Leadership
Leadership
Greetings Golfers,
Election week got me thinking about leadership. And, talked to a young Pro about succession … I’m not as young as you think I am (just kidding).
Now it gets weird. While looking up this young man on the internet … an article popped-up about one of my favorite people on the planet. It’s an interview with Mike Harmon - the now retired Pro at Secession GC in Beaufort, SC.
The interview is so good that I’m just going put it right here. It’s mostly about leadership. Mike and I used to talk about this stuff all the time. You can’t believe how insightful he is. Enjoy!
Honoring Timeless Traditions
Q&A with Mike Harmon, Secession Golf Club’s former Director of Golf
I recently sat down for a virtual Q&A session with Mike Harmon, former Director of Golf at the acclaimed Secession Golf Club in Beaufort, South Carolina. Mike was in charge at the storied clubhouse for more than 30 years, building a unique culture that has matured into a model of success and vintage refinement.
Mike was a golfer on the PGA Tour in the early 1980s before transitioning into the club business. That shift, in his early thirties in 1986, enabled Mike to blend his deep knowledge of golf with his knack for membership ideal that thrives on authentic camaraderie.
With about 825 members, Secession Golf Club is a premier, old-fashioned, invite-only club with a mandatory walking policy on the Lowcountry-style course that features breathtaking views of the tidal marshes of South Carolina.
I asked Mike about how his experience creating the culture at Secession Golf Club offers valuable lessons in the broader business world.
Question 1: You’ve said before that the secret to success at Secession Golf Club is its understated elegance and simplicity. This seems to gratify your members because the club delivers on the promise of its experience. When companies search for an identity, how important is it to know what type of talent and mindset you’re trying to attract?
Mike Harmon: With regards to the “type of talent and mindset you’re trying to attract” and its role in the success of any business venture, it’s absolutely paramount that a company knows what it “is” and who best qualifies to do business with you. It is, perhaps, more important than the product itself!
At Secession Golf Club, we set out from day one to identify a person with a high golf IQ – one who understood the game of golf and its many traditions. We wanted someone who understood and appreciated the simplicity of the old great clubs of the U.K. and U.S.; not someone that needed all the fluff and puff that many American clubs offer today.
We were about golf in its purest form, walking only with caddies, a beautiful setting untouched by real estate, understated amenities and, most importantly, a membership that was affordable for all ranges of golfers who wanted such a unique experience.
In the world of golf, most great clubs are financially out of reach for the average player, and inevitably, take on an ambiance of refinery, service beyond measure and, in the end, feel a bit stuffy. We set out to keep Secession affordable and simple, yet unparalleled in its presence and comfort.
The Bruce Devlin course is easily in the top 200 of U.S. rankings. The conditions of the course are always exquisite and our accommodations, while perfectly simple, are not the offerings of the “Ritz” or its counterparts – because it doesn’t have to be. They are classically understated, comfortable and perfect for the simple environment we sell.
Our food selections are contained on a one-page menu – most of which have been there for decades. It features local specialties our members and guests return for each and every season. As I’ve said many times, the member knows what he is going to eat here for three days prior to arriving at the Club. All very simple, and I might add profitable!
Each of these components are sold to the potential member as part of the uniqueness of Secession, and since all are invited by other Members, they are well aware of our structure and most likely, have had the opportunity to visit a few times. They either like that or not. And for those that don’t, I politely say to them that this really isn’t for you and suggest other clubs in the area that might appeal to their particular needs.
I remember talking to a gentleman from Augusta, GA, who knew several Members. Augusta is a great golf town, and after discussing the Club, the costs and such, he said to me, “there is no way you can be that special on those numbers!” At the moment I knew he was not what we were looking for and politely ended the conversation.
My two original general partners, Tim Moss and Bob Walton, once told me, “if you sense that the guy isn’t right, he more than likely won’t be and will become a real headache if he does, in fact, join. Follow your instincts!”
$60-70 million in membership sales backed that theory up. We have held to our earliest structure and convictions, remaining steadfast to our ideals in a world that is all about compromise. That is why it worked: comfort, simplicity and affordability.
Question 2: Mentoring played a crucial role in your entry into the club business. When you retired from pro golf, you were briefly an outside cart attendant at Palmetto Dunes before making the leap into business, with help from your mentors. What role have mentorship and service played in sustaining and growing the reputation of Secession Golf Club?
Mike Harmon: Mentorship has served me immensely my entire life! The best mentor I ever had was also my best friend – my Dad. He guided me in so many ways, not with a heavy hand, but with a kind and gentle approach that kept us close until the day he passed away. He never imposed, but brought the consequences of my decisions into view, something devoid in a large part of society today.
When I was struggling to decide whether to play college baseball or golf, he said “you can play baseball, if you’re lucky, till you’re about 30, you can play competitive golf for the rest of your life!” I made that decision in 10 seconds, and what a life it has brought me!
I think a good mentor lays out all the facts from his sage position, then never intrudes into the conversation or decision after that: it must be individual who decides, for they are his consequences, his life.
Also helping in my development through life were several wonderful friends, surrogate dads if you will: Jim Gunter, my golf instructor; Charlie Drawdy, a dear friend and early founding member at the club; and my PGA mentor, Tim Moss, who hired me out of Palmetto Dunes (ultimately became one of the Original General Partners at Secession GC) and who a year or so later, hired me to handle the Golf Operations and Membership Sales at SGC; and of course, the late and great Ernie Ransome, Chairman of Pine Valley whose direction and input into this fledgling club gave it all the momentum it needed to get where it sits today. He taught me so much about the “runnings” of a national golf club!
Because of this great help and advice received in my early professional career, I made it my goal to do the same with the young men and women under my leadership from then on. I have expressed to my employees, in countless “learning moments,” little details about our business – not only operationally, but personally and politically, and how best to navigate the treacherous waters that pervade our business.
Golf is a magnificent game, perhaps the finest of all sports, but it is not a very good business. Only a select few succeed and an even smaller number reach greatness. As Director of Golf at Secession Golf Club, we had almost 20 assistants go on to wonderful head professional jobs throughout the country, and their performances delight me and make me very proud. We stay in contact regularly and I still get asked for advice, just as I ask them for advice!
In the same vein, my door and phone have always been open to help other PGA professionals, golf course superintendents and caddies. It has been an honor to have this platform and I wear a gorgeous ring symbolic of the National PGA Award for Mentoring, the Bill Strausbaugh Award, given each year to honor those who have taken the lead in mentoring young professionals.
What an honor it was! We have also had a junior outreach throughout the community of Beaufort S.C., the hometown of Secession Golf Club. It’s a program I started 20 years ago for local kids who showed extraordinary talent to play our game. This program, called the “Academy Program,” has resulted in the advancement of many young kids and their games, not to mention two South Carolina State Junior Champions, one of which has moved onto the PGA Tour and remains there today. This outreach is simply a way for our club to give something back to our community and it has been a real blessing for so many kids, as has our LeVeen-Roach 9-11 Scholarship Fund, set up in the two names after they perished on that fateful day in NYC. Most of the “Academy” kids participate in this program once they have matriculated to college, another great feature to being selected to the Academy Program.
So, I simply say, if you are in charge of people, you owe them honor, integrity, honesty, consideration, respect and mentorship, period! Without it, you are not a leader, regardless of what you might think.
Michael Kelly: Part of what has made your club such a gem in the golf world is the long view you have taken in “protecting what has worked very well,” you’ve said in the past. With so much pressure to innovate and evolve in the business world, what advice do you have for executives to stay true to the question of culture that ensures their longevity?
Mike Harmon: I have spent 33 years selling – not Secession, not the golf course, not the famed back porch, nor the beauty of the Low Country or the wonderful little town of Beaufort S.C., but where this magnificent club could be in 75 to 100 years.
It is a purely historical perspective. The game of golf is a very old game, with golfing exploits chronicled as far back as Danish sailors in the 1400s and Mary, Queen of Scotland, in the mid 1500s. Most clubs in the U.K. have been in association for well over 100 years (many 200) and I recently went to Dornoch Golf Club in the Highlands of Scotland to celebrate their 400th anniversary! Extraordinary!
So, while Secession Golf Club has certainly made its mark on the golfing world in three short decades (both in the U.S. and Internationally), we are far too young to “crow” about how special we are. I made sure that everyone who joined our wonderful place knew that the real goal was still 40-50 years distant, a day when, if the ideals of the club were protected by the decades of leaders to follow us, then their sons and daughters would see the true accomplishments of the dream our original founders envisioned. That goal was simple, that this club would be mentioned in the same breath as all the other great national/international clubs in the U.S., which are some of the finest clubs in the world.
That was the goal from day one and it remains the same goal today; to lead this club to its full maturity within the golf community, knowing full well that will take 75-100 years to accomplish! That one simple – well not so simple – baseline was the key to our success and we stuck to it.
We were not looking to make millions, we were not looking to be just successful – we were looking to be historic and that is very much alive today! As of July 2020, I have retired after more than three decades to enjoy a much quieter and peaceable life, but in departing, I leave the club on solid footing to ultimately reach that goal, but I won’t see it. None of the early founders or the original general partners will see it. We knew that right from the start, and most of the membership today will not see it, for it still sits 50-60 years away. But it’s within reach; the club is that special.
But as just mentioned, the club must be protected, it must retain the qualities that made it work for three decades, and in our world of luxury, we often take successes and turn them into failures, all in the name of elevating the experience.
Here is where Mr. Ransome, mentioned earlier, became so valuable. I will never, ever forget the day he told me, “Pro, the finest word in the English lexicon is also one of the shortest, NO!” Within the fabric of the word “no” is found structure, boundaries, limits, restraint, and without it, even great businesses will fail, as they become overextended in an effort to grow or elevate.
A true leader has to learn to say “no,” and we have done that well at Secession Golf Club. I just pray for the future generations of members that future leaders understand that word as well. Say “no” to valet service, “no” to stewards that help you with luggage, “no” to sushi and food stations on the course, “no” to 15,000 bottle wine cellars and all the other “unmentionable” items that complicate and undermine the success of a simple golf club.
That is what every leader here has done in over three decades of guidance and I truly believe it will continue for decades to come as the precedent has been set. Historic and the word “no”; a wonderful bedrock to lead any business.
Michael Kelly: Members at Secession Golf Club have included everyone from NFL owners to plumbers. What seems to unite them in their love for the club is its emphasis on standalone quality, an experience that needs no comparison. What is the sweet spot for uniting people of different backgrounds and socioeconomic statuses? What lessons can companies learn from the oasis of the golf club about how to connect human beings on such an elemental level?
Mike Harmon: Certainly, the time-honored traditions and camaraderie carry the day for us, but I have always believed that the sweet spot is the relatively low cost of Secession Golf Club.
It is attainable for everyone that is making a decent living and whom wants the wonderful, traditional offerings this club honors. The plumber, to use your example, can afford it, the billionaire writes the check because he simply wants to be here. He loves the vibe, the ethos. And soon the plumber meets an NFL team owner at the bar following a round, they mingle and chat, and those chats never have to do with “what you do.” Only “where are you from,” “how did you play today,” “how long have you been a member,” and “come outside and meet my guys.”
I personally could care less whether you got to Beaufort via your private jet, car or donkey – it all equals out once you get inside the gates, and that is not the case when you pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to join a club. That’s something else… I can guarantee that that’s something other than the simplicity of the game of golf.
The billionaire gets no benefit from writing a check to join Secession Golf Club – he simply wants to be there. And the guy that owns a small landscaping company, a deli or the plumber is infatuated with being a member of a national club like this. They blend perfectly.
I always took a great deal of satisfaction in NOT knowing what most of this membership did for a living, and, amazingly, it never came up! They were here to have a good time and everyone at the club made sure they had a good time. Period. No fluff, no puff, just golf at its best and all the simple pleasures that come with playing and staying here. This is a retreat, a place for most of these guys to get away from the world and hide for a bit. That’s all it was ever supposed to be – just like Pine Valley, Augusta and Cypress were supposed to be 100 years ago, and what they are even today, havens and sanctuaries. And by the way, they’re also feature some of the finest golf courses in the entire world!
As for a company finding this same niche, I would say take great care of your people, pay them well, treat them well, and LISTEN to them, it will come back to you in spades.
Obviously, whatever you are selling has to work in the ideas of the marketplace, but your employees are the key to it all. They are the frontline people – your frontline people – and if you isolate them, treat them coldly, then that same chill will resonate to your customers.
The vibe here is very reminiscent of Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland, where the Members of Parliament and roofers play and dine together united by one love, golf! In the work place, you must make their work a passionate part of their life; otherwise, you have people just punching a clock. The famed retailer Jack Mitchell wrote two of the finest books on sales I’ve ever read: “Hug Your Customer” and “Hug your People,”
It’s all about relationships and doing the little things right. That’s what makes great companies, men’s stores and golf clubs!
Michael Kelly: It’s a testament to your grace in the golf world that you’ve earned the moniker “Old Pro” among the members of your club. As an individual who carries the responsibility of fostering that positive culture and ensuring the fulfillment of your members, what advice do you have for business leaders who need to be “the guy” who sets the tone? Any examples of how you’ve made that mantle a point of pride?
Mike Harmon: Oh, so many points of pride. How about a thousand close friends worldwide! Can a man be any richer? I simply tried to serve this membership as best I could. I always had a hug, a smile and a cold beer with them at some point of their trip. I knew their families and probably spent a good bit of time with their kids. It was a family, a family built around the game of golf.
At the highest levels, the game of golf is a small world. Many of the same people move in the same places and as a fledgling club, Secession has stepped into that pantheon of great clubs over the last 35 years. It is not only a joy, but quite an honor for a young club.
I had a small part in that, fighting for it every day. And believe me, this was no pleasure cruise! I remember cleaning toilets in the office because we couldn’t afford to have someone come in and clean. True story! The place was padlocked in 1993 and about 6-8 of us stayed on in belief that it would work out. It did.
The devastation of 9-11 rocked our small club with over 125 resignations within 8-10 months. 08’-09’, wars, hurricanes. We’ve seen it all, but so have all the great clubs of the world. Augusta had to herd cattle on the course during WWII to get by. How are they doing? Mr. Jones, my idol, should be very proud! You just go in and fight every day. That’s why you have to have a team. To know that someone else is shouldering the load is huge. But I, nor any of the 800 members ever let go of the dream. We never lost faith in where we could be – both now and at 100 years old. And today, she’s an absolute beauty! To your leaders, do your best to create a “family” within the workplace. I just don’t see how that doesn’t bode well for the future!
Lastly leaders, protect your honor and your integrity; it can disappear in a heartbeat. It’s everything! I’ve tried my very best to walk in honor and integrity, doing it right! It’s not easy – in fact, it’s hard, and at times very lonely – but never lose that honor.
Hundreds, perhaps thousands look to you for a ray of light, a point of honor, and as the leader that mantle is a mainstay in the success of your business. Don’t give it away. It’s invaluable. My personal faith has always been the foundation of my life. It’s my guide and my rock, and with that at the center, I have been able to weather not only the storms at work, but multiple battles on the home front. I once heard a pastor say “Honor is the gift a man gives himself!”
How amazing was that????
I wish he’d run for office.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Halloween
Halloween
Greetings Golfers,
Here’s the AI Overview of Halloween:
“We celebrate Halloween because it has ancient pagan and Christian roots and has evolved into a modern secular holiday focused on costumes, candy, and spooky fun. The tradition began with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the end of the summer and the beginning of winter, a time when people believed the boundary between the living and the dead became blurred. To ward off spirits, they lit bonfires and wore costumes. Later, the Christian Church created All Saints' Day on November 1, and the night before became All Hallow’s Eve, which eventually became Halloween.”
I think it’s fun … and I love giving out candy. Fortunately, we live on a street in a little town that is packed on Halloween … I give out over 300 candy bars from 5-9pm … seriously. It’s hilarious!
However, the concept of the blurred boundary between the living and the dead is not hilarious and yet needs to be part of our awareness.
Just a few days ago … a close friend of future Nephew-In-Law lost a close friend at a wedding in the Dominican Republic. You might have heard of his passing - Cody “Beef” Franke. He was a Bar Stool Sports Golf Personality. Here’s a quick look at his life.
I never met him. But he sounds like he was a great guy. Though only 31 years old … he had a huge impact on the people around him. His love for golf was only overshadowed by his love for people. R.I.P.
The other night, I had a meeting with a man almost 3x Cody’s age. He’s one of my son’s neighbors and he’s had an amazing life. He immigrated to America in 1959 from India, and got a college degree in electrical engineering. Then went back home to get married … and then they came back and settled in Minnesota.
As much as he was into engineering (he told me he was known as the “problem solver”) … he was even more into his religion … he’s a Sikh.
Because Sikhism is only 5% in India … you can imagine its tiny size in America. He herded up Sikh organizations in Minnesota and built a Sikh temple.
Why am I telling you about him? Because it’s inspiring to learn about someone who has taken on life to the fullest. I was in awe listening to his stories. He’s very aware that he’s looking at the other side of life … and he wanted to share his story while he could.
It’s a shame the Cody “Beef” Franke couldn't live to the age of my son’s Sikh neighbor. But it seems like “Beef” had a wonderful life - short as it was.
Well, enjoy the fun of Halloween … but also take some time to reflect on the “other side” … and how fortunate we are to be on “this side.”
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Our Staff
Our Staff
Greetings Golfers,
What a crazy year!
A rainy Spring rolled into a rainy Summer.
And then the most beautiful Fall of all-time.
Though it’s still beautiful … we’re closing for the season on Sunday, October 26. We have lots of work to do while we have nice weather and no one on the golf course.
People are already asking about the Annual Sale. It will be on Saturday, December 6.
And the announcement and availability to buy the Holiday Passes will be on Wednesday, November 19.
Wow - already talking about next year!
However, we have more to say about this year. We had another great year - thank you.
And I want to thank our staff. Lately, I’ve written a few blogs about “impact”. Well, what is “impact” for operating DRGC? That’s easy - it’s our staff. We can have the greatest stuff and greatest system … but it still comes down to staff. They make it happen.
So let’s start with the Maintenance Staff - led by superstar Barry Provo:
Sam Brammer
Evan Casper
Myonghai Choi
Dean Clark
Gordy Davis
Prince DePratto, Jr
Kirby Dorothy
Ethan Erickson
Mike Histon
Sonny Jurgens
Philip Kruger
Tyler Loch
Colden Melton-Hanily
Grant Paulson
Ryan Scrivener
Chase Snedeker
Mike Stannard
Brayden Soderstrom
Gary Stahlke
Levi Thompson
F&B Manager - Kelly Olive ran a great show. And I mean show. Her staff was hilarious and set the tone for the whole place. Bravo! Here’s her staff:
Gabby Anderson
Grace Anseth
Katie Anseth
Adi Charon
Sophia Czuchry
Courtney Eder
Ava Ennis
Rachel Gallagher
Ali Grobel
Maren Grussing
Riley Histon
Sydney Hules
Maeve Kelly
Ella Kurzhal
Allyson Kuzara
Sydney Prondzinski
Allie Rector
Olivia Salem
Sasha Snegirova
Jamie Sorenson
Kenna Steger
Lauren Sundry
Hannah Tate
Briauna Tester
Cassie Thompson
Sophia Thompson
Elise Torberg
Elle Van Bronckhorst
Lucy Vetter
Elise Wilson
Maddie White
We’re not done yet! What about the people you deal with when you check in … and keep the Shop cool and attractive … and the gang that makes sure our unique Range is functioning … and that our sexy carts are fresh and ready to go? Well … here they are … led by Kathy Jones and Ketti Histon and Avery Charon:
Dan Abts
Thomas Aragon-Menzel
Riley Bartholow
Allie Blackwell
Jacob Bryant
Kyle Bryant
Tyler Bryant
Owen Campbell
Austin Charbonneau
Kolby Christl
Jack Gallagher
Aiden Gerding
Hunter Hanson
Patrick Hunter
Webb Jones
Brodie Lage
Ryder Martin
Mike Melander
Finn Neenan
Gavin Perry
Ben Reiff
Zach Reiff
Danny Renner
Brodie Semira
Nick Stambook
Wow - what a crew! Back to the “impact” concept … the staff is our family … and the golfers are our friends. How good is that?
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Overcoming Adversity
Overcoming Adversity
Greetings Golfers,
My plan was to write about overcoming adversity. A few days ago I read that overcoming adversity was the key to becoming a man.
It’s definitely one of the keys to becoming a mature adult.
So - as I was starting to write - I received an email that Chi Chi Rodriguez had passed away. Well … Chi Chi died over a year ago … he would have turned 89 next week.
Yet … a golf blog about overcoming adversity … who better to write about than Chi Chi? His story is unbelievable!
Chi Chi was born to a poor Puerto Rican family … his father made $18 a week cutting sugar cane. Chi Chi helped him as a kid … but could make money money as a caddy … so he took up golf. He made a golf club out of a stick and used crushed cans as balls. Seriously.
Also, he was only 5’7” … and skinny because he’d been really sick as a kid.
And became one of the best players in the world.
Talk about overcoming adversity!
And … outside of golf … he was known for his tireless philanthropy. He was a kind, helpful and highly ethical person. He had every excuse to be the opposite.
And this morning … Harvey Mackay’s blog headline is “Doing The Right Thing Is Never Wrong”. He then talks about how business has become focused on short-term goals that have led to unethical business practices.
Then he quotes Australian businessman Kerry Stokes: “Ethics or simple honesty are the building blocks upon which our whole society is based, and business is part of our society, and it’s integral to the practice of being able to conduct business, that you have a set of honest standards. And it’s much easier to do business with someone when you look them in the eye and say, ‘This is what we’re going to do,’ and you understand what you each mean, and you can go away and get it done.”
What I’m trying to say is that I think at the heart of overcoming adversity is the drive to do the right thing. Maybe full-blown evil people are driven by bad motives … but I think for most people … the drive to overcome comes from deeply held good motives … otherwise the drive fades out.
And as always … it comes back to golf.
Hit it - find it - deal with it.
Overcome the adversity.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Wild Bill
Wild Bill
Greetings Golfers,
You’ve probably never heard of Bill Mehlhorn … the guy who Ben Hogan said was “the best I ever saw from tee-to-green."
He was called “Wild Bill” because he could go “wild” shooting a string of low scores … and he wore a cowboy hat.
His weakness was putting … that’s why you never heard of him. He did win 20 tournaments and finished 14 times in the top ten in Majors … and was runner-up to Walter Hagen in the 1925 PGA Championship.
But his real legacy is his ideas about the golf swing.
Here they are in a nutshell:
Don’t interfere with the swing.
Grip lightly and relaxed.
Never use more than 2/3 power.
The follow-through is more important than the backswing.
In golf… you never use force… you create it. Motion is force.
Well … he can explain his ideas better than I can.
Here’s a link to a video of him giving a clinic in Florida in the 1970s.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
The Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup
Greetings Golfers,
The Ryder Cup.
We need to talk about it. But first … let me start with some quotes:
“We can easily forgive a child who’s afraid of the dark. The tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.” — Plato
“I just read that the PGA of America hired a ‘comedienne’ to fire up the crowd by everyone chanting ‘F-you Rory’. Who ever hired her should be fired.” — Some guy on Facebook
“The slow unhurried courtesy which was once the accepted manner of an American, gives way to an impersonal brusqueness in other places, particularly those under the influence of New York. There, a pleasant mien is apparently held as a sign of weakness.” — An old (1950) book I’m reading
And … a letter written to George Washington by his friend Chris Madsen, who was being held captive by the British during the War of Independence: “All of them behaved with decency to me and I have not had the least insult offered to me.”
I guess that the Ryder Cup is more combative than war.
What’s going on? How did our society become so disrespectful?
Don’t tell me that America was phony and now it’s “real.”
I like directness. I don’t like phonies. But that doesn’t mean being disrespectful.
Back to that Plato quote … those “fans” at the Ryder Cup aren’t afraid of the dark … they embrace the dark. They hate the light.
PGA of America chief executive — Derek Sprague — said, “It’s unfortunate that people crossed the line last week.”
Yeah … how about taking responsibility for that madness.
Sprague again, “There’s no place for this at the Ryder Cup, nor in the game of golf, and we are not happy with what happened.”
Ok … you didn’t see this coming?
I like to think of golf as a sanctuary from the madness. Not a phony, uptight scene … but as a genuinely fun, friendly atmosphere.
Our society has become hyper-critical. People sitting on the sidelines of life and complaining about everything.
Here’s a great quote from Teddy Roosevelt:
“It’s not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strongman stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is actually marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while doing greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory or defeat.”
Teddy nailed it — written about 100 years ago. Since then, we’ve become a society of petty bystanders … who think that being important is being a critic.
I see all of this as a rejection of personal responsibility. That “I have a right to be a jerk, and you can’t call me out on it.”
You wonder why we’re having trouble in our country? People are rude and nasty and irresponsible. And are proud of it.
Basically … a society of spoiled children. And I don’t mean rich kids … I mean that so many people are so removed from reality that they can’t deal with anything. They are the opposite of Teddy Roosevelt’s “Man in the Arena.”
What I’ve always loved about golf is: Hit it, find it, deal with it.
What a great wake-up call.
The meaning of life is how we deal with reality. As a spoiled child … or as a grown-up?
We can’t keep on allowing or even rewarding bad behavior. It will only escalate.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
2025 Ryder Cup
2025 Ryder Cup
Greetings Golfers,
This is it … the first day of the 45th Ryder Cup.
As I’m sure you know, it’s being played at Bethpage Black in New York.
Talk about home-field advantage!
As we’ve done for many years … here’s legendary former Edina CC PGA Head Golf Professional Marty Lass to tell us why he thinks Europe will win:
Why Team Europe wins the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black
Team Europe, the underdogs (as always) will win the Ryder Cup this year. I think this year will be one of the closest we have seen in a few years. Here are my key points on why:
USA Home turf. Unless an idiot yells in a backswing, the ‘pro-American’ crowd will not bother the Euro’s. Most of this team plays on the PGA Tour full-time, and they have been hearing chants “USA, USA” all year. Home field advantage is not really an advantage here.
Camaraderie. The Europeans have eleven players returning from 2023, same captain too. I do not think they need to force each other to relax, have fun, and mix it up with each other in the varying formats. They also do not have such a deep ‘pool’ to get players from as the Americans, so they know each other very well.
Luke Donald. He is a very unassuming player/captain. A bit unappreciated. I think he will look at mistakes that he might have made 2 years ago and make changes this year. It will not be ‘repeat what worked’ 2 years ago; players change, and he will adapt to what they are now. I also think that the players will not feel pressured to work extra hard to win for Donald (as the American players feel they will with Keegan Bradley).
Putting and experience. When it all comes down to it, there are a million statistics out there dissecting this match. However, the team the putts the ball in the hole the best will win. With the experience of the European players, this means making clutch putts!
I certainly hope Team USA wins. They have a solid team and a great captain. They will have their hands full in New York…
Bravo Marty! Well said … as always. However, Team USA is ready to take back the trophy.
Here’s why:
The Ryder Cup is an emotional event. Not your typical stoic individual golf tournament.
It’s more like New Year’s Eve in Times Square. And this is right next door on Long Island.
Both teams are unbelievably talented. But Scottie Scheffler is the world’s #1. And deservedly so. He will be the needed rock.
The USA Captain - Keegan Bradley - is not the rock. But they don’t need him to be the rock. They need him to be who he is - an inspirational, emotional, ball of energy. He’s perfect for this team - especially at Bethpage Black.
It’s that simple.
Victory Team USA.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Driving With a Stick-Shift
Driving With a Stick-Shift
Greetings Golfers,
Played golf the other day with an old friend. Though we hadn’t seen each for a while … it was relaxed and comfortable immediately.
He noticed that I was driving a car that I’ve had forever. It’s just a fun car. It’s not fast … but it’s really fun to drive … if you like driving. And I love driving! Especially downshifting into a turn.
Driving a car is much like playing golf. I love to play golf the way I love to drive my old car. I love hitting golf shots the way I love downshifting into a turn.
I can’t imagine that people want self-driving cars. Maybe it’s because they’ve only driven modern, boring cars.
I just heard that people are spending 8 hours a day looking at their phone … and not spending time talking to people.
Maybe their conversations are as boring as driving a modern car … they need to shift gears!
My old friend and I spent 4 hours on the golf course talking about everything! It definitely wasn’t boring. It wasn’t crazy … it was fun and fascinating. We talked about anything and everything. It went from 1st gear to 5th gear … and everything in between. And we weren’t afraid of accelerating or downshifting … or just cruising for a while.
The golf was the same way. He’s recovering from a shoulder injury … so he just watched my shots, and we discussed the options before each shot. I’ve been through some shoulder problems so he was watching for movements in my swing that worked despite my restrictions.
Hitting the driver is more like being in cruise … but hitting funky wedge shots is more like downshifting into a turn. One shot had a lot of options … but we chose hitting a punch-hook to the right side of the green … it ran out and actually hit the pin … just how we’d discussed. That was fun.
We’re both old … and very aware of our limited time. We want to be present. We want to enjoy every shot on the golf course … not just race through it. We want to really talk to each other … not just half-listen and not care.
A car is very symbolic of a culture. Do we care about actually living in the moment … or are we just trying to get somewhere … and miss the whole point of living?
Well … golf is a great way to get off your phone and get back to living. So is driving … especially a car with a stick-shift.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
People Are More Than Numbers
People Are More Than Numbers
Greetings Golfers,
Had some time the other day to tackle a bunch of piles of paperwork.
A crazy mixture of letters, magazine articles, books, catalogs, etc … stuff that just piles up.
Found a note from a local business owner … he signed it: “Your only friend, Bill”.
I hope he isn’t right.
Found a “swing analysis” from 1998 … with numbers under four headings:
Address
Top
Impact
Finish
One sheet was my numbers … and the other sheet was what they “should be”. My Address and Top numbers were not good … however, my Impact and Finish numbers were good. That made the instructor furious. He complained that I was “lucky” … and that if he had my Impact and Finish numbers that he would be a Tour player (because his Address and Top numbers were “perfect").
Read a blog last night about Colonel Parker - the guy who managed Elvis. Here’s how the blogger opens it:
“If you’re going to business school … you’ll learn more in this book than you will in class. Class will teach you the mechanics, the elements of publishing, how to put on a show … you will be taught how to be a worker bee. But all the money is in controlling talent, being on top, and most people do not possess the skills to do so.
How do you manage relationships … I haven’t seen this taught in any course. But that is what Colonel Tom Parker specialized in. Fun used to be a core element of the music business - up until about 20 years ago - then it all became too corporatized, too institutionalized, too bottom line oriented … to its detriment.”
How good was that?
Oh … running it by the numbers doesn’t work? Oh … running your golf swing by the numbers doesn’t work? Really? How about managing a baseball team? My wife and I went to a Twins game a few weeks ago … wasn’t watchable.
How is this happening?
Well … looking through my piles … I found the Business Plan that I built 30 years ago with consultant Dave Watrud. Dave’s plan started with who we wanted to be. Either a/or:
Commodity
Innovative
A commodity is just a basic good. Obviously we need basic stuff … and that’s important. But we wanted to be more than just a basic golf course.
So the business plan for a basic golf course is different from one that wants to be unique.
However, this commodity mindset is taking over everything.
You can’t manage a major league baseball team with a commodity mindset. Well, you can … but I think it’s crazy. These are unique players - the best in the world.
Are you being smart by dumbing everything down?
People are not commodities. I suppose you can look at people that way … but I sure don’t recommend it. Especially managing people.
As I always say, “You can fake a lot of things … but you can’t fake vibe”. And a service industry business needs a good vibe. And you won’t get that if you view human beings as a commodity.
Well … I’ve got to get back to my paperwork … but never at the expense of my relationships.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Finish Your Golf Swing
Finish Your Golf Swing
Greetings Golfers,
Fall is here.
How fast did that go? Hopefully … we’ll still have great weather for golf before you fire-up your snowmobile.
So let’s talk golf swing. The last few weeks, I’ve heard more people complain about their swing than normal. Maybe I should’ve used the word usual instead of normal.
But you get the point … I don’t want to get hung-up on semantics.
Same with the golf swing … I don’t want to get hung-up on little stuff … I want to focus on the point. Which is: can you hit the ball to your target?
I’m not hung-up on the backswing … but I am hung-up on the downswing (forward swing). That’s how you send the ball to your target.
Are there weird backswings that hit good shots? Yes. Does a good backswing determine a good shot? No.
A good drill is to wind-up and stop. From that stopped position … make a forward swing. And make sure that you make a good, full follow-through. And then hold that follow-through.
Also work on your timing. Let’s say that you use 100% energy on your swing. I want you to make practice swings that feel like 40% on the backswing and 60% on the forward swing.
I see a lot of people quit on the forward swing. They used up too much on the backswing. They think they can hit it farther with a big backswing … but that only works if they have a good forward swing. A weak forward swing is not good.
Here’s a tell-tale sign … a weak forward swing usually finishes low-left. Most people need more of a high-right finish.
Another good drill is to make a figure-8 swing. Don’t take the club back inside … take it back outside (like you’re reaching) … then at the top, drop it down inside … and from there swing it out high-right … and then drop it back inside … and then make the same outside backswing. You will have made a figure-8. It will also give you a great feeling of the necessary transition from backswing to forward swing.
Ironically, as the season goes on, a lot of people lose their rhythm. They get longer on the backswing and shorter on the forward swing.
Then they lose their confidence and start worrying about little details of their backswing … and then they can’t even make a decent golf swing.
That’s why a lot of people are better at the beginning of the season. They aren’t over-swinging. And I mean the backswing.
Good players have a good tempo. Easy backswing which accelerates into a good forward swing. Their backswing may not be technically perfect or even not very good … but they drop the club into the “slot” and then accelerate.
Hitting the ball is the point of the golf swing.
A backswing is just a way to make a good forward swing. The forward swing hits the ball.
Like most things … we miss the point. We get hung-up on meaningless details, trying to be perfect. “Perfect is the enemy of the good.” I know it’s an old saying … but it’s one of my favorites … because it’s so true!
Hopefully we have two good months left to play golf. Don’t quit now. And don’t quit on your golf swing.
Make a great finish!
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Half - Staff
Half-Staff
Greetings Golfers,
I’m still in mourning after Wednesday’s shooting.
So … my blog is at half-staff.
Painfully,
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Love, Evil, and Robots
Love, Evil, and Robots
Greetings Golfers,
Can’t believe it’s almost Labor Day. And the kids are going back to school.
Our staff is filled with a lot of “kids”. High school and college students. They are leaving every day to go back to school.
Obviously, this is tough for us work-wise … but it’s even tougher emotionally. Seriously. This place is a family. And it kills us when they leave.
I think a lot of the dissension in America is about how business is run. Obviously, businesses have to be successful and pay the bills. And the point of a business should be to provide a needed service or product.
But when businesses get taken over by vampires who couldn’t build a business … all they can do is bleed it and sell it (and fool the unlucky buyer) … working becomes misery.
If a country’s businesses get taken over by these lunatics … the country will die. The businesses will die and all that’s left are the ashes. While these “geniuses” scamper off with the equity that was built-up by the previous owner’s vision, management, and hard work.
Do you think these people care when the kids go back to school? They don’t even want them in the first place. The kids have too much heart and soul. These criminals want to hire lifeless, defeated people who they can mistreat and abuse.
What they really want is a society of robots.
And this mindset is creeping into everything. And they like to call it “modern”. Like a robotic golf swing that can’t hit shots. I mean shaping the shot with your hands. Robots don’t have hands. So … you need to learn to take your hands out of the golf swing … they’re too “unreliable”. Hmmmmm.
So … my hands won’t function under pressure? That’s their speech. Hmmmmmm. I remember as a kid right out of college going out to dinner with my sales manager. My hands couldn’t handle the pressure - I stabbed my eye with my fork trying to eat. I’m kidding. I had no problem using my hands to eat my meal.
This mindset is misguided at best.
Get your hands back into your golf swing. They control the club just like they control a knife and fork.
Another analogy. I pitched in high school. Why? Because I had a really good wind-up? No … I’m kidding again. I could pitch because I could throw … and I could spin the ball with my hands. Gee … that’s rocket-science.
Here’s another one … do I run a successful golf course because I run everything off of spreadsheets? No. I know who our market is … and am constantly trying to improve and provide a better product and service for that market.
Am I wasteful? No. That’s not my nature. I don’t need to waste my time and energy on petty control nonsense. The results are obvious and are the point. Hitting the type of golf shot you want is the point. Can you do it or not? It is definitely not the result of making a robotic swing. I can hit good golf shots off my knees … or standing sideways. Gee … I can control the club with my hands. Gee … I can control a tennis racket with my hands.
If you can’t control a tennis racket or golf club or baseball bat or a hockey stick with your hands … you can’t play.
If you can’t run a business with your brains and your gut … you can’t build it and keep it going.
My goal is that when our kids leave us for the business world … they can be successful because they have a good work ethic based on responsibility and common sense and the ability to solve problems and take calculated risks. Not be robots.
And they can play golf because they have well-trained hands and can hit golf shots.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Happy Gilmore 2
Happy Gilmore 2
Greetings Golfers,
Of course, I have to review Happy Gilmore 2.
I thought it was funny. Really funny. My wife thought it was sort of funny. I get it. It’s Adam Sandler. His movies are goofy, silly, juvenile, etc … but mixed with a kind-heartedness that makes it work.
I think that Adam Sandler is a mix of being genuinely kind - even sweet … and also being angry and capable of violence. At least that seems to be the character he always plays … especially in the movies that he writes.
You definitely wouldn’t choose him to play the role of a polished, high-level executive. His charm is that he’s sort of anti-social … yet friendly to people. He’s the ultimate genuine guy … not at all a phony, pretentious person.
So the original Happy Gilmore movie was basically about a goofball entering the staid, uptight world of golf … shades of the movie Caddyshack.
Yet, in Happy Gilmore 2 … he joins the side of the PGA Tour in a match against the new golf league that wants to undue all of golf’s traditions.
So … Happy is the rebel … but on the side of the traditionalists. It’s kind of genius … this way he can beat the bad guys and help the good guys recover their innate goodness.
Which to me is always the theme of his movies. He’s not the revolutionary out to destroy society … he’s the true adolescent in a grown-up’s body who’s frustrated with the phoniness of the adult world … but doesn’t want it overthrown … just not so uptight.
You can see why Happy Gilmore was so much fun when it came out 30 years ago. Golf has loosened-up a lot since then.
But the movie isn’t just about having fun … it’s another “Rocky” story. Happy turns unhappy. His life falls apart and then rises just like the Phoenix. In fact, that’s another common theme in Sandler’s movies - rising from the ashes. And … that’s when the adolescent turns into a grown-up.
A real life golf “Rocky” story is Ben Hogan. You need to see the movie about his rise from the ashes - Follow the Sun.
Happy Gilmore and Ben Hogan are two different cats. But they both share that drive to overcome adversity that is so inspiring.
And … isn’t that attitude at the heart of golf? Isn’t that why we really love it? The frustration can be overwhelming … but the overcoming is so satisfying!
Well … though Happy Gilmore 2 is silly … it’s lovable, and funny, and satisfying … just like golf.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Time
Time
Greetings Golfers,
Managing time well is one of life’s greatest skills.
I hate wasting time. But I hate being rushed.
I want to be efficient … but I don’t want efficiency to run my life.
I love driving a car … but I hate getting stuck in traffic.
I enjoy a relatively fast round of golf … but I don’t want it to feel like a racetrack.
Though I’m busy - probably too busy … I like being a little early for things.
Do you remember that song “Time” by Pink Floyd:
“Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an off-hand way
And then one day you find that ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.”
That song hit me pretty hard when I was in college. I was just goofing around … not taking much seriously … I thought I was going to live forever.
Most sports have a clock … a time limit … except for golf and baseball. 18 holes or 9 innings.
That feels more like life … we don’t have a preset time for our life. It’s more like playing one hole at a time. Maybe we won’t play 18 holes … but life isn’t a game … our final “score” isn’t really the point.
Years ago … I had a former in-law who announced “He who ends with the most toys … wins!” I thought he was joking … but he was serious. He spent his life - his time … in pursuit of toys/stuff. He had a sad life … actually very sad … though he did end with a lot of toys.
I guess the point goes back to priorities. And everyone has a right to have different priorities.
And I think what we want as we get older changes. When I was young - I wanted everything! Now … I know what I like … and my desires are pretty simple. For me now … less is more.
And I think for a healthy society … it’s important that older people are settled and not on a “bender”.
If everyone is on some mad chase for “more” … society has to be crazy and out of balance … and younger people have no examples of what taking control of life looks like.
It can all be summed-up in a nice round of golf. 18 holes … played at a relaxed pace … swinging with a nice tempo … playing with enjoyable people … at a nice place.
What a great way to spend your time.
Golf always has the answer.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Padraig Harrington
Padraig Harrington
Greetings Golfers,
Last week, Padraig Harrington won the Senior Open - the Senior version of the British Open.
Padraig has been a great player for the past 25 years … but seems to fly under the radar. From 2001 - 2010 … he was usually in the top 10 in the world.
Besides last week’s Senior Open victory … he’s won three Majors … two Opens and a PGA Championship. And played on six Ryder Cup teams and even captained the 2020 team.
Maybe you knew all of this … but I sure didn’t … I knew he was good, but I didn’t he was that good!
The main reason that I’m writing about Padraig is that an old friend just sent a video that Padraig made about the golf swing. Here it is: VIDEO
My friend’s comment to me was: “You’ll LOVE this lesson!”
And I do love it. My ideas about the golf swing are pretty simple: Control the club with your hands to put spin on the spin … and find a natural athletic swing to then use your hands to hit shots. And I think for most people, the swing should be basically a throwing motion.
Obviously not everyone is good at throwing … so they might be better off making more of a mechanical swing. But for people who are comfortable with throwing a ball … building their golf swing around a throwing motion can be a natural and easy way to play golf.
Speaking of natural and easy … sometimes running a golf course is neither one. Lately, I’ve had too much on my plate and haven’t been great at returning emails. I try to respond to everyone who responds to my blogs … and I usually do. But those last two blogs … I’m way behind in responding. I’m not ignoring you … I’ll get back. I enjoy all of the responses … this is not a plea to stop … this is just my way of apologizing for being slow.
Well, today is August the oneth. I can’t believe it. One of the weirdest, rainiest years that I remember. Let’s not waste these days by waiting for perfect weather. The golf season is short … “Waste-not, Want-not”.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
British Television
British Television
Greetings Golfers,
Though television has a lot of channels … there’s not much that I want to watch. Lately, when I need to just zone-out and watch tv … I watch one of 3 shows from the mid-60’s:
The Avengers
The Prisoner
The Saint
They’re all variations on James Bond, and all are British shows. The Avengers and The Saint are pretty hilarious - especially The Avengers. But … The Prisoner is pretty serious.
The star of The Prisoner - Patrick McGoohan - was in an earlier Bond-type show - Danger Man. The world was obsessed with the Cold War and those spy shows were a big deal. Especially the James Bond movies.
I’ve always liked those British shows. And I like the British tv coverage of golf. It actually makes sense. They follow a featured group … and you get a real feel of the course and how it’s playing. They set-up every hole … and they talk about the strategy for the different players. The announcers have normal conversations with each other … and there are natural silences. It’s relaxed, insightful and enjoyable. Basically, the telecast has respect for the audience.
Respect. That was the main theme in The Prisoner. Though he was a Bond guy … he resigned … he believed the bad guys had taken over his government. But he wasn’t sure who it was - was it the Communists? He was kidnapped and put on an island … and called Number 6.
The theme of the show is the conflict between individualism and collectivism. Though these spy shows were about fighting the Cold War … was Communism infiltrating and taking over behind the scenes? Was the Prisoner correct?
One recent television show that I liked was “A Gentleman in Moscow” … I think I wrote about it a few months ago. Here is a quote from the book about the take-over of Communism:
“As best as the Count could determine, the Bolsheviks assembled whenever possible in whichever form for whatever reason. In a single week there might be committees, caucuses, colloquiums, congresses, and conventions variously coming together to establish codes, set courses of action, levy complaints, and generally clamor about the world’s oldest problems in its newest nomenclature.”
This is what we and the Brits were fighting against … this is what the Cold War was all about. Individualism vs. collectivism. Back then, Communist Russia banned golf - it was deemed too individualistic.
For me … The Prisoner still resonates … 60 years later. I love his speech of: “I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or numbered. I am a free man.”
We need shows with that message. And we need better golf coverage. It’s all about respect. We need less people telling us what to do … and talking to us like we’re idiots.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Scottie Scheffler
Scottie Scheffler
Greetings Golfers,
Most of you have probably heard about the Scottie Scheffler interview this week. It’s pretty amazing. I’ll try to summarize it … and then talk about it.
On Tuesday, he opened up about being at the pinnacle of the less glamorous side of the sport, emphasizing that personal fulfillment doesn’t always come with professional success, and highlighting the significance of putting family first over improving his golf game.
Here’s some of what he said, “This is not the most important thing in my life. That’s why I wrestle with it, why is this so important to me? Because I’d much rather be a great father than be a great golfer. At the end of the day, that’s what is more important to me.”
He also said that being able to support his family brings him far greater satisfaction than achieving golf’s highest honors.
Wow.
I think this is so powerful because it’s about someone who really cares more about his own personal values than society’s values.
Obviously, he’s in a position where he has the luxury to say this. And live it. But that shouldn’t nullify what he said.
In fact, last week, some of us were talking about how cool it is that he lives in a normal house in a normal neighborhood and drives a 12 year old truck.
I think a lot of us are pretty disgusted with pop culture and the obsession with wealth and celebrities.
Here’s more of what he said “There are a lot of people who make it to what they thought was going to fulfill them in life, and you get there, you get to No. 1 in the world, and they’re like ‘What’s the point?”
Then he said “If I win … it’s going to be awesome for two minutes … then we’re going to the next week.”
He sees winning as a reward - frosting on the cake. He loves doing the work to get there: “I’m kind of sicko. I love putting in the work. I love getting to practice. I love getting to live out my dreams. But at the end of the day, sometimes I just don’t understand the point.”
I think he does understand the point. He understands that life is about priorities. What screws people up is the saying “You can have it all.”
Then people don’t establish priorities … they don’t figure out what matters. If you think life is about “Having it all” … you’ll be frustrated all the time.
Life is about choosing. This or that. Now or later. Sacrificing while working for a goal.
I think that our society is constantly sending a message that the goal of life is to get to a place where you can do whatever you want … with no responsibility for your actions.
Think about that for a while.
Well … Scottie Scheffler doesn’t want that. He wants to be a responsible guy. He doesn’t want to get caught up in the glamour and screw-up what really matters to him.
We need heroes. And we need heroes like him.
Thanks Scottie.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
The Right Elbow is the Secret
The Right Elbow is the Secret
Greeting Golfers,
Let’s talk golf swing.
You know that I’m a big believer in training your hands. The hands control the golf club. The hands control the hockey stick. And the tennis racket. And the ball that you’re throwing. A pitcher needs to control the accuracy and spin of the baseball.
However, the hands have to be in the correct position to do its work.
A million years ago … I went to Mickey Owens Baseball Camp in Branson, MO … when Branson was just a little town in the Ozarks. I learned a lot … but the best thing I learned was how to throw a curveball.
The secret was to lead with my elbow as long as I could, and then the wrists snapped naturally and powerfully. It wasn’t about trying to snap my wrists … it was about delaying the snap until it exploded.
Golf wrist action is similar. On your downswing … lead with your right elbow into the ball. Look at what a good position that puts you in before impact.
Now do the opposite. Lift or turn your elbow away as you move into the ball. You will lead with your right shoulder instead of your right elbow. Feel how weak that is. There is no chance for solid impact.
Try this on chipping. Lead with your right elbow. See how good impact is?
But … leading that much with your right elbow keeps the club face open. So … set-up with a closed club face. And with your hands in front of the ball. This is how you “trap it”.
This “trapped” shot is a great shot … even on a full shot … and a great way to get the proper feel of impact.
Lots of people set-up with a closed club face because they’re worried about slicing. But they slice because they flip their hands at the ball. That why so much instruction is about taking the hands out of the swing. But that doesn’t solve the problem.
Good hand action is vital in golf. But the secret is to get the hands in the proper position. And leading the downswing is what gets the hands in the proper position.
Make a football throwing motion. See how you have to lead with your elbow? It’s the same move in the golf swing.
Don’t be afraid to close the club face in your set-up. You won’t hit it left if you lead with your right elbow.
Leading with the right elbow is the secret to many ball and stick games.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Independence Day
Greeting Golfers,
Two hundred and forty nine years ago - July 4, 1775 - the unanimous Declaration of the 13 united States of America:
When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume upon the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect for the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these Rights, governments are instituted by the consent of the governed.
Of course, there’s more to the Declaration of Independence … but right there is where they threw down the gauntlet.
An amazing achievement. The first country based on individual liberty.
But can we keep it? Benjamin Franklin said “If you can keep it.”
Why is freedom so hard to keep? Because there are power freaks out there. Control freaks. Very often disguised as “caring” … or doing the right thing for the people (people as a group - not as individuals).
You see it everywhere. I don’t mean just in government … I’m also talking businesses and other organizations.
One of the beauties of being free, is the opportunity to create things to build things. And hopefully the goal is to build good things that last.
However, power freaks come in and only care about control … not about building something (especially for the long-term). Whether it’s a business or a government … it’s the same game - how can I run this for me.
Here’s an example. There’s a lot of talk amongst PGA of America members about what is happening to our organization. Originally, the staff of the PGA was hired to help the members of the PGA. However, as time has gone on, it appears that the staff of the PGA is running the PGA for the desires of the staff … not for what is in the best interests of the members.
You see this also happen with business Boards … the Board starts seeing the business as their toy to use and abuse.
The same attitude that the British government had towards its people.
Was the British government interested in building a better Britain for its people? No. In their mind … the British people existed for their use.
A society based on laws was intended to protect the rights of its citizens. Over time, the law has been weaponized for use by power freaks. These people can’t deal with neighbors or other people in a normal decent way … they sic lawyers on people to abuse and get their way.
Our Founding Fathers had the guts and fortitude to stand-up to these freaks. For the United States of America to continue to be free … we need to be free from these freaks … they need to be stood-up to.
Ironically, when I went to high school we were the Warriors … they changed the name to the Royals.
How crazy is that? Our Founding Fathers were warriors … fighting for their freedom from the royals.
These self-appointed Royals need to be stood-up to. We need to be Warriors.
Today in celebration of what the Declaration of Independence is about … remember that it’s about being a Warrior for Liberty.
Cheers!
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