Greetings Golfers,

I love it when someone throws me a wide-open question. This one – “What Do You Hope The New Year Brings?” is almost too good. I’ll try to keep it short.

First off … I’ve been a Viking’s fan for over 50 years. I’d love to see them win the Super Bowl before I leave the planet. 2019 would be perfect. Mike Zimmer is a great coach – the best they’ve had since Bud Grant. I don’t think I have enough time before their next great coach comes along.

Secondly … I work in the golf industry. Last year (2018) was the worst golf weather in my almost 30 years at Deer Run GC. To balance the scales … 2019 should be the best golf weather in the past 30 years. I just want things fair.

Third … As we all know, our society is pretty fractured, and the hostility seems to grow every day. People are always going to have different opinions. And I think that’s healthy.

But, what is not healthy is a fundamental lack of respect for people and their opinions. That old saying “You have to earn my respect” leads to the mess we’re in now. When I meet people I treat them with respect. We’re both navigating living on this planet. However, they can LOSE my respect. And, even if they lose my respect … I still respect THEIR RIGHT to free speech. Ironically, some people use free speech to say disrespectful things. Yet, they still deserve the right to free speech. But, the bottom line is … we need to be more respectful of each other.

Those are my big 3 hopes for the New Year. Obviously, I’m shooting for the sky. Why not … they asked for my “hopes”.

Cheers,

Tom Abts
GM/Head Golf Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com

Deer Run Golf Club
8661 Deer Run Drive
Victoria, MN 55386
(952) 443-2351
www.deerrungolf.com
www.facebook.com/DeerRunGolf
www.twitter.com/DeerRunGolfClub

Greetings Golfers,

Can’t believe that it’s almost Christmas. They say that time goes faster as you get older – but this is ridiculous.

So, let’s slow down and enjoy the Holiday Season. Now is the time to be thankful, thoughtful, warm, and generous.

2018 was a wonderful year. Thank you for your love and support.

Merry Christmas,

Tom Abts
GM and Head Golf Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com

Greetings Golfers,    

December is only a day away.

You know what that means… you need to get your Christmas shopping started.

As usual, we’re here to make your life easy (or easier).

We are offering a special Christmas promotion – you should have received an email about it last week. It is the deal of a lifetime, but was misunderstood. Because it is offered as a two-some, four-some, or eight-some… some people believed that you had to use the passes in the size group that was purchased. Not so! You may use the individual passes in any way that you desire – another example of our Christmas Spirit.

Give the Gift of Play:

Rare and Exclusive Deer Run Golf Club

Holiday Special

Available until December 19th (click here).

Dynamic Duo – 2 rounds of golf plus cart, no restrictions:   $120  (15% savings)

Festive Foursome – 4 rounds of golf plus carts, no restrictions:   $200 (28% savings)

Get your Group On – 8 rounds of golf plus carts, no restrictions:   $360  (35% savings)

Gift cards and envelopes are ready for you to personalize and sign.

And, don’t forget … our Annual Christmas Sale is tomorrow from 9-2.

Cheers!

Tom Abts

GM and Head Golf Professional

tabts@deerrungolf.com

Greetings Golfers,

Maybe it’s the format of the emails… but, whatever the reason may be, I’m getting a lot of questions about our Annual Christmas Sale.

So, this should clear up things: The Sale is next Saturday, December 1 at the Clubhouse. The hours are from 9am – 2pm.  Everything is 50% off.  Everything. Even balls, clubs, and shoes which have very little mark-up in the first place.

Of course we want some winter revenue. But we also want to sell everything and start totally fresh next year.  And, believe it or not, we enjoy giving you a great deal. What makes the Sale fun is that we have really good stuff left over. Cool clothes, hats, gloves, bags, etc.  A smart way to Christmas shop… and a reason to buy stuff for yourself.

We are also selling the Holiday passes.  We originally intended the passes to be purchased as Christmas presents. But people got wise and figured out it’s a great opportunity to set themselves up golf-wise for next year.

As always, we will be serving Christmas cookies, hot chocolate, coffee, Baileys, Kahlua, Irish whiskey. It’s more than a Sale… it’s a Christmas party.

See you then,

Tom Abts

GM and Head Golf Professional

tabts@deerrungolf.com

Greetings Golfers,

So next Friday – a week from today – Tiger and Phil will be battling it out in what is being hyped as “The Match”.

Next Friday is also called “Black Friday” … the biggest shopping day of the year.

Though I’ll probably be staying home (I definitely won’t be out shopping) I’m not sure I’m going to partake of “The Match”. The more I’ve read about it, the less I want to watch it. I guess they’ll be doing stuff like giving odds on the shots (?) … and Phil and Tiger will be even “challenging” each other during the round with side-bets.

I get it. They want it to seem like a match between “the boys”. Supposedly Tiger and Phil have been working on one-liners because they’ll be mic-ed up for the “trash-talking” that is supposed to be a big part of the entertainment.

It probably won’t be worse than those Skins Games … which I used to watch after Thanksgiving … but at least they weren’t on Pay-Per-View.

Since I’ve got your attention about televised golf … let’s talk about the PGA TOUR. The 2019 season has already started. It started a week after the Ryder Cup. All sports have stretched their seasons – but this is ridiculous.

Here’s my vision:

Start the season in January at the Phoenix Open. It’s a crazy event – sort of like the Ryder Cup. Would be a fun way to jump start the new year. Then go on the normal West Coast swing, finishing up with the big ProAm event at Pebble Beach. After that, head east to Florida, and then to Augusta for the Masters. The Majors are still the main events in golf – no matter what the TOUR tries to do. Don’t fight it – maximize it. The PGA Championship should not be moved to May. The Players Championship is great and like a 5th Major – keep that in May. Then during the Summer, work around the US Open and the British Open. That’s what matters. Then end the season in September. Not with the FedEx Cup. No one cares. The season ending tournament should cap off the year with a champion. The PGA Championship used to be match-play. It should be. It would be a great Major if it were the final tournament and crowned a champion who beat the best head-to-head. What a way to end the season. And end it.

Leave the Fall for silliness like “The Match”. They used to call the off-season the “silly season”. It still is.

Cheers,

Tom Abts

GM and Head Golf Professional

tabts@deerrungolf.com

Greetings Golfers,

People always ask me what I do in the off season. Not meaning work-wise, what do I do with all of my free time?

Well, I just lead the life of Riley. Things just wrap-up on their own … and then when next season begins, it just runs itself.

Not so much.

Like most things, the real work is behind the scenes.

Football players don’t just show-up and play in the games. They practice and prepare all week. And the best ones practice and prepare all year long. And I’m talking about the players. The coaches are also planning and strategizing all year … and creating new schemes.

Last Sunday, Vikings’ Head Coach Mike Zimmer was asked if seeing other teams use his coverages and pressures is frustrating of flattering? Here’s what he said: “They’ve been stealing our blitzes for a long time, and are stealing our coverages now. It’s like the old thing, everybody copies you if you’ve been good. So then you’ve got to change up and do other things. The whole game is about making adjustments.”

A good coach like Zimmer is like a good army general. They have a well thought out strategy, yet are ready to make needed adjustments. Those adjustments are a result of walking through many different scenarios … he’s not just winging it.

The better the strategy, the more it is simple and clear. Simple doesn’t mean simple-minded. Rather it is the result of a lot of work and a lot of planning. Overly complicated anything is in need of work to become clear.

Abraham Lincoln said it so well. At the end of a long letter, he apologized and said “ I’m sorry I wrote such a long letter. I didn’t have time to write a short one”.

Perfect.

Cheers,

Tom Abts

GM and Head Golf Professional

tabts@deerrungolf.com

Greetings Golfers,

We’re closed for the season. We had a good year, despite the weather. I don’t want to complain – we didn’t get hit by a tornado or a hurricane or get flooded out – we just had a very late start, followed by unusually hot, humid weather … and then a pretty nasty Fall. Hopefully, we’ll have a mild Winter, an early Spring and a perfect weather year – just like Camelot.

Speaking of magical places … did you see our flower gardens this year? They were ridiculously beautiful. A young man by the name of Paul Bickel is responsible for the stunning beauty.

People constantly ask me if Paul would do their gardens or consult with them. No. This is not a job for Paul – this is a labor of love. And it’s a lot of labor! And even more love!

Fortunately, Paul had help this year. Another Deer Run neighbor – Martin Teal – stepped up and assisted Paul in the planting and tending of his magnificent gardens.

Paul’s gardens are a result of a strong vision and a lot of work. It’s not just plant the flowers and see what happens. A lot of weeding is involved. And careful watering. They need constant attention and tending.

Gardens are much like a culture. They’re fragile and beautiful, but can easily die and/or be taken over by weeds.

The key to civilization is the word civil. People have to grow up and be better than rude, whiny, demanding brats. They have to evolve into flowers. Then a culture or civilization can be a beautiful garden.

I believe the point of the physical world is to represent your soul. Ugly art, ugly architecture, ugly landscapes, disturbing music … all represent an ugly soul. Or just basic functionality in those areas represent a weak soul.

Mr. Paul Bickel has a beautiful soul.

Cheers,

Tom Abts

GM and Head Golf Professional

tabts@deerrungolf.com

Greetings Golfers,

I can’t stop thinking about the hospitality that we encountered everywhere throughout Spain. Then it hit me … their culture highly values hospitality. So much so, that the customers are as gracious as the staff.

Real hospitality only works when it’s a two-way street.

If it’s not a two-way street, then it’s a master-slave relationship … that’s not genuine hospitality.

The reason “please” and “thank you” are so important is that is signifies respect … that it’s not an order.

Those “little things” are actually huge … it’s what makes relationships work (or fail). Broken marriages and broken companies are usually a result of a lack of respect for the “little things”.

At Deer Run GC we are very fortunate. Our customers treat our staff with respect. They do the “little things”. And it shows. In fact, it shows in the latest READER’S CHOICE AWARDS in Tee Times magazine. Every year in the October issue, Tee Times post the winners and top 5 vote getters in a variety of categories for the public golf courses in Minnesota.

This year, Deer Run got first place in:

*    Best Golf Experience

*    Best Hospitality

*    Favorite Course For A Tournament

*    Favorite Clubhouse

We also placed in the top 5 in:

*    Course in the Best Condition

*    Best Greens

*    Best Pro Shop

*    Best Value

Wow! I know … that’s pretty crazy. But, I know what drives all of it – Hospitality.  And … Hospitality is a two-way street. If our customers are not respectful people, our unique Deer Run thing doesn’t work.

Just like Spain. It’s a two-way culture of respect.

So…to all of you – THANK YOU.

You should be as proud of these awards as we are.

Cheers,

Tom Abts

GM and Head Golf Professional

tabts@deerrungolf.com