Louisville, KY
Last Seen: August 18, 2008
Last spring, I volunteered to help with a golf clinic for two of our local middle schools. The annual spring program is designed to spark young peoples' interest in the game, and to scout possible talent for the local high school's fall golf teams -- boys and girls. With the clinic being held some 25 miles from my workplace, it proved a challenge to make it on time each day for the three days a week it was held. I managed, burned up quite a bit of gas in the process, and loved every minute of it.
My goal at this stage in my life is to work for another decade, retire early from my current career, get a part time job somewhere -- hopefully one that has some insurance benefits -- and start a First Tee program in my community. I've been a Boy Scout leader for about eight years and I enjoy working with young people -- have no idea why or where the desire originated, I just know it's there and I feel it's become my calling of sorts. Although it seems many of them lack much ambition in life, kids today do seem more lighthearted, and generally more fun to be around. I've also discovered they need direction, and positive adult role models that can continue to give them encouragement and real self-esteem (not the feel-good stuff they're getting at school -- you know, the "everybody's a winner" routine).
From just seeing the TV commercials and viewing their website, I like the principles the First Tee program teaches. Of all the facets they focus on -- honesty, perseverance, trust, etc. -- the most important one of all, I believe, is perspective. It's easy for young people to develop the attitudes of their parents, and the current generation of parents seem to dwell more on what they don't have than to be thankful for what they do. Kids pick up on that and can come across as never being satisfied. Many times, I've considered taking one (or several) of our whiny-butt Scouts down to the cancer ward of the Children's Hospital in Louisville and have them sit in the waiting room for an hour or so -- don't say a word, don't move, just sit and observe. Then when I pick them up, ask them again what their complaints in life are.
I certainly do my fair share of whining -- some of my blogs and forum responses reveal that truth -- but I do feel as adults our most important role is to instill perspective in our youth. It's the key that starts the car to happiness.
In working with the kids at the clinic, it was rewarding to see when the light bulb goes off and they begin to understand various concepts of the golf swing. It would be easy to write a story about each kid, since each came into the clinic with different interests and expectations. I tried to get to know and treat each as an individual, seeing what made them tick. I studied several golf instruction videos to better understand the swing myself, and to act confidently when teaching.
What I wasn't prepared for was a subject we stumbled onto one afternoon while out on the course. Two of the boys, Gary and David (not their real names) were quite competitive, keeping track of each other's score more closely than their own. Following the third hole, both commenced to arguing about each other's previous score. Gary finally asked me to intervene, stating, "David had a 9 and he wrote down 8. He didn't count that one he hit real fat back there." I asked David if it was true that he didn't count the stoke, and he replied, "Dude, I barely even moved the ball. That shouldn't count."
The incident led to a short spill from me about cheating. The reaction I got stopped me -- literally -- in my tracks.
David said, "My dad told me it ain't cheating if you don't get caught."
I quit walking with the group. I stood still, looking very surprised at David. I said, "Wait a minute. You've got to say that again. What did your dad tell you?" He reiterated, "My dad said it ain't cheating if you don't get caught. He's told me that a bunch."
There are times in life you're caught off guard and feel a bit naive. And for me, this was definitely one of those moments. How was I to respond to this? If a kid's getting this okay from a parent, who am I to contradict?
So, I resorted to a TV show that's become one of my favorites -- My Name is Earl. Karma -- that's what I discussed. You can't go through life doing the wrong thing and expect good things to happen in return. I'm a God-respecting Christian (Catholic) and believe He's watching it all and taking account, but with this clinic being an extended public school function, I was reluctant to invoke God in the instruction. I'm far from perfect, and find it challenging to advise others on right and wrong, but I have a strong belief it's my job to do so in the adult role. The subject of Karma seemed to do the trick.
We went on to discuss specifics on how they had cheated at school. As I've stated before, kids can be brutally honest, and they told me, quite candidly, about cheating on tests by writing answers on their hands, looking off another's paper, sneaking notes into books and on the back of things (like calculators). They really had a system, and most notably, no concept that any of it was wrong. They believe their teachers don't seem to care, and by them turning a blind eye to it, their teachers acknowledge an unstated approval.
For me, the discussion made for an enlightening afternoon, and has reinforced my desire to get involved with kids through golf. I hope to visit some successful First Tee facilities over the next few years to see how things are done -- no sense in re-inventing the wheel. In the meantime, I plan to again help with the golf clinic. Let's see how they'll surprise me this time around.
I really dislike playing "residential" golf -- those courses developed through large, expensive home sites with more man-made structures than trees.
I live near Louisville and I've been lucky enough to play many of the more upscale, private clubs through friends and business contacts. When driving through the many golf course developments, I'm always amazed at the amount of wealth that exists. I've often thought about knocking on one of the doors and asking the person at home what they do for a living, and if they're hiring. Not that I've ever been inspired to be wealthy and to live in such a manner -- I'm content with my job, my income, my life -- I'm just curious as to how so much can be maintained by so many.
One example is Lake Forest CC on Louisville's east end. Just a few miles from Valhalla (home to this year's Ryder Cup), the course is an Arnold Palmer design that winds through what seems an endless number of upscale homes. From the main road, the development doesn't appear all that substantial, but cruising through it is overwhelming. The houses just go on and on. Beautiful homes to say the least, but like many of these developments, they seem a little too tightly spaced, some so close only a few lawn mower swipes separate them.
The course itself is a nice layout -- challenging, requiring you to play every club in your bag. Lake Forest would make my personal top 10 list ... if I could have the course picked up and moved elsewhere. For me, the homes surrounding the course are just too approaching to enjoy the golf. I'm a pretty decent player and regularly keep the ball within the designated confines, but throw in some high-dollar properties in place of good old trees and bushes, and I'm a nervous wreck. I've scored big both times I played Lake Forest because I just couldn't get myself to release the golf club. It was pull hook after pull hook off the tee. It's one thing to shove a drive into some out-of-the-way woods, it's another to ruin somebody's afternoon by knocking the glass out of their bay window, or pinging their kid in the noggin with a stray Noodle while they're flippin' on their trampoline.
The danger is most eminent on Hole 10, a respectable Par 4. A lake runs along the left side of the fairway, jetting out away from the tee the further left it goes. The green is elevated -- wide, and not very deep. The pin position really does determine the best approach, so the tee shot is critical, requiring both length and accuracy, especially if you challenge the lake to the left. The problem, however, lurks to the right, for all along that side are homes located just several feet from the cart path and out-of-bounds. It's one in particular that catches the eye and creates negative swing thoughts -- a three story monster abode that has to be worth well over $1 million (even in the current market). It has two walkout decks, not including the ground-level patio. What's most noticeable is the safety nets that rise to the home's height, the same netting you see protecting most driving ranges. To state the obvious, I would think it would be a bit of an eyesore, which leads to an obvious question -- Why would someone build a home there, especially one that pricey?
Statistically speaking, by simple process of elimination, I guess someone would have to live there, and that answers the question. You just have to wonder if the owner has ever heard the word "slice," other than referencing bread, pizza or OJ Simpson. Heck, even Tiger, our planet's best, errs to the right.
Another private course I play several times each year is Glenmary CC, located south of Louisville. Glenmary was built on a gorgeous piece of land that I remember passing by when I was a kid. The original home -- what's now the clubhouse -- sat far back off the main road, the long drive framed by majestic trees. It was a unique, traditional place in the area, and one of the first to be transformed into a residential golf community. The layout is relatively short for today's standards, especially the back nine. A few of the par fours are nearly drivable, and one of the par fives is easily reachable for even short hitters.
The most distinguishing feature of Glenmary are the very close houses -- they are creepy close in places. Last year, when playing with my buddy Dewayne -- the big hittin' lefty -- his opening drive was a wicked pull that was stopped by the sound of denting aluminum. His ball caught the downspout of a resident's gutter, resulting in a very loud "pow." Dewayne promptly took his mulligan, which found the playable part of the course, and being the frugal (and brave) person that he is, couldn't resist trying to find his first salvo in the victim's backyard. Luckily, the residents were not at home, but upon arriving at the scene, Dewayne found not his ball, only an angry neighbor pacing around the area while calling the pro shop to report Dewayne's crime. Dewayne was not the downspout's first offender -- there were four dents total (distinctly golf ball made) -- so there was no real evidence that Dewayne's shot caused damage. Our foursome hurriedly hit our approach shots, putted out and shot over to the next tee. Happily, no one from the pro shop followed up on the complaint. They probably thought the same thing we did -- "Hey, dude, you live on a golf course. Get over it."
The worst I've seen is Crosswinds GC in Bowling Green, Ky. A municipal facility operated by the city, playing this course activated my claustrophobia -- I felt like I was playing indoors, surrounded by walls. Simply put, people living "on the course" actually do. The eighth hole -- over 400 yards from the whites -- is a dogleg left Par 4. Sitting directly in the dogleg is some naive king's castle. You can only see the roof of the home from the tee box because of a large wooden fence that separates the course from the residential community, but it literally sits right in the dogleg. The funniest thing is the tee marker. Other than the typical info -- par, schematic, distance -- at the bottom is a special sign demanding that players not aim at the house to cut off the dogleg and aim only for the fairway as designed. I've never seen such a sign on a golf course, a sign that certainly wouldn't have been necessary if the course architect and the housing developer maybe met for lunch a few times prior to each starting up their dozers. It was crazy. And of course, to meet their demands, I pushed my drive way right and turned it into a Par 5 -- which I wish it was as to only have bogied (translation, I made 6).
I plan to start a blog on this subject -- residential golf is kind of my pet peeve. I understand the need, making the best use of the land, maximizing profits and all that stuff, I just don't have to like it. I know, I know -- I don't have to play there, either. But, statistically speaking, somebody has to.
Easter’s come early for me, it seems, for I have already found an egg where I know one wasn’t before. It’s my right bicep, and although most would find it laughable, for the first time in my life I have an arm muscle. Sure, there should also be one in my other arm, but apparently it remains a bit shy.
As I blogged earlier, I started a dumbbell workout routine -- something to do during the winter months. I’ve stuck with my schedule of working out every other day, and the results thus far are promising. I’ve been enjoying it, actually, even look forward to it -- makes me feel like I’m accomplishing something, with time I’d normally be dedicating to doing much of nothing. My son also joins me at times -- he’s started weightlifting and conditioning for high school football. It’s been hard to practice the correct breathing during the exercises because we’re making fun of each other so often, laughing at one another’s weakness.
I’ve talked with a few guys I know who work out regularly and got some good advice on what exercises to do, how to modify the exercises to work certain muscles, how not to injure myself (especially my joints),and how to maximize workouts through what I eat. I’ve started taking a protein supplement I purchased at Walmart, a vanilla-flavored powder I mix with skim milk, and with a friend’s recommendation, I add a little chocolate syrup to help with the taste. It ain’t half bad. A bit gritty, but if it keeps me from wasting time and energy with no gain, then I’ll tolerate turning a perfectly good glass of milk into spackle.
My friend said that with the protein supplement, I’d immediately begin to feel my muscles “bulge” more during workouts -- and he was right. Following my first set of reps, my arm muscles feel inflated, like I can’t even hold them straight to my side. It’s an odd sensation, but it’s good feedback to know the exercises and the supplement are working.
In watching the golf pros on TV, I’m paying closer attention to their build, especially their arm muscles. With Tiger being an obvious exception, most players have more muscle than I would have ever given them credit for, even the skinny guys. The latest issue of Golf Magazine has Camilo Villegas on the cover, swinging through with his driver. His forearms are ripped, and that’s got to be a big factor in why he rips the ball off the tee. He may look like a stick figure, but that’s because he lacks fat, not muscle. He’s one of the longest hitters on tour and I can see why.
As long as the weather remains cold and the days short, I’ll continue my flys, curls, presses, kickbacks and the like to get myself ripped and ready for the new season. Maybe by Easter I’ll find that other egg hiding in my left arm, and a few other muscles as well.
I’m a monkey-see, monkey-do style of learner. I was first told that about 20 years ago -- in different words -- when I first started my current job. I took one of those personality/placement-type tests and it revealed -- to no surprise to me -- that I’m mostly a visual learner. I envy today’s generation somewhat for having an unbelievable amount of visually-based tools for learning. If I had such teaching aids back in the 80s during my high school and college years, my test scores and grades would certainly have been better.
With that said, I discovered a single image not long ago that’s really changed my golf swing. I was rummaging through some old Sports Illustrated magazines my son had piled up in his room and I saw a cover article about Tiger, called simply, “Tiger 2.0.” I didn’t get around to reading the article, but I did study the cover photo for awhile, an image of Tiger at the top of his backswing, taken from an angle not regularly seen. The image, a silhouette of sorts, has been burnt into my mind.
What’s most striking to me is Tiger’s hand position at the top -- high above his head. I love this image.
For the past decade or so, and for reasons I don’t know, I developed a pretty flat golf swing. It seemed to have come on naturally by trying to increase my shoulder rotation and producing a draw in the process. It just felt right to keep my right elbow tucked into my side during the backswing, and following that track down and around on the downswing. My hands stay well below my ears at the top, just above my right shoulder. In what has become my regular swing, I can aim way to the right of the target -- and I mean “way right” -- and still miss left. When I’m on, it’s not a bad look. My shots fly high to the right and turn over rather quickly, with most of the draw happening late in the ball’s descent. On good days, I can control it somewhat, but most days, it has me. A pull hook or two (or six) was always in the mix, along with lost rounds and bigger scores.
Until I saw Tiger 2.0.
Starting with my driver -- where the most significant effects would seem to occur -- I made a conscious effort to take the club back higher, with my left arm straighter, and, most importantly, getting the club away from me by getting my right elbow away from my side. After setting up, my pre-shot routine mimicks Chris DiMarco somewhat. I’ll take the club back and turn my head to check the position. In my actual backswing, I’ll visualize the Tiger image, and on the downswing, my single thought is firing my left hip just slightly right of the target, getting the club in the slot and firing through.
Results are never as dramatic as one would think, but in doing this for several rounds, I’ve been really impressed. Not just with the results, but with the feel itself. My swing seems much more powerful. It’s more free, and feels more like a cut shot, without a cut result. My ball flight is straighter, the trajectory lower, and I’ve added some needed distance.
I regularly play with a guy who’s pretty gosh-darn long off the tee. Dewayne (who I blogged about before regarding a match play event), is a lefty with big shoulders, a broad turn, and a new steel-shafted driver that he simply crushes. Usually, Dewayne sails his drives way past mine, some 20-40 yards each time. But this last Sunday, I found myself pushing closer to him than ever before. On one occasion, he hit driver and I meant to lay up for position with a three wood, only to find my ball just few yards behind him -- we both went through the fairway. He even commented -- with some concern -- about my three wood tee shot. Later, when we both hit driver, he spanked one with a draw and I hit a bit of a cut, and I was dead-even with him. It was a good feeling.
The swing change has also helped with my irons. Although it’s tough to gauge iron play this time of year -- with the cold, windy conditions and the wet turf -- I have flown a few greens with the new swing. The ball seems to really take off with what feels like less effort. And, most importantly, I’m not hooking it at all, and only pulling it when I forget I have a left hip to use.
I hope to be able to keep Tiger 2.0 in the permanent memory banks. I would even like to find a nice, quality version of the photo to frame (by mistake, I stupidly tossed the SI I had) and keep it in my office. Every picture tells a story, and I hope this one helps to write a new chapter in my golfing life. I'll call it "Me 2.0."
I've dedicated myself to a small, manageable workout program this winter using just simple dumbbells. I bought a set of adjustable hand weights from Wal-Mart for about $30 and I found a dumbbell-only workout routine online. I've made myself a reference chart of about a dozen dumbbell exercises, and I plan to stick with it -- probably every-other-day (if possible).
My intent is to improve my upper-body strength -- more accurately, create some upper-body strength. I've never been one to have much muscle. It's pretty much just some skin and fat wrapped around bone. I was unfortunate enough to be born with my mother's bone structure. She's never been over 110 lbs. in her life, and she's nothing but bones now. My dad's side of the family is pretty meaty, and that's where I got the fat gene. I have a beer-type belly, but don't drink (I could as a card-carrying Catholic, just never acquired the taste for it).
I've noticed when golfing lately I just don't have much control of the club throughout the swing, especially the downswing. I don't feel "powerful" enough to hold on through the impact zone. I regularly drop the club in the slot, but my wrists release too soon, losing that important angle of attack created only with delayed wrist action. I really feel it's due to muscle weakness, and I plan to use this useless time of year -- the winter months -- toning up. I've never lifted weights before in my life, so I'm anxious to see the results in a couple of months, if any at all.
I have no plans to work the lower body. It's probably a mistake, but I feel I get a good enough workout when I do get to play. I've been walking and pushing a three-wheeled cart over a very hilly golf course, and I definitely know I get a great workout in the process. Most of the time it's difficult just to change shoes, load up the clubs and climb in my car after a round -- I'm usually pretty sore. I have a treadmill at home, but I hate it -- too boring, even in front of a TV. My wife's been using it and catching up on her soap opera episodes -- tightening up her body while turning her mind to silly-putty.
I still continue to use my impact bag from time-to-time. I can only use it in the basement, and the loud "pop" at impact scares the dog. I also have one of those weighted golf swing trainers -- it's about half as long as a regular club, with heavy, adjustable weights on the end, and a special grip molded to hold it correctly. It's good for swinging (I have a low basement ceiling) and for stretching the muscles. I can feel and hear bones in my back and shoulders crack when using it. I'm 42 and feel like I'm falling apart. Hope the weight lifting will tighten things up and hold me together for a little longer.
Our regular foursome usually plays a side game during a round just to keep interest up, with the main one being "Wolf." For those not knowing about this game, it's pretty simple. Players rotate through the foursome -- and through the round -- as the Wolf on a hole, with the order for the day being designated on the opening tee box via a tee flip (the player the tee points at when hitting the ground).
The first player off the tee is the Wolf, and after teeing off, he has to select a playing partner for the hole after watching another player's tee shot. Using the first tee as an example, if the second player hits a nice tee shot,
the Wolf can then declare that player his partner and the two compete against the remaining two players on that hole. However, the Wolf must choose a playing partner for the hole before the next person tees off. In this example, once player three hits, player two is no longer an option to be chosen.
If the Wolf watches all players hit and doesn't like any of the tee shots, then he can declare himself a Lone Wolf and compete against the other three players.
Scoring is based on low ball, low total, with a point given for each. For Lone Wolf, the points are doubled. This type of scoring helps equal things out if players of varying abilities are partnered -- for instance, partners can easily make a combined higher score (total) than the other two, but one of the partners can still have the individual lowest score (low ball) for the hole, canceling the points out.
We like Wolf, but it gets tiresome.
We've also played Bingo, Bango, Bongo (BBB), which is a more random, luck-based game. Each BBB counts one point. Regardless of honors on the tee, the first player to hit the fairway gets a Bingo, then the first player to hit the green gets a Bango, and the first person to hole out (no gimmes) gets the Bongo. Bangos on par 3's are awarded for closest to the hole (must be on the green to count) -- Bingos are not in play.
Because of the random nature of BBB, it's proven to be less competitive and usually doesn't hold our interest for an entire round.
So we've "created" a new game -- we'll, actually we've just modified another game called "Disaster." I found Disaster, and many other games, at this website golf.about.com/cs/golfterms/a/formats bets.htm. There are many golf side games detailed at the site, including the two previously mentioned. We're calling our new game "Redemption," and here's how we're going to play it:
Penalties -- 1 point each
Splashy (water ball)
Goner (OB)
Woody (hit a tree)
Beachy (bunkered)
Fooby (Failed Out Of Bunker)
Three-Jack (3 putt)
Wipes
* Par on hole wipes all penalty points for that hole only
* Birdie (or better) wipes penalties for that hole and previous hole
* Back-to-back birdies (or better) wipes all penalties up to that point in round
Rules
* Redemption scoring kept separately from regular stroke score
* Player with fewest points after 18 holes is the winner
* In case of tie(s) after 18 holes, single ball, closest-to-hole chipping contest, with order of play determined by tee toss
We haven't had the opportunity to try this game out yet, but I'm kinda' looking forward to it. I like the idea of trying to make positive things happen to eliminate (wipe) the points given for negative shots. For instance, on a par 5, a player could hit a tree off the tee (1 point), hit his second in a bunker (1 point), fail to get out the bunker on the next shot (1 point), and then knock the fourth shot on and drain the par putt -- 3 points wiped for that hole alone! Or if he misses that par putt, he'd card the 3 points, but could then wipe them by birdieing the next hole. The big one, of course, is the back-to-back birdies, wiping all points -- what a great incentive to score well and stick it to your opponents.
For higher-handicapped players, the "wipes" could be changed to bogeys and pars, instead of pars and birdies. Like most side games, modifying the rules and scoring helps to better accommodate different types of golfers, just as long as everybody is in agreement before teeing off. I rarely wager anything when playing side games. It's been my experience that gambling on a golf course makes you lose more friends than money, and brings out the worst in people. Playing for something trivial, like a soda or something, works best, I think.
It's more a pride thing, anyway.
Not sure how the Redemption scoring is going to work on our home course. There's not much water, and the bunkers are positioned mostly out-of-play. There are plenty of trees, though, enough out-of-bounds to keep you honest, and three putts are in everyone's bag. We'll see how this Redemption goes and I'll blog an update. I also plan to start a subject in the Golf Gab forum about side games, so post a reply. I'm always looking for something different.
A couple of guys I golf with have competed in an ongoing match for the past couple of years. Originally, the bet was for a small bag of chips after the round, but it became common for the wager to never be paid off. The two now keep track of the competition per round, with one rarely getting more than a three match lead.
In recognition of the competition, one of the competitors, Dewayne, decided to build a trophy. Dubbed "Old Salty," it's an empty bag of chips -- filled with expandable foam -- atop a partial golf shaft, mounted on a block of wood. Simple, with understated appeal.
The matches have become as entertaining as they are competitive. They try to play at least twice a month, and as of yesterday, they're all square. But they didn't decide if yesterday was indeed the final day. Now there's a debate...
The matches are kept track of through the calendar year, so the competition officially ends New Year's Eve. With the holidays quickly approaching, and with real winter weather and temperatures threatening, they may remain tied if the matches have come to a halt. Dewayne holds the trophy from last year, and in essence, will retain the much-coveted title. But fellow competitor Steve would like to have one more shot, regardless of the weather conditions. Can Steve call Dewayne out for a match, and if he refuses, will Steve win by forfeit? Will Dewayne make himself scarce until year's end, avoiding his cellphone, pager, e-mail and answering machine? Where's ESPN to report?
As stated, the competition has been fierce at times, none more so than two weekends ago at the 17th hole. Steve could close the match out with a win, and Dewayne found himself on the back fringe, some 15 feet away for par to make the 18th the deciding hole. Steve had reached the short par 4 in regulation, and had already lagged up for his easy par. With the stage set, Dewayne went through his putting routine. He was grinding. He stood over the ball longer than normal. These guys were taking this stuff seriously, and I liked it.
All was still and calm as Dewayne finally made the stroke. It was dead on line. Steve broke the silence, saying, "That looks good -- I think it's going to drop!" And just as Steve completed his words, the ball took the most violent lip out I've seen in my 25-plus years of playing golf. I now understand how astronauts return from the moon, being sling-shotted around the rock, gaining speed in the process. This putt did a 180 and came back some three foot towards Dewayne, then stopping suddenly as if it had airbrakes. One could sense the golfing gods laughing at their efforts.
But Dewayne wasn't laughing. Instead, his face was deep red, veins popping so badly even Clint Eastwood would be uneasy. Then, he did a Judge Smails imitation, the same as when he missed that two footer in Caddyshack. He acted as if he was going to launch the putter, looking around for the best place. He paused long enough for me to think he wasn't serious. Then, off it went, end over end in classic club-throwing fashion toward the 18th tee box.
Match over. Exclamation point added.
The Acer 905XP Pro irons performed well. I was concerned with the ball flight being too high, but it seems just right -- maybe even a touch lower than my previous set of irons, the Cleveland T3 Form Forged. I really like the Apollo Hump shafts (stiff). They are different looking, with the hump further down the shaft than I expected, towards the head. The idea in the design is to provide a thicker shaft dimension toward the clubhead to increase stability (reduce twisting) and doing so without having to thicken the shaft. You'd really have to see and swing this shaft -- it works as promised. Even when I did catch a couple towards the toe, twisting wasn't an issue.
I chipped really well with the pitching wedge. It comes off at a nice angle, and with just enough spin to play that little check and roll shot. My older Cleveland wedge's grooves were worn out badly and I had difficulty with control.
I think I'm really going to like these irons.
As for the driver -- Power Play Triport System Q -- that will be a work in progress. The low torque shaft (True Ace Blue Crush stiff) worked well, but I'm concerned with the kickpoint. It spec's as a mid-kick -- not so sure it is. A few tee shots went really high, and it felt like the shaft doing it. I was able to really nail my last two drives, and the launch angle was good. Concentrated on keeping my wrist angle correct through impact and that helped. I may have been flippin' a bit on my earlier driver swings that went high. I haven't tinkered with the weighting system yet. Will work on this -- all in all, I'm impressed with the driver, as well.
Shot even par 72 on a very wet day in a fog bank the entire round. We were watching each others shots to estimate where they were ending up. It was the thickest I'd ever played in. But no wind, and the temp was mild for this time of year. We walked -- nice exercise.
Will continue to update progress with these clubs. In the meantime, check out hireko.com's site. It's impressive how you can custom build a set of clubs, and the prices are very reasonable.
Like many aspects of life (and sports), I believe we arrive at success in golf through a combination of passion and talent. To be good -- not great, but competitive -- you have to have both of these attributes, but one can come from the other.
I began to think about this watching my son play football. Three years ago, he decided to play for our county's youth league. The idea came from his passion from watching the game, most notably, Brett Favre and the Packers. He's a pure cheesehead, and watching the games on Sundays has been great times for him. He's developed a great relationship with a lifelong friend of mine who is also a die-hard Packers fan. When not playing youth league games, he's over at my friend's place watching the Pack -- they have NFL Sunday Ticket on Direct TV. His room is adorned with Packer stuff, including a Brett Favre Fathead.
When he talked about playing football, I thought it would be a passing fad. It's one thing to toss it around in the yard with some buddies, it's another to put on the pads, get hit over and over again, comprehend the complexities of X's and O's, and have coaches constantly yelling and cussing at you. But to my surprise, and to his credit, he made it through that first year, mainly as a tackling dummy for the practice team. He was the slowest kid on the squad, usually finishing last when running sprints. He had little natural abilities, not very coordinated. He also had at least a one second delay coming off the line -- the rest of the team would go, then he would take off.
He just completed his third and final season in the youth league. His team won back-to-back championships (which is rare at that level), and he started on both the offensive line and at defensive end. He even made the all-county team, winning the recognition over many good, solid players.
So this isn't a bragging rant about my son -- not the intent. Yes, I'm proud, but FOR him, not just OF him. I am proud of him because he's a good kid, and, hopefully, on his way to being a good adult. I'm proud for him because he accomplished all he wanted to do with a lot of sweat, hard work, and commitment.
He had developed his talent from his passion. It was his driving force to learn and get better.
With me and golf, I began on the other side of the equation. I started playing seriously when I was about 16. Golf wasn't exactly a popular sport in the early 1980's, so there were few crowds to fight for tee times. When I got my driver's license, after high school let out, one of my good friends and me would head to the country club where his family retained a membership. I'd play there so often, they thought I was a member and wouldn't charge me.
I liked golf, but no more than any other thing in life. It was something to do. Funny thing was, I didn't think I was very good at it, until I began noticing I was better than most people I played with. Finding something, by accident, that I was pretty decent at sparked my interest, and I began playing more and more. It finally became my greatest pastime, and to this day, it remains that way. I'm a mid-70s player and have gotten into the 60s a few times when the putter's hot and the golfing gods allow.
I had developed my passion for the game from my talent. It was my driving force to learn and get better.
So what's the point?
Well, I'm also a Scout leader, and I meet with young people every week. What I see mostly in these young men is a lack of passion -- for anything. Over and over I see young teens with nothing they want to do. No aspirations. Little ambition. I don't know what causes it, but I wish I had an answer.
I've read much on this subject, and for young and old, having a passion is the great motivator of life. Seems obvious, I know, but helping people find theirs is a real challenge.
I'm no expert, no psychiatrist, no therapist, just a dad who loves my son more than he'll ever know. The changes in him from football are very positive. He's making better grades, he's more focused, and he has a belief in himself -- confidence without the cockiness, a trait I hope will always define his character. And yes, football's a tough game and I've seen many get hurt. I'd always say a prayer for him before kickoff. I once read it's a parent's job to protect them when you can -- it's God's job when you can't.
My advice is this -- Help your kid find a passion. Think about their talents, and maybe an interest will develop. Doesn't matter what it is (although I wouldn't consider TV and video games the answer). That passion may change over the years, but they'll find another because they will want to fill the void, especially males and their competitive nature.
So take the time to talk with your kids. I've found them brutally honest when having serious discussions, and they really are wanting help and answers from adults in their life.
Happiness is where you find your passion. Many just need help looking.
So I don't like to spend alot of many on golf clubs. It doesn't make sense to me, since golf is my main pasttime and I enjoy it and it's basically my only exercise. But I hate the thought of spending big money on expensive name brands, only to find out they're not for my game. I realize I can resale on e-bay or something, but I know I would never get around to doing that. That's what a basement's for, anyway -- storing stuff we intended to use.
I've purchased a new set of irons and a driver from Hireko Golf (hirekogolf.com). They arrived yesterday, so I haven't had the chance to swing 'em. I researched these clubs a bunch and ended up with a Callaway-type design with the irons. I don't typically like Callaway. Nothing against the company, but they seem better designed for players needing help getting the ball airborn, with the wide-soled designs they have. I'm a high ball hitter by trade. These clubs -- the Acer 905 XP Pro irons -- have a wider sole than I'm used to, but I matched them with Apollo Hump stiff (steel) shafts that have a higher kickpoint for a lower ball flight.
Boy, do they look good. I'm really impressed. I hope they work as good as they appear.
The driver is a TaylorMade r7 type design called the Power Play Q Triport. I had it made with a True Ace Blue Crush stiff graphite shaft, which compares to the Graffaloy Blue at a fraction of the cost. The problem I have with graphite shafts is the torque. That twisting through impact can cause some nasty results, and quickly ruin a good round. For me, the lower the torque, the better. I don't have tremendous swing speed, but my transition from backswing to downswing is a bit quick, and my hands will tend to slow down through the impact zone (not good), causing the toe to roll over and the ball going left. The lower torque helps greatly in alleviating this problem, although it's not a cure for a long-time swing flaw.
I hope these clubs work out and that I've found a place to purchase new equipment at a reasonable price. Not that anybody cares, but I'll try to update the progress with the clubs.
My background: Played for 25+ years, shoot in the mid-70s, good at playing to my strengths -- short game and course management, not a long hitter, but can surprise myself some days. Love the game, and love to teach others, especially kids. Plan to start a FirstTee program in my community when I retire from my real job.
