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We are all going to have a little studying to do before January 1. This information comes from a reliable source. I promise. If you would like, I can send you the link. My plan is to feed you little bits at a time to chew on. Let me know if you have any questions.

Dropping procedure
How to drop a ball

New rule: The only requirement is for the player to
hold the ball above the ground without it touching any
growing thing or other natural or artificial object, and
let it go so that it falls through the air before coming
to rest. To avoid any doubt, it is recommended that
the ball be dropped from at least one inch above the
ground or any growing thing or object.

The 27,000 PGA of America Club Pros were offered a chance to chime in on a survey on the ball distance issue.

Bob M voted just the opposite on all three counts. I would like to know what you think.

Below is a part of the letter we got back with the results.

______________________

Last week,  more than 7,500 of PGA Professionals responded to our survey, developed in conjunction with the National Golf Foundation, asking for feedback on the topic of distance in the game of golf. Please see the results below:

Question 1 – 68% of those PGA Professionals DO NOT believe that increases in distance are detrimental to the health of the game.

Question 2 – 81% believe that advances in golf ball technology have been BENEFICIAL to our efforts to grow the game.

Question 3 – 70% would OPPOSE a rollback of the golf ball.

Thanks again,

Paul K. Levy, PGA of America
President

Yesterday was extraordinary for me at the San Diego Yacht Club. I visited a couple of my students who have become really close friends. Chris Doolittle and Ben Mitchell just happen to also be world class sail boat racers. Each invited me to join them on the final prep day for the San Diego to Puerto Vallarta (80 hours approx.) race.

I had never been close up at a world class (non golf) sporting event. I was allowed onto both boats: the Peligroso and the Pyewacket. High tech, but with almost no creature comforts. I toured as they talked about the boat’s features, and told entertaining stories one after another.

I will probably be coming back to you with more on my experience and how it will be influencing my coaching for the rest of my life, but for now let me mention a couple of things that were painfully obvious.

These guys were prepared and organized. I want you to ask yourself two questions in regard to your golf, “How prepared am I really?” and “How organized am I?”

Open ocean sailing means no down time. At this level teams pretend that the finish line is a mile away at all times. They are pushing for speed the whole time. Obviously, it is extremely dangerous as well.

By contrast, golf is tame and safe. You are probably not going to die if something goes wrong and you certainly are not going to end up in a life raft out there in the cold, and wet, and wind, and dark.

These outdoorsmen have more at stake than we do. It’s admirable.

Here is what I want to know. How would you prepare for golf and how would you organize if your life was a bit stake.

For one thing, Chris and Ben bring in professionals to help.

If you are taking lessons at Sycuan, you can check that box.

And we thank you.

 

I did not see the playoff at the “Bob Hope” referred to Click Here with Mr. Curtis Strange commenting on the contenders’ behavior last week.

Pros need to be entertaining and fun to watch. I get that the tour players are playing for great fame and fortune. There is a lot at stake. However, the killer attitude thing doesn’t completely work for me.

I have always been a big fan of gracious professionalism. Think Trevino and Chi Chi. These two–and others from a bygone era–were less spoiled. They understood that the gallery was the reason for the luxuries they enjoy. Phil sets a great example as well, interacting and making eye contact. It’s awesome.

One of our Members is Dan Sivadge. Dan is the Golf Channel Sr. National Champion and played in the US Sr Am in 2017. He is a man eater when he is over the ball, but the most fun unselfish person in the world in between shots.

I disagree with you Curtis. There is a better way to be while you tear the other person’s heart out.

If nothing else, think about the kids in the gallery. They are impressionable and will be mimicking their heroes. Those young gallery members need to learn about proper manners. They need to see adults acting more like good sports and less like warriors filled with hate.

I would love a glance, or a nod, or a smile and to be treated to a little love from the players.  Wouldn’t you?

If kindness is your king, heaven will be yours before you meet your end.  –Dave Matthews

Gotta Get it Close

WITH A BONUS AT THE END OF THE ARTICLE

You gotta get the short game shots close to have any hope of scoring.

In Easy Bogey How to Break 90, I stress getting on the green in one over regulation and two putting for bogey. 

To really score lower, you gotta get the short game shot close enough for a one putt. Pitch shots, sand shots and chips must be gotten within four feet–preferably closer–in order to save a stroke. Same with lag putts.

Average golfers crack me up sometimes when they compliment each other on a short game approach shot ends up six or eight or ten feet from the hole.

This is not good enough when you want to save strokes. Statistically, we miss those longer “short” putts nearly every time.

If you want to truly get to the next level of scoring–whatever that means to you–I recommend dedicating yourself to some 20 hours of lag putting, pitching, chipping and bunker play practice. Oh. And I recommend getting instruction and coaching to ensure you have the know how and the drills are right for you.

BONUS: For anyone who reads this all the way to the bottom and asks nicely, I will give you a FREE 10-minute putting lesson to help you make sure you hole those short putts. There’s a trick to it!

Bob Madsen makes golf into ART. He is gifted. He is visionary. He is fiercely dedicated to the PGA of America, to his employer Sycuan Golf Resort, and to the teaching arts.  He is humble and quiet about himself, which in some way explains his not being recognized quite enough for who and what he is. 

I went to Scotland and played links golf with him, because of him.  I know course design because of him. I walk courses instead of riding because of him. I have read 100 classic golf books because of him. I understand the game because of him.  I am merely one of the thousands of lives he has touched deeply.  I am not a man of means, but I save all year in Pennsylvania so that I can go to HIM for knowledge and encouragement.

So, whoever it is out there who has influence over Top 100 teacher lists, you’re missing one very important dude. I implore you to meet him in person, play with him, watch him teach, and listen to his graceful presentation of our beloved game.

 Bruce Wilson    Rochester, PA       724-814-2512  

 

> Quick story,

> I played with my father Glen last week. He birdied the first 3 holes and parred a bunch after that. As I’m not supposed to, I let it affect my game instead of concentrating on MY game. Not ready to quit golf, but it did bum me out quite a bit and setting any future tee times were nowhere in my thoughts. That was until I got half way through your book Easy Bogey this morning. It reminded me to re-center myself and ease up, to add that extra shot to par in my thought process before I take that first swing. I immediately put the book down and made a tee time for Monday. Thanks, Bob.

 From a high handicap amateur. 

 Hi my name is Will.  I started golfing about 10 months ago and started working with Bob Madsen (PGA Pro) 7 months ago.  Bob has helped me lower my handicap to a 16 and my best round so far is 90 on a par 72 course.

I think every hole in one shot has a combination of luck and skill.  When a pro hits a lob wedge 5 yards past the pin that spins back into the cup, one could argue there is a greater portion of skill than luck in that shot.  When first time golfer tops a 160 yard drive off the tee that roles in, most would credit luck.  My hole-in-one falls somewhere between those two extremes.

Two days a week I play the Pine Glen par 3 course and usually shoot in the mid to high 60s.  The course has a nice mix of 150+ yard par 3’s and challenging greens that keep patrons engaged.  This particular round I was golfing with my new Ping G irons for the first time.  Hole 6 is a narrow 180 yard flat par 3 with trees on either side of the fairway.  I play my 5 iron on this hole with the expectation that my average shot will yield a 20 yard layup, while a particularly well struck shot will roll onto the green.  Today my tee shot was dead straight, low and a bit thin (I never use tees in this course as I am trying to improve my fairway shots).  It took the first bounce 15 yards before the green and started rolling a couple yards before the small berm that guards the front edge of the green.  I lost site of the ball as it trickled over the berm, but re acquired it just as it started breaking towards pin.  It was kind of hard to see from far away, but as the ball slowed I lost it.  I calmly said “no f—ing way” and shook my head as I jogged to green with my pushcart.  I remember thinking, “this isn’t supposed to happen to new golfers like me.” Sure enough there was my prov1x with orange sharpie staring at me from the bottom of the cup.

I’m not sure if there is anything to learn here. I was making the safe easy tee shot Bob trained me to see.  The kind of smart beginner tee shot that does not challenge the surrounding trees by attempting dramatic and unnecessary shot shaping.  My focus was to hit the ball straight, low and just short of the green.  I succeeded at two of those three things.

In one sense you could say I am lucky because my shot that purposefully fell short of the green happened to roll in.  In another sense one could say smart shot selection from the tee box (skill not luck) yielded that shot.

So I guess I have a question. Is the hole-in-one that rolls onto the green more luck or skill, if rolling onto the green is exactly what the golfer was trying to do?

 

Hi Bob.  I keep a journal to reflect on and record what I learn in lessons.  I just thought I would share my entry from Wednesday.

 Wednesday 4/12: I watched Bob coach a very good amateur.  

 Mr. Dan Sivadge

Coach introduced me to Dan Sivadge who he described as one of the best and most competitive amateur golfers in southern CA.  This golfer said he hadn’t golfed in 3 months which was a longer break than he had ever taken in his life.  He seemed a bit frustrated because he had lost control over his shot shape and lost his “feel” at impact. 

He asked coach to look at his stance and ball position and swing. Bob took pictures of him at address with his 9, 6, and driver.  Coach said there was nothing wrong with his set up or his swing.  He would not give the golfer advice – saying it would be very bad to start “chasing geese” as the golfer regains familiarity with his swing.   

Coach then asked the golfer the same question several times and wouldn’t let the golfer dodge it – “in the next 1000 balls, how many do you think you will mis-hit?”  When the golfer finally said 20%, Bob said “well you’re gonna mis-hit more balls than you are used to in the next week and you just have to choose to be OK with that and trust and be patient that the % of mishits will go down as you start to practice more”.  It would be a bad idea to start changing things while he is out of practice.  Here I could see that the advice to “do nothing” because nothing needed to be “fixed” was invaluable. 

Of course for Bob to be able to give this advice, he needed a trained pro eye to determine that there was indeed nothing “wrong” with the swing. That is to say, this is not general advice that can be given to by anyone advising an out-of-practice golfer – it still takes a pro’s eye to determine the swing is indeed in ok shape.  

He then asked the golfer what he has done in the past to “get his swing back”.  The gentleman said short game, because it allows him to practice feeling the swing at the impact position while taking a smaller swing.

Coach then watched him hit small PW shots for an hour.  Coach noted the golfers pre shot routine got more consistent.  Simultaneously the golfer started to hit a very consistent 80 yard shots with a draw that seemed to please the golfer.

Also, just after Bob complemented a particularly good sounding impact, the golfer said something very interesting.  He said “Yeah I can do that, it’s just that right now I need to concentrate a little harder”.   

Here is my opinion of what happened.  The golfer was thinking that his errant shots were coming from some physical mistake when really it was all mental.  The fact that the shots got better simultaneously with pre-shot routine shows that the golfer just needed to reestablish his relaxed concentration mental state where he could unconsciously perceive and control the impact condition. The golfer already knew and said that shot control came from club head awareness (mental – not physical) and that shorter swing shots were the way to rebuild that awareness or “feel”. 

Interestingly Bob’s role here was to help connect the golfer with what Dan already knew was correct, and to steer the golfer away from getting distracted by physical “fixes”.  Bob had to work very hard to remind the golfer of what he already knew by asking him thing like “When did your swing last feel good?” and “What did you do last time to get your swing back?” 

I also liked how Bob would stand directly over the golfer’s ball to take control of the lesson and conversation.

Thank you Dan and Bob.

Will Stuart

 

    

 

As a PGA Teaching Professional, I feel obligated to help golfers continually increase their knowledge and appreciation for The Rules of Golf. I typically start familiarizing folk brand new to the game with basic Definitions, Rules and Ettiquette starting right away. For example, I might start with a little course tour before I ever hand the person a club. “You see those two markers lined up with one another over there? Those are called tee markers. Got it?”

“Yes.” (note the lesson begins with the student being right: comfortable and succeeding)

“Good. Can you draw an imaginary line between them using your imagination.”

“Yes.”

“That’s the starting line. You have to start behind the starting line. Got it?”

“Yes.” (Big smile. Happy student beginning to get hooked on the game for the rest of their lives.)

“Okay. See down there a ways? Can you see that flag waving in the breeze.”

“Yes.”

“Can you see that it’s up on a stick?”

“Yes.”

“That’s called a Flagstick,” I tell the learner who’s quickly becoming a begining golfer and student of the game. Love that. “What’s it called?”

“Flagstick!”

“Excellent. Where did they stick it?”

“In a hole?” they say inquisitively.

“Correct!” I acknowledge.

“So, you start here” I point to the teeing ground. “And you golf your ball until it goes in the hole…Got it.?”

The comeback is usually something like “Sounds easy enough.”

“Yep. And if anybody ever comes along and makes it seem complicated , they’re wrong. Got it?

“Yep.”

They ask, “Just play golf.?

Exactly.

Is it every golfer’s duty to become a better student of the game? I think so. One aspect of this is The Rules. I feel strongly that we all have an obligation in this regard. Please do your part.