David Duval Unique Once Again
Jimmy Roberts
Jimmy Roberts, the famous sportscaster, recently published a book about golf slumps titled Breaking the Slump: How Great Players Survived Their Darkest Moments in Golf–and What You Can Learn from Them.
As Doug and others have noted, I wrote David off awhile back ( David Duval As Teacher ). I just figured he had gone too long without the results. Surely he’d give up The Tour and settle into another line of work. I mean, who even survives a two year slump? I underestimated what makes David Duval tick and at one time made him number 1 in the world.
Making a comeback is not about finding your swing, as David himself professed during a U.S. Open interview. It’s all about confidence and, apparently, he never lost his. In some small way, everyone of us amateurs has been there. You hit a couple of good shots, who knows why, and your confidence goes up dramatically. You’re not thinking about all the bad places your ball might go. Suddenly, you’re thinking of the exact spot where you want the ball to land, and almost by magic, it does!
Just about the time when you feel you’ve finally solved golf’s most enduring puzzle, an errant shot pops up and the good old confidence goes out the window.
If it’s on the putting green the cup looks smaller than your ball. You’re now thinking about everything that could go wrong and the one thing you want to happen.
Somehow over the last eight years David Duval didn’t lose his confidence, even when his play was embarrassing to many of his followers. Maybe golf’s greatest lesson is being taught to us by Mr. Duval and not Mr. Woods.
Or maybe Earl Woods taught Tiger about confidence so early on that we’ve taken it as something he was born with and not something all golfers have to practice and learn.
So what do we duffers do? Somehow we have to figure out how to leave the negatives out every time we step up to hit a shot, even if we’ve shanked the last two. The million dollar question is how? If anyone out there has the answer to that one, I want to buy into your business so I can retire on the golf course of my choice in a year or two.
If nothing else, David Duval is the shining example for all of us that confidence can improve your game as much as the time you spend on the range.
The Ultimate Golf Prize
Now this is a GREAT idea. I have been a big fan of Owen Garratt’s work for sometime. I mean *only* 1500 companies have used Owen’s limited edition art prints as the ultimate golf prize.
All you have to do is see a drawing once and you can immediately see (and feel) the artistry of his pencil-only drawings. I guess he’s not called “the pencilneck” for nothing!
But back to the idea. Now if you have played in a few golf tournaments ( I have played in SO many) all the gifts are typically the same. The same boring box of balls, golf shirts, gift certificates, free passes to play golf, etc. Of course, these are not *bad* gifts but not very exceptional just because they are common.
So Owen has come up with the idea to give limited edition golf art prints instead. Who would not want an exclusive limited edition print of one of Owen’s golf-related themes? I am going to sprinkle some of his golf-related themes throughout this post as only be seeing them can you get an idea of the power of his work.
And it’s nice too that the works are fairly non-descript. That is, they don’t depict a particular hole or particular club. I believe Owen does do individual commissions but you most likely will have to pay a pretty steep fee. But, heck, quality art costs money, right?!
Currently Owen is running an amazing special. He will actually give you a limited edition ($69 value) “mini-print” free just for checking out his Golf Corporate Program. Absolutely no strings attached. He has a small video that explains it much better here: the ultimate golf prize.
I would encourage you (especially you have anything to do with organizing golf tournaments) to take a moment to discover Owen’s art at his site: The Pencilneck – And, of course, tell him you found about about him via the GolfDash blog. I am always happy to spread the word about great golf art. There is just not enough of it out there.
The Thick and Thin of the PGA Tour
I was pretty floored a few weeks back watching the St. Judes Classic and seeing the 265 pound girth of Guy Boros. That is just a lot of weight to be carrying around. And mind you, I am not judging Mr. Boros (or even the chunkiness of Duval) – he is on the PGA Tour with over 1.5 million in career earnings so he can weigh whatever he likes.
Just wondering if he did, say, lose 30 pounds or so just how effective his game would become. Well, that is my challenge for Mr. Boros – to lose 30 pounds. Only caveat is that I get a percentage of winnings once he starts making some serious money 
He certainly is (to my knowledge) the heaviest person on the PGA Tour. I then did a bit of online research only to find out mygolfspy.com had already listed the top PGA Tour porkers and skinny-minnies on his site (see below)
http://www.mygolfspy.com/10-skinniest-players-on-pga-tour/
http://www.mygolfspy.com/10-heaviest-golfers-pga-tour/
No matter, they are still quite interesting to look at. I think the median weight was 180.
As far as the skinny-minnies go, Mark Wilson and Swede Richard Johnson take honors and weigh-in a dripping wet 145 pounds.
Even at 145 pounds Wilson hits the ball 280 yards and Johnson 275. They must have to generate some serious club head speed to hit it that far.
Please, let’s hear your comments on this one!
Back on Track: The David Duval Swing
I, for one, am so glad to see David Duval back and swinging like the Duval of old. And I really enjoy his recent US Open interviews.
He has always been known to be an intelligent guy but it is just fascinating to hear someone who has been to the utter bottom and fought his way back and what it was like. John had a nice article on this a few years back, called, David Duval As Teacher
But then again he also depicted his demise in, The End of David Duval’s Pro Career. So what do you think now, John???
Although there appears to be a *slight* David Duval weight gain (heck, he’s a fairly new dad now so has probably been eating a lot of good home cooking!) his swing looks rock solid and long!
And he went from 882 in the world ranking to 142, not bad, huh!
I am going to include a few videos. The first (towards the end) show a nice slow-mo of the Duval swing and the second show his recent 2009 US Open highlights. Enjoy!
Who the heck is Tommy Armour lll?
For some strange reason I have always been fascinated with Tommy Armour lll. Maybe it’s just the famous (golf) name or maybe the fact that I once owned Tommy Armour Silver Scot golf clubs – really not sure.
He also has a reputation as being quite the ladies man, been known to tip back a few and enjoys the company of Hollywood stars (playing with guys like Clint Eastwood, Jack Nicholson, George Clooney and Burt Lancaster among others) and generally living the luxury lifestyle that being a pro golfer can provide.
But he always seemed to be the quintessential journeyman. Born in 1959, he is closing in on the half century mark very soon. Perhaps soon to join the Champions Tour. He has career earning of over 9 million dollars.
Armour first joined the PGA Tour in 1981 at the age of 21. He is considered to be a great ball striker (he takes a dynamic, hockey-like slash at the ball) and somewhat of a streaky putter. Take a look at Tommy Armours Golf Swing here.
He has two career PGA Tour victories, winning the 1990 Phoenix Open and the 2003 Valero Texas Open.
He currently holds the scoring record for best overall score on 72 holes (254), which he set during his Valero Texas Open victory in 2003.
His Grandfather, known as “The Silver Scot,” won the U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship. His grandfather died when he was only 8 and he never really got the chance to spend much time with him.
Tommy Armour’s remains one of the most recognizable names in golf decades after his death and more than a half-century since the height of his fame. Why? Because of Tommy Armour golf clubs, which continue to be a highly popular brand of clubs.
A final Tommy Armour comment on his colorful career, “You only get one trip around life. Golf is just something that I love to do. I don’t play for the money, I never have. I’ve made a lot of good friends playing golf professionally.”
LongDriveForum.com is Back!
John and I launched the LongDriveForum.com a few months back but it ended up being riddled with technical difficulties and the whole forum board had to be scrapped (along with all the messages!) So it is now being revived due to popular demand.
The Forum is dedicated to increasing your power, distance and accuracy. It is not *just* meant to be for world class long drivers only but also for the ordinary chap who REALLY wants to figure out how to get those 20+ extra yards on his/her drive and hit the ball squarely and accurately with that pro-like “thud” sound with his/her irons. Sweet!
A lot of forums include every golf topic imaginable but here we will ONLY focus on helping you hit it farther and straighter.
I have also added a gallery (see blue tab up top) and the ability to post videos (just post the url of the video into the message area and wala! you are good to go) I will be adding more cool (and interactive) features as we go along.
We are just getting started (again) so please join and lets talk “more distance”. And, of course, please give your ideas, suggestions and comments to that board.
Please register if you have not done so and help us (help you) to build THE forum dedicated to golf power, distance and accuracy.
To more distance!
Privileges of Winning the US Open
Congratulations to 2009 US OPEN winner Lucas Glover!
Although I was hoping for a Phil or Duval story, Glover played smart and steady with no real hiccups throughout the day.
His final card looked like this: 69-64-70-73-276 -4
Besides the check for $1,350,000 here a few other US Open perks he receives:
In line with the other majors, winning the U.S. Open gives a golfer several privileges that makes his career much more secure.
U.S. Open champions are automatically invited to play in the other three majors (the Masters, the Open Championship (British Open), and the PGA Championship) for the next five years, as well as the Players Championship, and they are exempt from qualifying for the U.S. Open itself for 10 years.
They may also receive a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour, which is automatic for regular members. Non-PGA Tour members who win the U.S. Open have the choice of joining the PGA Tour either within 60 days of winning, or prior to the beginning of any one of the next five tour seasons.
The top 15 finishers at the U.S. Open are fully exempt from qualifying for the following year’s Open, and the top eight are automatically invited to the following season’s Masters.
Final Day – 2009 US Open
Lot of cool stories going on in this final day of the 2009 US Open.
The main stories being the weather, David Duval and Phil Mickelson. We have covered the weather pretty thoroughly but the Duval and Mickelson stories would send chills down any golfers spine.
With Duval’s rise from the ashes and Mickelson’s ailing wife you could not ask for more emotional stories. Personally, I am rooting for Duval. We have profiled him many times here in our blog and both John and I are big fans.
Of course, Duval and Mickelson are not even the leaders, those being Lucas Glover and Ricky Barnes.
Both Barnes and Glover definitely looked shaky towards the end of round three and I am just not sure if either can hold on.
On the final day of the US Open (like all majors) you need to get some breaks. It’s always fascinating to me how the winner always gets a couple of bombs to drop on the putting green or chip-ins for birdies. Lady luck needs to be by your side.
I know I will be watching live online at: NBCSports.com
U.S. Open In Disarray
The luck of the draw certainly plays its part in golf, but at this year’s US Open it IS the story. After Friday’s rounds were over, all of the players in red figures, except 2, came from the second groupings. It couldn’t be clearer that they had a huge advantage.
Those who teed it up Thursday played in rain until play was suspended, then had to come out Friday morning to damp soggy conditions and finish up. The second pairings got to play almost two rounds on Friday as they began late morning, playing until darkness. What they got were dry clubs, quickly draining fairways and rough, and greens soft as a baby’s bottom. The leaders were firing at the flags, even with their hybrids.
It may get even better with the original 2nd pairings from Thursday finishing their rounds today beginning at 7:30 – while it’s forecasted to be dry. Thunderstorms are predicted later in the day, maybe just in time to ruin the rounds of those who endured the elements on Thursday.
As far as I can recall, never has the weather so clearly impacted who is atop an Open leaderboard. What could the USGA have done differently? Cancel Thursday’s play and start the tournament on Friday? Maybe, but what’s done is done now.
I’ve read every publication I can find and no one seems to be saying how the rounds will proceed to conclusion. Piecing together bits of information, it looks like the 2nd round play will conclude today, the 3rd round will be played tomorrow and the 4th round will go Monday – all weather permitting of course. Am I mistaken that the USGA, responsible for a sport that loves rules and certainty, should clearly make known their intentions?
Predictions are out the window now. Neither Doug nor I could have guessed in our wildest dreams that David Duval – whose comeback we have followed closely for years - would be a couple of strokes from the lead as of early this morning. Or how about a couple of amateurs leading at the conclusion of the first round of the early pairings?
If nothing else, the pundits will be discussing this US Open for years with all the shoulda, coulda, and woulda’s unless Tiger somehow wins it. That looks to be pretty far fetched at the moment, but you never know. Tiger is Mr. Miraculous and Mother Nature may not be finished playing with our beloved and truly ‘open’ golf tournament.
10 Worthwhile Things to Do During the US Open Rain Delay
Ok, so we have to do *something* during the (very likely) upcoming rain delays at Bethpage Black. So here are a few (hopefully) worthwhile ideas to consider..
1. Listen to a TED speech online – As the title says, “Riveting talks by remarkable people, free to the world” – I cannot think of a better way to spend a few free moments than by listening to one of these amazing talks. I just listened to one by John Wooden, the former esteemed UCLA college basketball coach (just search for John Wooden) He is in his nineties in this is talk and as sharp as a tack. Check them out here at Ted Talks
2. Make a commitment to improve your golf game – If your like me and your (trying) to watch the US Open you cannot help but get inspired to improve your game. So make a plan to DO IT. During the delay, call up your local pro to take a few lesson, go online and buy a book like, The Golf of Your Dreams
3. Read a good book – While the delay is going on, go pick up one of your favorite books. I just started reading “The Great Gatsby” for the first time in years and just loving it. For non-fiction books I have started reading books by business success coach, Steve Chandler. An amazing guy whose story of rising to success is even MORE amazing. Or pick up a golf related book. I just ordered The Italian Summer: Golf, Food, and Family at Lake Como.
4. Visit some other top golf blogs – we have some wonderful golf blog online now and I will give you just a sample here. Not only are a lot of these folks great bloggers and wonderful writers but I have had the privilege of speaking and interacting with a number of them and you couldn’t find a nicer bunch of folks. Here’s just a few (and I know I am leaving tons of deserving folks out):
Hooked on Golf Blog – Simply one of the best.
Golf Girl Diary – Patricia now has one of the coolest, hippest most fashionable golf blogs on the net.
Armchair Golf Blog – Neil at Armchair produces some of the best golf content on the web – bar none.
Mike Pedersen Golf – One of the sharpest golf dudes online. Always great content and you will always learn *something*
Travelling Golfer - I love this blog. Simple, clean and always awesome information for (what else) the traveling golfer
Andrew Rice Golf - always well-researched and great stuff at Andrews blog
Sandbox8 – Another truly outstanding golf site. One of the first I always visit.
GolfBlogger – John’s blog is probably the second I visit each day. Well worth your time.
20th Hole Golf Blog – another excellent golf blog
Pink Diva Golf – The pink color scheme just works great on this site. And I love the posts, product reviews, really everything (and soon to be improved from what I hear)
7. Reflect on the Good Stuff – Take a few moments to reflect on the good stuff. Even though we are in the midst of a recession *most* of us have places to live, food to eat, (hopefully) good health and, of course, the wonder and magic of the game of golf – a vast majority of the world does not have these. And what about fresh air, good friends, family, clean water, warm sunshine, cuddly pets and on and on. Gratitude is a good thing and the more your practice it the more you have to be grateful for. Amazing how that works.
8. Practice Listening – I am pretty guilty of this when golf tournaments are on. I kinda shut down the world and watch the tournament. But, when there is a rain delay there is no excuse not to give my (your) full attention to family members or friends. It is not an easy thing to do to just shut up and give your full attention to someone else without throwing in your own judgments and trying to “fix” the situation.
8. Surprise someone – Surprises are always fun (hey that’s the purpose, right?) there are so many different ways to surprise someone. From writing a handwritten note (really, when is the last time you did that?) to whisking your significant other off on a weekend trip or a simple bouquet of flowers to lift someone’s spirits. Remember, it doesn’t have to be special occasions (like birthdays) it can be anytime (that’s the beauty of surprise!) and it’s not about expense. You have time during this rain delay so have some fun and start scheming to surprise somebody!
9. Fix Something – During this rain delay take one thing on your fix it list and get to work. In my case, I have a screen door that shits abnormally loud but I (and the rest of the family) have decided to ignore it. There are probably tons of these little projects that you can do during the rain delay but you have to make a list and start with just one thing. You’ll be surprised how many fixes you can accomplish. Ok, so you may lose a few holes on TV but there ARE 18, so you have time. Check out one of these sites: Do it Yourself, Bob Vila or Ask the Builder.
10. Give Something to Someone - Put your imagination to work during the delay and get into the giving mode. Your next round plan to give your buddies a REALLY good cigar or a sleeve of PRO – V’s or a free round at your club. Or buy someone a cool CD or book. Join somewhere like UPromise – to help pay for your kids (or grandkids) college. To get more giving (and kindness ideas) ideas check out this list at HelpOthers
