The Most Important Thing In Golf

The Most Important Thing In Golf
by:  Mark Croft

When you arrive to the first tee for a round of golf what is your most important goal? You have

probably been thinking about this goal since you knew you were going to play the round of golf.

My guess is shooting the lowest score possible for the number of holes you are going to play and

have fun doing it. So upon arrival to the first tee your goal becomes get the ball in the hole as fast

as possible with the fewest amount of strokes possible. At that moment each hole (the bottom of

the cup)becomes your goal, your destination, your Target.

The most important thing in golf is your target. Your target is your direction and destination on

every swing and the better your direction, the faster and more efficiently you will reach your

ultimate destination; the bottom of the cup.

As a teaching professional for many years, I have always asked my students at the beginning of

their lesson “What is your Target?” During those thousands of lessons I have gotten some very

interesting answers to this question and all too often the answers are Huh, What, What do you

mean, etc. Far too many golfers tee it up and let it rip without ever having a target; never a clear

idea of direction or destination and this is one of the best ways to end up in the ditch of golf.

Every golf swing must have a clear and present consciousness of direction and destination. This

conscious awareness is paramount to every golfer’s success.

One of the best players on the PGA Tour in the 20 th century who didn’t have a graceful and

pleasing swing was Lee Trevino, but he could send a golf ball toward a baseball cap 280 yards

away and land in that baseball cap (target) 9 out of 10 times. One of his famous quotes was “I

can hit a 2-iron 200 yards through a keyhole in a door.” This tremendous awareness of target and

a constant and clear image of his target with every single swing was the key to his very

successful career and it can help make you a better golfer as well.

So how can you get better at your target awareness and having a target every time you swing?

Let’s start with flat putts from 10 feet and increase distances from there. Practice putting with the

hole as your target beginning from 10 feet with little or no break to the putt. Be aware of the line

or direction to the target and the distance. When you reach the point where you can convert 6 out

of 10 or better move back another 10 feet and continue the same process. As you continue the

drill moving backwards and changing clubs your goals of final destination may change from the

bottom of the cup to a precise proximity but you still have that target and its distance ever

present in your thoughts. Depending on how much you practice you should be back to a tee shot

distance in less than a month, but in any time frame I guarantee your accuracy will have

improved immensely simply because your target awareness is now part of every swing.

You may contact Mark about this article of any other questions you have about golf at

mark@markcroftgolf.com.

Hit the target!

I Want To Be A Course Designer

  I'm going to go into the course design business. Why is it that this is what a lot of touring pros say after they are no longer competitive on the PGA tour?  I don't know.  Maybe it is because there is the thought that because they can hit a golf ball 300 yard and have played a lot of courses they can take a plot of land and turn it into a great golf course. Sometimes I think that this is a tragic flaw in their thinking. I honestly think they forget who is really playing the game and that we are not all professional golfers.
     I'm not going to say that all former touring pros can't design courses, I haven't played their designs.  I have played Johnny Miller courses and I played a Freddy Couples design. I was not impressed with either. There are a couple of problems that I have experienced with those designs. One of the biggest design flaws I have seen is the forced carries over water or barrancas.  I can see bringing these features into a course's design, but at least make it so that the average golfer has a fighting chance. There needs to be ample bailout areas where the shorter hitter can make a good score with some good shots.  Don't make it so that the hole is unplayable for shorter hitters. And, the design is such that even though you play the shorter tees the hole still is unfair. That is not good course design.
      Many of these designers give you the option of playing shorter tees. It is certainly a good thing that in their benevolence they had a brief thought about we who are short hitters. This shortens the course.  What bothers me is that even though the course is shorter from the front tees, it still brings the trouble into play. Instead of having to smash your three wood into the middle of the barranca and loseing you 3 dollar ProV, you are now faced with a four hybrid that fails to clear the barranca by ten feet.  You could use your three wood, but that would put you over the green and into the canyon at the back of the green.  Are these designers trying to appease the golf gods by having we mere mortals sacrifice our ProV's to them. There is no advantage with most of these courses to play the shorter tees.
     I have played some great courses in my golfing career.  Bayonet/Black Horse in the Monterey Bay area comes to my mind as a couple of great courses. They are tough courses that do not rely on tricks and gimmicks. They are fair but tough courses. They stand there and say, "I am not going to throw anything strange at you, just take your best shot and try to beat me." That is what a great course design is all about. You don't have to throw in forced carries, barrancas and water just to make a course hard.
     I leave you with one final question on this subject.  What does Johnny Miller think about as he is designing a golf course?

One of my favorite holes. There is a carry over the barranca, but you can drive the ball to where you need to put it. The hole is very playable and fun. You can get on with a decent second shot.

Cruise Golf

   Recently I went on a five day cruise to Mexico.  I do this quite often and have gone to courses in the different ports of call that the ship visited.  My cruise line of choice is Carnival, since we have cruised with Carnival on several occasions. Each time, if I didn't play I did go to the seminars and as a writer for a golf magazine I always introduced myself to the pro on board.  Our conversations were very good about the game, instruction and the courses the cruise line visited. On this particular cruise, nothing: no pro, no seminar, no lessons and no escorted trip. Something was not right.
     On the third night of the cruise, I went to have a cigar in the bar that was set aside for smokers and met the hotel manager who was having a cigar and an off duty cocktail.  I asked him what was happening and if Carnival no longer offered golf on its itineraries. He explained that for the amount of guests that were taking advantage of the golf shore excursions and taking lessons, it was not worth the expenditures.  They had suspended the program.
     I kind of can see where they were coming from and it was purely an economical decision.  I have played golf  a couple times off the ship and the largest group on board that went to play was fifteen. Think about it a moment; on a ship of almost 2500 passengers, only 15 go to play golf.  That is about .5 % which is not cost effective. Though I am a huge supporter of golf, the program couldn't sustain itself on board.

     Today, they do offer golf excursions, but the price only includes transportation to and from the course and green fees.  They are not escorted by a pro.  This is kind of sad and from my experience I always had a great time with the pro. the almighty dollar is king, I guess and it is important to make money to stay in business.  If you have to look at your expenditures you also have to look at your revenues. If it isn't contributing, it may have to go.  Such is the way of the golf program on Carnival.  Money, money, money, money...MONEY. Thank you Pink Floyd for your accurate observation.      

Who Plays This Game Of Golf

   You don't know how many times I have heard critics who don't play the game say that golf is a game for old rich white men with too much time on their hands. It is very easy to criticize when you are on the outside looking in. Maybe television golf has perpetuated this by the tour playing on exclusive golf courses that the average person cannot play, and the athletes being mostly white.What critics don't realize is that TV tournament golf is only a minute fraction of what golf really is. Golf is a whole lot more than that and golf is for everyone.
     I recently visited with my daughter.  She plays golf and is in fact trying to get into the golf management program at The University of Nevada at Las Vegas. She is, and I am proud of this, an as we call in the game a "stick".  In fact, she is a big reason why my game is in shambles right now. She is 5'3" and pounds the ball. I try very hard to out drive her but I just don't hit the ball 270 plus. More and more women are taking up the game.
     My daughter used to work at a local driving range before she moved to Las Vegas. When I asked what she wanted to do during our visit she said she wanted to go to the range where she worked and hit a bucket as well as visit with old friends that worked there. Most of the people I also knew so we went to the range. It was like old home week. The owner of the range is an Asian fellow.
     I couldn't hit balls because of a temporary back problem, but my daughter did.  As she was hitting balls I took a look down the range, which was very busy on a Saturday afternoon by the way. Who was hitting balls practicing?
     As I looked down the range I was encouraged not only by the number of golfers, but by who they were. It was an extremely diverse group of people. Hitting next to us was a man and his girlfriend. The guy was an accomplished golfer but his girlfriend was a beginner.  There was a black man hitting about three stalls down, and in fact there were many black guys and a couple of black ladies practicing. Further down was another couple, who were hispanic hitting balls together. Both seemed to be very good as their swings gave them away and they were really clobbering the ball.  
     The number of kids on the range was a good sign to me.  There were boys and girls, with and without their parents. Some of the parents were also practicing, a couple of which were ladies that were without their husbands or were single.
      As I marshal, I see the faces that play our game. By no means is it a sea of white.  What I do see is a diverse ocean of many players with different ethnic and racial backgrounds. I also see a huge number of ladies playing either as singles or with a group of other ladies. There is an increase of men who are playing with their significant others--since I am old fashioned I would hope their wives or sweethearts.  I think I will just leave it at that.
     Many people criticize the game of golf as being a white elitist sport which is dying. These criticisms come from those who have never played the game or just don't get it. I totally disagree. The sport is alive and may be in a short pause, but it is not dying and is ready to explode again. It has been played for more than 400 years and will continue to be played. Golf is for everyone.

It doesn't get any better.

Dad, Daughter, Son: Off To Play Golf

  What better way is there to spend time with your family than a bright and sunny day on the golf course?  Golf is great family fun and the time you spend together is priceless. I guess I am a bit partial to this idea because I am an avid golfer, but I introduced  my kids to golf at an early age.
      I have nine kids.  Before you go on saying stuff about having nine kids I do want to explain that five are mine and four are my wife's as I am in my second marriage. All nine children are grown and on their own pretty much.  I won't say anything about my wife's kids because I wasn't there for their upbringing. What I will say though is that her son has played golf with us and enjoyed it.  Of course my wife plays golf.
       I tried introduced each of my five children--four daughters and a son--to the game of golf at early ages.  I would play once a week and would marshal one day a week.  No, I would not take them with me when I played--I take that back, I would take them on occasion but only when they were older--but I always had one with me when I marshaled.  In fact, sometimes I had two  along with me.  We always had a wonderful time together. I was able to build in them a love for the game as well as a respect for the rules, traditions and behavior that is the game of golf.
      My oldest daughter hasn't taken up the game yet.  She is married and her family demands don't allow the time. However she and her husband want to take it up at a later time, and I have played a few times with my son-in-law.  Unfortunately, my second daughter doesn't want to have a thing to do with the game.  My third daughter is in school to be a nurse and married of all things a Class A PGA pro.  There is hope for her yet.
      I would take my son and my youngest daughter with me to marshal as much as I could. If I went to the range, most of the time they were in tow and I would let them hit a few balls. My son and daughter both enjoyed being out on the course and especially liked when we went into the coffee shop and had a burger. Later when I had a family membership at a semi-private golf course we would play after school and both had lessons.
      My youngest daughter played competitive golf in junior tournaments, high school and in junior college.  We would have a lot of fun traveling around the state to go to her junior tournaments.  Part of the trip would be that we would go up the day before the tournament and play a course near the tournament site.  These were some great times.  She is now trying to get into the hospitality program at The University of Nevada Las Vegas and get her PGA card.
     My son and I still try to play every once and awhile. Unfortunately, I have moved away from Fresno where he lives and we don't get the opportunty to play.  However, he still calls me and asks me when we are going to play together again.  I hope we will soon.
      Playing golf together as a family is quality family time. My experiences prove this out.  Those times spent on the golf course with my kids and now with my wife cannot be more precious.

My son at a tournament.  He's the one on the right. 

The US Open: 100 Yard Dash or 26 Mile Marathon?

     I am a fan of the US Open.  It is truly a test of golf and in order to win you have to have every shot in your bag.  I want to congratulate Dustin Johnson for winning The Open and his first major, and that first major hurdle has been jumped.  A hearty well done and good job to you Dustin Johnson.
     What can you say about that controversial rules decision? Personally, I think that it was a bunch of hooey.  Besides, DJ asked for a ruling and got it by the rules official on the hole.  That should be enough. Its just fortunate that he won the tournament by three strokes and the discussion about the penalty was moot thereby not effecting the outcome of the tournament even though the USGA assessed the penalty.
      The US Open is not a sprint, but a very difficult marathon. So much is involved in winning and the player must know how to play golf, not just hit the ball. Lead changes are very common, and just because you are leading the tournament by ten strokes on Friday night doesn't necessarily mean that you are going to win the tournament.
      A US Open venue is set up like no other course the pros and players see all year, except for maybe the British Open.  The fairways are tight and the greens are extremely fast.  We won't even talk about the rough, shich is grown long and thick.  The rough at Oakmont was a bit different in that it wasn't long and deep, but it was thick and deep. The look was a bit deceiving, but it was still very thick. US Open courses demand hitting fairways and put a premium on hitting fairways as well as testing the player's putting skills.  Seventy-two holes of negotiating these conditions takes it's toll out of a player. It is not only physically but mentally taxing.  Each shot is an adventure.
      In my golf career both as a player and as a writer, I have played many courses and met many people. It was my good fortune to play in a tournament at Monterey Pines in Monterey, California. It was a Grand Reopening Celebration as the course had been recently renovated. The tournament was a blind draw scramble and I was teamed up with three other golfers I didn't know. Our group became very friendly a few minutes after meeting as strangers. My cart mate was Ron Read, who is an official with The USGA and was their Open starter for many years.
     Ron and I chatted over the course of the tournament and at one point the conversation came around to US Open venues. This was the year that Merion Country Club was place back into the course rotation of the US open.  I told Ron that I was excited that an old course like Merion was returning to the rotation.  The course stretched out plays to about 6600 yards. I asked Ron what the winning score would be at Merion since the course was so short. My guess was twenty under par. He kind of looked at me with a wry smile and calmly said, "They will be lucky to break par."  That was the end of that line of the conversation. We had a wonderful time chatting about golf, but as far as Merion was concerned that was it.  At this point I should refresh everyone's memory. Justin Rose won the 2013 US Open held at Merion with a score of one over par.
     The US Open is a marathon, not a sprint.

US Open Golf is different than regular tournament golf. 

Watching The US Open: I Have A Question

     It is Father's Day weekend here in the United States which means it is once again time for golf's greatest tournament, The US Open.  Of course the Brits will dispute this claim and I do apoogize to my British Friends but I am a bit partial. In my opinion, the Brits are a bit conceited in their view on which is the better Open.  I am saying this tongue in cheek because they are both very important tournaments with a lot of history.  With that said, I will continue.
      As I have said, I am an average golfer.  There is one claim that I don't make and that is I am NOT a golf pro. Although my golf knowledge is extensive in a lot of areas, it is not as a golf analyst or teacher.  My views take on a different perspective and as I am watching the coverage and play at the Open my eyes and brain are focused on a few things other than the tournament itself.
      I have to admit it.  I am a commercial watcher.  I look for interesting commercials because they can be entertaining.  One commercial has struck my interest and I need to make a few comments on that commercial.  Its not a criticism just an observation
       The commercial that really has caught my attention is the United States Golf Association commercial--actually set of commercials.  I feel that they are very effective in their message about golf and trying to bring more people to the game showing the benefits and fun of playing the game.  It also shows how golfers are very devoted to the game. The commercial spots are very well done, but I have one question.  Are those commercials only aired during USGA televised events?  Where else are they run to tell the public about golf and what the USGA does?
       We are trying to grow the game of golf.  When I view these commercials I kind of wonder if they are not preaching to the choir.  Since these commercials to my knowledge are only being aired on USGA events when they are televised, are they reaching the non-golfing public who we want to encourage taking up the game?  I do realize that a great number of the viewers of The US Open are non-golfers, but a vast majority of viewers are already playing the game. Running these commercials is an effective way to communicate the important message of the USGA and growing the game of golf but are they effective in bringing in new players? It is a good thing to preach to the choir--those who are already playing golf--but we should also bring that message to non-golfers as well.
       I have not seen these commercials on any other TV programming other than USGA events. Would it be a good thing for the USGA considering running these commercials during other sporting events such as baseball, football or basketball? How about during regular shows and regular television times? I know it is expensive, but we need to spread the word about the game.  We can't keep hiding it with an already accepting audience of golfers. I remember when I was in sales, my sales manager  told me once "Hide it, keep it--show it, sell it".  This is the way it is with the game of golf.  If we just try to spread the word to those are already playing, it feels good but does it bring in new players?  Bringing new players to the game is very important, especially now.
       Television is an effective medium to spread any message. I thank the USGA for what it does to put on these tournaments and for being the governing body for the game of golf in The United States. The commercials on the telecast are very well done and effective.  I only wonder if they are reaching non-golfers and bringing them into the game, or are they just preaching to the choir of those already playing the game. I do want to say overall, Well done USGA.

It wasn't the US Open, but it sure was a lot of fun to play in.  No TV coverage though.

       

Rollin', Rollin' Rollin. Keep Them Golfers Rollin'

      As most of you know, I have a very soft spot in my heart for the golf course marshaling staff. this comes from my many years of giving back to the game and my local course as a course assistant so I have walked in the shoes of a course marshal. In fact, I am again putting on my "Marshal"s Hat" today for the first time in almost ten years. I'm on the job again.
      The job is not riding around in a cart with a funny little red flag, a radio and a sign on the cart that says "Marshal" and just tell people to pick up their pace of play. As I have said, you are an ambassador for the course out there and not a mean traffic cop. The job of Course Assistant is very important to the operation of any course.
      Course Assistants are there to assist golfers and to keep the pace of play moving. As representatives first and foremost of the course they need to be courteous and professional.  They are the "face" of the golf course operation and as such pretty much set the tone for the golfer's experience of that particular golf facility. Marshals also need to keep in mind that what they are doing is a job with many requirements, not just a way for them to receive free golf. I have run across many of these guys and gals and they have really put a black mark on  Course Assistant programs. Have fun and speed up play to keep things going, but also remember that golf is to be played in a leisurely manner.  It is not a track meet.
       Yes, you are there to hunt down lost golf balls. There may be a major question as far as this concept is concerned.  You are there to help golfers on the course find their ball should they lose them. This is after they have hit an errant shot, not a couple of hours after the ball was lost and you want to recover that ProV for your own play.  You are there to help players, not help yourselves. As a player, I have seen this happen many times.  It should be dealt with and expectations should be made clearer to the marshaling staff.
       What happens where there is a lull in play and golfers playing the course are few and far between.  I have seen this on the very hot days in Central California where I live. It gets hot out there with temperatures reaching 108.  Since it's that hot and there is nobody on the course, why not find a shady spot and take a nap. No, I think not. How about helping the greenskeeper out and fix a few divots on the green. That is what that funny stick that you were given is for. How about filling some of the divots on the par three tees or in the fairway with turf mixture or sand so that they repair sooner. Remember that hissy fit you threw when your ball landed in that fairway divot becuse it wasn't repaired by the guy who made it? Maybe you should have repaired it on your shift when you weren't doing anything because the course was slow.  Oh wait, you were taking a nap under a shady tree because it was hot and there was nobody around. The Greens Keeping staff has been cut at most courses, so in order to keep the course in great shape it takes everyone contributing, including the marshals.
       Yes, marshals are responsible for keeping up the pace of play as one of their duties.  But the job is so much more. All in all, most Course Assistants are very dedicated and do a marvelous job. For me, the free golf is great but I get more out of the fact that I am giving back to the game I love so much and the course I play.

The job begins at the first tee.

When Push Comes To I Quit

      My wife and I were driving to go grocery shopping this morning and the topic of children in sports came up. She played on her college basketball team and grew up playing softball to the point that in her adult years she  was playing in many travel leagues. Her parents were very encouraging towards her playing these sports.  I began playing golf at the age of thirteen.  My parents strongly discouraged my golf saying it was a waste of my time.  My wife would like to continue to play softball but all those years of catching has taken it's toll. Her and I have a lot of fun playing golf together. Would we still be out there if we had "sports parents" that destroy for their children the games that they should be enjoying by pushing their children too hard or harshly criticizing their kids performances?  
      No matter the sport, be it youth baseball, softball, soccer, golf or tiddly-winks a recent study by The National Alliance of Sports was done that showed 70% of kids don't keep playing a competitive sport after the age of fourteen. That is pretty shocking, especially in an age where we are in a fierce battle with obesity among children.  This is a tragic statistic and the trend has to be reversed. The question has to be asked why is this?
       What should motivate an athlete to play a sport, even at an early age?  I think it should be the joy of playing that sport and most of all focusing on how much fun the sport is to play. There should be a huge element of enjoyment of the sport.  What has happened in a lot of cases is that we have lost sight of that and replaced it with a "Win at all cost" mentality. Winning is the aim of any sport, but just important is playing the sport hand having fun while you play it.  If you take the "fun" aspect out of a sport, that sport becomes like a job and yes you can enjoy your job but it still is a job. It goes into the "have to" category and not under the "I would love to because it is a lot of fun" heading. Many parents and coaches through their desire to "Win At All Cost" attitudes suck the fun right out of their children's participation in sports.  We lose them.
       I am not advocating the "everyone gets a trophy for participating" mentality here.  That is very harmful because it just doesn't teach success in real life where there are winners and losers. If you come out to practice a sport and are dedicated to that sport, you should get a trophy.  Its just that the trophy for the "Most Valuable Player" and "Most Improved" should be a lot bigger than those handed out to all the players on a team. Winner's trophies should be huge and gaudy because you have accomplished something through your outstanding efforts. Winning is good, but so is the process of learning what you have to do to get there and the process of learning more about the game you play in order to play well.  That's the key, celebrate the process of learning the game not the outcome of winning. Winning comes later.
       We all have different time tables when we learn something new.  Since we are individuals, our learning curves look a lot different. Coach's need to be aware of this.  The main goal of a sport is to enjoy playing the sport and winning can be a part of that. But where is a ten year old on their learning curve?  A lot of ten year olds may not be able to get that thirty yard chip close to the flag.  Do we tell them that they will never amount to anything and don't have "it" to play the game of golf.  Do we criticize them for not getting the ball close to the hole?  No, we continue to coach that ten year old and have them practice.  We make practice fun and keep encouraging him or her. Guess what, at age fifteen they are sinking that chip.
       We are losing some of our best athletes before they even have a chance to be the best they can be. We are losing the true meaning of sport and that is to enjoy the sport that you are playing.  That's a tragedy.  We have to put the "fun" back into sports, especially for youth.

My daughter has been playing competitively since age 12 and she still enjoys playing golf. 

   


















             

The Monolith

 Have you ever been awakened by a dream?  That happened to me last night.  I don't know if it was just the lasagna/cheese ravioli with sausage combination I had for dinner at my favorite Italian restaurant or that the dream was pretty vivid but I nevertheless woke up with a startle. It was profound and almost downright scary. Of course the dream centered around golf otherwise I wouldn't be sharing it with you, this being a golf blog and all.
     It seems that I was was on a walk--I don't remember if it was in a forest or in a cloud or on a golf course--and came across this huge cold grey stone monolith.  It was like it was a headstone on a grave and stood maybe twenty feet tall and three feet thick.  I was very uneasy standing in front of this great slab of polished stone and sensed a strong feeling of death. Obviously, this was not a cheery place.
     I looked up at the monolith and saw an inscription on its flat, grey cold stone face. The inscription had a title to it and the title in capital letters was "GOLF".  Under the title "GOLF" was a subtitle, "A Game For Old Rich White Men".  This was a bit spooky, but there was more writing on the monolith.
      This is what was written on the monolith:

--All traditions must be upheld at all cost
--White men only
--Women will be tolerated but not welcomed
--The young should be involved in their studies and not learn to play golf.  They should be kept off the course.
--Golf is no place for families.
--There shall be no innovations in the game as far as equipment
--The game shall not be made more enjoyable and available to those physically or age challenged
--You must play 18 holes in a stroke or match format
--Foot Golf and Disc Golf are anathema
--New golfers are not allowed on the course or cannot play adjusted rules to make the game more "learnable"
--"FUN", fun tournaments and fun outings are not for golf, only amusement parks

     It occurred to me what this cold, grey monolith was. It was a partial listing of the attitudes that will kill the game of golf. The game needs to be vibrant and living.  There needs to be room for improvements and change. Attitudes cannot be set in stone and not be open to discussion and possible change. I also am a firm believer that change for the sake of change is not good, but needed changes have to be looked at and implemented when necessary.
     Our game is a game that is steeped in a rich history and is full of tradition.  I am not saying that our history and traditions should be destroyed just for the sake of bringing in new players.  What I am saying is we must be flexible and innovative.  We can work within that history and tradition to bring the best to the game. We must take a good look at that "Monolith".  Maybe it is time to blow it up and get it out of our way.

     You probably recognize this post from a few months ago.  It didn't get too many views for a number of reasons so I wanted to share it with you again.  Our mission at Golf Is For Everyone is to grow the game of golf. There are many attitudes which those in the game have that must be seriously challenged.  We also must shatter many of the misconceptions that the non-golfing public and the non-golfing media have about the sport. Golf Is For Everyone is working to get the word out.  Can you please help.  Our GoFundMe page is up and running. Please support us with a small donation today. Our GoFundMe page can be found at http://gofundme/golfisforeveryone. We thank you for your support and donations.

We could use this on "The Monolith".

 

The Golf Course Travel Bag: Bayonet-- Seaside, California

Ten Reasons Why I Play Golf

   I was listening to a radio broadcast last night on my way home from a trip, and the subject was how this generation of children growing up never suffer from boredom.  With all digital virtual world that our children live in, there is very little time to just sit there and be bored. There is no "down time" for the brain, and creativity is not given time to grow because their brain is always on. It's an interesting idea, and I don't want to discuss or debate the full intricacies of the argument but the idea has merit.  The bottom line was the speakers son took up golf and loved it because it was natural and creative.
     This got me thinking. Why do I love golf so much?  Here are ten reasons:

1. Golf is natural. You are playing it and it is unfolding as you play. You are not playing a microchip, but experiencing a game that is real, not created in cyberspace. Besides, there is nothing like the natural sound of a club, any club, striking the ball on a good shot. One of the best natural sounds in the world is that of a golf ball dropping into the cup for a birdie. That lake is real, not cyberwater.

2.  Golf exercises your creativity and imagination, and in a real way. How do I hit that shot around the tree and get the ball to the green? Believe me, I have had to do that on several occasions. Do I carry out the shot every time, no.  I still have to create the shot in my mind. Whether I pull it off may be fantasy, but I still have to think it up.  Again, this is all real, not cyberspace.

3.  Golf is good exercise. Whether you walk and carry, walk and pull a cart or ride in a golf cart, golf is exercise.  There is a lot of physical activity involved in swinging that club. You still have to swing a club and hit a ball. Even if you ride a cart, you still have to get out of the cart and hit the ball and do't forget walking from the cart to the tee, or the cart up to the green and depending on some greens keepers and where they put the cart signs, that can be quite a hike.

4.   Golf is played in the real outdoors on some very beautiful pieces of land. This is true wherever the course is. The worst "goat track" still is much prettier than a city alley. It is real as opposed to created in cyberspace. If you have played The Club at Crazy Horse Ranch, Stevinson Ranch, DeLaveaga or Coronado, you know what I mean. Go to my You Tube Video page on my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com and see what I mean. These are real sights, sounds and smells.

5.  Staying along with #4 I give you this reason.  Golf courses are located in some very beautiful places.  Have you ever played Trump National Los Angeles or Pacific Grove Muni? You almost can forget your game and slip into the trance of the surroundings. All this beautiful scenery, and a golf course too. Life doesn't get any better.

6.  You can travel to the places where the golf courses are located. Yes, you can play your wonderful local golf course or you can go to other  places.  I can drive to Monterey and play a course there. Not only do I get to play golf, but I get to enjoy what the city of Monterey, or wherever has to offer.  How about a box of carmel corn from the pier or a seafood dinner with some exceptional clam chowder.  What does cyberchowder taste like anyway?

7.  You use real strategy when you play golf. You don't use a controller to hit the ball, you use a real stick to hit a real ball.  You get the true feeling of a stick impacting the ball. You get the true emotion of hitting a real shot, not a cyber shot. In this, it takes real skill to hit the ball where you want it to go. It takes real skill to drive, hit an iron, chip and putt. With this real skill comes the real emotion of playing the game that is real. What do I do to keep the ball out of the lake?  How do I shape the shot to go around the dog leg?  You get real feedback from the real world that is not possible in the cyber world.

8.  There is more to golf than just hitting a ball and putting in in the hole. There is the "emotion" of golf.  How do you feel after you hit a great shot?  What do you you do when you hit a bad shot? This emotion is real, not created in a cyber world. How many of you have lost a $5 ProV1 in a water hazzard because you shanked a shot?  You know what I'm talking about.

9.  You can get away from the world in a real way for five hours. There are no computers except GPS devices out here. The main computer is left in the pro shop. By the way, turn your cell phones off, please.
Golf can be a refuge from our busy digital world. That is one of the reasons that I think golf will come back. People are tired of the digital world and are searching for a real world.  Golf can provide that real world.

10.  Golf is meant to be played with friends. What did the first players do when they played?  They took a fifth of whiskey and shared it. That is where we get 18 holes, the time a fifth would last share among four golfers. There is nothing like sharing a round with a friend or even making new friends on the course. What about the 19th hole where you swap stories about the round?  "Tis a wonderful thing, laddie.

     That's about it. I guess that I didn't share how I like that golf is also mano-y-mano as well.  You are not playing against someone, you are playing the course.  After all this, I think it boils down to one thing as far as why I enjoy golf so much. It is a heck of a lot of fun.

     Don't forget to stop by my website http://golfisforeveryonemd.com and check out the site. There will be more soon. We have begun our GoFundMe campaign to help expand our message and implement our mission at Golf Is For Everyone.  Would you please consider a donation on our GoFundMe page at https://www.gofundme.com/226wms7w.  We would appreciate the help in growing the game of golf.  In the meantime, hit 'em long and straight, don't leave that birdie putt short.

Need I say anything more?

On Handicapping and Indexes--The Vanity Handicap

     The other night, I went over to a good buddy of mine's house to play cards and talked golf, of course. He had played that day with another good friend of our's who plays to a twelve handicap. Oh really, he's a twelve handicap?  That handicap is what I call a "vanity" handicap. Why in heaven's name would you want to do something like that?
     Let me define what a "vanity" handicap is.  You may kind of know, but for the sake of this post I will define it, and it differs from the handicap of a sandbagger.  A sandbagger posts only his or her highest scores inflating artificially their handicaps so that when they play in tournaments they are given more strokes or put in a different play flight. In effect, this is a very bad form of cheating. Having a "vanity" handicap really is probably another form of cheating but for another reason and that is soothing a huge ego. The "vanity handicap" golfer wants to appear to others as a better player than they really are, so they only post their lowest scores.
     "Vanity Handicappers" only hurt themselves, and the people that they normally play with know that the player's handicap should be higher.  Even people that they don't play with on a regular basis will guess that their handicap is not right, by the way they play. Let's face it, you can tell a twelve handicapper from a twenty handicapper once you have played with them. In a handicapped event, you wouldn't want them as your partner because you give up too many strokes to the field.
     There is one very important rule in golf that most golfers abide by.  That rule is, count every stroke.  This includes penalty strokes. Along that lines, there is another important rule and that is play the ball where it lies. Yes, there is taking relief and dropping your ball and the rules of golf are very specific when you can do that. But, if you don't like where your ball comes to rest, you can't generally move it. A true golfer takes their penalty strokes and plays the ball where it lies.
      What about "The Vanity Handicapper"? That issue can also be debated.  Some take their penalties and play their ball where it lies. At the end of the round, if their score is higher than usual, they don't post. At least when they post, the score is accurate and all strokes, including penalty strokes, are counted. At least they are hurting themselves legally. There is no hint of "cheating".
     I will say this bluntly.  Some "vanity handicappers" flat out cheat. They don't count penalty strokes and improve their lies.  When they miss a short twelve inch putt, they don't count it.  If it goes into the water, they either hit the ball again and not count the "water ball" or drop and not count the penalty stroke.  Should the ball go out of bounds, either hit it again or play it from where it went out and not count the strokes.  This is not golf, folks, this is out and out cheating. Into the computer goes a low number, or if it is a high number it doesn't get posted even though the golfer wasn't exactly honest about their score. They hurt their teams in team events and are disasters in individual events. They are the first to complain about the course conditions and whatever other creative excuse they can make up as to why they didn't play up to their handicap. Most everyone knows why though. Their excusese are almost as bogus as their handicap.
     I post everything. My game is what it is and I am proud of it. I have had terrible rounds that I ask myself why am I playing this game to fantastic rounds where I really wondered if it was really me out there playing.  The scores went into the computer, no matter how high or low. Yes, when my index goes up, I cry. When the index goes down, I jump for joy.  At least, my numbers are accurate and I post everything according to the way they are supposed to be posted.
     That's it for today.  Have you checked out our website.  Take a look. Go to http://golfisforeveryonemd.com and see.  I'm very proud of it. We are working very hard to make it a premier resource for those wanting to take up the game, new to the game, juniors, women,the physically challenged and those who just love golf.  Until the next time, hit 'em long and straight.  Don't leave that birdie putt short.

Left side outside of the fence is out of bounds.  Two stroke penalty.

Why Handicaps Haven't Changed In Thirty Years

Why Handicaps Haven’t Significantly Changed in Thirty Years

By
Mark Croft PGA

Handicap averages for golfers haven’t really changed since the mid 1980’s. Yes, they are down

by an average of 2 strokes for men and 3 strokes for women but that hasn’t been the

improvement most were looking for. With new lighter clubs and balls that go further the game

hasn’t gotten significantly better for most. The question is why?

I believe the answer lies within the golfers’ knowledge and understanding of what a simple golf

swing is and what happens in that swinging motion. Many golf instructors use outstanding

technology to improve their students’ performance, but for the majority most don’t improve and

often the students get worse. New clubs, better balls, teaching technology that is supposed to be

on the cutting edge and still little if any improvement.

If a student does not possess the simple knowledge of a golf swing and the student does not

understand what their responsibility is the swinging motion, how can one really expect to

improve? Here lies the real key to improvement. Understanding your golf swing and what your

responsibilities are in a swinging motion. These are very simple principles to understand and

apply to improve a student’s swing and performance immediately.

I have taught thousands of students the golf swing. The students have been new to the game,

played golf for many years and some very elite players. At the beginning of every lesson I ask

this question to every student no matter their ability level “What happens in your golf swing?”

The first time I ask this question the overwhelming majority can’t answer the question correctly.

After we discuss the simple understanding of the motion of the golf club and what happens in the

swing, they immediately begin to swing the club better with the right attitude of the motion.

Go to your local golf professional and ask him/her what happens in a swinging motion. If they

say it’s not that simple or it is difficult or pull out some technological device to explain it, grab

your wallet and walk way. If by chance they grab a hula-hoop you are probably going to get a

pretty good and simple explanation.

How is it possible to do something well or improve on it if you don’t understand what it is you

are supposed to do? Understand your golf swing and your responsibility in swinging the golf

club, you will improve immediately. It will be fun to watch your handicap melt like ice on a hot

day! If you have any questions or would like to discuss the golf swing and its’ simplicity you

may contact me at mark@markcroftgolf.com.

Golf Is More Than A Game

     Golf is more than just a game, it is an international community. We speak a common language, even though that language is translated many ways.  The thoughts are still the same.  There is a lot in this world that potentially divides us, but golf brings many of us together. We have much in common, far more than our differences. It doesn't matter where you are, if there is a course around you have family and friends when you play.
      I just got back from a journey to Louisiana from my home in Merced, California. We popped out of the Arizona desert at Kingman, Arizona and there next to the interstate highway was a beautifully kept golf course. By the way, I have put that course on my "I have to play it" list.  The course was green in lush and green in contrast to the brown hues of the desert landscape. It looked like an emerald gem in the desert.
      About three quarters of a mile from the course we stopped for gas.  As we were filling up a man with a golf cart whizzes by and comes into the gas station. It was fairly obvious that the cart was his.   What did he have on the back of his cart?  His golf clubs of course.  He was ready, and I guess was on his way to the course to play or had already played. He still had his golf shoes on.
      As we traveled through the countryside on our way to our destination, we passed through some wonderful countryside. Our trip took us through many towns seemingly out in the middle of nowhere and through some big cities such as Dallas.  What struck me was the number of golf courses in the small towns we passed through. I don't have any idea as to the quality of the courses, but many of the small towns had courses. You would expect cities like Dallas, El Paso, Albuquerque and Phoenix to have courses but as stopped for gas we came across a course in the little town of Sonora, Texas. This little town of 2,000 plus people had a course right across the street from the gas station.  It was windy as heck, but the first tee was backed up and the course did have a lot of players on it. It was obvious that they were having a lot of fun.
      Where there are golf courses, there are golfers.  This trip was not a pleasure trip, so there was no time to play.  We had to get to Louisiana and get back.  Had we had the time and could squeeze in some golf I am sure that we could of gotten onto a course along the way and played no matter where we were.  I would also suspect that we would have been paired with a couple of other golfers and played as a foursome. This probably would have been the first time we met the people we were playing with, but we would not be strangers.  We would be family, members of the family of golf. It is more than a game.

Catalina Island off Los Angeles has a good golf course. My son and I had a great time with the golf family, even though I didn't know anyone.  

No Mulligans, Well Maybe

 What do I think about mulligan's?  Am I fiercely opposed to the idea?  Does the idea of taking a shot over again because of the poor outcome of a shot mean that "overs" should be allowed? Tennis has it's second serve.  Why not a second drive in golf?
      I understand that golf is not tennis. When you hit a bad drive or a shot into the water hazard you have hit a shot into the water hazard and should accept your fate. I do it all the time but I don't use a second ball. You don't get a second chance.  It sounds like I am against mulligans.  I admit that I very rarely if at all take a mulligan let alone count it on my scorecard.  I don't want to sound like a snob when I say this about my own game. I just prefer not to use them.  It can be said that mulligans are part of the game and up to the individual golfer.
      The circumstances of your round come into play here.  Of course mulligans have no place in competitive association sanctioned events and club events which are played for prizes or whatever.  What about that 25 cent skin game you play in your foursome?  Is it allowable for the other "sharks" in your Monday, Wednesday and Friday senior skin game group--you know who you are--to take a mulligan just to win a hole or to make him or her feel better?  Why not, if that is allowable within the rules that the foursome has set up and has allowed one mulligan.  This is not the U.S. Open for crying out loud. However, the status of that person in the group may suffer considerably. But we are here to have fun, right?
       Let's remember that this is a game.  It is a game that we need to enjoy.  The rules of golf are the foundation of the game, but our rule book can read like the federal tax code.  We break the rules whenever we play and don't even realize it. The rules should be followed to the best of our knowledge.  The game is about honor but it is also about fun.
      What's wrong with one mulligan a round?  Depending on the reason for your round, if it is just for fun or has been agreed to by the rest of the members in your quarter skin game, nothing. I don't know if I have clearly stated my case here about mulligans.  Forget what I have written so far.  Let's start all over again.  I am choosing to take my mulligan.
       I am very excited about the post for tomorrow.  I was on Mark's radio show yesterday as a sort of co-host and we had a couple of interesting guests on the show.

Oh no, its in the water.  I said, NO MULLIGANS!