Greetings Golfers,

Have you heard the rumor about Rory McElroy signing with Nike for $250,000,000 for 10 years?

Wow. That’s pretty serious. I’ve never been a big Nike guy. They’ve always seemed a little too slick for me. But, Rory is definitely not Mr. Slick. Rory seems to be a nice, down-to-earth Irish kid. He’s the the perfect new face for golf. Young – but seems like an old soul … not afraid to speak his mind – but not arrogant … from Ireland so Europe loves him, and America relates to him because English is his native tongue.

Oh yeah – he can really play golf. His golf swing is crazy good – it’s perfect – but not rigid or mechanical. And he’s a shot maker. And he can putt. That sort of talent combined with his personality – I can see why Nike would offer him the farm.

This is very good for golf. When a major sports player like Nike decides to make a such power move, it’s a signal that they believe in the future of golf. Maybe, the merger of Rory and Nike can produce the best of both worlds – old-fashioned warmth and realness, combined with modern energy and innovation.

Cheers,

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

Greetings Golfers,

Am writing this while watching the St. Louis – San Francisco playoff game. Last week after the Yankees beat the Orioles, I complained to a friend about the Yankees. He said “You have to tip your hat to the Yankees – they win every year.” Really? They have by far the highest payroll in baseball every year … must be a real challenge to win with an all-star team.

A good baseball swing is a lot like a good golf swing.

People are always telling me that their baseball/softball swing screws up their golf swing. Again, I want to say “really?” but I won’t/don’t. The golf swing is just the baseball swing going after a really low pitch.

Watch how major league hitters use their legs. Before the pitch, they’re moving around in the batter’s box. When the pitch is delivered, they pull in their outer leg to wind-up, then shift their weight forward by taking a step with the outer leg as they hit the ball with their hands.

Same with the golf swing – start your wind-up by shifting your weight to your back foot, then start your down swing by shifting your weight to your front foot as you hit the ball with your hands. Old-school golfers used to jump-start their golf swing by rocking their weight to their front foot so they could then rock back to their back foot. That move helped them wind-up with a natural rebound motion. Good baseball batters do the same thing with their outer leg.

If the St. Louis Cardinals win this playoff series, we’ll have a Tigers – Cardinals World Series. Am I the only one who remembers the 1968 Tigers – Cardinals World Series?

Cheers,

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

Greetings Golfers,

Because I work in the golf biz, people are always telling and emailing me golf jokes and videos, etc. Like most things, some are good and some aren’t so good (that’s being nice).

But I just got a link to a video that’s fantastic. It’s on the European Tour website and it’s about magic. A magician is hanging around the practice area before a tournament and plays tricks with the golfers while they show him trick golf shots. The vibe is fun and relaxed – which I find amazing before a tournament… and the magic performed by the magician and golfers is even more amazing.

You get a feel for how ridiculously in control of the golf ball these Tour players are. Their hands are so in tune with the club that they can do anything.

I’ve been trying not to talk about the Ryder Cup, but I have to. Early in the contest, the Americans seemed to be having fun – and they were winning. During the singles matches, they seemed to me to be freaking out – especially on the last few holes. Golf is about keeping loose. The adrenalin rush that helps so much in other sports, is usually a disaster in golf.

Oh, I almost forgot … the video is http://www.youtube.com/everyshotimaginable

Cheers,

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