The two par 5's had to be a little bit disappointing on Saturday...not sure what happened.
Yeah, those were tough, especially #18, the second-easiest hole of the week.
Kip argued for driver. Brian liked 3-wood.
Thursday, BG cut a 3-wood into the right bunker, got it out and made birdie with a wedge from 97 yards.
Friday, he hooked driver into, in Kip's words, the "only impossible place" in the left bunker (under the lip) and made par.
Saturday, it was BG's choice of 3-wood, but he cut it again. This time . . . Bogey.
Sunday, another 'discussion' between the two, and it was 3-wood into the magnetized right bunker. Then out, on and birdie.
For several reasons, Kip still thinks driver is the right choice and was very frustrated, even after the closing birdie (and a 4-under 31 inward nine) at tourney's end. For an equal number of reasons, Brian thinks 3-wood and defended that choice mano-o-mano in the interview area after signing his card:
Kip: You gotta hit driver on that hole.
Brian: I never hit it a good shot, so you can't say 3-wood is wrong.
Life on the PGA TOUR . . .
The best of the best.
Strong players.
Strong caddies.
These are two strong guys, and they make a great team.
At the Sony Open each year in Honolulu, Hawaii, the Aloha Section of the PGA constructs a three-bay teaching facility off the 18th fairway at Waialae CC. There, Section PGA professionals give more than 1,000 lessons to all comers.
At noon on each of the four days, two of the three bays are closed for a half hour, and a featured speaker holds forth. On Saturday of the 2010 Sony Open, I was privileged to be that speaker, and we all had a great time 'educating' our Hands.
Under my direction, each person in the audience learned, demonstrated and recited the Three Planes of Motion of the Hands -- Horizontal, Perpendicular and Rotational -- and the Three Wrist Conditions in each Plane:
Horizontal: Flat, Bent and Arched.
Perpendicular: Level, Cocked and Uncocked.
Rotational: Vertical, Turned and Rolled.
Then, they learned the three simultaneous Wrist Conditions of Impact:
Flat . . . not Bent or Arched.
Level . . . not Cocked or Uncocked; and
Vertical . . . not Turned or Rolled.
We also got acquainted with the precision Address alignments of the Arms and Body.
During the half hour, the chanting crowd grew very large. In fact, it was three times as big at the end of our time than at the beginning! That's because interested bystanders wanted to join in the fun. And join they did!
Along the way, I called on various members of the audience to come center stage and permit me to demo a point or two. We laughed . . . and we learned. At the end, everybody knew a whole lot more than they did at the beginning, and they enjoyed the journey. As always, that is my own personal measure of success.
Immediately following my presentation, I was asked by the Section to give a private lesson. The student and I spent 20 minutes together, during which time I found three very important mis-alignments and prescribed a positive remedy for each. Together, we put them on the run.
Later that afternoon, the Executive Director called and asked if I could do an encore at 10:30 the next morning with this same student. Which, of course, I was happy to do. When it comes to teaching -- as everybody knows -- I'm always ready to go!
Anyway, this particular golfer is a very special lady. She is intelligent, athletic and obviously trained in golf. Her problem was, in her own words, "Why don't I break 100?" Trust me, with her new alignments and more secure grip, she will. And soon.
The name of my newest most wonderful student?
Naoko Okada.
Daughter of Akio Morita, the late co-founder of Sony.
Our lives are obviously very separated, but she and I struck a bond -- a golfer's bond -- and there is no doubt in my mind we are destined to meet again.
__________________ The student senses his teacher’s steadfast belief and quiet resolve: “This is doable. It is doable by you. The pathway is there. All you need is determination and time.” And together, they make it happen.
even better than that Alex, imagine being able to build your own stroke on LBG 2011!
__________________ The student senses his teacher’s steadfast belief and quiet resolve: “This is doable. It is doable by you. The pathway is there. All you need is determination and time.” And together, they make it happen.
even better than that Alex, imagine being able to build your own stroke on LBG 2011!
Alex,
As everyone knows, accommodations around St. Andrews are tight -- and have been tight -- since the nanoseconds following the annnouncement of the 2010 Open Championship. As a result, Mrs. Yoda and I need your on-the-ground 'inside' counsel regarding same.
Hybrid Mode
