Posted on

Tom Watson on the Charlie Rose Show

The indepth, benevolent interrogation by Charlie Rose doesn’t escape the game we know and love. When I heard that Tom Watson would be on the other side of the round, oak table I knew it would be something to TiVo. Below is the 32 minute interview and the summary that follow.

– Charlie opens the interview with a look back at Watson’s chip-in on the 17th at Pebble.

– Watson truly believed he could win the Wednesday night before the start of the tournament.

– His example of what makes his experience beneficial is fantastic; trust and confidence in the course made his 6 prior experiences at Turnberry such an advantage.

– Watson on links golf “That’s links golf, you just don’t know.”

– Tom’s hatred of failure is what drove him to succeed.

– The caddy-player relationship in Watson’s life is amazing. Bruce Edwards spent over 30 years on the bag with Watson.

– When the ball was in the air on 18 at Turnberry in 2009, Watson thought it would be 77′ all over again.

– Watson’s major motivation for great play at the Masters this year was his son being on the bag.

– To be great at anything, you’ve got to have conviction that you’re great. Tom believed that.

– Everyone always talked about Jack and his strategy around the course. Watson puts it in much simpler terms by saying, “Jack was the best at taking the element of risk out of an individual shot.”

Two Questions Watson Asked Hogan: it surprises me that Tom only met Ben once.

– Do you ever think a tall golfer will ever be one of the best players?” Hogan responded by saying “Absolutely.”

– How nervous did you get when you were playing in competition? Hogan replied, “Tom, I was so nervous I was jumping out of my skin.”

– Charlie asks “Why would you wake up and not warm-up well if you in the lead?” A simple question, but yet, it cuts to the heart of the enigma is that is the game of golf. Watson replies that is just the way the the game is and feel is such a big factor.

– The snowball effect of losing confidence happened to Tom midway through his career.

Watson finds “it.”

– His practice session on the range in 1994 is where Tom Watson discovered his secret. There are many similarities to Tom’s secret and the one of Ben Hogan.

– Wow, did not know Tom Watson thought about quitting the game.

– Learn from the best through observation.

– Watson equates ball striking to pitcher’s and their control of the movement of their pitch.

– The modern golf swing is epitomized in Sam Snead’s swing.

Jon @ atruegolfer.com

Posted on

Newsman golfs across Detroit to explore his city

Last month Fox’s Charlie LeDuff took on an epic challenge to play golf from the tips of Detroit – literally, an 18-mile, par 3168, single hole stretching from one end of the city to another. Besides smacking a driver down highway 75 this unusual expedition had an underlying purpose: an attempt to learn more about the city and the day-to-day living of its citizens.

The 46 year old Pulitzer Prize winning writer carried just 4 clubs in his bag while facing extraordinary hazards, abandoned houses, dying landmarks and grassy fields. On his trek through Detroit he learned more about the troubles facing city residents as they struggled to get by, including a mom trying to find her suicidal daughter, an unhappy cop, and a generous deacon.

LeDuff didn’t opt for a caddie (though he did have a crew with him) and took no mulligans – Detroit rules are to play it as it lies. By the time he holed out his final putt at the Belle Island Golf Club, LeDuff counted 2525 strokes (an astonishing 643 under par). You can watch this great piece of golf/journalism below:

I’m thinking back to what I saw behind me – a city, its people holding on, waiting for a savior, a savior who may not be coming. I wonder if the people know the savior might be found within themselves, their neighborhoods, their families. The old saying is true, ‘No man is an island’

– Charlie LeDuff

Posted on

Rickie Fowler makes a hole-in-one… in the middle of DC

As part of the hoopla surrounding the US Open, Red Bull created a man made 106-yard golf hole in the middle of the Georgetown Waterfront.

They brought in Red Bull athlete Rickie Fowler to give it a go.  Fowler had to hit a blind shot from an elevated tee box, between buildings, over a fountain, and into an island green placed in another fountain.  It took him a few tries, but on his 3rd attempt, he dunked it.

Derek @ 72 strokes.com

Posted on

Golfing at the Top of the World

Most people relate Himalayas with trekking, yoga retreats or rejuvenation. But the mountain ranges also offers some of world’s most stunning golf courses and these surprisingly comes at an affordable price.

Himalayan Golf Course – Pokhara, Nepal

Fresh water straight from the Himalayan glaciers, puffy clouds sailing calmly across the sky beneath the snow capped cliffs, birds twittering and chirping creating a melodious setting, the blossom of flowers and their aroma that spreads across mountain fields – with all these picturesque and serene surrounding lies the Himalayan Golf Club, Nepal. Considered to be one of the most exotic golf courses on the planet, the Himalayan Golf Club is located minutes away from downtown Pokhara, which is also the gateway to the 5 mile high Annapurna range.

Belying most expectations, Pokhara is blessed with a pleasant climate and year-round golf. Winters are mild with clear visibility, while the summers boast average temperatures of 81°F (27°C), though late afternoon showers produce cool evenings.

The course was designed and constructed by an Ex British Army Officer, Major RB Gurung MBE, inside a sweeping canyon created by the Himalayan snowed waters of the Bijayapur river. What was previously desolate wasteland of river boulders and swamps is now a 6,900 yards (your ball flies far at these altitudes) par 73 golfing heaven. The course itself has 11 greens for 9-holes (now being upgraded to a 18 holes) and with multiple tees allows for a different experience on the front and back.

Hole 5 - The Signature Island Hole

The signature fifth hole here is known to be the only natural river island hole in the whole world. As well as the vibrant foliage makes the Himalayan Golf Club one of the greenest golf courses in the world, attracting a large number of cattle and buffalo which in turn provides most of the mowing on the course. 

As the venue for the Nepal Surya Western Open for the past twelve years, the course has been featured in many international magazines including the ‘Golf World’, movies and travel films. Definitely a must play, but watch out for the yaks grazing on the fourth hole.

Posted on

Rockwell’s Works on Golf

I love Norman Rockwell. I love golf. The following two Norman Rockwell pieces incorporate the game into his artwork.

Man Leaving Work to Go Golfing was published on September 20, 1919. I’ve always felt it’s important to leave art up to interpretation but I would be remiss if I didn’t point out the sign over the gentlemen’s desk that says “Do It Now,” and the note left on the door that reads, “Gone on Important Business.”

Missed! came from Rockwell’s Sporting Boys series. The facial features of all the boys says it all!

Which piece is your favorite?

Jon @ atruegolfer.com

Posted on

Teeing off at the terminal


Finally, a solution to stressful and boring airport delays: a golf course at the terminal. Next time your business or vacation trip takes you through Hong Kong International Airport, stop by SkyCity Nine Eagles Golf Course, conveniently located outside one of the terminals. The nine-hole course has all the amenities of your country club back home, including floodlights at night and even a hole in the middle of a lake. Travelling light? You can rent everything you need to play a good game, like shoes, clubs, and caddies.

The Nine Eagles Course is a architectural feat. Not only designed to challenge, built it was also built to be eco-friendly and beautiful. The course achieves USGA standard with its gently rolling hills and abundant bunkering. It is made up of seven Par 3 holes and two Par 4 holes fit for beginners, experts, and everybody in between. The clubhouse brings together what you would expect at your club at home, including a pro-shop and changing room, with a taste of Asia. Enjoy traditional Thai fare by eating outside to savor both the tastes and views of the East.

Sold on this one of a kind travel experience? It’s affordable too. Playing Nine Holes (just enough time on a medium layover) will cost you US$50 on weekdays and US$70 on weekends.

Posted on

Bubba Stands out from the Rest

The below chart, appearing in a recent GolfWorld article, looks at the number of “long bombs” by professional golfers vs. their height. One conclusion that can be drawn is the lack of correlation between height and number of super-long drives. The other is that Bubba Watson really stands out from the pack, with 50% more 350+ yard drives than his nearest competitor.

Posted on

Does a dimpled car goes twice as fast?

On a recent episode of the TV show MythBusters, special effects experts Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman ran tests to see if a dirty car is more fuel efficient than a clean one. It turned out that dirt doesn’t make a difference to the mileage (in fact it reduced mileage by ~1.5 mpg). But the intrepid experimenters didn’t stop there. They went a step further to test if covering a car in actual golf ball-like dimples would improve its fuel efficiency?

As seen in the video below, dimpled golf balls could fly almost twice as far as smooth balls, since they disrupt the air around them, which creates a smaller wake and reduces drag. So could the same principle could really be applied to race cars?

To answer the question, the Mythbusters team went about adding 1,082 dimples to a Ford Taurus’s exterior. To keep the experiment consistent, all 1,082 dimples removed from the clay exterior were put in a box and then set in the back seat so that the car would weigh exactly the same as before dimpling.

Smooth Vs Dimples

At constant 65 mph speed, the cleaner car gave 26 MPG and the dimpled one gave an amazing 29 MPG. The theory or the improvement is that, like a golf ball, the dimples would reduce the car’s drag through the air, thus allowing it to travel the same distance at the same speed using less fuel.

The Mythbusters crew experimented with dimples on this Ford Taurus

So, in a difficult economy with high fuel prices, a dimpled car design can very well save you some cash. In fact, an improvement of 3 MPG translates into ~$400-600 per year of savings for the average person who drives 15,000 miles.

If you have the interest to find out more, you can view the full video of MythBusters Mileage Test.

Posted on

4 Ways To Get Invited Back to a Member Guest

When your friend or relative invites you to a Member-Guest, it’s a big deal. They are, in essence, saying, “I want you to come represent me in front of my friends at my club.” It is a true honor. This privilege creates a lofty amount of responsibility; below are 4 simple, easy ways to get invited back to your friend’s Member Guest.

Make Your Partner Look Good

There are many ways to do this and not do this. A few that come to mind include:

– Tell stories of the past you have together. Each of you know one another for a reason, let his fellow members in on a side of your host they may not know — a good side, that is.

– Do not talk about or compare your club. Any form of trying to “keep up with the Joneses” or commenting on how your club does it always comes off awkward.

– Dress like your partner. This doesn’t mean wear the exact same item…that would be ridiculous and is highly ill-advised. But dressing beneath your partner (shirt untucked or tennis golf shoes) could create tension and dressing above him (a flamboyant-Poulter outfit) could make him feel out-of-place at his home course. Best advice: stay traditional and classic.

Play Well

This might be too simple, but depending on your partner, being in contention is a high priority and if you get waxed, coming back may be a tall order. Weeks leading up to the tournament, take some extra range time, bring the putter to work, and get mentally prepared for firing at pins and dropping putts.

Write Personal Thank You Notes

Writing thank you notes is one of the least time consuming ways and potentially has the greatest “remembrance factor” because so few people do it. Notice “Thank You Notes” is plural. This means writing two is best form: one to your host and one to the head pro — both thanking them for the weekend, accommodations, and experience. Notes should only be written if the message is authentic and sincere, otherwise don’t bother.

Reciprocate

Some of the greatest relationships are formed on the golf course. As most know, relationships are a two way street and if an individual doesn’t reciprocate in anyway, it hints a lack of appreciation. There are many ways to reciprocate including a gift, a golf trip that you initiate, or your Member-Guest.

Good luck and hopefully your host will see you next year.

Jon @ atruegolfer.com