Mission Accomplished

I just got home from the last Gateway Tour event of the year. If you will remember, I had to make some money so that I could qualify for the Tour Championship. I did it!
I feel very happy about the fact that I played so well during the week.
The first round I shot an average, run-of-the-mill 71. Three birdies and two bogeys. I made both bogeys with wedges in my hand. UGGGH!
The second round was phenomenal. I shot five under, and it was the lowest score of the day. I hit the ball very well, and made a few putts. No bogeys, and five birdies. It felt great.
The last round was a little more difficult. I shot 76 in a heavy wind, with the pins tucked. It was so much more difficult for me to not judge my shots. My conscious mind was going like crazy, and it was tough to stop. I learned more today about how to get out of my own way then I have in a long time. The most trying days are the most important for learning.
I ended up finishing 24th for the tournament, and 41st on the money list. Forty-three people get in to the Tour Championship, so I just made it in. Now it is time to prepare to win the Tour Championship, and make the year a great year.
Here is a quick tip that comes from some things I was reminded of this week.
If you can't stop the chatter and nervousness, then focus on it, and let it happen. Don't try to get away from it, and welcome it. Welcome it with an attitude of learning as much about it as you can. Observe it! I did this today and it worked. I am not sure I can explain it better...so just go try and do it. Remember, if the chatter comes it is usually because of our ego, or our lack of trust in our ability. Hope your playing great.

The Zone...Step 2

I think the next part of getting in to the zone has to do with our attitude. A lot of people like to give lip-service to the whole concept of attitude, and what it is. My definition of attitude here is how we see what we are doing.
This is very closely tied in with our ability to be non-judgmental. If I have a great attitude, and I take my results as an opportunity for learning, then it is very easy to be non-judgmental.
The more I trust my long term commitment, and ability, the easier it will be to not judge the results.
The opposite of this would be feeling like, "the next shot I have to play is the last one of its kind that I will ever get to play. If I do not hit this next shot perfectly then all is lost, and I will not be able to recover." Another common thought on the golf course is, "This shot could mean the match!"
The truth is, yes, that shot could mean the match. Also, that shot might not be for the match. In golf we do not know, and all we can control is our execution of that shot.
In "The Inner Game of Tennis," Timothy Gallwey has a chapter called, "Games People Play." He says that if you watch the game, you will notice that there are a lot of games people are playing out on the tennis court besides tennis.
Some guys are playing to look good, and he calls this, "image-o." Like Bingo, but it is about our image. Some people are playing for health, others for friendship, and others for pure recreation. Some are playing because they want to win, and winning at anything is good enough for them.
There are lots of mixtures of all these games as well, and everyone has their own reasons for playing. This is where our attitudes will most determine how we feel, and what we are playing for.
He wrote about two games that people play that seem to me to be the best.
Fun-o and Learn-o.
If you are playing for pure enjoyment or pure learning, than being non-judgmental, is a piece of cake. Our chances for getting in the zone increase, and our ability to learn increases.
Growing up, my whole desire for playing was to learn. I loved making improvement in golf, and I enjoyed playing. The kids I used to play with made fun of me, because I stood on the range and hit balls for hours. I hated playing, because I could only hit it one time before I had to walk for five minutes. Four hours later I would only have hit 80 shots, and I could have done that in ten minutes on the driving range!
After reading this book, I remembered that I can go to the driving range and just hit balls.
I do not have to be so judgmental, and when I get in the zone, it really becomes fun.
So, take a look at why you are playing, and how that effects your ability to improve.

There is a step three coming soon. Go practice step one and two, and see how you do.
Decide why you are there, and then go see it, feel it, and let it go.

Old Photos...Same Swing

I saw this article on the Golf Digest website. I love to view old golf swings of great players, because it shows that the swing has not changed that much. These guys were very athletic, and very good ball-strikers.
Here is the link to this article, where they compare Jerry Barber's swing to the new stack and tilt method taught by Mike Bennet and Andy Plummer.
Golf Digest Archives
There are two things I love about this golf swing and one thing I do not like. If you number the frames left to right, and then top to bottom, frame number eight is an amazing backswing position.
Frame number nine gets too long, which is a common fault for people who do not sit properly into the right side. There is a picture of him on the website that shows his build up close, and he is pretty thin and probably very flexible. That is another reason he may get too long.
Copy frame number eight...that looks awesome.
The second thing I love is the release. He is fully releasing his arms and clubhead through impact. Check out frame 18 and all the way through to the finish. This is a beautiful release. I thought you might enjoy seeing that...some of us learn visually, and this is a great image of flexibility, power, and balance.
Now remember, see it, feel it, and then let it happen with no judgment or criticism.
Happy Golfing!

Annika Is Engaged

Hey, Annika Sorenstam is engaged!
I am lucky enough to know Mike and Annika through golf. I met Mike when he was a player agent with Ken Kennerly.
Now, I see him around Lake Nona every once in a while, and we chat about what is going on. I actually saw him this past weekend, and didn't know they were engaged!
I am really happy that Mike and Annika have both found someone they love. What a wonderful thing it is to be in love and in a committed relationship. There is nothing better. Congratulations Mike and Annika!
Below is a link about their engagement.
Annika's Website

Wealth

I thought I would share this quote from a friend of mine. He always has great things to say, and keeps them very concise. So in the spirit of being concise this will be a short entry.
He said, "This applies to money, and time...Man is rich in the things he can do without."

Great Practice

The Inner Game Of Tennis has helped already. I feel more energy practicing and a greater sense of fulfillment. I spent about three hours hitting balls this morning, and it was a blast.
The idea of not judging the shot as "bad" or "good," allows me to learn faster as I practice. This is what it's all about...how fast can I learn what I am trying to do.
So, what I do is go through my pre-shot routine on as many shots as possible. I do not judge the results as bad or good, and I look at the shot or the feeling I am working on as objectively as possible.
Lets say that I feel my left arm getting too tense in the transition.(Which is something I have felt often!) I do not try to relax my left arm and force it to work properly. I now just tell myself to notice how tense it gets, and where. I get as in touch with that part of the golf swing as I can, so that I can learn as much as possible about it. Remember though...I do not judge it.
Once I am aware of that part of the swing, I begin to really feel what it is doing. I then can make a change based on an experiential feel, rather than someone telling me to just relax a little more in the transition.
As I become more and more aware of the left arm position, my subconscious mind is free to make whatever changes are necessary, because my conscious mind is not trying to force my body to do something. I can feel it changing within three to five swings.
It changes without my effort to make the change. Doesn't that sound like fun!?
In the book Timothy Gallwey brings up a good point that sparked my curiosity, because now I get to watch it happen firsthand with my baby boy Aiden.
What if you had to learn to walk all over again? Can you remember how you learned to walk?
We were never taught to walk, and it is the thing we do with the most style and grace, and with the least amount of effort.

The Zone...Step 1

I just finished reading, "The Inner Game of Tennis." I loved it. It has helped my game already, and I really believe that it is one of the main things that will get me to the next level.
One of the lessons that I have learned through the book, and through many other sport psychologists, is to not be judgmental. How do we do that? Check out this section I typed out of the book, this is the first step to getting into flow on the course. Just have fun, and don't judge it.

“To see the process of judgment in action, observe almost any tennis match or lesson. Watch closely the face of the hitter and you will see expressions of judgmental thoughts occurring in his mind. Frowns occur after each “bad” shot, and expressions of self-satisfaction after every shot judged as particularly “good.” Often the judgments will be expressed verbally in a vocabulary which ranges widely, depending on the player and the degree of his like or dislike of his shot. Sometimes the judgment is most clearly perceived in the tone of voice used rather than the words themselves. The declaration, “You rolled your racket over again,” can be said as a biting self-criticism or a simple observation of fact, depending on the tone of voice. The imperatives, “Watch the ball,” or “Move your feet,” can be uttered as an encouragement to the body or as a belittling condemnation of its past performance.
To understand more clearly what is meant by judgment, imagine a singles match being played by Mr. A and Mr. B, with Mr. C acting as the umpire. Mr. A is serving his second serve to Mr. B on the first point of a tie-breaker. The ball lands wide, and Mr. C calls, “Out. Double Fault.” Seeing his serve land out and hearing, “Double Fault,” Mr. A frowns, says something demeaning about himself, and calls the serve “terrible." Seeing the same stroke, Mr. B. Judges it as “good” and smiles. The umpire neither frowns nor smile; he simply calls the ball as he sees it.
What is important to see here is that neither the “goodness” nor “badness” ascribed to the event by the players is an attribute of the shot itself. Rather, they are evaluations added to the event in the minds of the players according to their individual reactions. Mr. A is saying, in effect, “ I don’t like that event”; Mr. B is saying, “I like that event.” The umpire, here ironically called the judge, doesn’t judge the event as positive or negative; he simply sees the ball land out and calls it out. If the event occurs several more times, Mr. A will get very upset, Mr. B. will continue to be pleased, and the umpire sitting above the scene, will still be noting with detached interest all that is happening.”

That is the first step. Go play, and let yourself see it for what it really is without attaching any meaning to it...Just Play!

How is it today?

This morning I went out to practice for a few hours just to keep some feel going. I was hitting balls beside a man who was obviously a good athlete, but seemed to be struggling with his back. He would hit a couple of shots, step back and start stretching. He kept going through this process, looked over at me and said, "I did a bunch of swimming in my pool yesterday, and my upper back is so tight and sore, that I feel like I have a new golf swing."
It was driving him crazy.
Anyone, that has played golf for a long time, or who plays lots of different sports can relate to this experience. When I played on the golf team at BYU, Johnny Miller invited the team to his house for a few days of golf. Johnny is a BYU alumnus, and his son Andy was on the team at the time.
The first day we got there, we went swimming, and had a blast. We were having a contest to see who could dunk each other the most times. The next day, we drove to Carmel and played at Pebble Beach. My neck was so sore, that I felt like I couldn't move.
Pebble was amazing!
We had perfect weather, and Johnny Miller spent the whole day hanging out with us. If I had felt like I could move properly, I would have really enjoyed it! It was brutal, and I knew that playing around in the pool the day before was a big mistake.
I have learned two great lessons in regard to this subject. The first lesson is to plan out when you are going to be playing and think ahead. If I just spend a little time thinking about that, I can map out a pretty good formula for being physically ready to play. I bet you can too.
The second thing applies to people who do not play enough plan out their golfing day. They just want to play. Each day our bodies are a little different. So, the best thing to do, is get over it.
That sounds a little harsh huh?
Well, the problem really comes when we try to force our golf swing in to some mold that is not there on that particular day. The best thing to do is pay real close attention to what you have going on in the warm up, and go play with it. Look at it objectively, don't judge it for right or wrong, and go use what you have on the course.
In fact, you can do this every day. This is also the first key to getting in the zone...no judgement!

Disqualified...

What a Bummer! I recieved some terrible news last night around 9:30pm. My whole group, and the whole group in front of me tee'd off from the wrong teebox.
I am not kidding.
Apparently, the tour moved the tees up on the ninth hole, because ants were all over the back tee. The problem is, someone had put a set of tee markers down on the back tee, that were not the markers for the Gateway tour.
My whole group walked up to the back tee, didn't even look at the markers, and just ripped it down the middle. I was the second in my group to tee off, and I never even looked at the markers.
If that isn't a case of "the blind leading the blind," I don't know what is.
I have been Disqualified three other times in my life. Twice because of a bad drop that I realized and called on myself the next day, and once because of missing my tee time due to a fatal car accident on the highway.
Last night was number four, and it hurts the most.
Because of the DQ, I went from 38th to 42nd on the money list. 43 players will qualify for the Tour Championship, and I was not planning on playing in the last event. Now I have to play, or just pray that someone doesn't pass me with only one event to go.
Well, the positive thing is, I am playing well. I made eight birdies in heavy winds, and really had a great time. I putted average the first round, and pretty well the second round. I think the good stuff is just around the corner.
I now have this week and next week off. Then, I do not know if I am going to play in the Myrtle Beach Hooters event, or the last Gateway event of the year, and try to get in the Tour Championship. I will keep you posted. Getting in the zone is going to be my next entry, so be ready to catch fire.

Green Reading

Today I played the first round of my final Gateway tour event. I shot 74 at the Haig course at PGA National. I felt very good about my round, and had some struggles coming down the stretch with my putting. I was really pleased with the way I am hitting the ball, and feel that I am definitely ready to go low soon!
It was extremely windy today, and I struggled with my putting a bit. I learned a few things over again, that I felt I could share with you about reading greens. My friend Todd posted a comment in the last post, and said he struggled with his putting too. Maybe this will help us both, and thanks for the comment!
I am first reminded of what Lee Trevino said to someone who asked, "Lee, what do you do when it is really windy on the green?" He replied, "keep it low!"
The truth is, that wind can effect a putt. It depends on how strong the wind is, and how fast the greens are. So look out for that the next time you play in windy conditions.
The great tip in reading greens is to always look from the low side of the putt, and trust that read the most. What I mean by the low side is, if you have a downhill putt, you want to look up the hill to determine the slope of the green.
The reason this works, is because we can see more of the slope that is facing us, and less of a slope that is going away from us. This is a very simple tip, but the key to green reading is to be decisive. Then, you can be confident enough to just roll the putt to your target.
If you putt with indecision, you will rarely get it right!
So, go to the low side, and trust that read! Let me know how it goes, and check out the scores at the link below. Once you are on their website, go to Beach Series, and then Leaderboard.
Leaderboard
In the next few days, I am going to tell you how to get into the zone! I just have to figure it out myself first...

Slow equals Fast

I was spending some time with a friend yesterday out on the driving range, when I decided to do the drill I suggested yesterday. I noticed that the sound always started halfway down, instead of just past impact. I did it for a few swings and realized that I could get the swooshing noise just right if I focused on the middle of my forward swing being the fastest, not impact. I love the feeling of seeing how late the speed can come in my golf swing, because it helps me feel aggressive and still in control.
Patience is a big key in allowing this to happen. The better you do it, the more confident you will become. The more confident you become, the easier it will be to let the momentum of the club gather during the transition and downswing. Just remember, a slow backswing and transition equals fast impact.

Quick Tip...

The continuing saga of the Gateway tour is that the tournament for this week was cancelled. Apparently, a drainage pipe burst next to one of the greens at Martin Downs on Tuesday night. The whole green was flooded, and they cancelled the tourney. Bummer!
So, how is your game? Here is a quick tip that I have been working on lately. Can you tell where the speed of your clubhead is the greatest? If you thought about it from a physics point of view, it would probably be right before you make impact. The trouble is, we are not machines.
Sometimes, we speed up the swing during the transition from backswing to downswing. This can actually cause the clubhead to slow down at impact. We definitely do not want the club slowing down through impact. In fact, Johnny Miller has often said that in his hayday, he was the only player tested on tour whose clubhead speed was greater after impact than before. That is the key to so many pieces of the golf swing.
Next time you are out hitting golf balls, turn the club over and swing the grip end. The club should make a swooshing noise somewhere in the downswing. Try getting the noise to be the loudest just past impact, and remember the feeling when you turn the club back over. Take a few practice swings to feel the clubhead weight, and repeat your feeling. This should really help your game!

Customer Service...

I am down in south Florida right now, playing on the Gateway tour. We had so much rain last night, that when I showed up to play today, they had to cancel the round. Apparently, they got four inches of rain overnight. The tough thing about this is, there are only two tournaments after this one. I am sitting at 38th or 39th on the money list, and 42 guys make it into the 400,000 dollar tour championship. We currently have a potential hurricane brewing in the Atlantic. This hurricane could rain out next week, and then I am supposed to skip the last one. This is turning into a "nail-biter!" Hopefully, we will be able to finish tomorrow and I can go low.
So, after I found out we were not playing I decided to go play somewhere and get some practice in. The weather is beautiful today. I drove back to Abacoa Golf Club, and teed it up for a quick eighteen holes. I warmed up a bit, and teed off when I noticed that someone on the grounds crew was aerifying the greens. They charged me 58 dollars to play, said there was not many people out there, and never told me the greens were aerified. I have a real problem with this...does anyone else? I just feel that it is a serious customer service mistake to do that at a golf course. The aeration holes ended up being very small and the greens rolled decently well. As I thought more about it, I was reminded of an experience I had in Pittsburgh last year. I was playing in a Hooters event there, and decided to grab a breakfast bagel one morning before a practice round. As I ordered my sandwich, I noticed the man behind the counter. This guy was full of energy and enthusiasm about serving. He looked every customer in the eye, and went so far as to make suggestions about what bagel might go best with their sandwich. The place was packed, and he took the time to serve each customer with care, while moving the line quickly. This guy was good. After paying for my sandwich he said, "Thank you for coming in, and please let me know if you liked your sandwich or not. If there is anything else we can do...please feel free to tell us." I am not exaggerating at all, and it was very impressive. In contrast, as I finished my round today, the manager was out by the carts. I drove up, he said hello, and walked away. He never asked about how my experience was, and didn't seem to care. I payed six dollars at Einstein's in Pennsylvania, and 58 dollars at Abacoa Golf Club.
As a quick note, the golf course is a good golf course, but I thought the customer service part was interesting!
Check out the scores this week at The Gateway tour link on the left side of the page.

Aiden's B-Day Bash

Friday evening was "Aiden's First Birthday Bash." It was such a great party that I decided to give it a name! We grilled out, spent time with friends, and just enjoyed watching our first born get down on dessert. A friend of ours told us that a first birthday is more of a celebration for the parents than the child. We have at least made it one year without getting too much wrong. Time for another one!
Aiden saw the doctor on Thursday and weighed in at 25 lbs. 12 oz. He is 30.5 inches long and 75% in height, and 80% in weight. We don't think he is a monster by any means, but he will hit the golf ball hard. Kind of like he hit his dessert from the party. We fed him some yogurt with berrys in it. He hasn't had any sucrose sugar yet, and we thought we could keep that going...for him. I am posting a few pictures here so you can see Aiden. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUDDY!

So you think you can dance...

Gretchen and I were chatting tonight, and she was thinking that the results show for, "So You Think You Can Dance" was on T.V. We have not been completely diligent in watching the show, but when we do, we really enjoy it. The show was not on tonight, but that show is beginning to shape my view of golf.
I love dancing. Many of you who read this may not know that, but when I was in school, I always wanted to go dancing. I have always been impressed with people who can really dance. It just so happens, that dancing is in my blood. I learned a few years ago that my grandfather was a ballroom dance champion in the Carolinas. I also learned that my father has won a few beach music dance contests. I love beach music!
What does that have to do with golf? Well, on the T.V. show, there are a bunch of different types of dancers. Some are Ballroom, some Latin, and even Hip-Hop dancers make it on the show. They are given a style of dance, they meet with a choreographer, and then they have to learn a whole routine in a week. What if they are Hip-Hop dancers, and they have to learn a Ballroom dance? This is the part that is so interesting.
These dancers have to learn to move their body in a way that is completely different than they have ever moved it. Then, they have to do it with rhythm, style, and passion. They have to perform that dance routine in front of millions of people, on network television, and be judged. Each time the judges critique their dance routine, they say things like, "I didn't feel that you were totally committed to the moves," "you seemed a little hesitant out there," and "you carried yourself very gracefully out there, and threw yourself into this new style."
Do you think you could change your golf swing in a week? Could you change it enough to hold up under that type of pressure? I have been wondering this about myself. Why is it so difficult to make a swing change, when a dancer can stand up on stage and learn a completely different movement within a week?
Commitment, and passion have so much to do with our ability to learn. If we are going to work on a new move in the golf swing, it will never have the rhythm and grace it should, if we are not totally committed to it. My favorite quote about commitment is from Bob Rotella, "when you sit down to eat breakfast, the chicken is involved, and the pig is committed."
I really believe there is a lot to learn from these guys, about how to learn. I don't have the answers to all the questions I have presented, but I think it is very interesting to think about.
Let me know what you think. If anyone is new to this you can reply by hitting the comments button below.

Friends and Golf

Today, was an excellent day. I went to the golf course this morning with the intention of hitting a few shots, and then going out to the course. I wanted to try out a set of irons that have different shafts than my current set. As soon as I got to the course, the guys told me that a friend of mine named Adam was looking to play. I told them I would be on the range for a little warm up, and then I was ready.
As I drove up to the range, I saw some other friends getting ready to play. Donnie Hammond, Fred Gibson, Fulton Allem, and Larry Rinker were on the range warming up. These guys are great to be around. There must be close to 100 years of professional golf knowledge in just that foursome. I have been fortunate enough to play with them a few times, and they are fun. The most enjoyable part of playing golf with guys like that has got to be their sayings. That much time in golf and the good stuff can really fly. Every nickname in the book about hooks, slices, toe-shots, and healers!
I chatted with those guys for just a few minutes, before they went out to tee it up. Adam met me on the range, and after a short warm-up, we drove over to the putting green. Just as we were about to go our good friend John pulled up. John is one heck of a golfer who is getting ready for the senior tour. He is a great athlete, and completely self-taught. It is really impressive to watch him play. Adam, John, and I went out to play. We played from the forward tees again, just to see how low we could go. John shot four under on the front, and I shot three under with an eagle on the 9th hole. After that, we stopped in for a quick bite to eat, and a break from the 95-degree heat. Lou Holtz the football coach came out and was looking for a game, so we chatted in the grillroom for a bit, and then we were off for another eighteen holes.
Spending time with friends like this on the golf course is what it is all about. Adam, John, and Lou are all very competitive. We give each other a hard time, and encourage one another, all in the same sentence. It is a blast.
Being around a person like Coach Holtz is also tremendous. He has an incredible amount of energy, and has always been very encouraging to me. The thing that makes guys like him so impressive is that they are human. It is so encouraging to get to know someone who has been on the Johnny Carson show three or four times, written three bestsellers, and won two NCAA football championships. He is a normal guy, who makes great decisions, and becomes an extraordinary guy.
Being around good friends is a blessing, and today I felt blessed. I definitely feel lucky to have experiences like this. The game has already given me so much, now it is time to go get a Masters trophy!

Warming up in O-Town

It's been a hot one here in Orlando. It is so nice to have a week off and practice. I have a bunch to work on, and get organized. The middle of a tournament is not a good place to take time out and change things.
This morning I started by doing some warming up, and then just hit some shots with each club in the bag. I worked on my swing a little and then went out to the golf course.
Over the past few years, my body has stiffened up a little, and I have learned a bunch about how to warm up effectively. The great thing about being in the south during the summer months is that warming up doesn't take too long! I start each morning with some type of dynamic stretching. Dynamic stretching is good in the mornings, because our muscles do not have the same amount of blood flow. There is a good link at the bottom of this post that explains more about dynamic stretching. After that, I move to hitting shots. I have learned that in warming up, I want to hit just enough shots with each club to get a feel for that club. Then, I move through the whole bag to get a feel for the longer clubs. I have always felt that once I have done this, my body is pretty well warmed up for the rest of the day. If I start with putting, my back never gets loose, and I spend the rest of the day running uphill.
I played about thirteen holes today from the white tees. The white tees at my golf course are one set back from the woman's tees. I love doing this, because it shows me how good I am with the three most important clubs in the bag. The Driver, Putter, and Wedge. The cool thing about this drill is that most people shoot the same score from the white tees as they do from the back tees. When I do this drill a couple of times a week, I start to get used to going low, and my comfort zones change. Try this one out the next time you are out for a few holes. It is a tough one to convince your buddies to do, because everyone has an ego, but it may be some fun if you can convince them.
dynamic stretching

First Tee!

This is my first post of many...woohoo!

I am back home today, and I am spending the week trying to get everything organized for the rest of the year. Q-School is coming quickly and it is time to start preparing.

I have played eight out of the last nine weeks on The Gateway Tour, so I decided to take this week off. I am going to play two more Gateway events, and then another week off. After that, I am going to finish out the summer with a couple of Hooters tour events, and a couple Tarheel events. I will put the links to these tours at the bottom of this post.

So far this season has been great. I really feel like I have learned a bunch. It has been a little frustrating, because I have missed so many cuts, but the nice part is that I have had a couple of top 10's this year. It has been really rocky, but fun. In the last three years I have missed a total of 4 cuts on mini-tours. This year, I have missed something like six. Brutal!

My short game has really been solid for the last month, and my long game is getting better. I have spent some time with Gregor Jameison at Lake Nona GC in Orlando. I have really enjoyed working with him. He is very simple, and very encouraging, which is great because confidence plays such a huge role in golf.

So that is pretty much it for the schedule. I will keep you posted on what is going on this week. I hope you enjoy the blog!

The Gateway Tour
The Hooters Tour
The Tarheel Tour