Greetings Golfers,

Ratings were down for last week’s US Open. Was the problem the course, FOX’s coverage, or just golf itself?

I think it was all three. Ironically, I love Erin Hills … but I don’t think it’s a US Open course … more of a PGA Championship golf course. Too long and too wide open … plays into the hands of bombers instead of Hogan-type control shotmakers.

FOX’s coverage was boring … but I think most televised golf coverage is boring. Way too much putting … way too much hopping around … too much dumb swing analysis … not enough strategy analysis … too much of a phony tone. I don’t want loud and obnoxious like it’s “Pro” Wrestling … but I’d like a tone that feels more like a conversation between real people.

Real people = Tour players and Tour swings. Is that a fit? Not for me. I feel like these kids were just shoved out on Tour out of a life-long golf camp. Tennis went through that stage and died. Around 30 years ago I went to a tennis camp in Tampa that had those year round “students”. It was really creepy. They took that “charm” to the Pro Circuit.

What is “pure” golf? I think it’s more like the Scottish shepherds who invented the game by hitting rocks with their walking canes and winning a shot of whisky. Or when we played neighborhood sports as a kid.

I like the modern stuff to make golf easier – clubs, balls, carts, etc. But, I don’t like the modern atmosphere that is sterile, lifeless, and false.

I’d like to see the US Open adopt a rotation of courses – like they do at the British Open. Old school venues like Merion, Oakmont, etc. Because that’s the US Open. I also enjoy crazy tournaments like the Phoenix Open or last year’s Ryder Cup. There’s room for both. But I think the hybrid is neither fish nor fowl.

Cheers,

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

Greetings Golfers,

As you probably know, many golf courses are struggling – public and private.

And, as you probably know, many people struggle to play decent golf.

I think both situations are related. The problem with both is the idea that one size fits all. Too many golf courses try to be everything to everyone. Sort of like the restaurant that has every type of food on the menu … it’s usually all bad.

Trying to make everyone swing the same way is also a recipe for failure.

Let me make a leap. You know how we’re always hearing about “celebrating our diversity”? Ironically, I think what many people who say that really mean is this – that they can make ALL types of people exactly the same.

I don’t think they like diversity at all. They want to take away the uniqueness of people and turn them into highly functioning robots.

This attitude has spread to all areas of our society.

We’ve become process driven instead of results driven. Process driven takes away creativity and uniqueness. Let people find a new way to get a result. Let people find a unique way to hit a golf ball. Let people find a unique way to run a golf course.

The “Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave”? I still believe in it. But, that’s the opposite of trying to make everybody the same.

Cheers,

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

Greetings Golfers,

Remember the scene in “Bull Durham” when Crash (Kevin Costner) is telling The Kid (Tim Robins) how to talk to the press when he makes the Big Leagues … that The Kid needs to use a bunch of dumb, bland cliches?

Aren’t people tired of that junk? Whether in sports or politics or business or anything … people are tired of phoniness – they want authenticity.

The former commissioner of the PGA Tour – Tim Finchem – created a product to sell to corporate sponsors by promising it would be squeaky clean. So if the players weren’t living up to the image … their exploits were covered up. How long have they been covering for Tiger? My sources say that this behavior has been going on for a long time.

Now I’m not advocating that players be under the microscope and sports coverage becomes the National Enquirer. But, I would like to see athletes lose the double-talk and cliches and talk like real people.

And I don’t mean that sleaziness or bad behavior is what makes someone real. I just want to know who they really are. And I think this goes hand-in-hand with this modern robotic golf swing. Last week at the Colonial … PGA Tour players tried to hit Hogan’s old clubs with a balata ball. They failed miserably.

Obviously the PGA Tour is not going to make a 180. However, I would love to see a bunch of players talk like real people, not swing like a robot, and not wear this “athletic” clothing … they look like dorks.

Last month they asked Rory McIlroy what is the all-time coolest picture in golf. He said the one at the 1966 Masters of Hogan & Palmer waiting at the tee box smoking cigarettes. Yeah – I agree.

“Bull Durham” was a great movie because the characters were so interesting … bland, phony people are not interesting … golf should figure that out.

Cheers,

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