Wandering Through Golf

Really?

Does this actually surprise anyone?

As pointed out in Adam Fonseca’s Waggle Room blog, Mark Wilson and Steve Stricker, Cheeseheads both, are both playing very well in the early season (don’t pay attention to Wilson’s supposed home town of Elmhurst, Illinois. He was held at gunpoint by a bunch of flatlanders(1) and forced to move there).

As Fonseca points out, as the temps in their hometowns of Edgerton (Stricker) and Menominee Falls (Wilson) dip into typical upper Midwest January temps, these two play well. Wilson not only won this last weekend at the Hope (Humana Challenge – hah! It is the Hope) but also won two tournaments last year in the start of the year. Stricker won in Hawaii this year in the first tournament of the season.

Wouldn’t you play well if you were in Hawaii or California while your hometown was dipped in snow and freezing cold? If you could stop giggling long enough, that is.

Wisconsin's avid golfers head out this week

1. Derisive term for Illinois folk by Wisconsonites. There are others, but not as clean.

I have spent no time this weekend (unlike my usual) watching the regular PGA Tour event, the “Humana Callenge” aka, the Bob Hope. Never been a big fan of “get 13 birdies per day or you miss the cut” golf, nor the “celebrities” and their hacking.

The Euro Tour is in South Africa at the Links Course at the Fancourt resort at the very southern tip of The continent, and I’ve been spending my golf time with them. I am fascinated with the tournament, and the place. Except for the mountains in the background, you would swear you were in Scotland. The scrubby bushes in the rough, no true rough but more waste areas. There is a lot of elevation change on each green, with 3 or 4 foot swales to climb on putts and various levels to negotiate on every approach. It is a very interesting looking course.

And on the telecast on TGC Sunday, the announcers said it used to be so flat, it was an airfield. Lots of earth moved here by the designer, Gary Player. Love the look, though.

The "Sunday Best" of Ricky Fowler

As the golf season begins, I felt the need to express some rules about what to wear and not wear on the golf course. After all, we cannot all be as classy as Ricky. How awesome is this outfit?

But there are many, many clothing errors, both on Tour and on the local courses. A few tips for the uninformed, and particularly, the misinformed.

1. Do not wear these pants – ever.

You might think you look great – you know, hip, trendy. But please reconsider. Before you venture on to the golf course, put them on and then find 3 people you trust and love who tell you look good in them.

I’ll wait.

Still waiting.

(Tapping foot)

OK, now that we’ve got that straight, take them back to the store. Remember, John Daly is the only guy who wears them. In the world. In the picture above, those are mannekins. They couldn’t find a fashion model in New York who would allow even his legs to be pictured with those things on.

2. If you wear a hat, wear it correctly. Not like this poor misguided young man.

"Where's the girls at?"

I know that the sideways hat was once a thing amongst rappers and wannabes, but not among over-privileged white kids. It just looks silly. (The pseudo-bowtie just adds another layer that screams of “Look at me!”) Unless you have basal cell carcinoma of the right ear, keep your hat on facing forward. (Backward is OK if you are under 22, but once you get past college kegger age, avoid this as well.)

3. Socks. Wear the right ones for the right type of clothing.

No or Minimal Showsie Socks

See these socks? They are designed for shorts.

Not long pants.

Just because they are your favorite “golf socks,” that does not mean you have to wear them whenever you play golf. If it is 45 and windy and you’ve dusted off the old tan Dockers, put on some normal socks!

I will give juniors a pass on this one, since my boys don’t own a pair of what people of my generation call “dress socks.” Once you are an adult, though, get some non-white, non-tube type, colored long socks that match your pants, and wear them whenever you wear said pants. (For those taking notes, blue and tan socks go with khaki, black socks goes with black, pink goes with nothing and should be burned).

4. Tuck in your shirt.

I know that asking someone to do this teeters on the edge of Old Man Yelling at Kids to Get Off My Lawn, but it still bugs me. If you’re a bit on the chubby side, and it falls out with your mighty swing, that is one thing. But if you look like this guy, no excuse. Tuck it in, look like you’re dressed for golf and not the clubs. Now, get off my lawn!

5. And finally, please, do not ever, under any circumstances, wear your hat like this:

Sir, don't move! I really, really mean it!!

After the success of Matt Every in this last weekend’s Sony Open, I became curious if many of former Big Breakers have made it on any of the tours. Every, you may remember, was on “Big Break Mesquite” in 2007 and it seemed that the other contestants were really impressed with his game. The same could be said for Tommy “Two Gloves” Gainey, current PGA Tour player, from “Big Break IV: USA Vs. Europe” – the other golfers obviously thought he had talent. But what about the rest – any others you can think of?

In searching the archives, I found a few interesting outcomes. A couple of PGA Tour caddies, for instance – both from “Big Break II: Las Vegas”. Donnie Donnatello, the spastic one, and Kip Henley, who actually won that one, have both been PGA caddies. Donnatello has slung the bag for Kevin Na and is now listed as Jay Williamson’s caddy. Henley had long caddied for Brian Gay, split last July, and recently returned to his bag at the Sony. And Jan Dowling, from “Big Break III: Ladies Only” is coaching women’s golf at Florida. Robby Biershenk’s (“The Shank”) brother, Tommy, just made it to the PGA Tour this year through a high Nationwide finish last year.

How about other participants playing at the highest level? Ashley Prange, of UNC and “Big Break V”, made it to the LPGA for one year in 2007 with non-exempt status, but now is back on the Futures Tour, as are a few of the women from the Ka’anapali episode of 2009 (Kim Welch, the winner, made the LPGA for a year as well). There are a couple of Ladies Euro Tour players from that show as well – Sophie Sandolo and Samantha Head. Ryann O’ Toole of “Big Break Sandals Resort” in 2010 actually got picked as a captain’s pick for the 2011 Solheim Cup after a couple of good finishes on the LPGA Tour.

As for the guys, less apparent success. James Nitties, who played alongside Every in the Mesquite series, has been on the PGA Tour in 2009 after qualifying through Q school, and the Nationwide the last two years. And Gainey is pretty popular, and doing well, on the big tour. But I can’t find much about any of the others.

Interestingly, Nitties, Every, and Gainey all failed to win their event, proving that the format can be somewhat of a crapshoot.

The Ultimate Guide to the Full Swing Yips

I am in the process of re-inventing my short book on the yips, “I Am A Yipper”. Not re-writing – that’s too much work! Instead, I’ve taken it off of Barnes & Noble’s publish-on-demand site and am in the process of publishing it myself, through my new venture, Mifflin Street Publishing.

Sounds impressive, doesn’t it?

It isn’t, really. With the advice of my friend and fellow author, John Haines (author of Danny Mo, one of my favorite books that also happens to have golf in it), I have created my own publishing company. The primary reason – to publish my own books, particularly my new book on my experiences this last fall with Cardinal Gibbons’ football team. (Tentative title – “Upright(s): My Experience as a Christian Mentor and First Year Football Coach at Cardinal Gibbons High School”. Other possibilities – “Alive and Kicking,” “Kickin’ It Old School.” The contest is still wide open).

But since I’m going through all of the work to make the company, I’m re-issuing my book on the yips as well, and my book about orthopaedic surgery.

So, visit the Mifflin Street Publishing site early and often!

(Extra points for anyone who knows what the “Mifflin Street” reference is in the company name.)

Geoff Shackleford’s blog mentioned that classic Pecan Valley golf course in San Antonio is closing this week.

Normally, I would give a little sigh and realize how tough it is in this economy for golf courses to stay open. But in this case, I know a bit about the course.

Pecan Valley was pretty close to Brook Air Force. I had attended the Air Force’s School of Aerospace Medicine Course there when I was in medical school. Not particularly long days, my roommate and I were always looking for places to golf once we were out of school in the mid-afternoon. The base course was a bit boring, so we ventured out more than once to Pecan Valley. It was fun, inexpensive, and historicalorific (compound made-up word – you may use it, if you wish).

PV is known for the 50th PGA Championship, when Julius Boros beat out Arnold Palmer on the last hole. Arnold was in the second last group, one shot behind Boros. On the 18th tee, a brutal 488 yard par 4, the King snuffle-hooked one into the left trees. He then uncorked a 230 yard, uphill 3-wood hooker out of the trees, onto the green, ending 12 feet above the hole. Palmer later called it “probably the best fairway wood shot of my career.” There is even a plaque on the ground in the left trees where he hit it from. Since my teeshot landed in the same place, I saw it first hand. And looking at what lay ahead, I had no grasp of how anyone could get it there.

Unfortunately for Arnold, he missed the putt. But still historicaliscious course, and tournament.

I’m sad.

Golf Digest has a hilarious take on the 18 types of golf partners you hate to see.

My favorite: #10 Oblivious Guy

Defining characteristics: So preoccupied with his own game never looks for anyone else’s ball. When driving a cart, always blows past your ball and heads directly to his. Favorite expression:“But enough about me. What do YOU think of my swing?”
Love it!