Dale Weaver wrote in a blog the other day, 'I'm more of a 'control thinker' than a 'distance 'thinker. I'd much rather have a 150 yard shot straight for the green from the fairway that that 100 yard shot out of the rough.' What do you think about Dale's course management style of thinking?
I think that Dale and the Surge are brothers of the 'Straight is Great' fraternity of golf course management. As far as I am concerned, the only place to play golf consistently and successfully is out on the fairway. To me this is as basic as driving a car. The only place to drive your car is on the asphalt. Get the tires in the dirt and you loose control and have an accident. The only place to drive your golf ball is on the fairway. Loose control of your ball and it ends up in the rough, fairway bunkers, streams, lakes and OB, all of which are accidents and costly ones, like a car wreck.
Golfers are obsessed with distance. I know they are making courses longer. I also know they still make multiple tees. Most courses have at least 4 or more sets of tees, from ladies, senior, member and back tees. Many of the longer ones offer the way back and long set that some call the championship or Pro tees.
The key is to know your game and distance and play the appropriate length tees that fit your length and skill level. The key is that amateurs, playing golf for relaxation, exercise, camaraderie and enjoyment, play the right set of tees. That's the way to experience all of these purposes for playing. The main goal, after all the above comfort reasons, is achieving the success and satisfaction of shooting scores that make you feel good and show you are playing to your potential. That's the reward for all your hard work and practice.
Then there is the case of playing the correct length of tees but still being enamored with distance. Whether it is just for the distance or to be the longest driver in your group, driving for distance is the same as driving your car off the road. Recovery is possible, but the odds are not good. Failure can be anything from escaping with a bogey to making those high numbers, which destroy golf scores like trees destroy cars.
I don't know if this long ball golf or as I call it 'Bomb-it Golf' attitude started out on the PGA Tour where it is a live and well. I will admit that these guys need to hit it long as they now play many courses over 7500 yards. But even with that length, I still believe that 'Long is Wrong' and 'Straight is Great.' There is no substitute for playing from the fairway, the 'short grass,' as you get a clean ball contact and thus better control of you ball for distance and direction.
The PGA Tour had many short to average length hitters win tournaments and Majors and have great careers, like Corey Pavin, Tom Kite and Fred Funk in modern times, and one past great player, Paul Runyon. Wikipedia says this about Mr. Runyan. 'Fellow golfers nicknamed him 'Little Poison,' primarily because he didn't drive the ball very far but also had a terrific short game.' Mr. Runyan is a member of The World Golf Hall of Fame. He won 29 PGA Tour events including 4 Majors, one of which is the 1938 PGA Championship. He beat Sam Snead in match play 8 and 7 for the most lopsided win of that era. It was reported that Snead was outdriving Runyan by 40 to 50 or more yards every hole.
So I believe, and play myself and preach and teach, that 'Straight is Great.' I am confident that if you like long, are obsessed about long and work and practice to hit it long, and are not keeping the ball in play and scoring higher than what makes you feel good, try a change of attitude. Start thinking and playing with the attitude 'Straight is Great.' And with that, start working on your short game. Turn yourself into a fairway hitting machine and a wizard around and on the green. You will see your scores go lower faster than you can write them down.
I have talked to DJ many times about the PGA Tour Players attitude of Bomb it Golf. This means the farther you hit it and get closer to the green the better, even if it is in the rough. I disagree with this thought process vehemently and believe, as Dale said above, 'that farther away in the fairway is better.' I have convinced DJ of that and he is focusing on 'Straight is Great,' even to the point of finally shortening his driver, as I have been lobbying him to do for years. I think my mantra for this 'Bomb-it Golf' finally registered with him and hopefully with you if you if long is your mantra.
'Bomb-it,' rhymes with 'VOMIT.'
The Surge!