Greetings Golfers,

Last week I wrote about Jackie Burke. Since then, I’ve read his book “It’s Only A Game” … and I want to keep writing about him. But I won’t … buy his book instead … I bought a bunch to hand out to people.

Burke’s love of golf and common sense are so refreshing. Thank God he was a writer … because most of us will probably never meet the man.

Golf continues to bring joy to people’s lives. Yesterday, one of our players had a career round – he shot 68. What a great score! Most people will never shoot in the 60’s – their games aren’t that consistent. One of my other favorite golf pro writers is Percy Boomer. Boomer didn’t give golfers the typical USGA handicap, but rather referred them by how many holes they could play well. For example he would say that someone is a 10 hole player – meaning that they would have 8 poor holes. That’s why 68 is such an usual score … few people can play a solid 18 holes. That’s also why Tour events are 4 rounds … even fewer people can keep it up for 72 holes in a row.

Many years ago I used to play in a two day tournament Up North. The first day was 18 holes of qualifying for your flight. And the second day was a series of 9 hole match play rounds. Well, in 9 holes some crazy things can happen. A bad break and lucky break can give the match to the lesser player. But, amazingly enough, the semifinals seemed to have the same four guys every year.

Luck in golf usually evens out … I know it doesn’t feel like that, but that’s just human nature – we all feel we deserve more than we get.

But this fellow’s 68 wasn’t luck. He has natural talent – but he has also worked very hard at his game. I can take none of the credit. He’s worked the last few years with a very good teacher and they both deserve a lot of credit.

And yet, this player isn’t all about score. He just flat out loves golf – and for all the right reasons. He’s a pleasure to play with and very respectful of his playing partners, the golf course, clubhouse, and our staff.

It’s fun to see the good guys do well. Now all he needs to do is read Jackie Burke.

Cheers,

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

Greetings Golfers,

For the past few weeks I kept hearing about Jackie Burke. I thought I was a fairly decent student of golf, but I didn’t really know who they were referring to.

Well, John Joseph (Jackie) Burke should not fly under the radar. He’s still going strong at 92 years old. He owns the Champions Golf Club in Houston – and has since it opened in 1957. The year before – 1956 – he won the Masters and the PGA Championship … thus putting him in position to get off the Tour and own his own golf club.

Mr. Burke is very old school. He grew up in Texas and his buddies were Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Jimmy Demaret, Henry Picard, and Claude Harmon. Most good golf instruction comes from those guys. Jim McLean and Steve Elkington have great YouTube interviews with Burke. Jackie talks about how he focused on hitting the inside corner of the golf ball – not the direct back of the ball. And he was a putting wizard and teacher – very influential on Ben Crenshaw and Phil Mickleson. He believed in rolling the ball into the hole at a slow pace.

About 10 years ago GOLF DIGEST magazine did a great interview with Mr. Burke. Here are some of his quotes:

* To succeed at golf you have to master the art of not being embarrassed.
* Stomping around looking for the sprinkler head that has “162” marked on it is a complete waste of time. Before they invented 150 markers we had a formula that worked better than numbers. Determine what club you need that will fly the ball over the green. Then use one club less and hit it soft, medium, or hard depending on where the flag is. It never fails. And it will save half an hour off your round.

* I was raised in a good home. The worst luck someone can have is coming up in a bad home. It can be too much to overcome. Remember that when looking around.

* Hang the Mona Lisa in a country club boardroom, and sooner or later an incoming president will lobby to repaint the color of her hair.

* Live your life so that when you die your funeral will fill up the church. A big funeral says something about how much you were loved, or at least respected. These people who get to church by way of the electric chair don’t get much of a turnout. They have to rent the pallbearers.

I think you get the flavor of the man. To me he’s an American at its best – independent, original, thoughtful, considerate, and warm hearted. A good model for this 4th of Julyweekend.

Cheers,

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

Greetings Golfers,

I have to talk about last week’s US Open. I’m sure you’ve read articles about it and talked to your friends about it … but, this one deserves a lot of review.

First off – how great is Jordan Spieth? It was a roller coaster finish – especially the last hole. Yet the last three holes were amazing – Spieth’s birdie putt on #16, Grace’s OB drive also on “16, Spieth’s double bogey on #17, and Dustin Johnson’s birdie on #17.

But #18 was mind boggling. Spieth hitting that incredible second shot to set up an eagle putt – which he wisely cozied-up to leave himself a tap-in birdie … and then Johnson hitting a perfect drive and second shot to give himself an even closer eagle putt. And then Johnson rolling his eagle attempt four feet by and missing the comeback putt to lose by one shot. Unbelievable drama!

I have to admit that I’m not a DJ fan. He’s probably my least favorite guy on Tour. And that Jordan Spieth is probably my favorite guy on Tour. But, I wanted Johnson to make that comeback putt for birdie and the tie. I actually felt sick when he missed it. I never want to see someone lose a tournament – I want to see someone win it.

The golf course. The players and the media really went after Chambers Bay. Gary Player’s rant was especially vicious. I liked Player’s comments about the state of golf and golf architecture – but I completely disagreed with his comments about Chambers Bay as a US Open venue. Was the golf course extremely difficult? Yes. But Adam Scott shot 64 on the final round. The best players in the world did rise to the top of the leader board – isn’t that the point of the US Open? And, this was not played for fun – this was a test – a brutal test. Professional golfers need to deal with the conditions. Professional football players sometimes play in terrible conditions … they have to deal with it. Professional golfers should not be exempt from difficult conditions.

Do I want to play Chambers Bay? Not really. Is it a public golf course? Sort of. It was built to host the US Open – not for the golfing needs of the residents of Tacoma. The USGA playing the public course card was a farce – the green fee is $200+ … not exactly your typical muni.

In summary: Jordan Spieth has emerged as a true superstar who is wise beyond his years. Dustin Johnson continues to implode under pressure – I feel sorry for him, but just can’t seem to like him. Chambers Bay was a good venue for a US Open … but a bad golf course for public play.

What a paradox of a US Open.

Cheers,

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

Greetings Golfers,

This week the U.S. Open is being played at Chambers Bay in Seattle – the first Open held in the Pacific Northwest. Though the Seattle area is like a rainforest, this golf course is more like a Scottish links course. In fact, it’s so hard and dry, that I saw a video of a player bouncing a golf ball on a fairway like a basketball – not exactly soft and lush.

Even though Chambers Bay is like Scotland, this is the U.S. Open and I expect an American to win. (Note – I’m writing this before play has begun.) America is a young country – we are enthusiastic like young people – and I think optimistic enthusiasm is needed to win this tournament. Henrik Stenson made a negative comment about the course this week – Jordan Spieth responded by saying “If you’re going to talk negative about a place, you’re almost throwing yourself out to begin with, because golf is a mental game”. Patience and wisdom are also needed on this golf course. Enthusiasm and wisdom – isn’t that the perfect combination? Spieth seems to have it. Colin Montgomery said that Jordan has an old head – Spieth is definitely wise beyond his years.

Phil Mickleson has never won a U.S. Open – the only Major he’s never won. He running out of time to complete the Slam … but he could win this week. Phil’s a weird cat. He won a PGA Tour event while he was an amateur at ASU. It looked like he’d be the next Nicklaus. Sure, Tiger Woods came along and made Phil’s path a lot more difficult … but Phil never really lived up to his talent.

Phil lost the 1999 U.S. Open to Payne Stewart. Stewart was a brash, enthusiastic guy when he won the 1989 PGA Championship. But he grew up a lot and was a different guy when he won the 1999 U.S. Open – he was pretty close to being that enthusiastic and wise combination. I think if Payne hadn’t died later that year in that bizarre plane crash, he would’ve given Tiger Woods a serious challenge during Tiger’s heyday. Tiger intimidated everyone – even Phil – but I don’t think he would’ve intimidated Payne Stewart.

Is this Tiger’s week for redemption? He could do it – but I’d be really surprised. Yet, if Woods can be enthusiastic and wise…

Cheers,

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

Greetings Golfers,

A few months ago I wrote a column about how people like tv shows that show life as la-la-land rather than the reality of life. I think that this constant portrayal of life as beautiful people living in beautiful homes whose problems are only dramatic misunderstandings … leads to a lot of unhappiness by the viewers who believe that they’re missing out.

Forty years ago the movie “Network” was about a tv anchorman trying to tell people that television wasn’t real – that their lives are real … not the other way around.

I feel the same way about televised golf. People believe that the PGA Tour is what golf is all about … that what they are watching is “real” golf.

I couldn’t disagree more. Tour players are playing for serious money … they are professional golfers – that’s how they are earning their living. Their courses are ridiculously difficult … and ridiculously manicured. Their attention to every shot is ridiculous. Their pace of play is ridiculous. The need for perfect silence is ridiculous. The amount of money they play for is ridiculous. Is it fun to watch? Yeah – it’s a gas … but that’s not golf … that’s a cartoon.

But, the images are so powerful that people think that’s how they should play golf. The same way that people used to think that “Leave to Beaver” was normal … that Mom (June) should come to dinner in pearls, and that Beaver losing Wally’s homework was a tragedy.

So, if you don’t swing like Rory McElroy and use the latest driver and back-up your 7 iron shots and have matching headcovers and play on a flawless course … you can’t have fun playing golf.

Probably the most fun I had playing golf was when I went to ASU and used to play Papago Park every afternoon. Papago was a great muni golf course right near the Phoenix airport. My partner in crime was Todd – who is still a golf pro in Phoenix. Todd and I had goofy homemade swings and we both had taped-up old Vagabond golf bags (Todd had gym socks as head covers) … and we usually played in flip-flop sandals. Because Papago was near the airport, it got a lot of golf obsessed businessmen ready to show off their “Tour” style golf games. These guys had the “style” but not the game. They especially loved having the big Tour bag. I know, I know … you know where this is going … we couldn’t help it … these guys always wanted to play us for money.

Watching the Tour on tv is great. But playing golf is even better. Not the uptight weird version where people aren’t playing golf as much as they’re trying to play some imaginary version of “golf”. Golf should be as much fun and as casual as a game of pick-up basketball.

Television can be a fun distraction … but that’s all it is. Playing golf is a real experience … and a lot better than television.

Cheers,

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

Greetings Golfers,

Should a golf course be a fun challenge or a torture chamber? Years ago, someone quite proudly told Alister Mackenzie – the golf course architect of Augusta National – that no one had ever been able to break par on his hometown golf course. “Good heavens!” exclaimed Mackenzie. “What on earth is wrong with it?”

I agree … what are they thinking? Shouldn’t good play be rewarded? Why not reward good shots and penalize bad shots? Good golf course design appropriately deals with the quality of golf shots. A moderately poor shot should be moderately punished. A moderately good shot should be moderately rewarded. Doesn’t seem like rocket science.

Also, shouldn’t what you see be what you get? I understand that the architect has to make the best of the land he has to work with … and it’s probably impossible to have 18 good holes. But, who likes optical illusions? Or blind shots? Or holes with no landing zones? Or holes that don’t have alternate ways to play the hole?

I don’t think those courses are fun or funny. They may be ridiculous – but not amusing.

Also, shouldn’t the course fit in naturally with the terrain? The less moving of dirt the better. The best courses look like Mother Nature designed them.
A few years ago a course in the Metro area was redesigned. I liked the original design and most holes went North/South … which went naturally with the terrain. The new design went mostly East/West and the holes looked like something out a surrealistic painting … you felt like you’d been drugged … none of the holes make any aesthetic sense.

To quote from the Masters Tournament spectator booklet written by Bobby Jones in 1949: “The course is not intended so much to punish severely the wayward shot as to reward adequately the stroke played with skill – and judgement.”

That philosophy has worked pretty well for the Masters – I think it makes sense for most golf courses.

Cheers,

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

Greetings Golfers,

I wanted to write about the final episode of “Mad Men”. How the main character – Don Draper – ended up finding bliss up at the Esalen retreat in Big Sur. Huh? Well, Esalen was founded by Michael Murphy, the author of “Golf in the Kingdom”. So, of course, Don’s bliss was connected to golf.

But instead of boring you with verbal gymnastics to try to prove that the search for bliss results in discovering the real meaning of golf … I’m going to talk about the search for how to make putts.

Last night I was on our putting green with two very capable golfers – each came close to first round US Open qualifying last week at Edina CC. What kept these two from qualifying? Mediocre putting.

Don’t get me wrong – both of these guys are very good putters. But they aren’t great putters. So what were we working on? Probably not what you think. We were not working on their putting stroke. In fact, we were trying to putt with every conceivable putting stroke: sometimes putt off of the toe, or the heel of the putter … or cross-handed, or right-handed only … or really wristy, or with the shoulders only. You get the picture.

The point was to be able to make the putt. Not to make a good putting stroke. They are very different cats. I know guys who have beautiful putting strokes who never make anything. I know old guys who stab it and make everything. Those old guys don’t care what it looks like – they just focus on making the putt. So – why not learn how to make it with any style? Then you can focus on making the putt – not your “perfect” stroke.

The perfect stroke obsessives always feel that if their stroke isn’t perfect they don’t deserve to make it. Talk about a self-defeating attitude. Good putters believe that they will always make it – no matter if they hit it solid or make a good stroke.

Do you think Don Draper learned how to putt at Esalen?

Cheers,

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

Greetings Golfers,

The title of this blog sounds like a cheesy tv mini-series.

But the Millennials are the talk of the golf world. Last month’s “Twin Cities Business” magazine had a feature article about how golf courses need to capture this young market. And every national golf magazine is harping on the same subject. Yet the ones really agonizing about why young people aren’t playing enough golf are the golf organizations such as the PGA, USGA, and NGCOA.

So what are the common themes shared by these hand-wringers? Tiger Woods, time, and money. Let’s talk about each one of these “issues”.

First off … Eldrick Woods. Tiger has really been struggling lately (when he even plays). But Tiger hasn’t been Tiger ever since his “car accident”. Obviously his domination couldn’t go on forever … but he may have fallen off the world. Did Woods cause the so-called golf boom? I never thought so. He helped – especially with televised golf – but golf was going to expand anyway in the 90’s because Baby Boomers were ready to get into golf – men and women. Are the Millennials obsessed with Tiger? I don’t think so – he’s even too old for most of them. If Woods does come roaring back, he probably won’t bring many Millennials with him.

The second “issue” is money. Money can always be an issue – that’s too easy of an excuse. The reality is that people have money for what they love.

The third “issue” is time. Same as money – time can always be an issue – and that’s also too easy of an excuse. Time and money. Have you been to any of these cool, hip, new restaurants lately? They are stuffed with Millennials. Money? These places aren’t cheap. Time – they’re in no hurry to leave. They LOVE these places.

So – what is the conclusion? Well, Tiger Woods is the not the golf savior for the Millennials … and never was. Time and money? They have both – contrary to what you read. They have the time and money for what they love. Maybe they aren’t in love with golf – or the places selling golf.

What is obvious about these sold-out restaurants is that they are all tasteful and fun. Are the distasteful and unfun restaurants sold-out? Are maybe too many golf operations distasteful and unfun?

Now it gets interesting … how to do this? Taste … wow – that’s a loaded concept. I think good taste is basically an appreciation of quality. Not that something has to be perfect or the best … it has to be good. Is that glamor? Usually not. Glamor is about trying to hide poor quality with glitz. Too many expensive places have poor quality and too much glitz. These Millennials seem to be appreciative of authentic quality.

What about fun? I think golf is basically fun. It doesn’t need all of these cutesy ideas that I keep reading about. But, many golf courses are too stiff. These cool, hip restaurants are not stiff. They aren’t cutesy and they aren’t crazy. In fact, I’ve experienced very nice young people with nice manners in these restaurants. Golf is not naturally a stiff game. Golf is a social game. Unfortunately, too many country clubs adopted an uptight atmosphere hoping that it would enhance the image of their club. This kind of desperate social climbing is never attractive. I’m glad these Millennials see through this facade.

Golf will attract the Millennials if golf clubs have a quality operation – an attractive fun course, cool carts, tasty food & beverage, a stylish Pro shop, a charming clubhouse, and a friendly atmosphere. Is this rocket-science? Hardly. Restaurants are figuring it out … and the ones who aren’t won’t survive. Same with golf courses.

What about the PGA Tour? I’ll save that for another time.

Cheers,

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

Greetings Golfers,

You know that saying “April showers bring May flowers”? Well, I think for Minnesota it should be “May showers bring June flowers”. We’re about a month north of most of the country. But, a little rain shouldn’t stop your golf plans. Last Sunday the report was for rain – it rained for 15 minutes at 4pm – big deal. Because of this rain phobia inspired by an over active media to heighten the threat of storms, people waste valuable beautiful Minnesota days.

So, every year I send the following:

Did you ever see the episode of CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM when Larry accused the weatherman of manipulating the weather reports so he can have the golf course all to himself?

Did you also know that episode was based on fact and that all weathermen manipulate their weather reports to keep people off the golf courses?

Well, maybe I’m exaggerating a little bit … but not much.

Bad weather makes news. Bad weather keeps everyone tuned in. Gee, how did we survive before Doppler Weather reports?

Make your tee times dependent on your schedule – not the dubious reports of the weatherman. And, if it’s too nasty of weather – just cancel. Or, try it out and if it’s not fun, come inside for a raincheck, refund, etc. We’re not trying to take advantage of you trying to play golf in bad weather. I’ve heard of golf courses that won’t give rain checks if you play one hole – that’s real fair. We’re not like that. We’ll do whatever is fair. And, we’ll error on the side of getting you on the golf course. That’s what we do. We want people to play. We don’t do all of this work just so people can drive by and say “What a beautiful golf course.”

You’re under no risk making a reservation to play golf. And you’re under no risk trying to play if it looks like rain.

Try it – you’ll like it.

Cheers,

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