Heart of a Lion
Greetings Golfers,
Last week a good buddy of mine died - Don Ellwood. And 8 years ago - almost to the date - I wrote this blog about him:
Heart of a Lion
Golf can be very frustrating. Life can be very frustrating. Some people deal with these frustrations with grace. I used to think their graciousness was the result of being relaxed and easy going. Now, I think it comes from having the heart of a lion.
Yesterday, Don Ellwood, playing in our Thursday Men’s League, made a Hole-in-One. Though only in his 50’s … Don’s body has been breaking down for at least 10 years. In fact, I can’t believe he can play golf. Is Don one of those relaxed, easy going guys? No. Is he cheerful, and kind, and warm spirited? Yes.
After Don made his Ace on hole #2 … the word spread like wildfire across the golf course and clubhouse. I figured that he’d come in after 9 holes and celebrate his amazing achievement. He was tired – really tired. But, he was determined to finish his round. Which he did. All 18 holes.
The story gets better. He shot 89. I can’t tell you how amazing that score is. That score was the result of having the heart of a lion. Most of us would have quit after 9. Heck, most of us in Don’s condition wouldn’t have even played.
The heart of a lion doesn’t show itself in pointless displays of roaring. It tackles life’s challenges with grace and class.
Cheers to Don Ellwood,
R.I.P.
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Empathy or Narcissism
Empathy or Narcissism
Greetings Golfers,
Last week I played golf with 2 old friends … the Pro Shop tossed a single in with us. Young guy … looked athletic … wondered what he thought meeting us.
So he threw his clubs on with me and started down the Yellow Brick Road. And the whole round was Oz - magical … and yet the vibe was Kansas - real.
Well, the young fella had the round of his life - score wise. He also said it was the most enjoyable round of his life. Amazing how that can go hand-in-hand.
People thrive in an atmosphere of support … not an atmosphere of criticism.
Empaths support … narcissists criticize. That’s because narcissists only see life as a power play… they don’t understand or respect empathy.
Narcissists love to tell people what to do. And if you get angry or annoyed … you’re the bad guy.
Hope you’re in the mood for some stories about recent dealings with narcissists:
Had a guy scold one of our staff about how to answer the phone. And this staff member is amazingly charming in person or on the phone. But charming or not - how is that guy’s role to scold?
Had a cart kid try to lecture me on his rights at DRGC. Basically, that this was his country club and could do whatever he pleased. He didn’t say that … but his attitude and statements did.
Had a guy complain that the Range was closed 2 days in a row due to events. And, that was interfering with his golf lessons. PGA Pros have their own turf … and must bless other Pros giving lessons on their turf.
Had a neighbor complain because the range was closed. Even though it was so wet that the balls plugged.
In every single one of these situations … they were rude and demanding … yet when I defended our staff and operation … I was the bad guy.
Bottom line - narcissists want what they want. If they can’t have it … they get rude, angry and bossy.
The bossy thing probably drives me the craziest.
The childish need for always getting what they want … is not attractive … but the bossy thing is way worse. The arrogance behind it is mind-boggling.
So let’s talk about empaths. “Empaths are highly attuned to emotions of others, both subtle and overt.”
I think that our staff is mostly made-up with empaths. You can feel it. People care. Doesn’t mean they’re “heavy” … you can feel deeply and still be “light”. And I like to think that’s pretty descriptive of our staff.
So back to narcissists. They only feel when it comes to their feelings. So they only see things through a power-lens. Thus, they can’t understand an empath. They usually mistake the empath’s kindness for weakness. And they live for seeing the empath do something wrong … they can’t stand the thought that something might matter more than power.
Over 50 years ago at a Marshall Tucker concert in Arizona … (while in the “enlightened” mood of the concert) … my buddy stood-up and declared that the band was just a pawn and that life is all about power. I stood-up and declared that life is all about love.
He crashed to his knees. He knew I was right.
Empaths have screwed-up by allowing or even rewarding narcissistic behavior. That’s misguided kindness.
That empathetic emotional energy can be harnessed and used to
stand-up to narcissists.
Kindness doesn’t mean weakness. Narcissists - take cover!
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Understanding Swings in All Sports
Understanding Swings in All Sports
Greetings Golfers,
People are always telling me that their baseball swing or tennis swing screws-up their golf swing.
I always disagree and try to explain why I believe that all stick-and-ball sports are basically the same. Even ping-pong.
So let’s start with ping-pong. Golf is hard because you have a small paddle and a long handle. But you control the ball basically the same way.
If you’re hitting a topspin shot in ping-pong … it’s basically the same as hitting a draw/hook in golf. The paddle rolls over the ball to put the swing on it.
Ok … same with a drop-shot in ping-pong or a cut/slice in golf. The paddle slides under the ball to put backspin on it.
And … a straight shot in ping-pong is not either one. Just the paddle held through the shot with the wrist held back … not flipping the battle. That’s best way to hit a golf chip-shot … most people flip their wrists.
So … you can see how this easily translates to tennis. The tennis racket is just a bigger ping-pong paddle. People get too obsessed with body motion in tennis. They never learn to control the ball. That’s why people take tennis and then quit after 3 years. They never learn how to hit the ball. They worry about everything else.
Remember when tennis boomed and there were courts all over the Metro? Now you know why they closed. I’ve always worried about that with golf. Both games look easy - but are hard. Hard because you have to learn how the control the ball. But people never understand this and never work on it. The hands need to be trained. No way around it.
Same with baseball. The bat is a long, skinny paddle that has to hit a fast moving ball … that can curve and move around. That takes serious bat control.
My hero - Ted Williams - wrote a book in 1970 called the “Science of Hitting”. Ted believed in a slight upswing with the bat and then full extension. You need the hips to start the swing so that you can extend the bat. Try it right now. You want that same feeling in the golf swing.
In both swings … if you start the swing before your hips … that means your shoulders started it and you can’t extend … you can only come around and swing left. That can have power … but only to the left. I knew high school baseball players who could only hit-it hard foul - foul left of the field. I know golfers who can hit-it hard … but only hard left - usually left of the fairway. Sometimes they leave open the face and the ball slices back into the fairway. Same with baseball. Most people in both sports never learn how to draw the ball. They all slice it. Watch a Little League game or even high school baseball … you won’t see a draw.
Baseball got into some weird ideas about swinging the bat. The opposite of Ted Williams’ ideas - though Ted was the last .400 hitter.
I worked a little bit last week with a family friend who played a little for the Yankees. Obviously a very talented guy. But he hit down on every shot - even with his driver. And he had no rotation of his hands. I teed-up the ball high … and tried to get him to swing UP on the ball as he rotated his hands/wrists … to get the feeling of a topspin ping-pong shot … or a high draw golf shot.
I don’t know if this is true (I hope not) … but I heard that a few years ago the Twins were practicing to hit the ball high … by hitting DOWN on a batting tee. That would be like teeing up a ball and hitting down with your driver to hit it high. We’ve all hit those gross pop-ups with our driver … not fun … but would you practice that?
Many years ago when Wade Boggs and Don Mattingly looked like they had a chance to hit .400 … they were interviewed in Sports Illustrated by Ted Williams. Ted asked them questions like “If you’re hitting pop-ups to first-base … what’s happening?” They had no idea. The answer is - you’re too late with your swing. If you’re hitting grounders to third - you’re too early. If you’re hitting liners off the left-field wall - you’re perfect.
How does that translate to tennis? If you’re hitting topspins into the bottom of the net - you’re too early. How does that translate to golf? If you’re hitting big hooks - you’re too early. And a slice is too late - if even any rotation at all. If you’re hitting topspins into the back-middle of the court - you’re perfect. If you’re hitting draws into the left-middle of the fairway - you’re perfect.
In all these ball-stick games … you need to understand spin. And you need to train your hands to apply spin.
These games are all basically the same. Start small. Practice these shots on the chipping green. Full shots are just longer version of chip-shots.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Heart Full of Soul
Heart Full of Soul
Greetings Golfers,
Remember that great Yardbirds song “Heart Full of Soul?” How good were the Yardbirds with Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, and Jeff Beck? In the ’60’s that’d be like your scramble team having Nicklaus, Palmer, and Player on it … not fair.
And maybe the Yardbirds got even better in the ’70’s – breaking up into Led Zeppelin, Cream, and The Jeff Beck Group.
What does this have to do with golf? Music is like golf in many ways. They both make you happy – they both can make you cry. I could go on making analogies forever. But golf and music … (let me try again) … but good golf and good music have soul.
Soul. People don’t talk about golf and soul in the same sentence nearly enough. For many years I’ve been obsessed with trying to make golf fun and entertaining. That’s not wrong – golf is both. But it’s more than that. Golf grabs you like great music grabs you. That’s more than fun. It’s even better. It’s magic.
Ever read Golf in the Kingdom by Michael Murphy? It’s about Murphy meeting a Celtic shaman at St. Andrews in Scotland. This shaman – Shivas Irons – is about as much of a trip as Jim Morrison of the Doors. Morrison proclaimed himself to be a shaman – and the Doors music was Morrison’s attempt to “Break on Through to the Other Side.” Shivas Irons tries to show Murphy how to “break on through” using golf as the vehicle.
These are soulful Celtic artists. They’re trying to bring the magic and mystery of life to us. They are trying to reach inside and grab our souls. Golf can do this, too, but sometimes the industry just doesn’t get it.
I just read an article by a golf course reviewer complaining about how he hates courses that feel like they’re only interested in taking his money. I don’t like that either. In fact, I don’t like that about anything. Obviously, money is needed to pay the bills – but money shouldn’t drive the train – money should be the result of things done right and for the right reason.
We all know music that was inspired from the heart, and music that was written to fill up the album. I’d rather they had fewer songs on the album than fill it up with soulless noise.
I’m not trying to say that every song has to be “heavy” – not at all – I love light, fun songs. But they have to be inspired from the heart – not the wallet … we can tell the difference.
We can tell the difference with golf courses, too. Fake is not good. Fake smiles, muzak, dyed fairways, holes that are unnatural to the terrain, or courses that are trying to be championship when they aren’t.
A friend just sent me an email asking where to play in Arizona. One of the courses I recommended is Shalimar in Tempe. Shalimar is a goofy 9 hole course with a great little clubhouse and a great vibe – people love to play there, and people love to work there. I’m not going to mention some of the semi-famous places in the Valley of the Sun that I don’t like – but I’m sure you can take a guess.
You know when a golf course has soul. Could be a funny par 3 like Shalimar, an old school country club, a mom & pop owned public course, a famous resort course … they’re everywhere. They’re usually a labor of love and the people working there are really into it. They’re motivated out of love and respect – not out of fear. They want you to love the place the way they do. To feel it deep in a soulful way.
It’s hard to create a soulful place when owners view their staff as the enemy. I’m on an email thread with the Golf Course Owners Association. A few weeks ago, an owner went off on a tangent about how his employees were taking advantage of him. Wow – the emails started pouring in from other owners with the same attitude. They viewed employee “perks” as taking advantage. I replied that staff deserve perks and that perks are the grease that keeps the gears of the operation turning and keep people feeling happy … something that golfers can feel. My reply was greeted with a cold stare – no response. A little while later the thread heated up with more “abuses” by their enemy – the golf staff.
I’m sympathetic to golf course owners – but seeing the staff as the enemy is about as smart as seeing the customer as the enemy. Probably not very soulful golf courses.
All golf organizations need to keep soul in mind when making decisions and talking about their vision. I admire the USGA’s attempts to keep golf fair. But the Rules of Golf and the GHIN Handicap system have become too complicated/intricate/myopic … they’ve lost the spirit of the game.
Too often the PGA Tour seems too much about money. Thank God for the Majors – sure they’re big dough – but they’re about the golf.
The PGA of America has been trying to grow the game and have come up with an initiative called Golf 2.0. It’s mostly about making golf more fun and entertaining – I’m all for it. But … don’t forget soul. Maybe even do some marketing with Jimmy Page playing a mandolin in front of his old, magical English estate. Maybe have “Heart Full of Soul” become the theme song of the PGA. But more than market about golf and soul – make sure that golf has a heart full of soul.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Perspective is Priorities
Perspective is Priorities
Greetings Golfers,
A few weeks ago, a local Pro was telling me that he gets too wound-up in big golf tournaments. I get it. You get it it … we all get it. What’s the secret to not losing your mind under pressure?
Here’s what I told him: “It’s good to be excited and nervous - that will make you sharper than usual. However, too wound-up is like shorting out something you plugged-in … it got too much energy. And, too much energy comes from NEEDING it. It’s good to WANT it … but you can’t NEED it.”
He agreed and instantly knew what I meant. I think the problem is a lack of establishing priorities. If winning a golf tournament is the most important thing in your life … it’s just too much pressure … you will freak-out. The problem is a lack of perspective … which I believe is a lack of priorities.
If I had to point to one thing that is wrong with our modern society … I would say that it’s a lack of priorities. I’m constantly hearing the message that “you can have it all.” Well, that’s ridiculous. Our lifetime is limited … we don’t live forever. We don’t have time like Bill Murray did in the movie “Groundhog’s Day” to master languages and art and music and sport and everything else. What I loved about “Groundhog’s Day” was that Bill Murray finally realized what matters … he finally had priorities … he wasn’t just a selfish, greedy guy trying to “have it all” … but became a guy who wanted to have a meaningful life with meaningful relationships.
I think of symptom of that “have it all” philosophy leads to people always being in a hurry because they don’t have things prioritized. I play golf Down South every Monday with a group of about 12 guys. In that group are some guys who play golf like it’s a race … and they’re always mad at the other for not playing in 2 1/2 hours. The other guys are not slow … they’re always under 4 hours. So the racers finish fast and hang around the clubhouse to settle the games. But they’re bored and not having fun. They’re retired and have nowhere to go anyway - what’s the rush? Well, they don’t even know … they just live like that. And people like that are always late for things. You’d think it’d be the opposite - but it’s not. They time things too close “to do it all”… but of course they screw-up by being late for an important meeting or miss their airplane flight … while they stop for donuts on the way.
You see it in everything. There used to be a saying called “a lazy man’s load” … that meant when moving things, they would carry too many things rather than take another trip. So by carrying too many things … they end-up dropping and breaking things. They didn’t prioritize. I think most modern people would try to do this … and be proud of it.
Golf is very much a game of priorities. Many years ago I played with one of my son’s college friends in Arizona. He hit the ball as solid as a Tour player. We played at Gainey Ranch and he shot 81. I hit about 3 solid shots and shot 73. He couldn’t understand what happened. I tried to explain course management to him after the round. I remembered his round better than he did … he had no strategy … he just went for the perfect shot every time. No wonder he didn’t remember - he never thought about his shots - there was no decision making.
Maybe having priorities and making plans is too old-fashioned. Maybe it’s not “free” enough to “do your own thing”. But are you really free when you’re not planning and making decisions based on priorities … instead of just reacting?
Let’s go back to the Pro freaking out under pressure … and needing it instead of just wanting it. The calmest people are not the people who don’t care about anything … apathy doesn’t lead to peace of mind. Disorganization leads to anxiety - not to peace. Simplification is a result of prioritization.
Golf is the perfect antidote to the modern madness. But of course, the modern “gurus” trying to save golf are emphasizing how golf should be more like the modern world. That’s just dumb. The beauty of golf is that it’s timeless.
Of course people need to get their priorities straight … but first they have to prioritize. That goes against the modern idea of “having it all”. Happiness and peace come from knowing what you need … not from needing everything.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Momentum
MOMENTUM
Greetings Golfers,
The other night, I was at a restaurant waiting for some friends. I was early, so I had a chance to watch the “action” … it was just like watching a sporting event … seriously.
This was a very nice place, so people weren’t very relaxed. They were trying hard. I never heard any laughter - that says a lot.
I was trying to figure-out why the people were with each other. The body language and eye contact was fascinating. And each table seemed to have a shift in momentum where people either got into it … or turned off … something said or done always turned the tide.
Sort of like watching the Timberwolves the other night. They were leading in the 3rd quarter … and then OKC missed a lay-up but got a weird rebound and then made the shot to go up by 4.
I then told my wife that the game was over. The vibe shifted dramatically on that play … you could feel it … the crowd could feel it. The momentum had definitely changed. Should the Wolves’ coach have called time-out? Probably. And I think he should have made a joke. Instead, you could see the Wolves go into panic mode. Is it easy for an arm-chair coach like me to say that? Of course. It’s different on the floor.
Knowing when to call time-out … or what calls to challenge is not obvious. Too often you can win the battle but lose the war … especially if you flip the momentum when it’s yours.
A million years ago, when I was in high school … our baseball team was playing the first round of the playoffs. We were seeded #1 and playing the last seed. They weren’t bad talent-wise … but something was really wrong with their culture … no one seemed to care.
Well, we were up 6-0 in the 5th inning (7 inning games) … and they weren’t even trying. Well, yours-truly was on third … and our head coach was coaching third. He kept yelling at me to take a longer lead. So … the pitcher made the worst balk you’ve ever seen … laughable … I didn’t even try to get back and was half-heartedly tagged out. Instead of the ump awarding me home … I was called out. My coach went crazy! He ordered me to stay on the bag (third base) … while he went on a full-blown rampage. Standing on third … I had a straight view of our bench on first … and their bench on third. With the sun setting behind our bench … I watched our guys get depressed watching this scene. And … I watched their guys all of a sudden wake-up. Of course the ump didn’t change his mind and I went back to our bench. The vibe had changed.
The next inning … everything went their way. I don’t think they hit anything solid … but every hit fell in … it was like we were cursed.
We lost, and our season was over.
It can happen in business too. Over the years, I’ve felt weird things happen that tipped me off to threats and changes in momentum. They had to be addressed immediately. I needed to call time-out.
Also … dumb things have happened that I’ve let go because they weren’t worth wrecking our momentum … we were on a roll … we were
winning. Making a big deal out of it would probably have led to an unnecessary shift in momentum.
There’s an old saying “Let sleeping dogs lie” that is very true. However, you can’t mistake those sleeping dogs for wolves that ready to pounce.
Is this a science? No. This is a feel. But a necessary feel for a leader or a coach.
Can the Wolves win this series? Maybe … but they need to manage the momentum shifts like Scottie Scheffler did last week in the PGA Championship.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Clarity
CLARITY
Greetings Golfers,
Don’t you love clarity? It’s great to read or hear someone who makes sense. Or go to a restaurant that makes sense. Simple doesn’t mean simpleminded. And confusing doesn’t represent some deep mystery … it usually represents confusion.
The other night, I was reading about beer marketing - especially in the 1980s and 90s. Miller hit a home run with light beer. Light beer soon became half of all beer sales … and Miller Lite was the star.
But, Miller High Life started slipping … and Miller started panicking. In their panic … they lost their vision of Miller Lite and Miller High Life.
Around that same time … Coca-Cola was losing ground to Pepsi. So they decided to make Coke sweeter - more like a Pepsi. Boom! They crashed and had to recover by bringing back the normal Coke and calling it “Coke Classic”.
Marketing - especially Branding - should be about clarity. Who are you? That saying “All publicity is good publicity” … is ridiculous. Could it be any stupider?
Your image and reputation need to be good … and need to be true. People can usually see through BS.
Marketing can’t always be about a deal … or then you’re not of real value. And marketing has to know its market … you can’t be everything to everyone. I think you have to be special. I don’t mean that in an arrogant way … I mean it more uniquely.
Miller beer has to be different from Budweiser. Coke has to be different from Pepsi. Making choices is the gift of a free society. We need different things to express our individuality. Otherwise, we’re just slaves and robots.
Businesses need to understand that. Too often, they get obsessed with growth instead of getting better and really nailing their market.
They lose clarity.
You can see it in their marketing … and it reflects their confusion as to who they are.
Marketing is not a silly game or a scam. It’s a definition of who you are.
Years ago at a Board meeting … a guy couldn’t understand our marketing expense because we were full. My response was, “Don’t you think there’s a correlation between the two?”
A business needs to constantly look in the mirror and know who they are. And why? And is it working? And … are we making it clear to our customer who we are?
Well … that takes a lot of introspection and understanding. The numbers are just a reflection of if you know what you’re doing.
So that famous saying “A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!”
How about “Clarity, clarity, my kingdom for clarity!”
Or “To be clear or not to be clear … that is the question.”
Same thing. Give me clarity.
Cheers,
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Short But Sweet
SHORT BUT SWEET
Greetings Golfers,
I’m under the gun … this blog has to be sent in and formatted shortly. I won’t be able to ramble (which might be good) … but I probably won’t have time to think this through as much as it should be.
The golf course doesn’t run itself … I actually have a lot to do. Some people think I just play golf every day. Last year - an older guy (about my age) - said to me “Wish I’d had a job where I played golf every day” … I replied, “Me too!”
So … you’ve been warned … let’s see where this goes.
I’ve been thinking that the more based on reality things are … the fewer rules and regulations are needed. For example - golf. Basically, golf is a game of Scottish shepherds hitting a rock with a stick to a target. Hit it - find it - hit it. If we can’t do that … we need a rule.
That’s a pretty pure game. Basically only needing a rule to solve the problem of a lost ball or an unhittable ball.
Think about other sports or games or businesses, etc … the fewer rules and regulations … the more grounded in reality.
Then think about things that are overwhelmed with rules and regulations. Hmmmmmmmm. Maybe because the basic concept doesn’t work? Then when it isn’t working … they come up with more rules and regulations. But is that really solving why its not working?
If your golf swing needs 50 swing thoughts to work … what’s really going on?
Well … I’d love to take this further … however, I need to send this in right now.
But … I will return to this topic. If you have any thoughts about it … please send them to me.
Cheers,
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Judgment Pages
JUDGMENT PAGES
Greetings Golfers,
Here are two dictionaries’ definitions of judgment:
“The ability to make considered decisions”.
“The process of forming an opinion or evaluation by discerning and comparing”.
So … judgment involves thinking.
However, I’m seeing too many decisions made not by thinking and judgment … but by data.
Major League Baseball has become like something out of a science-fiction movie run by robots. Jim Kaat - the former Twin and Hall of Fame pitcher - has been beating this drum. Here’s a quote from Kaat about Rory winning the Masters:
“What a riveting day for golf fans or patrons. Maybe for fans of all sports. Redemption for Rory. We were told about the statistical stuff that said nobody has won the Masters if they did this or that. Even CBS, whose coverage (IMO) of the Masters is the gold standard in covering sporting events, has begun to cave in to mentioning statistics from the past. But … Hip Hip Hooray for Rory. He showed us that a sporting event that shows us heart, soul, flaws, greatness and guts thrills us. The humanity of an athlete. Take your analytics and past statistics and stick-it where the sun doesn’t shine. Just give me what Dick Enberg and John Madden passed on to me - the Who and What and the How and Why … Thank you, Rory!”
We’re letting data make our decisions instead of using our judgment. Data should be a tool … not the boss.
We’re too hung-up on “perfect models”. Instead of taking personal control and responsibility.
For example … the other day, a high school team was practicing at the range. I tried to get them to hit golf shots … sort of like a pitcher throwing off speed stuff or curveballs. They weren’t interested … they just wanted to work on their “wind-up”. Well … the pitcher's wind-up is just a motion to throw a pitch. Your golf swing is just a motion to hit a shot.
Same with a baseball batter. The swing is just a way to hit the ball. Learn to hit the ball to opposite fields … and liners and grounders, etc. Not just make a swing. Here’s a quote from Kaat on that:
“Hitters that work on their swing (Raffy Devers) need to work on swinging where the ball is pitched. Pete Rose played pepper every day. That’s how you learn to make contact”.
Same with golf. Work on your contact. Little push shots are great for that.
I see this as all connected … looking for a magic way to do things for you … rather than to take responsibility. “The data made the decision - I didn’t”. I made a perfect golf swing … it’s not my fault where the ball went. I made a perfect wind-up … it’s not my fault that the hitter hit a home run.
No … you weren’t pitching … you should have thrown a different pitch … not worrying about your wind-up. You should’ve punched a low shot instead of making a perfect swing. You should have been aware of the health of your staff instead of just making your decision based only on stats.
People need to play the game … of life … and start using judgment instead of relying on statistics and models.
Yesterday … the third Thursday in a row that the weatherman said it would rain all day. Well … it was another beautiful day. So we had a bunch of people who cancelled and missed out on a great day of golf because they were relying on the weatherman instead of using their own judgment.
Of course, information and statistics and models should be used in a making decisions. But … judgment is more than that. It’s your gut and intuition and just a general feel of life. Why we want to cut that off and become robotic is hard for me to understand. Is it that scary to make a wrong decision? Is everything CYA?
One of our greatest gifts of being human is that we have judgment. We shouldn’t discard it. We should prize it and have the courage to take responsibility when we make a mistake. Running from responsibility isn’t freedom … in fact it leads to a slave mentality.
Hope to see you next Thursday - rain or shine!
Cheers,
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
A One - Lane Road
A ONE-LANE ROAD
Greetings Golfers,
I don’t drive much - just mostly to and from home to Deer Run. And I usually take the back roads and miss out on typical daily traffic.
But … once a week, I pick up my granddaughter and drive her to our home. That’s when I get to savor the joys of driving on freeways and merging back and forth.
No one ever looks. They just blast into it. It’s a pretty easy concept if people would just look up and anticipate. Instead, it’s crazy and dangerous and a power struggle instead of an easy transition.
Then I get on #7 with its stoplights. I’ll look in my mirror and notice that the driver is texting … the light changes … and they don’t move … thus backing up everyone behind them.
None of this is very tricky. Just need some common sense and respect.
Same as pace of play on a golf course. Just need common sense and respect to keep it flowing and enjoyable for everyone. The golf course is a one-lane road. Especially if it’s full. Passing (playing through) doesn’t help. There’s nowhere to go. That’s why everyone needs to be aware.
We believe that playing in 4 hours is like driving 60-65 on the freeway. A nice pace … and reachable for everyone.
Golf shouldn’t be a racetrack … but it also shouldn’t be a traffic jam.
There will be slow-ups … someone lost a ball, etc … but it should then get back on pace.
Unlike driving a car … golf isn’t just about getting from the 1st tee to the 18th green. Hopefully it’s about enjoying being outside, hitting golf shots, and being with friends and/or family. It’s not a racetrack. I’ve heard guys brag about their fast round … as if that’s the determining factor of enjoyability.
But it shouldn’t be slow and annoying … that becomes a frustrating experience … especially when there’s no legitimate reason for it.
Not everyone knows the basics for keeping it on track. This list was sent to me the other day … I think you’ll like it:
1.) Park at the back of the green, so your group isn’t walking toward the group behind once the hole is finished.
2.) Drop their cart partner off at their ball, while the other cart golfer goes and finds their ball. You don’t need to co-dependently watch each other’s ever swing.
3.) If you’re the one who got dropped off, take your shot and then walk toward the cart so you can link up quicker.
4.) If someone is within 60 yards of the green, drop them off with a wedge and a putter.
5.) If you’re the only cart in the group, use your cart to help track down other players’ balls.
I think that list was part of a discussion about slow play. The writer summed it up by saying that it could “save 40 extra minutes wasted for no reason”.
Yeah … he’s right. Just little thoughtful moves keep the round moving at a nice pace.
We all have bad days. Most of us understand that. But some players are always slow. Whether it’s from a lack of understanding … or just selfishness … is the big question. Whether on the road or the golf course.
Cheers,
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Flow and Control
FLOW AND CONTROL
Greetings Golfers,
We all love to watch a beautiful golf swing … it flows.
And we all love to see beautifully controlled golf shots … shots that land and finish where they should.
The goal is to be able to do both.
I don’t see many beautiful golf swings. I see too many swings that are stiff and never flow.
I get it. We all get it. Hitting wild, crazy shots isn’t fun. But we have to risk it if we’re going to develop a good swing … and play good golf.
How many times have you hit it great at the range … and then go to the course and chop-it-around?
We all have. Because … we stop swinging when we get on the golf course. Not letting our swing flow … results in bad shots.
First off … relax your hands. Squeezing the club stops the flow of the club and your body. Even with putting … good putters have a light grip.
Here’s where I think the trouble begins: too many people wind-up and then quit at the ball. They need to learn how to accelerate the golf club - even the putter. Practice putting with a slow short backswing and then make a longer follow through. Then try it with chipping. How often have you watched a friend take a long backswing on a chip-shot … and then de-cel and chunk it? Maybe a million times?
I think that’s why people lose their timing and don’t swing … they don’t trust it. They instinctively know that the backswing is too big for the intended shot … especially on a short putt.
Here’s a way to practice chipping that can help. Start out with long chip-shots … and fluff-it-up in the rough … and make sure that your shots go past the pin … nothing short … you want acceleration. Then, hit some medium length chips … fluffed-up … and hit them past the pins. Then, same thing with some short chips.
Now you’re loose and accelerating. Go back to the long chip … but hit it off of a normal lie - not fluffed up. And again … hit it past the pin. Same with medium and short chips.
Now, start again with the long chips off of normal lies … and try to hit it close. Same with medium and short chips … try to make ‘em.
Now … go to the short chip … and hit off a skinny lie … a scary lie with almost no grass. If you haven’t been accelerating … you’ll chunk that little chip off that bare lie.
Ok … you’d probably putt it on the course … but this is a drill all about acceleration.
But you’re not done.
Go back to the long chip with the fluffed-up lie … and hit about 3 or 4 … it will seem unbelievably easy. Then stop. You’re done. Leave with that feeling.
When you can … make versions of this drill at the range with full shots. Use a tee at the range instead of the fluffed-up lies. It’s the same concept. You will then naturally learn the proper backswing length to your shots. Your swing will become smoother and more accelerating.
You will develop FLOW and CONTROL. Isn’t that what we all want? And I don’t mean just golf.
Cheers,
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Masters
Masters
Greetings Golfers,
Spring Training for golf is over … the real season has begun.
Opening Day was yesterday - the first round of the Masters.
I can’t believe how good the Masters is … every year it’s incredible. That’s not luck. It’s a special tournament at a special place.
We need traditions. We need rooted things. As we got “modern” we became afraid of getting stuck … that we had to keep moving “forward”.
I get it. But that doesn’t mean discarding everything from the past. We should be building on the developments of the past … not constantly erasing and starting over. We need balance.
When I went to the Masters 30 years ago … it was even better than what I anticipated. It was so relaxed. Everyone was friendly. No one was running … no one was in hurry. It was spotless … but it wasn’t uptight. The whole place had a natural flow about it. Nothing was herky-jerky.
And the beauty. Wow. A friend recommended that we walk the back-nine when we got there in the morning … just to see it in it’s natural splendor before the players and the crowds arrived.
It’s basically in a bowl. The elevation changes are more severe than it seems on tv. Back then in 1995 … there wasn’t any rough. In fact the whole place was like a giant putting green. It really put a demand on control … a wild shot wouldn’t stop rolling … until it wound-up in a bad place. Yikes!
They put in a light rough to “Tiger-Proof” it … I think that light rough actually helps the long driver … it keeps his shots in play.
Speaking of Tiger … he was there as an amateur. And the Pros were talking about him. Everyone was using a wooden driver for control and shot-making.
This was so long ago that Tiger was an amateur and Arnold Palmer was a player. After Arnie finished … he sat on a stool behind the 18 green and talked and signed autographs. A buddy of mine who worked for Arnie’s golf club line … said that I had to meet him. I said “No … he doesn’t want to meet me … what’s the point?” He said that Arnie’s not like that … he’s a real guy … and he literally dragged me over to meet him.
When we got there … Arnie recognized him and they started talking. So I started looking into Arnie’s bag and pulled out one of his irons. What interested me was that he had leather-wrapped golf grips. I used to use leather-wrap-grips and did it myself to make my left hand grip fat and my right hand grip skinny.
While checking this out … Arnie turned around and asked me what I thought about his grips. He said that he also did it himself to get it right. And then we talked about goofy stuff we did to get them how we wanted. It was as natural as talking to my old friends. Yeah … he was that guy.
But the whole place felt like that. The starter on #1 sat at a table with a rock holding the tee sheets. For every player … he would stand and in a casual Southern voice say “Ben Crenshaw (etc) - driving”. Then just sit down. None of that “voice” announcing their accomplishments, etc. Just simple and relaxed.
Well … I hope it’s still maintaining its integrity. Too many places that I’ve loved have sold-out and turned into places that I don’t even like to visit.
Progress isn’t always what is new. Especially if what is new is just glitz. For example, a well-made pair of older shoes is better than a pair of poorly made, ill-fitting shoes that are new.
Well … sit back and enjoy the Masters. Even though we opened on Wednesday … don’t miss the Masters. Maybe you can do both.
Cheers,
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Culture
Culture
Greetings Golfers,
We weren’t expecting Wednesday’s snow … not shocking … but surprising. We want to get open … but not at the expense of the golf course. Frustrating.
Frustration can lead to negativity. Negativity usually doesn’t make things better. Negativity has to be dealt with … not ignored … and not something to feast on.
Feasts can be fun … but groups of people can turn negative … and a negative feast takes on a life of its own. Here’s an example:
A few years ago, I needed a break and went to play at a fairly local club. The Pro hooked-me-up with some guys I knew and we teed-off. It started raining on #5 … and by #9 it was unplayable … so we went in.
We all sat at the back of the bar. I knew all of these guys - probably about 20 - and one-on-one, I like them all. However, this turned into a group feast … a feast of negativity … and the goal seemed to be who could be the most negative.
Everything was attacked: the golf course, the condition of the course, the carts, the Pro Shop, the staff, the food and beverage … name it - they attacked it.
Were their attacks valid? Not really … they were just nit-picking … it’s a great place. Is it perfect? Obviously not … what is? … but is it a good place? Yes.
Well … after 20 minutes of this … it wasn’t relenting … it was ramping-up. So I stood-up and said “What’s wrong with guys? You’re alive … you’re healthy enough to play golf … you’ve got the time and money to play here … and this is a great place. You guys are respected and set-the-tone here … why try to ruin it? You’re acting like spoiled brats who don’t know what they have. I’m out-of-here.”
Culture is the most important thing at a golf course. Number one. It’s what concerns me most.
If a culture turns negative … it’s a virus … a cancer. It can spread through the golfers and the staff. And it will kill everything.
If it takes over … how do you get rid of it? Probably have to start fresh. How does that work without folding?
Last week, my wife and I watched season one of “White Lotus”. Wow. The most unlikeable people on the planet. At least they left the resort after their stay was over … so their negativity mostly went with them. But imagine if they never left. That’s what can happen at a club - public or private - the negativity can become the culture.
I like to think that our best feature is our fun and friendly culture. But I never take it for granted. It needs constant nourishment … like that carrot and stick saying. I’d rather keep feeding it more carrots … but sometimes it needs the stick.
Cheers,
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Old and New
Old and New
Greetings Golfers,
Faked-out again!
Our superintendent - Barry - and I thought we we’re going to have an early opening this year. Probably not. Now we’re looking at the 2nd week in April … which is actually normal. Nothing wrong with that … just hope it stays nice once we open. Some years, it snows after we open … in April … and even in May!
I actually love getting it ready every year. Though there’s a lot to do … it’s fun, exciting and satisfying.
And I don’t mean that old saying “Out with the Old and In with the New”. Sure … we get rid of stuff … and get in new stuff. But we aren’t stuck on an agenda either way. Some people don’t like anything new … they’re stuck in the past. And some people don’t like anything old … they only want what is new.
What’s wrong with making your own combination of old and new?
We just got in our new flags and flag sticks … though new … they’re actually old-school. We think they’re really cool.
And … as I write this … the guys are here installing the new GPS on our new golf carts.
To me … the flags and carts represent the best of the old and new in golf.
And last night, I met some old friends at a bar in our home town.
Doesn’t mean I don’t have new friends … but I love seeing my old friends.
This shouldn’t be tricky. But our society is becoming too agenda driven.
Well … our “agenda” at DRGC is pretty simple: We want the best of old and new stuff … and when it comes to people … it’s not about old and new … it’s about not being a jerk.
Seems pretty simple to me.
Cheers,
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Real People
Real People
Greetings Golfers,
Last night we watched the first two episodes of “Full Swing” season #3. Loved it. Highly recommend “Full Swing.
And the other morning … our Keeper of the Green - Barry Provo - told me that I’d enjoy another golf television show: TLG on ESPN.
Obviously, I’m late to this stuff. It’s ironic because I love that people are getting to see PGA players as human beings … not the tight-lipped guys that we see between-the-ropes during tournaments.
Arnold Palmer brought golf to the masses with his personality and “unique” golf swing. He was a real guy. People can’t relate to automatons.
I read an article last night that researchers are finding that people do not respond to politicians that seem like automatons.
Hmmmmm. So that got me thinking. Maybe as our society turned more centralized … meaning business and government … that the goal was to appear “perfect” with no distinctive qualities. That bland and robotic represented seriousness and expertise. Whereas “human” qualities such as enthusiasm were seen as unsophisticated and “average”.
However, if you look at history … strong leaders were definitely not automatons. Arnold Palmer was not an automaton. But he wasn’t an over-the-top crazy man … he was real … he was authentic.
These new documentaries are so popular because we want to see the person behind the mask. The documentary about racing: “Formula 1: The Drive to Survive” … is one the highest viewed tv shows. Because you get to see behind the curtain.
“The Wizard of Oz” had a profound effect on me. It’s basically how I’ve seen the world since I saw the movie as a little kid. And I understand the need for a curtain more than the need for a mask. I don’t like either one. But the mask … really turns me off. I can’t trust a mask-wearer.
And if I can’t trust a mask-wearer … how can I root for them?
I’m definitely not saying that quiet people need to change. Not at all. I just like and trust authentic people. Wow - what a concept!
I know that AI is a big deal and moving in. And … hopefully like all tools … we can use it to help mankind. Not let it take over and control our lives.
Ironically, I think the concept that robotic-like people are “experts” plays into the concept of AI taking over humanity rather than being a tool of humanity.
Why would people prefer and admire robots instead of humans? I see it in golf swings. I see people trying to take out their athleticism and replace it with a robotic golf swing.
I need to wrap this up. Here we go … EMBRACE YOUR HUMANITY. Doesn’t mean to be your worst version of yourself … be the best version of yourself … not as a robot … but as a human being!
Cheers,
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Sharing the Road
Sharing The Road
Greetings Golfers,
Just got back from a quick golf trip. I know that sounds obnoxious … but it’s one of the few benefits of old age.
Now I want change your opinion of me to one of pity. (Not sure that this will work). Because I played golf everyday, my neck and shoulder are freaking-out. Years ago it got so bad that I had to shake hands with my left-hand. Then I found some ways to relieve the pain … and changed my golf swing so that I basically swung left-handed. I still made a right-handed golf swing … but my right-hand was basically just lightly holding-on.
(Hopefully, I now have your sympathy).
As we get older … things change … and we have to find new ways to make our swing work. Because I am very right-handed … I never really trusted my new “left-handed” swing. And … I lost quite a bit of power and control. Not as fun as it sounds. But at least I could still play golf.
However, the last round of the trip … after a few holes … I decided to play right-hand dominate. Wow! My shot-making and power became much better. I almost felt young again. However, reality set-in … and by the last hole … I knew that I’d pushed it too far.
Was it worth it? Not sure … but I think so. I’ll know for sure by tomorrow.
But I have other more interesting observations from my little golf vacation. Mostly about pace-of-play … and the driving in SW Florida.
One round … we played in 3:15 … and had people hitting into us. Seriously. Some people think that they have a right to play at whatever speed they want to. I think that a 4 hour pace is wonderful. And fair for everyone. And reasonable for everyone. We’re sharing a one-lane road. To me it’s like a 65 mph pace. If the course is full … it makes no sense to let people play through if everyone is at a 4 hour pace. There’s nowhere to go. It’s a one-lane road!
Let’s talk driving on the roads. Some people feel that a left-turn arrow means that they can make the turn whenever they’re ready. Maybe the 10 cars behind them didn’t mind missing the light because of their inconsideration … but I doubt it. It’s pretty mind-boggling … and pretty similar to the people playing at a 5 hour rate with a full course behind them.
But the people who think they have right to a 3 hour round on a full course are just as narcissistic.
Being ready for the left-turn arrow … and trying to play golf at a 4 hour pace are not unrealistic expectations. In both cases … we’re sharing a one-lane road. I think what frustrates the people behind such slow-pokes is that it seems like they just don’t care. It’s the inconsideration that is really annoying … or more than annoying.
But being hit into is beyond annoying. It would be like someone driving their car into you while you’re driving through the green arrow … especially if there’s no room in front of you. It’s dangerous and crazy and narcissistic. What a great trio!
Well … I hope your body is ready physically for a good season of golf. And I hope that the other players on the course are respectful of each other and of a 4 hour pace of play.
My magic wand isn’t working very well … so hopefully my blogs can pick-up the slack.
Cheers,
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
The Balance
The Balance
Greetings Golfers,
Just got back home. Of course … we got hit with a blizzard … but this is March in Minnesota.
Heard a bunch of great podcasts on the drive back. Even one about AI … which I vaguely understand … and definitely don’t know what it means for the future.
I worry about life becoming too mechanical … too robotic … too much emphasis on efficiency.
Obviously those can be good things … but as I tried to say … not too much.
Just read an article about “Fordism” … meaning Henry Ford and his development of the assembly line. The article was concerned that “Fordism” had taken over our society.
I get it. What we need is a balance. Factories can make things more affordable and thus accessible to more people. For example, if you need a table and have little to spend … you can find a cheap functional table pretty easily. Would I rather have a well-crafted non-factory-made table … that could be passed down for generations? Yeah … I’m that guy. Would it be maybe cheaper in the long run? Probably. But what about the person who doesn’t have that option and wants it now?
Since we’re talking about Henry Ford … here’s an example of how this works with cars. I have 2 cars - a fairly new Jeep … and an old Alfa Romeo. The Jeep is very efficient. It works … rain, snow, or shine. The Alfa … not so much. Some years it doesn’t even get out of the shop. Hard to find parts and hard to find people who can work on it.
Why do I own the Alfa? Because I like to drive. I really like to drive. The thought of self-driving cars makes me crazy. Is the Alfa efficient? No. I don’t really trust it. But when I can … I love to drive it to Deer Run on the back roads. It’s a longer, slower route … but really fun if you’re into driving.
If I’m squeezed for time … I take the Jeep and take the highway.
Ok … let’s talk courses. Do I want Deer Run to be more Jeep than Alfa … or vice-versa? I want it to be more Alfa … but still efficient. I think playing golf is more like my loving of driving a car than getting from point A to point B.
Do I want slow rounds and inefficient service? Of course not. But I don’t want the course to feel like a racetrack and that we’re trying to run you out here.
Now this interesting. We share the golf course. We share the planet. How do we keep it personal … and efficient enough to be fair to everyone?
We believe that a 4 hour round is reasonable for everyone … not a race track … but still efficient enough to be fair and not slow. However, there may be “slow-ups” along the way. The group ahead of you may have lost multiple balls on the same hole. That may lead to a slowdown. Once they get settled … things should pick-up and get back on pace.
However … some people think that slow-down should never happen. Or that our staff in the Pub should never get it with a big wave of people that slow-down their order. That way of looking at life is too “Fordism”. People are not robots. Life is not totally about efficiency.
Those type of people are never happy. How could they be? Life is not that mechanical … Thank God!
Life when we’re Down South is more Alfa than Jeep. It’s why we go there. When JFK was elected President, he was asked about Washington DC. He said “It has the efficiency of the South and the charm of the North”. Ouch.
My goal for DRGC is the opposite. I want the charm of the South and the efficiency of the North. Can we do it? We can try. But we’ll never get perfect balance … I just hope it’s close.
Cheers,
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
A Shotmaker
A Shotmaker
Greetings Golfers,
Golf: Hit it … find it … hit it.
And you do it on 18 different holes. Holes designed to challenge your skill and your strategy.
Then throw in weather … and you have a constant unique challenge.
And because we’re human … every round is also constant unique challenge. Some days it’s easy … some days it’s unbelievably hard.
But that’s why we play. It’s all about how we deal with it.
And golf is going to put you in situations where you have to hit different types of shots. Hitting it up over a tree is obviously different from punching it under a tree. Both can be very satisfying. Or, very frustrating.
We need to keep working on our shot-making skills to get better at dealing with the challenges. Most people focus too much on trying to develop a “perfect” swing … and trying to hit it far.
Control of the ball is what it’s really about.
Think about it. You try to hit a driver high and far … and you try to roll a putt on the ground into a hole. Pretty different golf shots. Yet necessary to play the game.
I wonder if Rudyard Kipling played golf. You know, the guy who wrote the poem “If”. Here’s an AI description of the famous poem:
“It’s a poem that encourages people to maintain their balance and moral fortitude in the face adversity.”
He had to play golf.
Kipling was also known as a problem solver and is method was based on a series of questions. Here’s how he described it:
“I keep six honest serving men: They taught me all I knew
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who
Not sure how much his method helps with solving golf problems … but at least he had the right mind-set for dealing with life … and golf!
Well, keep working on your shot-making … and your problem solving. This could be your best golf year yet.
Cheers,
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Harvey Mackay
Harvey Mackay
Greetings Golfers,
This morning I read a great article by Harvey Mackay. You know, the guy who wrote “Swim With The Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive” … a pretty great book about dealing with the reality of the business world.
Actually, I loved it and gave it to all of my managers when it came out back in the 80’s.
For all of our modern “genius” … we take for granted that success in life is all about relationships and priorities. I don’t mean that in a cheesy way of phony relationships and shallow priorities.
People love to denigrate the business world as just being a bunch of ruthless sharks who do anything for money. Are there creepy people like that in the business world? Yeah. But they also exist in the non-business world. They’re just bad people … and I certainly don’t believe that the business world is basically immoral and made to reward such creeps.
Good business people see money as a tool to create a business … and a needed tool to survive and get better. The people who see money as the end-game of life … give business a bad name … and give humanity a bad name.
I don’t know Harvey. I met him once after one of his speeches 30 years ago. He was charming and insightful … I’d even say profound. He sees business through the lens of an entrepreneur and especially as a salesman.
Many business people undervalue the importance of sales. They think that their product or service should just automatically sell itself. They don’t understand or appreciate the value of relationships. Or, they think that sales people’s emphasis on relationships is nothing more than buying the business - meaning trips and dinners and gifts, etc.
To me … it’s all about trust. I deal with people selling golf clubs, balls, clothing, accessories, etc … and food, liquor, beer, soda, etc … and mowers, sprayers, etc … and advertising in magazines, radio, etc … and paving, buildings, etc. I’m going to stop there … you get it. Am I an expert in all of those areas? Hardly. But I’m pretty good at reading people … so I focus on who knows their stuff … and especially - who I can TRUST.
This morning’s article is titled “Focus: The Person Who Is Everywhere Is Nowhere”. Ahhhhhh. I totally agree.
In our attempt to be open-minded … we have relativized everything … everything is of the same value. This is very misguided thinking. If everything is a priority - nothing is a priority. We need to prioritize. Otherwise life becomes overwhelming … and we usually wind-up screwing-up what matters.
A well-run business appears to be easy and simple … almost that it runs itself. Too many people don’t respect that. And, they think the business should be doing more things. They don’t appreciate how difficult it is to run a business so that it looks easy.
Same with a good golf swing. It looks easy. People should be trying to make their golf swings easier and simpler. That can only happen when they start prioritizing what matters in their golf swing. Trying to make a “perfect” swing puts too much value on every part of the swing. Impact and control of the club face are what matters.
Did you know that Harvey Mackay played golf at the U of Minnesota? Yeah - he did. I never saw him play … but had to a very good player.
He also became a very good tennis player. During the 80’s … I was a member of tennis club and played a lot in the winter. One night there, I watched Harvey play a match. His strokes weren’t pretty … but they were very effective … he knew how to make it work.
Here’s a LINK to his article. I think you’ll like it.
The message of good relationships and prioritizing are timeless. They’re at the heart of living a good life. Doesn’t mean you’ll get rich or win the US Open … but you’ll make life simple enough to enjoy it and not be overwhelmed by the impossible goal of perfection.
Cheers,
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Motivation
Motivation
Greetings Golfers,
The other day, playing with a group of local characters … I got paired with a guy who played football on a Notre Dame national championship team. He’s a good athlete … also played hockey and baseball. And is a good golfer. And was a successful lawyer.
Why I am telling you about how wonderful this guy is? Because, he needed my constant encouragement to finish his round. He didn’t play the first hole well - not terrible - but was immediately really down on himself. It continued through holes 2 and 3.
I told him that the first three holes are warm-up holes … that the round begins on #4.
Well … I kept at it. “Your swing looks good.” “Just slow down a little … there’s nothing wrong … you just look hurried.” Etc. Oh yeah, “the round begins on the next hole.”
So … who do you think beat me on the back nine? Yeah … he played great.
Maybe yelling at him at football practice would have worked … but yelling at him on the golf course wouldn’t have … he was already yelling at himself inside his head.
I even threw-out the “casually-confident” idea. He liked it … a lot. Maybe I can take all the credit for his well-played back nine. Obviously not … but I can take a little of it. Encouragement is a pretty good way to motivate. Anger/fear isn’t the best … especially in golf.
Though I try to be encouraging to others … sometimes I’m not good at taking my own advice. I’ve gotten dragged into an ugly war recently … I’ve been through plenty of wars, but never enjoy it … yet, I don’t run from them either. However, at my age, I was tempted to move on.
Well a wise family member sent me this quote from Oliver Wendall Holmes, Jr:
Life is painting a picture, not doing a sum.
"As we go about our activities, we will have a richer day when we think of ourselves as painting a picture instead of keeping score. Rather than woodenly completing a task, we might approach it as something that can be made interesting. Instead of driving to work or riding the bus only to reach our destination, we might think of this routine as part of the picture we paint today. When a friend makes a comment, we might think of it as another brush stroke in our painting and join in with him, rather than making a game or contest we must try to win.
Many of us men were taught that success means having the highest score. So we have become compulsively competitive—always trying to be right, always striving for more financial security, or always pushing ourselves for some new achievement. Success may not be coming out on top. When our lives are lived as rich and interesting pictures, we find our rewards are far deeper and more lasting.
May the picture I paint today be one I will carry with me and appreciate."
So that’s my new motivation. I’m not moving on. I’m staying and painting a beautiful picture.
Hope you are too.
Cheers,
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com