’s get out and play golf and try to swing. Hopefully some of these ideas and drills will help – but remember … it’s a golf “swing”.

Cheers,

Tom Abts
GM and Head Golf Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com

Greetings Golfers,

Tiger Woods is still in the news. This time as an example for Rory McIlroy … and Brandel Chamblee says he’s a BAD example! Not Woods’ personal life – but his work-out life. Brandel expressed concern that Rory was getting too big from lifting weights and that it would mess him up like it messed up Tiger.

Of course Rory appreciated Chamblee’s public comments. Not so much! Rory came back on Twitter saying that he lifts weights but is not trying to be a body-builder.

I’m old school on this one. I think Tiger got way too big and it changed his golf swing (not for the better). And, I think it is directly linked to the back problems he’s having now.

As far as wanting more distance … look at Sam Snead. Or look at Bubba Watson. Who hits it farther than Bubba? Is he some weight lifting beast? Sam Snead was as long as anyone and played well until he was an old man. And he played every day!

Golfers need strong legs … but walking will strengthen your legs all you need. And we need strong hands and forearms – squeeze a tennis ball or some such thing. But what we really need is flexibility. That’s what I’ve lost as I’ve gotten older and it’s the main reason for the distance I’ve lost over the years.

In the 1996 Masters, skinny Tiger Woods averaged 342 yards off the tee. In the 2002 Masters, bulked up Tiger averaged 293 yards off the tee.

Sam Snead was unbelievably flexible – the secret to his beautiful and long lasting golf swing. Snead should be Rory’s model – not Tiger.

Cheers,

Tom Abts
GM and Head Golf Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com

Greetings Golfers,

A few weeks ago, GOLF DIGEST magazine had an article about celebrities’ USGA handicaps. These celebrities are a combination of actors, athletes, and musicians. I thought it was an interesting article – a person’s golf handicap can add some insight into who they are.

But what really hit me, was how much lower the handicaps were than their normal scores. I’m not saying that these people have phony handicaps to look good … I’m saying that the way the system works is that it’s rare to play to your handicap – or even to play NEAR your handicap.

Here are some examples from the article. Each of these celebrities had 20 scores on their card and their corresponding USGA handicap. I’m going to go from best to worst. John Smoltz leads us off with a plus 1.7 handicap – that means he ADDS shots to his score!

John Smoltz          +1.7    12 scores over 78 out of 20 scores
Steph Curry            0.2     9 scores over 77 out of 20 scores
Michael Jordan     1.9     10 scores over 80 out of 20 scores
Jake Owen             2.8     11 scores over 79 out of 20 scores
Kenny G                  3.5     12 scores over 80 out of 20 scores
Steve Kerr               4.5     10 scores over 84 out of 20 scores
Samuel Jackson     6.9     10 scores over 84 out of 20 scores
Wayne Gretzky       8.5     13 scores over 86 out of 20 scores
Tom Brady               9.2    11 scores over 87 out of 20 scores
Mark Wahlberg     13.0    15 scores over 90 out of 20 scores
Dennis Haysbert   13.4    14 scores over 90 out of 20 scores
Ray Romano          16.2    13 scores over 97 out of 20 scores

I found this shocking. You hear that someone is a plus handicap and you expect them to break par, not to probably shoot over 78 like John Smoltz. Or that a 3.5 handicap player like Kenny G is probably not going to break 80? How about a 4.5 like Steve Kerr probably going to shoot over 84? Or a single digit (8.5) player like Wayne Gretzky normally shooting in the high 80s? And then a 16.2 like Ray Romano not likely to break 100?

What’s going on? Do you want these guys as your partner in a match?

Why can’t the USGA handicap system just average the scores?

I realize that the USGA is doing everything to make handicaps fair and equitable – but am I the only one who thinks these handicaps are misleading? And it seems to me that misleading handicaps lead to manipulation.

How would like your USGA Handicap card with your last 20 scores and handicap printed in a national magazine?

Cheers,

Tom Abts
GM and Head Golf Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com

Greetings Golfers,

Here’s one of my classic conflicts … I love these two opposite sayings:

1.) “If it’s not broken – don’t fix it.”

2.) “The most damaging phrase in history is: It’s always been done that way.”

See what I mean? I like to be practical – but I don’t want to be stuck. And, I like to be innovative – but I don’t like change just for the sake of change.

What I like about each saying is the freedom to do something, and the freedom not to do something.

Let’s take that to the golf swing.  If I’m your instructor, and your golf swing works … I’ll leave it alone. You might want it to look like Rory McElroy’s swing, but I’ll tell you to keep your swing and work on your short game. That’s my “If it’s not broken don’t fix it.”

But, if you come to me with a “normal swing” and it doesn’t work … then, let’s start trying stuff – and I mean maybe crazy stuff. We have a guy at DRGC who chips with his right hand only – and he can really chip the ball. The conventional way didn’t work for him – so we found something that works. Obviously that’s an example of the second saying.

So, I guess they aren’t really in conflict. There is room for both. Combined, they’re probably what we know as common sense – when to change and when not to change.

That should be my new saying: “Common sense is knowing when to change and when not to change.”

Cheers,

Tom Abts
GM and Head Golf Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com

Greetings Golfers,

Are you set for sports viewing this weekend? I don’t mean the Super Bowl – I mean the Phoenix Open.

They’re both crazy events – but the golf event might be the crazier one.

The Phoenix Open is played at the TPC in Scottsdale, and the par 3 16th hole is what put the tournament on the map.
Last year’s winner – Brooks Koepke – said “ It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Guys have explained it to me and it’s nothing like what they say. The fans make it unbelievable.”

The rumor has it that some guys from Minnesota started the shenanigans on #16. Here’s from a 2009 article in CIGAR AFICIONADO – “A group of former Arizona State students from Minnesota return every year to lead the chorus of cheers and catcalls from the stands closest to the players on the left side of the tee.”

Don’t blame me – I’m not one of them. I used to go to the Phoenix Open while I was at ASU in the ‘70s. It was held at the Phoenix Country Club and got about 10,000 fans per day. Last year’s opening day got over 118,000 fans and the total for the tournament was 563,000 fans.

Is this a golf tournament or a party? Both – but mostly a party. Is that bad? Let’s compare it to the Super Bowl – is that football or a party? Both – but mostly a party.

I’ll admit that I’m kind of a sports purist. I love the games – the athletic skill, but especially the strategy involved … chess on a playing field. But there’s no market for that – not really. Is that a shame?… no – it’s just a game. Sometimes I have to remind myself of that.

Cheers,

Tom Abts
GM and Head Golf Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com

Greetings Golfers,

I just read that a major golf club manufacturer is coming out with a set of “longer irons”. What does this really mean? It means that a robot hits their 7 iron longer than someones else’s 7 iron? Would you hit it longer? Maybe. Do you hit your 5 iron longer than your 7 iron? These new “longer irons” are just mis-marked.

Compare a 1976 Wilson Staff 7 iron with any golf company’s latest 7 iron … the new 7 irons are as long as the old 5 irons. Longer shafts and less loft. Why do we now need “gap wedges”? Because the normal gap between irons changed when club companies started to make “longer irons”. The sand wedge length and loft remained standard, so we needed “gap wedges” to fill the new gap between a pitching wedge and a sand wedge. Because a modern pitching wedge is like an older 8 or 9 iron.

This is just goofy marketing. A modern 3 iron is the same club as an old 1 iron. Nothing’s changed but the numbers on the clubs.

If I manufactured clubs I’d go the opposite route. Golf is a hard game because of the distance between the grip and the club-face. Think about it. Ping-pong is pretty easy because the grip is next to the paddle-face. Tennis is hard because of the distance between the grip and the racket-face. That’s why those really long drivers are so hard to hit. Tiger Woods used to use a shorter driver so he could hit it solid. If I manufactured clubs – I’d make shorter shafts and more loft. That would make the game EASIER. But … people get weird about how far they hit a club. They feel like a wimp if they’re hitting “more club” on a Par 3 than their friends. So if they have a club that says 7 iron when it’s really a 5 iron, they think they’re powerful.

The number doesn’t matter. It’s what you can hit.

Cheers,

Tom Abts
GM and Head Golf Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com

Greetings Golfers,

For many years I’ve been ranting about how golf courses need to be more fun, have faster rounds, know their market, and not get swallowed-up in the discount trap.

Now I have new cause. Brace yourself … hope you don’t get too sick off me talking about this the next few years. I’m talking about course design. Golf was originally a low ball game – sort of a giant croquet course. It was a game of angles … hazards were to be played away from or short of. The fairways were hard and the ball ran … but the greens were not pool table fast.

What happened? Well, the long high shot flew over the fairway bunkers and landed softly on the green … the need for angle play was gone. Just bomb it high, find it, and fly it up on the green … and putt like a freak. I get it. I don’t like it … but it worked and guys like Jack Nicklaus made a lot of money.

But, course design followed suit. Courses got very long and demanded long high shots. I’m down here in South Carolina and the carries to reach the fairways are crazy. And most holes have water in front of the green. Angles are meaningless. Low shots are worthless.

Why is this bad? I’ll tell ya – how’s Tiger Wood’s back doing? How’s your back? I just went to see a doctor about my neck. High shots are for young, flexible, skinny kids with a lot of clubhead speed.

As I talk about … solid contact or proper impact is made with the hands in front of the ball. But that takes loft off of the club. The only way to do that AND hit it high, is to lean way back with the upper body when making contact – what is known as the reverse-C-position.

Sure, some of you hit it high by hitting off your back foot and flipping your hands under the ball – but that’s a poor way to strike the golf ball. The consistent way is to lead with the hands as you shift your weight to your front foot – that’s a good golf swing … and it hits a LOW shot. And it’s a swing you can make all of your life without needing surgery.

You know I have a lot more to say about this. I’m just warming up … but at least I warned you!

Best,

Tom Abts
GM and Head Golf Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com

Greetings Golfers,

How are you coming with your New Year’s Resolutions?

Don’t get defensive … I’m not trying to run your life. But, most of us do need to work on a few things.

Actually, I have a pretty long list … but I’ve learned not to take on too much (I’m pretty good at rationalizing). So, here’s one that’s staying on my final list: “Just think positive thoughts while playing golf.”

I can hear you laughing. Sounds pretty trite and ridiculous. Though I love to play golf, I can get really frustrated, and get pretty negative. Does that negative attitude help my game? Not so much. How about my enjoyment of the game – does the negative attitude help that? Again – not so much. Then what’s the point? Why be negative?

Well … it is hard to justify. In fact talking about it is kind of embarrassing. What happens, is that it feels like God or the gods of golf have turned on me – that they want me to suffer. Then I get mad and want to fight back. Who? Fight whom? Maybe if I squeeze the club really hard and swing really fast … yeah – that’s real helpful.

The other night we watched “Christmas Vacation”. Do you remember the scene where Chevy Chase is unsuccessfully plugging in his Christmas lights and goes crazy? He starts to kick and punch the yard ornament reindeer and Santa – he snaps – the gods have turned against him. Sometimes golf makes me feel like that … ok – a lot of the time.

That was last year. Oh, I might get that tinge of frustration … but I’m going to shift gears into being Mr. Positive.

Can’t wait.

Happy New Year,

Tom Abts
GM and Head Golf Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com