Anyone who says golf on TV is boring, doesn't watch it or wasn't watching this year's US Open, or both. As I'm finishing this story, the Monday playoff between Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate is already over a week old. All too often major sporting events with this much hype and anticipation, end with disappointing outcomes. Just like most of the major golf tournaments in my recent memory this one was filled with drama, as I was glued to my seat until the final putt.
If that wasn't enough, how about the startling news revealed after the tournament about Tiger's injuries and "out for the season" status? Hey, I'll bet that professional golf writers around the world have already written millions of words about the announcement, the planned surgery and details about the trickle down of effect of this stunning set of circumstances, that rocked the world of golf. As I'm not a professional writer I wrote this through the eyes of an amateur, with my own spin on what I saw. Here's a few of the many words I read that showed up in my email inbox the following day, that I thought summed up the 2008 US Open rather nicely. Regardless of who you were rooting for, you have to appreciate the history that we're experiencing: "Words no longer do justice to Tiger Woods. First, his winning of the U.S. Open in his first tournament since knee surgery - and without having walked 18 holes of golf in two months since that surgery - was impressive enough. But then to learn that he actually had a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the knee, plus two stress fractures in the left leg?"
The 2008 US Open will be remembered for it's high drama, uncertainty and doubt until the last putt was struck, as Tiger Woods finally prevailed. That statement is actually true for both regulation play and the playoff. As a golfer, this tournament spoke volumes about how exciting and dramatic major golf tournaments are. In the game of golf, just being able to hang in there and not crumble when shots are not going as planned is difficult enough. The ability to grind, re-group and post a score that's still better than most, is a skill only a few in the game have ever had. Add to that the circumstances around Tiger's injuries and this one will be remembered as TRULY SPECIAL in golf history. There's no doubt it will go down as one of the greatest performances by any athlete in any sport.
As a viewer I felt similar drama watching this year's Players, the Masters, last year's British and US Opens, plus most of the majors in recent memory. To me, "golf is great theatre" is more than just a slogan, it's a great description. The majors during the last few years have lived up to the hype, but there's just more interest when Tiger's in the hunt. He's proven time and time again that anything can happen when he's in a position to win and don't ever believe it's over, till it's over.
There's no secret I love watching championship golf on TV. For me, when the coverage starts late in the afternoon lasting through prime-time, it's an added bonus. As if it were scripted by NBC on Father's Day night, the final pair came to the 71st hole with both players (Woods and Westwood) tied for second place and the leader (Mediate) up ahead on the 72nd hole, with the tournament still up for grabs. I can't recall a major tournament where the last three players to finish all had a chance to win like this. At 8:52 PM EST, Tiger had the stage all to himself. On this occasion, he needed the entire hole to birdie the 18th. As we know by now, he rolled in a 12-footer to tie Rocco, forcing an 18 hole Monday playoff. I watched it all unfold. As usual, it did not disappoint.
How did Tiger even get to that final putt to tie? Let's rewind back to Friday. On his first nine holes he was slopping it up at 3-over par. Fortunately, a few over par still keeps you within reach at the US Open. He managed to hang in there with the help of an eagle on #13, sandwiched in-between four bogies, playing what's described as military golf, hitting it left, right, left, right... all over the course. On many shots it was clearly visible that Tiger's knee was hurting, BADLY.
On his back nine (which was actually the front nine of the course because they played the back nine first) it didn't start off any better, as Tiger's drive on hole #1 ended up next to a tree and just off the cart path. Because he was standing on the cart path he was entitled to a free drop, but because the ball could easily have ended up behind the tree, he decided to play it from where it lied. There was just enough room between the ball and cart path to hit it cleanly. The announcers poured it on thick, pointing out that Tiger wears metal spikes and the worry was that his leg would slip, injuring himself worse. In typical fashion, he not only hit it clean, he flushed it right onto the green and made the birdie putt. This was the spark that turned on the light switch, as he made three more threes and added another birdie for a score of thirty. As expected he found a way to enter moving day Saturday on page one of the leader board.
During the third round Rocco Mediate was clearly the best player in the field. He entered his back nine with a three shot lead and six shots over Tiger, who struggled with a two over-par 37 on his front nine. On the back nine it was complete role reversal, with Rocco faltering at two over-par and Tiger turning on the switch again, shooting a 3-under par 33.
After his second shot on #13 almost flew into the hole on a fly, it ended up over 60 feet away. If you're looking for a turning point, this would be a good place to start, as Tiger made the eagle putt. It was a tough down-hiller with a big break left, that was motoring until it landed DEAD CENTER in the cup. On the par three 17th , he missed the green with his tee shot, then chipped his second shot high into the air from an uphill lie on the side of the bunker. It landed a few inches from the hole on a fly, then hopped up and hit the pin DEAD CENTER, and dropped straight down into the hole for a birdie. Even Tiger had to laugh as his shot looked like it was going at least a few feet past before the hole swallowed it. This put him one shot behind Lee Westwood, the leader at that time. He then reached the par 5 18th hole in two. His eagle putt was a sharp breaking left to right slider from the top of a ridge, so it was going to be fast. DEAD CENTER is the only way to describe how the ball entered the hole. Now Tiger had a one stroke lead entering the final round and we all know his record when leading after three rounds in a major. Here's a hint (he's 13 & 0).
Remember the original Wizard of Oz movie, where the first part was in black and white and the rest of the movie was in color? In comparison, the black and white portion of this year's US Open was Mediate's first 54 holes. The color came on starting when Tiger went double-bogey, bogey on Sunday's first two holes and Westwood also began to slide. Rocco was now in the lead and only Bob May in the 2000 PGA has challenged Tiger like this in the final round of a major.
Up until now, the US Open was a story about Tiger Woods, his struggle and his determination, playing on one leg. Early on Sunday, the storyline was becoming more of a fairy tale about a journeyman pro golfer named Rocco, who everyone loved, but who hadn't won a pro tournament in six years. In fact the last and only time he was this close in a major was in the 2006 Masters. Entering the 15th hole on Saturday, Rocco found himself right in the thick of it, then he slipped and injured is back. If you remember him yukking it up in the TV booth in early 2007, this is why. He spent all last year rehabbing and this year needed to play his way into the US Open as one of the low qualifiers, before getting this opportunity. Like a heavyweight boxer with a shot at the title (just like in Rocky) Rocco knew this was probably his last chance to beat the best, and he gave it everything he had. Unfortunately, he was up against possibly the greatest the game of golf has ever seen.
Will Tiger Woods break Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 majors and every other major record on the books? Will he go down as the best there ever was? OR will injuries prevent him from reaching these goals? What do you think? I welcome your comments. Please feel free to reply via email and I'll post them on my blog or go to the blog directly at www.thumbsdownmethod.com and post your comments.
Trivia Question
What is the size of the golf hole? (Hint: it's smaller than a breadbox)
60 second golf tip
Here's an excerpt from page 57 of my soon to be published book, Thumbs Down - Golf Instruction Made Simple, by Morgan James Publishing. It stresses the importance of not only thinking "delayed hit", but also implies the need for delayed thinking. "Remember: you can't hit the ball during the first 3/4 of your swing, so don't try to. Instead: keep your swing under control as you reach the slot, then accelerate into the impact zone on the downswing." Translation: Keep the swing slow and rhythmic and wait until the second part of the down swing, then accelerate down and kill the ball at impact.
This past weekend I played in a two-day club tournament. The 7th hole is a par 3, 180 yards, where I usually hit my 6-iron. During the first round the tees were up a few yards with a slight wind at our backs and the ground very firm in front of the green. Since the pin was up front I decided to hit a hard 7-iron. Usually when I try to reach for a little extra I start with a strong back swing, followed by a lot of acceleration from the top, followed by a miss-hit, most of the time.
What I remembered on this shot was to delay the acceleration until my hands reached waist height on the downswing (the first 3/4 of my swing), then I fired Thumbs Down at the ball. I've found that the longer I can delay my thinking, before accelerating down on the ball, the more consistent a ball striker I am. I struck it as well as I could and bounced it up onto the green. I had a terrible putting weekend so of course I missed the birdie (a defensive down-hiller), but at least I didn't blow it past and three-putt the hole.
Summer Special
For the summer I'm offering the Pro Plus edition ($197 and includes 3 hours of one-on-one virtual coaching) for the same price as the Pro edition $47 (plus $4 S&H). Also, if you purchase the Front Nine eBook ($9.97) I'll give you 100% trade-in towards the purchase of the Pro Edition. Order yours today or as a gift at www.golfinstructionmadesimple.com/Products/ProEdition.htm and Tell-A-Friend.
June 12, 2008
US Open Week - Torrey Pines
With the month of May in central New Jersey cold and rainy, and the temperature for past few days in the mid-high nineties, I'm finding myself singing the words "hot town summer in the city" in my mind all day. In the Midwest there's tornados, thunderstorms with baseball sized hail and flooding rains. Although Mother Nature can't make up her mind what season it is, it's finally that time of year when the world's media attention turns to golf. It's US Open week.
Whether you love or hate Tiger Woods, the question of will he win his fourteenth major championship in his quest to pass Jack Nicklaus' record of eighteen, at Torrey Pines, a course where he's already won earlier this year; or if Phil Mickelson will win in the San Diego are where he grew up playing, are the buzz all over the world this week. As the number one and two players in the world, you'd expect them to be the favorites. Who will win? I'm not making any predictions... except why do I think Tiger has a great shot to win (or finish on the leader board), even though he's playing his first competitive round since having arthroscopic surgery following the Masters? Because he plays the majors a lot like Jack Nicklaus did.
Even when he didn't have his A-game Nicklaus, who finished second a record nineteen times, seemed to find a way to hang in there until a majority of the field eliminated themselves. Follow all the hype and you'd think there were only two players in this year's field, Tiger and Phil. We all learned how terribly wrong "all the buzz" can be this past weekend, as Big Brown was trying to become the first horse in thirty years to win the Triple Crown. We all know what a lock and "sure thing" he was at 1 to 4 odds to coast to victory, at least if you followed all the buzz prior to the race. I've learned my lesson, that in sports there's no way to predict the outcome. Every year I see more bizarre events and upsets I never thought could happen (like the NY Giants winning this year's Super Bowl). Nothing in sports surprises me anymore. That's why they play the game.
This week's 60 second Thumbs Down method golf tip.
In this 2007 article from a major golf publication in, Tiger Woods describes the benefits of turning knuckles down to the ground. Although he's not using the exact same words, he's describing Thumbs Down, a move all the great ball strikers do, whether they realize it or not.
Most great iron players have at least one thing in common: They take a divot, whether the ball is teed up or on the turf. And it usually comes from a shallow angle of attack, which produces a long, shallow divot about the size of a dollar bill. Conversely, high-handicappers either make a steep downswing and dig a crater through impact, or they don't take a divot at all. Both mistakes lead to inconsistent contact and poor shots.
To improve your ball striking (and your divots), try shallowing out your backswing--swinging a little more around you. That sets up a shallower angle into the ball and a long, thin divot. It also helps if you turn the knuckles of your top hand to the ground through impact, like I'm doing here. This is a clear sign that you're compressing the ball, trapping it between the clubface and the turf, which will result in a divot on the forward side of the ball.
For more information about the Thumbs Down method go to www.golfinstructionmadesimple.com and vist my new blog at www.thumbsdownmethod.com. There's plenty of golf and other topics of interest like airport security and travel tips, alternative energy and environmentally friendly products, articles and information. And now there's a book store. Check it out.
Whether you love or hate Tiger Woods, the question of will he win his fourteenth major championship in his quest to pass Jack Nicklaus' record of eighteen, at Torrey Pines, a course where he's already won earlier this year; or if Phil Mickelson will win in the San Diego are where he grew up playing, are the buzz all over the world this week. As the number one and two players in the world, you'd expect them to be the favorites. Who will win? I'm not making any predictions... except why do I think Tiger has a great shot to win (or finish on the leader board), even though he's playing his first competitive round since having arthroscopic surgery following the Masters? Because he plays the majors a lot like Jack Nicklaus did.
Even when he didn't have his A-game Nicklaus, who finished second a record nineteen times, seemed to find a way to hang in there until a majority of the field eliminated themselves. Follow all the hype and you'd think there were only two players in this year's field, Tiger and Phil. We all learned how terribly wrong "all the buzz" can be this past weekend, as Big Brown was trying to become the first horse in thirty years to win the Triple Crown. We all know what a lock and "sure thing" he was at 1 to 4 odds to coast to victory, at least if you followed all the buzz prior to the race. I've learned my lesson, that in sports there's no way to predict the outcome. Every year I see more bizarre events and upsets I never thought could happen (like the NY Giants winning this year's Super Bowl). Nothing in sports surprises me anymore. That's why they play the game.
This week's 60 second Thumbs Down method golf tip.
In this 2007 article from a major golf publication in, Tiger Woods describes the benefits of turning knuckles down to the ground. Although he's not using the exact same words, he's describing Thumbs Down, a move all the great ball strikers do, whether they realize it or not.
Most great iron players have at least one thing in common: They take a divot, whether the ball is teed up or on the turf. And it usually comes from a shallow angle of attack, which produces a long, shallow divot about the size of a dollar bill. Conversely, high-handicappers either make a steep downswing and dig a crater through impact, or they don't take a divot at all. Both mistakes lead to inconsistent contact and poor shots.
To improve your ball striking (and your divots), try shallowing out your backswing--swinging a little more around you. That sets up a shallower angle into the ball and a long, thin divot. It also helps if you turn the knuckles of your top hand to the ground through impact, like I'm doing here. This is a clear sign that you're compressing the ball, trapping it between the clubface and the turf, which will result in a divot on the forward side of the ball.
For more information about the Thumbs Down method go to www.golfinstructionmadesimple.com and vist my new blog at www.thumbsdownmethod.com. There's plenty of golf and other topics of interest like airport security and travel tips, alternative energy and environmentally friendly products, articles and information. And now there's a book store. Check it out.
Cheating 101 - A Golf Etiquette Primer
Bobby Jones once said, "there's golf and there's tournament golf ...and the two are not very much alike". I say, "there's beginner golf and there's serious golfer's golf"...and the same can be said. They're not very much alike.
When a beginner doesn't follow the rules it's usually because they don't know right from wrong. When guys (or gals) get together and play "beer golf" just for fun, it's OK not to keep score and just play for fun. Just comply with these basic etiquette rules of golf and others:-Respect the golf course. Replace divots and repair ball marks on the green.-Play as fast as possible, maintaining a pace of play that doesn't hold up any players behind you.-Stand still and quietly while other players are hitting and don't walk in anyone's putting line on the green.
BUT, it's a different story when experienced players feel that interpreting the rules "their way" is a right no one should dare to question. For these players, there's only one word to describe what they're doing; CHEATING! Maybe I'm just noticing it more lately, but it's amazing to see club players or members of the golf industry blatantly cheat and think it's OK. They treat mulligans, do-overs, preferred lies anywhere, and mental lapses in counting their actual strokes like it's a normal part of the game that no one notices. They're wrong, I'm noticing.
One of the many beauties of golf is that each player is their own umpire or referee, responsible for enforcing their own rules. With all the talk about golf being a game of honor, a sport that epitomizes the balance between skill, competition and integrity, why is cheating such an accepted part of the game for some players? I'll never understand what they're thinking, except the golf course does make an ideal setting for any person with the mentality of "what they don't see won't hurt them".
Golf is a special sport, with a large majority of golfers honest and trustworthy. My earliest memories at the golf course recall seeing bags of beautiful clubs standing unattended in front of the clubhouse and thinking anyone could steal these at anytime. I remember my father telling me that the golf course is the safest place around, because golfers are the most honest people you'll find anywhere. Around the clubhouse is one thing, but on the course where no one's looking (or so they think) is a completely different story, especially once the competitive juices start to flow and egos take over. Nothing surprises me anymore.
For the record I personally don't consider it cheating when you violate a rule without realizing it. (The Rules of Golf has never been an easy read or very understandable). I also believe that a player should not be penalized due to the poor condition of the golf course, but the rule's of golf Gods don't agree. During my youth playing on public courses the rule of thumb was preferred lies on the fairway and leave it lie in the rough.
Most friendly and casual games are played using paradise rules, which means moving the ball onto a preferred lie on any shot, is OK. This is especially the case when golfer's are first learning to play the game. The only BUT in the last statement is this; if you're going to move the ball, DON'T move it closer to the hole, EVER.
The cheating I'm describing is either when the rules are violated or the score on the card doesn't reflect the actual number of swings at the ball, OR BOTH. They usually go hand in hand.
Have you seen the TGW commercial on the Golf Channel with two guys in a cart adding up one player's score. After replaying many shots, plus one in the water and one out of bounds, he says give me a four. I realize this is a bit far fetched but let me share some of what I've seen on the golf course battlefield. These are actual events I've witnessed, with each player's name disguised, to protect further personal embarrassment.
Player 1 - Have you ever played with someone they call "the umpire". That's because he always keeps an extra ball in his pocket and drops it out when he can't find his original shot. One round when I watched him look for a ball that sliced out of bounds I saw him take a ball out of his pocket and throw it ahead to play it. I called out, "you're not going to play that one, are you"? He had a sick look when he realized I caught him.
On another occasion I watched him search 20-30 yards beyond where his ball. In fact I found his ball (I know that because I saw the logo on the last green while he was putting), then called out "what ball are you playing"? His back-up plan just in case this happens is to say it has a Court TV logo. Since it never does, he drops one plays on without penalty.
When he's not moving the ball in the rough (almost always closer to the hole) and giving himself a preferred lie, this player often times picks up the ball and places it, (again closer to hole). This is the same player who criticizes his former group for doing the same. When he does have a bad lie and misses the shot he blames the course and takes his do-over. After skulling the first shot into the face of the bunker he tries it again, then get's pissed off and starts swinging wildly.
On the greens, he takes liberty with concept of "the gimmee". When his approach shot stops within four to six feet of the hole he putts with the pin in, so if he misses he counts it as if he made it, a gimmee. He almost always steals an extra inch (or more) by marking the ball on the green closer to the hole.
Last but not least, never play this player in a match or expect to watch every shot like a hawk. That includes asking him and agreeing on his score after every hole. Even during tournaments he'll leave a stoke or two off the total when it takes four or five out of the bunker. In fact, as I'm finishing this story, I have a good example of this from yesterday's round. On the 16th hole he pops up the tee shot about 150 yards, leaving 200+ yards to the green. The second shot goes left and ends up in high grass near a tree just short of the green. Shot three lands short. A chip and two putts. As he taps in the sixth shot he says, bogey and puts a five on his card. This is very common, as his scorecard often reads bogey or occasionally double-bogey or more. I know this because the new pull carts at our club have a clip for the scorecard which he now uses. Until this year he used one of my Cardkeepers and had his scorecard and pencil in his back pocket, hidden. Bottom line; after cheating all thorough the round, the score he ultimately posts for his handicap is now lowered once again. He's been described as the world's worst player, that plays almost everyday.
Player 2. - This is a member of the golf industry who often plays in events. During the ten times we've played together I've seen him taking mulligans on any hole, on any shot. I can't remember ever seeing him with a bad lie. That doesn't mean he's never hit the ball in the rough, behind trees or in the tall grass around the greens. He always picks his ball up out of the rough and replaces it where he prefers it. When there's a tree in his way he moves the ball out of the way (I guess that's why they call it preferred lies).
One day on a par 5 he hit a good drive and went for the green on his second shot. The ball went far to the right. There was a creek beyond where he was looking and we never found the ball. Because he knew around where the ball was he felt he was robbed and deserved to play three from a free drop. After an up and down, he celebrates that he made a great par. To me, it doesn't pay to question it. Just play on. Like Player 1 he'll conveniently count only certain shots. What do you post on the card when you pick-up and say, that's enough?
Player 3. - This one really shattered me inside. I have a friend I've played with for over twenty years. . He always wants to beat me and out drive me, but when we play for money, even just a few dollars, it gets real competitive. The first time I caught him cheating was during my first Myrtle Beach golf-o-mania vacation in March 2006. On the first hole of our first of eight rounds, he wanted a 3-foot gimmee, which I didn't give. As he went down to mark his ball he tried to hide it with his body and then snuck the mark a few inches closer the hole. I didn't say anything and never trusted him after that. I saw him do it a few more times at our home course and stopped playing for money until recently, after finally confronting him about cheating. Are you surprised to hear that he denied everything?
Player 4. - This one hurt financially. A regular member of my group in the 1990's inherited a lot of family money. His basement looks like a golf club hall of fame, with a putting green and more new sets of clubs than most pro shops.
One day during a multi-hole Skins game carryover, I was about to win about $20. On a par 5 I'm on the green in three, with only a five needed to win. As his third shot ran just off the back of the green up against the tall grass, he groaned. As we approached the green I saw him scoop the ball with his wedge and move it a few inches closer, onto the fringe. I asked both players in the group if they saw what I just saw. They didn't. Instead of a very difficult wedge shot to even make a par, he putted and of-course made it for birdie, robbing me of some much needed cash.
He didn't need the money, but his ego couldn't live with the loss. This is the same player that carries a +1 handicap (which means he's under-par) because he only posts his low scores. Yes, he's a good player, but maybe a 3 or 4 handicap.
Usually I end my stories by saying Golf is Great Theatre. This time is goes like this; Golf is a game that brings out the worst in people and offers the perfect setting for cheaters.
When a beginner doesn't follow the rules it's usually because they don't know right from wrong. When guys (or gals) get together and play "beer golf" just for fun, it's OK not to keep score and just play for fun. Just comply with these basic etiquette rules of golf and others:-Respect the golf course. Replace divots and repair ball marks on the green.-Play as fast as possible, maintaining a pace of play that doesn't hold up any players behind you.-Stand still and quietly while other players are hitting and don't walk in anyone's putting line on the green.
BUT, it's a different story when experienced players feel that interpreting the rules "their way" is a right no one should dare to question. For these players, there's only one word to describe what they're doing; CHEATING! Maybe I'm just noticing it more lately, but it's amazing to see club players or members of the golf industry blatantly cheat and think it's OK. They treat mulligans, do-overs, preferred lies anywhere, and mental lapses in counting their actual strokes like it's a normal part of the game that no one notices. They're wrong, I'm noticing.
One of the many beauties of golf is that each player is their own umpire or referee, responsible for enforcing their own rules. With all the talk about golf being a game of honor, a sport that epitomizes the balance between skill, competition and integrity, why is cheating such an accepted part of the game for some players? I'll never understand what they're thinking, except the golf course does make an ideal setting for any person with the mentality of "what they don't see won't hurt them".
Golf is a special sport, with a large majority of golfers honest and trustworthy. My earliest memories at the golf course recall seeing bags of beautiful clubs standing unattended in front of the clubhouse and thinking anyone could steal these at anytime. I remember my father telling me that the golf course is the safest place around, because golfers are the most honest people you'll find anywhere. Around the clubhouse is one thing, but on the course where no one's looking (or so they think) is a completely different story, especially once the competitive juices start to flow and egos take over. Nothing surprises me anymore.
For the record I personally don't consider it cheating when you violate a rule without realizing it. (The Rules of Golf has never been an easy read or very understandable). I also believe that a player should not be penalized due to the poor condition of the golf course, but the rule's of golf Gods don't agree. During my youth playing on public courses the rule of thumb was preferred lies on the fairway and leave it lie in the rough.
Most friendly and casual games are played using paradise rules, which means moving the ball onto a preferred lie on any shot, is OK. This is especially the case when golfer's are first learning to play the game. The only BUT in the last statement is this; if you're going to move the ball, DON'T move it closer to the hole, EVER.
The cheating I'm describing is either when the rules are violated or the score on the card doesn't reflect the actual number of swings at the ball, OR BOTH. They usually go hand in hand.
Have you seen the TGW commercial on the Golf Channel with two guys in a cart adding up one player's score. After replaying many shots, plus one in the water and one out of bounds, he says give me a four. I realize this is a bit far fetched but let me share some of what I've seen on the golf course battlefield. These are actual events I've witnessed, with each player's name disguised, to protect further personal embarrassment.
Player 1 - Have you ever played with someone they call "the umpire". That's because he always keeps an extra ball in his pocket and drops it out when he can't find his original shot. One round when I watched him look for a ball that sliced out of bounds I saw him take a ball out of his pocket and throw it ahead to play it. I called out, "you're not going to play that one, are you"? He had a sick look when he realized I caught him.
On another occasion I watched him search 20-30 yards beyond where his ball. In fact I found his ball (I know that because I saw the logo on the last green while he was putting), then called out "what ball are you playing"? His back-up plan just in case this happens is to say it has a Court TV logo. Since it never does, he drops one plays on without penalty.
When he's not moving the ball in the rough (almost always closer to the hole) and giving himself a preferred lie, this player often times picks up the ball and places it, (again closer to hole). This is the same player who criticizes his former group for doing the same. When he does have a bad lie and misses the shot he blames the course and takes his do-over. After skulling the first shot into the face of the bunker he tries it again, then get's pissed off and starts swinging wildly.
On the greens, he takes liberty with concept of "the gimmee". When his approach shot stops within four to six feet of the hole he putts with the pin in, so if he misses he counts it as if he made it, a gimmee. He almost always steals an extra inch (or more) by marking the ball on the green closer to the hole.
Last but not least, never play this player in a match or expect to watch every shot like a hawk. That includes asking him and agreeing on his score after every hole. Even during tournaments he'll leave a stoke or two off the total when it takes four or five out of the bunker. In fact, as I'm finishing this story, I have a good example of this from yesterday's round. On the 16th hole he pops up the tee shot about 150 yards, leaving 200+ yards to the green. The second shot goes left and ends up in high grass near a tree just short of the green. Shot three lands short. A chip and two putts. As he taps in the sixth shot he says, bogey and puts a five on his card. This is very common, as his scorecard often reads bogey or occasionally double-bogey or more. I know this because the new pull carts at our club have a clip for the scorecard which he now uses. Until this year he used one of my Cardkeepers and had his scorecard and pencil in his back pocket, hidden. Bottom line; after cheating all thorough the round, the score he ultimately posts for his handicap is now lowered once again. He's been described as the world's worst player, that plays almost everyday.
Player 2. - This is a member of the golf industry who often plays in events. During the ten times we've played together I've seen him taking mulligans on any hole, on any shot. I can't remember ever seeing him with a bad lie. That doesn't mean he's never hit the ball in the rough, behind trees or in the tall grass around the greens. He always picks his ball up out of the rough and replaces it where he prefers it. When there's a tree in his way he moves the ball out of the way (I guess that's why they call it preferred lies).
One day on a par 5 he hit a good drive and went for the green on his second shot. The ball went far to the right. There was a creek beyond where he was looking and we never found the ball. Because he knew around where the ball was he felt he was robbed and deserved to play three from a free drop. After an up and down, he celebrates that he made a great par. To me, it doesn't pay to question it. Just play on. Like Player 1 he'll conveniently count only certain shots. What do you post on the card when you pick-up and say, that's enough?
Player 3. - This one really shattered me inside. I have a friend I've played with for over twenty years. . He always wants to beat me and out drive me, but when we play for money, even just a few dollars, it gets real competitive. The first time I caught him cheating was during my first Myrtle Beach golf-o-mania vacation in March 2006. On the first hole of our first of eight rounds, he wanted a 3-foot gimmee, which I didn't give. As he went down to mark his ball he tried to hide it with his body and then snuck the mark a few inches closer the hole. I didn't say anything and never trusted him after that. I saw him do it a few more times at our home course and stopped playing for money until recently, after finally confronting him about cheating. Are you surprised to hear that he denied everything?
Player 4. - This one hurt financially. A regular member of my group in the 1990's inherited a lot of family money. His basement looks like a golf club hall of fame, with a putting green and more new sets of clubs than most pro shops.
One day during a multi-hole Skins game carryover, I was about to win about $20. On a par 5 I'm on the green in three, with only a five needed to win. As his third shot ran just off the back of the green up against the tall grass, he groaned. As we approached the green I saw him scoop the ball with his wedge and move it a few inches closer, onto the fringe. I asked both players in the group if they saw what I just saw. They didn't. Instead of a very difficult wedge shot to even make a par, he putted and of-course made it for birdie, robbing me of some much needed cash.
He didn't need the money, but his ego couldn't live with the loss. This is the same player that carries a +1 handicap (which means he's under-par) because he only posts his low scores. Yes, he's a good player, but maybe a 3 or 4 handicap.
Usually I end my stories by saying Golf is Great Theatre. This time is goes like this; Golf is a game that brings out the worst in people and offers the perfect setting for cheaters.
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