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Today’s subject is posture.
I see hundreds of different postures, not only amongst amateurs but also among the pros. Not so much now, as the gyms and fitness coaches have put most PGA professionals in great shape. But not so many of the older amateur golfers who were businessmen and now have become golf enthusiasts and are looking for ideas (and miracles) to improve their golf game.
Because we all have different physiques, arm lengths, and leg lengths, there had to be a better way of always getting into the correct posture for each golfer – and there is!
Mike Adams:
Mike is one of the leading teachers in the US and is in the Teachers Hall of Fame because of his work with biomechanics. This is his way of getting the correct posture for each individual golfer.
Bend forward with slightly bent knees and place your palms flat on your thighs.
Put the index finger of each hand on the top of the kneecap.
Now, relax your arms (keeping the posture) and let them hang loosely. They should hang at 90 degrees to your shoulders.
Place your hands together without moving the arms forward or back. (no matter how weird it may feel in the beginning)
Place a club in your hands (again without moving the arms towards or away from your body)
This is the correct posture for you. Practice this at home until it starts feeling comfortable.
Another factor that can influence posture is Club length.
Make sure you go to a certified clubfitter and check that your club length and lie angles are correct for you in your new posture.
A Beginners Guide to the most common mistakes in golf!
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
Golf is played on a huge “playing field,” so knowing the rules and etiquette is an essential part of learning the game. Many beginners take golf lessons to learn the basic fundamentals of the game but don’t acquire a rule book. However, you need to know the basic rules to make the game enjoyable for all. The Golf Digest Editors have put together a Beginners Guide of the most common mistakes in golf to help you out if you are learning this great game!
We don’t love the term “mistakes” here.
It sounds kind of pompous and preachy, like we’re going to rap you on the knuckles or start slapping behinds if we get you to admit to any of these little gaffes. That’s not our intent at all (even if you’re into that kind of thing). We’re well aware of our own shortcomings—in fact, they were the catalyst for and provider of much of the content that follows. Think of our advice as coming from a good friend, a caring golf partner or the guy you tortured last Saturday by taking three practice swings before every damn shot.
Our so-called mistakes are not limited to swing or playing faults. In fact, the bulk of them fall into the social and emotional realms, like hitting on the beverage-cart girl or thinking everybody wants to hear the blow-by-blow of the 98 you just fired. Our tips are mostly common sense, which golf sometimes has a funny way of taking away from us. So open your mind, and let’s go.
1.TALKING TO ANOTHER GUY’S BALL
Screaming “Get up! Get up!” when your playing partner’s ball is flirting with a water hazard doesn’t promote friendship the way the screamer thinks. Most partners are ambivalent about it, but opponents downright hate it. Why? Well-intentioned though your shouts may be, there’s always the suspicion that you aren’t as sincere as you would be if it were your ball.
2. NOT PLAYING READY GOLF.
“Is it you or me?” “After you.” “Are you sure?” Meanwhile, paint is drying, civilizations are rising and falling, and the folks playing behind you are trying to quell their rising fury. Forget the honor—hit when ready.
3. WEARING BLACK SOCKS WITH KHAKIS
“The contrast is murder,” says our fashion guru, Marty Hackel. “Black is excellent for funerals and job interviews in law enforcement, but it doesn’t go well with neutral-colored golf clothing. Your socks should be the same color—or lighter—than your pants or shorts.”
4. STUFFING YOUR FACE RIGHT BEFORE YOU TEE OFF
The legendary Paul Runyan, winner of the 1934 and ’38 PGA Championships, said his easiest opponent was one who had just consumed ham for breakfast. Too slow to digest. Likewise, scarfing down the Double Eagle Burger before heading to the first tee will teach you a hard lesson about playing golf in the throes of digestion.
5. NOT GETTING FIT FOR CLUBS
Back when bloodletting and reading tea leaves were all the rage, golfers performed clubfitting in some strange ways. To test shaft flex, they waggled the club or even leaned on it. For lie angle, they simply peered down at address. Today, the performance advantages—especially distance—of getting fit make it the only way to go.
6. GOING FOR THE FLAG
It’s a free country: You can fire at that pin set three paces from the edge of a pond if you like. But when you’re weary of writing Xs on your scorecard, you’ll learn there’s no shame in aiming for the middle of the green. As Ken Venturi used to say: “Take your par, and walk away quietly.”
7. Not having a Clue about Yellow Stakes.
If you hit into a yellow-staked area, you have three options:
(1) Play it as it lies; (2) Drop as far back as you want, keeping the point where your ball went in between you and the hole; (3) Replay from where you last hit the ball. Nos. 2 and 3 will cost you a stroke. iddle of the green. As Ken Venturi used to say: “Take your par, and walk away quietly.”
8. NOT RAKING BUNKERS OR REPLACING DIVOTS
We believe in karma: Your disrespect will come back to bite you in the ass. If you don’t care about other golfers, they might not care about you. Treat your world with love and care, and your world will greet you in kind.
9. LEAVING A CLUB BEHIND
Some say the longest walk in golf is from the 18th green to the clubhouse after blowing a 4-up lead. We say it’s trudging back two holes to retrieve a wedge left on the fringe. To prevent this, place your wedge between the hole and where you exit the green. That way, you or another player will literally walk into it.
10. NEVER CLEANING OUT YOUR GOLF BAG
Get rid of that yardage book from a buddies trip years ago that has turned into mulch. The old towel that’s sprouting alfalfa shoots. Five rancid gloves, each riddled with holes. And, of course, loads of crappy, battered balls. Time to declutter: Enough with hanging on to useless baggage, including all those self-defeating tasks, behavior patterns, thoughts, people. Lighten your load.
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
When I was new to golf the head professionals where I played, including Rives McBee, introduced me to the game, helped me get better and taught me their passion for playing. Before anyone had shot 63 in a major, McBee had a share of the record for lowest round in a major, a 64 that he shot in the 1966 U.S. Open at Olympic. He traveled with Lee Trevino early in their careers and he knew the game inside and out. Still does.
As I see it, head pros are always holed up in their office!
As a head pro, McBee, along with Jerry Andrews and Lanny Turentine, wasn’t in their office all day. They were on the putting green, the driving range or the golf course, showing people how to play, explaining this part of the grip or that part of the stance. If he wasn’t in one of those places, he could be found at the 19th hole, talking about the history of this game, its traditions and past greats. For McBee and Andrews and Turentine, these weren’t just characters out of books, they were people they knew personally.
These men weren’t trying to generate rounds, they were trying to generate interest. They weren’t trying to grow the game, they were trying to preserve the game.
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
Nothing worries me more on a trip than my golf clubs not arriving at my final destination.
As a professional golfer, these clubs are made specifically for me, and I feel totally comfortable with them in my hands, particularly my putter. So when I bid farewell to my clubs at the ticket counter when I check-in, I hope this is not the last time I will see them. This did happen to me twice. Once coming home (which is not as bad), I once went over to Ireland and had to rent clubs at every course. What a bummer! Joel Beall of Golf Digest gives us 12 more things golfers fear most before they head out onto the links!
Nothing in life is to be feared,” said physicist Marie Curie. “It is only to be understood.” Far be it from me to argue with a two-time Nobel Prize winner, but clearly Curie never played golf.
Because there’s nothing to be “understood” about standing on a tee box, overlooking a scenic fusion of nature and thinking, “Crap, I hope I don’t put this in the drink.” Or having your knees shake over a 20-foot birdie putt, not that you’re worried about making it but that, deep down, you’re afraid it will end in a three-jack. (Spoiler: You’ll three-jack.)
Golf is filled with these agitations, likely one of the reasons why “Golf is a good walk spoiled” is less of a remark and more of a truth. And many of the game’s terro rs are universal. Here are a golfer’s 13 worst fears:
1. Throwing your back out on the eve of an annual golf trip
On the bright side, nothing is better for a bad back than sitting in a plane or car seat for multiple hours, dragging a set of luggage behind you and playing 90 holes over a three-day period.
2. Playing behind the community center’s 65-and-over league
Or worse, on the day they decide to hold their annual “Left-handed Club Wiffle Ball” tournament.
3. The Shanks
Forget the heart-rending sight of your ball violently rocketing from its resting place at a 45-degree angle. The shanks are terrifying because of the aftershock: After you’ve had one lateral run-in, an inescapable anxiety sets in that said shank will return, turning every iron and wedge shot into a panic attack. Good times!
4. The airlines losing your sticks
Imagine a babysitter losing a kid. Now multiply that by 14, and that’s the despair that sets in when your clubs fail to emerge from baggage claim. (Note: I do not have kids.)
5. All those Shingo Katayama hats you bought will never come back in style.
Do you want to play in the Biggest Amateur Tournament Ever?
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is the golf capital of the world! So, to get an opportunity to visit is always fun. But to compete in the biggest worldwide tournament and actually have a chance to win is an absolute must!
They’re having the time of their lives at what I believe to be one of the “most fun” and “best value” golf experiences on the planet.
I’m talking about the Myrtle Beach World Amateur, coming up from August 29 through September 2.
A Golf Tournament?!
Yes, a golf tournament.
But not just any golf tournament.
Now in its 33rd year, the Myrtle Beach World Amateur is the largest amateur golf tournament in the world.
Last year, more than 3,400 players descended on “Golftown, U.S.A.” for a week full of golf, camaraderie…and a whole lotta fun.
In fact, it’s more like a 4-round golf vacation with a little friendly competition thrown in.
And as a Golf Vacation Insider reader, you can get a sweet discount on what is already a super rate to play in this amazing, bucket-list event.
More on that in a minute.
First, let me explain why the “World Am” is so insanely popular.
A Fun Event You Might Actually Win…
We all know winning isn’t everything, but boy is it nice to have a real shot at it once in a while.
Well, the World Am is a handicapped event, so no matter your skill level, you will play in one of more than 60 flights (groups) against players of similar skill.
How similar?
Well, last year, there was an entire flight (48 golfers) made up entirely of those with handicap indexes of 12.4 to 12.6.
And if you’re concerned about sandbaggers ruining your chances to win fair and square…don’t be.
The World Am’s tournament staff has decades of experience ferreting out cheaters and they are not shy about disqualifying anyone trying to game the system.
Bottom line, you’ll be competing against players of similar skill and age…
The tournament divides flights into 49-and-under, 50-to-59, 60-to-69 and 70-and-over for men. There are multiple women’s flights, too.
By the way, the World Am has a Gross Division for more experienced players who want to compete “straight-up” against their peers.
I played in the gross division in 2014, and it was an absolute blast.
Play on Some of Myrtle Beach’s Best Golf Courses…in their Best Condition All Year
Because of the sheer size of the World Am, the tournament uses more than 60 of the Myrtle Beach area’s wonderful golf courses.
These have included some Golfweek-ranked beauties…
Barefoot Resort, Dye (ranked 13th)
Caledonia (ranked 5th)
Grande Dunes – Resort Club (ranked 15th)
Heritage (ranked 14th)
Legends, Moorland (ranked 12th)
Tidewater (ranked 7th)
TPC Myrtle Beach (ranked 11th)
True Blue Golf Plantation (ranked 6th)
You’ll play a different course each day, giving you a true feel for the awesomeness of Myrtle Beach as a golf destination.
And, in an effort to “show off” for tournament participants, the greenkeepers at all the courses strive to get them in absolute peak summer condition, giving every round a real “tournament feel.”
But don’t worry — tees are set up at appropriate distances for all, and plenty of gross and net birdies and eagles are made during the week.
Can you swing like Ben Hogan – This guy tried and succeeded!
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
Usually, when a golfer approaches me and says, ” I would like to swing like……….” and names his favorite PGA pro, my response is, “You don’t want to try and swing like someone else. Each of us has his or her unique swing. Although most good golfers possess the same basic fundamentals, we all have different body types and flexibility and athletic ability levels. However, Christo Garcia had decided that he would like to swing like Ben Hogan, had come across Ben Hogan’s second book, Five Lessons, and decided to give it a try. Garcia shares 3 things with Hogan that surely helped. He was built similar to Hogan, was extremely flexible due to martial arts and ballet earlier in his career, and had an excellent athletic ability. Below is a very admirable story of his journey towards that goal. Thanks to Golfwrx and Christo Garcia for sharing this fascinating story!
My journey to swing like Ben Hogan
Ben Hogan humbly said in an interview that he wanted to give back to the game much more than he subtracted, and he left behind two books: Power Golf and Five Lessons.
When I think about what Mr. Hogan left behind, I’m reminded of the Greek myth about Theseus who entered the labyrinth to slay the Minotaur. Theseus faced a second challenge that was just as daunting: How would he find his way out of the maze if he succeeded in slaying the Minotaur? Well, it turns out all he needed was a spool of thread. He tied the thread to the entrance of the maze and unspooled it as he ventured into the darkness. Thus, he was able to accomplish his goal, and eventually find his way out of the labyrinth. Like Theseus in the labyrinth, Ben Hogan left us these books to help us on our way. All we have to do is follow the thread of the hero path.
As I look back over the past few years, I have to laugh because I’ve never been as good at golf as I wanted to be.
I’m sure many people could say the same thing. I started playing when I was 8 years old, and today I’m 47. I was willing to work on my game and I spent a lot of money on clubs and lessons, but I did not get better. My average score was in the high 80s. I often shot in the 90s, and I sometimes shot in the 100s. The worst score I can recall was 126.
Then one fine day, I was in the checkout line at a golf store and saw Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons on a rack by the cash register. I bought that book, and it changed my life. Around the same time, I got a Flip video camera and I saw my swing for the first time in decades. Well, suffice to say, I didn’t look like Ben Hogan. I realized I needed to improve my swing, and Mr. Hogan’s books gave me a path to follow. Over the course of the next five years, I would undertake the challenge of trying learn how to swing like Ben Hogan. Along the way I started a YouTube channel, and began rebuilding my swing and sharing my work with the world. Today, I have more than 9 million views on my channel and I can even shoot under par.
Are you the type of golfer everybody wants to play with?
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
Are you the type of golfer whose phone constantly rings as friends ask, “Are you free to play this weekend?” or are you the type who is doing the calling? Some golfers are so enjoyable to play with that their scores are irrelevant. Then, the more skilled golfer is a pain to play with because he constantly complains about slow play, poor greens, or that the tee boxes are not level.I can tell you this, I would rather play with a poor golfer who is funnier than a good golfer who is a pain in you know what! Mark Donaghy of GolfWRX gives us a good insight into the 4 types of golfers. Read on!
Asian young couple playing golf on the golf course, the male partner is a trainer to the female golfer.
Which type of playing partner are you?
If you’ve played golf long enough in one area or at one golf course, surely you’ve become part of a group of guys or gals who you play golf with every so often. It’s a foursome, or maybe more, and you know their golf games, tendencies, attitudes and basically everything about them — because how better to get to know someone than on a golf course?
Well, today we’re in for a treat. In this article, you’ll meet the “four amigos.” They’re a group of guys (who I made up), who represent, in some capacity, the four playing partners in your group. And if you haven’t met any of these four golfers, you either don’t play much golf, only play golf alone, or one of them is YOU!
We meet the four amigos on a Friday night during their weekly Saturday match. Which one is most like you, or your buddies?
Kenny.
First up is Kenny, a golfing sociopath. He has his clubs and shoes cleaned, bought three dozen new balls, and has his golfing wardrobe selected, color coordinated and laid out ready for the morning. Kenny has checked the weather forecast and loaded the bag with all the essentials. Kenny had a lesson mid-week to dial in his angle of attack and has been practicing all week, preparing for the “the best round of his life.”
He’ll be in bed early reading Hogan’s Five Lessons and will be up early for a nutritious breakfast before heading to the club first thing to warm up, hit balls and practice his short game. He’ll play, lunch afterward at the club and then head back to the range to work on his game for a few hours. He might get a chance to get to the DIY store later to buy new locks for his house just in case his ex-wife comes around and trashes his apartment again! But that can probably wait. He’ll probably just head home for a night on the couch watching the Golf Channel. Kenny dreams of playing the tour some day but hates the fact that he has to work at the bank to pay the rent.
John.
John is also playing tomorrow. His clubs are in the trunk of his car, exactly where he left them after last Saturday’s round. The mud is now fully caked on his irons and there is a nice pungent smell exuding from his FootJoys. He’s out tonight at the bar to watch the game and will have several drinks. He’ll wake up tomorrow with a sore head and throw on whatever clothes are closest to hand. He’ll arrive late coming into the car park on two wheels, screeching to a halt, grab his clubs and run to the tee, coffee in hand. His first swing of a club is his opening tee shot. He’ll munch on a breakfast roll for the first few holes.
His triple-bogey, double-bogey start doesn’t surprise anyone. But he comes good toward the end of the round and suggests to his group that next week he’ll take things easy the night before… until he realizes that it’s Chad’s bachelor party next Friday. Kenny hates John, as he has natural talent. He knows that if John wised up he could beat Kenny with one arm tied behind his back. But John cares less about golf; he just enjoys playing each Saturday with his buddies. He knows that when he does eventually settle down sometime in the future, he can focus a little more on his game.
Are you the type of golfer everybody wants to play with?
Are you a good golfing partner – Here are the do’s and don’ts!
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
Our friend Dean Knuth, a statistical genius known as the Pope of Slope, once suggested a formula for choosing a partner: Find someone who balances your tendencies. If you’re Steady Eddie, play with Wild Willy, and so forth. OK, but that’s only half of it. Our Handy Guide to Golf Partnering is what you need for the rest.
1) You believe in the team when no sensible person would. See “Cubs fan.”
The essential characteristic of a great partner is hope. A steady diet of “Why do we do this to ourselves?” or “I’d be better off repainting my cupola” isn’t what you’re after. You’d much rather hear, “We’re close,” even if it evokes laughter. I have a friend who dispenses with score and counts “LVs,” or Little Victories: a great escape from the woods, a nifty bunker shot. He’s a smiler. You’re like him. You keep mood and score separate.
Illustrations by Peter Arkle
2) You’re no teacher. And never impersonate one.
You’d love to tell your friend and partner he’s swinging at, oh, 50 miles per hour faster than normal, but you don’t because you’re a good partner. You wait for him to inquire, after multiple doubles: “You see anything?” And then, in your best Bob Uecker voice, you reply: “Just a hairrrrrrrrr quick.” That’s it; no analysis. You’re also an expert in biting your tongue about your game. Your partner never hears you say: “I’m setting the angle way too soon …” I’ll give you the angle.
3) You forget with the best. You remember only the best. You expect the same.
A new study reveals that marathoners quickly forget the anguish of their runs. “This helps to explain,” says the study’s author, “why people run marathons again and again in spite of pain.” This forgetfulness also applies to childbirth. (See where we’re headed?) In golf, amnesia is oxygen. Beware the partner who says, “I’d love to play with you again if you’ll get some help with your putting.” He’s a rememberer. You, on the other hand, are known for uttering the most perfect sentence in the history of golf companionship: “I can’t remember ever seeing you miss a putt that counted.”
4) You’re on the same page when it really counts.
A lot of golfers are Bermudas-wearing judgment machines. They’re experts on what’s wrong with the world, are especially knowledgeable about the damn Liberal Media, and will regale you with evidence that golf is disintegrating: Hats backward! Cellphones! Cargo shorts! Good partners share similar codes of conduct. If he’s Old School, and you’re a shirt-out, rock ‘n’ roller, beware. But if you’re a traditionalist amused by changing standards, that’s OK. My friend Squirrel, about a 4-handicap, plays with a boom box on his cart and sometimes dresses as the aforementioned animal. He has a very big tech job. When he applied to his North Carolina club, his wife said, “Are you sure you’re country club material?” Good question. Turns out he is, but it’s a tolerant country club, compatible with a passion for golf and the Doobies… Brothers, that is.
8 Things you need to know if you want to be a caddie!
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
First of all, becoming a caddie is not only for young people! A lot of retired business people caddie just for something to do and earn some extra pocket money. Most of the time you are paid in cash, and you get to meet some really nice people along the way. Every time I travel to Scotland, Ireland or South Africa, when I play golf, I always take a caddie. Most of the caddies I have had in the UK are pretty good golfers themselves and many times are members of the club. My recent round at Carnoustie (played in a gale!) was enhanced when our caddies joined us for a drink in the members pub after the round. We would not have been able to have a drink there without them.
Thanks to Bob Carney of Golf Digest for giving us an insight of what it takes to become a caddie!
Don’t be intimidated. Follow our guide to getting started and you’ll have a bag over your shoulder in no time.
1. Get training.
Most club caddie masters hold an orientation/training session for prospective caddies prior to the beginning of the season. These sessions orient you both to the club itself and to the job — where to stand, how to hold the bag, how to take care of divots, keeping clubs clean, tending the flagstick, etc. Don’t miss it. And don’t be afraid to ask questions when you’re there. It’s good to have the caddie master, who assigns loops, know your name. One of the most basic questions is, “Do you schedule individual caddies or is it first come, first serve?” That makes a big difference as to when you have to be in the caddie yard. There are training films on the web that can help, too.
8 Things you need to know if you want to be a caddie!
2. Be brave. Most golfers don’t bite.
It’s daunting to walk into the world of private clubs, much less the sanctum of a golfer’s round. For some kids, it’s plain scary. Just know the nerves will calm and you’ll meet golfers and staff members who will go out of their way to help you get comfortable. You’ll not be asked to do more than you’re capable. And if you should be, say, asked to “read” a putt that you have no clue about, just say, “I don’t know.” No demerits for honesty. Golfers are often asked to rate their caddies. Ask the caddie master for feedback when someone rates you. You’ll learn faster that way.
3. Attitude is everything.
Dan Costello of Caddiemaster, which staffs and manages caddie programs for resorts such as Whistling Straits and Pebble Beach, says dress professionally, and present yourself with confidence, even if you might not be feeling it. He sounds like your Dad. “Look people in the eye. Shake their hand with a firm handshake. You see so many kids who aren’t like that. I wasn’t like that as a kid. I was shy. My parents could have coached me to be better on that.”
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
It’s rare that I post about Amateur players, but Maverick McNealy is something to write home about!
McNealy, a 19-year-old Junior at Stanford University, won 6 college tournaments last season, captured the Fred Haskins & Jack Nicklaus awards as a top college golfer, and is No. 2 World Amateur Golf Rankings. WOW!
As Adam Schupak says in his story for GolfWeek magazine, it’s usually at this point that you hear that the young golfer is quitting college early to play the PGA Tour and receive big money from endorsements. “No chance. . . “ replied McNealy, to that inquiry.
What is different about this young phenom, and why is he being likened to the great Bobby Jones?
See his story here. One of the best parts is how his Father raised McNealy and his three brothers.
Stanford’s Maverick McNealy ( Tracy Wilcox )
By Adam Schupak
When Maverick McNealy arrived at Stanford in 2013, his teammates found the freshman had an unusual habit: he had to eat a ham sandwich every two holes.
“That always cracked me up,” Stanford men’s coach Conrad Ray said. “You’d think the bogeys were coming if he didn’t have the right ham sandwich.”
McNealy overcame his superstition – these days, it’s one ham-and-cheese and one PB&J – and kept the bogeys at bay.
The 19-year-old junior from Portola Valley, Calif., won an NCAA- best six college tournaments last season, including a 10-stroke romp at the Pac-12 Championship, and led the nation with a 69.05 scoring average. McNealy captured the Fred Haskins and Jack Nicklaus awards as the top college golfer in 2014-15. He has risen to No. 2 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. He was one of the selct few that were picks to the U.S. Walker Cup team that will play Great Britain & Ireland this month.
McNealy’s sophomore season was the type that earns lucrative endorsement deals and often leads to an early college exit to chase the Monopoly money available in the pro ranks. But McNealy embodies the all-around excellence of an astronaut, and he may take a different route to owning Park Place and Boardwalk someday. He sizes up his future with the same intensity as if reading a putt. When asked whether he considered forgoing any of his college eligibility to turn pro, McNealy quickly replied: “No chance. Quite frankly, I don’t know if professional golf is going to be what I end up doing.”
It has been more than two decades since a player of McNealy’s caliber has made such declarations, and it speaks to another truth about this gifted golfer. His gaudy record does not drive him as much as a quest to lead the Cardinal to a national championship.
He’s a throwback, with more interest in a business career and making a name as a career amateur.
McNealy’s father, Scott, a Silicon Valley titan who co-founded Sun Microsystems (sold to Oracle in 2010 for $7.4 billion), serves as a model. So what does dad think of his son’s potential?
“There’s Steve Jobs, there’s Bobby Jones and there’s Jordan Spieth. He has the opportunity to try to be like any of those,” Scott McNealy said. “He has all the skills, all the background and all the support in the world to do any one of those three. The question he has to ask himself is, ‘What matters to him most?’ ”
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McNealy learned the game from his father, a self-proclaimed golf major at Harvard.
He later held the lowest handicap of any Fortune 500, a reported plus-2. Scott McNealy remembers the time he took his 5-year-old son to the practice range and first realized his raw promise.
“There was a ball picker facing us, no more than 30-40 yards away, and he had a 3-wood. He aimed at the tractor, and I swear he hit the grill nine out of 10 shots,” Scott said. “I just said to myself, My boy’s not going to have a problem hitting it straight.”
Scott tried to instill in his four boys, the oldest of whom is Maverick, the same ferociousness that made him a success. That included one bedroom for the brothers to share, with four twin beds lining the wall. No telephone, computer or TV.
“I have four boys that were told if you don’t get a 4.0, you don’t get to play sports,” Scott said. “You might not get dinner.”
Golf was a perfect outlet for an increasingly competitive kid such as Maverick, yet the game never received his full devotion. He played ice hockey for the San Jose Junior Sharks and considered playing both sports at an Ivy League school until Ray called.
“As soon as his arrival on campus, I knew he was pretty special,” former teammate Patrick Rodgers said. “You could see he had super potential. He just had something that the other kids maybe didn’t have.”
