Golf Confessions

I think it is too bad that most golf courses have to rely very heavily on the cart revenue for survival.  The youth of this country would be served really well if they had the opportunity to caddy at their local clubs.   I can remember the first time I caddied and almost fifty years later that experience brings fond memories.  In my home town which was in the middle of the east Texas oil field a large oil industry golf tournament was played each summer.  Players came from all over the united states and there was a large calcutta with the golf tournament that also included the cream of the college crop each year.  I was encouraged to go to the local club by some of my friends that caddied in years past and see if I could pick up a loop.
 
 
When I got to the course I was lucky that there were players looking for caddies so I got a job.  The gentleman that asked me to caddy introduced himself and told me he was from Chicago.  Well for a ten year old  I thought Chicago was about as far away as you could get from east Texas.  After the round my player gave me five dollars and asked if I could be back the next day and do it again.  That night at supper all I could talk about was that my player was from Chicago and could you believe I got to caddy for someone so far away. 
 
If more young people had the opportunity to caddy I believe they would develop a better understanding of the game and learn some valuable people skills dealing with a variety of people.  Most of the early greats of the game got their first taste of the game as a caddy.  They got to play sparingly and spent their free time practicing with hand me down clubs and more often than not had to improvise with the one and only club to make a variety of shots.  Many stories have been written about Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Byron Nelson and  most recently Sevy Balesteros, all great players who started as caddies.  All of these great players learned how to hit different shots with different clubs because they hardly ever had the opportunity to play with a full set.
 
The clubs could have inter club competitions among the kids that were in the caddy program.  A caddy master who would probably be one of the assistant pros could teach the youngsters the finer points of caddying that would help them become better players and hopefully develop a love for the game that can last a life time. 
 
See you on the next tee.

Tiger won #5 on the PGA Tour yesterday in Orlando.  Competing in Arnold Palmer’s invitational, Tiger continued his dominance of the PGA.  One of Tiger’s goals is to break Byron Nelson’s 11 in a row.  In my personal opinion, I do not think this record will be broken.  As in any tournament, one shot or a single swing can make the difference to determine the outcome. 

What do you think about Tiger breaking Lord Byron’s record of 11 in a row? 

Technology has been around since the invention of the game of golf.  I wasn’t there, but I suspect that the first time man tried to hit an object with a stick or what ever he used to strike another object he wanted to hit it farther the next time.  The halls of golf museums are full of many different clubs and balls that have been used since the introduction of the game of golf.  All of these weird looking instruments had several purposes in mind when they were introduced. 
 
You can look at the thousands of different shapes, and sizes of club heads and the many different materials used to understand that man has always sought to have an advantage.  Some of the early difference makers was the evolution of the ball.  Probably one of the characteristics the ball maker was seeking was a quicker and easier way to construct the golf ball.  Since all of the work was done by hand and was very labor intense the manufacturer wanted a ball that would last.  The ball and club manufacturing up until recently was in the hands of true craftsmen.  The people that built clubs and balls also had to figure out how to build the tools to construct this golf equipment. There were no computers or high speed equipment around that punched out thousands of clubs a day.  Each club and ball was done by hand one at a time.  Each player would put a set of clubs together by feel and there was no standard set of clubs for them to choose from.
 
Now with modern equipment and many manufacturers in the golf business anyone can choose from a wide variety of precision matched clubs.  With the intervention of modern computer technology, players can have their swings analyzed. This analysis will tell you what loft, different shaft flexes, kick points, launch angle and the right ball that will work best for you.  Players today will switch to a different ball for certain playing conditions.  The better players may also use different putters with more or less weight and a different loft angle that will hopefully work better on fast or slow greens.  This switching of equipment can be done a daily basis because much more equipment is readily available to all golfers.
 
This changing of equipment does not usually reflect better scoring for the average player and may not improve the tour players stats.  The one thing you have to remember, getting the ball into the hole in the lowest number of strokes is what counts.  There are many other improvements in technology that have given the golfer a better chance to score.  The condition of golf courses today is one area that I think is overlooked.  The mowing equipment is so phenomenal today, the fairways are usually better than the greens were thirty years ago.  This mowing equipment has evolved right along with the many different grasses that have come along because of golf.
 
I think the metal headed drivers and fairway metal clubs which include the hybrids have made a tremendous improvement in play.  These fairway clubs have made it possible for players to go for par fives in two, in situations before that would required a lay-up.  Fairway clubs made from wood usually required a pretty good lie for even most tour players to have a go if there was trouble near the landing area.  In the old days there were few tour players that could take a wood headed driver and hit a consistent shot off the fairway.  Today, most single digit handicap players can consistently hit their drivers from a fairway lie. 
 
Today’s modern clubs and balls are designed to go high and straight.  These design traits which are built into clubs and balls has just about alimented a lot of shot making from most modern players.  The equipment today is much more forgiving and reliable.  Golf balls have improved in several areas, they are much more durable, their flight path is more consistent and you can choose a ball that fits your play. 
 
Are these changes good?  I believe for the most part they are good.  This improved equipment makes the game easier for the masses in respect to being able to hit the ball better.  What I mean by this is that more players can get the ball airborne easier and for the most part the ball goes straighter.  The biggest improvement may be equipment that is better suited for women and the young player.  In the past a lot of kids and women were introduced to the game with hand me down clubs from men and they were usually too heavy.  Clubs that are too heavy are very difficult for most people to hit and control.  It is important for these new players too have some success early, so they will not become discouraged and leave the game.
 
The down side often associated with this improved technology is the courses are becoming obsolete in regards to distance.  This argument probably does not apply for 90 plus per cent of golfers, and these are the people that are paying the bills at the courses.  The length off the tee may be an issue on the pro tours around the world, but even with this increased length the scoring averages have not been effected that much. 
 
The next big break in technology will be with the mind, we are already seeing this with all of the sports psychologist involved in golf.  Most of the top players are employing the help of mind gurus, because they realize the mind is what makes the technology work to its fullest potential.
 
 
So in reality, this boom in technology is probably no different than in the past when the gutta percha ball, sand wedge, steel shafts, surlyn cover, graphite shafts, greens mowers or fertilizer came along–they have all added something new and different to the game of golf.
 
I personally am still looking for more distance and fewer putts.
What are your thoughts and comments?
 
See you on the next tee.