Golf Courses, Gardens, and Civilization

Greetings Golfers,

Last week’s blog was just basically saying that even though I play on a terrible golf course, I like the guys that I play with and love playing golf – anywhere.

A good message … and true.

However, that’s not a license for golf courses to stop trying. They should be in decent condition. And of course, we all want other quality services … but first and foremost, the golf course should be playable.

I played with some visiting friends at a nice course over the weekend. It wasn’t “big-time” or in amazing condition … but it was good. Down South during January, the grass goes dormant, so it’s not lush like Minnesota courses in the summertime. But at least this course had grass … though dormant, it was pretty easy to hit off of it.

And the greens actually had nice grass and the ball rolled. Wow! I felt like I was cheating!

It was fun being with friends from Minnesota … and playing a nice course in nice shape was really a treat.

Well … I’ve been wrestling for years with the idea of a more “natural” golf course. But what does that mean? How “natural”? Maybe you could say that the course I usually play down here is “natural”? Or do you mean a course that is in good condition but doesn’t look artificial? I get that. I like courses where the layout fits with the natural terrain … where it looks like God designed it.

However, that’s not always possible … and every course needs to be “developed”.

Also, what about flowers? Deer Run GC is blessed to have a talented obsessive fellow who has built beautiful flower beds all over the facility. That’s not “natural”.

But it sure is beautiful. Nature can create beauty – but so can man. Nature can be cruel and ugly – so can man.

Philosophically, I’m not a Utopian – I’m very skeptical of creating La-la-land. But, I like civilization … I don’t want to live like an animal in nature.

Same with a golf course. I don’t like the totally artificial course … it’s creepy. And yet, the uncared for, “natural” course that I’ve been playing is not good.

Once again … it’s balance. It should look and feel as if God made it … but it needs human knowledge and effort to cultivate it.

I am going to go back and play with those guys. But, I am starting to play at other courses.

Just looking for a healthy balance.

Cheers,

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

A New World

Greetings Golfers,

We’re always learning (hopefully) … and usually we learn more when life is hard, rather than when things are easier.

Probably, because when things are good, we take it for granted … and when things are tough, we step back and try to figure out what’s going on.

Well, we’ve been learning at the golf course. Actually, things are tough AND good. Much better than expected or even hoped for. Like most people, we were really worried about our business when the pandemic hit. When would we open? Would we even open? Would people play golf if we opened? Lot’s of questions. Scary questions.

So, we got the green-light from the Governor on Friday, April 17 and opened the next day. That weekend was stuffed. In fact, both days sold-out in 15 minutes right after the Governor’s announcement.

And the barrage of golfers has continued. If the weather is decent, we’re sold-out. And from what I’m hearing … it’s the same at every golf course in the Metro area.

So now the big question for golf operators is: Will this continue?

I’m not sure that this will become the “new normal”. But, I  think golf will see the resurgence that we’ve been hoping for. Ironically, it’s not the result of an initiative or an intense marketing campaign. It’s because people realized it’s a great thing to do outside. And, once they start playing golf with a new awareness … they have a new appreciation of the joys and benefits of the game.

Golf is always waiting there to be discovered … and rediscovered. It’s never needed tricks and gimmicks to keep it going. What it needed, was a slowdown in our normal pace of life. Too often we get too busy for the good things in life. We put off what matters so that we can hurry and get to that place in our life where everything is perfect … and then we can finally have the time for family and friends … and golf.

Well, I’ve been very guilty of putting off what matters until I get “there”. I’m proud of my work ethic … but I’m not so proud of when it dominates my life at the expense of family and friends … and golf.

Maybe the answer is to combine all three: family, friends, and golf.

Another example of learning. I just wish that I didn’t need tough times to wake me up.

Take care,

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

A Good Grip

Greetings Golfers,

One of the prettiest sights in golf is a good grip. And, unfortunately, it’s a rare occurrence.

If you ever give golf lessons to beginners, you’ll see one of two swings. The first one is the caveman swing.The club is gripped in the palms, squeezed in a death grip, then lifted straight up in the air and then pounded down on the ball as if it’s a deadly snake.

Or, the goal being to get the ball airborne … they close the club face on the back swing while their weight shifts to their front foot so that they can use their wrists to scoop the ball up in the air as they shift their weight to their back foot.

Both are not good ways to use a golf club ( you notice that I didn’t say “swing”).

Ironically, if they used the snake killing method for iron shots … and the scooping method for drivers off a tee … they would be sort of ok. But, they do the opposite. Thus the snake killer breaks the tee and pops-up the ball … and the scooper hits the ball on the way up so that it’s topped and is a wicked grounder.

Both actions are usually performed with the grip of the club in the palms of the hands. The same way that you would grip the rope in a tug-of-war.

The club needs to be held in the fingers … of both hands.

And, the grip should be most felt between the thumb and forefinger of both hands. That’s the start of a good swing. It will feel weak and out of control at first. But, it needs to be learned in order to swing and not hit or scoop.

Here’s a good analogy. When I was a young boy, my stern Scottish grandfather took me to a steak house. I held my knife and fork like a caveman in the palms of my hands and my elbows stuck straight out. He insisted that I hold the silverware in my fingers and tuck in my elbows. I thought I was going to starve. It felt weak and terrible. I was not happy. But, he was right (as always).

I had to go through the same process with a golf club in my hands. Practice gripping the club in your fingers. I used to do it while watching tv – gave me the excuse that I was doing something useful.

Keep at it. Pretty shots will become more common. Pretty shots begin with a pretty grip.

Cheers,

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

It’s a Golf “Swing”

Greetings Golfers,

Some players golf games get better as they older … some get worse. I was one of those “worse” guys.

I started noticing trouble in my 50s … then around 60, it was pretty obvious that things had changed. Not only had I lost distance and swing speed … but I was hitting fat shots and other goofy stuff. And not only were my shots flying shorter, but they were getting lower … and lower.

The problem was that I was more of a “hitter” than a “swinger”. My swing was more of a punch than a sweep. I loved to punch wedges into greens – it was probably my best shot. And, I basically used a long punch swing as my normal golf swing. More of Lee Trevino than Payne Stewart.

It was a good way to play for my job. Was low maintenance … seldom wild … not exciting, but worked. If I chipped and putted decently, I could score decently.

Well, I played the other day with an old friend … and he was going through the same stuff. He’d played college golf at a big-time school … but 40 years later he was struggling. Though not a big guy … he’d been more of a hitter than a swinger. He’d always had a great short game … but you still have to get the ball around the golf course … he’d become short and wild.

Ironically, the wilder he got, the more that he “held on”. We all think that “swinging” leads to wildness … that control comes from no hand-action.

Wrong. Here’s why: You need to square-up the clubface at impact. If you don’t square-it-up with your hands … you’ll try to square-it-up with your shoulders.

And, he was trying to get power from his legs. He was trying to drive his legs into the shot. After he told me that’s what he was doing … I asked him to punch me and  drive his legs into it. He couldn’t do it. The leg action stopped his punching motion.

Here’s an analogy: Our high school catcher could throw a rocket to second base without coming out of the crouch position. A pitcher pitches because he can throw. His windup doesn’t throw the ball.

Your golf swing should feel like throwing a golf club. That’s the right motion. But here’s the secret to make it work: The left hand has to throw the club back-handed through the ball like a frisbee. So (if you’re right-handed), the golf swing is like throwing the club sidearm at the target. And … during that motion … the back of the left hand also throws the club out to the right and up. If it doesn’t go right and up … you’ll hit a low hook. But, right and up, you’ll hit a high draw … not a bad little shot to have at your disposal.

In fact, since I first wrote this blog, I played 9 holes with the first Club Champion (1990) here at Deer Run GC. We hadn’t played together in 25 years … and he couldn’t believe how high my tee shots had become and that they drew back in. He was struggling with the same stuff as my old friend – not swinging the golf club. So he tried my left-hand frisbee throw. His last two drives of the day were semi-high draws. He’d never been able to hit that shot. I wish I had a video – he was pretty excited.

That is a free action – not a punch. You’ll need a lighter grip and softer hands and arms … in fact, just a more relaxed body. This is not the Arnold Palmer action. You want more of a Louie Oosthuizen swing. In fact, Tiger Woods has become more of a swinger than he used to be.

If you’re shut in and looking for something to do … take a look at videos by Manuel de la Torre, Ernest Jones, Bob Toski, and Mike Malaska.

And just watch videos of Sam Snead. Snead won on Tour at age 52 … and made the cut in a US Open at age 61. Snead played great golf into his 80s. He played everyday and never had the knee and back problems of modern golfers.

We can play well as we get older … but we need to be “swingers” and not “hitters”.

Cheers,

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

Don’t Worry About The Rain

Greetings Golfers,

You know that saying “April showers bring May flowers”? Well, I think for Minnesota it should be “May showers bring June flowers”. We’re about a month north of most of the country. But, a little rain shouldn’t stop your golf plans. Monday and Tuesday the report was for rain … it missed us and we were fine. But because of this phobia inspired by an over active media to heighten the threat of storms, people waste valuable beautiful Minnesota days.

So, every year I send the following:

Did you ever see the episode of CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM when Larry accused the weatherman of manipulating the weather reports so he can have the golf course all to himself?

Did you also know that episode was based on fact and that all weathermen manipulate their weather reports to keep people off the golf courses?

Well, maybe I’m exaggerating a little bit … but not much.

Bad weather makes news. Bad weather keeps everyone tuned in. I get that weathermen have a responsibility and safety concerns. However, if it’s not life-threatening such as a tornado …make your tee times dependent on your schedule – not the weather reports. And, if it’s too nasty of weather – just cancel. In fact, we’d prefer if you don’t cancel. It doesn’t help us. You can decide at the last minute. Try it …  if it’s not fun … get a raincheck, refund, etc.

We’re not trying to take advantage of you trying to play golf in bad weather. I’ve heard of golf courses that won’t give rain checks if you play one hole – that’s not us. We’re not like that. We’ll do whatever is fair. And, we’ll error on the side of getting you on the golf course. That’s what we do. We want people to play golf. We don’t do all of this work just so people can drive by and say “What a beautiful golf course.”

You’re under no risk making a reservation to play golf. And you’re under no risk trying to play if it looks like rain.

Remember those old Alka-Seltzer ads: “Try it – you’ll like it.”

Golf will fix any ailment better than Alka-Seltzer.

So … “Try it – you’ll like it!”

Cheers,

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