Greetings Golfers,

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.” We all know that saying – either from the Bible or from the Pete Seeger song.

I guess that the season of Spring just ended … Summer supposedly began a few days ago. (I’m aware I capitalized the seasons – I think they should be). Spring is supposed to bring rain – April showers bring May flowers (we capitalize the months – why not the seasons?).

Well, if the purpose of Spring is rain, it was successful. Some would say it’s been too much of a good thing … some such as farmers, golf courses, marinas, outdoor restaurants, lakeshore home owners, etc.

So I’ve been thinking about time. Is time circular or linear? Is life a time-line or a circle?

I think time for golf is circular. The holes leave the Clubhouse but come back.

In football the time is linear – it starts and ends according to a prescribed time.

A clock is circular. But a digital watch just flashes the numbers. Maybe time is both linear and circular?

Some of us haven’t slept much during this “time”. I would worry less if I saw life as more circular and less linear. But the non-stop rain almost brought our golf season to an early end. Fortunately, we recovered nicely … and because of the exceptional talents of our Superintendent Barry Provo, we’re actually in very good shape.

Whether time is circular or linear … I just need to stop worrying and be thankful. That is probably the purpose of every season.

Cheers,

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

Greetings Golfers,

It’s still US Open week at Pinehurst #2. But this week it’s the women’s turn. This is not an easy golf course. Last week only 3 men finished under par. The women are not playing at the same length as the men did, but it’s basically the same course.

How about Lucy Li? She’s 11 years old and qualified to play in the US Open. How crazy is that? And she shot 78 yesterday – I can’t believe she broke 80.

How old was Michelle Wie when she hit the spotlight? It looks like she’s turning into the star that seemed to be her destiny. She’s only 24. She shot 68 yesterday.

Stacy Lewis is the leader – she shot 67 – she only missed one fairway, and one green. And she can putt. She’s an unbelievably good player.

Women’s golf has really improved over the years. When I went to ASU, I used to practice and play with some of the young women on the ASU team. Obviously they were good players – but nothing like the current crop of top college players.

Of course the new equipment helps … but more than anything I think it’s because girls play a lot of sports nowadays. One of the girls in the Deer Run Neighborhood – Christine Piwnica – just won the MN Class A High School Golf Championship. Christine is also a basketball superstar. Playing sports is a huge help to playing good golf.

We hosted the MN Women’s State Open a few years ago – they we’re very impressive players. You know that PGA Tour ad that says “These guys are good” … well, when watching the Women’s State Open, I kept saying “These gals are good”. Hope I don’t get sued.

Cheers,

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

Greetings Golfers,

This week the US Open is being played at Pinehurst #2. The course has been restored to the original Donald Ross design and conditions … it looks more like the British Open than the US Open.

I like it. Golf courses – especially in America – have become too perfect … too resortish for my taste. The game should be about shot-making and strategy … and dealing with bad lies and bad weather – especially major championship golf.

The town of Pinehurst is very cool – looks like an old New England village, though it’s in North Carolina. And as cool as Pinehurst #2 is … it’s not the coolest thing in town – that honor goes to the Pine Crest Inn. That’s where Hogan and Snead, etc used to stay when they played at Pinehurst. And they had legendary chipping contests into the Inn’s fireplace.

Local PGA Teaching Pro Eric Chiles stopped by the other day and talked about how excited he was to caddy for fellow Minnesotan Clayton Rask at Pinehurst this week. I asked Eric if Rask could make the cut, he replied “He could finish in the top ten.” So yesterday morning while watching the US Open on tv, they flashed to Eric and Rask fist-pumping after Rask made a putt to go to -2 … which at the time put him in second place. But not for long – he finished at 3 over par … hope he makes the cut.

But the media attention was on Phil Mickelson all week. With Tiger gone, Phil is the big star even though Adam Scott is ranked #1 in the world. And in 1999 Phil finished second to Payne Stewart in the US Open at Pinehurst #2.
Phil has finished second in the US Open 6 times – that’s crazy. I think the restoration of the course to the old style of golf plays into Phil’s strengths. And maybe he’s been having chipping contests at the Pine Crest Inn against the ghosts of Hogan and Snead.

Sam Snead never won a US Open … maybe he can help Phil take home the trophy.

Cheers,

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

Greetings Golfers,

50 years ago (June 12, 1964) the Rolling Stones played at Danceland in Excelsior. Legend has it that the next day, Mick Jagger went to Bacon Drug and tried to order a cherry soda. While standing in line, Mr. Jimmy Hutmacher supposedly said ��You can’t always get what you want” and thus the title of the famous Stones’ song.

I wasn’t there – I’ve missed out on a lot of the local highlights like all three World Series. But I did see the Stones about 10 years later (and I thought they were getting old) … yet that was 40 years ago and they’re still playing concerts.

Old has changed. Last week Tom Watson almost won the Senior PGA Championship at age 64. And Watson almost won the British Open a few years ago at age 59.

How about Miguel Angel Jimenez winning the Spanish Open a few weeks ago at age 50? They call him the “Most Interesting Man in the World” because he looks like that guy on those Dos Equis’ ads … and smokes cigars while he plays golf.

Will a senior win the US Open next week at Pinehurst? Probably not. I wish it would happen … but as Mr. Jimmy said “You can’t always get what you want.”

Cheers,

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