PGA Championship

Tiger Woods wins - and wins majors for one very simple
reason. Tiger Woods is a golfing machine - and as such
is a Ferrari running against Chevy's...Tiger Woods
is the best equipped in every possible aspect of winning
golf tournaments.
He's in better physical condition than any other
player on the PGA Tour - mentally - he is unchallenged -
He can adapt his game to the conditions and the course,
and is unlimited by course length and layout - and
Tiger Woods by virtue of nothing more than the percentage
of his time on earth during which he has had a golf club
in his hands is better equipped than any other human being
to get a golf ball to do his bidding.
Tiger understands better than anyone else. Tiger has the
ability to sift through the important and the mundane over
the course of a championship - and bottom line - as much as
the others may want to win...Tiger wants to win more !
Tiger demands to win more ! Tiger expects to win more.
In his post tourney news conference Tiger said one thing
that stood out...he's better than he was several years ago -
and several years from now he will be better than he is
now....If you love watching Tiger perform - the ride is far
from over yet...if you are among those who is not a Tiger
fan - there is always tennis.
It was good to see Woody Austin do so well at the PGA
Championship. Always emotional, legendary for having
snapped a putter across his melon, Austin was referred
to as a loose cannon by one of the commentators. He is
seldom given much respect...Austin articulated his
resentment Sunday during the broadcast and I thought
he answered his critics well. During one interview he said,
" I mishit a drive and slam my driver into the tee box and
I'm a loose cannon...did you see Tiger Saturday ? He missed
a drive and slammed his driver into the teebox and the
comment is how competitive he is...well - I'm competitive
too !"
Good for you Woody...there is nothing wrong with honest
emotion and I was particularly pleased that someone took
the commentators to task..."Very full of themselves" is a
common broadcast booth malaise...I wonder if they could
get shots ? Maybe if they ( most of them ) got one large
needle every week where they sit they'd find it a little
less difficult to be humble.
Vernon Wells is a great baseball player...good hitter although
this season's been a post contract disappointment, and
usually a terrific, dependable defensive centre fielder.
The other night I saw something I don't beleive I've
ever seen him do before ...he mislayed what should have
beena routine linedrive out..the ball kicked off the end of
his glove and allowed a run to score...now what surprised me
is that this is the first time I've witnessed this with Vernon.
He makes some great catches and gets to many balls that
others wouldn't - but if I were a manager I'd kick his butt
for the way he handles the routine stuff. He falls short of
hotdogging - but he one-hands everything hit his way, whips
his glove down and away the second the ball falls into it -
and generally gives the appearance that he has to try to
amuse himself out there because his job is just so friggin'
dull....well " Dull This !" Vernon because you are supposed
to be the Jays leader and the example you set is very
likely contributing to the Jays being no better than a .500
ball club...by the way....as long as the team leader acts
as if the routine isn't important - your team will never be
more than a .500 team. If Vernon Wells conducted himself
with the same attention to detail and passion that Tiger
Woods takes to the field on game day - that alone would win
the Jays 15 more games per season. And then others would
start showing they care---scary what might happen...but until
your key, big money players start acting like true professionals -
they are pretenders...
Gotta go...gotta date with Jasmine...it's time we go out to pee.
Bless..
Don

Jazz - Not A Golf Training Tool

Well there it was...75..matched my best score of the year.
Three over on the front and even on the back...good to finish
strong. One more good score and the handicap drops to the
magic 6...never been there before...that's the magic...ever
elusive...and when a golfer does get to establish a new personal
benchmark - the pursuit of the next personal best takes over
and becomes all consuming...but alas, until the old dragon is
slain - the castle is more of a prison than prized possession.
Hard to follow a personal best...most golfers I assume can relate.
Back to the old form..brain cramp here...rushed shot there...
inexplicable missed putt...doubts....next round an 81..that's
okay..it's all there right in front of you..you know you won't
make the same mistakes again. I went out and shot 82 the
next game...and then the Club Championships...
New mindset...focus on fairways and greens..how can you possibly
screw up such a simple plan...70 games a year every year for the
last decade on the same golf course. Every fairway has been hit -
every green has been reached in regulation...even with two putts
on every green and a couple of mistakes - there is no conceivable
reason to shoot above mid-seventies provided you let nothing
steer you from your plan.
First hole of the first day of the two day Championship event -
drive down the middle - second shot a blueprint, simple layup.
Middle of the green the target for the third shot on the par 5 -
two putts and - bingo..everything's working like clockwork.
Second hole - good drive - 105 yards out...second shot drops
two and a half feet - below the hole...MISSED THE BIRDIE
PUTT....didn't even hit the flipping hole...that's how you shoot
83 in the first round..one missed putt and focus and game plan
go sailing right out the window...
I won't bore you with details on round two...it was an 84 in
excessive heat....
Three rounds last weekend to recover...couple of games in the
70's and the handicap might still inch downward...80, 81, and
82...
Golf is a very amusing game...they say you learn more about
your opponent in 18 holes of matchplay than you would in
years dealing with he/she across a desk in business. You also
learn all kinds of things flattering and otherwise about yourself
each time you head out.
The last game I played I simply ran out of gas.
And I blame Jazz.
Since I found Jazz - I don't sleep at night. I trust less than I ever
have...and I am constantly looking over my shoulder...by the way -
my tastes in music have not changed. Jazz is short for Jasmine.
Jasmine is a four month old Llaso Apso we brought home a little
more than a week ago. Jazz - poor thing - had to adjust to sleeping
in a kennel...had to adjust to not "doing her business" wherever and
whenever she felt a need...had to adjust to sleeping at least partway
through the night..and is still working on the difference between a
chew stick and my nose...lovely little dog....very affectionate and
cute as can be...but hard on the system. There was a time when
getting up at 3:30 or 4:00AM to take the dog out for a piddle
wouldn't have been too taxing - but those days are gone.
I worked outside the home office for the first half of the day
today - participated in a phone conference call until 1:30 - made
two phone calls - and died. Out of gas...little nap and I was back -
but needing the nap is wearing thin....particularly when being out of
gas is affecting my golf game...which it is...changes are coming !
So couple of long overdue comments....
I never disliked Davis Love III...my son's not fond of him..most of
my golfing comrades view him as sterile, colorless and robotic...
But I never considered him without class until he shafted Angus
Glen the way he did. Angus Glen no doubt paid a fair amount to
have DL3 do the make over of their golf course prior to the
Canadian Open. For him to snub his nose at them - and not
compete was inexcusable...I know he's playing like crap...but
what's new ???..he should be used to that. The last time he
seriously contended they were just putting the wraps on the
Civil War - and I still beleived there was some good in our political
system...Don't get me wrong...If they didn't hold the Canadian Open
the week after the British - and if Vijay Singh and Jim Furyk
hadn't been the only marquis players there - Davis Love III would
have doing the Canadian Open a favor by staying away.
Under normal circumstances - no one would have missed him.
But with the slot the Canadian Open has been forced to accept -
and with everyone needing a break before the playoffs after
Carnoustie and with Love III having been paid handsomely
to do a little nip and tuck on the golf course, it is shameful that
backed out....all that's missing is an ounce of integrity or honor.
Having said that - the Canadian Open will continue to be no
more than an after thought until it moves on the PGA
schedule.
Barry Bonds - does anyone care ? Five years from now A-Rod
will eclipse Bountiful Barry...
A-Rod....does anyone care ?
It's a shame that today's athletes are all the kinds of people you'd
least like to have move in next door.
Gotta Go...Jazz wants out...
Don