Category: Opinions

When does the golf bug bite you?

golf in the snow
photo credit: foxypar4

The other day I dreamed of being in a climate conducive to playing golf in January and February. North Carolina normally has breaks in the winter weather which allows some of us to escape for a round or two. This year that has not been the case. To be honest, I have hardly thought about the game until recently as the PGA tour started its season. My golf itch typically doesn’t need scratching until the crowds start to gather around Amen Corner in April.

This mini-sabbatical is a good idea for all golfers. While many links players are aided in their leave of absence by snow, ice, and blizzard conditions (Michigan, Vermont, and Canada come to mind), our friends in balmier climates have to force themselves to take time off.

I know for me, coming off the break I am recharged and excited about the process of practicing and fine tuning my game for the summer. So Enjoy your break, watch some sports, spend time with the family, and get ready for the golf bug that bites in the Spring.

What do you do in the off season while waiting for the greens to thaw?

My last Tiger Woods post of 2009


Stefano A

I recently finished a post looking at the Tiger situation from the perspective of building a brand or business in today’s marketing landscape. If you  are into business or would like to read it, here you go: A lesson in authenticity from Tiger Woods and John Daly.

A few days ago, Robert Bruce, a blogging acquaintance of mine, posted a great response to the drama on his site, Game Under Repair. I would encourage you to check it out. Robert’s site is one of my favorite golf related blogs to tune into.

To echo Robert a bit, I haven’t followed the ordeal in detail. What I have seen has been the unavoidable snippets, due to the story getting the lion’s share of coverage (on every channel). I would like to also second that I am saddened for his family. I am also sad for the parents around the world that have had to answer many questions from their children on why Tiger is on tv when it’s not golf season.

My hope is that he does repent and rebuild. He is one the most passionate and driven people on the planet. I hope he can get radically driven and passionate about saving his family and his marriage. I believe with a lot of humility, immense grace, and forgiveness, he can overcome this storm. Love is the undisputed champion of the world. It has never been defeated. I hope he and Elin will learn that and overcome.

Congrats Chad

This is always one of my favorite times of year in golf because so many professionals are in the hunt to make their dreams come true. When I was playing golf as a youth I made numerous putts (in my mind) to win my spot on golf’s main stage. Now, as a grown man with my season of playing behind me, I love watching the guys grind it out.

Last week the Nationwide tour graduated its class of 2008 to the PGA Tour. The top-25 money leaders for the season earned the coveted pass to join Tiger and company on the big tour.

One guy that punched his card this year is Chad Collins. This will be Chad’s sophomore campaign on tour and I believe a breakout year. His game matured immensely during 2008, highlighted by a win at the Miccosukee Championship.

Chad was a rival of mine in collegiate golf. He played for Methodist College and I played Greensboro College. During his four years at Methodist he was the number one ranked player in NCAA Division III every year. Many times we played head-to-head in collegiate events and many times he beat me like Brock Lesner vs. Pee Wee Herman.

I knew Chad was going to make it on tour during his freshman year when he drained a putt on the 72nd hole of 40 feet from off the green to win the NCAA Tournament. Clutch! Over the next three years we watched him break scoring records and win countless medalist hardware. We knew it was just a matter of Time.

Here is a video (courtesy of pgatour.com): Meet Chad

I hope you will tune in next year and watch the crop of young players in pursuit of their golf legacy.

The Wyndham and Freddie revisited

photo credit: Erik Anestad
photo credit: Erik Anestad

This week the Wyndham Championships is in town. I always enjoy spending time at this tour event walking the fairways with some of my contemporaries from the amateur ranks. Formerly considered a party event (think Nascar + fraternity kegger), the previously named Greater Greensboro Open has reinvented itself since moving to its new venue, Sedgfield Country Club, for the second consecutive year.

My reason for attending this year is can be summed up in one word, Freddie. Fred Couples was my childhood hero and remains my favorite golfer to pull for. Many times I played with Couples in the afternoons while the shadows grew long as the sun kissed the horizon. Sure, this was all in the mind of my youth, but I never played alone while I dreamed of one day sharing the bentgrass stage with Boom Boom.

Yesterday watching him play brought me back to those days, as he strolled down the fairway in his signature nonchalant gate. The pre-shot routine is the same after all of these years (tip). The sound of impact sounded more like it was fired from a howitzer than struck with a driver, just like it did as I witnessed him shooting 64 at the Emerald Golf Club in 1996.

There is joy in being in the presence of greatness. There is awe in being in the company of those you admire. I hope you have the chance to relive your childhood dreams as watching Freddie enabled me to do. It will remind you of the time when you believed your dreams would come true. We must fight to hold on to that simple childlike faith. The world may try to steal it or destroy it but it is up to us to preserve it, to nurture it. Go revisit your childhood heroes and renew your mind to believing again.

Fall Classic complete

I remember my one and only venture to PGA Tour Q school, aka golf’s Fall Classic.

I wish I could tell you of a thrilling experience down to the last putt, when I made a 15 footer on the final hole to gain entrance into golf’s grandest stage (a la Will Collins on the 108th hole).

… or battled through all three stages and made it through like Leif Olson

… or was destined for the Tour like Webb Simpson who qualified T7 first try

… or joined the 59 club, like Harrison Frazar in round 4

Nope, I went to first stage, played with Arjun Atwal and Jeff Quinney. They made it. I only missed it by 100.

Check out this year’s Q school cardholders