After further contemplating my first-ever round in the sixties last weekend, I determined that the biggest factor that contributed to my low score was speed. I didn't over-think or over-analyze, I just reacted to the shot and the situation and hit the ball. I got out of my own way and let my awareness, instinct and subconscious take over. As Cameron Strachan encourages, I played automatically. And playing automatically is fast.

I have to admit that I haven't always played quickly. When I first started playing, I stood over the ball way too long trying to quiet my mind, visualize the shot, and make a tangible connection with the target before swinging the club. I still try to do that, but much more quickly and automatically. It seems we just leave ourselves open to those interfering and doubtful thoughts the longer we stand over the ball. I'm learning to react to the target and just hit the ball, much like I do when I throw a ball to first or shoot a puck on net. Evaluating distance, wind, temperature, slope and hazards in golf may not require the speed of other sports, but playing golf as a reactive sport rather than a deliberative one will help your game.


Christopher Smith, Speed Golfer

John Paul at the WSJ recently published an article about Christopher Smith, the world's fastest speed golfer and PGA Lead Instructor at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in North Plains, OR. Excerpts from this article are shared below.

Christopher Smith set the world speed-golf record three years ago at a tournament in Chicago. On a regulation course, he shot a six-under-par 65 in 44 minutes and 6 seconds, carrying only six clubs and sprinting between shots. Not only is this extremely cool, it's also instructive. Speed golf proves what most of us know intuitively: Thinking is the ruin of good golf.

Smith discovered, since taking up the sport about 10 years ago, that he often scores better in speed golf than he does playing normal golf.

"In speed golf the subconscious takes over," Mr. Smith said. "It knows how to do everything -- at least in an experienced golfer it does, because it's done it thousands of times." Problems arise when the conscious mind asserts itself, especially after a disastrous shot. "We hit bad shots because we're human. Even Tiger Woods hits terrible shots sometimes. But most players, instead of chalking that up to being human and trusting the mind-body system to do it better the next time, allow the conscious to step in and try to fix things, by telling us to take the club back this way or move the body that way. But the moment you start thinking consciously about how to do things, that destroys your ability to perform," he said.

Mr. Smith doesn't tout speed golf as the answer to all our problems (and he certainly doesn't expect that it will ever become widely popular). But he has learned a lot from his experiences that enhance his teaching and perspective on golf. For instance, he promotes games (he hates the word "drills") that involve the imagination much more than technique and repetition.

Many players, especially those bogged down by second thoughts and deliberation, will score better with faster pre-shot routines, he said. "Play a few rounds with no practice swings, or discipline yourself to take no more than 10 or 15 seconds from pulling the club to hitting. It will probably feel uncomfortable at first, because change is always uncomfortable. But it's worth trying to see what happens."

Above all, don't model your routine on those of the Tour pros. "Ben Hogan, Sam Snead and Byron Nelson, those guys played fast. You can see it in the old tapes. But then TV golf came along just as Jack Nicklaus was at his best, and he played unbelievably slow. So now we have everyone standing forever behind their ball visualizing and picking out intermediate targets and so forth, just like Jack did," he said. "The result is not just five-hour rounds, but people don't score as well as they should." Nor do they have as much fun.

Learn More: Golf Smarter Podcast

Labels: Christopher Smith, Disciplines, Speed Golf

I did it, I finally broke 70! My goal for this forth year of playing golf and my last year before turning fifty is to shoot my first round in the sixties. It happened this weekend at Glen Annie Golf Club in Goleta, CA. I shot a tidy 3-under 68, recording 4 birdies and only 1 bogie! I didn't even drive the ball well. But I was hitting my irons solid and finally making putts!


Glen Annie #2, by Aidan Bradley

I've flurted with the 60's on many occasions over the past 2 years, once even from the back tees on my home course (6810 yards, 73.0/137). But I've always fallen short down the stretch, usually on the final hole. I do however play very challenging courses nearly every round, where much better golfers than me rarely break 70. It's not like I've been making it easy on myself to reach this goal. I'm confident that I would have broken 70 much earlier if I'd been playing shorter or easier courses. That's what I did this weekend.

We played Glen Annie from the white tees (5945 yards, 68.9/125). Although the course is short, it isn't easy. The course has a ton of elevation changes, just enough trees, and some narly rough. It's short overall length is primary due to a handful of short par 3's and 4's. There's plenty of long holes too. In our group of eight solid golfers, only one other player broke 80 that day. It was especially challenging for me, being my first time playing the course. I usually tack on a few extra strokes the first few times I play a course. But I let go of any expectations of playing well and just played.

I got away with a wayward drive on the 1st hole, then hit my 4-hybrid from 190 yards way uphill to a bunker left of the green. I got up and down for par. I birdied the short par 3 2nd and short par 4 3rd to get to a quick 2-under. My only hiccup on the front nine was when I tried to reach the uphill 504 yard par 5 7th in 2 and hit my long approach into a lake bordering the right-side of the narrow fairway. I dropped 120 yards out, but came up short of the green with my gap wedge. I then rattled the pin with my chip, nearly holing it, leaving me an easy tap-in for bogie. I finished the front nine at 1-under.

I started the back nine with another poor drive that never really got airborne and ran to about 220 yards out, barely reaching the fairway. I then cut the right dogleg with an impressive 2-hybrid over some trees, leaving me about 100 yards out. I tucked a lob wedge to about 10 feet and sunk the putt for birdie. My best shot of the day came on the short downhill 270 yard par 4 12th. I hit my driver right over the pin, landing the back of the green and bounced about 1 foot to the back fringe. I had a testy downhill putt for eagle. I just had to get the ball moving or I'd run down to the front of the green. My speed was good, but my line was just off. I settled for an easy birdie. I made an impressive up-n-down from above the hole in some deep rough on 15. I continued making pars through 17.

On the final hole, I hit the fairway and landed the middle of the green on my approach. I knew I had a good round going. I didn't know I was 3-under. I didn't know I had a chance to break 70. I knew I had choked in similar situations in the past. I decided to let go of the results and stayed calm and relaxed over my lengthy putt. I still came up a little short, leaving a testy 4 footer for par.

All day, I'd avoided 3-putts and managed to 1-putt on 8 holes!. Just the day before, I tried out a new putting stance on the practice green on my home course. I got down low and really put some extra weight on my front foot. For some reason, it helped me not only to make a solid stroke, but to see the line better and get the ball moving along that line. It was obviously working! Standing over my 4-foot putt on 18, I relaxed and decided to keep trusting my new putting stance. I picked the right edge and made a solid stroke. It turned slightly left and dropped! I came in 2-under on the back nine with no bogies. I'd just shot my first round of 68! The next best score from our group was 79.

What surprised me about the round is that I didn't feel like I was playing any better than usual. Like always, I made a couple bad shots. But I got up-n-down when I needed to and didn't miss any putts I felt I should make. And my ball striking with my irons was excellent. Like any round though, I left shots on the course. I lipped out 2 makable birdie putts and never should have hit that ball in the water on 7. Regardless, the experience was very rewarding - especially learning that I could actually putt!

This was truly an artful round. I never felt anxiety over a single shot. I just stood over the ball, picked my target, and swung the club. I trusted my swing, accepted the results and moved on. I let go of the outcome and stayed open to the possibility that this could be an artful round! It really was that simple.

Labels: Glen Annie, Rounds

The Rules of Golf begin with these words, "Golf is played, for the most part, without the supervision of a referee or umpire. The game relies on the integrity of the individual to show consideration for other players and to abide by the Rules. All players should conduct themselves in a disciplined manner, demonstrating courtesy and sportsmanship at all times, irrespective of how competitive they may be. This is the spirit of the game of golf."


The Spirit of the Game

Last week, during the first round of the PGA Tour’s second stage of qualifying school, J.P. Hayes was handed a ball by his caddy on the par 3 12th hole at Deerwood Country Club in Texas. When Hayes reached the green, he realized that the ball was a different version (a prototype) of the ball he normally plays. Hayes is a former PGA Tour winner who finds himself at Q-School, fighting for his card after finishing 176th on the money list. Releasing he'd jeopardize his chances to regain his card, he still called a penalty on himself. As the rules specify, Hayes was given a 2-stroke penalty. But after the round, he realized this prototype ball may not be present on the current list of conforming golf balls, and after confirming so, was disqualified.

This incident is getting some attention outside the golf community and many are hoping Hayes is rewarded for his integrity through sponsor exemptions next year on the tour. However, this is the expected behavior from those of us who play. After being commended for his honesty after penalizing himself in the 1925 U.S. Open, Bobby Jones reply was, "You may as well praise a man for not robbing a bank."

But this behavior is newsworthy. This demonstration of integrity is rare in other sports. It points out what makes golf great. I've played other sports. I've never told an umpire that I was really out when he called me safe at first. I've never told a referee that the puck didn't actually cross the goal line when a goal was scored. I've never corrected a referee for placing the football too far forward of where I was tackled. But I have called plenty of penalties on myself in golf.

I was recently reminded of one of those situations. I ran into a guy this week that I'd played against in a match last year. He introduced me to a friend and went on about my honesty and integrity. He reminded me that during our match I had called a penalty on myself when my ball moved as I grounded my wedge behind the ball located on a steep slope by the green. Nobody saw it, but I put the ball back and informed my opponent of the penalty. I then chipped up close and my opponent gave me the putt. My opponent then addressed his ball on the green. He was on in one and just needed a 2-putt to win the hole. I wasn't watching, but his ball moved as he grounded his putter! He immediately informed me and called a penalty on himself. He then 2-putted to halve the hole. I don't remember if a gust of wind picked up or if his ball was simply on a bit of a slope, but I'll never forget our demonstration of sportsmanship. I forget who eventually won that match.

Bobby Jones explained it best when he said, "When you cheat in golf, the only person you're cheating is yourself." In golf as in life, we don't get a chance to take a mulligan, we can't erase certain 'strokes' just because we don't like the outcome. We have to play the ball as it lies.

Anne Kinsman Fisher shares in an interview, "Golf gives us a chance to practice living by our principles. And, when you build integrity, it carries over into every aspect of your life. What you learn in the smaller world of the golf course, you take off the course into the greater realm of your life. Everything you learn in golf carries forward directly to the outside world. Calling a penalty on yourself, in the real world, is knowing when your actions are wrong and taking steps to correct them. Counting your score accurately means judging yourself honestly -- and moving forward from that point. Integrity is learning about a deeper gratification -- a soul-level fulfillment, if you will. Integrity is doing what is in the highest good, not just what you might personally want. It's calling a penalty on yourself when it's warranted. It's playing the ball as it lies, even when it would be easier (and might even go unnoticed) for you to kick it out onto the fairway again. It's counting all your strokes and take pride in your final score, no matter what it is."

Labels: Integrity, Spirit of the Game

My wife and I just returned from our first trip to the Big Island! We stayed at Wyndham's Kona Hawaiian Village and enjoyed lots relaxing, sight-seeing and good dining. I also snuck out on my own several mornings for a total of 4 rounds of golf.


Hawaii Golf

I played my first round at the nearby Kona Country Club's Beach Course. I hooked up with Ed, a local from Hilo who moved to the Big Island about 5 years ago from Minnesota after a divorce. He looked to be about 60. He told me he missed being married and just having someone to argue with. He wasn't having a lot of luck finding love on the island, but at least got to enjoy a lot of golf. However, he didn't have any local course knowledge to share here. He'd only played Kona Country Club once, many years ago when visiting the island on vacation with his wife. We played the middle tees which only played to 5976 yards (70.0/130), a very short course by my standards. I found the course easy to play. Fairways were generous, greens receptive. However, the greens were very fast and undulating! I made the mistake of leaving my approach above the hole on too many occasions and paid the price with 3 or 4 3-putts. I was barely off the green above the hole in 2 on one of the par 5's, looking at an easy up-n-down for birdie. I then watched my delicate chip run right past the flag, down and off the green. My return putt from the fairway was pitifully short and I 2-putted from there for bogie. I still managed to come in with a 76, even with some poor putting an OB on 18 to end the round. I enjoyed the course, especially the natural settings along the Pacific Ocean and gorgeous mountain views. Ed gave me a lot of good advice about what to see on the island too.

Next up was Mauna Lani, the recipient of Golf Magazine's Gold Medal Award as one of America's Best Golf Resorts every year since 1988 and host to the nationally televised Senior Skins Golf Game for 11 years. I was planning to play the North Course, but they setup the "Classic" Course the day I arrived. Last month, Mauna Lani began offering golfers its original 18 hole layout on select days. The "Classic Course" is comprised of 9 holes on the South Course and 9 Holes on the North Course, providing the golfer with 2 signature holes! I hooked up with a Japanese couple from Honolulu, who moved to the island several years ago from Orange County. The wife had just competed in a women's golf tournament that was held that week on several courses on the island. This tiny 100-poundish woman won the long-drive contest on the 2nd day. My driver was off this day, costing me several shots in penalties. I ended up using my 2-hybrid off the tee most of the round. Although the couple played from the whites, I moved back to the blue tees (6436 yards, 170.5/128). I really liked this course, chiseled into a vast lava flow and providing breath-taking views along the ocean. Despite more poor putting and an errant driver, I hung in there for a tidy 78.

I then moved inland and up the mountain to Pete Dye's Big Island Country Club. I hooked up with the owner of Sunshine Helicopter Tours, a 35-year island resident who flew helicopters in Vietnam. Big Island CC happens to be his favorite golf course on the island. He was joined by a friend from Virginia who inspects Helicopter Tours around the country. Again, I joined my fellow golfers on the white tees, only 6041 yards (69.0/126). This was your typical Dye course - lots of water, sand, and railroad ties. It also was home to what seemed like thousands of turkeys, pheasants, geese, quail, and other birds! I found I preferred this rural mountain setting to the manicured resort ocean settings. Although I lost 3 balls to its ever-present water hazards, some impressive chipping and putting led to my best round in months - a 1-over 73! I grinded for several pars after landing in lakes and fairway bunkers from the tee. I didn't manage a birdie until 15 and 16, then barely missed another birdie from 10 feet on the island green 17th. I'm usually a risk taker, but I played this course conservatively most of the round, aiming for the middle of greens instead of pins tucked next to lakes and large bunkers. I need to implement this approach to more of my rounds!

I wanted to end with Mauna Kea, but it was closed for a renovation by Rees Jones, son of original architect, Robert Trent Jones, Jr. Instead, I played another RTJ design, The Waikoloa Beach Course. I was a little disappointed with this course. It wasn't until late in the round that we even saw the ocean. Condo's lined much of the course, obstructing most views. It really wasn't very challenging, even though I played the back tees (6566 yards, 71.6/134). I wish I'd played the King's Course instead. I joined two sisters about my age who were also on the island to compete in the same women's golf tournament as the Japanese woman I played with days earlier. Interestingly, one of these sisters won the long drive contest on the first day of the competition! All three women were great golfers and could really hit the ball! We played behind a slow foursome made up of older men. They never offered to let us play through even though they saw us wait on practically every shot and the course was pretty open in front of them. Perhaps they didn't want to play behind women, but these gals were much better golfers than they were! I finally got my driver working for my final round in Hawaii, but messed up a couple holes and finished with a 6-over 76.

I had a wonderful time and enjoyed great weather and good company. I played pretty well too. I'm looking forward to a return trip to the Big Island. There's so many more courses I want to play!

Labels: Golf Destinations, Golf Vacation, Hawaii, Rounds