Greetings Golfers,

How excited are you about the FedEx Cup?

If you’re a Tour player, it’s probably pretty exciting … because of the opportunity to win a lot of money.

I don’t know about you, but that’s not why I watch golf.

In fact, that kind of hype makes me not want to watch … it’s just annoying and gets in the way.

Too many promoters think “more is good”. Better is good. Too often, more is not a good thing.

We host a lot of golf events – most are charity fund raisers. Too often, the event leaders ruin the event with too much stuff going on. Don’t get me wrong – these are well meaning people … however, when they lose focus of what makes a successful event, it gets ugly.

The same concept applies with most things. A lack of focus and too many moving parts are usually a recipe for failure.

Maybe little kids are excited by non-stop stimulation. But, even they get annoyed with nonsense. Is the FedEx Cup nonsense? Well … it’s sure not the Masters.

I realize that the PGA Tour is a business. But the Tour has a good product … they don’t have to cheese-it-out. A lot of people want to see the best players on the planet play golf – especially at a cool venue.

And, their new schedule is driven by their fear of competing with the NFL. Again, they have a good product … they shouldn’t be running scared. People respect guts and integrity.

Golf’s four Majors are the backbone of professional golf. They should be spread-out so they set a natural rhythm for the golf season. The rest of the Tour events should then fit in around the Majors, with an ebb and flow that gives the golf season meaning and structure. It shouldn’t feel like it’s run by P.T. Barnum.

However, the Tour does have one incredible tournament that should be hyped-up … Q School. Once-upon-a-time … you could take a shot at qualifying for the PGA Tour. The ultimate Rocky story of sports. How did these marketing “geniuses” not take advantage of this rags-to-riches story?

The golf season should end with a Major – the PGA Championship. It should be match-play and they would have a genuine end-of-the-year champion. Not a FedEx champ.

And, over the Winter, they should televise Q-school … play it in Hawaii. Then start the season with that crazy Waste Management tournament in Phoenix.

By the time the golf season would hit the Fall … the NFL would be scared!

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,

The other day on PGA radio, two college golf coaches were talking about the Open. They focused on Brooks Koepka looking at his watch while JB Holmes was taking forever to hit his shot. They both agreed that Brooks was the bad guy for showing his displeasure.

So, Holmes is guilty of ridiculously slow play … and Brooks is the bad guy for pointing at his watch? Really?

One of the coaches even said that Holmes doesn’t want to play slow, but just can’t help it. What – he’s a victim of himself for slow play? It’s asking too much to be ready to play a golf shot?

In my own little world I have to deal with the same thing. Not only with slow play, but any sort of bad behavior. If our Rangers or I confront a slow group that’s ruining the round for everyone behind them … we’re the bad guys – not them. When someone drives their cart on the edge of the green and we tell them not to – we’re the bad guys. When people are rude to our staff and we say that’s not acceptable – we’re the bad guys.

How did this happen? I’m glad that people have freedom and rights. But, they don’t have the right to do whatever they want without consequences. Having rights is not the same as a license to do anything. We also have the right to tell people to do the right thing … or not play here anymore.

Sadly, for some people expulsion is the only thing that they understand. I wish the TOUR had the guts to do the right thing. Obviously JB Holmes will not do the right thing. Brooks Koepka is not the bad guy. The PGA TOUR should step-up and risk being the bad guy because it’s the right thing to do.

As Edmund Burke said: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Obviously, Holmes’ slow play isn’t evil. But, the TOUR has a responsibility to its players and fans to do the right thing. Somehow “doing the right thing” now means allowing everyone to do anything. So cowardice has become a virtue?

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 that golf is frustrating. But I think what is most frustrating is not knowing where the ball is going and not knowing why or how to fix it.

No matter how you swing, the shot is a combination of club face and swing-path. Sure, the movements of your body affect the face and especially the path … but no matter what, your shots are a result of face and path.

To get a handle on this concept, it’s best to test this out at the chipping green. The chipping motion is so short that not much can get in the way of face and path.

If the club face is open at contact, the ball will go high and right like a slice. If the face is closed at contact, the ball will go low and left like a hook.

So, if you want to play a low, running hook chip-shot, you need to send the ball on a path right of the hole so that it come back to the hole.

Conversely, if you want to play a high, soft cut chip-shot, you need to start the ball on a path left of the hole.

Full-shot hooks and slices are just bigger versions of these two shots.

Obviously, it gets trickier with a full swing.

On the backswing, many people take the club back to the outside and put themselves in a position to slice the ball. If you take the club back with your right-hand in control, you most likely will take it back outside and up. If you take it back with your left-hand in control, you most likely will take it back to the inside and low … leading to an inside-out swing path.

But remember, the path alone doesn’t control the shape of the shot … the club-face especially does. I believe it is easier to rotate the club-face closed with your left-hand. Try it and see. And, I believe it is easier to open up the club face with your right-hand.

So, practice chipping with your left-hand in control on the backswing … and also in control as you hit the ball while rolling over your hands to close the face and hit a low, running hook.

And, practice chipping with your right-hand in control on the backswing … and in control as you hit the ball while sliding the club-face under the ball to give you a high soft shot that will spin right like a slice.

After you get the feel of those two distinct shots while chipping … go to the range and try those same shots on your full swing.

Then you will know how to shape your shots. And you will know why your shots go left or right … and why they spin like a hook or a slice.

Will this knowledge end your frustration on the golf course? Have you ever had the putting yips?

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,

I love the Open. Not sure I love it as much as the Masters … but maybe. It’s old-school golf – a game of angles … not raw power. If you think you can just bomb it, find it and then wedge it on the green … you’re in for a long day.

Ironically, the best driver in the world had a very long day. He’s also the local lad and the most talented player that I’ve ever seen. I saw Sam Snead play, but he was in his 60s …so I really can’t compare. Oh yeah, I’m talking about Rory McIlroy.

When he was only 16, Rory set the course record at Royal Portrush with a mind-boggling 61. So yesterday – 14 years later on the same golf course – Rory shot an ugly 79 with an 8 on the first hole.

We all know that golf is a cruel game and no one is exempt from its fickleness and disaster holes. However, Rory is in his prime and playing the Open at his home course. How can this happen?

Don’t get me wrong … I really like Rory. He seems like a guy you’d like to play golf with, hang-out with, or have as your neighbor. Fun, friendly, kind, and trustworthy. A great guy.

But, yesterday’s 79 was a nightmare. Obviously, the pressure on him has been unimaginable. But I’ve thought all year that he’s had the wrong attitude for success. In every interview, he’s talking about how each Major is nothing special, just another golf tournament. Well, that’s not true. Trying to pretend things are not what they are is not healthy. Facing things head-on is healthy.

Of course we can make the argument that golf isn’t life or death. I get it. But, Rory does want to win those Majors – especially the Masters and the Open when it is in Northern Ireland – especially at Royal Portrush.

As usual, Brooks Koepka is hanging around the lead. I wish Rory would adopt Brook’s attitude for Majors. Koepka relishes the pressure. And he faces it head-on.

Golf is not a game of la-la-land. Especially played on those Open courses. This is as good as it gets.

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,

A week ago today, the Tour boys were playing the second round of the 3M tournament in Blaine. The course was wet and loaded with water hazards … the young guys who could hit it high and far were taking over the leaderboard.

On Sunday, two rookies from California were in the final group – Matthew Wolff and Collin Morikawa. They both needed to eagle the 72nd hole to win tournament. Wolff eagled and Morikawa’s eagle putt just missed. Who are these guys!

Matt Wolff is only 20 years old. Playing for Oklahoma State, he won the NCAA tournament about 7 weeks ago. Not only is Wolff a ridiculously good player, he also has a very unusual swing. Even before winning the 3M … he was the subject of constant swing critique on golf internet boards.

In an era of video, golf swings had become much more robotic than in the past. Maybe the recent era of Trackman numbers allows unique swings if the numbers are better. Whatever the reason, Wolff’s swing brought back memories of “flawed” swings like Miller Barber, Eamon Darcy, Calvin Peete, Doug Sanders, and Larry Nelson. Those were all great players who made a “weird” upright move on the backswing.

Jim Furyk makes a similar move and gets the club back in the slot every time. To me, getting the club into the slot is the point of the golf swing. Also, a move that starts the swing so that it can get down into the slot is also a priority. Wolff does both. He initiates his backswing with a big turn of his hips towards the target, then rebounds with a backswing that goes almost straight up and “crosses the line” at the top. I love it. That initial hip move is athletic and gets him going. That position at the top allows him to pull the club DOWN into the slot. He can not come over the top with that move.

Those two moves are heresy to the modern swing. Old school golfers used to rock left and then rock back right to initiate their backswing. Sort of like a pitcher rocking forward to get the windup going or a tennis player rocking on the serve. At the Ryder Cup I couldn’t believe how rigid the players looked.

Hopefully Wolff’s success will free up a bunch of golf swings and instruction. I’m not saying Wolff’s swing is for everyone. Lot’s of people are more comfortable with a flatter swing with less movement … that’s great as long as they can get the club into the slot. There are many ways to swing the golf club as long as it gets back into the slot.

Well, the 3M tournament definitely got into the slot. What a debut! And its champion also got his first victory. I think we’re seeing the start of a new superstar.

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,

The summer edition of MINNESOTA GOLFER magazine arrived the other day. The cover was “ SEIZE THE SUMMER: Golf, Gaming and More Near Moose Lake”.

My Father-in-Law had a cabin up in Moose Lake and later retired there full time. So one summer while visiting, they talked me into playing in the Moose Lake Shortstop. Years ago, golf “shortstops” were a big deal and held at small town golf courses all over Minnesota.

Back then (way back then), I was young and cocky and thought winning the Moose Lake Shortstop would be a walk-in-the-park. Wrong. The locals had a lot of very good players, and other good players came over from The Range and Duluth. I was in for a big surprise.

The format was typical – play 18 holes on Saturday which would qualify you for your matchplay flight on Sunday. What amazed me was the Calcutta – held after the steak dinner on Saturday night. Those were the years of cigarette smoking and serious drinking. I could barely see through the haze as the emcee auctioned off the Championship flight. Some misguided, not-sober woman bought me for $2,000 … that was serious money.

The locals were fun and friendly and took me on the tour from the clubhouse to the Muni and then to a bar on Sand Lake. One of the golfers owned the bar so he kept it open all night as we imbibed and shot pool and partook in assorted craziness. Remember, I was young then.

Shortly after I got back to the cabin, I had to go to the course for my 6:30am match. They were only 9 hole matches, but on no sleep they were exhausting. If you kept winning, you would play in the final matches later in the afternoon. It was usually hot (August) and yours truly could barely walk. Adrenaline can only do so much.

Though most years I played in those late afternoon matches, I never won the Moose Lake Shortstop. Some of the losses were painful … but the memories are delightful. I was just up there for the 4th of July and ran into some old friends. In fact, I still see some of the guys around town and wish that we play golf.

Those were great times. I’m glad the MINNESOTA GOLFER magazine featured The Moose on its cover. They still host the shortstop every August … though it wasn’t mentioned in the article, I highly recommend it!

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 like to be micro-managed? Me neither. So I try not to micro-manage. It’s really disrespectful and it isn’t necessary unless people are incompetent. So being micro-managed is like being told you’re incompetent. Some micro-managers would deny this, they’ll say they’re just being careful … but we all know the difference.

And I’m not just talking employees. This can be family members or friends just reacting to how you do things. It can also be about being a customer. This can get tricky, because customers are more of a wide-ranging group than employees, friends, and family.

As a customer, I like to be treated with respect. I hope it’s assumed that I have common sense and decent manners and personal standards. Years ago, I played a public golf course that had a pole with rules on it. The pole had so many rules on it that they actually added another pole for more rules.

Of course people and businesses need to make things clear. But, there should be a basic level of expectation that shouldn’t need to be said. Such as: no stealing, no fighting, driving carts into ponds, etc.

You can tell a lot about a place by how many rules they have and about how many rules they post. Obviously a place with a ton of rules and especially low-level rules, either caters to a bunch of knuckleheads or believes their customers are knuckleheads. Probably not a culture of respect.

This can be tricky. Too high of expectations, especially unwritten ones, can cause a stiff atmosphere. Or, too low of expectations, especially written ones, can cause a disrespectful atmosphere.

My policy is to set a C level of expectations with almost nothing written or posted. For our staff I expect B level. Don’t laugh, but I expect A level of myself. I think those levels of expectation are fair. Of course, some people think C level is too high … well, C level is probably what is needed for civilization. And, I’m not going to disrespect our customers by changing the atmosphere with signs to deal with the occasional knucklehead.

Unfortunately, most managers don’t have the freedom that I do. Too many businesses micro-manage their employees and customers. They think that’s running a “tight ship”. Actually, it’s how to run a prison.

The price of a good culture is accepting the fact that a few knuckleheads will sneak in. The best way to deal with them is expulsion, not more rules.

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,

Just gave an older guy a quick golf lesson. He was tired of slicing his driver.

Why did it slice? Well, the clubface was open at impact. A driver has a pretty flat face, so it has more sidespin than irons. Irons have a lot of loft which minimizes sidespin. That is why so many people slice their driver and not their irons.

Was I able to help him? Yeah … I had him close the face at impact. What does that mean? That means rolling over the golf club with your hands and wrists during your swing. Here’s how it feels: Swing a driver waist high like a baseball bat. Your wrists naturally roll the club over. The same thing should happen with a golf club. Should. But doesn’t because most people don’t swing the golf club.

Why not? Probably because the ball is on the ground. That makes most people try to scoop it up in the air with their wrists – especially with an iron. That scooping action opens the face and causes high slices. Or they beat down on it like killing a snake. It feels pretty strong … but isn’t very effective. The snake-killing action usually keeps the face open … also leading to a slice.

So … most people try to square up the club face with their shoulders. I see this type of swing all the time. This shoulder swing causes a lot of problems. Not only is it really tough to square up the clubface … but it actually stops proper body action. When the shoulders start the downswing, the rest of the body stops moving. Just try it and see. When the shoulders start first, the hips and legs and feet stop moving. This is not a good thing.

A good golf swing puts the body in the correct position to hit the ball with the hands. The correct position is that the hands start to hit the ball from a waist-high position to a waist-high follow through. Not from the shoulders at the ball.

Practice swinging a club waist-high to waist-high. Then hit balls with that waist-high swing. Feel your hands actually hit the ball and then extend out at the target.

The whole point of the full swing is to windup and then get you back into that same waist-high position on the downswing.

Golf is the art of hitting with your hands … from a waist high position. Get rid of your shoulder swing and get rid of your slice.

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,

Yesterday was my morning off. So … what did I do with my freedom? Watched the Golf Channel’s “Live at the US Open”. And, I can’t wait to watch the full coverage over the weekend.

My plan was to write about Pebble Beach. However, it became obvious that what I was really excited about was that golf was being PLAYED at Pebble Beach. It was more like I was excited that a good friend of mine was going to a really cool place.

Golf is a really good friend of mine.

There were years when I was so busy working at Deer Run GC that I seldom played golf. I felt like I’d lost a close friend. I had. Golf was always there – a loyal friend. Even when I wasn’t there.

Our staff has been talking about the importance of loyalty. If our staff doesn’t feel that we have each other’s backs … we have constant problems. All healthy relationships require loyalty.

People are always trying to figure out the special allure of golf. It’s more than a game. It’s a loyal friend. That doesn’t mean it’s a pushover. It doesn’t reward bad behavior – just like your other good friends … but, it doesn’t write you off – you can redeem yourself. That’s your decision.

You know that line “Golf is the game for a lifetime”? It’s more than that … it’s a friend for a lifetime. I’d call that a loyal friend.

I’m glad that my friend is having a special time at Pebble Beach this week.

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,

Last night I was looking out my office window and all was well with the world. It was a beautiful evening and Men’s League was running swimmingly.

While lost in the glow of savoring such goodness, I began to recollect on similar beautiful Men’s League evenings. Boom! I was knocked out my La-la-land with a memory from about 15-20 years ago.

The following is a true story … though we never talk about it … and no one here as ever brought it up. Here goes:

On a beautiful Thursday Men’s League night, the police called me and said that there was a sniper holed-up in a house across the street. He had fought with his wife and locked her out of the house and barricaded himself in an upstairs bedroom. He also had a rifle pointing out of his window towards Deer Run Golf Club.

So, I got in a cart and drove to #9 green (right across from the sniper house). And, trying to keep things light, told the guys to not finish putting and to slowly go to the clubhouse. Then, I drove to the guys in the middle of #9 fairway and asked if they’d seen the SWAT team across the street. Of course, they started laughing – hardy-har-har – so I laughed and then said I was serious and that they should go back to #8, and then to the clubhouse. As I got to #9 tee box, I felt fairly safe and then just worked my way through every group until I got everyone off the golf course.

It was pretty eerie watching the police helicopter circling the sniper’s house. About an hour later he gave himself up without incident.

Remember when Mall of America had a sniper and people called it Camp Sniper? That wasn’t exactly what I wanted for DRGC. Golf is hard enough without worrying about sniper fire.

So, we declined talking to the media – the local tv stations were swarming – and we just basically put a lid on the whole deal. And … it just went away. In fact, I bet that the people who were there and are now reading this might not even remember that odd evening. Odd isn’t accurate … Twilight Zone is more like it.

One last item. Afterward, when the Sherriff was in my office giving me the whole story … he left me with an interesting tidbit … the rifle was pointed at my office.

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