Junior Golf: 6 Reasons to Watch The Open

In this Monday Mulligan we’ll look at 5 reasons your junior golfer will benefit by watching this week’s Open Championship, previously called The British Open.

Carnoustie Championship Course is the venue for the 3rd of this year’s men’s majors and it’s got its own set of unique qualities.

Reasons to watch:

1. The history. Britain is the home of golf. It’s where golf began and golf has been played at this course since the early 16th century. This is a chance to learn things about our great sport that you won’t hear at any other event.

2. The courses. Most golf courses in Britain are serious links designs, the likes of which are few and far between in the U.S. It takes a different mindset and genuine creativity to have a good round on these courses. You will be fascinated by the unique designs.

3. This course, Carnoustie, a long and narrow golf course at more than 7400 yards, is a brute. As Sir Michael Bonallack put it, “When the wind is blowing, it is the toughest golf course in Britain. And when it’s not blowing, it’s still probably the toughest.”

4. The players and their strategy for links golf. All the world’s top players will be here, including your favorites. You will see types of shots attempted here that are not seen on the typical PGA Tour venues. If the course is dry and fast, you will see some fabulous low rolling shots. The pros hit these because links greens are notorious for not holding when they are hot and dry. The only way to get close is to roll the ball.

5. The weather. PGA Tour player Davis Love III, was asked what was the most layers of clothes he had worn in a golf tournament. He said, “That’s easy. It was 5 layers in the 198x British Open.” Summer weather in Britain is unpredictable. Calm and 70-degrees one day and windy, wet and 50-degrees the next. It’s usually a decent opportunity to see who makes the best rain gear.

6. The dreams. Dreams and creativity go hand in hand in this wonderful game. No venue offers more of either of these than The Open Championship. As my dear friend and excellent golfer, Nelson said, “If you don’t have any dreams, why do you even get out of bed in the morning?” Give your son/daughter a chance to dream.

Now it’s dvr time. The Golf Channel has Live From The Open on from 5:00a-11:00a through Wednesday, then scattered throughout the day from Thursday-Sunday. Tournament schedule is Thursday and Friday, 8:30a-3:00p on the Golf Channel and on NBC, Saturday, 6:00a-2:00p, and Sunday, 6:00a-1:30p. We always record 2 hours after the event in case of a playoff.

Junior Golf: Make Three Changes For More Fun

In today’s Friday Flop Shot we’ll look at three simple changes you can make to freshen up your junior golfer’s routine.

It’s the middle of summer and the same ol same ol may be more tedious than exciting. The good news about summer is that there is all this extra time available for your daughter/son to play in tournaments and work on their golf skills.

The bad news is that doing the same routines for days and weeks on end can become drudgery for even the most dedicated students of the game, so let’s make things fun again. Let’s change things up.

Here are 3 simple ways to put a new twist on the summer golf experience:

1. Book a tee time at a course your youngster has never played. The thought of playing a new course always fires everybody up.

2. Learn a new putting drill. PGA Tour winner and The Golf Channel Academy at San Pedro Director of Instruction, David Ogrin offered this one: practice distance control by putting to the edge of the practice green from 20 to 30 feet away. Because you’re not trying to make the putt, you’re able for focus on how the greens are rolling and get a feel for distance. A great first/lag putt makes for an easier second putt. We want to avoid 3-putts at all costs. Feel free to vary the distance to the edge of the green.

Check out Coach Ogrin’s video.

3. Check how far his/her clubs are going. All this good summer work has many positive results including increased strength and better form which can certainly result in increased distance. It is imperative for your child to know how far they hit each club. To see that the 7-iron is flying 5 yards farther is exhilarating for any golfer!

See you on #1 tee excited about your golf game… Sam

This Could Happen To You

In today’s Friday Flop Shot I’m going to share a once-in-a-lifetime experience that S3 and I had 2 days ago. It was unexpected and the kind of thing that money, at least for most of us, can’t buy.

Here’s our story:

S3 and I volunteered to caddy in the Valero Texas Open Pro-Am held Wednesday, April 18, 2018. The mindset is “hope we have some decent amateurs and a pro whose name we have at least heard of.” You never know what you’re getting. That was for sure the case today but on the other side of the coin.

So we found our group’s bags and were reading the tags to see who we each had. My guy was Martin Parrish, ok. Then S3 starts reading the rest of the tags and says, “Dad, come here.” He points to the spot that says Professional. And we do the classic Looney Tunes doubletake because it says Adam Scott, on all 4 bags, so it must be true!

It was five and a half hours of incredible memories. Oh, as I found out after the round, my player, Martin Parrish, is a top Valero officer and Chairman of this year’s VTO, the biggest dude at the tournament other than the players. He’s a great guy and brought 3 good amateurs with him. They were all fun to be around!

Now to Adam Scott and his caddy David Clark. I can’t imagine that there are any nicer, more helpful and genuinely patient and good guy professionals to be around than these two. Refreshing to say the least! It was just like talking to regular folks, no pretenses, amazing men, looked you in the eye and engaged when we talked to them. Wow, we are bigger Adam Scott fans than before, if that’s even possible!

As some of you may recall, our family has been active in golf in this city since 1925. The Executive staff at Golf San Antonio, a little birdie told me, wanted to put someone in the Chairman’s group they could trust to support and fit in with this marquee 4-some. They hand-picked us because they know us and were comfortable that we were the right guys for the job.

I told S3 this is a classic example of who you know and who knows you and what they think of you. I emphasized that this is a testament to our family’s golf heritage over all these years, but more recently to his, mine and Linda’s involvement over the last 20 years. Great life lesson!

Our group actually was third to pick a pro. Valero CEO played with Greg Norman who designed the course and manages the whole event. 2nd took Sergio and Martin chose Adam. Not bad.

I don’t have the words to convey how great this day was and getting to spend it with my son was so special. Incredible memories.

Next year we’ll reset to our original premise. Just hope we’ve heard our pro’s name beforehand.

Parents, let this be encouragement for you and your junior golfer to volunteer in big events. Something like this can surely happen to you, particularly when you least expect it.

Man, what a day! See you on #1 tee standing next to your favorite pro… Sam

Dreaming of College Golf, Catch It Here

In today’s Monday Mulligan we will specifically address how to use me and Linda to give your child the chance to catch their dream of playing college golf.

High school golfers are the focus of this post, but all parents might want to note that the sooner you and your junior golfer decide if college golf is a goal, the sooner you can start planning. We started S3’s college golf plans when he was 5 years old. It was always the long-term goal. Time flies by quickly, it’s never too early to start.

Parents of high school golfers, please hear me: even if your child is finishing their junior year, there’s still a great opportunity to successfully pursue college golf. Time is short and we need to take advantage of what time is available. Be optimistic! Contact us immediately and we can get the process moving.

This is special college golf pricing and it’s different from other coaching packages listed on our site.

A. College Golf Bundle:

6 sessions over 90 days

$395

B. College Golf Hourly

1-hour sessions as needed

$75 per hour

What’s included:

The path to college golf is confusing and we’ll provide a structure and plan for you to properly proceed. This includes timing for when certain things need to be implemented. The who, what, when, where, how to contact/communicate with the people, places and entities involved.

You’ll end up with a clear path from right now continuing into the future when you and your kiddo are having serious talks with college golf coaches.

Parents of high school juniors, if you are going to do this, the time is now.

Scholarships for boys are widely available but you must know and implement the process to be successful.

The scholarships for girls are easier to get because there aren’t enough girls playing golf to fill them. However, parents, you must pursue the scholarship process properly.

For those parents of 5-year olds and up to high schoolers, we have considerable important input for the best way to help your junior golfer use the years remaining in his/her junior golf career.

Some of your most amazing parenting memories will be on the golf course with your youngster. Make those times more meaningful with a long-term goal of playing college golf.

See you on #1 tee wearing your college logo… Sam

Junior Golf: It’s Open Championship Week-Get Excited!

In this week’s Monday Mulligan there is so much history, so little time! It’s my favorite golf week of the year, the week of The Open Championship-formerly called The British Open, the 3rd men’s major championship of 2017.

Photocredit:jennleforge.com

 

This Thursday will mark the start of the 146th Open Championship. There is not enough time to get into the history of golf’s oldest championship. Here’s a taste of what will get you fired up!

Arnold Palmer’s Dad told him that if he was going to be a great golfer, he had to be great all over the world. In those days it mostly meant playing in The British Open. He did for the 1st time in 1960, coming in 2nd and won the next 2 years. Jack Nicklaus joined him and more Americans followed, elevating the quality of play because at that time, with a few notable exceptions, the Americans were the best golfers in the world. Now all the world’s greatest golfers want to be in this field.

Let’s get to it. One of the most important things this week involves freeing up space on your TiVo because there is a ton of hours to record. Next make sure you have The Golf Channel on your TV package because ALL The Open Championship coverage is on it, Directv Channel 218. Now be sure to record Live At The Open because you will learn more interesting golf stories and history and tips this week than in any other week of the year. There must be at least 50 hours of LATO.

Now record the tournament coverage. 1st round coverage begins at 12:30am, central time, this Thursday, July 20. Same start time for Friday. Saturday and Sunday play airs on The Golf Channel starting at 3:00am, central time. And, as always, record at least 1 extra hour past Sunday’s scheduled ending time, in case of a playoff.

Photocredit:The Golf Club Secretary

Be advised, minimize your access to social media. There is always someone posting the latest scores, leaders and great moments as soon as they occur. If you would prefer to find out theses things on your own you’ll need to take precautionary measures to protect your exposure to updates. When you wake up Sunday morning, in the U.S., at least, there will be a new Champion Golfer Of The Year. If you want to learn who it is on your own, stay away from social media. Get ready for an amazing week!

See you on #1 tee wanting to be Champion Golfer Of The Year… Sam

Junior Golf: It’s U.S. Open Time

Today, in this Wednesday Waggle, we’re taking a quick look at the week. It’s the 2nd men’s major championship of 2017 and that means it’s U.S. Open time!

Photocredit:Golf Digest

Erin Hills Golf Course, 35 miles north of Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the site, hosting the 1st ever U.S. Open to be played in the state.

Let’s skip right to a very important point if you are at all serious about junior golf and golf, in general. Please make sure your TV package includes the channels which carry golf tournaments and add any of the following that you are missing: Golf Channel, NBC, CBS, ABC, ESPN and the ESPN2’s, etc, Fox, FS1 and related channels and TNT.

This week it’s Fox’s turn to host another U.S. Open after a shaky start with clumsy announcers 2 years ago, although slightly improved last year. The players and the course make the event and solid golf broadcasters are certainly important but there will be tons of excitement no matter the quality of the announcers. So Thursday and Friday the tournament is on FS1 from 10:00am-5:00pm, central time. Saturday and Sunday it’s on regular Fox from 10:00am-7:00pm and be sure to record at least 2 hours after 7:00pm, just in case.

This playoff situation is a bit different. If 2 golfers are tied at the end of 72-holes, they return the next day for an 18-hole playoff. If 3 or more golfers are tied at the end of 72-holes, they go into a sudden-death playoff.

Why is this tournament important for a junior golfer? It’s 1 of only 4 major championships annually and it is also regarded as the Men’s National Golf Championship of the United States. Yes, the winner is the National Champion! Sounds pretty good, right?

Photocredit:Golf-Wisconsin 

Now if you want to rev your kiddo up a bit, boy or girl, and you, your spouse and the rest of the family, record The Greatest Game Ever Played. This is based on the true story of how young Francis Ouimet overcame prejudice and huge obstacles to defeat the greatest golfers of the age and win the 1913 U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts. It is a great movie and will have your whole family ready to golf play some golf. This is inspiring, truly inspiring! It airs 2x this Friday on The Golf Channel. Record it, it’s worth it!

So please make sure you have all these channels in your television package. Likely you have the Fox channels, so you can enjoy this week’s major. And get the TiVo! Most of the tv we watch is recorded, it is so convenient and saves a lot of time.

The players are already complaining about the insanely long rough, so the USGA mowed it down a bit. But 1 of the trademark characteristics of a true U.S. Open venue is long, tough rough. It would be nice to be able to find your ball, however.

OK, turn on the tv and set up your recordings. It’s U.S. Open time!

See you on #1 tee ready to stay out of that long rough… Sam

Junior Golf:What Is The PGA Show?

In today’s Wednesday Waggle we will take a look at the PGA Show and what it is and what it means for your daughter’s junior golf and college golf careers.

Actually the proper name is the PGA Merchandise Show, the 64th one to be exact and more than 1,000 new products are on hand. Everything golf is being shown from the latest swing analysis and technology to golf clubs, balls, equipment, bags, carts, shoes, clothing and apparel, if you can think of it, it’s in Orlando this week. (Dufner photo golfdigest.com)

On the Golf Channel Morning Drive program today they just couldn’t stop talking about the ten miles of aisles, of exhibits, of course. That’s a lot. Dad and Mom, I encourage you to record the Morning Drive show tomorrow and Friday so you can see some of the great interviews as well as get a sneak peek at the new goodies that will be available for your daughter.

This morning Bubba Watson and Russell Knox were guests on Morning Drive. Bubba always attends the PGA Show and just loves it. He says he’s like a kid in a candy store, that he’s a techy kind of guy and this is about the most fun he can have without being on a golf course. It is Knox’s 1st time at the event and he was amazed at the sheer size and scope of everything that was available.

Couple of interesting items from today: Aquila Golf Virtual Reality Trainer, $349.00 for the app and headset. Yes, it’s pricey but if your daughter is into tech and perhaps video games, this might be right down her alley. Load the app and connect it to her phone and she can practice visualization, course management and practical decision-making. Use the Frogger Latch-it system to easily and securely attach a rangefinder, phone, towel, brush or just about any similar item to her bag or cart. Cost is from $18.00-$23.00. Parents this is an extremely practical item. We and S3 were always wanting better ways of quickly and securely attaching these items. I’m buying a couple of these as soon as they are available in mid-March.

OK, set your DVR to record Morning Drive at least for tomorrow and Friday. Then sit down with your daughter and enjoy the broadcasts from this great show.

See you on #1 tee with a new piece of golf tech… Sam

Junior Golf: It’s Cold-Lets Stay Inside And Learn Something

In this Friday Flop Shot we are going to accept the fact that this weekend it’s cold and windy with chill factors in the teens, and this is in South Texas, so this is a good time to stay inside and learn something. Get some more golf education.

All of our kids, including your junior golfer daughter, have limited attention spans, particularly if what Mom and Dad suggest is not in her highest priorities. And while she may love playing golf, sometimes watching golf or golf videos requires bringing her in and saying, “ Here’s a great video about a simple exercise to improve your driver skills.” Or “The Tournament of Champions is on TV from Hawaii. Let’s watch some of it and see if we’d like to go play that course some day.” (image offcoursegolf.com)

Put a point of reference in it for your daughter. Make it have some meaning, potentially, at least. If you and your daughter are serious about junior golf, you must have the Golf Channel included in your TV package. There is so much information on it alone, that if your family had no other digital or video media or magazines, your daughter could learn almost everything she would need to keep up with all things golf, just from this channel.

With the Web.com Tour, the PGA Tour, the LPGA Tour and the European Tour there is more golf competition than can possibly be watched. And the instructional shows and the topical and fun Morning Drive Show are loaded with an endless array of golf information and history.

Pay attention to your emails. I mean every day I get them from tgw.com, Junior Golf Magazine, Golf Digest, Golf Digest STIX, Tips @ Golf Digest, Golfweek, Golf World and more. Sit down with your daughter and open these together and read at least 1 article in each. Some are short, no more than a Tweet, while others are more in depth. There is always something interesting and helpful than can be put to use immediately.

This morning I came across a Facebook post about Jimmy Walker’s shortened driver. In the offseason he wanted to improve his driving accuracy and removed some length from his driver. Jimmy says he lost 5-20 yards in distance, but the club feels so much more natural to him at this shorter length and his fairways hit, all but 4 in yesterday’s opening round, putting him in 2nd place, provided very positive feedback. Great stuff!

A couple of years ago Bubba Watson mentioned that most amateurs had drivers that were too long. He mentioned that shortening them resulted in hitting more shots on the sweet spot, giving better and more consistent results. Who’d a thunk it? Check out the length of your girl’s driver. Maybe it’s time for a trim. (Bubba image Golf Monthly)

See you on #1 tee looking educated… Sam

Junior Golf: Summer Dreams

In this Monday Mulligan we will look at 1 of the most fun times of summer, those times when your daughter can picture herself on the high school golf team or a college golf team or even playing on the LPGA Tour. Summer is a time for dreams!

Mom and Dad, what are your dreams? What dreams do you have for your junior golfer? If you are not sure, I hope you will consider dreaming again for you and your whole family. Perhaps you are of the ultra-pragmatic and practical nature and don’t put much value in dreams or think they are silly. (photo jennleforge.com)

As our dear friend Nelson, who pitched in the Houston Astros system, is a gifted athlete and excellent amateur golfer said, “If you don’t have any dreams, why do you even get out of bed?” Dreams are that extra motivation that will keep your daughter plugging away at improving her golf game even when she is not all that fired up about it. And dreaming can fluctuate depending on the number of distractions going on at any 1 time. It’s human nature.

As Tom Lehman said to David Feherty, while they were talking about the time, years ago, that Lehman had lost his privileges on the Tour and when he, Tom, started seriously working on his game to get his Tour card back, he had 3 things to keep him motivated, “I wanted to win a major championship, be #1 in the world and be the leading money winner.” Feherty replied, “Those are pretty lofty goals for someone who just lost their card.” Tom Lehman said, “You’ve got to have big dreams!” How true it is! (photo golfchannel.com)

Many of us have been laughed at and made fun of for saying our dreams out loud or stating them to the wrong people. And it can hurt. Parents, encourage your junior golfers to dream, it’s the stuff that real life is made of. Virtually every top athlete will tell you they always dreamed of being on the LPGA Tour or wanted to play in the Olympics or win a World Championship. There must be a carrot at the end of the stick.

Yes, not everyone will want to put in the effort to compete at the highest levels, but your girl can still dream about it and maybe 1 day she will really get after the hard work part. Encourage, don’t push. Maybe a short-term dream is getting a new driver or putter or a very cute new golf outfit. Those are dreams that can be realized and serve as inspiration to keep those big dreams alive. Having dreams is essential!

See you on #1 tee dreaming about playing college golf… Sam

Junior Golf: VTO, Just Go

In this Wednesday Waggle we will continue encouraging you to attend the Valero Texas Open. If our San Antonio locale isn’t convenient for you, then please find a PGA Tour site that works for you and your junior golfer and go spend some time there during their tournament. (Dufner photo golfdigest.com)

The best time to go to any tournament is when you can. Don’t overthink it, just grab your kiddo and everybody else that wants to go and head out the door. For a more relaxed atmosphere, the days early in the week are excellent. Today is the final Pro-Am day at VTO, as in most professional golf events and is a perfect time to see how the tour players interact with the group sponsors. You can learn a lot by watching and listening and the course is basically devoid of fans. You can easily move around to follow different players. And the course is full all day. There is a morning and afternoon Pro-Am.

The pros and cons of going different days are interesting. Sure, so can only attend on the weekend and that’s a great time because of the drama and huge crowds associated with the final 2 days of a Tour event. A bit of advanced planning goes a long way. For instance, there is no parking on site. So plan extra time for off-site parking and shuttle time. Locations are posted on the VTO website.

Allowed and prohibited items are also on the site and be certain to carefully check this out so you are not inconvenienced by having to return an item to your not-so-close car or surrender it. There is plenty of food and drink available and some is fairly reasonably priced. There is no real need to load up like a pack mule. A hat or cap, sunscreen, sunglasses and comfortable walking shoes are the basics.

The main differences between going during the week vs on the weekend are less crowds on weekdays for easier movement around the course, closer access to players and a more relaxed atmosphere. Weekends again mean bigger crowds, more drama as potential winners start to show up and a vibrant thrilling environment. (Phil photo casino.org)

Dad and Mom, PGA Tour events are major happenings. Go enjoy 1 with your kiddo today!

See you on the Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio… Sam