Demise of the Junior Open?

During my countrywide travels around golf clubs this summer, it came to my attention that many golf clubs were struggling to fill a field for their respective Junior Opens. I was amazed at this news and the more clubs I asked the more disappointed I became.

Not only were clubs experiencing reduced entries, some even had to cancel scheduled events due to lack of numbers. Clubs were also battling to field enough players to make up a team for league matches.

The junior organizers at most clubs were at a loss as to explain why juniors had apparently given up playing competitive golf. A number of suggestions came up as possible reasons, such as cost, difficulties with transport, concerns about safety, parents too busy and so on.

All of these issues were around when I began playing as a junior in the mid 1970’s.The stark difference then was that I faced being balloted out of some events that had been over subscribed, because my handicap was too high.

Sports clubs today have to have a child welfare officer or volunteers who have sat Child Safety and Good Practice courses before they can even help out with junior programmes. Add to this being Checked by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) to see if you are a fit and proper person to supervise children in your care makes it even more galling that all this effort is being made for and on behalf of junior golfers and then they don’t play.

The cost of a junior membership for twelve months golf, entertainment, fresh air and exercise would probably be less than £100 at most golf clubs. This, I believe, represents fantastic value and is demonstrated by the numbers of junior members in golf clubs throughout the country. But why do they not want to compete?

I know this sounds like a bit of a rant but I am astonished at this situation. Do we need to educate parents about the benefits of their children playing golf and competing? Do we need to take a look at the atmosphere created at some clubs with rules and traditions that may deter youngsters competing? Is there an over emphasis on getting the “right technique” before they enter competitions? Is this just happening in golf? My 13-year-old son plays cricket and football. Both those sports appear to be healthy with junior competitors so how do we turn around this worrying trend in junior golf?

Luke Donald

http://www1.skysports.com/golf/news/12176/7372868/?utm_source=twitterfeed_skysportsgolfnews&utm_medium=twitter

23 and 1/2 hours: What is the single best thing we can do for our health?

Tee it forward

PGA OF AMERICA, UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION STEP TO A NEW SET OF

TEES IN NATIONWIDE SUMMER INITIATIVE, ‘TEE IT FORWARD,’ JULY 5-17

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – To help golfers have more fun on the course and enhance their overall experience by playing from a set of tees best suited to their abilities, The PGA of America and the United States Golf Association have partnered to support “TEE IT FORWARD,” a new national initiative to be proposed for golf facilities nationwide from July 5-17.

TEE IT FORWARD encourages all golfers to play the course at a length that is aligned with their average driving distance (see accompanying chart for guidelines). Golfers can speed up play by utilizing tees that provide the greatest playability and enjoyment. The program will be promoted May 24-29, at the 72^nd Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid, and at both the U.S. Open Championship in June and the U.S. Women's Open Championship in July.

“Simply put, TEE IT FORWARD can make golf much more fun for millions of people,” said PGA of America President Allen Wronowski. “We believe that by moving up to another set of tees, golfers will experience an exciting, new approach to the game that will produce more enjoyment and elevate their desire to come back and play even more golf."

Barney Adams, the founder of Adams Golf, provided the concept that led to TEE IT FORWARD. By playing from forward tees, amateur golfers have the chance to play the course at the same relative distance as a touring professional would over 18 holes. The playing field is leveled by giving golfers the opportunity to play from distances that are properly aligned with their abilities.

With many more golfers hitting approach shots with 6- and 7-irons instead of hybrids and long irons, their chances for enjoyment increase. Also, playing from forward tees should result in fewer overall shots, shorter distance traveled on each hole, and potentially, fewer lost balls.

“The passion that golfers have for our game has the potential to be enhanced by the TEE IT FORWARD initiative," said Jim Hyler, president of the United States Golf Association. "This is an innovation that we think will appeal to golfers of all skill levels because it gives them a new challenge that better aligns with their abilities. We hope that TEE IT FORWARD will be embraced by players and golf facilities across the country."

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Page 2\PGA, USGA Team for Tee It Forward Promotion

TEE IT FORWARD is not necessarily about creating a new set of tees—many facilities already have multiple tees in use every day. It is about changing the mindset of golfers in a positive way—encouraging people to consider setting aside playing from 6,500-6,700 yards and moving up to a length of 6,000-6,200 yards or moving from 6,000-6,200 yards to 5,700-5,800 yards.

The 6,700-yard course that many amateur golfers play today is proportionally equivalent to a PGA Tour player competing on a course measuring 8,100 yards—700 yards or more longer than a typical PGA Tour layout.

Jack Nicklaus, who shares the record with Walter Hagen for most PGA Championship titles with five and also shares the U.S. Open record with four victories, is a proponent of TEE IT FORWARD.

"I love the game of golf but I will be the first to tell you that there are things about our game we need to improve," Nicklaus said. "Now The PGA of America and the USGA have come together to develop ways to that can make the game more attractive and more enjoyable. Tee It Forward is the first of many initiatives we have discussed together, and I think families around the country will enjoy alternate formats like this to make the game more fun.

"All of us deeply involved in the game constantly encourage golfers of all skill levels to play the proper tees, but too often golfers want to bite off as much of the golf course as they can. What ends up suffering is their scorecard and their overall enjoyment. This program should help stimulate people to play the proper tees and maximize the golf experience."

TEE IT FORWARD also coincides in July with The PGA of America’s Family Golf Month, which has approximately 2,200 facilities already registered for that national initiative.

How do you read the newspaper?

"I always turn to the sports pages first, which records people's accomplishments.The front page has nothing but man's failures". -Earl Warren

Team up for a worthy cause - Golf - Blackpool Gazette

Team up for a worthy cause - Golf - Blackpool Gazette

Darren Clarke Open Champion

The Open Champion

Well if like me you watched the Open Championship unfold at Royal St. Georges I’m sure you were wearing a smile as wide as your face and a warm feeling of joy inside as Darren Clarke cruised to victory.

It was like a fairy tail ending for the Northern Irishman claiming his maiden Major Championship after turning Professional 20 years ago.

I’m not for one minute saying that this is the end for Darren but for sure this is what he’s dreamt about ever since he was a boy. So many false dawns, so many times he’s had to pick himself up off the floor after failing, not to mention having to cope with the cruel illness that claimed the life of his wife Heather. Yet still he kept going and with the aid of strong friends and management team around him he won the coveted claret jug.

So what happened to Darren that week at Royal St Georges? We know that what has always been a constant with him is his skill and ability to hit the golf ball better than the majority. This level of expertise has maybe been an issue for him. Why? Well when you don’t get the results you crave with the talent you have then frustration sets in and the patience you require to succeed slowly disappears.

Working with Darren at the Open were Michael Finnigan and Dr Bob Rotella, two experts in the field of psychology and performance. Between them they managed to create in Darren an acceptance that undesired outcomes, bad shots, were part of the game and that if he controlled his responses to them then his skills and ability would come to the fore. His reactions throughout the four rounds were those of someone who was in complete control of his emotions. I’m sure Darren has had weeks where he has hit the ball better, holed more putts, chipped in, had more fun and yet not won. What happened at Sandwich was that he combined his physical skills and experiences to produce a mindset that did not sabotage his chance of winning.

It all sounds so simple and easy so why has he not managed it before? I’m not sure. The pathway to winning and mastery has many different twist and turns. We do know that hitting great golf shots is not all we need to be a winner nor is working harder than the others. Discipline to control our state and emotions is a massive factor in our quest for mastery. Learning that failure is a process and a chance to learn and not a door closing. A better attitude and a creative imagination will work wonders for us on our journey towards being better golfers. Dr Bob Rotella told me he’d challenged Darren to “stop trying to be a rocket scientist. Instead putt like you did when you were 13 years of age. Putt from the subconscious.“

Darren Clarke is one of life’s givers, generous to a fault, which is one of the reasons why his Open win was universally acclaimed. On this occasion he gave himself a chance to win by controlling his own thoughts and emotions.

Five times Open Champion Peter Thomson once said, “The difference between winning and losing is always a mental one”