Matt began playing golf as a junior member at Rideau View and has been associated with the club ever since. Among his many accomplishments are co-founding the Ottawa Girls Club with Mary Jo Heyes in 2007 and authoring the Vision 2020 program which rolled out in January 2011. Matt was awarded the 2007 Junior Leader of the Year by the Ottawa CPGA following nominations in that category as well as Teacher of the Year. A further nomination with the CPGA followed in 2009 as Teacher of the Year. In the Fall of 2009 he was asked to join the “invitation only” AMF Golf Management Instructor Division which is a collection of 300 Instructors worldwide who share information. Other members of this prestigious group include David Leadbetter, Claude Harmon and Henry Brunton. Being part of this exclusive membership allows Matt to continue offering leading edge coaching techniques to his students while developing relationships with elite instructors around the world.
Yes, the post title seems a bit oxymoronic doesn’t it? High speed and putting don’t seem to go hand in hand, however, with our new high speed camera we’ve been having quite a time in observing video that our human eye just can’t pick up. Also, by using the camera we are able to see that there really IS a difference from one putter to another…not that one is ultimately better than the other, more so that there is one better for YOU.
Using the TOMI putting analysis software is certainly beneficial in analyzing your putting stroke, no question…but using a high speed camera provides feedback that may support why one putter makes more putts than another. Take, for instance, the video below. An Odyssey Two Ball putter in the first clip vs a Scotty Cameron putter in the second clip. Both putts are ‘stroked’ by the same individual but there is something alarmingly apparent….the ball does not come off the face the same. Take a look at the line that is on the ball and watch it closely in both clips. The first video shows the ball actually twisting sideways immediately upon impact while the second video shows the ball rolling end over end after being struck by the putter.
Does this mean that Scotty Cameron putters are better than their Odyssey counterpart? No. It only shows that the Scotty Cameron was a better putter for the person that was making the stroke.
All right…It’s not an April Fools joke – it REALLY did just snow the day before the course is scheduled to open. A cruel joke but not one that hasn’t been played on us before, right? Anytime there’s a weather interruption and you have the professional staff hunkered down in the pro shop…we attempt to solve the world’s problems. We have an answer for everything it seems. Or at least I do and since I have some time…I’ll share some of my own personal thoughts about the state of our game. Golf.
***These thoughts are my own, not edited, yet…. and certainly do not reflect upon any other person but me. So, you can high five me later, or punch me right in the mouth after you read it…it is of course ‘playoffs’ so the punch won’t be called and the act will go unpenalized.***
I like numbers…I love debating…and I have very little attachment to what I may debate. So, I debate, for the fun of it. The debate topic is…What is the true ‘cap’ of a golf course? Member cap? Rounds played cap? Let’s have some fun…with numbers!!!
In 2011, the NGF (National Golf Foundation) and Golf Datatech released numbers based on rounds played and how that compared to previous years/decades. Last year, in the United States, rounds played were down between 75-100 million vs when golf was booming about 15 years ago. It’s an interesting number, since, at Rideau View, we haven’t felt the effects in a ’rounds played’ sense…it seems our membership have a very healthy appetite for golf. Some would suggest (and I’ve heard them) that the number of rounds at Rideau View is up and the access to a desirable tee time is down…yet, we have no waiting list, and we are short of our cap in membership.
During a Coaching/Teaching Summit I attended in 2010 in Irving, Texas, Dr. Troy Van Biezen and Rod Cook had a presentation entitled Injury Prevention and the Injuries Impact on Performance. Essentially, a business model on wellness in golf, creating wellness programs etc, etc, blah blah blah. I’ll save you the details. The reason I bring it up is because most golfers who experience injury on the course or during the act of a golf swing are Serious Golfers…and Serious Golfers were defined by Van Biezen & Cook as those who play an average of 67 rounds per year. It’s probably fair to equate a member at a private golf club to be a serious golfer, at least for my argument’s sake. As of last year, we had approximately 585 people who were in a membership category that ‘counts’ as far as playing activity and privileges so let’s do the math.
585 Serious Golfers x 67 rounds = 39,195 rounds
Let’s do some more math and if Dean Ross is a reader he’s probably trying to do this in his head as a fellow GAUSS participant..
Tee times begin at 7:00am each day so that’s the earliest our Serious golfer can get out to play at Rideau View and we’ll run the tee off times to 4:00pm each day. We can forget about frost delays, sunset and other factors…let’s just assume our conditions in Manotick are that of a laboratory experiment. There are 8 tee off times available each hour which allows for 72 tee off times per day…averaging on the very, very high end. If every time included a foursome (again, on the high end) then 288 rounds can be played. So, if we keep our 180 day season (May 1 – October 31) at 288 rounds per day….that leaves us with 51,840 potential rounds to be played in our it never rains here, it’s not too cold, it’s not too hot…it’s Goldilocks perfect climate. If you remove 5 charity tournaments, Member Guests (of which there are Mens, Ladies, Mixed), and the Pro Am we can subtract 9 days where the course is not available to all serious golfers. We can take off 2,592 rounds…Our new total is…
49,248 rounds available vs 39,195 rounds being played by Serious Golfers.
Certainly, if we took everything I just put out there as gospel, the optics would suggest we have about 10,000 rounds of golf that could still be played OR…34.72 days where the course is completely empty. If the average serious golfer plays 67 rounds of golf a year then it’s plausible to suggest we could take in nearly 150 additional members who could play those 10,000 rounds available.
I know, I know….you’re reading this and you’re thinking…he can’t possibly be doing all this Math in his head, right? That’s what you’re saying, right?
Oh…you’re not?
Hmmm… I know, you’re saying “But Matt, based on your (awesome) Math skills you’re overlooking the obvious…you’re assuming that the entire membership is split into foursomes, always playing golf together…AND you’ve overlooked the fact that you’re not accounting for Guest play anywhere in your numbers…and NEWSFLASH….we don’t live in a climate controlled environment where it’s perfect every single day of the year. Oh, and one more thing…34.72 days of tee off times are currently available??? DAYS??? Are you blind?”
Is that closer to what you’re saying?? Then I have to agree with you.
That little blast of Caribbean weather we had in March was certainly welcome, wasn’t it? However, because of the ‘mid-season’ temps there were a few of you who thought you were in ‘mid-season’ form and condition. I had a club fitting scheduled with one person who had to call and cancel because of a bad back. The cause?? Well, turns out they took the day off work – went to the range for the super-sized bucket, chipped and putted, then went home to hear on the answering machine that a nearby course had just opened….after a quick phone call they were headed back out to play 18 holes of golf…walking…pushing their pull cart.
Somehow, they were sore.
Starting back into the swing of things should be done at a reasonable pace (I think that’s a line from an Adam Sandler song….don’t google it). Listening to your body is never a bad idea and to be honest – Golf should not hurt you.
Many of my clients spend the winter doing a conditioning program through the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) and occasionally during an assessment we discover an injury or soreness that may require the help of a professional…not the golf kind. The physio kind…to treat the body. My physiotherapist/ and friend, Kim Wright, took the TPI course in Orlando to gain awareness of the type of injury golfers can sometimes face.
Last spring I put up several videos where I had my very serious-looking-directly-into-the-sun face and demonstrated some easy screens to perform that would identify a mobility or stability issue. Well, I thought it would be interesting to have Kim perform screens on me from the medical side vs the golf side. We had a lot of laughs doing it and it’s very low budget…here’s the first one. Please remember that I was ‘acting’ in these clips so if it looks like I have mobility or stability issues it’s because I remained in ‘character.’
First of all, I need to disclose something…I’ve missed a putt no longer than a foot in length DURING a tournament. It happened at Heather Glen Golf Links in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina during the Dupont World Amateur. The course had recently been top dressed, it was a damp morning, and while I recognized there was some sand particles on the face of my putter AND ball…the putt was only about 8 inches…I could just ‘tap it in.’ Well, I learned that no length of putt could be taken for granted and a little sand on the ball and face of putter CAN and DOES make a difference. What did I learn? Part of my putting routine to this day is wiping the face of my putter with my hand or pant leg no matter what!!
I.K. Kim missed a putt no longer than a foot during yesterday’s Nabisco Championship (the LPGA’s first major of the year). She only needed to make that putt to win HER first major, yet, somehow, the ball looped around the hole and came right back to her. Honestly, she was in danger of hitting the ball, twice! It was tough to watch. There’s no reason to analyze what went wrong, what she was thinking. Any putt can be made and any putt can be missed, it’s part of the game.
If you plan on playing your best golf at your home course or abroad it is important to understand the basic ingredients of performance. Let’s call it the 4 B’s: Brain, Biomechanics (Body, being a simpler term), Behavior, and Belief. Prior to hitting your opening tee shot it can be said that you will not improve upon the talent level that’s been mustered before the round. That’s a simple fact. The challenge in golf understands you must manage your talent in a way that emphasizes your strengths, avoids your weaknesses, and keeps your emotions under control while maintaining a belief that all this will be enough to perform your best.
The body’s movement and the anger (or despondence) which arises after a missed shot or opportunity both start from the same location – the brain…so lets start from that origin. Your brain basically takes note of all that may impact the upcoming shot. Wind direction, temperature, the lie of the resting golf ball, pin location, understanding the course layout (where does it suggest to avoid and where ‘should’ I be aiming), and then the brain, after this process which takes a couple of seconds, forms intent.
Once this intent is established the golfer is in the position to select the club that will best serve to put the intent into action. The action that takes place, of course, is the skill, talent or biomechanics of the golfer. Typically, this action will be performed UP to the talent that exists or at some level below. An amazing, holy-cow-i-just-hit-that, shot was still your shot…your talent, accept it….though if it bounced off a rock and into the hole….that’s luck, and another story. Sometimes, frustrated golfers will all too often suggest ‘they don’t know what they’re doing anymore’ during a round or that they’ve ‘lost it’. Rest assured – you don’t just lose talent. It’s just a far easier place to lay blame for a bad shot or round.
Behavior for a golfer is always an interesting topic. We’ve seen Tiger Woods race a putt down before it drops into the cup and triple fist pump while he shares his excitement with a TIGER ROAR…along with the crowd. We’ve also witnessed his one handed finish when he mishits an iron shot, the drop the club finish when his tee shot sails long and wide of its intended target, or the hands on the hip while the eyes close in disbelief when he gets fooled by the wind leading to a poor choice of club. Why is behavior so interesting? This behavior I just described can actually occur during the same hole!
When we think of the great golfers in the last century, Sam Snead, Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Ben Hogan to name a few, the behavior or more appropriately, habits, of these individuals has a commonality. They were all stoic in victory and defeat, they had routines leading up to each shot which most fans could mimic to a degree where others could guess whom they were mimicking. Behavior, for champions, is nearly always under control. No shot or putt ‘looked’ more important than any other to observers. Obviously, Jack Nicklaus knew his position on the leaderboard during the 1986 Masters while playing his phenomenal back 9 in the final round. He managed his behavior and emotions and had engrained habits before and after the shot took place. Because he was able to manage his emotions to such a high level they didn’t have a negative influence when the Brain was involved in gathering the data required while forming the intent of the next shot.
The biggest difference in Tiger Woods this week, to me, was his Behaviour and Belief. After hitting his ball out of bounds in Round 3, his body language walking up to the green was no different than on previous holes after striping it down the middle…when he missed his bogey attempt and tapped in for double on the same hole, he had a bounce in his step walking to the next tee. I’m sure I’m not alone when I say this but this time, this final round…Tiger ‘looked’ different. His look made me think…it’s on…again. His post round interview showed a bit of the human side which is now evident, he’s human, and the tightness in his throat when he began to thank people close to him for their support, and his decision to cut that explanation short and just looking directly into the camera lens to say “They know who they are.” To me, it’s a better Tiger Woods. Tiger’s Brain and Body did not postpone his dominance, yes, postpone. It was his Behaviour and Belief.
There are few things in life that can affect your physical, mental or emotional control like a round of golf. I can think of public speaking but rarely do those speeches last more than a couple of minutes. On a golf course, you have so much time to think about what just happened…and typically it’s negative. If your bad shots start to pile up it can certainly knock you down a couple of notches on the self esteem ladder. Once you start to lose a little confidence it becomes increasingly difficult to manage your emotions and that has a habit of impacting your decision making skills. Once you’ve lost mental and emotional control…is it really possible that you would have enough control over your body to make a little golf ball go where you want it to go???
I love my job. The reasons are numerous but if I have to do these blogs in 400 words or less (so say the experts…YOU, the reader, are currently multi tasking while glancing at the words on the screen and apparently would rather there be an audio version of this blog you can download on iTunes)…so I’ll get to the point.
When it comes to coaching, which typically means there are short, mid and long term goals a student wants to achieve; a relationship ensues. The Coach and the Player will get to know, and understand each other…essentially, what makes each other tick. Life and Golf are so intertwined that habits that affect Life situations are sure to carry over onto to the golf course, where the outcomes are very much the same. Discussions between the Coach and Player occur and quite often ‘secrets’ are revealed. It’s not like the Maury Povich show…not those types of secrets; its more that the Golfer’s soul is bared…not for ALL to see, but rather just the Coach.
Tiger Woods was/is a great player who wanted to get better and Hank Haney was his choice of instructor. Tiger Woods had his troubles (to put it lightly) off the course. However, you don’t have to be a ‘good’ person to be a great golfer and being a great golfer doesn’t mean you’re a good person. I haven’t read Haney’s book, but by all accounts and the excerpts that have been released I think Haney has crossed the line on understanding what could/should be for public consumption vs what should be kept private. Writing a tell-all book about a millionaire not sharing a popsicle, a champion not celebrating victories like other professional golfers, and any other dirty little secrets that came up over time…I don’t think it’s right, ethically.
I was at a conference about 5 years ago that included Tiger’s Team of support…Keith Kleven (trainer), Marius Filmalter (putting) and lastly, Hank Haney (Coach). Because of the nature of the group (fellow coaches) Haney as well as the others, let down their ‘guard’…simply because of trust. Much like the trust a Player would expect from a Coach. I could certainly share a story about Hank Haney from that day – which told me all I needed to know about him.
I mentioned a couple of posts ago that I would stop boring you with fitness information that could help your golf game. Turns out – you liked them….you really, really liked them (Sally Field). As a result I continue to mix it up a little…some fitness, some golf tips, and some commentary.
Last January I filmed about 12-15 videos where the content was solely on fitness screens or exercises that hopefully will inspire some of you to take action to improve your mobility or stability. ALL of the videos were filmed with me staring directly into the sun – and this one might be the worst!
This exercise can be done with a tennis ball, or volleyball (size of a volleyball) and again, you will get what you put into this exercise. Putting pressure on the ball will give you a greater return on your effort….don’t go through the motions! I very often see postures (starting position) where the shoulders are quite rounded – you are most certainly destined to come ‘over the top’ if this is the case for you. Simply thinking of having your shoulder blades get closer together in the starting position during practice will engage those muscles responsible for supporting the shoulder girdle….BUT, they may be too weak to keep it up for a whole round of golf.
Try this exercise every other day for 2 weeks…..it will make a difference.
For the last several years, on Wednesday mornings when I do playing lessons, I’ll often take a moment to drive up to the Championship tees on Number 7 and let my student see the course from a whole new perspective. It normally catches them off guard…
I start the ascent to the top while explaining “You’ll be hard pressed to recognize your home course from up here.” We drive to the top – I park the cart smack-dab in the middle of the tee (when we do this the electric cart goes from being a cart that transports you around the course to a ‘maintenance vehicle’….as maintenance vehicles drive on the tees). It’s at this time I say:
“Just listen….and look.”
Because Wednesday mornings are a crossover the front 9 at Rideau View is void…of people (except, of course, it’s just myself and my student), and noise. It’s a chance to appreciate the course for it’s natural beauty and I sometimes wonder whether I do this little exercise for me (because I love the sounds of nothing but wind moving through the trees, and birds) or whether I do it because I’m secretly trying to get one person at a time to think the way I think…
And I think it would be wonderful for just one afternoon for members and their families to enjoy the golf course without clubs……without carts….without golfers….no flags….no tee blocks…..that we just enjoy the course as a park…..for one afternoon.
Can you picture volleyball and badminton nets on #13?
A soccer game taking place on #5?
Touch football on #16?
A sand castle building contest for kids in the bunkers?
#6 and #7 would of course be sport and sandcastle free because it would be a noise free zone….books to read and hammocks to lay in….get the idea? *I call shotgun on the hammock position at the black tees on #7
We often aspire to finish a round of golf where everything just felt right….that we were one with the golf course….that we just made it look really, really, simple….like a walk in the park.
Promises are tough to keep….but….I PROMISE this will be the last ‘fitness’ inspired entry on the blog for a little while. The exercise demonstrated in the video below is one I do with juniors in our camps, the PEAK program and the Seasonal and Annual Programs…..and they eventually LOVE to HATE it. Keep in mind we may do it for as long as ten minutes – definitely gets the heart pumping, and, if done correctly (effort)…..the muscles through your back, shoulder, triceps, biceps and forearms……will be burning.
Remember this – you will get what YOU put into this exercise. Ask yourself if you are indeed pushing as hard as you can because….it makes a difference.
It’s been four months since I recorded these videos and it’s very noticeable in this clip that it’s one of the last ones…..very, very, very slow talking combined with a little bit of dry mouth.
Today was supposed to be Member Cleanup Day at Rideau View….Canceled!! Too much rain, too much wind and not enough heat has put this ritual aside for another year. Instead of picking up broken branches and raking old leaves most of you are probably inside wondering when the golf season will begin. I’m enjoying the whatever the PGA Tour Event that follows the Masters is and watching the what’s his name who’s currently leading the tournament.
The biggest story from this week is Kevin Na…a young professional who agreed to be ‘miked’ up on Thursday. Being ‘miked’ up is supposed to keep viewers entertained by allowing them to listen in on player -> caddy speak or even player – > player speak. Regardless, it’s intent is to give you the feel that you’re right there in the action.
Well, both Na and the network (and the viewers) got more than they bargained for when a rather ordinary Thursday and an ordinary hole turned into a Tin Cup moment for all to see…….and hear.
While watching the video please refrain from saying things like “Hey, I can do that!” even though you’ll have the urge to.
Bad holes….Bad breaks….Bad swings….Bad decisions and bad days happen to everyone. It even happens to the best players in the world, but, there is a difference. Millions of people get to watch how they “react” to the situation. Do they throw a club? Drop an expletive here and there? Stare down their caddy because they felt they got a bad yardage? Point to an invisible spike mark? Throw their hands up in disbelief….questioning one of Newton’s Laws? You can sometimes even be left with the impression that the player is ‘mailing’ it in – if all the BADS happen together. A bad decision, compounded by a bad swing, compounded by a bad break………bad hole.
I make a point in sharing with my students that if I had the opportunity to see every tournament round of golf they played that my single biggest hope would be…….that I would be unable to tell how they were playing by just watching them. I want them to have their ‘poker face’ when it comes to how they conduct themselves on the course vs what the score happens to be.
Champions in every walk of life face adversity. It’s sometimes self inflicted (don’t need to mention any names TW) and other times it can just be a horrible case of bad luck. Regardless, a Champion to me, is the individual who accepts their circumstance with humility and grace, makes no excuses, and who gives their ALL on every single shot.
This video is not recent…it’s old news. It is a wonderful message for all of you to embrace…..When you encounter a bad break only YOU get to decide what to do next and how to react.
Do you let it keep you down for the rest of the day and round?
Or, do you get back up…..dust yourself off….try your hardest….and see if a Champion exists within you?
To have an efficient swing you want your upper and lower body to be disassociated. True or False? (The answer is at the bottom)
If we want to maximize our own individual power/speed during the golf swing we need to be able to rotate our torso separately from our pelvis during the backswing and then be able to rotate (unwind) our pelvis separately from our torso beginning with the downswing and on through the impact position. The disassociation doesn’t have to be huge but it does need to be present in order to create speed in our swing.
Play along here……You are having an out-of-body-experience….You are ready to hit a golf ball…..Standing in the set up position perfectly aligned to the target….You are viewing yourself from the down-the-line angle (you’re behind yourself) take a snapshot in your mind.
Now…..let’s pretend (since it’s make believe) that you’ve made the best swing of your life and your golf club is a millimetre from hitting the golf ball…….take a snapshot in your mind.
When you view yourself at set up, assuming you are square to the target, it’s likely you only see one side of your body (for right handers, if you were behind yourself looking down the line, …..right leg, right glute, right shoulder). If you’re lower and upper body are ‘associated’ during the swing you would look exactly the same at impact or very close to the same. If you were DISASSOCIATED……it’s likely you would see that your lower body has begun unwinding…..you would likely see both legs, both glutes and your shoulders would be slightly behind on the rotation. That’s how you want to picture yourself at impact.
PHOTOS NOTE: You can see the difference in impact positions between Paula Creamer (disassociation example with lots of speed to her swing) and the poor fellow Google Images put on my computer screen who is painfully associated and is likely exerting a lot of effort with little success.)
Answer: TRUE.
Take a look at the video where I demonstrate a simple screen I perform during a TPI Golf Fitness Assessment. It’s called the Torso Rotation test.
Probably the most frustrating screen of the TPI Fitness Test for participants is the Single Leg Balance Test. They almost always ask for a second attempt and quickly discover it’s an area that can be easily improved with dedicated practice. I demonstrate the Single Leg Balance test in the video below. The test challenges your proprioception…..yes, a fancy word. To make things simple….Proprioception is what police officers test if they suspect you of drunk driving – without proprioception you would need to consciously look at your feet to make sure you’re staying upright while you’re walking.
In golf, having a high level of proprioception will provide you with an upper hand on making adjustments in your swing WITHOUT looking at where your hands or other body part are……just complete awareness. Did you know you can learn something if you wind up to the top of your backswing and then turn your head to see where your hands are positioned? You’ll discover that you still have two hands….but nothing else. Watch the video and work on your balance testing your proprioception – I promise it will help.
One of the most interesting statistics that has been gathered by TPI through fitness testing and ball flight analysis of touring professionals is this one:
They have discovered that athletes who achieve 170+mph ball speed with a driver can perform a vertical leap of 22 inches AND can perform a two handed seated weighted ball throw that measures 22 feet. (the weighted medicine ball weighs 1 pound for every 20 pounds of the student/patient). For example a 200 pound adult would have to throw a 10 pound ball 22 feet from a seated position. Editor’s note: When you’re trying to be a decent father, a mediocre husband, and an okay golf pro……AND write these blogs….you can, as, the newest TV Bachelor puts it “Can have bad miscommunication sometimes…” The above paragraph should present like this: Any athlete tested who CAN jump 22 inches and throw 22 feet have all tested over 170mph….as Brad has written to me, he is tested well over 170mph with a vertical leap just under 22 inches and throw just, I mean just, under 22 feet. The egg – 22 inches, 22 feet…..the chicken – 170mph.
Power in the golf swing starts from the ground up. If you don’t believe me you could have one of the stagehands working on the Broadway version of Spiderman hook you up to one of the harnesses, suspend you above the ground and you could try to swing a golf club as fast as you can……try to picture that before the stagehand is distracted and you plummet to the ground. And I’m a U2 fan
Anyway, your body is made up with “stable” segments and “mobile” joints. Our body works efficiently when those stable segments remain stable (for instance your femur should remain stable….if it becomes mobile or broken you’re in trouble) and the joints that are supposed to be mobile remain mobile (ever had a frozen shoulder?). An efficient golf swing requires at the very least: hips/mobile, core/stable, T-spine/mobile. An inefficient golf swing very likely has hips/stable, core/mobile (think posture), T-spine/stable. The first stable segment in the body is the bottom of your foot….so efficiency begins from the ground up.
The number 22 is the carrot that I’ve been throwing out to 18 of my students who are attending my golf fitness classes on Saturdays this winter and they are working HARD…..get to 22 inches and 22 feet AND you will be physically capable of producing 170+mph ball speed with your driver. All that means is 300+yards off the tee. Essentially a must when competing at a high level.
My son, Mitchell, helps me out in this demonstration and while he has no lines he manages to throw the ball at an angle that magically bounces right back into my hands…..in 1 take!!! Enjoy.
The 90/90 test is a very easy way to determine whether you are destined for slices on the golf course. Being able to perform this screen without difficulty basically means your body is capable of making an efficient move to the golf ball from the top of the swing. Ever wonder why big, buff, bodybuilder types don’t hit the golf ball very far? It’s typically because they are over developed in the pecs, shoulders, and biceps and lack the necessary mobility (or they’re just too damn big). Hockey players as well – almost are always slicers. The rounded shoulders they play the game of hockey with serves them well on the ice but on the golf course those rounded shoulders will likely lead to slices off the tee.
Take a look at my very, very serious video demonstrating the 90/90 test – sorry, next time I do this I won’t look directly into the sun….and I’ll have a sound stage…..and good lighting…..and writers……..and a director……..and a budget. Promise.
If you’ve been wondering why you can’t seem to rid yourself of a slice AND you are unable to perform the 90/90 test as I’ve demonstrated….there are ways to make improvements. They just won’t come from hitting golf balls over and over again but will come from making dedicated changes to your body as it relates to golf fitness.
Try this exercise when you get a chance – and call me if you cramp….that is if you can walk to get the phone. If, you do cramp – don’t worry…it doesn’t mean you’re out of shape necessarily but it does mean your brain is recruiting the wrong muscle group to support your pelvis during the bridge. When the hamstrings are recruited to stabilize the pelvis during the ‘leg extension’ portion you will most definitely feel the strain on your hamstring, or, you may cramp up immediately. The glutes will be identified as the lazy culprit – having passed on supporting the pelvis and letting the poor unsuspecting hamstrings carry the load….unsuccessfully.
If you experience what’s described as ‘shake and bake’ movement…..no worries….the glutes are engaged….just a little on the weak side.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it is to remain in your Cats and Dogs pose and give the Bird Dog Arm Raise exercise a try. It’s a great way to see whether you can stabilize your pelvis while raising your arm and stretching out the lats….not unlike what occurs in the golf swing. If you cannot do this exercise (arm raise) without modifying your pelvis or arching your back it’s very likely you also modify your pelvis (stand up) during your backswing.
Give this exercise a try right after you complete the Cats and Dogs exercise.
If one of your resolutions was to get in better shape then my next several entries will add to that AND……they just might help your golf game. Many of you heard Paul Sherratt discuss a TPI Fitness Screen with Kevin Haime on the latter’s radio show in December. Paul, Tim and myself have all been certified to perform these Fitness Screens by attending courses provided by the Titleist Performance Institute. You may have seen Dr. Greg Rose, Dave Phillips and others discuss and perform exercises that are golf specific (intended to help your golf game) on the Golf Channel….they trained us.
I thought a great way to pass the time before Rideau View is open this Spring is to post one exercise a week. One of the TPI exercises that I prescribe to students who have undergone the training. The ones who have stayed committed to the program have seen the benefits to their golf game and almost as important, their body.
The first exercise is an easy one….maybe. It’s called Cats & Dogs and if you do any yoga at all you’ll be more than familiar with this exercise. Pelvic mobility is very important in the motion of the golf swing and you’ll discover that your core and glutes need to be engaged in order for your pelvis to move freely. Having the awareness to adjust your pelvic tilt freely will allow you to get into a better starting posture – the BEGINNING of a more efficient golf swing(read: SPEED).
I recorded these video snippets without my lighting people, make up people, writers, directors, boom operators (whatever they are), or an indoor studio. I performed them under the harsh conditions of the desert weather….some would define the conditions as perfect.
If you’d like more information on what’s involved in a TPI Golf Fitness screen send Paul Sherratt, Tim Sewter or myself, Matt Robinson an email and we’ll be happy to discuss.
You will NOT improve as a golfer or a player by hitting golf balls into a net over the Winter.
I’ve shared this statement with anyone who ever asks me my thoughts on indoor golf practice. Now, I’ll acknowledge that it can be fun, enjoyable to be around people with like minded interest, the coolness factor of having a Pro walk down the line and chat about the swing changes you intend to make, with their help, over the winter…it’s fun for some I suppose. However, I won’t tell you why you won’t get better hitting balls into a net, instead, I’ll let you know what you need to do to improve as a golfer/player and then, you, the reader can decide where this improvement could take place.
In September, Paul and I attended an AMF Instructor Summit in Dallas, Texas and we had a wonderful dinner with one of our influences over the last 15 years, Dr. Rick Jensen. He is a wise man and an incredible presenter of information. In one of our conversations we were discussing this very topic, about how people improve….is it by perfecting a model swing? WE all agree (those of us having dinner) that none of us taught a “swing”….we coach the individual and take their strengths and identify what works best for them and build from that point.
Dr. Rick smiled. He wanted to hear that because he’s actually researched the topic intensely and here is what he has to say in his book “Easier Said Than Done”: There are three essential skills that will help someone lower their scores:
1. ball control
2. decision making
3. self-management
The most important of these skills is, by far, ball control. If you can control the direction, distance, and trajectory of your ball consistently (i.e., move it from Point A to Point B in a predictable fashion) then you can play good golf. If you combine good decision making (factoring in the wind, speed and slope of the greens, the lie, etc) and self management (controlling your emotions, managing your attention, etc.) with good ball control skills, you can play GREAT golf.
Now, you can gain better control over your ball WITHOUT your swing looking like Rory McIllroy.
In fact, you could control your ball really well with a swing like John Daly or Jack Nicklaus *in his prime*….with a flying elbow.
In fact, you could control your ball really well with a swing like Lee Trevino or Jim Furyk…an octopus falling out of a tree…pretty.
In fact, you could control your ball really well with a swing like David Duval or Annika Sorenstam….and lift your head through impact.
In fact, you could control your ball really well with a swing like Sergio Garcia or Graeme McDowell….and bow your lead wrist at the top.
How about Bubba Watson, Fred Couples and Bruce Lietzke and line up your feet 70 yards away from where you want the ball to end up?
You get my point hopefully.
If you are going to control your ball better there are obviously many, many skill sets which can be improved. If you can focus on improving those skill sets AND watch the resulting ball flight…you will get the necessary feedback as to whether you are improving your ball control. No ball flight….no way to validate any changes, small or large.
I’ll give you a scenario…In the previous blog entry “Focus” I referenced world champion dart player Phil Taylor. I like darts. I can play a little and I’m sure if I decided to practice I would improve…Wait a second! I have a brilliant idea! I don’t have a dart board at the house, but, I could practice throwing darts in my walk in closet at, say, the wall. I would make stunning improvements on my ability to hit Double 12 by practicing all winter…throwing darts at the wall from half the standard distance… I would gain some “dart control” wouldn’t I?
I’ll be a better field goal kicker by kicking a ball into the net…I’ll become a better tennis player by practicing my serve into a net that would be half the distance it would be on a real tennis court….we could go on and on, couldn’t we?
My suggestion to you, the reader, is what I have said to anyone who has asked my advice on this topic…Get in better shape….golf shape (see Tim, Paul or myself on how this can happen…we’re certified to do so), buy a couple of good self management books…about business, life, or even golf specific…assess the past year on the course, every part of your game….note what you did well, what could have been better….and then…
write down what you’re gonna do about it – and get to it in the Spring.
I’ll paint “buying ladies clothing” with the same brush…maybe not impossible, because it’s obviously very possible to buy it. Having it be received well by the members and sell through might be the better comparison. I don’t pretend to be an expert when it comes to understanding what women want…especially when it comes to clothing.
But, I do pay attention. Just to put things in perspective I’ll share a long story with you – because it’s now my offseason and I have some writing to do…It takes place nearly ten years ago when I decided I should buy my wife something nice to wear as a Christmas present from a store that didn’t start with “La”. Oh, and, it’s fiction…but there are truths.
November 2000 – After very careful peeking into my wife’s closet I was able to come to certain findings regarding her clothing taste, and size. Based on the 83 different tops hanging in the shopping plaza within our own bedroom I came to the conclusion that she had no defined “style”. At first I thought that would make my life easier but I realized very quickly that if she liked a little bit of everything, then, she must also despise mostly everything. No problem. I’d take my chances on that one. I mean, I’ve been called “metro” so I must have some idea what my own wife would appreciate. The problem was magnified when, upon my horror, not all 83 tops were the same size. There were XS (Extra Small for those naturalists), S (Small), M (Medium) and there was even 1 L (Large).
How could that be?
I looked more closely and one of her favourite stores, as it turns out, was Banana Republic. She had several tops from that store alone so, again, I figured….easy. At least I know where I’ll be shopping. Not so fast Mister. Banana Republic had a size run from Small to Large (it was the one top in a large). Again, how is that possible? She found a store which obviously represented a style which she appreciated and she still had three different sizes in her closet?!?! I didn’t understand and I was a bit confused…which happens almost never. (remember….fiction)
I took on the daunting task of actually asking her about her choice of style and why she had so many different sizes given that she hadn’t actually changed sizes since we started dating. She had some pretty simple answers. First, she didn’t think she shopped based on style. When she went “shopping” she was actually looking for something to “buy”….she wasn’t going “buying”. She may, in fact, not buy anything after shopping for up to six hours. Here’s how the conversation went after that…I asked the first question….follow along. Her answers are in bold.
“So, you get dressed. Get in the car. And you have decided, in fact, committed…to go shopping, right?” Yes. That’s right.
“And, you don’t really know what you’re shopping for? You’re just shopping?” Yes. That’s right
“Seriously? You are looking for nothing then…I mean, you’re hoping to find something, but, actually looking for nothing?” Matt, don’t critique my shopping habits.
“But, how can you be effective? I mean, how do you know if your day was a success?” If I got something on sale.
“Everything at a shopping centre is on sale. It’s a business. They have to sell something.” If it’s discounted. That’s what I meant. If I pick something up and it was discounted, then, I think I had a good shopping trip.
“So, when you shop it has to be discounted?” No.
“But you just said..” I said, it’s a good shopping trip when I pick something up and it’s been discounted.
“What’s the last thing you bought that was discounted?” That scarf. The white one. It’s in the hall closet.
“The one with the tag in it? You haven’t worn it.” I don’t think I like it.
“But you bought it.” It was on sale…I mean discounted. *eyes rolling*
“Dayna..” Matt, don’t try to get me to justify it. Just drop it. You don’t understand.
“I wan’t to understand because I want to buy you something for Christmas that you’ll like and I’ve gone through some pretty important steps in trying to make sure I get something that you’ll like. You can’t tell me what you like to wear. You have every colour represented. There’s no consistency in any of the sizes in your closet let alone consistency within the same clothing line. You tell me a good shopping day for you consists of getting something that’s discounted yet the last thing you bought that was discounted you don’t wear….or even like. I need some direction…c’mon.” Ok. I’ll tell you exactly what I’d like. I’ve been looking for a cable knit sweater (I start writing these revelations down on a piece of paper). I don’t want buttons because they’ll just pop off eventually. It would be great if it had a zipper.
“Aren’t sweaters supposed to just have an opening in the top and you pull it over your head?” That’s the point. I don’t want to pull it over my head. I want to keep my hair nice.
“Okay. Long sleeve I assume?” Yes, long sleeves…duh.
“Don’t be nasty…I’m trying. Anything else?” I don’t want to have to dry clean it. I hate that. It’s too expensive to dry clean. So make sure it’s machine washable.
“Okay, so…Long sleeve, cable knit sweater, with a zipper, and….no dry cleaning. Any colour?” Black.
I went to Banana Republic first. It was obviously her favourite store. I went straight to the cashier and told him I have an easy sale. I read out the characteristics of the garment I was looking for and looked up when I was done. He just looked at me like I was from another planet.
“Um, sir. We don’t sell anything like that.”
Oh, any suggestions? It’s for a Christmas present.
“For your wife? You should probably ask her what she’d like first….just a suggestion.”
I did.
“Oh. Well, we don’t sell whatever it is she’s looking for. Try another store.”
I was in the Rideau Centre. I did try the other stores. I was basically met with the same reaction at every single store. The feedback first was that I should ask my wife exactly what she wants instead of just asking for some random piece of clothing. After assuring the sales assistant I had done so they would follow that up with a “Look somewhere else.”
I went on the internet in search of this elusive item. I found lots of sweaters but none had a zipper. The one’s that had zippers were sleeveless. With about 2 weeks to go until D-Day (December 25th) I found a sweater from an online company – they had no storefront. LL Bean. Luckily, for me they had overnight shipping on international orders for a fee that exceeded the cost of the sweater. I ordered it…based on the measurements (bra size), height, and weight suggestions from their online sizing chart…..in BLACK.
December 25, 2000 – Morning.
I’ll spare the other details….straight to the opening. And, did I mention that LL Bean offered free gift wrapping? This was going to be perfect. I would be the awe of other men. They would measure excellence in gift buying based on my feat….
Dayna opens the gift box.
Ooooh. LL BEAN. I’ve heard of that store. Aww Matt…….This is nice (holding sweater up). It’s not dry clean only is it? I say “Nope”. And it’s black, perfect. (Starts trying it on). I love the texture…cable knit (looking at me with a big smile…like I had done a great job). Oh, look, it’s the perfect length (right above the bum). Now, let me zip this up (zzzzzzzzip!). Oh, Matt, it’s beautiful. (She’s standing in front of the mirror, twirling, raising her arms up and down….then, sitting down….then stands up, then walks over to the kitchen cupboard and opens some of the upper cabinets….then back to the mirror. Her smile is gone.)
Look though…(turning to me)….you see how it doesn’t look the same anymore? It’s all twisted. (she unzips and removes the sweater, opens it up, looking at the inside of the garment and turns back to me)
It’s not lined. I would have liked it to be lined. Do they have any sweaters like this that are lined? Do you have the receipt?
I pull into the parking lot at Rideau View and secure my usual parking spot facing the 9th green. Reach for my Tim Hortons large double-double and throw my video/laptop briefcase over my shoulder while activating the door lock system in my wife’s well equipped 2009 Toyota Venza (hoping names like Tim Hortons and Toyota will help people find this blog on their search engines ). I have less than 3 minutes to get my gear into the office of the pro shop, put my golf shoes on, “find” my golf glove, “find” the club I used in my last lesson, grab my golf bag and head to the 1st tee to join my group for our allotted 8:08am tee off time. I keep reminding myself to keep moving….I’ve got a game with the road runners.
Road runners, rabbits, dew sweepers are the affectionate names given to the “regulars” who tee the ball up during the first hour of available tee times. Their mission is simple: enjoy the game at what they deem is a reasonable pace…say between 3 hours 10 minutes to 3 hours 12 minutes. I’m not kidding. Score is important, but, not nearly as important as moving. No standing, no waiting, no hesitating. My only scheduled round is on Wednesday afternoons and that pace is between 4:15 and 4:30 so….I have my work cut out for me.
Let me introduce my playing partners:
Tom Byerley – Likely one of the few remaining members who grew up during the Paleolithic Period, Tom, held on to his trusted persimmon driver at least a whole decade longer than anyone else on the planet. Opinionated, well read and a power fader off the tee he is the quiet ringleader of the group I’ve been invited to join for 9 holes.
Gerry Barnaby – Few people know that when Hippocrates coined the phrase “that which is used develops, and that which is not used wastes away” he was actually referencing the weight training rituals of Gerry Barnaby. Having once trained with Greek legendary wrestler Milo of Croton in the early 6th century Gerry is likely the very first left handed golfer known to mankind. This imposing figure though has the softest hands of the group often throwing his short approaches to within inches of the hole on a frequent basis.
Ken Johnson – Known as Kay Jay or KJ…Ken, at 187 years of age, is the youngest member of the Road Runners. Being the half brother of Robert Wood, James Wood and Edward Mead Johnson, Ken rejected the family plans of improving hospital sanitations to focus on his undying pursuit of excellence on the golf course. While Johnson & Johnson is a household name and a multi billion dollar company, Ken remains focused on being the long ball hitter of the group and setting the ground rules on the topics of conversation engaged on the golf course.
Okay, okay…none of the above intro’s are true. I can be guilty of embellishing from time to time. However, there is a point. The point is that there are certain perceptions of the early morning crowd which are also not true. Here they are….
GRUMPY – None of the guys in my group was grumpy. In fact, they were concerned I may not be showing up given I was not at the course prior to the pro shop being open. With three minutes to spare they were already anticipating a faster-than-planned pace in my absence. But, after I got to the tee they were all pretty happy to see me. They spoke of the lovely weather, the bright blue sky, and the colours that were beginning to invade the trees of Rideau View.
DISREGARD OF ETIQUETTE – This perception includes the raking of bunkers, the repairing of ball marks on the greens, the replacing of divots or filling the divots with sand, moving while others are preparing to hit. The 8:08am group raked bunkers, filled their divots and had wonderful etiquette when it wasn’t their turn to hit. There were two incidents when two balls were in the air at the same time but I was warned about this practice and it only occurred when the two individuals were on opposite sides of the fairway. A special note to make here: Tom, when it comes to ball marks, would identify his ball mark with a tee, continue to his ball, putt out, and then return to his tee in the ground to repair his ball mark while others were putting out. I loved THIS!!! It’s time saving and a great routine.
STUCK IN THEIR WAYS – We played the white tees. Their usual tees are the greens but they wanted to accommodate their guest who might feel “cramped” on the more forward tees. This was a genuine gesture and it was appreciated. Gerry has been retooling his club composition purchasing both a hybrid and a brand new state of the art Taylor Made driver….a sign he is not stuck in his way. He’s even looking for a way to get out of our bunkers after some conversation with yours truly and he recognizes that a change in equipment will be necessary to give him a better chance of being successful out of those HAZARDS… I even convinced the whole group to tee off the black tees on number 7 and chuckled when Tom asked what he should aim at….Your usual tee I suggested tongue firmly in cheek.
I had tossed a hush hush, don’t tell anyone, Titleist Test Ball (it actually says Test on it…so, it’s really cool) to Ken on the 4th hole and he was really quite interested in “testing” it and giving me some feed back. He reached for a little extra club head speed on those black tees and launched the ball high and far and well right. It’s likely that ball will never be found. Yes, a challenge to Ken Vargo. The test was over.
THEY CAN’T ENJOY THE GAME (at that pace) – Well, I jokingly mentioned to the guys that a great picture to go alongside this blog entry would be that of me in pre shot routine while they were a full 235 yards ahead of me down the fairway. They all had a great sense of humour and they all truly, truly, love the game. Tom, loves the history and the story telling, fact or fiction. If its about golf, he reads it. Gerry, wants to gain every advantage he can in the game and if a piece of equipment helps him gain that extra “foot”…he’ll get it, and Tom will roll his eyes at the purchase. Ken feels challenged by the game and is meticulous in his goal setting, mindful of how the mind plays a significant role in his performance, curious about any and everything he can do to better himself and he wouldn’t do any of it if he didn’t enjoy the game.
OLD – Well….
We played the front 9 nine in exactly 1:38. We waited on holes 8 and 9 mostly due to the newcomer being a little longer off the tee than the usual fourth and in the interest of safety, I waited. I even had time to demonstrate on number 4, at Ken’s request, that, in fact, it is very possible to play out of our green side bunkers when they are wet and have very little sand in them. The usual gimmes are taken…no more than in any other game I’ve played with men. We had wonderful conversation from the bunkers (always a topic) to weather the curriculum at schools (it’s supposed to be ironic that whether was spelled incorrectly back there) should change based on how quickly kids can get the answers from internet based tools. Basically, it’s possible to have fun, enjoy the game, enjoy the company AND play at a pace that is essentially only a hole and a half ahead of the PACE of PLAY policy the club is now imposing. The biggest difference with this group? They are ready, fully ready, when it is their turn, or, close to their turn to play and that is truly the discovery that I made while playing with them and it’s likely the only reason they play the game at a faster pace than most. It’s because of that readiness.
Don’t be intimidated to play early in the morning with the road runners….just be ready when it’s your turn.
My favourite part of the whole morning?
After Gerry hit a beautiful shot on number 6. A nice fade that landed very close to the hole. He looked at me and said, “Son, These Guys are…” and in unison the group shouted…
Beginning my 13th consecutive hour of coaching last month during the Longest Day of Golf Fundraiser I met with the Campagna’s and Cotter’s for a couples clinic. We decided to focus on the short game for no other reason than we were standing on the putting green and time was of the essence. After providing the couples with several accurate, substantiated and valid stats concerning the short game President Cotter spoke up with this zinger:
“Did you know that 93% of all statistics are made up on the spot?”
Well, that’s true….probably. But mine were actually accurate.
Putting, we can all agree is a very important aspect of your overall golf performance (score). In fact, some would suggest that it accounts for, say, 42% of our total score…regardless of what score you shoot. I’ll assume it’s not the first time any of the reader(s) of this blog have seen this stat. So, why aren’t more of you practicing your putting? Why are we consumed with hitting the ball longer and straighter when even significant improvements in both won’t necessarily lead to lower scores? Maybe putting just isn’t that fun to do, maybe there is no gratification of practicing putting, or, maybe there’s just a lack of commitment in actually improving. Anyone know?
I drew a line in the sand this year when it came to our junior programs, specifically, our PEAK program. I wanted the kids to know just how important putting was and just exactly where their skill level was relative to where they aspired to be. You may have encountered the odd tee stuck in the ground on the practice green in the last couple of months (has anyone noticed that those new tees bend?). See if you are committed to improvement by playing the game that has taken our juniors by storm.
Pick a hole, any hole. Pace off 40 feet away from that hole and place a tee in the ground at that spot. In another direction from the hole, pace off another putt which will leave you 20 feet away and place a tee in the ground. In yet another direction from the hole pace off a 6 foot putt and place a tee in the ground. At this point you should have 3 tees in the ground and a 40, 20, and 6 foot putt. Here’s the challenge:
In sequence, you must 2 putt both the 40 and 20 foot putts and then 1 putt the 6 footer. Again, you must go 2 putt, 2 putt, 1 putt. If you 3 putt the 40 footer, you start over. 2 putt the 40 footer but 3 putt the 20 footer, start over. 2 putt the 40 and the 20 footer but miss the 6 footer, start over. You must only 2 putt (or less) the 40 and 20 and you must make the 6 footer. 40-20-6 in 2-2-1. The kids have loved it. Their challenge is they have to achieve success on the greens during any coaching session for us to move onto something else. And, they understand the relationship.
I’m giving you a 40 foot putt for birdie….just par it. I’m giving you a 20 foot putt for birdie…again, just par it. Then, I’m giving you an incredible short game shot from off the green that finishes just 6 feet from the hole, make it. If you do all three in succession, you just found out how difficult and challenging being even par can be. What the kids discovered is if (given their current ability as a putter) they hit all 18 greens in regulation (by hitting the ball further and straighter) with the ball finishing just 40 feet away from the hole….They would likely still shoot in the 80′s because they would 3 putt more than 50% of the time. It’s a game that gives you a challenge, it’s difficult to do, it keeps you focused AND it allows you to understand the relationship between what you’re practicing and what it can mean for your score on the course.
The following commentary does not reflect the views of The View, or Barbara Walters, but does reflect my own personal philosophy when it comes to the hazard we all know and love….the sand bunker.
I’ve heard just about every complaint or suggestion when it comes to the types of sand, types of rake used, rakes in the bunker, rakes out of the bunker, plastic handle rakes versus fibreglass versus wood, long rakes versus short rakes, firm sand, soft sand, crusty surface, sand that gets too wet when it rains, sand that drains too well after a rainfall, the number of rakes available at each bunker, white sand, dark sand, sod walls on every green side bunker, shallow bunkers, bunker design for ease of maintenance, bunker design which visually enhances the look of a hole, too penal, not penal enough……these comments can be made while laughing about a bad hole after a round OR they can be made while the person is turning blue because of rage and oxygen deprivation to the brain.
So, what’s my philosophy? Reread the first sentence and then come back.
My philosophy is I like a bunker that lives up to it’s other name: Hazard. A noun, one definition suggests that a hazard is a source of danger, a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune. I like my philosophy because it’s mine and because it means the bunker plays just like the other hazards that are on the golf course….Water hazards, and the other cousin, natural hazards like thick and dense vegetation. Water hazards and natural hazards have somehow avoided the limelight.
Just imagine this story…
“You cannot believe what happened to me today on number 6…I’m playing the white tees, okay, and I take out my 6 iron, which, I’ve been hitting perfect all day…I’m trying to play a nice little cut shot into the green, it’s a red flag on the left side which means I’ve got to challenge the water…So, I catch it a bit heavy and I watch it fall into the pond. So, get this….I can SEE my ball….it’s buried. Totally unfair. I look around to find the floaties…no FLOATIES! Some jerk who had hit in there earlier forgot to take them off after they hit out of the water. There should be a sign that says, “Upon leaving the water hazard we encourage you to remove the floaties and return them to their original position so that your fellow member has the same opportunity and conditions under which to play.” Something like that anyway….Or at least get their name, and write them a stern letter threatening suspension or something. Anyways, I wade into the pond and once I’m able to get over the ball, well, you cannot believe the glare from the sun’s reflection….it’s basically blinding me. You know, the floaties not being returned is one thing, that’s the member’s responsibility, but the glare issue? I mean, how hard is it to maintain the colour of the water? It’s probably because they use “old” water from the dunk tanks they use at the Carp fair. Sometimes I wonder. So, I have no floaties AND I can’t see anything but I figure I got this shot. As I dig my feet in I realize I’ve been penalized even further with an uneven lie…I’m basically on the upslope of the water. That’s another thing – what has happened to the depth consistency of our ponds? I’m telling you, I’m this close to writing a letter. Anyways, the upslope is not a problem because I watched Matt’s last blog entry, the one with the video, where he hits this amazing shot out of the Swilken Burn….you know the one where he says to swing and hope? So, I take a look at the pin, open up my stance and I put the ball forward in my stance because perceptually, once the ball looks like it’s forward, it’s really just in the middle of your stance. Know why? The reflection of the water obscures your perception and our ponds really mess with your mind because that’s how they were designed…to punish us every day players. Gosh, this makes me so angry just talking about…Anyways, I take this swing, basically everything I got and I feel the club twist in my hands a lot once it hits the water…You know, I hate complaining, but, why don’t we add salt to our water hazards? They do at other courses. They actually monitor the salt levels to make sure there are never any bad lies in the pond. They boil our water and thats why our water isn’t dense enough…that’s why our clubs twist more…Anyways, I do everything perfect, I mean, I hit the shot of my life…at least I thought I did until I watch my ball come up short….Yep, I left it in the pond. Know why? Because of this frigging rock!! Yeah, this rock! It was right behind my ball and because we don’t have a local rule that allows us to remove rocks from our ponds I hit the thing. So, yeah, I’m bringing the rock to the pro shop. This should not happen.”
It’s odd that a hazard could have, um, so many hazards.
I love a good debate….but the bunker stuff, in my humble opinion, doesn’t even come close to being a debate for one simple reason. The rules of golf give you the option to NEVER have to hit a ball out of a bunker. If, you have an opinion that your lie is unfair or unplayable, the sand too soft, the lips too high, a rock is close….etc… then take a look at Rule 28 in the Rules of Golf and take an unplayable lie.
Rule 28
The player may deem his ball unplayable at any place on the course except when the ball is in a water hazard. The player is the sole judge as to whether his ball is unplayable.
If the player deems his ball to be unplayable, he must, under penalty of one stroke:
(a) Play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5); or (b) Drop a ball behind the point where the ball lay, keeping that point directly between the holeand the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind that point the ball may be dropped; or (c) Drop a ball within two club-lengths of the spot where the ball lay, but not nearer the hole. Penalty for Breach of Rule:
Match play — Loss of hole; Stroke play — Two strokes.
If the unplayable ball is in a bunker, the player may proceed under Clause a, b or c.
If he elects to proceed under Clause b or c, a ball must be dropped in the bunker.
The ball may be lifted and cleaned when proceeding under this Rule.
I’ll post all opinions because I’ve posted mine…what’s yours?
Remember, I do have one teeny tiny feeling I’ve been preserving….Don’t hurt it.
As I write this we’re a full 4 days removed from the British Open and I realized again just how much I enjoy watching links golf. In honour of the Open….I have enclosed a video of a less than famous “How to get out of the Road Hole bunker” tip for you to enjoy. Last November, Paul Sherratt, Tim Sewter, Paul Sherratt Jr, and myself had an opportunity to play the Old Course at St. Andrews…a mere 18 hours after we had putted out on the 18th green (if you found your ball) at Royal County Down…sounds almost impossible, I know.
I had brought a brand new High Def video camera to record our historic journey, only to discover (fancy word for remember) that I had it in my bag on the 17th tee at the Old Course. I ended up recording the tee shots on 17 for the group which I’ve enclosed in a previous blog….and after I (yes, I’m going to tell you how I played 17) hit the ball to about 179 yards (you tend to remember these things) from the green and hit a 5 iron (yes….you remember it all) to about 15 feet….I realized that I had a great opportunity to just jump into the famous Road Hole bunker and provide the members of Rideau View with a tip.
The day had gone like a dream for me that day….almost like I forgot where I was for 4 hours….the Road Hole bunker proved to be no different.
David Duval…I’m available for counselling and coaching.
Just kidding.
Special thanks to Susan Cole who was the videographer and our eye candy for the day.
My 3rd Annual Longest Day of Golf – Coaching Edition – has again SOLD OUT!!! Thank you to everyone who signed up to take part in what always promises to be a great day. I’ll be getting ready on July 24th just after 4:00AM to start my first lesson of the day with Scott Henderson at 5AM….and finishing my day with the Mussani’s at dark nearly sixteen hours later. Why is this an important day for me? I’d like to share the reasons.
On April 7th, 2006 my wife and I’s daughters were born at 28 weeks gestation. A couple of days earlier during a routine ultrasound the technician began acting funny and asking all sorts of questions about previous ultrasounds and then we were told to wait outside….never a good thing. Turns out our daughters had a condition known as Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome – essentially one twin was receiving most of the nourishment while the other was receiving very little. They needed immediate care which meant they would be arriving much earlier than expected.
Nothing in life really prepares you for what would happen over the next several months – many life and death moments, faced with decisions you wouldn’t want to decide – except for maybe the game of golf. Dayna and I had a conversation, about what I preach in coaching, during a ridiculously difficult time. It was in the first 4 or 5 days of the girls life…Dayna had just been diagnosed with a very rare, pregnancy induced heart condition called Peri Partum Cardiomyopathy and we were just overwhelmed by ALL the what if’s….What if the girls don’t make it, What if Dayna doesn’t make it and the girls do, and on and on. We thought we’d both go crazy.
And then, we just decided, that like golf, we would take it one “shot” (shot, as in, Doctor, hit me again with some bad news) at a time. We would immerse ourself in the “shot” instead of reacting to it….because reacting to each “shot” every time just wasn’t working. Basically, after we took the golf approach to these life issues we were faced with….we were able to get through it. ‘Nuff said.
The Longest Day of Coaching helps raise funds for CHEO. Funds that will be directed to what the NICU needs or other wish lists from other departments in the hospital. Last year just over $36,000 was raised….just through our little golf course (members). Over $65,000 raised in the first two years…it’s truly amazing. Dayna will again be working with the CHEO Foundation to determine proper allocation of all the funds raised for the day….you’ll know what the money went towards. ALL of my coaching fees for the day will go directly to CHEO…Any and ALL donations made for the day will receive a tax receipt AND my very generous sponsor of the event will MATCH every dollar donated up to a total of $20,000.
Our daughter Kathryn understands that CHEO is part of her life, part of her extended family and we certainly rely on the professionals at the hospital. Kathryn has had 7 surgeries to date and has smiled through all of them…a testament to her courage and strength….and certainly a testament to the environment and atmosphere throughout the hallways of CHEO. Two cochlear implant surgeries have given Kathryn the gift of hearing and communicating…almost at normal range now…still catching up. I encourage you to take part in what promises to be another wonderful moment for Rideau View on July 24th.
Focus is a word that’s often bantered around when speaking of the greats in any sport, particularly golf greats. Whether it’s Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Bobby Jones and of course Tiger Woods (1996-2009)…all have been champions and all have been given the Focus title at one time or another. So, what am I going to tell you about Focus that some announcer hasn’t already told you? Is it possible that I have some sort of secret? Probably not. But I do have some information which I’ll share with you.
When it comes to golf, Focus, is really about the task at hand. What’s the task? Simple…the target. What’s your target? Where do you want the ball to go? What path do you see your shot taking to reach the destination you have chosen? What is your true intention? These are questions I’ll ask a student during a lesson AFTER they have hit the ball and quite often they are stuck on question 1? The answer goes like this:
“Uh, well, I, uh…well, straight. I mean I wanted my ball to go straight…you know, to my target.”
So, what was your target? Point it out to me.
Student turns towards the landing area of the range.
“Well, let me see…The, uh, the 150 marker.”
When did you decide that was your target? Now?
“I had an 8 iron in my hand and I hit the ball 150…so, I was, yeah, I wanted it to go 150 because that’s how far I hit my 8 iron.”
So, you wanted the ball to go 150 yards towards…nothing in particular?
Bottom line. The person had no target. They weren’t focused on a target and they didn’t look at a target before they addressed the ball. They had no intent with regards to a destination. The intent, then, became hitting the ball…which they did. Focus is not just about a glancing look down the fairway or towards the green. It’s about leaving an imprint in your brain as to where you want the ball to go, the path it will take to get there, the trajectory or height of the shot – it’s essentially about seeing the shot, in real time, PRIOR to actually addressing the ball. It’s about leaving no doubt whatsoever as to your true intention. The mind, then, becomes quiet, leaving the brain to auto pilot the body, recruit and engage the muscle groups necessary to perform the task you intend to pull off. The body reacts. If you continue to repeat the step of actually identifying a target…trust me. You will improve.
If most are honest, they will admit what they focus on.
1. Head still on the takeaway.
2. Hands quiet on the takeaway.
3. Keep weight on my right side at the top of the backswing.
4. Lead my downswing with my hips first.
5. Keep my left arm straight.
6. Keep my head down.
7. And on and on and on…..
Most golfers focus on physical aspects of the swing or technique. Most do not identify a true target. And by true target I mean one in which you have zeroed in on so much that you could direct someone, through commentary to a spot so small it would resemble the triple 20 section on a dart board. That would be focus.
Darts. Yes, darts. If you want to learn about Focusing on the Target…watch darts for half an hour. Phil Taylor, arguably the greatest player ever and a 15 time World Champion is pretty fun to watch. He’s not a physical specimen by any means and is quite content to engage with the raucous crowds which attend the matches, not to mention, he also engages with his playing competitors. But, when he steps up to the line…and the camera zooms in on his eyes….you know exactly WHERE he is looking. He does it every single time he steps up to the line and the dart board is ALWAYS the same distance from him, he ALWAYS has the same darts, the conditions are ALWAYS the same since the events take place indoors and yet…he still doesn’t blink when he stares down the target. Why?
Because it’s critically important that you ALWAYS pay attention to your true intention…the target.
Forget learning about focus from Jack, Tom, Bobby or Tiger…Watch Phil Taylor focus on his target.
Photo Courtesy of Matt Wallace - Tricep courtesy of Matt Robinson
It was probably close to 10 years ago that I had this idea I shared with my sister, who was living in Hollywood, California at the time, that perhaps a sitcom situated at a private golf club wouldn’t be a bad idea. She guffawed at the idea at first but then I gave her a couple of quick “how about this” type stories….and she quickly jumped on board. It became a family affair – I gave the stories – 99% of them based on complete fact – my Mom typed up the pilot episode, and, my sister, Kari, would weasel her way in and out of the scum that is Hollywood.
The end result? It allegedly made it’s way onto the desk of someone who worked for someone who supplied someone at FOX with ideas for pilot sitcoms. It stopped there. The feedback was FOX wanted more “ethnicity” in the characters, even suggesting more Hispanics as, at the time, their audience had a very hispanic flavour. Well, I wasn’t motivated enough to actually make this stuff up so…there it sits, on my hard drive…precious memories.
Since that original 10 episode season I’ve have come up with at least 40 more episodes. Titles of the episodes have included:
“My Guest’s Name is Earl”,
“I Need a Cart…Doctors Orders”,
“What Do You Mean My Cart Has No Roof? I’m Allergic to the Sun”
“I Dream of Jeans….in the Dining Room”
“Jack Frost is Screwing Up My Lunch at IKEA”
“The Hunt for Handfuls of Tee’s in October”
And, I just added a new one….it’s the title of this blog entry.
I could technically have a whole season “direct to DVD” on the subject of tees. Tees are a necessity in the game of golf – you need them. And, because you need them – it’s likely you have an opinion on the colour, type, length and durability. The new ECO tees in the shop have spurned the normal conversation….too long, too white, too flexible, too plastic, they’ll hurt the mowers, they’re not eco friendly, the teeing ground is too firm, what happens if I only want to hit an iron shot?? At least the ones before would break so I could use a broken one. It’s the normal sort of banter we get to hear and the sort of conversation that makes you wonder why there aren’t any government funded sociological studies of human behaviour in pro shops.
The facts on the tees: They are white, very white. They cost 2.5 times as much as the previous selection of tees. They are very eco friendly and are biodegradable. They are not bad for the green mowers, in fact, 4 out of 5 dentists recommend these tees to prevent tartar build up in TORO machines. They do bend. The fact that they bend allows you to “bend” them back into shape. They are more durable provided the user picks them up off the ground after they have hit their tee shot. Being ECO friendly with ECO tees means taking and using, only what you need which is why the tees are being held hostage (against their will) behind the pro shop counter.
I’ve used the tees and they do bend a little…too much? Hard to say. I’m starting to think it’s more of a “feel” issue myself, that I’ll actually get used to the feel of pushing this new tee into the ground and the feeling will, in fact, become normal, and, thus, not be an issue.
My next idea is to write a sitcom based on a golf pro who decided to write a sitcom based on the day to day stories that occur at a private golf club only to have the sitcom rejected, but, then he gets to write a blog where he can tell everyone his idea for the sitcom and a reader then steals the idea and sells the pilot to a major network only to have the golf pro come back and use his blog entry as evidence in a court case to prove that the sitcom was actually his idea.
I remember this like it was yesterday…not the dates, but the round of golf.
January 1993(ish?) – Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
My parents lived in Myrtle Beach for about ten years back in the ’90s. My Dad had decided that he was tired of the high tech world and went back to school to earn a degree to become a Golf Course Superintendent. While he was chipping away at that degree my Mom found work at Deer Track Golf Course just south of Myrtle Beach. Anytime someone you know works in the golf industry there are generally some perks…my Mom’s perk included sweet talking her boss into letting her son play a little golf. The Head Professional thought I would be a great match for one of his students and suggested we could play and practice together since that student had the pro circuit in their sights.
I went to the golf course that day wondering what I’d gotten myself into. It sounded like this guy was pretty good if he was planning on playing professionally. It was a quiet day at the course so I headed over to the 1st tee because it was only a couple of minutes before tee off. It was there that I met my playing partner for the first time…Katie…a girl.
I was playing the back tees on a regular basis during that time and I remember thinking…
*It wouldn’t be polite to play the back tees when she’s ALL the way up at the Ladies Tee…I’ll just play the white tees….that’s a good idea.*
So, I walked with Katie up to the Whites – and we each grabbed our drivers out of the bag.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Getting ready to tee off” she said.
“From here?” with an incredulous look on my face while pointing at the White tee blocks.
“Yeah, I always play from here” Katie said.
“Oh…um…well… then I’m going back there.” – I pointed across the pond to the back tees.
“Ok.” she said.
I walked back to the tee and had a lot of self talk going on. I had never, ever met a girl golfer who played from the whites….It had never been done…..Who is this Katie…..Don’t look like an idiot…..You’ll beat her…..You better beat her….What happens if you don’t beat her?
Hole 1 – Katie birdies. Matt birdies. No talking. Hole 2 – Katie birdies. Matt birdies. “Nice putt” said by both. Hole 3 – Katie birdies. Matt birdies. Compliments back and forth. We chat walking beside each other up the fairway. She’s a teacher (memory’s fuzzy on that) who picked up golf 3 years ago – figured out she was talented. Hired a coach and decided to play full time – goal was to be on the Futures Tour in a year. She already had some sponsors so she could just practice/play and chase her dream. She tells me I’m pretty good. All I can think about is that I’m 3 under after 3 and nervous as hell and she’s 3 under and doesn’t look or sound like she’s nervous at all. I’m wondering how long I can keep this charade going. I’m not this good. But, I’m still thinking I should beat her. Hole 4 (Par 3) – Matt’s tee shot to about 25 feet. Katie’s tee shot hit’s the pin and finishes a foot from the hole. Matt pars. Katie birdies.
The rest of the round is a bit of a blur. We each ended up with 71′s for the day.
I got over the whole boy/girl thing. Katie became just a golfer after the 4th hole. We spent quite a bit of time talking about girls involvement in golf. There were very few of them whether we were talking about competitive players or just players playing for fun. I told her I’d only ever known 1 junior girl golfer, Paula Tansley (daughter of Gerry and Judy Tansley). Katie said that was a problem. She asked me how I thought Paula might feel being the only girl…No girls to play with. She asked me if I’d ever played with Paula and I quickly said I had not. Katie asked me why and I told her the truth. One, she was a girl who was pretty and asking her to play would be as tough as asking her out (I was a young teenager at the time) and two, what if she beat me. Katie certainly had an opinion about that and she even understood where I was coming from – it made sense.
That day with Katie stuck with me after I became a Golf Professional later that same year (1993). I made a commitment to myself, then, in 1993, to promote the game to girls – encourage girls to play the game – and if I happened to see talent I would do whatever I could to help. In fact, it was that commitment which led to a little secret which has been under the radar at Rideau View since 2007….The Girls Club.
Mary Jo Heyes (mother of Ali Heyes, 2008 RV Women’s Club Champion) and I put together a Girls Club program which would bring girls together to give the game of golf a try. The clinics were held on a Wednesday at Rideau View during a “dead” period on the range because of the crossover tee times. The idea – target girls who were not currently involved in the sport or who had limited exposure – get them together with other girls who were in the same boat and host a golf clinic. We would play games and do activities that were non golf specific, the girls would interact and develop friendships while they were having fun at a “golf clinic.” Golf would be the common denominator for the friendship that were made. We thought that might be the recipe that had been missing and so far…..we’re right.
Many of the Girls Club members have become members of Rideau View. In fact, our junior girls program is thriving to the point where we don’t want the Girls Club to be a secret any longer. We’re planning a season long once a week clinic with several on course outings during the summer and even a Girls Only golf camp the last week of July.
In the last year I’ve seen evidence that, perhaps, you can teach an old dog new tricks. Less than twenty four months ago Rideau View was an organization which produced six hundred paper version copies of a members’ roster. The only copy that really mattered was the one that was buried in John Cummings desk – the one that the pro shop staff frantically looked for when a member would call the pro shop to get the number of a fellow member – you know, the one they could look up in their copy of the roster………Anyway, Rideau View also published a pretty thorough newsletter which was either mailed out to members, taped to their locker, or, was available in the office for all to read. It wasn’t really that long ago. Fast forward to the last eight months….
Rideau View uploaded a wonderful video showcasing all that we are proud of for public consumption. It was so well received in fact that another club in Ottawa raced, in a royal way, to put one up themselves, perhaps in feared response. We now receive frequent updates via email from the GM, there’s a “Members Side” to the website where one can see upcoming tee off times, the club calendar, dinner themes or specials AND….sadly, up to date information about your account. Rideau View is on Facebook and Twitter isn’t far behind. It’s all in an effort to give the membership various ways of communicating with each other and a way for management to communicate with the membership.
Facebook is bringing friends from the past directly under your fingertips….you can find out everything those friends want you to know. With Rideau View being on Facebook ANYONE who was ever a member, staff member, or guest of the club can find us in 2010 – they’ll be able to see all the changes that have been made to the course, clubhouse and just how “hip” we’ve become. Our Facebook group is up to 140 members and I’m sure the number will climb throughout the year. If you haven’t joined the group yet – join. Especially if you’re a long time member because it’s only a matter of time before you reconnect with someone who was a member at the club many, many moons ago – might be someone you played a lot of golf with and just lost touch over the years or it could be that guy who used to cheat in the club championships and has moved onto other clubs (you know who you are)….Regardless, it’s fun and it’s a great way for you to stay connected with Rideau View.
You might notice the subject of this post – Heather Grace Stewart. Heather is a freelance writer, published poet, and author of five books including Kim Campbell: the keener who broke down barriers, Sir Wilfrid Laurier: The weakling who stood his ground, Where The Butterflies Go, and, most recently, Leap. She is also a published photojournalist. Heather and I went to school together almost thirty years ago and haven’t seen each other since. Yet, we have quickly caught up. She thinks it’s neat she went to school with someone who became a golf pro (it’s not that glamourous) and I think it’s neat that I went to school with a published poet and author (it’s not that glamourous). She has a much better memory and recall of times spent at Glen Cairn Public School and I’m thankful because it triggers my memory of those same events – I just can’t recall any on my own (except for being able to spell Mississippi forwards and backwards much, much faster than she). She’s had a chance to hear/read about events in my life in the last four years and even used the story of our daughter Kathryn as an inspiration for one of her poems, Closer (Where The Butterflies Go). I’m bringing up this personal story for a reason. It’s an example of staying “current”. By staying current I was able to reconnect with someone from my past who gave me the gift of some childhood memories that I thought I’d forgotten.
Join the group on Facebook if you haven’t already. Share a funny story, or, ask the simple question “Whatever happened to…..” You’ll likely get an answer.
Slow play has been a topic of concern for Rideau View’s playing committee for several years now. After hiring the UK consulting firm STOP Slow Play Inc which specializes in identifying the actual cause(s) of slow play on a club to club basis the committee has chosen to make several radical changes in club policy. The consultant identified some key, though, polarizing factors in providing the committee with solutions. The new policies were presented to the Board of Directors last week and, surprisingly, yet convincingly, all of the changes were met with approval from the Board.
The changes in policy are:
1. The immediate cancellation of both Men’s and Ladies League. All fees paid to date and sponsor contributions will be refunded. The consultant, through, the cooperation of our marshals/starters have determined that BOTH leagues encourage the consumption of alcohol, gambling, and unnecessary conversation between group members. The result is a round of golf that is 38 minutes longer than any other day of the week.
2. All members will be required to go through a MANDATORY club fitting and ball striking analysis by the professional staff. The consultant has identified a large percentage of the membership are attempting to play the course with equipment which is either outdated and/or not fitted properly. Golf ball loss is the equivalent to time loss and using properly fitted equipment will result in a faster pace of play. Members will not have reservation access to tee times until they have gone through this process.
3. Ladies will not be part of the draw process until after 10:00am on weekends and holidays. After careful review of average times for the last twenty years the consultant identified a period of time where SLOW PLAY was not an issue. It was during this time that ladies did have have full playing rights and while this is a radical change, the consultant felt it was a necessary one.
4. The new restroom facility located on the east side of Hole #4 will be closed until further notice. Since it’s opening it was discovered that round times increased just over 12 minutes versus the previous years time averages. The Board will begin a process in determining other options/uses for the facility.
5. Juniors will no longer have access to the tee time reservation system. The consultant accessed the hard drive of the reservation system and identified that juniors had openings in their foursome 92% of the time. In the opinion of the consultant this is due to senior members feeling intimidated by the younger, smaller junior member’s ability on the course. The result leads to many twosomes and threesomes on the course which interrupts the pace of play.
6. ALL members will be required to arrive at the course a minimum of 45 minutes prior to their tee time. Failure to do so will result in a loss of playing rights. After a year long analysis of observing “trunk slammers” arriving mere seconds before their tee time compared to that of a member who had arrived 45 minutes prior to their time – trunk slammers averaged a 13 minute longer round than that of the more time observant and warmed up member.
The initial feedback from members is mixed. I conducted my own personal opinion poll – calling members of all categories to get their immediate reaction to the effective changes in club policy. I asked them to keep their comments to just one word to describe their feelings and current state of mind. Here are just some of the comments:
Astute
Profound
Reasonable
Inventive
Laughable
Frightening
Original
Offensive
Ludicrous
Sensible.
A parent has brought their four year old child out to the golf course for the very first time. They borrow a US Kids junior club from the pro shop (US Kids specialize in junior equipment by the way) and the two of them, beaming smiles and all, head down to the driving range. It’s there that the two of them will share a moment that may be classified as a once in a lifetime moment…they’ll both be witness to the first “hit.” It goes well at first – the parent/child become involved in the “copy cat” coaching style…”Stand like this. Ok, now put the club behind the ball…perfect. Now watch…I bring the club up like this….and whooosh! I hit the golf ball like that…did you see that? Ok, now you do it.” It’s a fairly typical and simple demonstration. The child attempts to perform the same action (without success) and it’s normally met with some giddy laughter from both the parent and the child…both of them are having fun, playing.
And then…it happens. Contact. And again. And again. And again. BIG SMILES
It’s easy to imagine isn’t it?
Sadly, the moment is ruined…not always, but often. It’s ruined because after four consecutive strikes – an intention realized – there is almost always a miss – a learning opportunity for the child. Unfortunately, this learning opportunity is misunderstood by the parent as a moment for them to react to what just happened.
“It’s okay honey. Try again. You’ll hit another good one.”
Seems harmless, I know. In that comment the child just became aware of what’s “good” and what’s “bad”. So, they try to hit a good one. Miss. Another miss.
“Sweetie. Do what you did before. Keep your head down.”
Oh no. You didn’t just say “keep your head down” did you? Now they know the difference between good and bad shots AND right and wrong technique and it only took two sentences. Perfect. The child attempts to hit a “good” shot with the “right” technique. They stand still. Motionless. Then, swing. Contact again.
“You see. I told you. All you had to do was keep your head down. Great shot honey!”
Whiff. Whiff. Whiff.
“Try to put your hands closer together. You’re holding it like a hockey stick. This is golf. You’re supposed (parent demonstrating their best Vardon grip) to hold it like this sweetie.”
With hands close together the club becomes even more awkward in the child’s hands but they manage to dribble their next shot just off the range mat.
“There you go!”
The next attempt features a 360 degree spin-o-rama as the weight of the club is just too much to control with the new grip.
“Try to keep your feet on the ground honey. That’s why you missed it.”
I’ll stop there. You get the picture. If you’ve been involved in a conversation like this you’re not alone. Most of us are likely to plead guilty.
The author of Magical Child, Joseph Chilton Pearce, would likely describe the event on the driving range as a battle. The intent of the child versus the intentions of the parent. The intentions of the parent overwhelm the intent of the child and ultimately introduces anxiety…I don’t want to hit it “bad” again…I’ll try not to do it the “wrong” way this time. Pearce believes that a child learns by freely interacting through the five senses and body movement. Nothing more is needed.
In other words, the child can see what everyone else is doing on the range…they can hear the sound that is made when the club meets the ball…and they can feel the club in their hands as well as the ball when they put it on the tee. Kids will figure it out. The adult practice of providing immediate feedback before the child has a chance to “experience” this new world (driving range, club in hand, ball on tee) is damaging as it subjects the child to dealing with information and experiences better suited for a later stage in life. Think about when your spouse or playing partner tells you what you just did wrong when you flub your tee shot…think of how you feel inside…blood pressure rises, heart races, you feel your face flush….anxiety. Most of us do our best to avoid anxiety at all costs so are we ever truly ready? Anxiety, Pearce says, is the enemy of intelligence.
Magical Child is the core of my coaching philosophy. It’s my golf bible. And I fight my intentions with my own children every time they come out to the golf course. Sometimes, I’m successful. Other times I have failed because I get caught in that all too familiar trap.
I have a video of my son Mitchell, which some readers have seen before and while it is funny to watch (people have suggested I submit it to America’s Funniest Home Videos or to the Golf Channel) I watch it many many times for another reason. It was one of those “good” moments.
Mitchell’s intent was to get his ball out of the bunker. We knew that because he purposely put himself in that position. Our intentions as parents managed to stay muted (thankfully) as we just watched, offered a couple of words of encouragement for him to feel safe to keep doing what he was doing….and the result?
The March Break is almost upon us, and with that, you may have some vacation golf in your future. If you are one of those lucky enough to have a tee off time next week I thought I’d pass along my very first golf tip…on this blog. Pay attention.
“Understanding Your Game” is of vital importance in order to peak perform or to play to your actual talent level. You can be a very talented golfer who is not capable of managing your skills and you would shoot higher scores than a less talented golfer who is an extraordinary “self manager” of their golf game. We all know who I’m talking about…I’m talking about your playing partner, you know, the one who you shake your head at when they aim down the right side of #5 only to hit that block/fade they ALWAYS hit. You’re afraid to say something – and instead – you listen to their tired explanation of what they were trying to do…which is the same thing they always try to do – attempt to hit a shot they wish/hope to pull off. Another way of putting it – it’s likely that you could manage your partners game FAR better than they can. If you’re nodding in agreement remember this – you’re playing partner is also nodding. Get the picture?
You’ll notice a video of Paul Sherratt, Tim Sewter and myself (Matt Robinson) hitting our tee shots on the 17th hole (Road Hole, Old Course St. Andrews) from November 2009. The three of us – while all having different strengths and weaknesses in our game – all manage our talent quite well. When it comes to being a good manager – you need to understand the current state of your game – in other words, be dynamic. Watch it a couple of times and take a look at where we set up on the tee, our choice of club, our physical alignment, and, where we are looking, because that’s really important.
Analysis
Paul – Paul had actually twisted his ankle earlier in the round and was struggling getting from his back swing position into a nice balanced finish position. The result for him was hitting a solid “pull” off the tee, or, a weaker cut that flared to the right. At this point in the round he and Tim were having a pretty good match. Paul focused on the steeple in the background, that’s where he was looking. His physical alignment (which is difficult to pinpoint because of the camera angle) was slightly to the right of where he was focused. The result of aiming in this location? If he hit his weak shot to the right – he would be in an okay position – if he hit the pull, he had plenty of room to pull the shot. Paul hit the pull and his shot finished in the rough on the left side of the hole. Good shape.
Tim – Tim had struggled for most of the 2009 campaign with his driver. He had switched manufacturers (PING to Cobra) and made some adjustments to his posture and that combination led to a less than obedient tee shot. The first couple of holes went as much as the season at Rideau View had and he quickly went to using his 3 wood off the tee. Tim hits the 3 wood about 260 yards off the tee…nice. He is pretty accurate with that club and there’s not really a “miss” for him with that club, but, he either hits a little fade or little draw. Tim also took aim at the steeple, physically and he looked a little right of that when trying to visualize his ball flight. He was focused on a draw ball flight – that was his intention. He managed his game perfectly because with that aim/target – a fade would be perfect and a draw would be more perfect. He hit a draw.
Matt – Nothing like doing an analysis of yourself, is there? I hit a draw/hook almost always with my tee shot (and 12 other clubs in my bag) and I had the benefit of hearing Susan Cole, a long time Rideau View member who resides in St. Andrews say “You don’t want to go left of that steeple…You can go over the middle of that sign, I swear to God.” You’ll notice I look back and change my strategy on the fly. Quarterbacks call it an audible. If she says I can hit it over the middle of that sign…I can aim right of the middle. I physically aimed right of center (though it looks more severe because of the camera angle) and visualized a draw ball flight. If I hooked it extremely (my miss) I’d be fine…if I hit my draw which I had done mostly all day…I’d be better than fine. I hit the draw.
Now, hindsight’s 20/20 – I know that. But think about how you play Rideau View week in and week out – do you play it the same way everyday? Have you ever wondered why your playing partners say nothing when you describe what you were trying to do? Are you always in the same spot on the same hole? If you answer “yes” to any of those questions…become a better manager. If you are fortunate enough to be playing golf this upcoming week – think about your strengths and weaknesses – develop a game plan – and be prepared to manage on the fly. I think you’ll experience lower scores and you’ll have more FUN.
The 2010 season has officially begun for the Robinson household as I returned to the secluded (not really) confines of the Pro Shop this week. It’s not as dusty and cold as I thought it might be but the recent change in weather is the probably cause. I know…you’re wondering why we start March 1, right? Well, because of the wonderful long range forecast, the limited depth of frost and the new underground heating system installed last fall through out the golf course – well, we’re opening April 1.
Just kidding….
Truth be told we do have a lot of work to do behind the scenes prior to WHENEVER the official opening of the golf season is determined. Boxes upon boxes will begin arriving next week with all the new toys -for all the girls and boys…clothing, bags, balls, shoes, and of course the new drivers guaranteed to advance the ball further and straighter. There is also quite a bit of communication between the manufacturers and green grass accounts (that’s what we’re called in the industry when you’re a pro shop). Sometimes our orders are delayed – for numerous reasons, sometimes what we ordered is no longer available, and sometimes we just want a mulligan on what we ordered last October for Spring Delivery…we change our minds too.
We sometimes receive special offers from the manufacturers. In years past we never really had a way of communicating those offers which might be of interest to our membership – but NOW…..with a BLOG!!!!
Here’s an opportunity from Titleist I received on Thursday regarding logo balls…have a look….
Academy Awards tonight…Leave your predictions for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress in the comment section…I’ll start.
Well, it’s almost 12 hours before Tiger Woods will address his close friends, associates and perhaps his family with comments that has everyone from CNN to ESPN intrigued. What is he going to say? Why is he not taking questions from the press? Will Elin be there by his side? Will he be able to make amends for what he’s done? Is this too little too late?
Here’s what Steven A. Smith, Columnist, Philadelphia Inquirer, and FOX Sports Radio host had to say on Larry King the other night:
“I’m shocked at his stupidity, to be quite honest, because it’s absolutely idiotic the way he’s going about doing this, to not take any questions from the media, to have — to wrap himself by colleagues and friends. Basically he’s sheltering and shielding himself from the venom and the vitriol and some of the interrogation or the interrogation tactics that were inevitable and, more importantly, that any other athlete would have to go through in this day and time.
Clearly, Tiger Woods has revealed himself as a person who believes he’s above reproach and he’s not somebody that needs to be questioned. This is one of the things that shocked America, because he had projected himself as being somebody that he wasn’t. So now that you have the opportunity to make amends — you dropped the ball initially, because your P.R. campaign was absolutely disastrous. I don’t know if it was because of him, his repusanta — his representation or whatever the case may be, but it was absolutely disastrous. Everybody knows that.
Now you have another chance to make amends. But before you do that, you’re going to let the world know that you’re not going to subject yourself to the media, you’re not going to subject yourself to any kind of inquisition whatsoever. And on top of it all, you’re surrounding yourself with friends and loved ones.
So certainly the things that most other athletes, high profile individuals have to go through, oh, no, you’re different because you’re Tiger?
America is going to look at him and say, we’re the land of second chances, but we’re not Boo-Boo the fool. You’ve got a lot of nerve coming at us with this nonsense. And that’s what I predict will happen.”
From my perspective – Steven A. Smith, either, did not explain himself very well, or, he’s in need of calling a press conference tomorrow at 11am.
If I was on Larry King with Steven A. Smith…here’s how it would have gone.
Larry: Ooh yeah. It’s Tiger time baby! Steven A. Smith, you have some thoughts on Mr. Woods.
Steven: I’m shocked at his stupidity, to be quite honest, because it’s absolutely idiotic the way he’s going about doing this, to not take any questions from the media, to have — to wrap himself by colleagues and friends. Basically he’s sheltering and shielding himself from the venom and the vitriol and some of the interrogation or the interrogation tactics that were inevitable and, more importantly, that any other athlete would have to go through in this day and time.
Larry: Matt Robinson, a nobody from Manotick has called into the show this evening. Matt, you would like to address Steven A. Smith’s comments?
Matt: Yes Larry. I question Mr. Smith actually being shocked at another person’s stupidity, especially in this day and age. Does he remember Bill Clinton? Also, he just stated that he wants to be quite honest which essentially means he wants to be wholly honest, or completely honest – Larry, he writes for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Mr. Smith is right. Tiger has decided to invite his friends and colleagues to his statement and has sheltered himself from the venomous interrogation tactics of “journalists” keeping them a safe distance away from this staged apology. Why would he want it any different? What’s the “putting myself on the map” question going to be from an up and coming journalist going to be – What’s the number Tiger? Oh, wait. I’ll answer that one….no comment. Lastly, Tiger is not any other athlete which I’m sure the “shocked” and ” quite honest” Mr. Smith understands…he’s just trying to stir things up on this lame broadcast.
Larry: Thank you Mark. Well, Steve-O, Mark made some pretty good points. Do you have a response?
Steve: Larry, clearly Tiger Woods has revealed himself as a person who believes he’s above reproach and he’s not somebody that needs to be questioned. This is one of the things that shocked America, because he had projected himself as being somebody that he wasn’t. So now that you have the opportunity to make amends — you dropped the ball initially, because your P.R. campaign was absolutely disastrous. I don’t know if it was because of him, his repusanta — his representation or whatever the case may be, but it was absolutely disastrous. Everybody knows that.
Larry: Way to go Steve-O! Great comeback. Marky-ray…put your dukes up.
Matt: Larry, it’s Matt, thanks. I’m not sure of the connection between being above reproach and not needing to be questioned. I think it’s pretty clear that Tiger Woods is not perfect and he’s never had a problem being questioned about ANYTHING. He just doesn’t answer questions which may cross the line into his personal life and if you happen to be a reporter who asks one of those questions – you are never invited back to the press room. I don’t believe his handling of this has been completely disastrous…case in point – no paparazzi got a single dime for those photos we all got to see last night. The paparazzi lives to be paid and they will not be paid for the first photos of Tiger. I think they’ll move on….they need to in order to survive. Tiger Woods did not publicly state or showcase he was a great father or husband, no commercials or advertisements to that end. Lastly, I’d like to point out that using a term like “Everybody” is an absolute, also meaning ALL. Everybody cannot know any one single thing…everybody knows that Larry.
Larry: Thank you Mark. Steve, you still seem to have an issue with this apology.
Steve: Larry, my problem with the apology is this. Now you have another chance to make amends. But before you do that, you’re going to let the world know that you’re not going to subject yourself to the media, you’re not going to subject yourself to any kind of inquisition whatsoever. And on top of it all, you’re surrounding yourself with friends and loved ones. So certainly the things that most other athletes, high profile individuals have to go through, oh, no, you’re different because you’re Tiger? America is going to look at him and say, we’re the land of second chances, but we’re not Boo-Boo the fool. You’ve got a lot of nerve coming at us with this nonsense. And that’s what I predict will happen.
Larry: Mark, do you have anything to add?
Matt: I would think most people who admire Hollywood movie stars, teen idols, singers, and, of course, professional athletes may actually applaud an individual who has decided they would not subject themselves to ridiculous questions from the media. Wait a second. I thought we covered this…Did Steve actually make another point or did he just reword his previous point. I hate repeating myself Larry so I’ll let my previous statements stand. There were not any commercials depicting Tiger as a great father or a great husband. The public only knew him as the greatest golfer they have ever seen, nothing more. Yeah, I repeated myself when I said I wouldn’t.
Larry: Steve…Mark…Thank you so much for joining us. Next up – Judge Judy – Tomorrow night, Pricilla Presley.
It would have gone something like that…would have been fun.
On a serious note. I know this…
Tiger Woods is making amends for infidelity which normally destroys a marriage. He’s going to apologize to his sponsors – those still with him and those left behind. There may be some emotion to what he says or it may come out like the droid we sometimes think he is “I like this course. I’m hitting it well. I’m playing well. I came here to win.” I’m going with the latter. I admire Tiger Woods, the golfer. It’s evident that he insulated his personal life for good reason. Haven’t we learned our lesson about “knowing” our idols. Pete Rose, JFK, Bill Clinton (I’ve mentioned him twice in this blog just to get Tom Kealey going), Brad Pitt, Magic Johnson, Elvis, Dany Heatley…it goes on and on. Enjoy the art. Enjoy the performance. Enjoy the athlete and entertainer. Just don’t get to know them because it’s likely they can’t live up to your expectations.
We’re packing up the family tomorrow morning (early, I hope) and taking a road trip south to Myrtle Beach. It’s an inexpensive holiday for our family of 5….which, BTW, is discriminated against in virtually every Sun Destination Resort magazine (most rooms in the all inclusive destinations have maximum occupancy of 4). The twins were a blessing…I remind myself.
We’re staying at the Dunes Village resort which we’re hoping is as advertised. It opened only a couple of years ago and boasts a 15,000 square foot, indoor water park. That was the attractive amenity in our eyes…we don’t have to count on a southern California jet stream for nice weather (chance of flurries in Myrtle Beach on Saturday). We’re actually renting a unit privately after finding it on VRBO.com and HomeAway.com. You can sometimes find good deals on both sites and most of the time you’re looking at “home style” amenities instead of just a hotel room.
My parents used to live in Myrtle Beach so I’m pretty familiar with the area and the golf courses in the area. My mother worked at both Deer Track Golf Plantation and Wild Wing Golf Plantation. In all, both courses combined for 108 holes of golf….now, only 18 holes at Wild Wing are open for play with the rest of the land being used to put up condos. There are other “old” courses which have been moth balled in favour of housing developments…just a sign of the times.
My favourite courses to play in Myrtle Beach:
1. Norman Course at Barefoot
2. Palmer Course at Myrtle Beach National
3. Heather Glen
4. Avocet at Wild Wing
5. Ocean Harbour (think it’s closed too now.)
If you’re a regular to the Myrtle Beach area….what are your favourites?
Just received news that Titleist now has a personalization program for the Vokey line of wedges. It’s been a fun-filled week for me down in Orlando being a Titleist Staff Member since I turned professional nearly 16 years (ugh!!) ago. Tim, Paul and myself attended a Bob Vokey workshop where we had an opportunity to listen to the creator of the leading wedge maker on tour. Mr. Vokey was a passionate speaker and at times I thought I was listening to Martin Scorsese give an acceptance speech at the Oscars – he didn’t stick to the script…often the key to a great workshop He drifted off topic (telling wonderful stories about Lee Trevino and others) and the moderator of the workshop had an easy time…He asked the first question and then Vokey took over. Fantastic time.
If you’re interested in getting a head start on what will surely be a big demand…Contact one of the Pro’s at Rideau View to start the process. Vokey_Consumer_ENG
If you’re in the market for a new putter I have some exciting news. Odyssey has unveiled a new series of putters called BackStrike…and they’ll be at Rideau View Golf Club in April. Building off the success of previous models the Backstrike has the putter shaft inserted at the “back” of the putter head. We have pre-ordered all the models that are available and they should be in the Pro Shop by April. Take a look at some of the pics…
The PGA Show at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando is a very, very large show. If you were to walk every aisle of exhibitors you will have walked a total of approximately 12 miles. I took care of about half today. Paul and Tim have also made their way down to the show (we all took separate flights on Wednesday – a security precaution because we obviously can’t take the risk of all going down on the same doomed jetliner)….and, today, it wasn’t the exhibitors that made our day.
We were invited to attend an intimate luncheon meeting with none other than the Great White Shark, Greg Norman. How does this happen? I’ll gladly share the boring details. Paul and I are both members of the AMF group – a collection of “best of the best” in their respective role – Paul, for Head Professional, and myself, for Instructor. It’s an invitation only type membership which encompasses PGA members from around the globe. It’s a great opportunity for both of us to share our discoveries in coaching with others while at the same time learning from others and their experiences. Butch Harmon, David Leadbetter, Rideau View alumni Henry Brunton are some of our fellow AMF members. Anyways….AMF has a relationship with Greg Norman Apparel, and thus….the opportunity to hear him speak. Greg, (I’m sure he would call me Matt if he knew me) was very gracious with his time and shared some fairly personal moments you would think he may have kept to himself. For instance, he spoke of a time when his confidence was low, he was underachieving, had failed to win a tournament in two years and he was on his way to Old Marsh Golf Club in Naples, Florida for a practice session. He spoke of “his voice” (inside voice), questioning why he was even heading to the golf course in the first place – he didn’t want to be there, he didn’t know what his purpose was, he didn’t have a practice plan and he didn’t think things were going to change. He decided to pull the car over onto the shoulder, recline the seat…and stare at the clouds going by (I imagine he was driving a convertible…a clunker of course). It was there that he had a conversation with himself – a moment of clarity, an opportunity for him to lend a bit more compassion to his inside voice which was being far too critical – he needed to stop worrying about what had happened in the past and just focus on giving himself a fresh start. He said it was a chance for him to be honest with himself…he drove to the course and hit the ball better than ever before. Likely, those of you reading this have had similar times in your life (notice I said LIFE, not GOLF) where you mentally gave yourself a fresh start – and things changed. It was wonderful to hear him be so frank.
My entries will certainly not continue to be this long, but, I do want to share another experience from the day. About 16 of us ended up going out for dinner tonight. I was seated (along with Tim) beside Peter Sanders, the founder of Shot by Shot (www.shotbyshot.com) and Dr. Paul Schempp, founder of the firm Performance Matters (www.performancemattersinc.com). We had great stories to share and in those stories were opportunities to learn from each other, and with that opportunities to grow professionally. It’s highly likely, that, one of us will share something we learned with one of our students this summer…and it will have a significant impact on their game. That’s ultimately why we love being in the company of these wonderful people…we want to get better.
The question that most follows the “What do you do?” question is…..”What do you do in the winter?”. It’s valid. The reality for many golf pro’s is they take part time jobs doing something outside their field, they find work at an indoor facility satisfying the needs of many who think they will improve their games WITHOUT seeing their ball flight (sounds like he may have an opinion on this topic….POST idea!) or they may have married a beautiful, intelligent, successful, career minded individual and because of that they are able to be a Stay-At-Home Dad, like me.
I typically take a quick 4-5 day trip after the end of the golf season, which, for the last 3 years has been a trip to Ireland/Scotland to play some of the finest golf courses in the world. This past year included Royal Dornoch, The Old Course at St. Andrews, and Turnberry…truly a 4 days and no nights experience with about 15 hours of sleep, and then, home. I spend about a week getting my “Dad” legs under professional Caregiver supervision (and help from family) and then I’m on my own. With twin daughters Kathryn and Kristina turning 4 in April and attending nursery school 3 days a week and my son Mitchell having a great time in Grade 1….it’s not as difficult as in year’s past. So, with the free time on my hands…a brand new MacBook Pro (shameless plug), and…did I say free time already?
I hope to be able to bring some interesting topics to the table – readers, if you’ve gotten this far you will have a chance to voice you’re opinions as well (don’t worry, I have a very thick skin and on top of that I’ve discovered in recent years that I’m really oblivious to what others think of me so I probably won’t even realize your being negative). You’ll have a chance to get an “insiders” view of my life, what’s important to me, what I do, and from time to time…I’ll even talk about golf.
