Greetings Golfers,

A few weeks ago, a local Pro was talking about how he gets too wound-up in big golf tournaments. I get it. You get it … we all get it. What’s the secret to not losing your mind under pressure?

Here’s what I told him: It’s good to be excited and nervous – that will make you sharper than normal. However, too wound-up is like shorting out something you plugged-in … it got too much energy. And, too much energy comes from NEEDING it. It’s good to WANT it, but you can’t need it.

Ok, what does that mean? He agreed with me, and instantly knew what I meant. But, how do I put that understanding into words? Well, I think it goes back to establishing priorities. If winning a golf tournament is the most important thing in your life … it’s just too much pressure … you will freak out. The problem is a lack of perspective … which I believe is a lack of priorities.

If I had to point to one thing that is wrong with our modern society … I would say that it’s a lack of priorities. I’m constantly hearing messages that “you can have it all”. Well, that’s ridiculous. Our lifetime is limited … we don’t live forever. We don’t have the time like Bill Murray did in the movie “Groundhog’s Day” to master languages and art and music and sport and everything else. But what I loved about “Groundhog’s Day” was that Bill Murray finally realized what matters … he finally had priorities … not just a selfish, greedy guy trying to “have it all”, but a guy who wanted a meaningful life with meaningful relationships.

I think a symptom of that “have it all” philosophy leads to people always being in a hurry because they don’t have things prioritized. I play golf Down South with a group of about 12 guys. In that group there are some guys who play golf like it’s a race … and they’re always mad at the other guys for not playing in 2 1/2 hours. The other guys are not slow … it’s always under 4 hours and this is a difficult golf course. So, the racers finish fast and then hang around in the Clubhouse and are sort of bored. They have nowhere to go anyway – what’s the rush? Well, they don’t even know … they just live like that. And, people like that are always late for things. You’d think it’d be the opposite but it’s not. They time things too close to try to “do it all” … but of course that doesn’t work and then they screw-up by being late for an important meeting or missing their airplane flight … while they stop for doughnuts on the way.

You see it in everything. There used to be a saying called “a lazy man’s load”. That meant when moving things, they would take too many things rather than take another trip. So, by carrying too many things in their arms, they ended-up dropping and breaking things. They didn’t prioritize. I think most modern people would try to do this … and be proud of it.

I just arrived in South Carolina. We drove from Minnesota and it gets crazier every year. I can’t tell you how often somebody passes me on the freeway and then immediately cuts over 3 lanes to exit the freeway. What!!!

They’re risking our lives for nothing … zero advantage.

Golf is very much a game of priorities. Many years ago I played with one of my son’s college friends in Arizona. He hit the ball as solid as a Tour player. We played at Gainey Ranch and he shot 81. I hit about 3 solid shots and shot 73. He couldn’t understand what happened. I tried to explain course management to him after his round … I remembered his shots better than he did … he had no strategy – he just went for the perfect shot every time. No wonder he didn’t remember – he never thought about his shots – there was no decision making.

Maybe having priorities and making plans is too old-fashioned. Maybe it’s not “free” enough to “do your own thing”. But are you really free when you’re not planning and making decisions based on priorities … instead of just reacting?

Let’s go back to the Pro freaking out under pressure and needing it instead of just wanting it. The calmest people are not the people who don’t care about anything … apathy doesn’t lead to peace of mind. Disorganization leads to anxiety not peace. Simplification is a result of prioritization.

Golf is the perfect antidote to the modern madness. And of course, the modern “gurus” trying to “save” golf are emphasizing how golf should be more like the modern world. That’s just dumb. The beauty of golf is that it’s timeless.

Of course people need to get their priorities straight … but first they have to prioritize. That goes against the modern idea of “having it all”. Happiness and peace of mind come from knowing what you need – not from needing everything.

Happy New Year!

Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA 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, 

The New Year is the perfect time to work on your golf swing. I’m skeptical of making changes – especially during the summer – but winter in Minnesota is time to work on your swing.

Alignment for most people is a problem – even for good players. Many years ago, I had a new assistant Pro who was a very good player. He was young, strong, athletic and very confident. However, he lined-up right of his target … and wouldn’t change. Lining-up right of the target, promoted over-using his shoulders when hitting the shot. That move feels strong (and is) … but leads to inconsistency … and golf is more about consistency than power. This young fellow wanted to beat me (at golf) but he didn’t … though he made more birdies, he also had a few blow-up holes due to his faulty alignment.

The problem with lining up right of your target is that it causes you to swing left. Swinging left is “coming over the top”. Basically that means stopping your hips from turning and overusing your shoulders.

Now we’re getting to the heart of the golf swing … but it can be confusing and is seldom explained very well. Please bear with me as I try to make this clear.

The golf swing is really a sweep … you sweep the ball off of the ground or a tee. Too many people either hit down at the ball or try to scoop it up in the air. The problems with their golf swing are a result of the wrong concept of the golf swing. Fixing the faulty parts of the swing doesn’t really solve anything if the concept is wrong. They will always revert back to the wrong swing if the concept is wrong.

Here’s how the swing should feel: Swing the club back waist high and hold it. Now, twist your hips to the left and let the hips pull the club through the shot to waist high level. That little half-swing is the golf swing in a nutshell.

I do this drill up in my office and hit little shots onto the couch. Do this during the winter in your home or office.

You’ll see how you need to line-up left of your target to have enough room to swing the club at the target. Otherwise you’ll be stuck or cramped and won’t have a good follow through.

Remember the story of the young Pro who didn’t line-up correctly? Well, he did finally give in and line-up left of the target. He didn’t lose yardage like he thought he would … and he became a much better player … a more CONSISTENT player. And, he started beating me. Not that I enjoyed losing … but I enjoyed watching how well he played.

This is your year to start beating your friends. Good golf is consistent golf. Consistent golf is a result of the proper understanding of how the golf swing should work. A good golf swing sweeps the ball out at the target. It doesn’t pull the ball at the target.

Happy New Year!

Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA 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,

Well, the Twins are toast. All the other division series went to 5 games. It seemed to me that the Twins were just happy to be there … and that they tried really hard to be “loose”. Think how goofy that sounds “Tried hard to be loose”.

Remember early this year when Rory McIlroy was “trying to be loose” … saying that the Majors were “just another tournament”? Worked really well for both Rory and the Twins.

Loose has to be natural – not forced. Shouldn’t you use that energy? Nervous should be used – not fought. The Twins looked flat. Rory looked flat in the first rounds of this year’s Majors.

Obviously for a long season like baseball … it’s good to keep loose and not get too ramped up for every game – you’ll burn out. However, for the playoffs or golf Majors … put the pedal to the metal!

NFL football games are only once a week … and only 16 games. They could ramp it up. The Vikings have looked flat. I think Zimmer is a good coach – especially defense. But a ball-control offense only works with a great offensive line. That’s what Zimmer wants to do … have a low-risk offense and rely on the defense. I get it. But you need to have the horses. Game plans have to be based in reality. Just like your golf game plan. As I’ve gotten older I have to play a different style of golf. My game has lost its horsepower. I can’t play power golf. The Vikings can’t play power, ball control football.

Both these confused concepts are rooted in la-la land. When la-la land meets reality … la-la land is in trouble.

Nervous energy is a good thing. It should be used. And a game plan is good if rooted in reality. The worst of all worlds is “trying to be loose” while sticking to a faulty game plan. Whether it’s your golf game, your business, etc. Somehow apathy became a virtue. And fantasy became better than reality.

Whatever team wins the World Series will be facing reality head-on with nervous energy. I look forward to the battles.

Cheers,

Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA 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,

Later today, the Minnesota Twins play the NY Yankees in the first game of the ALDS. I’m actually fairly optimistic that the Twins can win this series. They aren’t afraid of the Yankees. They set the league record for home-runs in a season – 307. The Yankees hit 306.

Obviously these two teams are bombers. Normally, I’m not a fan of home-run baseball. I like the nuances of baseball: Is the pitcher consistently ahead in the count? Can this batter hit to the opposite field? Can they steal on this catcher – or pitcher? Etc.

Too often, home-run baseball just overpowers the nuances … almost makes them irrelevant.

This year, MLB, decided to “juice” the ball. It worked – record home-runs.

They think this is what the fans want. Maybe. I relate it to movies. What makes a good story is that the nuances are important – that’s what is really interesting. The plot can be basic. Most of our lives have basic plots. But, it’s the nuances that make it interesting. Same with a movie. If the writer doesn’t really have insight into how things and people work … the writer focuses more on a tricky plot and then uses cliche characters and cliche situations. That type of story doesn’t really get your full attention.

Same with baseball. The nuances are what really get your full attention. Power-baseball is about half watching the game, but getting excited when someone knocks it over the fence. Sort of like a car chase.

Obviously, I can continue this analogy to golf. I much prefer links-style golf to wide-open parkland courses that allow bombers to fly everything that was intended to make the holes interesting. Driver-wedge all day except for driver-6 iron on par 5s is not exactly fascinating.

So, maybe this Twins-Yankees series will be basically a home-run derby. That’s fine with me as long as the Twins win. I’ve loved the Twins since they moved here in 1961. However, I hated the Yankees even before 1961.

Cheers,

Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA 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,

There’s an old Greek proverb that says, “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they will never sit in.”

Well, I’m getting to be an old man, so I take these sayings seriously. We all get it … “Leave the world a better place than you found it.”

I’m sure you notice this behavior with the people you play golf with. Do they “Leave the golf course better than they found it?” Do they repair their own ball marks and even a few extra? Do they replace divots? Do they rake bunkers? Do they drive their cart where they shouldn’t?

Of course beginning golfers get a pass on a lot of this stuff. Sort of like how kids should get a pass on comparable stuff in daily living.

However, experienced golfers know better. They can’t claim innocence. Not really.

Golf really is a test of character. Not just in the obvious ways of how people keep score. But, in the more subtle ways of how they treat their playing partners and the golf course.

Golf isn’t all about score.

Cheers,

Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA 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,

What do people mean by the saying “Less is More”?

According to PHRASE FINDER, it means: “The notion that simplicity and clarity leads to good design”.

Obviously it’s referring to architecture, but I think it relates to everything. Simplicity and clarity sure beats complication and confusion.

We host a lot of golf events. My mantra to the organizers is always “Less is More”. That usually isn’t what people want to hear. They get sucked into other people telling them they should do “this really fun thing”. Usually, it’s not really fun … and if they listen to a lot of people and keep adding “fun things” … it becomes annoying instead of fun.

We need to prioritize. We have limited time on this planet. We innately know how much time things should take. Life shouldn’t be rushed through … but time shouldn’t be wasted either. Time is precious. We all know that instinctively.

I advise golf events to focus on 4 things:

• simple format
• nice pace of play
• friendly atmosphere
• good food

Too often, adding “More” … leads to:

• complicated format
• slow pace of play
• uptight atmosphere
• no one sticks around for the dinner

As usual, Abraham Lincoln said it well: “If I’d had more time, I would have written a shorter letter”.

Simple doesn’t mean simple minded. It usually means clarity. That takes work.

Adding too much to things … is usually lazy and not focused. Lazy because of not doing the work of clarity which leads to simplicity.

Henry David Thoreau: “Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify. Simplify.”

Cheers,

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

LessDeer 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,

The great Ben Hogan said: “ The bridge between address and the start of the swing is the waggle. Don’t groove your waggle. It takes INSTINCT to plan and play a golf shot, and your preparations for each shot must be instinctive.”

That’s coming from the guy who is often thought of as golf’s first “machine like” player.

Though Hogan worked unbelievably hard on developing his golf swing … and was very scientific in the process … he played golf with instinct and intuition.

According to PSYCHOLOGY TODAY: “Until about a hundred years ago science wasn’t even aware of the role of our unconscious, but studies now show that only 20% of the brain’s gray matter is dedicated to conscious thoughts, while 80% is dedicated to non conscious thoughts.”

We need both reason and instinct to make the best possible decisions.

Of course it’s good to have information to play your shot such as yardage and wind and turf firmness … but you also have to figure in that “gut feeling”. You’re not just a robot winding-up to hit shots to exact yardages.

So, Hogan talks about the “waggle”. How many of you waggle? How many of your golf partners waggle? The waggle has become a lost art.

Many years ago in college while watching the Phoenix Open with a girlfriend … she thought that Tom Watson was just getting rid of some nervous energy when he waggled. I tried to explain that he was actually trying to feel the shot with his waggle.

When I went to the Ryder Cup a few years ago, I couldn’t believe how rigid and stiff the players looked before they hit their shots. Straight back posture with no body movement and no waggling of the club. Very machine like.

What if baseball batters stood like statues in the batters box? Or if tennis players stood like statues before they served?

A few minutes ago I read that Dustin Johnson needs surgery on his left knee. Hmmmm. Maybe like Tiger Woods? How many knee surgeries did Tiger have?

The goal of playing golf like a robot is misguided. Start to play using your gut instinct. And, work on your waggle. I’d even recommend using your body as part of your waggle and to initiate your golf swing like Sam Snead used to do.

Snead played great golf into his 80s. And basically played everyday of his life – surgery free!

Hogan knew what he was talking about.

Cheers,

Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA 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,

While standing on the edge of a green … could you with an underhand toss, roll the ball close to the pin?

Probably. But it’s not automatic. You have to judge correctly and then throw it how you planned. And if it didn’t turn out ok … you’d know if it was judgement or execution … or both.

It’s really the same thing with a chip shot. You’re using the club instead of throwing it with your hand.

The point that I’m trying to make … is that you’re in control of where the ball goes either with your throw or using a golf club.

However, when I play golf with people, they seem to think that if they make a good swing that the ball will go where it should. I played with a guy who hit every shot left and he asked me what was wrong. I asked him to try to hit the ball at the right side of the fairway. He looked confused. I said “Can you throw a ball at the right side of the fairway?” He said he could. So I told him to do the same thing with his golf club.

Golf shots are a result of swing path and club face. Your swing is just a means to control path and face. This might sound obvious … but I don’t think most golfers understand it. From what I see and hear … they think if they make a good swing that the ball flies in the correct direction and goes the correct distance.

I would like to see people go to the range and try to hit shots to the 100yd sign with every club in the bag. They need to learn to be in control of the golf club – not make a perfect golf swing.

A good golf swing makes it easier to be in control of the golf club. But the goal is to be able to control the club to hit the ball where you want it to go.

Hitting a golf shot should be similar to throwing a ball. A good pitching windup and motion doesn’t throw the ball.  It helps … but a catcher throws pretty well from the crouch.

The golf swing doesn’t hit the ball for you. You do.

Cheers,

Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA 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,

We all know the saying: “The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.”

It can mean a lot of different things. Someone intends to do the right thing, and does nothing, but feels that’s enough. Or, they did something that turned out to be a disaster though it was well intended.

I give credit for well intentions. That saying almost seems like an excuse not to have good intentions.

Fairly often I read an obituary of a “wonderful” person who was committed to “great causes” … though the obit states that they were cruel to employees and family members. That the “ends justifies the means”. Ugh. Do you buy that? I sure don’t.

Shouldn’t it be both? Good intentions and good works? I don’t trust one without the other.

Or the sweethearts who “just want to help” … while they interfere where they’re not wanted and make things worse and insult people in the process.

Are those really good intentions? I don’t think so. It’s just a power trip disguised as good intentions.

The longer I live, the more I’m convinced that Narcissists are the enemy of the human race. They really don’t care about what they do to other people. We have a sign on the #1 tee box that says “No sunflower seeds”. I played with the Mens League yesterday and empty shells were all over the place. It’s really fun to pick up with my hands gross shells from someone’s mouth. A Narcissist will rationalize that the seeds are natural, etc … but, if they get on the green, they get rolled into the putting surface … not conducive to a smooth surface. Or, playing at a slow pace … it’s their “right” to slow up everyone else’s round.

Some people claim a lack of awareness. Hmmm. So, it’s not bad intention? But, isn’t a lack of awareness a lack of intention? And isn’t a lack of intention/awareness just Narcissism?

You  know how you can feel if someone wants to play well … or not play well? Their intention paves the way to a round from Heaven or Hell.

So here’s my saying: “The road AWAY from Hell is paved with good intentions and good deeds”.

Cheers!

Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA 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,

Do you ever get a song stuck in your head? While playing golf?

Jack Nicklaus has said that the song “Georgy Girl” won a million dollars for him because it kept him in the right rhythm when playing golf. Hmmm.

Golf instructors used to recommend humming a waltz while you played … especially the “Blue Danube”.

Many years ago while playing a State Open qualifier, a guy in our group kept singing the title song from the movie “Shaft”. It got pretty annoying … he would sing as he was setting up to drive … and then hold-up the club and say “Shaft – right on!” But, it must of worked … he was the qualifying medalist.

About 10 years later this same character went on one of our Mens Club winter golf trips to San Diego. To the tune of “Georgy Girl”, he would sing “Hey there, Yogi Bear”, much to annoyance of our foursome. But, it worked again … he shot 67. While flying back to Minnesota – I (of all people) – read in the airline magazine the story about Nicklaus and his success with the song “Georgy Girl” … I couldn’t believe it.

Unfortunately, I’ve had songs that I hate stuck in my head before I play golf … and it’s usually a bad omen.

Obviously a fast beat could be trouble. Probably best is an easy melody … with a light-hearted tone. Heavy and depressing is not a plus … golf can do that on its own.

Nicklaus said that he would hum “Georgy Girl”. Sounds like sage advice … most playing partners would probably prefer humming over singing.

“Right on”!

Cheers,

Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA 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