2010 A to Z

Except for the occasional warm day round, it looks like 2010 Golf is in the books. Was it a successful year for the Shot Taker? I would have to say emphatically……….YES!! and then No. It started off incredibly promising a win in the Member/Member tourney and then a 2nd place finish at the Classic. By July 1st things seemed to be going in a good direction. All of those proclamations about this year being “my year” seemed to look as good as Beyonce in a skin tight outfit. But somewhere along the way Beyonce turned into that fat chick from Precious and my season fizzled. The fantastic draw I was playing turned into a massive hook and my lack of distance off of the tee only grew to staggering levels.

Late in the season things did turn around a bit. After the member/guest debacle in which I played like that hiker that sawed his own arm off, post amputation, things got a bit better. First of all, I got rid of that fucking Nike Square Sumo. I don’t know if it was a black market copy or what but as soon as I put a Taylor Made R9 in my bag, my distance off of the tee was back to normal. I did make some improvements over the year I think, The Coach’s drills helped my overall consistency and I feel I’m on track for 2011…..My Year!

What to do this winter to get the old game where I want it? First and foremost, it’s time to get this fat body back in better condition. I have started walking / running and am gradually building that up. University of Evansville coach Marty Simmons, who is one of my childhood idols, lost 100 pounds recently eating a little smarter and walking everyday. I hope that I can do the same thing and when the Coach says to point my belt buckle at my target on the follow through…..my belt buckle will actually be visible.

As far as equipment goes, I think I’m pretty set. Now that I have gotten rid of that driver I really feel good about everything in my bag. I actually like the Nike fairway woods and hybrids so those will stay. The Bridgestone irons are staying and I don’t think I’ll ever find a putter that feels better in my hands than the one I’ve been using for that past 10 years.


Next, get back to regular blogging so the Coach and I will have that interaction and continue getting drills to help my swing. Hopefully, this will help out all of your games as well. That’s why we are all here right? Now that the blog is back up and running and posts will be up 3 to 4 times per week, please tell your friends to start checking it out. We have a lot of things planned but we need to start growing the readership.


Homework for the next blog, which will be Sunday evening after I return from the UE vs. IU game in Bloomington…..start thinking about your own exercise program for the next few months. Don’t get crazy, because if you are like me and overdo it, you’ll just get sick of it and quit. Let’s get better together.

I will leave you with an alphabetical wrap up of the 2010 Golf Season according to the Shot Taker.



Until next time…..SWING HARD!!

A      Asshole. Like the one that ran his mouth off before the KofC tournament despite having no idea what he was talking about. Remember, gambling habits, heavy drinking and a big mouth DO NOT mix.




B      Beer. I don’t know that there is a finer place on the planet than the Washington KofC with the other 7 guys on Saturday after 18 holes. Come ready to drink though, the rounds fly pretty fast.



C      Couples Golf. This year is the most that I’ve ever played. And I must say despite my jokes at ShotGals expense, we had a lot of fun together on the links.



D      Drainage Ditch. Being denied a drop out of a ditch at Fendrich cost me a spot in the Evansville City Tournament.



E      Eighty- one. Instead of seventy- six. See “D” above.



F      Fuck. Is there a more versatile word in golf? It can be used as an adjective….I hit that fucking putt EXACTLY where I wanted and still missed. It can be used as a verb….Well, my partner fucked that up. As an adverb….That ball fucking JUMPED off of the club head. As a noun…… Fucker thinks I’m giving him that three footer the way he’s putting?



G      Gut. Mine. Didn’t help my golf and attributed to my near death walking up the hill on par 5 -15th during the summer.



H      Handicap. Despite the fact that my year didn’t go as planned and I put in every score; somehow my index has dropped to an 8.5. I hate the system that is in place.



I       Ignorance on the rules of golf. Would it kill some of you to pick up a rules book over the winter? I mean, you don’t have to be an expert but at least brush up on the basics.



J      Josh Teater. The only PGA pro that I actually know had a great first year on tour and will be back with his card in hand for 2011. Job well done!



K      KofC scramble. Didn’t win, despite my B player being the best player in the tournament. (see “A”). But, I did win a complete set of Powerbilt clubs and a Nike square hybrid that matched my other Nike clubs.



L       Lash Larue. The act of holding the club head end of an iron and in a whipping action hitting your brother in the calf with the grip; while he’s not looking. Very funny. Not so funny when it’s your brother doing the lashing to you.



M      MisHit Mafia. My guys. A group of 8 golfers that break down in these categories….3 bald heads, 2 fat guys, 1 toupee, 8 bad swings, 1 monstrous nose, 4 shaky hands, and an Irishman in a Bud tree. But a bunch of great guys.



N      Not Enough. I only played two rounds of golf with the MisHit Mafia members this year and that is a crime.



O      Oak Meadow. My first year as a member of this club went really well. Hopefully they will stay afloat long enough for there to be a year number two.



P      Preferred Lies. A thing of the past in our group and we are glad of it. Makes golf more enjoyable when you don’t spend your time watching your buddy trying to tee up a shot on some dead grass so they can hit a 3 wood 40 yards short of a par 5.



Q      Quality tournament. The Belt Tech Classic at Country Oaks is as good of a tournament that there is in the area. Make sure, even if you are not a tournament player, to volunteer or come out and watch next year. You’ll be glad you did.



R      Ryder Cup. Jack Nicklaus once said that the Presidents Cup would one day be a bigger and more important event. Probably the dumbest thing Jack ever said. With maybe the exception of “Tiger, meet my granddaughter.”



S      Six Birdies. Not sure what got into my brother a couple of weeks ago. But during the annual family tournament the Mookster threw up a half dozen birdies on me and my father.



T      Tiger’s Penis. Man. What a great 2009 it had. 2010…..not so much.



U      Under Par Round. Better check back next year on this one.



V      Vincennes Golf Club. Glad to see the old Fox Ridge making a comeback. Don’t let it slip boys; you’ve got a bit of momentum going.



W      Women of A Shot of Golf. Haven’t I provided some nice pictures this year for you dirty old bastards?



X      Expert Tips. The Coach will make us better with his simple to- do drills and advice that comes from a long background in the game.

Y      Yancey, Scott. Sorry to hear about the former Big Breaker and my onetime Pro Am partner has gotten away from golf. Hope to see him back out there next year.

Z      Zoysia. The finest grass for a fairway. Go play Country Oaks in July and tell me I’m wrong.