Recently, John Daly made a spectacle out of himself by dunking a whole bunch of balls into the drink, Tin-Cup style, after severe frustration over a penalty assessed for hitting a wrong ball out of a bunker on the previous hole.  He ran out of golf balls, thanked his playing partners, and walked into the clubhouse....and basically out of Australia and any chance of being invited back.

 

People are criticizing him about his behavior, which is nothing new.  I must admit to being a John Daly fan in the aftermath of his first PGA win, again in dramatic style, for three reasons: 1) you could easily pick him out of a crowd of PGA pros, and 2) he brought excitement back into the game for everyday folks, and 3) he created a desire for the regular guy to wriggle into the hallowed world of golf. 

 

But then, life got in the way and John couldn’t get out of his own way, reverting back to bad habits and deeds that were all too well chronicled in ex-wife Sherrie’s book, Teed Off.  That book, by the way, was tough to read, not in a cerebral sense, but because by showing the world how badly John acted and how difficult the marriage was, she made herself look worse for getting involved with him in the first place.

 

Rules of any kind – and John Daly – do not co-exist well.   Can anyone commiserate with that feeling?

 

I understand that there must be rules governing games, and life, but the USGA and R&A really need to get back into the real world and examine what is happening in golf.  The numbers are still dismal, people are leaving the Ôofficial’ game, many in frustration over the nit-pickiness of the rules.  The Rules of Golf book is not that large but the Decisions on the Rules of Golf is....oh, my, my.... like the Guinness Book of World Records, expanding exponentially.  Any rule book needing that much explaining is way too complicated for today’s short-attention span and quick-take world.

 

Yes, the Powers-That-Be recently revised the Rules of Golf, but they never seem to take it far enough.  Let’s look at John’s situation.  He played a ball out of a bunker thinking it was his ball.  Inadvertently, there was a range ball there too and he hit that one.  Now you might think Ôhow could he hit a range ball?  Didn’t he identify it?"    Well, you can’t touch a ball in a hazard in order to identify it.  And so, how can you be penalized for playing a ball that you are not allowed to identify?

 

In an older 2000/2001 Decisions book, I reviewed Rule 15 and it does state Ôif a competitor plays a stroke or strokes with a wrong ball, he shall incur a penalty of two strokes – unless the only strokes played with such ball were played when it was in a hazard, in which case no penalty is incurred’.  A bunker is a hazard, but my question is this:  when did the USGA and R&A change that rule?  And why?  The latest version I looked up shows this:  ÔThere is no penalty if a player makes a stroke at a wrong ball that is moving in water in a water hazard. Any strokes made at a wrong ball moving in water in a water hazard do not count in the player's score.’   Moving water???   Why would that be any different than if your ball is in a bunker and you cannot see all of your ball to know it is yours?  Moving water??  Please.

 

You can see where the frustration sets in.  I’ve been stymied all day trying to figure out when this rule was changed, because I surely don’t remember it.  I’ve quoted the rule dozens of times over the years and feel silly that I was unaware of the language change.  And I still don’t get it.

 

If any of you out there in Philly-land would like to comment on some of your favorite, silly rules, please do.  John and I don’t want to be the only ones in a tizzy.

 

Janina Parrott Jacobs, or the Silver Fox, is a multi-media consultant specializing in golf, business, music, nutrition, fitness and women’s issues.  She blogs about golf at The A Position. A 4 handicap, she lives in Michigan.  Her full bio is here.

 

This is the time when we golfers begin to examine our performance for the year and decide what we’d like to accomplish in the next golf season.  For many, this lament is heard:  ÔWhy can’t I take the game I have on the practice range to the golf course?

It is often said that the longest walk in golf is from the practice range to the first tee.  Not literally, but mentally.  How often have you lasered endless range balls to various greens on the practice tee only to hit it OB or in the woods on the first hole?

Yes, we’ve all been there before.  What happens?  How can our swing change so fast to yield such horrible results?  The truth is, it can’t....and doesn’t.   The only thing that has changed is what is going on in your head.  If you don’t know how to properly focus your thoughts and control your emotions, you’ll never be able to play well – though you may be the best player on the range, able to hit every shot.

Case in point:  Last month I was invited to Reynolds Plantation, about 75 minutes east of Atlanta, Georgia.  Within this gorgeous resort and private golf community lies the Reynolds Golf Academy and The Kingdom, TaylorMade’s haven for the best and latest technological advances in golf swing and club analysis.

As part of our media golf experience, a group of us writers experienced the Academy’s Red Zone Challenge, which pertains to the Ôscoring zone’ otherwise known as the short game.  Normally, a student is measured when they enter the three-day program and again, when they graduate after learning some of top golf teacher Charlie King’s secrets to better golf from 100 yards in.  A short game range at the opposite end of the Lake Oconee Club’s practice complex was built to test the following:  40 - 80 yard pitch, chip shot, bunker shot, lob shot, lag putt, and short putt.  Taking two shots at every station, each attempt was tabulated based on proximity to the hole or scoring circles.  The idea is to measure your shortcomings prior to proper instruction versus improved scores afterwards.  In our case, we did the ÔBefore’ scoring without benefit of Charlie’s expertise. 

For me, the short game has always been my friend.  I learned properly at an early age and really felt little pressure to perform, despite challenges mounted by my esteemed fellow male golf writers.  I scored pretty well and was able to defeat my Ôopponents’ (who will be quick to indicate that it was only by 10 points....) to win a stylish Reynolds Plantation golf shirt.   But that is not the story and why I write about this;  what I witnessed from one of the other writers, is.

Let’s call her Penelope.  Penelope had not played golf for many years and was just getting her game back.  I was paired with her earlier that day and we both looked forward to the round, her because she hoped I’d inspire her to better play, and me because I knew she is so wonderfully gracious and nice.  We both enjoyed the round, laughing and joking at good shots and poor ones alike;  Penelope simply rejoiced at being back on the links.

But then the Red Zone Challenge came.  The happy carefree woman disappeared as soon as she knew she would be Ôtested’.  Despite the fact that she had hit many of these same shots beautifully only hours ago, the look on her face and tension in her voice spoke volumes.  Not surprisingly, she did not do well, even though I tried to encourage her and convince her it was just for fun and didn’t mean anything because she wasn’t expected to do well – only to experience the Red Zone Challenge.   It didn’t matter.  I believe she would rather have faced a cage full of snakes, a pond teeming with alligators, or swim with the sharks.

Why put unnecessary pressure on ourselves to perform?  Usually we only assume that need and we create all sorts of bad thoughts to go along with it.  The trick is to understand that you are often your own worst enemy and toughest critic and that no one else judges you as harshly as you do.  

There is a rule we all need to learn and you won’t find it in the USGA’s Rules of Golf.  I picked this one up from a husband-wife team of youth ministers who used it to formulate self-esteem, fearlessness, and confidence among the teens of the parish.  It is called the 100 Year Rule and goes something like this:

If what you attempt to do today won’t matter or be remembered 100 years from now, why worry?

Janina Parrott Jacobs, or the Silver Fox, is a multi-media consultant specializing in golf, business, music, nutrition, fitness and women’s issues.  She blogs about golf at The A Position. A 4 handicap, she lives in Michigan.  Her full bio is here.

Questions, questions........After another summer of playing in charity and celebrity outings, I must ask: Aren’t these outings supposed to be fun?  A day to build relationships, do some business, and try not to make a fool of yourself?  Then why do organizers insist on making the course tougher than usual, or inundating us with rules, rules, and more rules?  When are event directors going to figure out that imposing the 'Three Drive Rule', where everyone must use their own drive a minimum of three times, does exactly the opposite of what they want to achieve, that is, to level the playing field?

A month ago I played in yet another event where not only was the Three Drive Rule imposed, they also determined tee selection based on handicap, and then moved ALL of the par-3 tees to the Back Tee - which meant that three out of five tees played 180 - 200 yards, one of them to a peninsula green almost totally surrounded by water.   On that one all of my playing companions, who were actually pretty good players, were in the drink.  I did hit the green with my trusty 5-wood.....but don't think I wasn't sweating a tad.   Most men can't carry the ball that far, so what did the other women do?

Participants in charity scrambles have tried to 'stack' their teams forever, loading them up with big hitters, accurate iron players, and 'touch-of-magic' short game artists, including a good putter;  quite often these individuals never quite rise to the occasion.  But why is the emphasis almost always focused on tee shots?  If anything, restrictions should be made on putting, not driving.  That's where you score.

Think about it:  if you have a team of four good players, the 'Three Drive Rule' means nothing to them.  They’ll still finish strong, more so if the putts drop.  If instead you have a team with one or two good players paired with mediocre or higher handicap players, the Three Drive Rule will actually penalize them considering the pressure mounts as the remaining  team members will fret over the possibility they could hurt their team with poor shots when they're needed.  The good players can help make up for a poor drive, but the added pressure will eventually take its toll.  If you have a team with four high-handicappers, they have no chance at all, no matter what rules you play.

What it amounts to is that he tougher you make the limitations, the more you handicap the not-so-good teams.  Are the prizes you'll win really that valuable or are they mainly for show - another trophy to put on your shelf that someone may notice occasionally?   The Alternative Golf Association (AGA) is on a mission to change the face of golf by making the game more fun.  Charity Scrambles are often many folks' introduction into the game.  Shouldn't their initiation be a pleasant experience versus a white knuckle, scared-to-death 'don't EVER ask me to do this AGAIN!!!' endeavor?

There are other ways to even up the charity scramble field but none are truly optimal, depending on where you fit in.  As a low handicap golfer, I despise the 'drop-back' format where the person whose shot was last used cannot hit the next one - including tapping in a 6-inch putt.  Not much incentive to make that birdie putt, is there - knowing you are OUT on the next tee shot?    Golfers with a 10-handicap or under miss playing half of the course!  Or, there is the format where tees are designated according to handicap.  This doesn't really work either because quite often, higher handicap players can sometimes hit the ball pretty far - they just aren't as accurate.  If your tournament chooses to do that, could you please remember that women's handicaps are not really equivalent to men's and that a woman with a 3-handicap will not want to play the Black Tees, where the Men's 0-8 handicaps will play?  You'll need to adjust those tee box selections because it's a totally different situation with regard to course design and playability.  More than once I've seen rules sheets that designated 'Janina' tees!  Thanks, but no thanks.

Another format that's used and not so much fun either is the 'team handicap must add up to more than 40'.  People lie about their handicap or can manipulate it however they wish;  for example, as a woman, I could say I was a 15-handicap and anyone who didn't know me would think that was a great handicap - for a woman.....but I play to a 4.  Men's and women's handicap numbers may look the same, but they do play differently;  I cannot pretend that my 4-handicap equates totally to a man who carries a 4.  This shows up the most on long par-4's or par-5's where my fairway woods cannot carry like a man's shot.  Of course I do make up for it from 150 yards in; also, shouldn't you be able to play with who you want rather than selecting your partners by number?   We are numbers almost everywhere else in society.  Not on the golf course, please!

The best bet is to just let everyone play.  If you really want to maintain control over who wins something, adjust the awards.  Sure, you can give low score First Place trophies and prizes because you'll suffer slings and arrows if you don't, but instead of Second and Third Place based on score, match the awards with a blind draw.  Pick 13th place or 20th place to receive prizes.  Last place is usually a good one too.  That way, even the four high-handicappers team will actually have a chance to win something.

There's also something else you can do:  even up the field - and collect more money - by offering a $20-$50 per team novelty package:  The String-Kick-Toss.   I played in an event where you received a 20-foot string which you could use it in any way you wished:  get out of the water, 'make' putts that sat on the lip, move from rough to fairway, etc.  Every time you used a length of string, you cut it off until there was no more.  Then, you'd also get a Kick.  Remember how you've always said 'I could have KICKED it in from there?’  Here’s your chance to prove it.   And how about a Bocce ball style toss?  Many golfers are bowlers too, so you could Ôbowl’ it as well as Bocce it.  You pick when and where.  No, it won't hold up play.

Remember that the majority of golfers can't break 100.  Shouldn't the event cater to that fact and make it fun for more golfers to play, knowing that they may just win something?  Anything?

Janina Parrott Jacobs, or the Silver Fox, is a multi-media consultant specializing in golf, business, music, nutrition, fitness and women’s issues.  She blogs about golf at The A Position. A 4 handicap, she lives in Michigan.  Her full bio is here.

 

 

As much as we all would like to introduce our friends, family, and business associates to the game, please remember there is a proper time and place.  Numbers of golfers and how much they play continue to dwindle and I think we’ve figured out it is up to us, not the PGA, the LPGA, the USGA, or local golf organizations to boost those numbers......but it has to be done correctly or you’ll lose a potential golfer forever.

 

This summer I played in numerous charity golf outings and promised myself that if I came across one more Ôbaby’ golfer who was exposed to the game in this manner, a column about it would materialize.  In this case, a Ôbaby’ golfer refers to someone who has never set foot on the course, never had a lesson, or knows nothing about the fundamentals or etiquette of the game, yet is expected to contribute to the team.  Here, the baby golfer was a business associate of the team’s host.  While the intentions were good, the reality is a different story.  I do, however, give this brave woman – let’s call her Polly - credit for accepting the invitation even though she knew she was way out of her league. 

 

This particular golf outing is hugely attended and a very slow go, anyway; but it was soon evident the day would be much longer and frustrating watching Polly’s reluctance and terror each time it was her turn, knowing she’d swing and miss, dub the ball, or flail away trying.  Coupled with the fact that our team consisted of three women: me, and a senior fellow who was a friend of a friend of the foursome’s host (meaning, she didn’t know him at all) and who was also a jaded former pro who had no time for women let alone patience for a beginner, I knew that if I didn’t step in to help Polly, you could chalk up one more person who would never want to play the game again.

 

I have never been a professional golfer, but as a former scratch handicap now playing to a 4, many people think of me as a pro.  For the record, I do not instruct, officially, but I do know a bit about the golf swing, the game, and course management, having played tournament golf for over 45 years.   And, I will help playing companions simply because I can’t stand to watch them struggle when I can do something about it.....but only if they ask for help.

 

Polly was coachable and not uncoordinated.  While we were waiting, I took her aside and worked with her on the two’ biggies’ of the golf swing: set-up and alignment, then gave her a basic swing path through the hitting area.  No mechanics, no complicated techniques, just back and through.

 

Putting was even simpler:  I asked her to pretend she was a Grandfather Clock’s (do people still have those?) pendulum, straight-arming the putter back and through, hanging the putter loosely and letting the ball get in the way.  Then, I’d line her up, picking a spot a few inches in front of the ball to aim at and roll the ball over, and asked her to take the putter back this far and follow through to there, for distance control.  It was truly amazing the transformation taking place:  now she had a plan, some direction, was able to hit a few good shots and almost made some putts.  The biggest difference was the smile on her face because she was having fun.  She is excited about the game and wants to take lessons so she can learn to play better.  I am positive that had I not stepped in, her last shot in that charity outing would have been her last shot....ever.

 

Before you invite someone to play golf -- business or otherwise -- ask your intended guest if they have ever actually played before.  If they haven’t, you may want to consider another person.  The most important job as ÔHost’ of any event, including golf outings, is to assure the comfort of your guest.  I can guarantee that a true beginner will not be comfortable thinking he or she appears inept at anything.  

 

For women, it is even more vital to be somewhat accomplished.  As far as women have come in the business world, we are still not regarded as equals on the golf course, unless we are good players.  And even then, playing from the Forward Tees is also viewed as something Ôless’ in the eyes of most men.  Silly?  Yes, considering the majority of males aren’t good golfers and should be playing from more forward tees too.  In a mixed environment, an unskilled woman golfer is tolerated but not welcome, inducing much eye-rolling and head-shaking.

 

Ladies, you need to take responsibility for this too.  If you are not capable of the following, do not accept an invitation to play golf until you can:

 

1)    Make contact with the ball every time you swing;

2)    Get the ball airborne most times, usually hitting it about 80-100 yards;

3)    Hit the ball where you aim – at least somewhat;

4)    At least two or three-putt consistently, maybe one-putting on occasion;

5)    Play FAST and pick up if you reach double digits;

6)    Be ready to play with tees, ball markers, and ball mark repair tools handy;

7)    Know some fundamentals of course management

8)    Know basic rules of the game:  OB, water hazards, bunkers, lost ball

9)    Know the etiquette; buy a USGA Rules of Golf book and read the first chapter.

 

Men, take a look at this list too; I’ve played with many who couldn’t pass this test either.

 

Janina Parrott Jacobs, or the Silver Fox, is a multi-media consultant specializing in golf, business, music, nutrition, fitness and women’s issues.  She blogs about golf at The A Position. A 4 handicap, she lives in Michigan.  Her full bio is here.

 

 

 

Do you long for the good old days of air travel?  That is, when you could bring your golf clubs and the airlines would lose them, maim them, misdirect them, and then deliver them to your hotel as you are checking out – but at least back then you didn’t have to pay for the privilege?

 

It’s almost as if the airlines have singled out golfers for excessive fees, knowing that packing for the sport is difficult at best:  You have to take into account all types of weather contingencies, golf clothes vs. fancy duds, golf shoes vs. street and dress shoes, hats, golf balls (how many do you take?), umbrella, and of course, your golf bag full of clubs.  There’s virtually no way to get all of that paraphernalia into a carry-on.

 

Or is there a way around it?

 

In the past few years of traveling all over the world for golf, I’ve streamlined packing to the extent I can survive with only one carry-on, regardless of whether the trip lasts 3 days or a week.  Impossible....for a woman, you say?  Not so.  How I do it, well, I’ll leave that for another column.  For now, let’s talk about the biggest and most expensive issue:  Golf clubs.  Usually they constitute the double whammy: a second and oversized bag.

 

Most people are dependent on using their own clubs, which is rather surprising since these same folks probably were never measured for proper clubs via correct club-fitting anyway.  The majority of people I play with should be using different clubs, usually for a variety of reasons. m So, why not use golf travel as a way to save money, but also as a means for trying out new clubs?  Rent or borrow them.

 

In another era, rental clubs were saddled with a poor reputation.  If you had to rent clubs, it was almost implied that you weren’t a serious golfer, or you couldn’t afford to buy them.  Therefore, golf courses and resorts spent little or no time, effort, or expense to provide top of the line offerings in the rental club department.  Rental set selections were almost as bad as Rent-A-Wreck cars.  The clubs were old, used, abused, with the newest, hottest clubs on the market unavailable at any price. 

 

However, it is a far different story now.  Today’s golf resorts understand the hassle and expense of lugging golf bags around and have done a complete 180:  rentals are now often a perk for those who sign up for special frequent customer Ôclubs’ like the Fairmont Hotels’ President’s Club or when you stay at places like the Ritz Carlton or Walt Disney World.  Hyatt’s Gold Passport has a ÔNo Hassle’ package for all leisure guests to encourage last-minute bookings; $25 gets you a set of clubs, golf balls, and a glove.  Many hotels with courses attached will usually have golf schools too, which use name-brand equipment companies like TaylorMade, Nike, Titleist, Callaway, Cleveland, Hogan, and Cobra.  A variety of sets will come in regular, senior, or stiff flexes, which incidentally is slowly taking the place of men’s and ladies designations;  you can also get regular or extra long lengths.

 

There are also companies specializing in online club rentals where you can order exactly what you want at varying rates according to club type, how long, and where: Rentalclubhub.com, Golfrentalandsales.com, Golfclubsaway.com, to name a few.  In most cases, you can order clubs online by 4 p.m., they’re delivered to your hotel or the course by 7 a.m., you play, and then you leave them at the course or hotel, where they are picked up later.  Insurance is offered should you anticipate a mishap.

 

Some people may even opt to rent clubs as opposed to buying them while at home.   This may seem strange to folks who have a garage full of clubs, but it does make sense.  Here’s why:

 

1)    You can play the latest and greatest clubs featured on tour;

2)    You may keep a club or set as long as you want, when you are finished using the clubs, return them, as is;

3)    You can shop from your home computer and avoid equipment overload when visiting a mega store full of every kind of club that is made;

4)    Your clubs are never outdated nor do you Ôoutgrow’ them;

5)    Your outlay of cash is much less at a time

6)    You are not stuck with clubs you hate or will never use;

7)    If you decide you want to buy a club, most rental companies will let you;

 

Skeptical players will insist you can never play as well with rental clubs as you do with your own clubs.  To some extent, this may be true.  But I find it a challenge to try different clubs at every destination.

 

I stopped taking my own clubs years ago, after about the fourth or fifth time the airlines Ômisplaced’ them.  My game has not really suffered; in fact, I can play quite well with whatever I’m given as long as the shaft flex is regular, not stiff, the grips are decent, not worn or slippery, the putter doesn’t have too much loft (yes, you can see it) and the driver isn’t more than 11 or 12 degrees with a pronounced hook or slice face (though drivers rarely have slice faces).  That may sound like a lot of caveats, but really, it isn’t and every club has been able to accommodate my wishes. 

 

And, just so you know, good things can happen with borrowed clubs, consider this:  in March I was invited to play in the Bacardi Par-3 Championship at the Southampton Princess in beautiful Bermuda – a stone’s throw from Philly.

 

One of the assistants, Will Tucker, had some TaylorMade clubs all ready for me, but after chatting a bit he asked if I’d like to borrow his clubs, an older set of Titleist DCIs.  I decided to take his set and the rentals to Port Royal GC, where I was playing a casual round that morning.  I opted to use the TaylorMade woods and Will’s irons in the tournament.  I aced the second hole I played and very nearly aced another, 4 holes later.  At the end of the two-day event, I tied for the Ladies Division Championship.   Will was ecstatic and has since gotten an ace of his own, the first in his 15 year career...only because I warmed up those borrowed clubs.

 

The point is, if your swing is somewhat sound and your fundamentals are decent, you can play good golf with just about any club.  Put your money into golf lessons instead of expecting the newest clubs to fix your game. 

 

And, for those of you who have about 25 putters in your ClubCave.......I’ve always said this about putting: it isn’t the putter, it’s the putt-er.

 

Janina Jacobs is a multi-media consultant and freelance writer specializing in golf, business, music, nutrition, fitness and women's issues. These days, much of her efforts are devoted to her blog on the international golf and travel website, The A Position.  Her full bio is here.

 

To hear players make favorable comments about the United States Golf Association’s (USGA) course set-up for this year’s U.S. Open at Congressional CC in Bethesda, Md. is, to say the least, quite a deviation from Opens past.   Who can forget the best of the best struggling mightily at Bethpage Black in 2009 just to get the ball to the fairway?  How many public course golfers could relate to that?   However, watching the players most golfers emulate hacking and whiffing through high rough on the way to over-par scores is.....well, was, just wrong.

 

But now, change has arrived in the persona of Executive Director Mike Davis, and even the somewhat stern, arm-band wearing USGA rules officials may have some time off from searching out wayward golf balls in places not fit for man nor beast.   Mr. Davis promises that he does not want players looking foolish nor does he have a target score in mind when setting up Open venues.  Some laugh, unbelieving.  Not me....the time is ripe for this.

 

Have you ever competed in a USGA national event under the watchful eyes of volunteer officials (they ARE volunteers and pay their own way, you know) and a real Rules Committee?  During my competitive amateur career, I have played in over 20 national USGA championships, including the U.S. Women’s Amateur, the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur, and the U.S. Women’s Public Links (WAPL).  Tried for the U.S. Women’s Open a few times but fell short, with my best attempt at qualifying coming at Congressional’s neighbor, Columbia CC, when a late round triple bogey left me a couple strokes shy of the big show.  How I’ve re-lived that hook off the tee box into the Maryland trees. 

 

Playing in USGA events was always a great experience, except for when the USGA made errors in course set-up and would not correct them.  Yes, they DO make mistakes.   During a practice round for the 1988 WAPL in Tulsa, OK, there were four groups backed up at a par-3.  The USGA tee sign read 138-yards, yet player after player kept hitting the ball into the lake running from tee to green.  I thought, Ôwhat’s wrong with these gals? Take enough club!!’  Then it was my turn, and the distance surely looked farther than 138-yards.  Normally I’d hit a 7-iron but instead took a 5-iron – promptly splashing it into the drink.  Changing to a 4-iron, I barely made it to the fringe of the green.  Pacing off the yardage, the old fashioned way before lasers and such, it was 165-yards just to carry the pond.  After the round I informed the officials, many who I knew well after years of playing in this event, and they were surprised – because they sometimes don’t play the course prior to the event.   But the sign was posted, the scorecards were printed, and so it remained:  an official 138-yard par-3 that was really about 175-yards.

 

Why it was so difficult for the USGA, for so long, to improve course set-ups...I don’t know.   When you position yourself as the Ruling Body of anything, it is thorny to admit you’re infallible.    That’s why Mike Davis is such a breath of fresh air.  He understands that the course should be tough but also knows it must be playable, and variable, depending on weather and conditions.  He plans periodic seclusion in the privacy of his on-site office to watch the action on TV, getting a clear picture of what’s happening with his handiwork and making alterations if need be.  All the pre-planning in the world is useless if Mother Nature decides to do her thing, thus rendering previous strategies useless.  But still, there is a bit of the rogue in Davis:  he may decide to offer the traditional U.S. Open drivable par-4.  But he won’t say which hole.  "I want the players to decide what to do then and there without having practiced it."

 

Janina Jacobs is a multi-media consultant and freelance writer specializing in golf, business, music, nutrition, fitness and women's issues. These days, much of her efforts are devoted to her blog on the international golf and travel website, The A Position.  Her full bio is here.