Classic Rock

What a great weekend. The course was in great shape, especially for how dry it is, a full field, and I actually didn’t look like a complete chop for the whole weekend. My career in this tournament, while very fulfilling in most all areas, has been very suspect as a player. The first time I played my round started with 10 straight bogeys. Isn’t that just great? Not this year, I had a great ball striking weekend and finished with a 154. Good enough for a B Flight second place. I did this while having the worst thoughts over the ball that one could have, I was just waiting for the big disaster, but it never came.


Coach, I need a putting drill. I hit it on my mark all weekend but had problems getting it to the hole. (I know, hit it harder.) A lot of good looks at birdie turned into a tap in par. I’m not complaining, hell I’m glad they weren’t tap in doubles, but we’re here to get better right?

Of all the holes to have problems on, I made a double bogey on the very short and very straight par- 4 13th. My worst swing of the weekend, there was one on Saturday that was close, awarded me with a big fat OB and a nice 6 on the scorecard. But, like my son learned in pre-school, “you get what you get and you don’t throw a fit!”

Look out for this kid Adam Schenk. He’s from Vincennes and is headed to play golf at Purdue. He’s got a real chance to be something special. As a high school senior he shot the 2nd best score in the entire tournament, playing the same tees as the professional flight.

My over/under on beers for the weekend was 36. I really hope you took the over.

It was good to spend time with the MisHit Mafia members; it had been waaaay too long. Although, it seems my speech begins to slur when I’m around them for any length of time. I guess it must be something in the air.



I’m sorry, but for some reason I can’t stand Bubba Watson. It’s something about the way he carries himself. I don’t know why, but he bugs me.


Next up on my tournament list is the Evansville City Qualifier. Hopefully my second major of the year will go as well as the last couple of weekends. But, as many of my readers know, with my golf game I’m always ready for it to all leave me.



Maybe I need a psychiatrist not a Coach.



Anyway, until Thursday, SWING HARD!!

The Shotmaker Needs Some Bunker Help

Yes, The Shotmaker recently played in a tournament and could not hit a bunker shot.  He asked me, his coach for a golf drill he could do at home to improve his technique.

I proceeded to tell him to order a truckload of sand and hit wiffle golf balls out of it.  Just kidding of course, though I did specifically tell him to NOT order the sand.  TSM is very dedicated to improving his game and since he has a small back yard, the sand was not a practical idea.  I was afraid he might not figure it out.

Here is the practical free golf swing tip that I gave him.  You too can do this as long as you have some grass in your yard, or your neighbors yard, or the city park.

Simply take a long tee and place it in the ground.  Be sure the tee is as long as possible.  Then take an open stance, open up the blade of your sand wedge and swing at the tee, making it pop out of the ground.

Next do the same drill again, except you are now going to put a ball on the tee.  Open up your stance and clubface and swing under the ball, striking only the low part of the tee.  If you do it right the ball will fall to the ground.

Then when you are on the course, simply visualize this drill and do the same thing.  Hit the sand under the ball and the ball will pop out every time.

UPDATE--  The Shotmaker has completed his first round of the tournament and has himself in excellent position to win or make a very high finish.... something he has never done to date.  He shot a solid round of 75.  His big key now is to not celebrate too much tonight at the local pubs.  The tournament can be won tomorrow, or lost tonight.  I have a good feeling that he will make good decisions and be ready to play tomorrow.  His main emphasis should be on each shot he hits, while not suckering himself into a match play frame of mind.  He cannot control what the other guys in his group do, he just needs to hit and forget and move on.  I am sure you will get a complete review on his next post.

Heading to the Oaks

I'm ready for this weekend. After listening to the COACH and his tips on my pulls, which I have controlled recently, and tasting a little success last weekend; I really feel good going into the weekend. I plan on doing my best on and off the course. If I was to guess, by Sunday I'll look something like this.

I'm going to get all of the bad thoughts out of my head right now and only picture good things on the weekend. So here goes, my nightmare shots on the old farm.

3rd shot #1.
While I've been hitting my wedges pretty good lately, over the past three years I've hit more skanks on this hole than Jesse James hit behind Sandra's back. I usually leave myself about 60 yards and then hit my wedge about 3 feet high and 70 feet over the green. My plan.....leave myself a full wedge into the green.

2nd shot #4
The drive on this hole doesn't really fit my eye, but this second shot into the sloping green has been one of frustration. It seems I either leave it really short, because I'm afraid of the putt down the hill,  or I pull it left which leaves a really shitty chance at par.  My plan.......this is really a confidence thing more than anything. Just swing the club and if I have a downhill putt then so be it.

2nd shot #7
If the tee is up, this long and tight par 4 gets a whole lot easier. If the tee is back then it leaves a hybrid or maybe even a three wood in. (yes, I said three wood. I know the damn thing is not made of wood. I don't hit three metals just like I don't wear sunplastics.)  Again, confidence is the key but I'm really going to assess where I'm at and if need be lay up and not make a big number.

Tee shot #8
Anything left is fine. Right of the green leaves you in more trouble than a cold beer near the Mishit Mafia.

Tee Shot #13
While this is an easy hole and should be an automatic par. I cannot, I will not get greedy. Just be calm, take a breath and get it in or near the fairway.

2nd Shot #16
Again, if the tee is up this whole goes from being a real toughie to what can be called a "should par."  This shot can be missed to the right and par is still in play. Hit it left and you bring a whole bunch of trouble into the ballgame.

#17
The whole fucking thing. By far the worst whole on a great course....and it's not even close. Either fix the green or fix the fairway, you can't penalize good shots on both.



One more mention of the Classic tournament history. It's really underrated that there are currently 3 players that are in the top 100  of the PGA Tour Money list that have played this tournament in the recent past. 

Derek Lamely #56 on the list,

 Kevin Streelman #90

  Josh Teater #91.

 Pretty dang cool! Not many tournaments around that can say that.

Thanks for reading the blog this week, I hope you have enjoyed it. I know that I've enjoyed writing it. Now I've got to go out and do something to make the post tourney blogs just as exciting! Wish me luck.

The Shot Taker

"Classical Music"

This weekend is a special time for me. It’s the 11th year of the Classic at Country Oaks. I know, the name is The Belt Tech Classic now, and for one brief year it was known as The Black Buggy Classic, but for many of us that has been around from the start, it will always be known as The Pepsi Classic.

 Planning, working, and playing in this tournament, especially the first year, will always hold a special place in my heart. Some of my best friends in the world are people that I met and worked along side while building this tournament into what it is today. Hell, I met The Shot Gal while planning this tournament. VERY late on that first Saturday night she called home and told her mom she would be out at the course filling the Pepsi coolers for Sundays round. I don’t think her mom ever believed that story. But it seemed very logical at the time.

A little history…………

In February of 1999 I was down in Florida playing some of the shittiest golf known to man. I was with my Dad and some of his buddies and if anyone broke 90 it was because they quit counting. I got a call from Rob Koontz who was the pro at Country Oaks at the time. He had a vision of resurrecting the old

Washington Pro-Am of the past. He said that his memories were of a weekend long celebration of both golf and whatever else was worth celebrating. People liked watching regional professionals come into town and play the course that they teed it up on every weekend. He wanted to know my thoughts. I knew that he was the man to do it as his organization skills went unmatched and he had the desire and the know-how to put on a quality show. And thus it was born…..

Rob Koontz: "I think the meetings that we had planning the thing were something I’ll never forget. A lot of great ideas came out of those sessions. We had a great group of people come together to put on the show."

While professionals were absent for a few years until being resurrected while Chad Crane was the pro at “the Oaks;” that first year it was very important to show the community that we were trying to make this into a big deal. If I remember right, the professional flight was really weak, especially compared to the last few years. But getting even a few to put this unknown tournament at a very new course on their calendars was a big accomplishment for Rob.


Rob Koontz: "Seeing the crowds that showed up to play and watch the competitors was really special. The response that first year really made all of the hard work worth while. Being able to name the junior tournament after longtime pro Gene Gilliate was very important to me."


About three weeks prior to the event I sat down with Rob to discuss an idea. Every year on the first weekend in June, the Lawrence County Country Club has their annual tournament. On the Friday night prior to the tourney they had a 10 man shootout. It drew a good crowd and I knew the fun and party atmosphere that was created. I really felt that we could use this to gain the communities interest in the tournament. Rob wasn’t sold, but I was adamant, this will get the buzz going. So we came up with an idea to have 5 automatic entries. The Tuxedo Bar, the Montgomery Ruritan, the Knights of Columbus, the Country Oaks Golf Shop, and the club pro would all have an auto entry. That way several large groups would have “their guy” in the shootout. The other 5 spots would be decided by a qualifier. Worked like a charm, that first year we had a huge crowd and people saw how fun it was to watch people they know perform under the eyes of a few hundred spectators.

I can’t sit here and quote a whole lot of stats about the actual tournament play. I can tell you that I saw Rick Leonard from Vincennes, IN shank a ball off the top of the cart barn, bounce off of the concrete, somehow skip over a bunker and land on the 18th green for a birdie putt. I saw the late Ted Killion completely blow the C flight win while refusing to put away the driver and taking a 14 on his 36th hole. Even more fun than watching “The Bear” continue to dunk balls in the water was watching his buddy Rudy racing over to tell him that the tournaments only woman beat him on that hole. Speaking of, that first year had a very interesting entry in the form of Pat Burcham (I think that was her name) from Loogootee. If you watched SNL back in the day you’ll know that the name Pat was a perfect choice for her. I think she may have been just testing us to see if we would let her play; the word “Men’s” tournament was not on the entry. I don’t think anyone cared that she was a woman; the problem was that I’m not sure she was a golfer. She shot in the neighborhood of 120 each day and hit a clicker to count her score with every shot. That was a real treat for her playing partners.

There were a lot more parties back then. Friday night sponsors party, Saturday night players party are something of legend. You have never really experienced a tournament until you drink until 4 and are on the first tee as the starter for the 6:55 tee time. After puking all over my white shirt that I planned to wear on Sunday I was telling Beaky about it. He just laughed and then told me he had shit his pants on the way to the course. Good stuff.

I never did get my wish to paint the silo that is on the course to look like a giant Pepsi 2-liter for the tournament. Oh, well, maybe they will come back as a sponsor and I can do that someday. There were a few years there, during the reign of terror that one asshole pro had on the course, that I boycotted the tournament while watching him almost ruin it. That sucked. When they finally fired the dickhead 2 weeks before the 03 tournament, three of us raised the money and threw together one hell of an event at the last minute.

This tournament is in good hands now. Trey Miller and his staff do a wonderful job and I wish them nothing but success this year. I know that they have a passion for it, and I hope that maybe hearing the old stories and reading this brief history will keep the spirit of that first year alive. I have a romantic view of the tournament that not many do. But for those few guys that were around at the very beginning, this weekend is about more than just golf.

Yeah, I know it’s only a tournament, but sometimes that’s all it takes.

Sunday or Funday?

When I last left you, The Shot Gal was pointing out various condiments stuck to my face. Hey, I'm glad anytime it's on my face. I really feel like until it hits the ground, whatever food it may be, is still in play. Oh hell, lets face it, the ground doesn't exactly disqualify it either.

Anyway, Mook and I faced a daunting task on Sunday. We found ourselves 13 shots out of first place and really looking for a way to come back. I told him, you never know, since the format is total team score on each hole, guys can really make some big numbers. Mook then replied, "what's to say we're not going to make big numbers."  Good point.

We started off with a par, par start. Ok, not bad. We didn't hit balls or even take a practice putt. Just went straight to the tee. After 5 holes we are still even and I, for the first time this year, felt like I was competing.  I birdied our 6th hole and Mook makes a sick par save and now we are feeling like we may be getting back in this thing. Our playing partner were about 14 over so we knew we won't be last. YESSS!  We are at worst mediocre!!! We both par our 7th and number 8 provides a par and a bogey. Even par with one to go and we are now really considering turning pro. This world can't handle our golfing prowess. Booohaaahaaahaaa.   We decide that now that fucking ten from yesterday is buried and gone. One our 9th, the SAME HOLE WE MADE THE TEN ON SATURDAY, was awaiting us. I'm not really sure, but I'm pretty sure the trees were laughing at us when we stepped to the tee. It's like the trees were saying...ok chubs, we're ready, just don't hit us in the knots.

Mook smokes a drive down the middle and I'm in a fairway bunker. I get out of it in pretty good shape and he hits his best three wood of the weekend.  On our third shot I miss the green just a bit short and right but I don't see the ball land as I am shooting the full moon to those giggling oak trees. "Take that you ant infested future pieces of typing paper. I OWN YOU NOW!!" Oh yeah, while I'm pulling up my pants, my little brother proceeds to drain a big curler for birdie! After I make my par; we float back to the clubhouse with only 5 empty Coors Light cans and a dream of the greatest comeback in golf history. This comeback makes Nick Faldo vs Greg Norman at the Masters look like Spanky and Alfalfa playing Froggy and Buckwheat in a best ball. No Contest. We are the KINGS OF THE WORLD. 

The story does have a happy ending. We didn't come all of the way back but we nearly made it. The format did turn out to our favor as our -1 was the only sub par round in any flight and we finished just one shot from the win. (I think old Oaky and his buddies chuckled a bit.) Our winning of the aggregate score segment did get us into a "horse race." Basically an alternate shot shootout against the other format winners. Mook hit some great shots and we handled the pressure well and actually took home the victory in the shootout.

All in all, a great weekend.  It's got me really fired up about my first "Major" of the year. My personal majors this year consist of:

The Belt Tech Classic at Country Oaks
The qualifier and hopefully the Evansville City Open
The Oak Meadow Club Championship
The Bryno and Beaky "I Hate My Partner" 2 man tournament.

Tomorrow we are going to delve into the history of and a preview of the Pepsi, Black Buggy, Belt Tech Classic at Country Oaks.

Until tomorrow.......SWING HARD.

Grab Your Member

The season is finally, really underway. I played in my first tournament action this weekend. Oak Meadow had their Member / Member action on Saturday and Sunday. I played with my brother, “Mook,” and we had a few ups and downs.


First of all, my game is as rusty as it could be. I’ve played just 18 holes in the last few weeks. Between vacation and having to spend a week in Chicago for training on the new job, it’s been tough to get out. I was excited to get it going as I think over the next few months the golf is going to start cranking up. I am preparing this weekend for my first “major” of the year, which is next week; we’ll get to that over the next few days.

Back to the M/M tourney. We had some very interesting formats, hot weather and cold beer. I never bogeyed the 19th all weekend!! Starting out on the front 9 of 27 holes on Saturday was a Shamble format. Both players tee off; both players hit from the spot of the best drive and then play your own ball in. Team score is better ball. We did ok. Nothing special but we held our own. We shot level par and really had very few hiccups. I am still fighting pulling my irons but have stuck with the tips the Coach has provided. I have turned my “pulls” into playing a steady draw, which if nothing else is fun to do for the first time in my life. The 2nd nine was a better ball format. Mook struggled with his driver off and on, which everyone does on this course due to the tight fairways and 14 million f’n trees. But his putter was hot and that helped keep the scores in range. I made a lot of pars and am really just coasting. I’m not missing shots too bad, but still not dialing it in. Really, ordinary golf. Again, nothing great but we haven’t shot ourselves in the foot…….YET.

On the third nine we played a format called Pinehurst. It’s a bit different from the format that I’ve called that in the past. Both guys tee off, for the 2nd shot I hit Mooks ball and he hits mine. At that point we pick the best 2nd shot and start alternating until the ball is holed. A lot of fun, we played 8 holes at even par. But, let me describe the 500 yard dogleg right par 5. We had a fairly mediocre drive and second shot to choose from. Mook puts me in the bunker on our third shot. I hit one of my many lousy sand shots waaaaaaaaaaaaay over the green. After my partner locates the ball on the edge of the high grass he proceeds to blade it over the green down a really big hill and into the trees. I hit a fabulous punch shot from under the trees about, oh, half way back up the hill. After Mook composes himself I turn around to grab my putter and hear, Oh God, Oh SHIT! Yes, shot number seven has screamed across the green into the rough. Shot 8 was awesome. I actually put it on the green, break out the whiskey and the whores………WE ARE PUTTING!! Ho hum, ho hum and we are in for a 10. Yeah, it was freaking great. So, I looked at him and said well there goes our tournament. We come in at +5 and pretty much embarrassed.

In tomorrow’s blog I will let you know what happened on Sunday. We took quite a bit of shit off of The Shot Gal for another shitty tournament experience. I put down my turkey burger, wiped off the ketchup that she pointed out was on my chin, and stoically told her with a pointed finger. “I’m a big believer in fate; I’ve got a good feeling about tomorrow.” At that point she said, as only TSG can, “You have mayo on your face too.”

Check in tomorrow night for …………………the rest of the story.


Also, each day this week we will be talking about the Belt Tech Classic at Country Oaks, coming up this weekend. I will have some insight about the history of the tournament and hopefully an interview with key figures through its history.


Coach, I need help with greenside bunker shots. Fairway bunkers I have no problem with but I’ve lost confidence in my short bunker game.

Has Anyone Heard From The Shotmaker??

Geesh,  this must be the longest damned vacation I have ever seen!! 

Hopefully the Shotmaker (TSM) has been out working on his game.  I know he has a tournament this weekend that will serve as a warmup to his qualifying round in the City Tournament. 

Next weekend he stays in tournament mode with an appearance at Country Oaks.  I say appearance because that is usually all it amounts to.  His off the course habits with the Mishit Mafia usually destroy his chances for a good finish.  What are friends for?? 

Well, here is your free golf swing tip this week.  If you are going to play in a tournament (or any serious round for that matter) you must begin by focusing on scoring beginning at the driving range.  The worst thing you can do on tournament day is to go to the range and try to figure out your swing problems.  Take the swing you have that day and work with it.  Don't try to turn natural fades into draws.  Focus on making solid contact and hold your follow through position until your ball hits the ground and you will be prepared.

For More Tips Go To

Pick specific targets on each shot and go through your pre-shot routine. (No TSM, that does not mean drink 6 beers.)  It means to focus on each shot and make it "real".  Scoring on the golf course is the only thing you can think about when you are playing.  You have to dance with the lady you brought to the dance.... no time for tinkering with swing adjustments.  Visualize each shot in your head before you approach your ball and then just relax and let it go!!

Until next time, Keep that tempo SMOOTH!!

Coach
"The Shot Maker"

On Vacation

Sorry for the delay on the posting. I'm on vacation in North Carolina and haven't put my drink down long enough to pick up my clubs. I plan on getting out Sunday afternoon so I'll have a full report.