Ryder Cup, Just Like You and Your Buds!
You know some of my greatest memories in my personal golf game is Ryder Cup Events that I have played in. If you’re like me you probably have your own annual trip that you and your buds play some sort of Ryder Cup style matches.
Two weeks ago the annual ROCKET RYDER CUP- Mason Dixon Classic took place. We grab 8 guys born and raised in the South and 8 men reared in the North. This alone leads to great banter and some spirited golf.
As the founder of the Rocket Ryder Cup, I am the North Captain and my big buddy ex-NFL Center Michael Cheever Captain’s the South squad. I guess I am Corey and the big ugly lineman is Monty.
Whether its the real Ryder Cup or the Roclet Ryder Cup it is all the same sans the media frenzy (this would make great reality tv). There is pride at stake to get that cup. The bragging rights for the year and the stories that just get better with time.
I watch the Ryder Cup every time and it is just a great all around event. Crazy fans, great chants, roars reminesent of Augusta’s Amen Corner where you can tell by the volume whether its a birdie or eagle for wining a hole. Captains wheeling around it their carts with the wire imbedded in their ears.
Plant your butt in that favorite chair and get ready for a fight!
PS: You now what stink? Ties!
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Tags: Colin Montgomery, Corey Pavin, ryder cup
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2010 Ryder Cup Team Finalized
USA Captain Corey Pavin flanked by his assistants Tom Lehman, Davis Love III and Paul Goydos (Jeff Sluman is playing in Europe and couldn’t attend) made his final 4 selection to round out the US team.
Zach Johnson, 1 Major
Stewart Cink, 1 Major, 3 Ryder Cups, all three as a Captain’s pick
Tiger Woods, 14 Majors
Rickie Fowler, PGA Tour Rookie …wonder if he can play without wearing bright Orange, Yellow or Green =)
Team Members Qualified on Points
Phil Mickelson
Hunter Mahan
Bubba Watson
Dustin Johnson
Jeff Overton
Matt Kuchar
I love the picks and when you look at the overall team these picks line up nicely for some great pairings with the rest of the team.
Rickie Fowler and Bubba Watson: these guys are great friends, just follow them on Twitter and you will get plenty of inside peeks as to what’s going on!
Tiger & Stricker or Furyk: Tiger is finally found a running mate in Steve Striker during Presidents Cup play and he also likes teaming up with Furyk.
Cink & Zach Johnson: two good buddies with lots of experience that would pair up well but I think we will see them paired with a younger gun.
Cink & Matt Kuchar: two Georgia Tech boys with great attitudes might be a pairing we see in alternate shot.
Dustin Johnson & Mickelson: they both go to Butch Harmon and play tons of practice rounds to together!
Stay tuned for more info as we get closer to the matches!!!!
1 Comment »Tags: 2010 Ryder Cup, eastern golf tv, golf, PGA TOUR, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Twitter, US Ryder Cup Captians Picks
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Journaling For Success In Your Golf Game
Today was a day that many Dad’s can probably relate to. My daughter Sadie (8 3/4 yrs old) and I hit the driving ranch to practice and spend some one on one time together. It is a time for us to connect on something we can share together and I cherish these opportunities.
Well, we did our usual routine of paying for our balls and standard orange gatorade, scooping balls out of the bin and picking out a good piece of real estate. She took a few minutes to chase a few butterflies and even caught one under her Labadore Retriever headcover (these things are so versatile).
As we started hitting balls and giving each other a few pointers…. “Dad your not aiming at the flag you said you were!” she hasn’t figured out she can charge for those tidbits yet. I watched her wack away and the same things creep up every time…no different for an 8 yr old than her 44 yr old dad.
We came away today with a great take away that we can all benefit from. She is writing in a journal everyday for school and we came up with a golf journal idea for her, ok I am going to do it also.
After each time we practice we are going to have 3 take aways.
- Rate our ball striking: Excellent (pure nervana), Great (man that was awesome, I better stop before I lose this), Good (not great but I can live with it), OK (really 50/50 in terms of hitting a few on a rope but there is plenty to work on) and Poor (do I really need to explain this one)…Ok I will because this is how I explained it to her….You know that guy in the tank top that was wiffing and actually hit the roof over his head 3 times with a driver…that’s POOR on a lot of levels!
- What did we do good: Write down the thing or two that we felt good with or corrected. Doing this it allows us to reinforce what was good and satisfying about the session
- What do we have to work on: Posture, Grip, Path, Irons, Wedges, Driver, Balance, Take Away or Tempo to name a few.
She loved the idea and wanted me to create a pretty cover sheet that is all her own so when she does this on the computer it’s all hers! We are both excited to start the process and I hope this is something that you can implement in your game.
Funny thing happened later that day. We went out to a writers fair in Suwanee, GA to see a friend who was signing some of his children’s books and as we walked around there was a speaker giving a seminar. He said in order to be a good writer or to be a good evaluator of anything we do Journaling is a basic fundamental that everyone regardless of occupation should start doing. Sadie looked at me and said “Hey Dad that’s what were doing!” PRICELESS!
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Kewl Tubes The Diane Gracely Story
There was a time when golf clubs were sold without a headcover that was a walking billboard for the manufacturer. Now a days when you walk out of the golf shop with your new Driver or Hybrid they come with a headcover that is branded for the manufacturer. These are a perfect beacon for someone to swipe your new stick and also don’t allow you to put your own personal stamp on your bag.
The old school guy in me has fallen head over heels for all things traditional in the game and there is nothing better than a set of KEWL TUBES custom knit headcovers. They are pure tradition and a staple in the bag of many professionals and golfers across the country.
I had the pleasure of sitting down with Diane Gracely, president and CEO of Kewl Tubes to learn about her story as an entrepreneur and the successes Kewl Tubes has had since their inception in February 2006.
Diane Gracely is a practical woman who saw a need and had the guts and fortitude to do something about it. Guts and fortitude are two traits that Diane knows about. When she decided to take up the game of golf to spend more time with her husband she wanted to personalize her gear and get a knit headcover. In doing some research to find what she was looking for, she quickly realized that there was a big premium on knit headcovers. Being the practical person she is she took the bull by the horns and said I can knit my own.
What happened next is a great story. Friends and playing partners all liked the workmanship and style she put into her headcovers and they all wanted one. After knitting plenty for her friends, the light bulb went off and she was in business. So much so that she sold her current business to dedicate 100% of her efforts to KEWL TUBES.
The process of knitting a single headcover by hand takes 3 hours of uninterrupted handwork. As her business grew she knew in order to keep up with the demand she needed to become automated. Again, she set out to find a solution. After finding an early 1900’s hand cranked knitting machine on E-Bay she bid on it and won it. Ingenuity took over as her husband’s hands retrofitted the machine to produce perfect knitting for their headcovers.
Slowly she acquired 5 more machines each producing a different size headcover for drivers, fairway woods and hybrids. The hand cranked machines are antiques from an era gone by, but the attention to detail and end results are a work of art.
Sure she could get a new fancy machine that pounds out tons of production but she is sticking to quality and craftsmanship that her customers clamor for.
As with many small business there are struggles and endless hours and it can become a tiresome feat but add to that a hereditary disease and her story takes on a whole new perspective. Diane suffers from CMT, Charcot Marie Tooth, and in her own words she describes her story.
Charcot Marie Tooth has limited my ability to walk and stand. I had to have both of my feet reconstructed because the disease was deforming my feet as my life progressed. I had to resign from my full time job as an accounting rep for a local company because the surgeries and healing time was estimated to be 3 years.
I was raising a 2 year old son on my own. I had gone through a divorce. I knew I could not sit at home and do nothing. I needed money to pay bills and raise my son.
I bought a computer before having my first surgery so that I could teach myself more about the internet and learn about designing web sites, and starting and growing a business online while I was laid up.
I started a small business making laminated bookmarks for wedding favors, schools, book authors, baby showers, and other occasions and events. My business did very well since I had learned how to market it on the internet.
Then 8 years later, I met a man who changed my life, and I started a new business, KEWL TUBES golf club covers. The business took off immediately and I sold the bookmark business to another work at home mom.
To this day I continue to raise my son and grow my golf business. I’ve learned how to juggle everything to be able to be a successful business owner and still spend time with my son. PLUS raise awareness for this disease and hopefully encourage other men and women who have disabilities to start a business of their own and not to give up on life and dreams.
The game of golf is rich with stories of overcoming adversity and the strong will of individuals to persevere! I am proud to know Diane Gracely and the fact that she represents the American Dream of standing up for herself and digging in to fill a need in the golf industry is just wonderful.
For more information on Kewl Tubes visit http://shop.back9promotions.com/
1 Comment »Tags: best golf equipment, headcover, Kewl Tubes, Knit Head Covers, pom pom headcovers
Posted in Balls & Accessories, Equipment, Rocket Rambler | 1 Comment »
2010 Automatic US Ryder Cup Players
The final eight in the points standings after the PGA Championship was complete made the team. Captain Corey Pavin will fill out the rest of the team with four captain’s picks on Sept. 7. Here are the eight who qualified on points:
2) Hunter Mahan
3) Bubba Watson
4) Jim Furyk
6) Dustin Johnson
7) Jeff Overton
I think it is safe to say that the youth movement is US Golf has offically arrived. Only3 of the 8 have played before but they are all great leaders!
These guys are going to bring a fire and excitement to the US Team and although they lack Ryder Cup experience they have all perfromed well on the big stage this year and in their careers.
4 Picks still out there and you would assume Tiger is a lock the other three spots you would except to see a few veterans!
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Dustin Johnson and the invisible Bunker? Brutal!!!
WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT??????
I am all for the rules of golf and some of the obscure rulings we see but this one takes the cake. Dustin Johnson being penalized for grounding his club in a “bunker” is a crazy.
Yeah, the players were warned just as they were in 2004 when Staurt Appleby got bit by the same type of infraction. Sure, it was on the local rule sheet handed to every player in the field. Sure, it was posted on the mirrors in the locker room, but it would ONLY come to a players mind if he thought he was in a bunker.
This thing called a bunker was a dead patch of dirt that has a sandy, dirt like appearance that was so far off the planet and so small that if Refrigerator Perry was sitting there his ass would cover it! Dustin Johnson, even if he recalled the rule, still wouldn’t have thought it was a bunker because it had zero identifiable characteristics of any bunker on earth.
The true problem is that the rules official pointed it out to him on the green 15 minutes later. How the heck did the official know if was a bunker???? And since he did why wouldn’t he have pointed it out??? This was the 72nd hole of a major championship and he knew there was an infraction and if he knew there was a hint of this possibility then why did he step in sooner??
I commend Dustin Johnson on the classy way he took the bullet in the head. It’s like Lincoln saying “Hey nice shot John Wilkes Booth, you nailed it!”. I get the part that it is a rule and we take our medicine in the great game of ours but Jeez Oh Man that was horrible.
I could go on but if I do it won’t be beneficial because the damage is done. I just hope that the rules committee takes a hard look at this to prevent others from this.
2 Comments »Tags: bunker, Dustin Johnson penalty at PGA Championship, golf, PGA Championship, rules onfraction
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What The Golf Industry Thinks About 59
What an amazing week in golf! The week was capped off with a smooth Sunday 59 by Stuart Appelbey on his way to victory at The Greenbrier Championship along with a stellar 57 carded by a 17 yr old Junior in Alabama. We have seen three 60’s on the PGA Tour in the past 5 weeks and another 59 by Paul Goydos at the John Deere Classic.
I see the average golfer playing in the charity events I host as part of Back 9 Promotions all across the country and what is taking place with games elite doesn’t translate to your average Joe. Sure there are many great players but a good day for most is a score in the low 80’s.
All this lightning in a bottle got me to thinking, what’s going on with this flash of low numbers. I have my opinions, which are deeply rooted with a 15 handicaps slant of “I just want to break 80 again!”. So in order to get a true read on this, I went to people I respect most. They are involved in the game from every level and know a thing or two about scoring.
I talked to the GM at TPC Sawgrass who has helped setup the most exciting hole in golf, a tour caddy that loops for a Green Jacket winner, a major ball and equipment manufacturer, 30 year veteran teachers of the game who have worked with the best and the not so best, single handicap amateurs who compete regularly and a golf writer from Golf Digest that plays great courses all over the country.
Take a gander at their take and notice the common themes!
Courses are way too short…they need to scale back the ball…no such thing as driver/3 or 4 iron any longer…to watch Pebble Beach look so short with guys hitting par 5’s with 2 swings of an iron…well, makes me feel kind of..ughhh!
Barry Goldstien, PGA Teaching Professional
2 time Top 50 teacher in America
Director of Instruction for the Maine Golf and Tennis Academy
Father of Carly Ray national ranked junior
I think it is the hot summer weather they have to keep the greens watered so they don’t lose them therefore soft slow greens and low scores.
Damon Green, PGA Tour Caddy for Zach Johnson
Rob – the scoring phenomenon can be summed up in two words: Soft Greens. If the greens are not firm and fast, today’s PGA TOUR player will eat the golf course alive because they are so good with controlling distances, even out of the rough with “new” grooves. Having the greens firm forces the player to hit the ball in the fairway (if they want the maximum amount of spin on the approach shot).
Chad Parker, PGA Head Golf Professional, East Lake Golf Club
There are more players by ten fold compared to thirty years ago so there are better odds that his can happen. Also the improvements in the ball and the shafts have helped the better players but not the average player. The main reason is better players don’t hit at the ball but make a swing through the ball toward the target where the average golfer hits at the ball and no matter how good the equipment they will still hit it poorly. The average golfer will not see improvement until the way they learn and play the game changes.
Eben Dennis
Master Instructor
Dallas, TX
Notable Student: Nick Faldo
Rob, Thanks for asking. Facts are, it is combination of all the factors you mentioned. Better technology, hotter golf balls, better conditioned athletes, etc. As good as these top players are, when you provide them with soft greens and put wedges in their hands on most holes, these types of scores are inevitable.
What people are not talking about is how well these guys putt the ball. Look at the stats. These guys are unbelievable. They go hundreds of holes in a row without a three putt, miss only 1 or 2 putts inside of 10 feet for the tournament when they win. The bottom line is that the golf course conditioning is so much better than ever before. The greens are PERFECT !
Without perfect greens, no low scores. Regardless of the equipment, no perfect, receptive, smooth, and manicured greens, no low scores.
Bill Hughes, PGA Tour, General Manager TPC Sawgrass
As far as the length issue – everything the governing bodies are doing to make course longer and tougher only hurts the guys that don’t hit it 300+ off the tee. The long hitters will always have an advantage over short hitters. Jack Nicklaus had it, and Sam Snead before him, and Bobby Jones before him. But length alone doesn’t make a course tough. Take Pebble Beach for example – it measured less than 7000 yards in 2000, and barely over 7000 yards for the 2010 US Open. That’s very short by modern standards, yet even par was a very good score for 72 holes and only Graeme McDowell managed to accomplish that feat. The USGA made it tough with small, fast greens, thick rough in spots and the natural design and weather conditions. Don’t further punish the short hitters by rolling back the golf ball or making 8000 yard courses. Make greens smaller and bring the short game back into play with slightly longer rough, and you’ll always see scores go up.
As far as guys shooting 59s and 57s – I can try to explain it from a psychology standpoint, since I was a psych major in college. The 57 was a remarkable round, made even more amazing because it was done by a 17 year old. In recent weeks we’ve seen two 59s on the PGA Tour, and three 60s. The more it happens, the more other guys will start to believe it can be duplicated. The mental barrier of the “59” is starting to crumble. Who said 59 was the score that all others are measured against? Why not 58? Or 56? Just like the 4 minute mile was once seemingly unattainable by runners, it’s now commonplace. There is now an entire mental school of thought based on the idea that a perfect round of 18 birdies is out there, and they are teaching players to believe that they can do it. http://www.vision54.com
John Duval, Accomplished Amateur Player
Editor, Into The Grain
Ball-Fitting has been something we've done for a long time with our Tour pros. The first thing we do is bring our players to the R&D Test Center in Covington, Georgia, to undergo an exhaustive ball-fitting. In fact, it was through that same process that we learned Paula Creamer was better suited to play a TOUR ball designed for amateur swing speeds. Paula still have tremendous feel and spin around the greens, but by giving her a softer compression ball, we've been able to get her better distance and accuracy off the tee, because we've cut down on her sidespin. Bridgestone is the first company to bring ball-fitting to the every day golfer too. As of July 2010, we have conducted over 70,000 consumer ball-fittings throughout North America. Almost always, it amazes people how much having the right ball for your swing really can impact scoring and overall enjoyment of the game. For information on ball-fittings nearest you visit www.bridgestonegolf.com. Dan Murphy, VP of Marketing, Bridgestone Golf, Inc.
Until I start shooting 59 from 6,500 yards then scoring on tour doesn't concern me. For now I struggle to break 80, and I play a lot of golf. Personally I like the fact that we, the average golfer and the pros, play the same courses with the same equipment. I like a direct comparison to a place they play, even if they're playing it from 7,200 yards, etc. I just think more courses need "tour tees"...or more narrow fairways, thicker rough and faster greens for the weeks of tour events.
MATT GINELA, Writer, Golf Digest Where’s Matty G.
http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-courses/blogs/wheres-matty-g/
Three things are finally playing a role with the low scores…Improved fitness actually does matter… the guys are significantly stronger than from one generation ago, people in general are bigger – which translates to mover leverage, greater torque, and increased clubhead speed.
Technology – Driver fitting, Ball Fitting, Iron Fitting, – spin ratio, ball speed, clubface angle… technology at the tour disposal has always been available…now it is based on scientific data to maximize each players swing.
Better instruction earlier in a player’s life… long are the days of Larry Nelson and Calvin Peete who picked up the game in their late twenties… doesn’t happen, kids have reached the 10,000 hour practice point by the time they are in college…hence with better instruction, better fitness, better technology, better course conditions all point to lower scores.
Finally – 60 is the 4:00 minute mile…. It only takes one or two to break it….
Sean Taylor, PGA
Mid Atlantic Section Board Of Directors
25 yr teaching professional
The game of golf certainly has not gotten any easier for players at any level, nor are the courses weaker or more vulnerable to these ultra low scores. I went out on Saturday morning with a lot of quality technology in my bag and some semblance of skill in my arsenal. It was a perfectly conditioned course and I played it from the proper set of tees for my game. There was no sign of 59, 69 or even 79 being in any danger from me. Fact is, getting the ball into the hole from 100 yards and in is where scoring happens… and while perhaps a great sphere and sharp wedge grooves might make the task slightly more manageable… there is no technology or shortcut for scoring technique, practice, intelligence, creativity, imagination, guts and execution.
The high-profile increase in scores 62 and below can only be attributable to the quality and consistency of the playing conditions (fewer bad bounces, uneven lies or bumps on the greens to divert great putting strokes) and the extraordinary skills and mental fortitude of the worlds’ best players. Training methods and mental/physical fitness have been improved and motivation has been pushed for more than a decade by Mr. Woods. Courses becoming “obsolete” is a joke… courses being obsolete for one week a year isn’t really an issue, is it? It’s only a tough situation for very few courses with a great desire to host professional golf tournaments. There are plenty of worthwhile tracks to choose from that can stand up to the world’s best. Furthermore, quite a few classic courses have been “ruined” by redesigns focused on that one championship week in one year, rather than for the golfers who play there every other day.
The folks who play golf for money are undoubtedly getting better and these scores are the result. Maybe the slogan should change to “These guys are great!”
Greg Nathan, National Golf Foundation
I think you would agree that the common theme is perfect putting conditions, the world’s best putters, great athletes continuing to get better, proper ball fittings and mental games that are light years ahead of the average hack!
I wish I could add more….. Now make sure your clubs and ball are properly fit to your game and then get to work on your putting and short game!!!!!!!!!
No Comments »Tags: Ball Fitting Challenge, Barry Goldstien, Bridgestoe Golf, Damon Green, Golfer shoots 59, greatest putter in golf, Into The Grain, National Golf Foundation, Paul Goydos, PGA Teaching Professional, PGA TOUR, Power Feel Golf, putting, Stuart Appelbey, TPC Sawgrass
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Cigars & Pars
Cigars & Pars and Stogies & Bogies both conjure up so many great thoughts. The open fairways seem to be one of the few places left that we can truly enjoy a great cigar. There’s no Junior Leaguer discussing Biff’s promotion with Priscilla to give you that look, you know the one, with her snoot in the air glaring at your every puff.
I don’t know about you but the place I enjoy hanging out at just as much as the local golf shop, is the cigar shop. For me it is Scottish Tobacco Company in the Buckhead district of Atlanta. It’s a small shop in a strip center but once you walk in its like Home Depot for the cigar nut.
The place is full of the best cigars from the top companies in the business and beyond that the guys that hang out there are a cast of characters. Off to the back, behind the the dark frosted glass is a room set up for lounging with your favorite cigar. A full size flat screen T.V. for the latest sports and business reports hangs adjacent to some of the most comfortable leather chairs and couch a man can want. Ample cigar lockers, with your personalized brass name plate, fill the wall to hold your personal stash.
We all have our favorite cigars and brag to our friends about the Cuban we had but the regular smoke is what I like. My go to cigar for years has been the Hoyo De Monterrey Excalibur Dark Knight No. 1 5.75 x 54 in a variety of sizes and wrappers. I’m a rubusto man for a short smoke and love the 5 .75” for the golf course.
Excalibur must have been following me over the years and recently hooked up with Golf Digest and Golf Smith in a special golf promotion. To steal the classic movie line “Shut up, you had me at Hello!”. This promo is a Buy 3 Get 1 Free of the Excalibur Series AND if that isn’t good enough they give you more…. you also receive a FREE hat clip & ball marker and a FREE $10 cash card from GOLFSMITH®. SOLD!!!!!
If you can’t tell by now this stuff gets me going! Golf, cigars and great day with friends, come on Sally, this is what its all about. In these tough economic times a trip to the golf course with a stop at your local tobacconist on the way is a full day of fun. It’s an inexpensive way to treat yourself to a peaceful day and you will always meet some great people.
For more information on Excalibur and the golf packages visit http://www.excaliburgolfclub.com/promo-info/
For all things cigar related visit www.ScottishTobacco.com
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Pressure the 15th club!
When the time comes to tee it up under pressure do you fold like a cheap lawn chair? When the time comes for your annual trip with the boys and a few bucks are on the line or team pride do you walk towards it with enthusiasm or wish you were somewhere else?
The country is full of many great players that tee it up weekly at their home course and post some great numbers but when it comes to competition they can’t transfer their game. This past week at the Open Championship, this was the looming question in everyone’s mind. Can Louis Oosthuizen close the deal under the pressure of a Sunday at a major championship.
The guy was #54 in the world but yet he was entering uncharted waters and it would have been very understandable if the wheels came off. Just last month at the US Open Dustin Johnson displayed what happens to one’s body under this pressure.
So what about you, do you take it in stride or all of sudden put extra importance on every single shot? The fact is simple, if you increase your expectation on every shot all day it is an absolute mental grind that will kill you. You must put the day into perceptive and know that you don’t have to be perfect all day. Knowing that you will miss a few shots, have a few errant drives and won’t make every putt will allow you to free up your mind.
We have heard it so many times that you just need to play the course and not your opponent and focus on what you can do. Trying to pull off a shot that needs to be perfect may lead to disaster instead of playing your game and playing to your strengths.
Meltdown!
For us hackers out there in the 10-17 handicap range don’t fool yourself into having to be perfect. Dance with the date you brought and leave it to the other guy to make forced mistakes. I can’t tell you how many times bogey will win a hole and when you look back on how you got to double bogey I am sure you will find that you tried to bite off more than you can chew.
On September 11-12 I will be playing in my Rocket Ryder Cup and fun North vs. South match that I am gearing up for. The only thing I am really going to focus on from now until then is my short game and putting because around and on the greens is where it all happens.
I would love to hear some of your experiences in these situation and how you over came or folded. Looking forward to the stories!
No Comments »Tags: Pressure, Rocket Ryder Cup, ryder cup
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Golf & Life, Rough Roads Are Just Par For The Course
Life and golf are both intertwined with joy, passion, sorrow, heart break, tragedy and triumph. My personal journey over the past year has had a little of each and today is a day of sorrow. We are given a precious gift from above that so often is taken for granted as we wrap ourselves in our own tiny window of activity on this earth. We feel as if we can control it all, if given enough time at the puppeteers strings to orchestrate outcomes as we see fit and manipulate outcomes.
In golf this is so true as well. I had the pleasure of talking with Dr. Bob Rotella a few weeks ago at his home. He made so many great points but the one that stuck with me was being “Unconsciously Competent”, meaning just let go and get out of your won way. We often hear about great players being in the Zone…you might be able to manipulate a swing from time to time but to play like a champion you have to get to place that you can just let go.
Last June, as I was in the midst of my personal pity party after being laid off in banking, I became totally immersed in “my” issues. Then came the reality wake up call that kicked me out of self and into the rest of the world. It was a literal wake up call.
As I sat at the pool with my kids swimming and having a great summer day, my phone rang. On the other end was someone in need of help. My daughter’s classmate in the first grade had a dad with late stage lung cancer and they were looking for donations to help the family and move his Mom here to the US from overseas. He is a single dad and the road map was clear, he had a limited time to get his plans in place to care for his children.
I was unable to help on the surface because who knew when I would find employment again in banking, after all its not the sexy job it used to be and there were thousands just like me looking for a job. I thought it was okay to say I couldn’t help and they certainly understood. As I sat poolside watching my kids splash about I began to feel like the world’s biggest heal for saying no. I quickly hit redial and said I would come up with something.
I decided since I had plenty of time I would take on a challenge to go out on Father’s Day and play golf from sun up to sun down in honor of this man and challenge others to support me. I figured if I could raise $500 it would at least be enough for a plane ticket. What happened over the next 10 days changed countless lives. I raised $8,000 over my 72 hole journey but this was just the beginning…….
I was put in contact with Jon Albert, founder of the Jack & Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation. His foundation provides Mom’s & Dad’s with late stage terminal cancer with a WOW! Experience trip for the children and the parents to take a break from the rituals of the daily battle with cancer.
Long story short, I started a company to run golf events to raise funds for their foundation and others to help make a difference. What was a selfless act to help a man in need turned into a mission to help others in their Back 9 of life. One doesn’t do this to become wealthy but what I have experienced this past year is the richest experiences of my life.
I had not met the man I helped until the last week of the school year when I was picking my kids up. He was in front of me and I heard him say his name. I couldn’t believe it, here he was walking with a cane and looking tired but had a smile that was contagious. I introduced myself and was given the biggest hug and kiss on the cheek I had ever received. We stood in the hallway tears running down our faces and talked for what seemed like hours.
He was thanking me over and over but I had to stop him and tell him what he had done. His plight was irreversible but his legacy will go on for a long time. His need turned into a blessing for others. To date we have raised just over $175,000 and will continue to grow. He stood proud and humbled and for me it was a confirmation that I was on the right road.
We all struggle to understand “Why” does a single dad with two young boys have to be taken away. We talked about this and I assured him God has a plan and his misfortune has turned into a huge blessing for others in the same situation. He was thrilled to hear what has taken place and that he was the catalyst for it all.
Today, as I was doing an interview with ESPN 950 in Richmond Virginia, promoting the next FORE! Jack & Jill event and I received an email that he had passed away. It was a surreal moment. Me on the air ways encouraging people to become a part of what we are doing and his passing seemed to make it all okay.
As a husband, father and business owner I have great days and stressful days but knowing the mission I am on is just like the many twists and turns of life. Love hard, work hard, play hard and just let go because you never know what or who you will touch in ways that will alter their path and change lives.
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