Monthly Archives: February 2018

Blog

Jack & Tiger & Padraig & Rory

Greetings Golfers,

People always ask me if I’m worried that I’ll run out of things to write about. Just the opposite – I don’t have the time to write about everything … especially about golf.

Big news floating around that Jack Nicklaus and the USGA are going to “roll back” the golf ball about 20%. How does that work? Golf companies will no longer make longer balls? Huh? Most people don’t care if the USGA demands that the ball be 20% weaker. They don’t play in USGA tournaments. If Titleist and other golf ball companies stop making what are now considered normal balls … well, I’d like to start my own golf ball company. I think I could sell more than a few golf balls.

Jack is right … the ball is too hot … for Tour players and US Amateur players. But, not for 95% of the recreational players. The PGA Tour and the USGA and the R&A have to recognize that golf is two games – Tournament Golf and Recreational Golf. Just like Professional Baseball and Recreational Softball are two different games. As I said for many years … MLB would be ruined if the players could use metal bats. But, softball would be much less fun using wooden bats. Same with golf. Time to face the music.

Speaking of the PGA Tour … it’s starting it’s Florida run leading up to the Masters. Tiger is playing. He missed the cut last week at Riviera. I don’t think he has ever missed two cuts in a row. (Let me know if I’m wrong). Padraig Harrington is a 2-time champion of this week’s event at PGA National. Padraig and Rory McIlroy sat down for an interview a few days ago with an Irish newspaper. It’s a must read … check it out at http://bit.ly/2orBLwP

See what I mean? There’s always a lot to write about … especially golf!

Cheers,

Tom Abts

GM/Head Golf Professional

Blog

Success Through Emotional Intelligence

Greetings Golfers,

I’ve got too many things to talk about for a short blog … but, I think they’re all related … so here we go.

Last week, Ted Potter Jr. held off a group of golf superstars to win the PGA Tour event at Pebble Beach. Potter held them off while he held control of his emotions – very impressive.

Potter’s agent is Chris Kosiba. Chris plays in the Deer Run Mens League. Should you and all of us connected with Deer Run take credit for Ted Potter’s victory? Probably.

I recently read an article about Doug Pederson – the Head Coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. The article is about “Leading with Emotional Intelligence” … something that Coach Pederson excels at. Here are some of his EQs:

  • Be Visible – “It’s the only way you can build relationships”
  • Have Empathy – “I know when it’s time to give players a break.”
  • Never allow adversity to get you or your team down – change the narrative to see challenges as opportunities.
  • Provide a purpose higher than self. Give your team the opportunity to align with something mission-driven.

This is great stuff. Inspirational instead of motivating out of fear. Emotional Intelligence. Coaches are important people, and they don’t have an easy job. Did you read the article the other day about the Brainerd Hockey coach? He’s resigning because the parents are crazy. This is an ex-cop who’s coached for 22 years and had a lot of success. Not some kid who’s in over his head. Parents have to learn Emotional Intelligence too. Parents are coaches to their kids.

Sports are games … not life or death. And, 99.9% of kids are not going to be professional athletes. When one of my sons played high school baseball, I sat on a folding chair and watched from along the outfield fence. The parents in the stands behind home-plate were crazy … and not in a fun way.

We all need to work on our Emotional Intelligence. If coaches can lead the way – all the better. Coaches more than most roles are in a gold-fish-bowl and micromanaged at an incredible level. So, maybe their success with Emotional Intelligence will be more noticeable than it would be with other leaders.

And don’t underestimate how much it matters in golf … in your success on the scorecard … and your success as being a desirable playing companion.

Cheers,

Tom Abts

GM/Head Golf Professional

Uncategorized

Golf on TV

Greetings Golfers,

This is a big weekend for televised golf. Super Bowl fans will probably watch golf as an appetizer for the big meal/game. And the Phoenix Open is the perfect excuse to start eating and drinking … if the fans at the tournament are an example. The par three 16th hole has become a full blown circus … or a lions den … depending if you’re a player or a fan. (Sounds like the Super Bowl to me).

I like sports. I like to play sports … and I like to watch sports. But I like to watch sports less and less every year. Last week on the PGA Tour, Sunday’s final group took 6 1/2 hours. Don’t forget … they play in 3somes.

I just read that 5 1/2 hours is now the average pace of play on the Tour. That’s unimaginable. I played yesterday in South Carolina at a very difficult golf course in a 6some (I played with the Head Pro and his Assistants). It wasn’t a Tour event, but we had games going, so it was fairly serious … and we played in 4 hours … as a 6some!

I think that the main problem is that so many of these guys practice more than they play. They are so mechanical and so dependent on knowing exact yardages and playing like a robot. Their pre-shot routines are mind-boggling. And the conversations with their caddies are like watching a catcher come out to talk to the pitcher on every pitch. This has to stop. And baseball has to stop its madness also. Play the game!

Last Sunday, Roger Federer won the Australian Open in 5 sets in about 3 hours – half as long as it took the PGA guys to play their rounds. Does that make any sense?

If the PGA Tour wants decent tv ratings, they better fix this problem. And why do the networks show so much putting? Who cares? I care if it’s the leaders … but they just show random guys sinking long putts … WOW! That’d be like NBA highlight programs showing guys making meaningless free throws. Is this rocket science … or are they just clueless and/or lazy?

Let’s hope the Phoenix Open is fun to watch. I won’t talk about the Super Bowl … I’m still sulking.

Cheers,

Tom Abts

GM/Head Golf Professional