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.