Hey Mr DJ pull your Rule Book out, I wanna give you a Penalty.
As predictable as my ramblings and humour are, I don`t think you need to be Poirot or Miss Marple to work out where this week`s blog is going to start.
With the sporting spotlight and the armchair spectators gaze on the second golfing major of the year, the final day`s events turned Oakmont into Jokemont.
If you peek at the inside cover of the Rules Of Golf Book, there is a quotation which reads "Play the ball as it lies, play the course as you find it, and if you cannot do either, do what is fair. But to do what is fair, you need to know the Rules of Golf."
However, I think it is fair to say there was nothing `fair` about how the people who DO know the rules actually administered the rules.
For the benefit of those people who were either too busy street fighting in France or, like me, Skyless, here is a quick synopsis of what I`m banging on about.
On the 5th hole during the final round at Oakmont, when the 6`4" bearded American Dustin Johnson stood over his 3 foot par putt, his ball got so scared it fainted causing it to wobble a massive 2 millimetres. DJ was then confronted by a man masquerading as a USGA Rules Official, who told him not to worry as it was sunstroke that caused the ball to faint, and nothing that the player himself had done. Everyone carried on with their lives and the world was a happy place. Meanwhile back in USGA Cabin, the Rules Official were busy watching the Adjustment Bureau whilst trying to decide what next best way they could foil Dustin Johnson's attempts to win a Major when they got the news that there was an imposter in their midst who was handing out sensible rulings willy-nilly and ruining their evil plot.
They sprung to life and acted really, really fast and managed to get to Dustin Johnson in the nick of time some seven holes later where they were able to cast a Jedi mind trick over him that meant he had no clue if he had done something right or wrong. Despite this lasting all the way until the end of the round, the USGA realised that the bouncy castle was in fact too bouncy for all the other children who had all fallen off long before Dustin, so they couldn`t stop him winning their game of `Farce the Farcel` so they just decided to roll his shiny medal in dog poo before they gave him it, before sneaking off into the sunset in a chorus of maniacal laughs.
Now, if you`re thinking, "that is just utter nonsensical, made up, jibberish" then you and it are not far from the truth.
Another quote from the Foreword of the Rule Book gives us this chestnut….
"In approaching this review, our committees continued to be guided by the historical principles and ethos of the game, the need for the Rules to remain CLEAR, comprehensive, appropriate & relevant, and the importance of ensuring that golf is played with INTEGRITY and in accordance with ETIQUETTE….."
I think it`s fair to say that the actions of the USGA Rules Officials were anything but clear, showed no etiquette and showed very little integrity. If it wasn`t for the dignity shown by Dustin Johnson this could`ve had a very different ending.
I love our game, this game. And I like the fact that in the main, it is self-policing and played by people willing to call foul upon themselves. But like all sports the Rules should be there, and are only there, to govern against players gaining an unfair advantage. So there are 3 things that don`t sit well with me about the events at Oakmont.
Firstly, the incident was put to bed by the walking Referee. All players in the group agreed. Move on. I doubt you`d find any player in the field that would disagree.
If that had happened then my second gripe would never have happened either in that the USGA, deciding to undermine and overrule their colleague, should`ve either imposed the penalty or said nothing to the player. Informing a player who is in contention on the last 9 of a Major Championship that he MAY be penalised and would have to `review the tapes` after his round is monumentally unethical.
And finally, and I`ve picked this scab before, the administering and use of the Rules should be the same for all players playing in the same tournament, ergo, `Trial by TV` should not be allowed because 90% of the field the entire week will be policed by their own INTEGRITY and any `incidents` will be dealt with at source, by the players, and the walking Officials.
In other news the England World Cup `86 squad have been told to get back in training because the USGA had a look at the tape of their match with Argentina and it turns out Maradona used his hand to score their opening goal, so they are going to re-play the last 39 minutes and the winner gets Jorge Burrachaga`s winners medal…which has been rolled in dog poo.
If there is one saving grace in the overall outcome at the US Open it is that the best man still won, and I`m sure everyone is pleased for big Dustin. It`ll be interesting to see how or if he really kicks on from here now that he has that monkey off his back.
There was a Monkey up for grabs in my US Open Sweep but unfortunately (for you guys) not all my Sweep Squares were filled so not all players were picked. This saw the likes of Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia and Branden Grace not backed.
Here is a look at the final US Open Sweep Results:
1st: Dustin Johnson - NOT PICKED = £100
=2nd: Jim Furyk - Duncan Livingstone = £60
=2nd: Shane Lowry - Bill Somers = £60
=2nd: Scott Piercy - Dave Fleming = £60
=5th: Sergio Garcia - NOT PICKED = £10
=5th: Branden Grace - NOT PICKED = £10
Best Scores:
RD1 - Andrew Landry (66) - Mark Robertson = £15
RD2 - Daniel Summerhayes (65) - Craig Henderson = £15
RD3 - Shane Lowry (65) - Bill Somers = £15
RD4 - Jim Furyk (66) - Duncan Livingstone = £15
Worst Scores:
RD1 - Zach Edmondson (89) - John Cormack = £15
RD2 - Kevin Foley (85) - Lena Dellanzo = £15
RD3 - Matt Fitzpatrick & Ethan Tracy (79) - Stuart Cumming = £15
RD4 - Chase Parker & Justin Hicks (81) - Bruce Harrold & Craig Samson = £7.50 Each
Top Brit - Graeme McDowell - NOT PICKED
Top Amateur - Scotty Scheffler - Terry Taylor = £15
It was also a case of winners and losers on Sunday as the Club Championship Matchplay Stages got to the business end of the Tournament. Last Sunday saw the Quarter-Finals & Semi-Finals contested on the same day with all competitors playing their matches at the same time. Both the Club Championship & Handicap Championship were competing for a place in the Final (which is on Sunday 3rd July), and the Junior`s were playing their Club Championship Final. Keep reading to get the lowdown of how that one played out.
Back in the gents we had the following match ups.
Club Championship
Robbie Murdoch v Lewis Shand
Clark Brechin v Keith Horne
Cameron Grant v Graham Innes
Ryan Penny v Gary Lochead
Handicap Championship Johnny Russell v Andrew Cordiner
Derek Forbes v Aynslie Wallace
Ray Summers v Keith Allan
Craig Samson v Ian Logie
The victors in the morning were
Robbie, Clark, Cameron &
Gary in the Championship. While
Andrew, Aynslie, Keith and
Ian made it through to the afternoons Handicap Semi`s.
The afternoon saw some very close matches with the exception of Clark who, having won at the 14th in the morning, got taken to the 15th in the afternoon. In the final he will meet up with
Cameron Grant who had to work much harder to earn his place in the Sunday Showdown. In the morning against Graham he let slip a 1 Up lead playing the last, before eventually winning through on the 20th Hole. He found himself 1 up again playing 18 in the afternoon, but this time held his nerve to close out that match 2 Up against
Gary Lochead.
Our 2 finalists know one another's games very well as they are regular partners in the Portlethen Pennant Team.
It was a similar story in the Handicap Championship.
Aynslie Wallace boarded the 18th Tee 1 Up on
Andrew Cordiner, but a great birdie by Andrew saw the game go to extra holes, but after a long day`s golf it seemed that youth eventually won through over experience and Aynslie closed the match out at the 19th hole. The bottom match was an equally nip and tuck affair with Keith just edging things in a 2&1 victory.
These finals will take place over 36 holes on
Sunday, 3 July. It would be great for these guys to get as much support on their way round as possible, and I`m sure the players would appreciate it too so hopefully we will see a lot of you out cheering the guys on that day.
Saturday saw the 2nd Round of the Belmar Stableford played. There was a sense of déjà vu to the results through the 3 Divisions with 38 points leading, and 37 points for 2nd & 3rd spots only separated via the countback. The only exception was
Gary Thomson who posted a best of the day 41 Points. What was more significant about Gary`s 41 points was that it allowed him to win the overall 2 round Belmar Stableford Trophy.
Division 1
1st -
Scott Kranzke - 38 Points, 2nd =
Ray Summers - 37 Points ACB, 2nd =
Jeff Christie 37 Points
Division 2
1st -
Gary Thomson - 41 Points, 2nd =
Graham Rennie - 37 Points ACB, 2nd =
Mark McDonald - 37 Points
Division 3
1st -
Ken Ferguson - 38 Points, 2nd =
Ian Davidson - 37 Points ACB, 2nd =
Ian Hay - 37 Points
Something I forgot to include in last week`s Newsletter was the latest in the Standings in the Cappro Cup Qualifying Campaign.
Again there were lots of movers and shakers but with 6 events left to play there is still plenty time for anyone not in the hunt to `GET INVOLVED`..
Click here to check out the current Cappro Cup standings.
It was qualifying time on Thursday last week too.
Steve Cassie and myself set off from the Lost City of Atlantis, aka Portlethen-Under-Sea, and made the trip down the A90 to Crieff GC to take part in the Scottish region Qualifier for the Lombard Trophy. Steve had previously won our Club Qualifier for the chance to head to Crieff. Despite us traveling through some awful downpours en route, we were blessed with ideal golfing conditions……unfortunately our golf wasn`t ideal. Although I would say it was very acceptable and extremely enjoyable.
We nudged it round in a 2 Under Par 69 Better Ball to finish smack bang in the middle of the pack. 24th out of 49 Teams. We would`ve had to have gone some to beat the 10 under par 61 that eventually won the event. But on the plus side I have now completed 3 18 hole rounds this year......which means I`ve got enough cards in to keep my Handicap.
But on a serious note, it did whet my appetite for golf and I hope to be able to make more time to get out and play more…so don`t be too surprised if you see me out gracing the Portlethen fairways,….ok semi rough, sometime soon.
Finding fairways was definitely the name of the game at Oakmont, but what did interest me were not just the names that found their way to the top of the Leaderboard, but more the style and techniques of the players that made it there.
Watching each swing side by side I feel is particularly powerful and enforces something I find myself stressing to many of the golfers that come to me for lessons.
When I ask them what they are either focusing on or feeling when they hit good/better shots, I hear lots of answers, but there is sometimes a common theme to them.
"make a full shoulder turn", "set the wrists", "take the club back on the inside", "keep the left arm straight on the way back", "transfer the weight to my right leg" All of which can make up the essence of a good golf swing….however, my point to them is always
YOU DON`T HIT THE BALL ON THE BACKSWING.
The three swings featured in this photograph have pretty distinctive `flaws` compared to that of a "textbook backswing" but, as last week`s form proved, these players can all return the clubface to the ball efficiently, effectively and repetitively.
So my advice to you all, if you are going to focus on anything in the golf swing, make it relate to putting the club face on the ball better.
And remember, I am here with my trained eye to help you guys achieve that, and right now you have a great opportunity.
Last year 35 players lowered their playing handicap after having instruction from me. At roughly this time last year I also ran a promotion looking for my:
Game Improvement Champion
Those of you with a good memory will see that, with a 3rd place on Wednesday, Imran Sheikh is still winning Prize Money and lowering his handicap, and he was last year`s `Game Improvement Champion`
So here`s how the Promotion works.
From now until August I will be offering this exclusive Lesson Package.
"The Game Changer" - 4 x 45 Minute Lessons
Lesson 1 - Full Swing Analysis
Lesson 2 - Pitching & Chipping
Lesson 3 - Bunkers
Lesson 4 - Putting
ONLY £120 . (That`s A £20 Saving)**
**Top Up Lessons will be given at the equivalent reduced individual price.
Everyone who signs up for this Package will have their handicap progress recorded until the end of September (Lessons are recommended to be taken over the maximum of 2 week intervals, and are only Valid until the end of this period).
The Player who achieves the BIGGEST PERCENTAGE IMPROVEMENT on their Handicap will be crowned my "GAME IMPROVEMENT CHAMPION" and receive a Commemorative Sweater, Certificate and an All-Expenses Paid Away Golf Day with myself.
Note - If the Promotion attracts enough interest I will offer 2 Runners-Up Prizes to join the All-Expenses Paid Away Golf Day with myself.
That lasting improvement to your Golf Game is just one Click away. Book your first session up today.
We had Callaway in town on Monday which proved another good Fitting Day. Many thanks to those who came along to support, and I know that lots of performance gains were found.
Next up is PING, and at the moment we have only a couple of fitting slots left. But remember if you would like to just test drive the product feel free to pop along. The Day runs from 3 until 7 (Last slot @ 6.30pm)
PING - Thursday, 30 June from 3pm - 7pm
Titleist - Friday, 15 July from 3pm - 7pm
Click here to get in touch if you would like to book a fitting slot at either of these events.
Note: Please stipulate which fitting day you would like to attend and the preferred time.
The Club were able to crown their first Club Champion on Sunday when
Brandon Simpson successfully defended his title in the 36 Hole Sunday Shootout. This year he was up against the man in form and arguably the sections best player in
Ewan Brown.
The boys match was played in a fantastic spirit and was meanly and keenly contested. Throughout the morning round, there was never more than a hole in it, but the match did ebb and flow either way. At Lunch Brandon held a slender lead, and as the afternoon progressed he was able to creep further ahead before eventually closing out the contest at the 33rd hole.
Well Done Brandon.
The Ladies Competition saw most of the Ladies struggle a little with the exception of Kate McCall who scored, a best of the day and lowest by 5, 73.
Division 1
1st =
Wendy Plevey - 91 (13) - 78, 1st =
Sarah Louise Ritchie - 84 (6) - 78, 1st =
Catherine Craig - 94(16) - 78
Division 2
1st -
Kathleen McCall - 106 (33) - 73, 2nd -
Morag Cammack - 106 (27) - 79, 3rd -
Barbara Tait - 104(22) - 82
But the big headline of the day was
Rowena Keith scoring her first ever Hole In One at the 12th!
By her own admission it was a good shot…but the only one of the day