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 About 20 years ago I carried a 1-iron and was a 1 handicap. I joked that if I ever became a bogey golfer, I'd quit the game. Well, I'm almost there. I used to enjoy playing and practicing, but those hours dedicated to the art of moving the ball around the course have been slowly taken over by the realities of life. With my rounds down to one a month and my practice at the "what in the world am I doing this for?" stage, I had an idea that hopefully would increase my motivation. A friend and golf partner of mine moved to Michigan last year. While you should question the sanity of anyone moving from Southern California to Michigan, he made at least one good decision in the process. He joined a private club called Indianwood. I visited my friend and the course last summer and it's amazing. The Old Course, which was built in 1925, is a vintage Scottish links with wispy, long grass and open, rolling terrain. It has twice hosted the U.S. Women's Open and will host the U.S. Senior Open in 2012. My friend and I schemed like teenagers plotting a beer run to play in the club's member-guest tournament this summer. Somehow the stars have aligned, and I'm going to put my eroding golf game on display in front of hundreds of other teams for four days in July. As my day planner shows, 2008 is a busy year for me. I started to stress about how I was going to get myself in condition to compete without being completely miserable at the end of it all. Luckily, I've written enough instruction articles in this magazine to know where to turn for professional help. I also know it's unrealistic to believe I could have any success in this tournament without a game plan. If Tiger and Phil have a team of professionals helping them prepare, why can't I turn to a few of the guys I've met over the years to whip me into shape? I'm not fooling around. My team will consist of PGA professionals Jamie Mulligan, Dr. David Wright and Dale Abraham. I chose these three because of their track records for success - and the fact they're too nice to say no to me. Mulligan's team at Virginia Country Club in Long Beach works with a number of tour professionals, including John Cook, John Mallinger and John Merrick. Mulligan is familiar with my game, having once referred to me as the only player he knew who could hit it like a tour pro and a 30-handicap in consecutive swings. No truer assessment has ever been made. Wright, who works out of Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club, is the founder of Mind Under Par golf schools. He specializes in the mental side of the game and has worked with players who have found success on the professional level. The final piece of the puzzle is Abraham, the Southern California PGA Inland Empire Teacher of the Year from East Valley Golf Club in Beaumont. He's taught under David Leadbetter and worked with noteworthy players. The process started with a physical assessment. Abraham is a certified bio-mechanic and a health and fitness fanatic. His idea of fun is an hour of painful stretching followed by an organic salad topped off by a bottle of water with a pinch of Celtic salts. He developed a stretching, weight lifting and cardio routine for me to follow. I'm so inspired that I broke down and bought a bike. I only run if I'm being chased. He also developed a regimen that calls for a minimum of three hours devoted to practice each week and a minimum of two rounds of golf per month. The early focus will be on the short game. He feels like this is the area where players can make up the most shots and show rapid improvement. Over the next five issues, I will share my experiences and frustrations as I prepare for the tournament. At the very least, I'll be playing more golf and that should be fun. Shouldn't it? |
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