Tiger, Strongest Golfer or Best Golfer?

I thought Tiger’s performance at the British Open was very interesting, even though not victorious. Let’s add some perspective; Tiger hasn’t one a major yet this year. Of course, that’s only unusual for him. What struck me was how big Tiger is – muscle-wise. He clearly has the most bulked-up physique of any pro golfer. While he has been buff in years past, it’s clear that he’s put on a lot of muscle mass this year. He admits that himself. There’s nothing wrong with that if you’re playing a sport where size is needed, like linebacker in the NFL.

I thought everyone knew that you can’t be a great golfer if you’re muscle bound. Hasn’t this always been taken for granted in the golfing community? Is this nothing more than a wives’ tale? Tiger’s performance this past week certainly doesn’t refute it. But maybe it was just an off-week for him. After all, he’s human. However, golf flows, it’s more about rhythm than brute force. One of the attractions of the game of golf has always been that little skinny guys could hit it as far, if not farther, than the big brutes. Just look at Gary Player and Chi Chi Rodriguez.

I’m no musculoskeletal expert, but it doesn’t seem a stretch to imagine that all that muscle fiber would be more sensitive to random electrical impulses causing it to twitch and fire at the wrong moment – just what you don’t want in a golf swing. Maybe a neuromuscular expert can shed the light of science on this, but I’m going with my gut that big humongous muscles and golf don’t mix. Don’t the big biceps just get in the way?

Regardless of my theories on physique, Tiger’s swing was way out of whack, his shots missing both right and left and we’re talking irons here, not the driver. Where there’s fluidity to most pro swings, Tiger’s has always seemed a bit strained, now more so than ever. Maybe it’s just because he swings faster (harder?) than everyone else. All I know is that I cringe when I imagine myself swinging that way, something I don’t feel with most of the other pros.

Could it be that Tiger needs a teacher? Hank Haney is his current coach, but from all accounts I’ve read, it’s the most tenuous of teacher student relationships. It’s more like ‘Hank, tell me if my hands are too much out in front’, meaning Tiger sets the agenda and Hank gets to speak only when spoken to. I’ll admit for the record that I’ve never taught anyone golf except my wife, but I don’t think it takes more than common sense to see that something is wrong in Tiger’s swing and I don’t think more muscle is the fix.

Tiger has won so much that it mutes criticism. He’s the ‘best golfer in the world’ so how dare anyone standup to him and say differently. The danger is that someday, and maybe it’s now, he’s going to need a third party critique. Unfortunately, at that point, there may be no one willing to say the emperor has no clothes on.

Tiger, maybe I’m wrong, it’s only my guess. And I wouldn’t be disappointed if you came back and won the PGA this year as well as the FedEx Cup. That sure would shut up the naysayers for awhile and might just be enough to get me to breakout the free weights.

GolfDash Website Gets A Facelift!

The GolfDash website has just gone through a major revision with significant enhancements for both visitors and members. Of course I’m prejudiced being one of the co-founders, but in my humble opinion a great website is now even better.

First, the graphics and layout are much improved. Take a look and you’ll see a cleaner website and, most importantly, one that is easier to understand and navigate. I don’t think there’s a more professional or sophisticated golf site out there in internet land and I’ve seen most of them.

Here’s a quick tour of the site and what’s changed. The GolfDash logo, Member Sign-in, Daily Headline and Featured Site are now all at the top of the site in a horizontal band. Added to this in the middle is a new feature – a Calendar - which provides a quick list of all the PGA and LPGA tour dates. With a simple click, you’ll know where the tour is in any given week.

Directly below this top section is an RSS feed for Headlines and the Weather Center. GolfDash members can customize content in these two areas as they see fit. This is a great benefit to be able to track the news and weather that’s important to you. If you only use the public site, think about becoming a member – it’s still free!

Below the Headlines and Weather is the heart of GolfDash – links to over 4000 golf related websites all nicely categorized and searchable. The left side navigation that gives access to all this content now sports a brand new look. Additionally, every heading in the left navigation can be expanded or closed by clicking the carrot next to it, allowing you to make the site as simple or complex as you need. The GolfDash Search Box is still at the top and allows users search access by keyword(s). Directly below that is a list of the major site Content Areas which facilitates navigation to every link in the GolfDash database. Frequent users will see that these major content areas have been tweaked, making the groupings more logical. Clicking on a given entry brings the corresponding Content Categories into the center section of the website.

The tabbed Content Categories across the center of the site now include a description area making it easier to understand what is included. The Subcategories and Links under Content Categories sport a new layout which makes them much easier to read and understand. Members can add and delete links as they see fit, and they have their own My Links tab where they can create their own categories and corresponding links - one more reason to become a member.

Back in the left navigation, below the site content is our Featured Advertiser. This space is for rent and any would-be advertisers can contact Doug or me directly at info@golfdash.com. This is a great way to get exposure to more than 3500 golfers daily (unique visits) in a thoughtful and prominent, yet unobtrusive, way.

Next entry in the left navigation is a list of the most recent entries in the GolfDash Blog. A click on any headline takes you directly to the blog. Below this is a list of Sponsored Links. Anyone wishing to be highlighted should contact Doug or me for rates.

Last on the left navigation is News which is a list of headlines from prominent golf publications and news services. In a moment you can quickly get a sense of what’s happening on a daily basis in the world of golf.

Doug and I took to heart your suggestions and put a lot of work into the GolfDash website to make it easier for every golfer and every industry professional to take advantage of all the great golf content that exists on the web. There are so many good golf resources on the internet that it’s a shame to miss out simply because you didn’t know they existed. As always, we want and need your suggestions. Doug and I firmly believe that we can have a great website only if we get and use input from site users! Please contact us anytime at support@golfdash.com.

The Sweet Swing of Ben Hogan

Ok, there is no sound to this video (which I would love to hear) but just watching the swing of Hogan is a treat.

Golf Needs A New Kind Of Publication

I read a lot of golf magazines. Or, more correctly, I peruse a lot of golf magazines. It’s part of my job to be up on the latest in golf, so I go to the local bookstore and leaf through seven or eight different ones each month to get the latest and greatest news on golf.

I never really considered the whole lot of these publications until just recently. I was content to look through them and come away with a strange sense of emptiness, but never really question why. Maybe I’m a little thick, but it finally dawned on me. They are all marketing publications. They’re not thoughtful, unbiased journals about the wonderful game/sport of golf. They’re extensions of the golf courses, equipment makers, destination resorts, travel agencies, and teaching pros to sell us the sport.

Think about it. When’s the last time you read anything critical of the sport in a golf magazine or a thoughtful article on the state of the game. Who’s writing about slow play, the fact that amateurs never get better, how all the ‘cure your slice’ articles never reduce the number of slicers, how there’s no club that can keep you from hitting it fat, the high price of destination golf courses, or the lack of creative course architecture. They can’t. If they did, who would pay for the magazine, certainly not the current advertisers who all have a stake in keeping us all in dreamland. Think about it, there must be at least three pages of unabashed advertising for every one page of an article.

Can the sport of golf evolve sensibly and protect its wonderful heritage without thoughtful discourse on what’s right and wrong with the current game. Take the issue that many private courses around the country, with a few exceptions, are losing membership at an alarming rate. This is more than a single facility problem, it’s endemic to golf in this country in the 21st century.

Like most naysayers, I can point out problems, but I don’t have much to offer in the way of a solution. Maybe we need someone with deep pockets and a religious commitment to the game to fund such a noble undertaking. Could it pay for itself in a year or so once golfers realized how refreshing it would be to read about golf without being sold every step of the way? Maybe it could attract advertisers who want to market to golfers, but don’t have a vested interest in the sport. Look at the TV advertisers to find some likely candidates.

Honesty has to be as good for golf as it is for everything else. For every advertising dollar that honest reporting might drive away, there is another dollar lurking in the shadows just waiting to associate itself with the wonderful sport of golf.

Is The USGA Killing Golf?

From what I've read, most golf analysts think the Open at Oakmont was a fair test. I agree, but only because everyone played the same course under the same conditions. It was not the intelligent test of golf it was meant to be. The U.S. Open is the greatest golf tournament in this country and, as such, it sets the direction of the sport in general. With its handling of the Open, the USGA is turning golf into an Extreme Sport, killing what's it's supposed to be preserving.

Brad Faxon and Billy Andrade just finished hosting the CVS Charity Classic at the Rhode Island Country Club. It's held Monday and Tuesday after the U.S. Open and is one of the best golf fund raisers in the country. (It's a great venue. The players are relaxed and the spectators can see some of the best in the game up close and personal.) One of the all time greats played this year - Lee Trevino. And Lee had a lot to say about the state of the sport that has provided him a wonderful life. He's upset by it's continual decline. Bottom line for Lee; it's too hard and too expensive for the average player - the one that's the lifeblood of the game.

I couldn't agree more with Mr. Trevino and I think a lot of the responsibility lies with the USGA, particularly with how they set up courses for the Open. Oakmont was a big mistake. Unfortunately golf architects take their clues from this tournament. It seems a new course can only be among the best if it's over 7000 yards and is so difficult that you and I will lose at least a six pack of balls, shoot well north of 100 and spend over $100 (or maybe a lot more). Sounds like fun, doesn't it? As the cost of living and gas skyrockets like our handicaps, we'll still be happy to spend big bucks for five plus hours of torture, won't we. Yeah, right!

So what's wrong with the setup of the Open? It's that it misses the point of what golf is all about. It was never meant to be an Extreme Sport. The way things are going, in 10 years the rough at the Open will be stocked with man eating crocodiles. Or how about adding wind machines to every hole to simulate playing in a hurricane.

If you watched the Open you probably heard the quote from Mr. Fownes who was the course architect; 'a poorly played shot should be irrevocably lost'. Compare that philosphy to Alister MacKenzie's, the architect of Augusta and Cypress Point to name a few - a great golf hole should be able to be played by the amateur and the professional alike and be challenging to both. Maybe Mr. Fownes should have just said 'the player who hits a poor shot will be summarily removed from the course and beaten within an inch of his or her life'. Teach you to make a bad swing I will! Golf is about finding salvation from our mistakes, not about being hit over the head for them.

I've heard commentators get on Phil's case for blaming the rough for injuring his wrist. Hold on a moment, Phil wasn't the only one to be injured while playing and have to withdraw. At last count at least 6 players were injured. Is golf a full contact sport now - miss a shot at Oakmont and be prepared to take a blind hit from a Steeler's linebacker? I'm not a big Phil fan, but I'm in his corner on this one.

I believe golf was meant to be mostly a mental challenge. The great architects design courses with numerous routes to the hole, all with differing risk/reward profiles. The visual layout of the hole is meant to challenge and deceive the mind. Great golf is more like chess and less like a WWW Smackdown.

After watching the Open at Oakmont, I'm sure there will be architects and their customers planning the next 'top 100 course' where the fairways will be no wider than your sidewalk and the rough will look like a Kansas wheat field just before the combines arrive. It will cost you at least a month's spending money to play and you'll say 'never again' when you're finished and bleeding in the clubhouse.

I'm not against tough courses. I've been lucky enough to have played some of the great ones both in the U.S. and in Scotland and loved them. But it's wrong when their are only two shots possible; 1) a great one that gets a lucky bounce and 2) every other shot where you lose at least one stroke. Because of the setup at Oakmont, there were virtually no chances for great recovery shots. Yet, recovery shots are very much a part of the game and often what is most memorable from tournaments of old. Miss a shot at Oakmont or get an unlucky bounce and your only option was to take an extra shot and try again. Hit a bad shot and you should be challenged to make a spectacular shot for a recovery. There was no such option at Oakmont. Your only choice was to take your wedge and gouge it out 90 degrees. This is not exciting golf, it's actually painful to watch. If every course was setup like this, there would be no place for the Seve Ballesteros's of the world.

In the coming years, the people who are supposed to be promoting this great game will sit in their offices, scratch their heads and wonder just what went wrong. My advice to them is to go back and read how golf began, why it prospered for centuries and what was on the minds of the great course architects. And start promoting a game that a normal working family can enjoy. The professional game has to dramatize the allure of golf and, believe me, it's more about the mental than the physical. They also need to find better ways to teach the game. Most amateurs fight some kind of slice, which indicates their basic swing is seriously flawed. They rarely understand how to 'let the club do the work'. And they sure as hell aren't going to play a tight, extremely penal course more than once a year.

And if the USGA isn't going to rise to the occassion and address the problems they're most responsible for creating, then the stars and future course designers will have to. I guess this means you, Tiger. You are probably the one person who has a shot at single-handedly changing the game. When I was a kid, I played at a course that had dirt tees. My friend Robby used to bring a hammer - yes the kind you drive nails with - so we could pound our tees in. We played because it was cheap and we had a lot more fun than if our parents were members at Oakmont. Tiger, maybe you never played a course like that. If not, go out to a few local dog tracks and see what's going on. You're a charitable guy and have helped thousands of people. Why not help 10's of thousands learn the game by designing some cheap challenging courses that the average family can afford. Help us get back to the great game that golf has always been.

US Open, There's Drama Lurking

There is no better championship in organized, adult sport than the U.S. and British Opens in golf. What other championship is open to anyone? Just win your sectional and then the regional and you're in. You can be 80 or 13, makes no difference. Anyone who thinks they have game is welcome to step-up and give it their best.

The Opens are also great because they are played on different courses each year - traditionally the oldest and most revered. To win more than one you can't have a game that's suited to just one course, you've got to have an extraordinary game.

Which is why it's rather surprising that Tiger Woods has won only once, back in '02. I was sure he had already won twice. I guess I got confused with green jackets. I'll go so far as to say that this is a watershed event for Tiger. He's 30 now and almost a parent. How many really good years does he have left? only 6 or 7 if he's like most other human golfers. That's not to say he won't win some tournaments after 37, but he's not going to reap hand fulls every year like he does now.

I don't know the stat, but I'll bet money that Nicklaus had more than one Open championship at 30. After all, it is the national championship. Tiger won 3 US amateurs in barely as many years. And he's only got one US Open championship in 10? tries. What's that about? If Tiger pulls this one out - responds to all the press and hype that Phil is getting and ignores all the guys within 5 years of his age who are figuring out how to win - then my money is on him to beat Jack's numbers when it's all over. If he doesn't win.....

Are Private Clubs The Next Dinosaurs?

More golf courses are built every year, but the number of golfers stays the same. To me that means more supply for the same demand and that equates to more courses competing for the same number of rounds. The fact that more and more private clubs are scrounging for new members seems to support that conclusion.

In New England, where I live, many (maybe most) private golf clubs are having to deal with shrinking membership. They have three choices; 1)raise rates to the remaining members, 2)try to find new members to replace those that die or leave or 3)sell the place to their local real estate developer. The problem with choice 2 is that private clubs are not on the cutting edge of marketing, having been spoiled in years past when prospective members had to literally beg to get in. Those days have been gone for a number of years now.

Today, during 19th hole discussions one often hears about local private clubs trying to actively market their memberships, particularly with rumors of reduced or eliminated initiation fees. Initially these offers sound tempting until you do some simple math to see what you're getting.

For example, one good quality local club is offering to wave the thousand dollar initiation fee. Here's what it would cost for my wife and I when you look at what's left; $7000 for golf and lockers (with some restrictions on player 2), $1000 for mandated cart fees (whether you use them or not) and $1000 for mandated food expenditures. That adds up to $9000 for a season of golf. If money is no object that may be a good deal, but for the middle class it just doesn't work. My extra money is going to increases in gasoline, home heating, health care and property tax to name a few.

My wife and I can play all season at fair to excellent courses for under $2000. That includes at least a couple of rounds at the area's best public course. How can I justify paying 4 times that for golf at one OK course? And by not going for the private course we'll have money to spend on golf if we can get away somewhere warm during the winter.

To my way of thinking, the private clubs are missing the mark big time. They have to come up with new and innovative products to sell or they are going to eventually die. There are only so many upper class golfers out there who can afford traditional private course memberships. And most of these, being older adults, already have their membership somewhere. Apparently today's younger well-to-do players don't think about private clubs the way their parents did. They don't seem interested in joining the old boys and girls clubs. Maybe because after buying the obligatory McMansion and SUV, they don't have enough left for the private club. Or maybe the value isn't there for them when they see how many good local courses they can play for a lot less. Who needs the locker room, wants to pay for carts you don't use or buy food that's not as good as most of the local restaurants.

The USGA, PGA, Club Owners Association and the like had better start to figure out how to sell rounds in new ways or a lot of golf courses are going to be left out to dry or be turned into housing tracts. Groups like the PGA, that feed off amateur golf, should put some of their creative talents into selling the game and not just making a few pros multi-millionaires.

I have a couple of suggestions for any groups that want to address the issue: 1) Focus on teaching the game. One reason that the number of new golfers each year just about equals the number who quit is because they find the game too hard. 460cc square head drivers don't seem to be the answer. All the new equipment in the world won't make up for terrible technique. 2)Make the game easier to sample in small bites; consider selling regional passes that allow a couple of rounds each at a group of local clubs, even if you have to limit tee times to low traffic periods. Sell range passes. Club pros could offer special small group lessons on weekday mornings instead of spending their free time trying to adjust member handicaps who can't quite get their scorecards correct.

Somebody, in a position of leadership, had better step-up to the problem or there will be a lot of hand wringing about the state of the game in the not too distant future.