Tiger..Hmmm...

Tiger, Tiger, Tiger, wow!  How much fun is he having now?  You know, a lot of people have been caught dipping into the cookie jar, but he ate the whole jar.  Not only did he cheat (media says), but he carried on relationships.  No one night stands for this guy.  Do I care?  Do I feel bad for him or do I think he got what he deserved?  I don't think I have an answer right now.  I understand the whole gotta be an upstanding citizen and be the golden boy for golf but that isn't really fair to Tiger.  But he obviously had a little too much fun.  So he is not who we thought.  But still is very, very good at golf is very mentally tough.  That I guess is my thought.  I am more interested how he comes back from this on the golf course.  My thoughts are that he does.  What are your thoughts?

Do you travel in the winter

A lot of us want to go south for the winter.  Some just go for a quick trip.  For many years I have went to Orlando for the PGA Merchandise Show.  While there you always try to get in some golf but you are there to work and that was always the focus.  I am looking for the great place to go and just get away.  Where can I play some good golf but not have to cash in my 401K to do so?  Where is that people really like going?  Looking for ideas from our followers. Is it next to the ocean?  Is it a little tucked away place that not many people visit because they don't know about it?  I like those places. Want to go?

What is important to you?

What is impotant to you when you decide to play a golf course? Name recognition, course conditions, friendliness of staff? I want to know. Please chime in on what you want out of your golf experience.

Remembering 2009...

These are a few photos for you to look at as we begin to wind down the 2009 season.

I Can't Putt..

Why can't I Putt?????

Everyone has these moments and believe me, I mean everyone.  However, if you step back and look at your stroke, you usually can see what is going on.  First you have to know what the stroke should look like.  A very steady body with a pendulum motion like a clock will get you the best results.  You cannot guide the ball, move forward and wish the ball in or even turn your hands/wrist to turn it in with any kind of consistency.  Bend at the hips with your feet approximately shoulder width apart and let your arms hang down.  Your eyes should be above the ball.  The muscles in your arms should feel relaxed.  Tension causes you to start using other parts of the body for the stroke and that isn't correct.  The stroke is made with the shoulders.  Keep everything else still.  Take the putter straight back and straight through is the best way to thinks about it.  The wrist, the hands or the body is not part of the stroke.  All other motions of the stroke will happen naturally.

That is the easiest way to describe it.  In all honesty, if you can make putts standing on your head, first I will sign you up as a trick shot artist and second I will applaud you with that ability.  But the above approach will yield the best stroke.  Click Here to get a visual for what I have described. Notice the lack of motion in the body and the turn of the shoulders.



If you have any questions about your stroke or swing, join this blog and ask away.

What is Interseeding???

Green Aerification

Interseeding is the process in which golf course superintendents try to introduce new grass to an area that already has a another grass growing.  It is not an easy process.  The process requires being very aggressive with the current stand of grass by aerification and verticutting.  Aerification pulls cores of material and grass out of the area and verticutting reduces thatch and makes it easier for the seed to be introduced.  Sand (Topdressing) should also be done. With good weather the new seedling should pop within a few days.  Once it has popped it struggles with the existing turf to survive.  Some grasses grow straight up and others grow sideways.  Depending on what you are trying to do, this is a challenge and becomes a superintendents finger nail biting time.  It is hopeful that you fill in areas that may have been stressed.  But cross your fingers that it works.  Other elements such as weeds and disease can cause a whole new set of problems.  If you have seen interseeding done or are interested in doing this application.  Do your homework and make sure it is right for you.

"Swing Thoughts"

Everyone has a certain swing thought when they stand over the ball and get ready to pull the trigger.  Hopefully yours is not "Whats for dinner tonight?"  If so, then you probably aren't going to make a very good swing at it.

When I stand over the ball, sometimes a lack of confidence tends to creep in my mind.  Maybe I have been hitting it crooked or I can't get the chip shot off the ground and you tend to remember those things.  Stop it!  Back off the shot and visualize it.  Hit it! 

So many times we stand over the ball way to long with to many thoughts.  Not only does it lead to a slow round but it also can lead to a bad shot.

When I stand over the ball, I try to think about one thing.  For me that is making a full shoulder turn.  The turn takes me to a restriction point.  That means I take the club back with that turn to a point that I can without raising up.  When I do this I won't slide on it when I bring it back down to the ball.  Of course other things come into play when you make a swing.  But the ball remains in play and not on someones back porch or in the trees.

I am interested in what you think.  Let us all know and you may be able to help someone with his/her game.

Osage National Jesse James Cup

Are you kidding me?  This event has turned into a kick you in the teeth type event where nothing is left on the table.  We trash talk, we sweat, we grind and try to beat each others brains in.  Wow, do we have fun doing it. 

Only in its third year, this event has quickly become one of our top events at the club.  We have named our teams the Outlaws and the Bandits.  One team in red and the other in black.  We have 14 players per team and play a best ball, a modified chapman alternate shot and singles matches (head to head).  The first year after 27 hole we were tied and it took a playoff between a couple of the pros.  Last year it was 1 point win by the bandits and this year a 1 point win by the outlaws.   

This year, the outlaws had a huge lead going into the last 9-hole singles matches.  It seemed like it probably wasn't worth the time it was going to take to play.  The outlaws only need to win 4 points (matches) out of the 14 played.  They won 4.  It was unbelieveable.  Everyone started thinking back and saying if I could have made that putt or if he wouldn't have got that bounce.  What a great time.

Post your comments and continue the kicking. Also, we have a couple of photos of the event.

Couple of losers from the Bandits

The Outlaws-Winners!!

Front Row Left to Right

Walker Lee, Randy Thompson, Walt Warner, Drew Jordan, Jim Fannin

Back Row

Mike Sherrill, Bob Parker, Art Bonne, Larry Frazier, Bobby Belton, Wayne Thomas, Gerry Murawski, Matt Wood, (Not Pictured-Jeff Mistler)

Losers!!!!!

Front Row Left to Right

Bryan Martinez, Dave Brooks, Chuck Mancin, Mac McKinzie, Roger Smith, Frank Christensen,

Back Row

Manny Davis, Rusty Clark, Donnie Spencer, Tom Fischer, Steve Belton, Jim Long

(Not Pictured-Mike Mistler)

Boy's in action

The Current State of Golf in America

Golf in America has been growing every year since I started playing.  But has it gotten out of hand?

Golf courses have been popping up everywhere and usually in places that really didn't need another one.  However, the guy building is convinced he has the right one for that particular area.  Has all the due diligence really been done that supports their choice in facilities to build?

Some facilities choose to be big and grand and charge dearly for that.  Others choose to build a course that takes care of the middle of the road customer.  But is that the right customer that can support this?

All questions that have been asked many times over by developers in all areas of the United States.  In the midwest, golf isn't much different except that it does not have the courses yet that have a demand on them that they can charge a premium price ($150 per round and up).  We can all name a couple maybe, but it does not seem to really be the right fit.  My question to you is, am I wrong? 

Would the midwest support such a facility, or is this just not the right place to create such a course?