Greetings Golfers,

Tomorrow is our annual Ranger/Starter meeting. We always have it on the last Saturday of March. Usually, we open the first week of April … so normally it’s pretty good timing.

We haven’t opened and probably won’t until Tuesday. We still have a lot of snow – seriously. That latest snowstorm fell unevenly over the Metro area … but those nitrates in the snow will really green us up – maybe that extra snow will be worth it.

Speaking about being optimistic …I think we’re going to have a nice Spring. Every year I really look forward to the new season … but this one really feels good.

Our Rangers and Starters are also really fired up – they’ve been stopping over at the clubhouse the last few weeks. Their annual meeting is always a lot of fun – these guys (and gals) are really into it and really enjoy each other – it always feels like a family reunion.

What do we talk about? Same old stuff like our 3 C’s:
* Common sense
* Courtesy
* Communication

And that a golf course is like a one-lane freeway. There’s not a passing lane, so everyone needs to go about 60mph (a four hour round). No one has the right to go 90mph and run over people … and no one has the right to go 40mph and slow everyone down. The Rangers need to keep all players aware of playing at a 4 hour pace.

The Starters need to welcome all of the golfers – they are the hosts of the party – and they need to keep them apprised of what’s expected and what’s going on.

Tomorrow is the 23rd Annual Ranger/Starter Meeting – I’m glad it’s still fun.

Cheers,

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

Greetings Golfers,

I watch golf on tv … especially in the winter. And I like it … but I don’t love it – except for the Majors – I love the Majors! The Majors have the natural excitement that comes from being the big game. They don’t need to hype it – in fact too much hype gets in the way. For example, I love football but I haven’t watched the Super Bowl for the past 10 years because all of the hoopla drives me crazy.

I like team sports. I like the strategy and the physical skill involved … and it helps if I like the culture of the team. Some teams I’ve hated since I was a kid – they’ve had the same gross culture for 50 years.

Because golf doesn’t have teams … it needs interesting golfers. It’s not enough just to be a good player … people are attracted to personality – that’s what makes them care.  It’s hard to care about a robot.

And maybe that’s what’s lacking on the PGA Tour – not enough interesting personalities. Nice maybe … but too bland. The problem is that the commissioner – Tim Finchem – has promised the corporate sponsors a Tour of squeaky clean players. I get it … I’m not a big fan of thugs … but I also want real people – not sanitized Stepford Wives and Husbands.

Why did Dustin Johnson leave the Tour? Do we really know? Do we ever get a straight answer on anything? Here’s Commissioner Finchem’s response to his wall of silence “I think it raises a good point when you say, well, if it triggers a situation where a player is stepping away from the game or getting, maybe being suspended but we really don’t know, does that create confusion, and that’s one point that we are giving some thought to on that particular situation”.

Huh? That was crazy double-talk … remember, Finchem was a political lobbyist. But we don’t need the Tour players to talk like that.

Again … I get it – I don’t want “The Real Players of the PGA Tour” reality show … but I do want to know who they really are – not some scrubbed version of a real person.

Then I’d probably love all Tour events – not just the Majors.

Cheers,

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

Greetings Golfers,

Oh, the winds of change. I’m just referring to the weather – not making any profound historical reference.

But the change in weather from last March to this March is profound. In fact the change from last week is amazing – last Wednesday was below zero.

Normal opening day for us is April 6. So anything before that is a bonus. Do we want a big bonus? Of course – but not at the expense of the golf course. So, we’re planning on openingTuesday, March 24. That’s still two weeks ahead of schedule. Hurrah!

What do we have new for this year? I’m so glad you asked. Over the years the green on #9 has been settling toward the water on the right. So, last fall we rebuilt the area surrounding the green on the right and the back. We also removed some trees to give the green much needed sunlight. It’s a much better hole – still a challenge – but not unfair.

We’ve also added a new menu called “At the Turn”. So after you hit your tee shot on hole #10, you can come in and pick up your food – a tasty selection of brats, dogs, and sandwiches – and not slow down play … the best of all worlds.

Also, we are offering complimentary lemonade and iced tea next to the Culligan water dispenser in the Pub. You can even make your own version of an Arnie Palmer. And also look for some new very cool items on the menu and the tap beer selection.

Probably not all of you saw the new Power Tee driving range that we added last fall. This is my kind of practice/warm-up … no more bending down to tee-up the ball … it just does it itself. Golf is strenuous enough.

Not only has the weather changed (and for the better) … but so has Deer Run GC.

See you soon,

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

Greetings Golfers,

I just watched a video discussion called “Is Donald Trump good for golf?”

Was Donald Trump good for football? Remember when he tried to start his own league in the 80s?

And that’s maybe the issue – are we talking PGA Tour golf or the overall game of golf? Trump didn’t affect amateur football – maybe he affected professional football.

Trump is your classic top-down guy. He would never build something at a grassroots level. Doesn’t mean he’s wrong or a terrible guy … just that he probably won’t have a big affect on the game of golf except for the Tour and high-end resorts.

But I’m not in love with the affect that the PGA Tour has on golf. Too many people watch televised golf and think that is “real golf”. They think that golf has to be played on pristine courses, take 5 hours, line up every putt from all directions, obsess over every arcane rule, and be perfectly quiet. That’s not golf … that’s tournament golf played by people trying to make their living. They’re not having fun – it’s an intense, nerve wracking job.

Last summer, Trump blasted the changes to the Pinehurst #2 golf course … it wasn’t resorty enough for him. It’s hard not to think that Trump prefers image over authentic … how about his hair?

At least he’s not into all of the cutesy stuff trying to “save” golf. But the emphasis on “Championship” courses and perfect conditions and over-the-top seriousness wasn’t good for golf … all of the stuff that Trump loves. I think golf should go back more to its roots – that’s where the real charm of the game resides – not golf courses that have the charm of Trump Towers.

Is Trump good for golf? Here’s my answer to him: You’re fired!

Cheers,

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

Greetings Golfers,

Last week, only 19 of the 144 players at the Honda Classic Tournament broke par on the first day. The tournament is played at the PGA National course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

About 30 years ago I played at PGA National, and after the round ran into an old friend. This old friend and I had played many rounds together while in our early 20’s. We had been at about the same level and played for beers – intense matches that basically broke even.

So here we were about 10 years later … and he’d just finished his first year on the PGA Tour. I couldn’t believe it – how did he get so good? What happened? Well, I was about to find out – he invited me to play the next morning.

I remembered everything about his swing. He had a strong grip and swayed off the ball while he lifted the club to the top of his backswing – not exactly your classic swing. So, as he stepped to his first shot, I could see that he’d made changes. His grip was now neutral and his posture was perfect. But then, he took a few waggles, and his grip slipped back into his old style, he swayed off the ball and lifted the club back to the top of backswing … huh!

Well, after a few holes it became pretty clear what had happened – he’d developed an amazing short game. He didn’t hit the ball that great, but his wedge play was ridiculous. He was aiming for areas of the green to spin the ball to the pin – and he was doing it. And he could putt – he could really putt.

That day was not lovely Florida weather. It was cold, windy, and rainy … really nasty. And he broke par. He was like one of those 19 guys who broke par last week – maybe not pretty … but effective.

Bad weather is good for the guys with the great short games. If no one is hitting greens – they’ll win. My buddy never lasted on the Tour – the rest of his game wasn’t good enough – but his short game got him to the big time … at least for awhile.

Cheers,

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