Charm and Effiency
Greetings Golfers,
So the MN Twins finally won a playoff game … and a series.
Their losing streak was as bad as the current USA Ryder Cup streak in Europe.
See … there is hope for our teams.
Of course you remember the Twins beating the Blue Jays in the first-round playoffs in 1991 … on their way to beating the Braves in the World Series.
Yeah … I was working at Deer Run then … but I wasn’t working here when the Twins played the Dodgers in the 1965 World Series … I’m not that old.
But I am old … and have seen a few things. I even remember that 1965 Series very well … it still hurts. I haven’t traveled as much as I hoped - yet I have seen a few interesting places. In fact, this week, I’m in Lisbon, Portugal … with the kids and even their babies. I know, we’re crazy … but it’s good and worth the madness.
Lisbon is a big city - bigger than I thought … not population-wise … but area-wise. And it doesn’t feel big-city intense … it’s pretty casual and relaxed. And patient. The streets are packed with people and cars … and yet no-one’s freaking-out. The people are genuinely friendly and kind. Babies have precedence … with the babies we don’t have to wait in-line … seriously … it’s pretty amazing and representative of the culture.
The boys and I played golf at a supposedly highly-rated golf course. As expected, the staff was very helpful and friendly. However, the condition of the course and other things we take for granted, wasn’t very good. Played with a guy from Washington, DC. He was obsessed with slow-play. He complained about the pace-of-play at his public course back home. He said he’d heard of “Fast Play Friday”. Who knows?
Can a place as relaxed as Portugal also be competent? Does this level of casualness also mean a lack of standards? These are the things I’ve been thinking about while here.
I think this relaxed scene can work … as long as people are responsible and held to it.
Ironically, a frantic and up-tight place like DC … won’t work if people aren’t responsible and held to it. I think JFK said that DC “had Southern efficiency and Northern charm”. Obviously that’s the worst of all worlds
How about if countries (and golf courses) had Northern efficiency and Southern charm?
Well, last week, the USA Ryder team had neither efficiency nor charm.
Hopefully the Twins have both. How fun would it be to see a likable Twins team in the World Series?
You can have both - charm and efficiency … but it’s a tricky balance.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com