Pete Takes Dannenfelser Cup Opener 4 & 3

HIGH BRIDGE, NJ – In the first official round of golf for the season (see Dannenfelser Cup Rules), the younger Dannenfelser, Pete, came out the victor in a match that was much closer thatn the score card indicated.

At 6:34 in the morning on Palm Sunday, 2006, the thermometer read 31 degrees, but the winds were whipping across the links-like High Bridge Hills Golf Club making the wind chill in the 20s at best. Pete and Randy were determined to get their season started and with an opening drive down the left side, son-of-Dannenfelser got it going. Randy’s opening drive found the fairway and the season was underway.

Pete took the first two holes with bogey and par respectively, but Randy was not going to be shut down so quickly. On the third hole, which was playing approximately 110 yards, Pete used a gap wedge to put the ball on the front side of the green. Randy followed with a shot right onto the green for the only GIR he would have for the day. He was took only two putts while Pete took three and the match sat at Pete +1 after three.

The fourth hole saw the tees set back to the tips and although Randy struggled to get his shot over the ravine. However, after Pete three-putted, his father had tied it up.

On the fifth, both Randy and Pete did something neither one had done in quite some time: drop the tee shot into the pond. Both ended with 7s, but due to the 15-stroke handicap advantage, he took the lead, 1 up, for the first and only time on the day.

Pete quickly recovered and birdied the sixth, and started a three hole run and took a two hole lead into the back nine. He won the tenth with a bogey, halved the next one and then lost the 12th after losing two tee shots and conceding the hole. Randy tried to give it back but sunk his putt on the last chance before a pick up.

After the 14th hole, Pete was up by three with four to play. The shortest hole on the course, playing just under 100 yards today, would be the first chance for Pete to put the match away. The 15th was the last hole of the day that would play even up. Pete’s shot came up short and right and landed in the bunker. Randy followed with a pitching wedge that carried to the back fringe of the putting surface. Pete’s first attempt to get out of the rain hardened sand popped back into the trap to nearly the exact location it was in before he attempted to get out. The second try was the charm and he landed it six feet from the hole.

Now it was Randy’s turn to putt on. He came up short. Then he did and slid it about five feet by. On Pete’s attempt he was able to sink it in four. Randy needed a five footer to stay alive but just missed. It was over on the 15th hole. Appropriately on one of only three holes that were played even up.

Since this was one of the Dannenfelser “majors,” it was worth 150 points instead of the 100 that all the “regular season” matches will be worth, with bonus points, Pete scored 177 points in this round and Randy took 15.

Standings
Pete ... 177 pts, 1-0-0
Randy ... 15 pts, 0-1-0

Father and Son Open Season With a New Twist

The Dannenfelser Duo, father Randy and son Pete, have been playing golf together since September of 2003. In 2004 and 2005 they started maintaining handicaps and have played many (many!) rounds together. Usually for $1.00 per hole or other such bets. This year the Dannenfelsers announce the official launch of the Dannenfelser Cup Series Golf Championship. Guaranteed to include at least five rounds of competition, this new competition will crown it’s first winner at the end of the season.

“The Dannenfelser Cup is not intended to detract from any of our regular season matches,” the 35 year old Peter Dannenfelser said. “It just adds another element to the season. We’ll still be battling it out over skins and match play rounds and usually applying the winnings to post round lunches. But now we’ll be tracking the entire season.”

As was determined in an email exchange between the two combatants this afternoon, the Dannenfelser Cup Golf Championship Series (or DCGCS) will open annually with the first match between the pair after the first day of the PGA Master’s. Other “major” events in the series will include the annual Dannenfelser Invitational, their traditional two courses in one day event and the Season Closer (usually held around Halloween). These events will include pre-determined bonus points while the other regular events will be worth 100 per round. The winner of each match will be based on the agreed upon pre-match wager. This could range from just a friendly, no money match game, to a cut throat skins game and could even include the first ever medal round between Randy and his son some time this year.

In addition to the points for winning the match, points will be awarded for net pars (5 points), birdies (10 points), eagles (15 points) and holes in one (50 points). Further points will be awarded for 36 or fewer putts per round (1 point per putt under 37) and bonuses or penalties for the movement of their respective handicaps as a result of the round (movement x 10 points).

“Adding the points for things other than wins will add some interest when having a bad round. If your out of it and you sink a couple good putts for birdies or pars, you at least know you’ll be racking up some bonus points,” Pete said.

While it is not yet been finalized, there is talk that the loser of the Dannenfelser Cup will buy dinner for both the winner and his wife at the end of season awards banquet. At which time, the winner will sip from the Dannenfelser Cup itself and enjoy a nice dinner out with family.

“I hope that this is a tradition that we start this year that can even be passed down to future generations of Dannenfelsers,” said Pete.

The race for the Cup begins this Sunday, April 9, 2006 at 6:34 am in High Bridge Hills Golf Club, site of the 2005 Dannenfelser Invitational. At stake in this match, aside from DCGCS points, is a free round at Rolling Greens (valued at $32.00) – the largest wager ever between the Dannenfelsers.

Pete has offered up a 15 stroke handicap differential to his father who readily accepted it. It is early in the season and HBH is not the easiest course to play – even from the white tees, where they are scheduled to play from.

Pete has played High Bridge twice in the last several weeks and has scored 96 and 95 respectively. After coming off an impressive pre-season 85 and a $10 victory this weekend at Rolling Greens against his father, the table is set for an exciting grudge match. The 85 is a new Dannenfelser record low score (although, Pete did shoot an 88 at Heron Glen in October 2005 which was 16 over par).

Keep an eye on this site for more coverage of the 2006 Dannenfelser Cup Series Golf Championship.

54 Holes in 27 Hours

This weekend I played three rounds in a 27 hour period. In that time I had some moments of sheer brilliance and others of utter incompetence. I also learned some important lessons about my game, the way I play and the way the changes in your game come to life.

I am finally at a point in my game where I can legitimately expect to break 100 every time out (unless it’s a new and/or difficult course). By expecting to break 100, I mean that if I play within my ability, I SHOULD cross the century mark but don’t always do so. I guess what I am saying is that I can confidently say I shoot in the high ‘90s.

Friday afternoon I played at High Bridge Hills with a guy from my company named Frank who I have played with three Friday afternoons in a row. I call him Frankie Four-Iron because he doesn’t use woods at all and drives with his four almost as I far as I hit with a driver. He’s at a very similar skill level to me (five or six strokes higher) and is just a fun guy to play with.

We started on 10 and were both playing somewhat poorly (not God-awful, but certainly not where we wanted to be) until we reached the fourth (13th of the day) hole. This is the par three where we had the closest to the pin at the Dannenfelser Invitational. He popped his up and was about 35 feet in front of the green. I actually had the right club and was on the green a good twenty feet from the pin. He took out his putter and whacked it on the green and it looked like he had lagged it perfectly – and it would have been the perfect lag if it didn’t hit the stick and fall in for birdie.

He had just finished saying how he wasn’t sure if he liked HBH and quickly had to say how much he liked it! Impressed with his birdie, I lined my putt up hoping to just get close enough to get a par. Mine went right into the hole like I was on the Tour and added my birdie next to his on the score card. I proceeded to bogey, birdie, par, triple and bogey my way out for the day and ended with a surprising 99.

That was realization number one for the weekend: it was the first time I ever played and scored BETTER than I thought I played. I have many times played and added up the scorecard only to be disappointed; certain I had played better than my stroke count indicated. I’m not 100% sure what this tells me other than even on my bad days, I guess I am playing better.

The next morning I was out on Beaver Brook at 7:24am and was sent out with a really nice group of people. I don’t think I’ve met nicer strangers on the course. It was an older couple (man and woman) and a business associate of his in from Michigan. I can’t put my finger exactly on what was different about this group, but I really enjoyed their company, so much so that I made it a point to offer my email address to play again with them in the future, and they made an effort to remind me to give it to them before I left.

I parred the first and 18th holes and played horribly for the other 16. My putting was the worst it has been in a year and a half (and I have the computer score keeping software to prove it). I had 45 putts. That’s a four and a five. I three putted 7 out of the last 9 holes.
Suddenly, too, I realized that I was getting much more distance from my irons (all my clubs, actually). Perhaps as much as one whole club. A perfect example is that my 6 iron used to be my 130 yard club – I know: “pathetic.” On a par 3 on Beaver Brook I used a 7-iron and hit it 138 yards in the air.

The guy in my cart, Lette, used to play in competition in Michigan and he said that it makes sense. Once you start to get your technique right, you start to hit the ball more true which means that the club is doing the work and you will get more distance without swinging harder. Interesting…

I shot a 105 on the day. So, if I take off just 6 of those 45 putts (and some were damn close and lip-outs), I would have broken 100 again. Oh, well, the company was good.

So, what was the learning from that round? Not sure, maybe just the social aspect. It was a really nice round. I think it was truly that relaxing enjoyable time your supposed to have on the course that sometimes I forget to get out of the game.

After that round I was to meet my buddy Dave but he called and cancelled at the last minute. So I went over to Green Knoll and got on as a single paired with a double at about 1:00 in the afternoon. The two guys I was playing with were the most “Americanized” Indian guys I’ve ever met. I know that’s totally politically incorrect, but that’s the best way to describe them.

This was truly one of the most bizarre rounds I have ever had.

The first hole, the long par 5, started with a phenomenal drive that left me within 225 of the pin. If I wasn’t obstructed by trees, I may have been able to reach in 2. I ended up with a six which on that hole is very good for me. The next hole was absolutely one of those “if-it-can-go-wrong-it-will” holes. My drive was popped up and sliced into the other fairways. My three-wood attempt at the green was hooked so violently left that it looked more like a jai-lai shot. This was a par four, so at least I had a chance to get on in three with my next shot. Yeah right! I shanked it so bad that it went almost into the parking lot. Once I found it, I DID shank it into the parking lot. I just picked up the ball and put an eight on the card.

The next hole I parred.

Stupid game.

I went along bogeying and double-bogeying the next four holes until I had another one of those “hell-holes.” I was up to five before I even hit the fairway. ‘Nuff said. I finished with a 51 on the front. I was six over fives and would have to hang in there to break 100 on the back 9.

After a six and seven on holes 10 and 11, I was now nine over fives and would have to get five or better on each hole for the last seven if I was going to break 100.

On 12, a par 3, I missed the green by a mile on the right. However my chipping was great that day and was on in two and bogeyed for a four (I was 8 over fives now – right direction).
One of the two guys I was paired with (Sinjay I think his name was) said, “I am no expert but it looks like you are cocking your wrist too early and that is why you are going right on every shot.” Hell, my game wasn’t that good today so I’d think about it. I thanked him and when we got to the next hole I blasted my drive straight and a mere 70 yards from the hole. Sure I chili-dipped my approach but got a five (still 8 over fives).

All my shots since Sinjay pointed out my wrist problem were dead straight.

The next hole, a par 3 at about 140 yards, I stuck with my seven iron – actually went by by about five yards. I parred that (6 over fives). Next hole I double bogeyed with a six and was now 7 over fives. I parred number 16 (6 over fives).

Number seventeen is supposed to be the easiest hole on Green Knoll. It’s a 380-something straight par four. I popped up my drive and was 215 yards from the center of the green. I pulled my three-wood and hoped to bounce on or at least near the front of the green. I blasted it a good five to ten yards OVER the green. That means it was about a 230-240 yard shot. I ended up double bogeying which had me at seven over fives. That meant that because of my eight score card ceiling, the worst I could do on the day was 100.

The final hole on Green Knoll is a longish par 5. My drive was on the fairway and I hit my three wood on the screws for a second shot that was just ten yards off the green. I popped on with a perfect flop shot and then one-putted for birdie. I ended up with a 96 – 25 over par! I carded a 45 on the back nine!

What did I learn on this round? Well, a couple of things. One: I better re-learn my distances. And, two: Never give up on a round.

That’s golf for you, though, isn’t it? 54 holes, 2 birdies, and one of them on the last hole.

I was “this close” to going out for another 18 at 5:25 when we ended – but that would have been crazy!

Making Memories

Yesterday I had one of the coolest days of golf I’ve ever had. I’ve had good days on the scorecard (by my standards), I’ve had fun days playing with my Dad (which is just about every single time we head out) and I’ve had other good experiences be it meeting interesting people, phenomenally lucky shots or just a great view from a tee box somewhere. But yesterday may have been one of the few days that captures all those experiences – the only topper would have been to have had my Dad playing with me for this one (maybe next time, Dad!).

Through some people I work with, I was invited to play on the Olde York Country Club in a charity outing for the MDS Foundation (www.mds-foundation.org). The gentleman who had the connection at MDS is a manager also named Peter. He offered me the opportunity to play and said “It’ll have some celebrities. Have you ever heard of someone named Joe Theisman or Mike Schmidt?” Um … yeah! I was a kid into sports in the ‘80s!

One of the things that made this so cool was that I was playing with two guys I have become quite friendly at work with. The first, Darrell, was the guy who I’d played my first two rounds of golf on courses with. The second is a guy named Mike who played football and soccer at Penn State and is one of two friends I regularly play with who have single-digit handicaps. The guy can hit the ball a mile and is a joy to watch play golf. And, of course, the other Peter who as of yesterday I would call a friend as well.

So, the day was to start with a professional clinic that I was initially going to blow off until Mike talked me into going. I’m glad he did. It was run by Bruce Fleisher and golf Hall of Famer, Bob Toski. Up on the tee box on the practice range were other amazing golf names like Jim Thorpe, Bob Murphy (NBC broadcaster and amazing player), Jay Sigel and Bobby Wadkins. Watching these “old” guys hit was really impressive. However, the most impressive thing may have been watching Philadelphia Phillies legend, Mike Schmidt, hit a full driver. I don’t know how far it went, but I can tell you, it was certainly the longest ball I’ve ever seen in person. Also on the tee box were Joe Theisman and Baltimore Oriole legend, Jim Palmer. The amazing thing is Palmer and Theisman still look pretty much the way you remember them. Sure they are a little more “leathery” than they were before, but nonetheless, these guys (and Michael Jack) are still formidable athletes.

After the ensemble clinic, they broke out into short game, long game and putting clinics. I watched Murph and Sigel talk about dealing with sand traps and chipping from the rough (where my game needs the most help) and I actually think I may have learned a thing or two.

I was very excited to learn when they asked us to all get in our carts to prepare to play that on some of the holes on the course, we would be joined by a pro for a hole. This was very well done, because everyone had foursomes and there were not enough pros to play with all the groups. This would work out so that we would play with about four or five celebs during the day.

The format of the outing was “Texas Scramble.” I had never done this before and I thought it was pretty cool. Basically, each player drives from the tee, then everyone plays their own ball from the spot of the best drive forward. Then the team takes the best individual score as their team score. Pretty neat format – it allows each player to enjoy the course while allowing us to all start from a good place on the course (usually).

We were put out on the eighth hole to start. This was a 190 yard par 3 that had the hole-in-one contest for the Mercedes. No celebs on this hole. I started out by putting my tee shot 40 yards out into the pond in front of the tee box. Not a great start. I carded a six … on a par three!

Hole number nine was an uphill short par four (still no celebs). I proceeded to knock my contribution to the team into the woods. Fortunately Mike got us about 130 out and I got a five.

As we came around the turn to come to hole one Jay Sigel was waiting for us. He must have been stinging from his last round (a +2 at the TPC in Michigan) or just didn’t like these events because he was surly. It kind of seemed like he’d rather be going for an enima than playing golf with a bunch of hacks on a Monday afternoon. Whatever it was, we ended up playing his shot. I ended up skulling my approach, dropped one for three, took two to get on and two putted: seven.

The next hole was a par three. Mike was the only one of us to get on the green so I ended up three putting for a four.

As we came around to hole number three (our fifth of the day), we were greeted by a pro named Tony Perella. Yeah, me too. Never heard of him. Apparently he is retired from the senior tour but was an amateur legend in Pennsylvania. Helluva nice guy. Very encouraging and friendly. After he got us to within thirty yards of the par four from his tee shot, I pitched on and two putted for my first par of the day.

The fourth hole is a medium sized par five. We ended up using my drive, which still sat about 250 yards out but it was on a nice part of the fairway. Mike shot it to within twenty yards and I rifled a three wood to within 70 (after tapping through some leaves in a tree that protected the green). As we were all preparing our approach shots a cart came from up and over the hill and pulled up.

“Mind if I join you guys?” It was Joe Theisman. He got out of his cart, shook my hand and introduced himself. “What are you about 75 from here?” he asked. I said “about that” and he said, “Go ahead,” after he dropped a ball about five yards from mine.

I picked it perfectly with my wedge and was about twelve feet by the hole. “Nice shot, Pete,” he told me as he followed my shot with a very similar one.

Now here’s the very funny part – at least to me. We’re all on the green (Peter, Darrell, Joe and I) waiting for Mike to pitch on his third shot. We’re all watching him and he proceeds to chili dip it and hit it like ten yards. Joe, who had advice for everyone – including the pros during the clinic –, told Mike, the single-digit-handicapper, that he needed to slow his pace. After watching me drop a 75 yarder to birdie distance, this hall-of-fame athlete thinks Mike is the guy who needs the most help in the group! After Joe’s caddie (the pros all had their own caddies who traveled with them) gave me the read on the green, I putted past the hole by three feet. After I put my quarter down to putt for par, Joe picks it up, tosses it to me and tells me, “That’s good.”

Joe came with us to the next hole – a par four that we all missed the fairway on. Even Joe. Until his third drive. Which he counted as one, and who are we to argue with him? Long story short, I was about to putt out for par again when he hit me on the ass with his putter and said, “Pick that shit up. That’s good.” He then posed for a picture with our group and followed us to the next hole.

At this par three a camera crew shooting the event for the MDS came rolling up in a car. Joe hammed it up of course, but was still very cool. After he got on with an eight iron, I pulled my five iron – the club I have been screwing up most lately. As I start addressing the ball, Joe says, “Make sure you film this swing.” Of course I topped it. I acted like I played it perfect while my ball rolled down the waste area in front of the tee box and Joe came over, put his arm on my shoulder and took me to the camera. “Tell the camera what you learned from Mr. Toski’s clinic this morning.”

I held up my iron and said “Apparently you’re not supposed to hit the ball with this bottom part of your club.” We laughed, went down and putted out Mike’s shot and finished up. Joe left us at that hole but the memory of playing with the hall-of-fame QB who had his leg snapped on Monday Night Football will forever be one of my greatest golfing memories.

But there were some other great golfing memories to come.

Halfway through the next hole we were joined by Jim Thorpe. He might be one of the nicest guys you’d ever want to meet. A gentle giant. He has forearms the size of your calves and a powerful swing. He is what you expect from a pro. On the second hole he played with us, we used his tee shot and were sitting 100 yards out on the long-ish par four. When I stepped up he said, “Knock it on now,” in a low, little league coach tone. I did but I was still a good 35 feet from the hole.

After the previous hole, our team was in need of a birdie, so as we got out of our carts, I joked, “Alright team, I’ll have to go out and putt this one in.” Jim’s caddie gave me the read on a slightly sloping green and I proceeded to sink a 35-footer on the green with Jim Thorpe watching. It is such a rush to have a great pro like him say, “That was a hell of a putt, son. Nice birdie. I’m gonna have to take you out on the tour and putt for me.” Another awesome memory.

That was it for the pros for the day. After that we were on our own.

On the $10,000 hole in one contest, we all stepped up on the tee box. It was about 195 yards and everyone was making fun of me for pulling a three wood. My shot was worth probably about $9,950 as I was just four feet from the pin. Never let your ego pick the club. We ALL proceeded to miss the birdie putt and walked off with par.

A couple of holes later, permanent golf memory number three happened. It was a short 341 yard par four down hill. Mike, the big hitter, got up first and plowed it down the fairway. The other Peter said, “Should we even bother to hit?” I suggested we might as well – I mean we are on a very nice course and the pressure was off after Mike’s bomb. I got up and had one of those swings where everything just seems to feel perfect. I nailed it – straight and long. Darrell and Peter hit their shots but not particularly memorably.

As we drove down the path, we saw two balls in the fairway: one about 70 yards out, one about 80. I said to Mike, we should go pick up my ball (the one 80 yards out – hell a 261 yard drive!) and Peter and Darrell drove over to the ball we were going to play. “Titleist 4, Mike?” Peter shouted as we arrived at the other ball. As we arrived at the other ball Peter added: “Three red dots?”

I mark all my Titleist balls with three red dots in a triangular pattern to the right of the number. I’ve done it for a year and a half or more (don’t ask me why). It turns out I out drove Mike by 10 yards. The thing to remember here is that Mike is a monster off the tee – he’s won long drive in at least one tourney I’ve played with him and been close every other time. After playing with some of the pros, I see he has closed to pro distance.

And I beat him by ten yards!

Granted, it was down hill but I drove the ball 271 yards! Mike was visibly surprised by this. I got out of the cart and said, “Hold on – let me savor this moment.” I preened around the ball and said, “OK, let’s play this one!”

I went on to chunk my approach, mis-hit my wedge and then three putt. But I had the long drive on that hole. One that Mike felt like he hit on the screws.

The final great golf memory of the day was the last hole we played. We ended up using Mike’s drive on the par five as we were sitting just 200 yards out. Literally, we were right next to the marker. I was exhausted; it was a long hot day on the course and I lazily sidled up with my three wood. I hit a great shot that bounced down to the right of the green and spun left (yes, left!) onto the green and landed five feet from the hole and I would be putting for eagle for the team.

Just then, Theisman came swinging around in his cart. “What are we 200 yards, gentlemen?” He dropped a ball and came up short in the deep rough in front of the green. When we all got up there and he realized he was in a bad lie, he picked up his ball and said, “Alright fellas – I’ll see you in the clubhouse.” And he was gone.

When it was finally my turn to putt, I did everything right. I lined it up perfect and watched the spot behind the ball all the way through the stroke and didn’t look up until I heard it hit the bottom of the cup. Now, I know it’s not a REAL eagle because it was off of Mike’s drive, but it still felt pretty damn good.

All I can say is that if you ever get a chance to play in a celebrity golf outing, you should always take advantage of the whole day. Go to the clinic, hang out at the driving range and make conversation with the celebs. As Joe Theisman said, “What could be better? I’m hanging out with the guys, playing golf and drinking beer!” Add celebrities and some great shots and equals awesome memories.

Golf and Poker

I returned to the links yesterday after a nine-day hiatus. My golf game was a victim of circumstance. Niece and nephew-in-law came visiting this past week from their home in Houston with their fourteen month-old daughter -- my grandniece -- whom I met for the first time. (Naturally, she's the smartest, most beautiful child presently toddling the earth, but that's a blog for a more appropriate venue...) The weekend before, I played in a Texas Hold-em tournament in central New Jersey, an all-night affair that knocked me out for days afterward. (I'm here to brag that I was the last rounder standing in the forty-six player field, but that, too, is a story for another time and place...)

Several of the poker players I'd spoken with at the tourney last weekend played golf on at least a semi-regular basis. A much larger percentage of duffers with whom I'd been grouped on busy days at the local publinx told me they played regularly in poker klatches and/or Hold-em tourneys. On a higher level, PGA tour regular Rocco Mediate this year plunked down his $10k entrance fee for the World Series of Poker at Binion's in Las Vegas. (Don't ask how he did; I can only tell you that, along with over five thousand other disappointed entrants, he didn't make it to the final table.)

I'm absolutely convinced there's a connection between the lures of golf and poker. (Evidently, certain casinos are, too, as golf + poker weekend tournaments are becoming the hot new getaway. Play golf all day and settle down to a Hold-em all-nighter. Booze optional, bring your own cigars. Women are welcome, but only if they're driving a club car or serving table drinks in high-cut shorts and low-cut tops.) I can't put my finger on the connection, but I have given a great deal of thought to the subject during contemplation periods on various men's room stall seats, and have come up with the following tidbits:

To be competitive, golf and poker both require high levels of skill. One can rely on luck for short periods of time in poker, but eventually, a lack of skill will betray you; in golf, a lack of skill will downright embarrass you.

Golf and poker both require a high level of nerve when winning is on the line. Convincing your poker opponent that your hand is better or worse than it actually is is tantamount to convincing yourself on the course you can green a chip or sink a putt. Tossing in a winning hand is the poker equivalent of the yips in golf.

Golf and poker both require a high level of self-discipline. Release control of your emotions at the poker table and you allow your opponent to read your hand and manipulate you. Release control of your emotions on the golf course and you allow the course to control your shots. Laying up rather than going for the green is like folding a pretty-looking hand that would probably have cost you a lot of money had you played it.

Golf and poker both require a high level of management skills. In poker, it's table management; in golf, it's course management. Either way, it's the difference between a good player and a respected player.

Golf and poker are pastimes that women don't, in the main, look forward to playing. They participate to be social. Men daydream at their work computers or in meetings about the upcoming round of golf or poker get-together. Social? I suppose. But in both cases, the game's the thing. The possibility of an ace or an eagle, or more realistically, a round in the 90's, provides my mental escape from the daily chores at the office. Walking/riding the course again with my son is icing on the cake, an added bonus, if you will. Exchanging stories with the poker gang is the side dish to the entree of going home with their money in my pocket.

I love 'em both, golf and poker. Thank goodness one's a daytime activity and the other works best at night. This way, I'll never have to choose betweem 'em.

But those hiatuses -- oy vey!

One Shot. One Ball. One Golfer.

Why is it that whenever I golf alone, I shoot where I feel I should be shooting, but when playing with others, I tend to suck horribly?

I shot my best score ever on June 9 - a 93 on a par 72 course. I achieved that by sinking a long birdie putt on the 18th green. I followed that by not cracking the century mark in 4 of my next 5 rounds. I even shot 43 over in one of those rounds. Two were played with my fiercest competitor: my Dad. And one was played with guys from work. In fairness, the 100 I shot was my first time back on the course since a bad ankle sprain ... but ...

Today, after shooting a 106, 103 and 113 in my last recorded rounds, I played High Bridge Hills, my de facto home course. I am leaving for a trip for work today and, before working from home I got out on the course alone at 6:00am. (Still nothing like being the first one out there with the sun coming up and the dew still on the fairways.) The first nine holes (which were the back nine on this course) were atrocious from a scoring standpoint. I shot 52 and was mentally already telling myself that today was going to be another 100+ day. Maybe I am just in a horrible slump. Maybe it's time for lessons. Maybe I'm just too hard on myself.

However, the miracle of this front nine was that I hit 5 out of 7 fairways with my drives. It was because of a couple of sloppy approach shots that I was forced into additional chipping and or penalty strokes.

As I approached the second nine, I just wanted to beat my 7 over 5s (that is 7 strokes above bogey golf). The first hole, a par 5, would have been par if I didn't lose my approach shot. After bogeying 11 as well I then parred 3 of the next four holes. Long story short, I was 2 under 5s on the back and ended up the day at a 95 ... 24 over which is among my top scores. Overall on the day, I hit 69% of fairways, was on the green in regulation a quarter of the time and had more one-putts than three-putts

So, what's the problem?

Golf is a strange game. It is the only game where you benefit by how well your opponent plays against himself. It is the only game where you have no influence over the end result of your opponent's play. You can't defend against him. You can't put him in a less than positive position. He plays himself in an attempt to play himself better than you play yourself.

This can spell disaster for undisciplined competitors like myself.

When I played hockey, I could take out the dissapointment of a missed goal on the poor bastard who ended up with the puck in the corner. In soccer I could slide tackle the guy who scored on me last time and accept this as pennance for his "sin." I could throw a little harder when I pitched to the guy who homered on me last time when I was playing baseball. But when you golf, if you screw up a shot or if your opponent hits a beauty, you have to forget about it. You have to get it out of your head. You can't "use it" to your advantage.

So, the end result; the "key learning" is that when you play an opponent, you actually have to ignore him. You have to ignore your last shot. You can't let it impress you or depress you. More than any other game, golf is about what is happening in the moment. You can't think ahead to the next shot. You can't dwell on the last shot. You can't brood or bask in your opponent's last play. It's one shot at a time.

One shot. One ball. One golfer.

Want To Recover Respectability? Play the Forward Tees

I should begin by giving you a profile of my golfing self:

I’m 58 years old, five foot ten inches tall, a flabby 200 pounds, right-handed all the way. In my younger days, I walloped softballs well over outfielders’ heads, ran a mile in around six minutes, kept hockey pucks out of nets using my cat-like reflexes, and made fun of the wimpy-boys who played golf.

Two years ago golf stopped being a wimpy-boys sport when I started playing it. And now, it has grown into an obsession measurable by the extraordinary number of dates and rounds entered into my Yahoo Handicap Tracker.

My son Pete and I began our golf odyssey at around the same time; he, after his fourth (or so) major hockey-related shoulder injury, and I, after my heart bypass surgery. (Golf was ample walking exercise and low-grade aerobics, I reckoned, with enough math thrown in to keep things interesting.) Driven by the desire to perfect his God-given natural talent, Pete bought the best equipment he could afford and took lessons. Inside of a year, he had broken 100 on a moderately difficult course. Playing with a set of Pete’s hand-me-down clubs, my improvement, though steady, was nowhere near as rapid as his. I stopped taking lessons after the second one, stubbornly determined to develop my own “style.” (Hell, if Stan Musial could hit as well as he did with his wacky stance, why couldn’t I take the same principle and transfer it to the golf course?) Utilizing my “style” to the fullest, I only broke a hundred once last year, and even then, it was on the local par 65 runt. (This year, I’ve already broken 100 three times there, but I’m getting ahead of myself.) My best round to date has been 24 strokes over par.

But I keep learnin’…

On average, my son probably scores about twelve strokes better than me. The main reason is tee shots. Pete regularly drives over two hundred yards from the tee. I’ll drive two hundred yards maybe once or twice a round. I used to frustrate myself by starting from the middle tees. This meant driver, wood, long iron, short iron/wedge and putter, if I was lucky, on par 5’s; driver, long iron, wedge and putter on par 4’s; and driver, wedge and putter on par 3’s. (Yes, driver!) From the git-go, I knew that breaking 100 was a pipe dream from the middle tees on a regulation course, and that, for me at least, shooting in the one-teens was an honorable result. I could never make par 4 and par 5 greens in regulation. All because of my anemic tee shots.

At the local par 70 high-slope mountain course a couple of weeks ago, I decided to swallow my pride and play a round from the men’s forward tees.

The club calls them “senior” tees and designates them gold in color – I guess, to represent the “golden” years. Playing from the golds shortened the course by 300 yards, and you could throw the ball onto the green from a couple of the par three gold tee boxes.

But after my round from the golds, I’d never had so much fun on a course in my short golf-life.

See, an amazing thing happened when I moved to the forward tees: my drives increased in distance.

I no longer felt the need to crush my tee shots. And by easing up on my swing, my drives went straighter. And by hitting the ball on the sweet spot more often, my drives went farther down the fairway. I regularly put my drives to within a hundred yards of the par 4 greens. I began hitting greens in regulation. And my putts, while not improved, no longer were made in desperation. I pared a few holes and bogeyed several more. Sure, there are still two holes on this course I find impossible to navigate, but I keep learnin’…

Now, 100 is a reasonable target score to try and break through. I use more clubs in my bag than on either the runt (I leave my 4, 6, 7 and 9-irons out of my bag when I play there) or when I play from the middle tees (driver, wood, long iron, short iron, wedge, putter – that’s it).

Here’s the best part. I’ve issued a challenge to Pete. I’ve declared that I will beat him scratch from the gold tees if he plays from his usual middle-tee starting points. He has said that he will take up the challenge when he can find the time – we’re hoping it will be next month. I’m looking forward to administering the whoop-ass. He’s walking into my trap.

Look, I’m counting on Pete watching me start from at least twenty or thirty yards in front of him on every hole (over a hundred yards in front on the monster par 5), and this observation will create a “crush” mentality in his head as he tries to make up the yardage difference on every hole with his first shot. His crushed tee shots will become high, arcing slices, drifting into the restricted wetland areas that lie throughout the course grounds, incurring penalty strokes galore for lost balls and hazard drops. I’ll simply work my way down the fairway slow and straight to the greens, short pitching and chipping, and finally, dropping my annoying little par and bogey putts into the cup with frustrating regularity. Then he’ll press more, swing harder, and lose more golf balls in the wetlands. And more strokes on the card.

I’ve not thrown down the gauntlet as much as slammed it into the ground. Pete says he will pick it up. My days of finishing second on the scorecard will soon be over.

So what if it’s from the gold tees? He's a better golfer than I am, and he would never give me an advantage he thought he couldn't overcome.

My son is every bit as competitive as I am. The apple, in this instance, didn't roll far from the tree trunk. Not at all.

I’ll keep you posted as events progress.

The Four Things To Remember

I played with my Dad again this past weekend at a course that we both have a love/hate relationship with: High Bridge Hills. We both love the layout, the challenges presented on each hole, the setting and, I especially, love the GPS in the cart. We both hate the deep rough and fescue, the high price tag for a muni and the fact that we always seem to score higher than we feel like we play.

This week was a microcosm of golf to me. I had some nightmares and some dreams. I had good stretches and bad. I had perfect putts and was, at times a perfect putz. Let me digress …

Hole 1 (which is actually 10 on the weekends as they play back nine first every Fri-Sun), after driving fairly well on the range, I hooked the hell out of my drive and put it on the fairway on the left. I then proceeded to look like I’ve never played golf before. I topped my next shot, flubbed my next shot into the rough, weakly punched out and eventually got onto the green in seven – this is a par four, mind you. I took one crack at putting and then picked up at double par. Not a great start. In fact, my Dad picked up too and it looked like neither one of us had ever been out on a golf course in our lives.

The second hole, things started bad. I put the tee shot far left again – in fact on the neighboring fairway again. I once again topped my second shot. But the third shot got near the green this time, just off to the right. I chipped on and one putted for a bogey. I bogeyed the next hole (a three putt on a par three) and then, after a near perfect drive on the fourth hole, bogeyed that. Keep in mind, as “The Average Golfer” a bogey for me is a good thing and I am usually somewhat satisfied with that.

On the fifth hole (really the 14th) we caught up to a foursome that was hacking around on the tee box. They offered to let us play through, so we thanked them and, while they chatted behind us while we teed off and both my father and I screwed our tee shots horribly. They said, “take your time,” and my Dad and I gave ourselves the rare mulligan. We reteed and I shot mine long and left on the par three. My Dad came up short but at least we were both (barely) playable. By the time I found my ball the foursome had come up to the green and were standing around and, once again, yapping it up as we tried to chip on and putt. I am not going to make an excuse, ok I am, they threw me off and I got a double.

However, the next hole was almost a dream. This par five has always been rather difficult for me. But this time, instead of missing the fairway wide right, I put it right down the middle and drove it to 200+ yards from the green. My three wood shot disappeared over the slope on the way down to the green so I assumed I was a little wide right but in good shape. I had no idea how good of shape I was in: I made the green in two on a par five. I was putting for EAGLE!

I didn’t chicken out on the 15 foot putt. Unfortunately, I went long and took a three putt but at least I got par.
For holes 8 and 9 I doubled and ended the front with a 50 on the front then doubled on the 10th hole (which is really number one).
I parred the 11th after a great chip up near the hole then bogeyed the 12th because of a lost ball penalty stroke. Then, on hole 13 – a beautiful par 3 – I hooked my tee shot, lost the ball, then three putted for a six. I bogeyed the 14th which is the number one handicap hole on the course, double bogeyed the 15th another par 3.

On the sixteenth hole I had a great drive but it landed in the fairway bunker just 80 yards from the hole. I grabbed my eight iron as the shot was also up hill. As I was standing in the sand with the eight iron in hand I thought to myself: go get your sand wedge and pop it up and out onto the fairway. Get on in three. So, of course I ignored the voice and swung down and the ball didn’t get out of the bunker. My third shot was short, my fourth was long, my fifth was on and I finished it with a triple. Two doubles for 17 and 18 and I finished with a 101.

So, what’s the point of all this? I have analyzed the problem areas. Number one, let’s say I didn’t have brain fart on the first hole and got a double bogey instead of an eight. Lesson learned? Don’t suck.

Let’s say on that par 3 where the guys let us play though I asked them to step away, etc and I got a bogey instead of a double. Lesson learned? Ask fellow golfers to abide by etiquette if it will help out your game.

Let’s say I made birdie instead of par on my eagle attempt. Lesson learned? Don’t think about the score until the ball has hit the bottom of the cup.

What about the par three that I had to retee? Let’s say I get a four instead of a six (which is what I would have gotten if I still played mulligans. That one goes back to the “Don’t Suck” lesson learned.

Finally, and probably the most important one. What if I popped out with a sand wedge on number 16 instead of trying to go for the green from the fairway bunker? I probably would have popped out then chipped on and gotten a 5 instead of a 7. The lesson there? If the voice in your head is talking you out of something you’ve never done before on a golf course in favor of the shot you know you should play, listen to it. Chances are you’ll have more confidence in the shot anyway and that is as much a part of the swing as the mechanics.

If I had done all these things, I would have shot 8 strokes better for a 93 which would have been my best score ever. Woulda. Shoulda. Coulda. The story of golf.

So, from this I have come up with
The Four Things The Average Golfer Should Remember on the Golf Course:
1. Ask fellow golfers to abide by etiquette if it will help out your game – it’s a mental thing.
2. Don’t think about the score until the ball has hit the bottom of the cup.
3. If the voice in your head is talking you out of something you’ve never done before on a golf course in favor of the shot you know you should play, listen to it.
4. Finally, don’t suck. But that’s kind of out of your control now, isn’t it.