Greetings Golfers,

Are you watching the baseball playoffs? I really wanted the Cubs to go all the way … I hope it happens in my lifetime.

It blows my mind how good major league baseball players are – it’s ridiculous. They make hard plays look easy … and they can hit pitching that is unhittable. Imagine if they used metal bats like high school players and softball players use. The ball parks would become obsolete.

Well, that’s what’s happened to golf. Metal headed drivers and souped up balls have made classic courses obsolete (for Tour players).

Here’s what Gary Player said last week at the Western Golf Association’s fifth annual Green Coat Gala:
“If we look at the Tour in 30 to 40 to 50 years’ time, 50% of the Tour will hit the ball 400 yards. What’s going to happen to golf? It’s going to be obsolete. Leaders are not handling this in the way that they should. They should cut the ball of professional golf down by 50 yards, and let the amateurs use what they like. They don’t recognize that there are two different games between professional and amateur, and that they are as different as night and day”.

I agree. It’s a shame that the equipment is making great, old, classic golf courses obsolete. Imagine if Wrigley Field became obsolete. I want to see the Cubs win a World Series at Wrigley … not at some crazy ball park that looks like an erector set and center field is 600 feet from home plate.

Cheers,

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