Leaving Home
Leaving Home
Greetings Golfers,
This time of year is tough on a lot of parents because their kids are heading-off to college.
Same thing here. We have a ton of college kids - Maintenance staff, Pro Shop, Carts and Range, and especially the Pub and Bev Carts.
Obviously we’ll miss their service … but more than anything … we’ll miss THEM. This is a tight-knit operation and we run it like a family. They’re way more than just employees.
People always complain about young generations.
But, I have to tell you, these are great kids. They work hard and are responsible. They work well with each other - we don’t have staff drama … seriously.
But what they really have are great hearts. They care about DRGC and each other and the golfers. They really do. It’s not fake.
We’ll survive when they leave … we have some recent grads who hang around … and some local college kids … and some high school kids. And the rest of us will have to step-up.
But it won’t be the same. Hopefully the golfers won’t feel it. But we sure will. Happy for them. Sad for us.
Already looking forward to them coming back next Spring.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Friendship
Friendship
Greetings Golfers,
A few weeks ago, there was an article circulating about a golfer running into a 10some on a golf course. Not a good situation … at least not for the players behind the group.
But is it good for the group? And why did they do it?
Probably out of friendship. I’m not defending it … just explaining it.
Players don’t always understand that they’re sharing a one-lane road. They get caught up in their little world and are oblivious to problems they’re causing the other players on the course.
This is tricky stuff. Here’s why: If golf is only played as a self-absorbed game about who is right … and “these are my rights” … well, that sounds like the attitude of someone looking for a fight.
Sharing the road … goes both ways. What about kind concern? Not just “I have my right!”.
A few years ago Down South … my playing partner showed-up late. He’d befriended a homeless guy on the side of the road … took him to a restaurant … and called the guy’s family in New York.
See what I mean … this is tricky stuff.
We’ve been tough about booking multiple tee-times. We’ve had problems. They always promise me things will be fine … and they probably mean it. But … we get no-shows, or late-shows, or slow-play, or just an entitled attitude.
Yet, so often it’s for good stuff: family reunion, wedding party, old friend get-together. I love that stuff. But … the reality is that it’s a one-lane road and they shouldn’t screw things up.
Here’s a fun one: A few years ago, we hosted a bunch of tee-times for a bachelor party. This was not a golf crowd. Probably wasn’t a golf shirt or pair of golf shoes on anyone … and they used all of our rental sets. On the first tee, I explained what was expected and wished them well. But … I kept my eye on them throughout the front-nine. My presence wasn’t enough … they needed constant prodding to keep moving. By the 10th hole they’d had enough (so I had I). A bunch had quit after 9 … so they came out to greet me on the tee-box on 11. I was circled by about 10 guys who were drunk and wanted to kill me. Somehow I survived and kicked everyone off the course.
As I said … it’s tricky.
The bottom line is that we all have to respect each other … and remember that we’re sharing a one lane road.
A round of golf doesn’t need to be “perfect”. We’re not isolated entities on the golf course. We need to think of other people as friends … sharing this planet. We get too obsessed with “rights” at the expense of being a good person.
We do everything we can so that your golf round can be smooth and around 4 hours. However, you’re sharing the golf course with other people. Real people. Not just objects.
Back to the 10some. Is it dumb? Yes. Is it selfish? Probably. Are they deliberately trying ruin other people’s golf experience? Probably not. Are they trying to enjoy friendship? Probably. Does our planet need more emphasis on friendship? Definitely.
But … 10somes are not fair … no matter how well-intended. Slow play in any size group isn’t fair … it’s a one-lane road.
We’re very proud of our pace of play … we take it seriously. However, we are not a factory. And a golf course is not a race track. But players should stay on pace.
This issue all boils down to respect. And we shouldn’t view other players as the enemy.
Viewing the other people on this planet as friends … would make it a much friendlier place. Let’s at least try it on the golf course.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Graciousness
Graciousness
Greetings Golfers,
The other day while paying cash for my gas (and a much needed Dr. Pepper) … I was 50 cents short … so the guy at the counter said he’d cover it. Being a Minnesotan, I felt guilty and tried to stop it … then he said “Don’t steal my joy”.
How cool was that?
Not only do we have to know how to give … but we have to know how to receive.
Gracious receiving … has not been my skill. I hope I’m getting better at it. I’m finally understanding that I’m “stealing their joy” by being a bad recipient … I thought that I was being noble.
Wrong. Noble is more than doing the right thing … noble is standing up for the right thing.
Here’s a crazy version of this that’s been on my mind. Some people think that doing the right thing is doing whatever they have the power to do. Basically … being a bully … or a thug.
One of my speeches here has been about acceptable levels of behavior. On an a grading system from A - F … here’s how I see it:
A - maybe/hopefully someone
B - staff and shareholders
C - our customers/golfers
D - unacceptable
F - public execution
A few years ago, I resurrected FastPlayFriday for a day. I went out Rangering … starting on #18. So … all was well on #18 … golfers on the green, in the fairway and on the tee … and they were on a 4 hour pace … same on #17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9 … and not on #8 … no one on 8 … #7 until the tee box … I inform them that there are 2 open holes and they’re behind pace … one of their players was a (former) shareholder who said “Why do you always yell at me?” … I replied “because your always doing something wrong”. He was “entitled”. He thought that being a shareholder entitled him to D-level behavior.
So … I left #7 for hole #6. There I saw a little girl running around on the green. Hmmmmmmm. And, there was a cart parked right in front of the green. So, I parked on the cart path and walked over and asked him what was going on. He replied that he could do this because he was “special”. Hmmmm.
I asked what that meant. He replied because he worked at Deer Run that he was special and could do what he wanted. I then made it clear that he couldn’t … and that they had to go in.
This craziness left me with having to relax the golfers backed-up on #5 and #4.
Why were we backed-up? Because … people who should be behaving at B-level … were behaving at D-level.
Amazing. Simply amazing.
Maybe my reluctance at receiving gifts is a fear of acting entitled. But they’re very different situations. Graciously accepting help or a gift is a good thing. Acting entitled is the opposite of graciousness. Does it warrant Level-F … public execution?
Maybe. It depends on the situation.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Play
Play
Greetings Golfers,
“It is the evening of the day, I sit and watch the children play” …
Many of us remember that line from the old Rolling Stone’s song. A lonely guy trying to get joy from watching kids play … a great image that captures someone’s sadness.
He needed the joy of play.
He needed to play golf.
I’m serious. I’m serious about the need to play. We all need to play - not just kids.
The other night, I was wrestling with the grandkids (toddlers) and the dogs … it was hilarious! We were playing.
The next day, we were hosting a football team fundraiser. So … I was talking about the need for play … and that when I was a kid, we played neighborhood sports day and night. And that two of the kids played football at the U of MN. And that they became so good because they loved to PLAY football in our neighborhood. Just for the sheer joy of playing the game. Of course we played to win. But we played because we loved to play … winning was just frosting on the cake.
I fear that we’re taking the play out of sports. Sports are about playing. You say that you PLAY football or baseball or hockey or golf. You don’t say that you WORK football, etc.
Before you go crazy … I want to make it very clear that I’m a believer in the value of work … and hard work! But not everything we do should be the Puritan Work Ethic.
We need joy in our lives … and play can be a great source of joy. More stuff doesn’t do it. The treadmill of constant work and constant consumerism doesn’t provide joy.
I wish that kids could play neighborhood sports like we used to. It’s all become too organized and too serious.
You can play golf your whole life.
That Stones’ song is “As Tears Go By”. Don’t sit around sad like the guy in that song … get out and play.
Play golf!
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Shank-a- potomis
Shank-a-potomis
Greetings Golfers,
Remember that tv ad where the baby talked in a grown-up voice and called his golf buddy “Shank-a-potomis”?
Shanking is not fun. In fact “shank” was a word too awful to be said on the golf course … it was referred to as the “s” word.
So why is it so terrible and unmentionable on the golf course? Because, it can become a disease and almost incurable if it really gets in your head.
There are two types of shanks: the good player shank … and the bad player shank. The good player shank is when the club gets too shallow on too much of an inside-out path … so that the hosel of the club makes contact with the ball instead of the club face.
The bad player shank is the opposite move. It’s coming too steep and too outside-in … hitting with the shoulders and not the hands. Some people say it’s a result of flippy hands … I don’t buy that. Both shanks have no hands … whether it’s the good-player shank or the bad-player shank.
The bad-player has no lag and no hand-action (other than a flip or scoop). Basically, the bad player tries to hit the ball with his shoulders … lift it up … and smash down. It feels powerful … and over-the-players can hit it far if they can square-up the club face. But that swing is not a swing … and has almost no control.
However, the good player knows how to rotate or “release” his hands through impact and thus put hook-spin on the ball. Because he can make it spin left … he needs to swing-out right to have room for the hook spin to work to his advantage.
But here’s where the good player runs into trouble. Trying to control wedge shots or other little shots … he may try to hold the club face through the shot rather than release it. That holding of the club-face on an inside-out path can easily drive the hosel into the ball. Thus … a shank.
Ironically … the fix for both the good and bad player is to release (rotate) the club through impact. That will immediately work if you get the shanks on the golf course.
Then when you get off the course … go to the range and work on your swing path … either less inside-out … or less outside-in.
It’s very fixable … if you do this.
It’s worth it. Shanking is not fun … and not really funny. That ad was funny … but no one wants to be known as “Shank-a-potomis”.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
The Importance of Golf
The Importance of Golf
Greetings Golfers,
I can’t believe it’s July 12. The time between July 4 and Labor Day goes by in a minute. Don’t waste it - summer in Minnesota is precious!
Looks like we survived the 3 month monsoon. I was afraid that it would never end. Our course is in good shape - I hope all the courses are too.
People used to say to me that I must hope that other courses fold and reduce the competition. No! I love golf. I want to see golf thrive. In fact, I with there were more courses. Especially courses for beginners and kids.
Learning to play golf is like learning how to drive. People should learn to drive in a parking lot and then on side roads. You don’t just take a rookie driver and throw them on the freeway. You shouldn’t take beginners and kids and put them on a busy regulation golf course. That’s just mean. Probably not as dangerous as the car situation … probably not … but maybe.
I’m glad that golf has taken other forms such as TopGolf and winter simulators. I think short courses are a good option … like a 4 hole course. Why not?
Golf should have as much variety as restaurants. Golf is probably more important to your physical and mental health than restaurants.
Even the Presidential candidates got into an argument about golf.
How fun would it be to see mic'd-up golf matches between Presidential candidates. It’d be way more fun and informative than the typical debates.
Well … don’t waste your summer on tv … especially political debates.
Get out and tee-it-up!
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Circle of Fun
Circle of Fun
Greetings Golfers,
Years ago one of my sons got into golf. He’d played high school baseball, so he could make a decent golf swing. But, he needed to learn how to hit different shots … so he needed to learn how to make different swings. A draw swing doesn’t look like a fade swing. I’m talking about controlled shots … not shots that hook or slice because of uncontrolled club-faces.
So … I showed him the “Circle of Fun”. I think he thought the name was funny … but he definitely did not find the concept amusing. Like most people, he was more into the perfect swing than a bunch of “crazy” swings.
Was helping a friend last week with his swing. His upper body was moving left and dipping as he moved into contact … causing fat shots and pulls.
So, I got him to swing out right of his target … and finish high. The body reacts to the swing. Trying to get him to stop moving left and dipping doesn’t solve the problem. When he would swing-out and finish high … he didn’t move left and dip … because he couldn’t!
Let’s go back to “Circle of Fun”. Picture that you’re at the range with a 7 iron. You’re standing on the left edge of an imaginary circle … right in the middle of the left side of the circle. The ball is on the right edge of the circle … right in the middle of the right side of the circle. Your feet are square, the club face is square, and your hands are just slightly in front of the ball. You are set-up to hit a straight shot.
Now, move the ball 6 inches down the right side of the circle. And, move your feet 6 inches up the left side of the circle. By doing this, your hands should be more in front of the ball, the club-face should have closed, and your shoulders should have closed. You are now ready to hit a draw. Just swing.
Let’s go the other way. Start at the beginning - the square set-up. Now move the ball 6 inches forward up the right side of the circle. And move your feet 6 inches down the left side of the circle. By doing this, your hands should be slightly behind the ball, the club-face should have opened, and your shoulders should open. You are now ready to hit a fade. Just swing.
You can keep moving up and down the circle in this manner and hit more severe draws and fades.
This drill will also fix you when you get out of whack.
Obviously you can hit variations of these draws and fades. For high shots - finish higher. For low shots - finish lower. Take control of your golf swing. You can do this. People think that shot-making is sophisticated. It’s not. It’s basic.
Yesterday was the 4th of July. A day for celebrating freedom. You can’t be free if you want people to control your life. We all need to take control of our own life.
Trying to play golf like a robot is as misguided as wanting to be a controlled robot in an unfree society.
Use “Circle of Fun” and take control of your golf game … and your life.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Rain
Rain
Greetings Golfers,
When we didn’t get any snow this Winter … I knew we were going to get some serious rain.
So, I thought it would be during April and May (which it was) … but it wouldn’t continue every day in June. Maybe everyday is an exaggeration - but not much.
The fellow who hired me here in 1991 saw the rain policy very differently than I did. He believed that if you started the round you weren’t entitled to a rain check. I wanted a very liberal rain check policy. I wanted people to play golf.
This difference in attitude was in everything. We never saw eye-to-eye on anything … micro or macro. This is not intended to throw him under-the-bus. I’m eternally grateful that he hired me. This place and my family have been the loves of my life.
I think you might enjoy hearing some of our different views of running a golf course.
He used to hold up his watch and say to me that he “was going to get this place to run like a Swiss watch”. I would reply that the goal should be to keep the place relaxed and able to handle the constant problems of weather, things breaking and wearing out, and just the realities of dealing with the public. I felt we needed to be flexible and adaptive problem solvers.
Woah!!! He didn’t agree. He saw everything from top-down control. I wanted the staff to have the power to handle the ever changing situations. Golf courses are not assembly lines.
But with his attitude, he saw everyone as just a cog in our “machine”. He talked about how in his experience in the theatre, that everyone knew each other’s lines and that “the spear-thrower could play the role of the star”. And that we should be able to do that with our staff of: Grounds superintendent, Kitchen manager, Bookkeeper, and Golf Pro.
Wow. I said that you should reward people for their strengths and not punish them for their weaknesses. I then laid-out a crazy example of what he was advocating:
People are different. We are not robots just to be trained as cogs in machines. He saw that attitude as “enlightened” … I saw it as cruel.
Well, cruel is wasting a round of golf. Please try to play if you made a reservation even if the weather man predicted rain. They aren’t always right. And … we do all of this work so that you can play golf. The season is short … don’t waste it waiting for perfect weather.
We’ll make it right. That’s why we do this.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Greg Norman, "Traitors", and Trust
Greetings Golfers,
It’s good to be home.
I love South Carolina … but home is home. And, the weather up here is as warm as Down South. We talked all day about opening. We would never force it … but if it stays warm … we’ll probably open in mid-March.
Is the reasoning emotional? Yes - we love golf and love sharing our love of golf and hospitality. Does it need to be logical and well thought-out? Of course. It’s both.
Just read an article about Greg Norman proudly proclaiming that none of his business decisions are emotional. He also said that using emotions in business decisions is a weakness.
Really? Is trust an emotion? Yes. So … being really smart and strong is not using trust in business decisions? Good luck - that’s a recipe for disaster.
Of course you need to use logic and facts when making good business decisions. But if you don’t use your instincts and emotions too … you’re vulnerable to con-men.
Some people would say it’s the opposite. It’s only the opposite if you have bad instincts.
Have you watched this new reality show called “Traitors”? They take a group of about 20 people and call the members of the group “Faithfuls”. But, within the group are 3 people who have been picked to be “Traitors” … unbeknownst to the “Faithfuls”.
Then the game is that the group performs tasks to earn money … that will go to the winners - either “Faithfuls” or “Traitors”. And then after every task … the “Faithfuls” vote out a suspected “Traitor” … and every night the “Traitors” secretly vote out a “Faithful”.
It might sound dumb … but it’s actually fascinating. You can’t believe how bad people are identifying the “Traitors”. It’s mind-boggling. They don’t use their instincts. They try to figure it out logically - which they’re not good at. And their lack of understanding human behavior is shocking. Put some dogs and little kids in the room and they’d pick the “Traitors” in a minute.
Well, I think the show is an analogy to most human group behavior. Whether it’s politics or business.
And what I trust … is trust! An emotion. I trust my logic - but not as much as my gut.
Sorry Greg … I don’t trust you. Not that you care about what I think … but I think you could easily get yourself in with some bad guys. Guys who your gut would have said not to trust. Oh … but you think emotions are a weakness.
Good luck with that.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Swinging Hit
Greetings Golfers,
On Monday I played my usual 1pm game with those characters I’ve mentioned in past blogs. Well, I finally had a putt for birdie. About 8 feet, but downhill/sidehill and it had me a little spooked. My stroke was pathetic … and the ball wobbled weakly and stopped a foot short of the hole. One of the guys said that it was bad contact … yeah … thanks for telling me.
Later that night, I was reading a post that Brad Faxon made on a golf website about his putting. He was mad that he’d been referred to as a “natural putter”. He even posted copies of his hand-written notes about his practice sessions. But, what really hit me was when he talked about learning from Ben Crenshaw. Crenshaw told Faxon that he let himself move right on his backswing (remember this is putting!) to make sure that his backswing was twice as long as his follow through. Woah. What was that? Conventional wisdom was that they should match … or even the follow through should be LONGER. But, Crenshaw wanted to give the ball a HIT.
Think about it … if you want to punch someone … do you make a little backswing and emphasize the follow through? Of course not. You wind-up and make sure that when you hit … you hit HARD … at impact.
Crenshaw was known for a long, fluid putting stroke with a definite hit at the ball. This is what Faxon worked on as made his way to number one in putting.
Now, I’m pretty good at chipping. And I definitely give it a hit. Not a scoop … not a flip … a hit. I try to make fluid stroke … but I hit it.
Let’s take this further. Your golf swing should hit the ball. I know some people just lift up the club and crash down on the ball. That’s not what I want. I want you to have soft, relaxed hands and make a full rhythmical swing … and give the ball a hit!
All golf swings should be a swinging HIT. Well, not all. Not bunker shots or flop shots … because on those shots you don’t want solid contact. But, on most shots you want solid contact. That means a “swinging hit”.
Even on slippery downhill putts.
Cheers,
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Getting Ready For An Early Opener
Greetings Golfers,
I kept hearing how warm it is in Minnesota … and that some golf courses have opened.
And now I hear that we got a bunch of snow. Classic Minnesota Winter! However, we believe it will be an early Spring. Our normal opening date is April 4. Our earliest opener was March 14 in 2012
So in the spirit of an early opening … here are some thoughts on how to play every hole at DRGC:
Hole #1 - 371 yards
A fun opening hole. Though it’s a dog-leg left, trying to cut the corner is not a smart play … especially on your first shot of the day. Golf is risk-reward. Big risk going left - OB and a bunker … and it leaves a terrible angle for your second shot. Be smart and just drive it up the middle … even the right side of the fairway is good … it will leave you with a straight forward second shot … probably a wedge in. Don’t be greedy on the first hole.
Hole #2 - 149 yards
A deceptive little hole. Though short … and downhill … the green is kidney shaped and doesn’t offer much landing room. Long is dead. Be smart.
Hole #3 - 401 yards
A long uphill par 4. Bunkers guard the left about 250 out. If you can bomb it … fly it over the bunkers … your shot will be in the middle of the fairway. If you bomb it over the hill up the middle … you’ll probably be OB right. Most players should try to hit it at the 150 marker at the top of the hill. The second shot is pretty straight forward. Avoid the bunker in front of the left side of the green.
Hole #4 - 495 yards
A reachable par 5. But, danger lurks around the green. The OB on the left juts out short-left of the green. And, water is waiting a little right of the green. If you’re not in control of long second shots … you’d be wise to lay-up and give yourself a safe and easy third shot. Sometimes the pin is in a little area back right … some would refer to this as a “sucker pin”.
Hole #5 - 375 yards
A fun hole. Many years ago, some guys designated #5, #6, #7 our “Amen Corner”. Definitely not as famous as the real thing … but definitely a challenge. In fact, one year when we hosted the Women’s State Open, the average score on #5 was six. Too many of the women hooked it into the trees left of the fairway. The smart play is to aim at the hill on the right. The hill is mowed so that the ball will run down into the fairway. Even if you’re in the fairway, the second shot isn’t easy. The green sits up on a hill, and right of the green is a big drop-off. Aim at the left side of the green.
Hole #6 - 186 yards
A straight-forward hole. Bunker short-right of the green … but not a bad spot if you’re in it. Long green … can be quick coming downhill. The easiest Par 3 hole on the golf course.
Hole #7 - 351 yards
The trickiest hole on the golf course. OB left and right. And, a water hazard is right of the fairway about 200 yards off the tee. A driver is definitely a risky play. The fairway gets very skinny left of the water hazard. The best play is to the 150 yard marker. Then, the second shot to the green is a fun one. Left of the green is a drop-off, and right of the green isn’t terrible, but not good. This is a good time for a well controlled iron shot.
Hole #8 - 463 yards
Another reachable par 5. However, you need to go up the right side of the fairway to have a clear second shot to the green. But don’t go too far right … the water hazard isn’t always full of water, but mud and weeds aren’t conducive to good golf shots or clean shoes. The huge bunker in front of the right side of the green should be avoided. When the pin is on the left side of the green … the hole is a par 4 1/2. When it’s behind the bunker … it becomes a par 5 1/2. Also, putts break toward the bunker. You can’t see it … but they do.
Hole #9 - 353 yards
Another challenging hole. The green has water in front, behind, and on the right. So, it’s vital that the tee shot gets you close enough to an open, short-iron shot. It’s a narrow fairway with woods on the right … and a couple of big trees and a fairway bunker on the left. Bombers can reach the water and shouldn’t use a driver. And, it gets very skinny about 100 yards from the water. The best play is to hit it past the 150 pole … but not closer than 100 yards to the water … and favor the left side of the fairway.
Hole #10 - 429 yards
This used to be hole #1. Not a good starting hole. Too long and hard - especially if the wind is in your face. And especially if it’s Saturday morning. But, it’s a great hole to start the second nine. You should be loosened-up enough to take a rip at it. Tee box seems to line you up at the bunker on the left side of the fairway. Don’t go in there. For most people, it’s a long second shot. Miss the green left … it’s an easy up & down. Don’t miss right of the green - no chance.
Hole #11 - 358 yards
One of the easiest holes on the course … but easy to screw-up. Greediness can be expensive. Narrow fairway … OB left and right. Slight dog-leg left. The smart tee shot is in between the bunker on the right and the 150 pole … leaving a fairly easy short iron into the green. Or … try to bomb it around the corner and have a tiny shot to the green. Your choice.
Hole #12 - 349 yards
Another “easy” hole. However, the green slopes from front-to-back making for a difficult second shot. So, what is your best shot to hold the green? A full wedge? A full 8 iron? Or can you stop a little 50 yard shot? Answering those questions is the key to how far you hit your drive. Also, coming in from the left means you can’t bounce it onto the green … you’ll just stay in the swale short of the green. Lot’s of options … use your brain.
Hole #13 - 336 yards
Hope you’re still using your brain. The pond at the bottom of the hill is 260 yards from the tee box. Some of you can fly the pond and land on the green. The fairway kicks left … more than it appears. Also, leaving your tee shot half-way down the the hill is not recommended. Some jokers hit an iron to the top of the hill and have a 150 yard shot to the green. Unlike the last hole - this green is flat. Because of the hill behind the green and the little hill in front of the green … people think it slopes from back to front. Not so. Just an optical illusion.
Hole #14 - 176 yards
Another difficult par 3. Uphill and short shots kick right into the bunker … or OB. Plays longer than it looks. The smart play is to the back left of the green. Make par and move on (happily).
Hole #15 - 367 yards
A fun hole. And scenic. While on the tee box … enjoy the view. You can see much of the golf course and Lake Wasserman on your back left. Though you can’t see them … you are surrounded by lakes on all sides. Very cool. But, not cool to drive it into the pond along the left side of the fairway. A smart drive is short of the bunkers on the left … leaving a straight shot to the green. Drives on the right side of the fairway leave an awkward shot to the green.
Hole #16 - 146 yards
A very difficult hole. But fair. Uphill, so it plays longer than the yardage … but don’t go crazy … OB is the road behind the green. The bunker short right is not a good place. If the pin is up front and the green is quick … a downhill putt is a problem. Sometimes in that situation, I play to an area short left of the green and then chip up to the pin. A shot short of the middle of the green runs back down the fairway. Golf is about strategy and control. This hole is a good reminder.
Hole #17 - 314 yards
These last three holes are great finishing holes. They are not basic par holes. They offer eagles to double bogeys … a match can change quickly. This is a drivable par 4. Tom Weiskopf loved these type of holes at the end of a round. Not only was he a great player … but a great architect … he understood golf. Well, if you can hit it like Tom could … go for the green. However, most people should hit it short right of the green … and leave in an easy wedge shot with a good angle … and still have a good chance at birdie. Not as much fun as an eagle … but a lot better than a double-bogey.
Hole #18 - 527 yards
You made it. Now finish right. A reachable par 5. But, trouble along the way. OB left and right off the tee. OB continues all the way down the left side of the hole. Yet, the OB on the right stops about 230 yards out. However, there is water right of the fairway later on. Not really in play … but I’ve seen balls go into it. But, playing up the right side of the fairway brings the bunker in front of the green into play. The green is slightly on a hill … so that an approach shot needs to be one club more than normal.
A fun hole to finish your round.
Cheers,
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
What America is About
Greetings Golfers,
Obviously, we have a lot of difference of opinions in America.
I think that’s healthy.
And I highly value free thinking. And I like to think most of us do - we’re Americans.
We welcome all to Deer Run GC. Race, religion, rich, poor, political views … I can go on and on. You’re welcome here.
But whether or not you can stay and/or come back … is about your behavior.
Bad behavior. Especially mistreating our staff is not acceptable. We don’t care who you are. What “side” you’re on doesn’t give you the right to be a jerk. Or, vice-versa.
At DRGC … you are judged by your behavior.
It’s that simple.
Isn’t that what America is about?
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Golf Is Our Game
Greetings Golfers,
Well, professional golf is in the news. Looks like the PGA Tour has some new billionaire investors.
Of course Greg Norman is taking credit for it. He believes that LIV has boosted the PGA Tour out of its doldrums into the exciting world of modern sports.
Norman and LIV may well be responsible. But is that a good thing?
I don’t know. Not sure how this will evolve (or devolve).
However, I do know that the game of golf is healthier than ever. Last week the PGA Show in Orlando was fantastic. Obviously, I’ve seen a lot of highs and lows with golf and the PGA Show. But this is different. Golf is young and cool in a way it never has been.
Though I’m a traditionalist in a lot of ways … I never liked the stuffy, stodgy scene. Golf is better than that.
I don’t like gimmicks … and I don’t like cutesy. Golf doesn’t need it. Just pure basic golf is great. And it needs to be played for the fun and joy of it.
Young people are bringing that attitude to golf. And it needs it. I love hearing laughter on the golf course. I don’t get the somber funeral-esque attitude some people bring to the game. There’s a big difference between rudeness and someone not knowing every intricate form of golf etiquette.
And I know golf etiquette folks who are rude. They aren’t genuinely respectful of the people they play with. They use rules and etiquette the same way that sleazy lawyers misuse the law for advantage rather than justice.
Should professional golf follow the trends of amateur golf? Maybe. But I think serious amateur golf - US Amateur, State Ams, college golf, etc … should be pure and serious. And, the Majors - US Open, the Open, the Masters, and the PGA - should be pure and serious. Yet … there is room for goofiness like the Phoenix Open and even the Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Maybe even stuff like the LIV team tournaments.
But is that a license for professional golf to get into bed with investors who just want to make money? I don’t think so. I hope professional golf keeps some integrity. Money shouldn't make everyone sell-out … but often it does. Thus the need for high-level amateur golf to remain pure.
What about recreational golf? I think it should be fun. Should it be pure amateur golf? Maybe once in a while … but certainly not daily. Should it be goofy like the Phoenix Open? Maybe once in a while … but certainly not daily. I think it should be mostly a game played with friends and family for the sheer joy of the game and the people you’re with.
And if that means golf carts and beverage carts and fun clothing and 50 inch drivers … go for it. But I still want 4 hour rounds and respectful people having fun in the process.
This isn’t rocket science.
Golf is a great game that is flexible … it doesn’t have to be rigid. But it shouldn’t lose the essence of the game through misguided people who always think “more is more”. Too often “more is more” junks things up. I always have to remind our Monday golf events about that. Hitting a marshmallow with a hockey stick doesn’t add enjoyment to a round of golf - it’s just annoying and slows down the pace-of-play … which is more than annoying.
What was good last week at the PGA Show? I’ll start at the west end of the convention center:
Driving range and simulator systems
Golf equipment
Golf carts
Signage, podiums, water-coolers, etc
Tech systems
Head covers and accessories
Shoes
Hats
Traditional mens clothing
Womens clothing (my staff assured me)
New, fun mens clothing
But especially good was the atmosphere. It was fun and enthusiastic and friendly and confident and optimistic.
The game of golf is in a very good place. Whether or not the professional game is in a good place … doesn’t really matter. Golf is a game to be played … by all of us.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Live From The Inside
Greetings Golfers,
Because I’ll be at the PGA Show this week … I’m writing this before I get there. So that’s my excuse if today’s blog doesn’t seem up-to-date.
Last Sunday, Nick Dunlap won the Tour event played in Palm Desert. As you probably know - Dunlap is a 20 year-old at the U of Alabama. An amateur hadn’t won on Tour since Phil Mickelson won the Tucson Open in 1991.
Hopefully you watched some of it … especially the last hole where he got it up-and-down to win by one shot.
And last Sunday we watched the NFL playoffs. It’s amazing how often the games go right down to the wire - just like how that golf tournament was won on the last hole.
Amateur Dunlap told the media “Pressure is a privilege”.
How cool is that?
Here’s another great saying about the right kind of privilege … by Rudyard Kipling:
“The individual has always struggled to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. To be your own man is hard business. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high for the privilege of owning yourself.”
Both quotes are about the privilege of personal responsibility.
I’m going to make some leaps and try to connect the dots … hang in there with me.
Received a lot of responses about last week’s blog. Basically about whether the swing comes from inside ourself … or mechanically from the outside.
And … the other day we went to a local store - sort of like a Home Depot - but a one owner store. As we parked in the lot, I saw the owner pushing shopping carts from the parking lot to the store. Wasn’t surprised. Though the man is in his 80s and rich - he’s there out of love, not money. We've talked a lot. He was born poor and is a self-made man. And as one of his employees said to me “The store is a gem and the town is proud of it”.
I told her to enjoy it while she can, because when he goes, the party’s over. You can’t believe how great the vibe is. I’m talking a giant hardware type store - not a typically fun type of business. It’s “over-staffed” and the culture is warm and relaxed and friendly. And he’s there every day … talking to customers and staff and just making sure everything is good.
Could he turn it into a chain like Home Depot? No. He can only be at one store. A big corporation is going to run it exactly the opposite. It’s going to be run from the “outside”. Mechanically. There’s no place for Kipling’s individual.
Also down here is my favorite restaurant. I mean my FAVORITE restaurant. You can’t believe how good the vibe is. Yeah, I really like the food… but it’s about the experience. And I don’t mean some silly fake “experience” … I mean a genuinely fun, charming, relaxed atmosphere. They haven’t changed the menu or anything in years. It’s on a side street and oddly decorated and just really comfortable. And it’s full every night it’s open. In fact the out-of-town members of a local elite golf club come over in their club van … instead of going to the pretentious local restaurants.
It’s run from the inside. If a restaurant chain ever takes it over … well … again, the party will be over.
The coach of the KC Chiefs - Andy Reid - lets Patrick Mahomes play. That’s why they win. A lot of other coaches wouldn’t let Mahomes be Mahomes. (On a side note - Mahomes dad used to play here at DRGC when he pitched for the Twins - he was a nice, quiet, respectful guy.)
Obviously life needs structure. Football teams need a game plan. Businesses need to be organized and structured. Your golf swing needs a basic structure. But you need to swing the golf club! Your structure won’t swing it for you.
I worry that our society is becoming too mechanical - too much from the outside.
Years ago, a Nobel prize-winning physiologist wrote “Man must learn the necessary relations of the cosmic universe, of their fellow men and of their inner selves, and also of their tissues and their mind. Humanity’s attention must turn from the machines of the world of inanimate matter to the body and soul of man, to the organic and mental processes which have created the machines and the universe of Newton and Einstein”.
Wow - that’s pretty heavy-duty. But he wasn’t a knucklehead. He’s a smart guy who’s trying to warn us about becoming too mechanical. Nothing wrong with machines … but let’s use what’s in us to create a machine … not try to be a machine.
So after all those quotes … here’s my quote “It’s a privilege to be a person.”
I don’t want to be a machine.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Swing the Clubhead
Greetings Golfers,
Played golf two Mondays ago with the usual bunch of guys. And, played with an older guy who seemed to be one of the boys … but I’d never met or played with him.
On the first hole, we were both right behind the green side bunker with a tricky shot to the pin. Though we were in the fairway, we were both basically hitting off of bare lies … not easy shots.
This fellow played the purest little cut-shot right up by the pin. I gouged mine into the bunker and was fortunate to make bogey.
The next hole is a par 3 … and another tricky shot … a bunker guarding the middle-right-side of the green … and a sloping hill on the left-side of the green. This guy hits a perfect little hybrid shot right between the bunker and left side of the green and was just the right distance below the pin.
Well, this went on the whole front nine. Did I mention his putting? … Hmmmm … It was so pretty … the ball seemed to roll slowly, but would keep on rolling … usually into the hole. Well not really, because the cups are crowned and his pretty putts would often fall off.
I could tell he was annoyed - but he never said anything.
Finally after #10, I just said to him “What’s your story?” He replied that in his youth, he used to play for serious money. One time he was flown to Texas by a guy to play a match against Lee Trevino and Raymond Floyd.
He’s older than I am … probably 5’8” and 150 pounds … broke his back last year … can’t move how he wants to … but … he can swing the golf club.
Swing the golf club.
Have you ever heard of Ernest Jones? His book “Swing the Clubhead”?
You should. Read his page on Wikipedia.
Ernest Jones was born in England and became a Head Golf Pro in 1912 at age 25. He was a top golfer before WWI … but lost his right leg in the war.
Worried that his golf career was finished, he played and his first round was 83. Shortly after, he shot 72 on a long, difficult course.
Talk about a wake-up call. Thus the obsession to figure out why … and how.
I’ve always struggled with solid ball-striking down here … especially at the mud-fairway course. It’s not like Minnesota … it’s bermuda grass, tight-dormant fairways … and often soft and muddy. And I’ve never been a “picker” … I’ve always led with my hands and liked “hitting” the ball.
That style hasn’t worked too well here. So, I’ve been constantly changing my swing … with limited success … and never really trusting it.
After that round with Mr. Smooth … I went out to play alone and work on things. I remembered a quote from Hogan to Gary Player when asked how to hit it off wet fairways “Hit it one groove lower on the club face”. So I tried it … and it worked. And I kept trying it and it kept working. My total focus was on the clubhead. Not just the clubhead, but exactly where I wanted to hit the ball - low middle on the clubface. No swing thoughts. Just look at my target … visualize the shot … and then feel the low-middle of the clubface in my waggle … and feel it all through my swing.
Played 9 holes the next day … same focus … same success.
Then … the acid test. I played Monday with the boys … and got paired-up again with Mr. Smooth. And … and … yes … it worked.The best I’ve played down here in a few years..
Ernest Jones: “Just because golf is elusive, is no reason to complicate it.”
Is my low-middle idea good for everyone? Maybe not … but Ernest Jones’ ideas about “swinging the clubhead” certainly are. It got me to focus on the clubface instead of my golf swing.
Basically it comes down to the “chicken or the egg”.
Most instruction is about making the right body movements and letting the hands follow.
Jones is about swinging the club and letting the body follow.
We probably need to learn both. But if you get as out-of-whack as I was … try swinging the club and focusing on the clubface.
And … please read the Ernest Jones Wikipedia page!
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Golf - Golf Courses - Michael Jordan and Jesse Stone
Greetings Golfers,
Though it’s nice to be here in South Carolina … it’s not hot … barely even warm. But I have played golf … not in shorts and short-sleeves … but in a jacket and cords.
I’m not complaining.
But I will complain about my golf game. First day - no expectations - played well and was one of the big winners. Next day - played great - and was the big winner. Then, played a few days later - played terribly and was the big loser.
How golf is that? How life is that?
Just read that Rory McIlroy shot 62 in the first round in Dubai. Michael Jordan’s club Pro got an invite and shot 87. Guys aren’t happy. I’m sure the club Pro is a good player … but that’s a different world.
Here’s a link to an article about Jordan’s club in Florida: https://www.businessinsider.com/michael-jordan-23-golf-course#:~:text=Michael%20Jordan's%20exclusive%20golf%20club,MJ%20has%20such%20an%20advantage.
If you read the article, Jordan had the course designed so that the fairways are wide for his short drives … but really narrow for long drivers. So when he plays against Tour players (and they have to give him 10 shots) the course plays to his game.
That’s an option to not rolling back the ball - just narrow the fairways for the long drivers.
Jordan had Bobby Weed design the course. Weed designed a course near us down here. It’s a fun layout in a nice neighborhood and some holes are on the intercostal. Big success - right? Wrong. It’s had 5 owners since we’ve been here … and was just plain closed for 3-4 years. Was public … now they’re taking it private. Hmmmmm.
About 10 years ago, a businessman from Boston bought it. He thought he stole it because it was so undervalued. He thinks business is in the buy. He likes to flip stuff. However, golf courses have needs. We all know that restaurants have needs. Stuff wears-out. Golf courses can be money pits. I tried warning him. Then, saw him a year later and asked how it’s going. He said that he lost $1M his first year and “what should I do?”. I said “Sell it before you lose another million”.
I read that Michael Jordan is a billionaire. And that his clubhouse cost $15-20M. I’m glad he’s a billionaire … he’ll need it for this toy.
The other 2 local public courses are under new ownership. I hope somebody makes it. I don’t want to drive to Hilton Head to play golf.
Why is it so hard? Because the expenses are crazy. One of these new owners wants to install paved cart-paths … the quote to do it - $1.4M. And … he needs new carts, watering system, mowers, etc. The other course needs the same stuff. All 3 of these local courses were beautiful when first built. But the owners didn’t keep putting the money back in. Golf courses are like a garden - they need love and constant attention … and money!
This life of leisure is fun. But I’m going to the PGA Show in Orlando in a little over a week. Not exactly hard work … but not leisure. I’ll be back in MN on March 1 … this leisure goes by in a minute.
So … I play some golf … read a little … sleep a lot … and watch tv. Have you seen those “Jesse Stone” shows? Tom Selleck is Jesse Stone … an old cop who moved from LA to a little town near Boston. He drinks too much … but has a great dog … and solves crimes. It’s really likable. I think there’s 9 episodes. First one was made in 2006 … I think the final was made in 2016. If you’re not playing golf and need a good diversion - check it out. I recommend it even if you’re playing golf.
I hope my next round isn’t terrible.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
A Blast From The Past
Greetings Golfers,
I’ve been on the road all week … driving to SC. Heard some interesting podcasts … and watched a little of the original “True Grit” movie the other night. The movie reminded me of a blog I wrote in January, 2011 … about the then new version of “True Grit” by the Coen brothers.
So here is the blog. It’s interesting to read it now. The tone wasn't very friendly. I must have been having a tough winter. Enjoy!
Jan. 1, 2011 "Year End Thoughts"
2010 was an odd year. It felt like the country was on the verge of an economic depression … maybe that’s why the year seemed so unfocused, sort of like everyone was living in limbo waiting to see what was going to happen. It was definitely not a bold, clear year.
Speaking of limbo … how about those Vikings? How come no one is talking about that since Childress has left, that the defense is playing with aggression and finally blitzing. Obviously, the offense has been more aggressive … but why no talk of the defense? And … why all of the hatred toward Favre? He was handcuffed by Chilly all year …or he was hurt … why does Chilly have a free pass? His ridiculous style of football is why the season was a disaster. The local media boys hate Favre and love to pound on him while he’s down … they were always on Chilly’s side … they love mediocrity … they should read a little Nietzsche and grow some stones.
Speaking of Nietzsche … he would have seen this year of limbo as a classic example of modern herd mentality. I just read a moronic review of TRUE GRIT … it’s a great movie, and this reviewer only saw it from a Marxist point of view … he was disturbed that it wasn’t politically correct … well, the era that the movie takes place in wasn’t politically correct … what does he expect? This constant need to blame independent personalities (Favre) and love the weakness of mob mentality is shocking. I would have thought that the advent of industrialism and technology would have freed up people enough to break away from the herd … instead, the herd mentality seems even stronger than ever … you’ve got the commune weenies on one side and the Babbitt idiots on the other side … where are independent individuals?
Let’s loosen up the reins and start living like real people … how’s that for a goal for 2011?
Cheers,
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Happy New Year
Greetings Golfers,
Every year, most of us look forward to a new year - a new beginning (some years more than others!).
And New Year resolutions have become as normal to the New Year as Christmas presents are to Christmas.
Probably the most typical resolutions are about health: losing weight, getting in shape, etc.
Being golfers, we need to do those things … and improve our golf game. We can always improve our chipping and putting. And, improve our golf swing. But just improving our golf swing won’t make-up for not improving our health and short-game.
We need to do it all.
That wasn’t meant to sound overwhelming … it’s just the truth. We can do it … but, I recommend baby steps … not leaps. Everyday, eat better (and less) … do some exercises … go for a walk. You’re not Rocky preparing to fight Apollo Creed … you’re just trying to improve.
We all want to hear what we want to hear. Thus … we’re vulnerable to quick fixes, magic pills, short cuts, etc. But hearing what you want to hear isn’t always good.
Well, I have no agenda. I’m not running for office or selling a video of how to be a scratch player in one week. I’m just recommending being the tortoise instead of the hare.
It will be a good year … step-by-step.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
What Is Unseen?
Greetings Golfers,
One of my all time favorite books is “That Which Is Seen, and That Which Is Not Seen” by Frederic Bastiat. Though Bastiat wrote his treatise on economics, the premise applies to understanding anything.
As we grow up, hopefully, we learn from experience. But, too often, we only learn the immediate result - we don’t see the other results of our actions. Usually, our actions have unintended consequences. Thus, we need to develop foresight to become aware of the consequences of our actions.
Usually, the quick fix doesn’t solve the problem because it doesn’t get to the root of the problem. Obviously if you’re bleeding, you need a band-aid - but, band-aids are usually only temporary fixes.
You get the point ... you don’t need me to belabor how short-sightedness hurts our health, our relationships, our businesses, our economy, etc.
What blows my mind is that Bastiat wrote this book in 1840, and it seems that we still haven’t learned this basic lesson. Maybe it’s because our lives are so short that society doesn’t learn mature lessons.
Ironically, as we become more modern and “advanced”, we want immediate gratification. A fast-paced consumer society can easily become shallow and short-sighted. But a communistic society is based on “materialism” - I mean the Marxist definition of materialism - that life is only what you see (matter) and not spiritual.
I believe that the lack of spirituality is at the root of the problem. If humans do not believe that life is more than it seems ... their view of life has to be pretty superficial. The depth of life is what gives it meaning, what makes it make sense - it is “that which is unseen”.
The beauty of the Christmas season is wonderful - enjoy it. But, especially treasure the beauty that underlies the visible world ... that’s what this Holiday Season is really about.
Merry Christmas.
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
The Joy Of The Internet
Greetings Golfers,
We all know that Tech … computers … cell phones … social media, etc … have brought problems into the modern world.
But, the internet can be an amazing source of information.
I’d like to share with you what would have been magazine articles … but are now internet articles and easy to share. It’s a lot easier than cutting out the articles and sending them to you in the mail. I’ll just give out the links. Hurrah!
Here are the 3 subjects:
Sandy Koufax - Hall of Fame pitcher
A cool golf course opening in SC
A valuable concept of the golf swing
Ok … let’s start with Sandy Koufax. I’m old even to remember the ’65 World Series when he and the Dodgers beat the Twins in 7 games. Young people have no idea how good he was. He was very private and the opposite of a sell-out. Take a look at this article here. Enjoy!
Next … some young guys are building 2 courses in South Carolina. They emphasize fast play … a good, yet simple golf shop … and good, yet simple food service. Best of all … their motto is: “Don’t be a dick”. Ahhhhhhh. There is hope. Here’s the link. Enjoy.
And finally … a good understanding of what’s important in the golf swing … and a good swing thought to make it work. As a student in the video says “I don’t want to know how the watch works - I want to know what time it is.” Here is the link.
Hope you enjoy those articles as much as I did. Nouns can be interesting - “People - Place or Thing” … if you let me call the golf swing a “Thing”.
The internet can be a good thing - a great way to share what you love to read.
Also … a reminder - our Holiday Passes go off sale after Dec. 20. Can’t believe it’s almost Christmas!
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com
Deer Run Golf Club
8661 Deer Run Drive
Victoria, MN 55386
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