Hooters Amateur Tour - Oklahoma

Came across a great local tour (probably find it a little greater in the fact I've my won flight two out of the four tournaments this year. And they are way cool trophys. Kinda the look and feel of a Heisman Trophy. Only, of course, with a lot more prestige. The tour's great, the golfers are great; but, the oddity I'm wanting to write about today is a sudden case of hitting my driver straight. It's about to drive me crazy. My normal driver tee shot has always been a banana ball. However, I actually took a lesson from a PGA Pro. (The rumors are right, that is the place to start.) He had me concentrating on trying to hit hooks. Now I'm hitting it freakishly straight. It's so, so cool to have the confidence walking up to the tee knowing beyound a shadow of a doubt you're going to stripe one exactly the direction you're aiming. But, as we all know, these things come and go; or, at least smaller versions have. I've never had anything this serious "come." But, my fear is: when is it going to "go?"
Of course, all golfers also know that with any good comes some bad. So, although I'm now striping my drives about 235 arrow straight, I'm hitting all my irons suddenly as fat as they come. But where there's a problem there's a solution. Mine has been to carry a carload of hybrids and just work on sweeping the ball on approach shots. I realize that part of my iron trouble is the fact the courses are still pretty much tight, winter lies. As soon as they green out I'm hoping I'll be hitting my irons to match my drives. Then, given my good short game (developed out of necessity to make up for my suck long game) I may just get to have another tropy or two on the ol' mantle.
As if being an addicted Golf Nut in itself wasn't bad enough; I've now found from winning that Lombardi was right "Winning is the only thing." Kind of a shame. I actually used to enjoy just a leisurely round on a beautiful course with good friends.
They say there's always someone better than you; and always some one worse than you. Well, to keep me humble, ol' Ace Middleton and I went out the other day, my two trophys in my corner, his Tulsa Golf Challenge Champion medal in his corner. End of the day, the medal stayed in his corner (by two lousy strokes! Actually, three strokes. We play in case of a tie the current medal holder keeps the medal). But, that was a day or two before "driver straightitis" set in. So, I'm eager for a rematch before the banana ball comes back.
Oh, and anyone having any knowledge whatsoever about the Golf Nuts Society and it's current situation, please write me at golfnut2011@yahoo.com. If you do, it may just give you the good karma to win the lottery. No promises. But I wouldn't be surprised.

Too Much Golf?

Too much golf?
I don't mean for me, of course - even though I've played at least 9 holes about every day so far this year, except Jan 1 (still kicking myself for not playing that day, since it was pretty mild weather).
We've been blessed with unusually great weather for January (although one of my rounds was in 34 degrees).
Nope, the "too much golf" I'm referring to is for my buddy "Ace" Middleton. He's always been a great ball striker and almost always was on the green in regulation (very much unlike me). And if he wasn't on, his chipping was good enough to give lessons to pros (again, very much unlike me). However, his one and only weakness was his putting - which I think was more a confidence thing. And, it was the one point in our play where I had a chance to make up ground. I was an over-confident putter (from playing putting games on practice greens where I kept playing until I 2-putted every hole at least once). However, I got away from my putting practice (to actually play full rounds) and needless to say, after a few blown 3-footers, I now have a phobia about 3-foot putts; and Rusty is whopping the crap out of me. My putting confidence left just as unfortunately his arrived. He can't miss anything 8 feet on in. I can't make anything unless it's at least 8 feet.
Yesterday though, I found a great new practice green, in great shape with tricky pin placements. Just by coincidence the local high-school team was on the driving range right next to the putting green. Nothing like a flock of coeds to either make or break your spirit in putting. Turns out I was putting so well I felt like everyone in the place was probably watching and admiring me, just like as if I was Ben Hogan. (Of course, probably no one noticed me, other than maybe with a "Hey, look at the old gray-haired guy putting. He's pretty good.") Ha! pretty good. If I could have hit the tee shots they were all hitting I might have even worked up the nerve to go rent a bucket of balls; but why spoil a good thing. And now, if I can keep away from playing a while and just go back and practice putting, maybe, just maybe, the coveted Tulsa Golf Challenge Champion medal will come back home to daddy (especially if I bend "Ace's" putter just slightly.)

Coveted Medal passes hands

After a round of golf yesterday characterized by golf balls skidding across frozen ponds and hopping off frozen ponds onto greens; and, of "Ace" Middleton making some spectacular putts (across greens that had striking similarities to features of the surface of the moon) the coveted Tulsa Golf Championship Medal was passed from a tearful "Bogey" Brown to Middleton.
On the positive side, the weathermen's prediction of cold, wind, and possible freezing junk falling from the sky kept everyone else at home in front of their fireplace. However, being true Golf Nuts, Brown and Middleton layered up and went and played - in 50 degree, sunny, no wind conditions; ie, "Perfect" and had the course to themselves (which given one or two or three or four wayward shots, was probably a very good thing.)

John Daly's Annual Boys and Girls Club Tournament

JD posted the following on his Twitter account:
"Just scheduled my Annual "Boys/Girls Club Tourn" at my course Lion's Den in Dardanelle, Ark - June 17-19. Get a Team by calling 479-229-4162."

Very worthy cause at a very beautiful golf course; and, probably get to meet the Man himself. - KB

Wife is ready for me to go play golf

Everyday I take several slow swings with my weighted golf club, both for the stretching/exercise and the slight substitute of actually playing.

Today, however, I didn't take my normal stance looking toward a mirror on the wall.

Instead, I turned around to take my strengthing swings while looking out the window at all that dreaded snow.

Amazing how little force it takes an over-weighted golf club, even swung slowly, to humble a ceiling fan globe!

Luckily, it was only one of the four on the ceiling fan; and just as luckily (after driving around town in the snow) there isn't a replacement globe to be found. But, there was 2-part epoxy. So, I'm hoping that with the globe being sufficiently ornate the cracks and excess epoxy will not look out of place - especially if I replace the 40 watt bulb with a 200 watt flood lamp.

Once again, I sent myself to my study for a "time out" to think about what I'd done.

- "Bogey" Brown

Just shot 43 on St Andrews front 9

Okay, so it was a cyber version: World Golf Tour (wgt.com). Very cool photorealistic sim. Remember to have your sound on (the club sounds are perfect, especially when sitting indoors looking out at the snow). Also, as always practice your short game. You almost can't hit a bad tee shot or approach shot (just like your real golf game, huh?) But, putting is a whole different world. You'll be very happy here to 3-putt.
Several different cool courses (you'll probably only get to play via WGT); or, good practice for when you do go play the Old Course at St. Andrews. (Although I'm betting I wouldn't shoot an actual 43 on the front nine there).

Congrats to 2011 winner Jonathan Byrd

Having to endure the miserable warm and sunny weather of Hawaii in the Tournament of Champions (while those of us fortunate enough to be in the States got to enjoy white stuff falling on about every course above sea level), Jonathan Byrd (of recent 2010 hole-in-one to win fame) and Robert Garrigus (of shrunken putter fame) took the tournament into playoff holes, with Byrd winning, albeit neither by an ace nor birdie.

Despite television commentator's statements to the contrary, this was not the "first" win of 2011. That distinction went to Bogey Brown in a challenge tournament put forth by Ace Middleton (a marvelous victory reported here in a previous post.)

Brown, himself, has put forth his own challenge: offering a free copy of the great book Golf Nuts - You've Got To Be Committed, written by Golf Nut Society founder Ron Garland with assistance of Brian Hewitt, to the first five golfers contributing a golf anecdote to be published on this blog. Entries can be emailed to golfnut2011@yahoo.com (and preferably should be suitable for the delicate ears and eyes of fellow golfers.)