After a summer of golf in Scotland I now have a better understanding of why I play this great game. One of the rounds that helped changed my view of golf took place on August 19th at the Peterhead Golf Club on the Craigewan Golf Links. A chance meeting with golf professional Harry Dougal and the round of golf that followed will be remembered for a long time. I would receive a golf lesson from Mr. Dougal that was more about life, rather than swinging a golf club.
Harry became a golf professional after a long career as a very good amateur player in Scotland. His reason for turning to golf after his profession working in the “Oil Game” (as Harry referred to it) was because of circumstances that happen in life beyond anyone’s control. Harry lost his wife in a car accident. He shared this with me on the first hole during our day on the links.
After a few minutes in Harry’s company, I knew this was going to be a memorable day of golf with a true gentleman. We played through a group of members on the fourth hole and you were certain they respected their affable golf pro. Harry’s easy going demeanor makes you feel comfortable in his presence.
Our conversation during the round of golf covered topics from the oil business in the North of Scotland to winters in Guatemala. Guatemala sounds like a far more interesting place when said with a Scottish brogue.
Harry loves the game of golf, but more importantly he understands why we should play golf. Golf is about enjoying the day: the company of friends, camaraderie, laughter, and the development of friendships.
I was reminded of something that day that I already knew, but must have stuffed to the back of my golfing brain. Golf is not about your score! Golf is about the enjoyment of the game and the people you play golf with. Often golfers are caught up in their own game and forget to enjoy the day. I plead guilty to this statement and vow to work on changing my ways. Don’t get me wrong, I still want to return a good score, but this will not be in the forefront of my thoughts as I try to “Enjoy the Game”
Not once during the 18 holes did Harry make mention of score or even comment about it. He was complimentary to a shot well played for sure, but score was not mentioned.
I am grateful for the 18 holes of golf that I played with Harry Dougal. He reminded me of an important part of golf that I had somewhat forgotten. I look forward to returning to Peterhead Golf Club in the North East corner of Scotland. See you next summer Harry.
Peterhead Golf Club can best be described as a working man’s golf club. People from all walks of life gather to enjoy the “Healthful Exercise of the Golf”. The club certainly had a great ambience and welcoming air to it, even on a quiet Wednesday afternoon from the few members I did meet.
The politics at member clubs in Scotland is virtually nonexistent. After playing at 17 different golf clubs this summer it is apparent that all golfers are treated as equals. Some golf clubs do not allow you to sign up as a foursome on Saturdays, but rather you enter as a single and are paired with other members. This allows all members to be involved and prevents fractured groups and cliques within a club.
I feel more at home in the “Home of Golf” than anywhere else. Golfers like Harry Dougal are part of the reason I am sure.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Know the Rules and Play Faster
This Golf Column will appear Monday August 23rd in the Kelowna Daily Courier.
Know the Rules & Play Faster.
Knowledge about the rules of golf could have saved Dustin Johnson over $1,000,000 and a lifetime of what “ifs”. I am certain Johnson would never intentionally try to break any rule. Johnson demonstrated tremendous class during and after the ordeal. What happened on the 72nd hole of last week’s USPGA Championship was heartbreaking. Dustin Johnson had a lapse in concentration and grounded his club in a bunker. The penalty would cost him two strokes and the possibility of winning his first major championship.
The players had been informed about the “Local Rules” regarding the 1000 plus bunkers at Whistling Straights. All week the players took care before playing shots from any type of sand. The unfortunate part about Johnson’s debacle was that the gallery was standing in the bunker. The area appeared to be worn and trampled ground outside the gallery ropes. Johnson and his caddie must have been caught up in the moment of playing the final hole of a major. They both failed to recognize the golf ball was actually in a bunker.
Golf has a total of thirty-four rules. Read the rulebook at least once and be certain to read the local rules when playing a tournament or a casual game.
On pages 18 & 19 in the Rules of Golf published by the RCGA (Golf Canada) is a section on “Pace of Play” that all golfers should read because daylight is slipping away sooner every day.
Monday August 23rd the sun will set at 8:00 p.m. and with less time for golf the pace of play becomes an issue. You do not want to be completing the final holes of your career round in darkness do you? Here are some tips that will assist in speeding up the game and provide more enjoyment for everyone.
#1 Play ready golf. Regardless of who has the honour hit when it is safe instead of waiting for others.
#2 Record scores on the next tee.
#3 First person to hole out picks up the flagstick. Be ready to replace it when the final putt is holed. Don’t just exit the green and leave the flagstick for the last player.
#4 Leave your golf bag on the side of the green nearest the next tee.
#5 Keep your practice swings to a minimum. One or two are enough for anyone on any full shot.
#6 Watch your golf ball until it has finished rolling, especially after a bad shot.
#7 Play from the correct set of tees. Leave your “ego” at home; you don’t need to see the whole golf course.
#9 Spend as little time needed at the beverage cart as possible.
#10 When on the putting green, read the break of your putt while others are putting. Taking care not to disrupt them.
#11 In between shots walk briskly; start planning your next shot as you approach your ball.
Most golfers don’t realize when they are out of position. Here is a simple way to determine if you need to get your group moving. When arriving on the tee of a par 4 and the group in front has left the putting surface you are out of position. When arriving on the tee of a par five and the group in front has removed the flagstick you are behind. When arriving on a par 3 and the group in front has left the next tee, you best get cracking.
Know the Rules & Play Faster.
Knowledge about the rules of golf could have saved Dustin Johnson over $1,000,000 and a lifetime of what “ifs”. I am certain Johnson would never intentionally try to break any rule. Johnson demonstrated tremendous class during and after the ordeal. What happened on the 72nd hole of last week’s USPGA Championship was heartbreaking. Dustin Johnson had a lapse in concentration and grounded his club in a bunker. The penalty would cost him two strokes and the possibility of winning his first major championship.
The players had been informed about the “Local Rules” regarding the 1000 plus bunkers at Whistling Straights. All week the players took care before playing shots from any type of sand. The unfortunate part about Johnson’s debacle was that the gallery was standing in the bunker. The area appeared to be worn and trampled ground outside the gallery ropes. Johnson and his caddie must have been caught up in the moment of playing the final hole of a major. They both failed to recognize the golf ball was actually in a bunker.
Golf has a total of thirty-four rules. Read the rulebook at least once and be certain to read the local rules when playing a tournament or a casual game.
On pages 18 & 19 in the Rules of Golf published by the RCGA (Golf Canada) is a section on “Pace of Play” that all golfers should read because daylight is slipping away sooner every day.
Monday August 23rd the sun will set at 8:00 p.m. and with less time for golf the pace of play becomes an issue. You do not want to be completing the final holes of your career round in darkness do you? Here are some tips that will assist in speeding up the game and provide more enjoyment for everyone.
#1 Play ready golf. Regardless of who has the honour hit when it is safe instead of waiting for others.
#2 Record scores on the next tee.
#3 First person to hole out picks up the flagstick. Be ready to replace it when the final putt is holed. Don’t just exit the green and leave the flagstick for the last player.
#4 Leave your golf bag on the side of the green nearest the next tee.
#5 Keep your practice swings to a minimum. One or two are enough for anyone on any full shot.
#6 Watch your golf ball until it has finished rolling, especially after a bad shot.
#7 Play from the correct set of tees. Leave your “ego” at home; you don’t need to see the whole golf course.
#9 Spend as little time needed at the beverage cart as possible.
#10 When on the putting green, read the break of your putt while others are putting. Taking care not to disrupt them.
#11 In between shots walk briskly; start planning your next shot as you approach your ball.
Most golfers don’t realize when they are out of position. Here is a simple way to determine if you need to get your group moving. When arriving on the tee of a par 4 and the group in front has left the putting surface you are out of position. When arriving on the tee of a par five and the group in front has removed the flagstick you are behind. When arriving on a par 3 and the group in front has left the next tee, you best get cracking.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Major Meltdown & Golf’s Global Warming
Another year of major championship golf is complete and Tiger Woods is no closer to Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 professional major titles. Tiger last won a major in June of 2008 when he defeated Rocco Mediate in an 18 hole playoff at the U.S. Open.
Jack’s once impregnable record looked certain to be eclipsed by Woods. Tiger’s assault on reaching 19 majors has been halted quicker than his vehicle was stopped by a fire hydrant on an early morning drive last November. Will Tiger ever return to his once dominant position “Best Golfer of the Universe”? Or has Tiger been given a dose of Swedish “Kryptonite”?
Tiger has twice gone 10 major tournaments in succession without a victory. The interesting part is what happened after that dry spell. Tiger would win 5 of 6 majors from the USPGA in 1999 through the 2001 Masters. After the second dry spell Tiger would win 4 of 8 majors from the 2005 Masters through the 2006 USPGA.
Where’s Lefty? Where did Phil Mickelson go after his win at Augusta? Yes Phil was third at the U.S Open, but his performance during the Open Championship and the USPGA was not up to his usual standard. Tied for 48th at The Open Championship and 12th place at the USPGA is not nearly good enough for a player seemingly destined to become #1 in the world.
Another strange happening this week was the tirade by Sergio Garcia. Sergio lost the plot in one of the 1000 plus bunkers at Whistling Straights. Sergio took more swings at the bunker than a five year old child trying to knock down a piñata blindfolded. Tim Finchem can punish Sergio by having him rake all 1000 bunkers by hand before returning to the PGA Tour. See you at Augusta amigo.
All negative this week you are saying? Time to change direction.
Things are heating up on the “World” stage of golf. Major winners from all corners of the globe have created an interesting time to be a golf fan. Many nations now have someone to cheer for at every tournament.
Golf’s presence on the world sporting stage will be enhanced with golf’s inclusion the 2016 Olympic Games. Northern Ireland, South Africa, Germany, Argentina and South Korea all have a major champion within their borders during the past two years.
The list of countries with high finishes at the Masters, U.S. Open, The Open Championship and the USPGA is impressive. USA, England, South Korea, Northern Ireland, France, Columbia, South Africa, Germany, Sweden, Australia and China all had players crack to the top ten.
A recent look at the world rankings furthers this point. Fourteen different countries are represented in the top 40 in the world rankings as of August 8th. Golf truly has become a global game.
Gord McGarva has been playing golf for over 31 years and could not believe what happened at the conclusion of the USPGA this past Sunday. More about that next week.
Jack’s once impregnable record looked certain to be eclipsed by Woods. Tiger’s assault on reaching 19 majors has been halted quicker than his vehicle was stopped by a fire hydrant on an early morning drive last November. Will Tiger ever return to his once dominant position “Best Golfer of the Universe”? Or has Tiger been given a dose of Swedish “Kryptonite”?
Tiger has twice gone 10 major tournaments in succession without a victory. The interesting part is what happened after that dry spell. Tiger would win 5 of 6 majors from the USPGA in 1999 through the 2001 Masters. After the second dry spell Tiger would win 4 of 8 majors from the 2005 Masters through the 2006 USPGA.
Where’s Lefty? Where did Phil Mickelson go after his win at Augusta? Yes Phil was third at the U.S Open, but his performance during the Open Championship and the USPGA was not up to his usual standard. Tied for 48th at The Open Championship and 12th place at the USPGA is not nearly good enough for a player seemingly destined to become #1 in the world.
Another strange happening this week was the tirade by Sergio Garcia. Sergio lost the plot in one of the 1000 plus bunkers at Whistling Straights. Sergio took more swings at the bunker than a five year old child trying to knock down a piñata blindfolded. Tim Finchem can punish Sergio by having him rake all 1000 bunkers by hand before returning to the PGA Tour. See you at Augusta amigo.
All negative this week you are saying? Time to change direction.
Things are heating up on the “World” stage of golf. Major winners from all corners of the globe have created an interesting time to be a golf fan. Many nations now have someone to cheer for at every tournament.
Golf’s presence on the world sporting stage will be enhanced with golf’s inclusion the 2016 Olympic Games. Northern Ireland, South Africa, Germany, Argentina and South Korea all have a major champion within their borders during the past two years.
The list of countries with high finishes at the Masters, U.S. Open, The Open Championship and the USPGA is impressive. USA, England, South Korea, Northern Ireland, France, Columbia, South Africa, Germany, Sweden, Australia and China all had players crack to the top ten.
A recent look at the world rankings furthers this point. Fourteen different countries are represented in the top 40 in the world rankings as of August 8th. Golf truly has become a global game.
Gord McGarva has been playing golf for over 31 years and could not believe what happened at the conclusion of the USPGA this past Sunday. More about that next week.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Is Golf Too Easy ?
Ian MacCallister was recently found in his basement wearing a straight jacket after hearing about another round of 59 being recorded on the PGA Tour. Actor John Cleese, made several commercials for Titleist involving a Scottish character that claimed, “Golf was not meant to be easy!”
For Stuart Appleby and Paul Goydos golf is quite simple. Both PGA Tour players entered the “59” club this summer on the PGA Tour.
Appleby shot a final round 59 at the Greenbrier Classic to win the tournament by one shot over Jeff Overton. Woody Austin’s final round 63 was virtually unnoticed, as was Boo Weekly’s 63 in round two. (Is this the PGA Tour or the cast from “Two Story 3”?) Another very low score on track for 59 was a 61 by D.A Points. A bogey 6 on the par 5 seventeenth derailed that attempt.
Paul Goydos mowed down the TPC Deere Run Golf Course during the first round of the John Deere Classic with a 12-birdie performance resulting in a 59. His best quote was; “Hey I shot my height”. Goydos is 5’9” and may best be remembered for his candour during interviews when he almost won the The Players Championship before losing to Sergio Garcia in a playoff.
In between Appleby and Goydos shooting 59 there was Carl Pettersson carding a ten under par 60 in the Canadian Open. The only one not at par or better that week in Canada was the “Loonie”. Just five players in the field that completed all four rounds failed to shoot under par at St. George’s Golf & Country Club. The PGA Tour professionals are not missing their square grooves.
The PGA Tour professionals can strive for the magic 59, but what does that leave the rest of us?
What is your 59? For some it may be breaking a certain score barrier during a regular round of golf. Lowering your career best while playing a competitive round could be your 59. Now the hard part - just how do we break those barriers?
One of the best golf instruction books written in recent years is, “Every Shot Must Have a Purpose”, by Lynn Marriott, Pia Nilsson and Ron Sirak. Marriot and Neilson have also created “Vision 54”. Their belief is that the perfect round of golf would be a score of 18 under par (54 on a par 72 golf course); a birdie on all 18 holes.
It is not the attainment of such a lofty goal but rather the process. You must take every shot individually and not be concerned about anything else. Here is a quote from their website that may explain better their philosophy: “The origin of VISION54 emanates from a core belief in possibilities, and by embracing the notion that every individual has unlimited and unique potential.”
Easy to say, but very difficult to execute. Golfers get in their own way by adding up the score as they go. Try your utmost to forget about the score and focus on the execution of the shot being played. How exactly is that done? If I knew the answer, I would bottle it and sell the formula.
The vast majority of golf lessons are given on the practice tee. Do you want a sure fire way to expand your golf knowledge? Take a playing lesson from a certified CPGA professional. It will be worth the time and money.
At last report MacCallister has returned to Scotland and is now sheep farming in the Outer Hebrides, giving up his quest to make golf more difficult.
Gord McGarva has been playing golf for over 31 years and his current potential is an eight under par score of 64.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)