Better

Better

Greetings Golfers,

Well, election season is upon us.

 
Some of it is interesting … but most of it is boring and annoying. You just feel manipulated. I want a vision … a clear vision. Not just pandering and/or attacks.

 
Cultures and countries and businesses and people’s lives get stuck … and die. We have to move forward … but it has to make sense. Revolutions just throw the baby out with the bath water. And sometimes that’s necessary … but it’s usually a disaster … one step forward and two steps back.

 
Too often people think that moving forward is getting bigger. Sometimes bigger is better. But the key word is better. Better is better … doesn’t have to be bigger.

 
This is always on my mind regarding DRGC. We don’t want to get bigger … we’re the size we want to be. But … we do want to get better.

 
One of the problems we had with the constant rain … was that the Range was basically a swamp. The problem was that when the balls landed … they would dive down into the ground. Pretty hard to get them out … the ball picker just drove over them. And pretty tough to mow a swamp. So the grass just got higher and the balls more entrenched. Then when we could mow … well … the entrenched balls paid the price … with their lives!

 
Probably not the most fascinating story … but one of the many crazy parts of running a golf course.

 
So … the other day … we tested a computerized machine that can mow the range … on its own. And it’s light … and doesn’t destroy the balls. Am I going to buy it? Are you kidding? Yes!!!!

 
It’s going help us get better.

 
Are we getting new golf carts next year? Yes! It’s going to help us get better.

 
Is your golf game getting better? Are you working on your short-game? Or are you trying to get bigger (hit it farther)?

 
Power without control is bad in life … and bad in golf.

Work on getting better until you need to reach the Par 5s in two … so that you can consistently shoot 68. Oh … you’re not consistently playing par golf? I guess your problem is distance. I’m kidding. And … you always have the option of moving up a tee box.

 
Good golf is about controlling the ball … and course management … strategy.

 
Let’s go back to the start of this … talking about the election season. Do you hear much about strategy? How about a clear vision?

 
My nature is optimistic. But I’ve lived too long to be naive. I want to know how we’re going to advance.

 
Well … I don’t know where we’re headed as a country. But I do know where we’re headed as a golf operation. We’re going to keep getting better.

Cheers!

Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com