This week, I had the distinct pleasure of playing alongside our Golf Captain, Mr. Richard Garden, who, after hitting two balls in the water on # 9 turned to me and said, "can you believe that?" 

     "Two in the water, eh?   Maybe you should jump in with'em and make it four."   I thought it was funny. 

     Despite his wayward drives, spotty iron play and poor putting Richard, like all of us I suppose, still thinks the secret to this game is longer drives which got me to thinking about my own lengh-related issues - with respect to golf I hasten to add. 

     I’ve been observing the traditions of the game for 30 + years and there are but a couple of things of which I am absolutely convinced:

1. Course management is a misnomer - It should be called "ego" management.

2. Distance is the holy grail of golf.

     Let’s be perfectly honest with one another; everybody wants to hit the ball farther. While I agree that hitting it straight is an important skill, if you really want to shoot some low numbers you simply have to hit the ball a long way and... it goes over big with the chicks too!  A lifetime of exhaustive research on the subject of increased driving distance has revealed the options to be few; you can probably amplify your club head speed through lessons or fitness but that would be ignoring one of the great things about the game - new stuff.  Why work at it when you can always buy some game?

     This winter I made arrangements with our dashing Head Professional, Mr. Corey Gentes, to use a launch monitor with the hope that I might determine the exact equipment that would finally allow me to hit the ball as far as I've always claimed I do.  The day was fast approaching and although I was excited I found myself surprisingly apprehensive.  Deep down I knew the reason for my consternation; Corey and all of the other people who operate these Vector launch monitors don’t fully grasp the fragile psyche of the typical golfer. These things indicate without prejudice the launch angle, ball speed, spin rate and projected distance of each shot you hit.  In other words, after 30 some years of picturing myself as having a move like Steve Elkington, I might very well find out what every golfer can never, ever know… the truth.  In many ways ignorance can be bliss but in the case of your golf swing – it is an absolute must.  The truth could very well kill you. In my mind’s eye, my swing resembles that of Mr. Ernie Els… but with a soupçon more grace, rhythm and balance.  No one can ever know the truth about his or her swing.

     As I wrote once before there is a sense of comfort that comes from denying the truth and completely ignoring the facts - golf equipment is the perfect case in point.  We are best left believing there is something better out there.  Until someone proves otherwise it’s not really our fault; if we had better stuff, we would actually be quite good. The problem is that the technology to determine your ideal club/shaft combination is now readily available. Just don’t ever go and make use of it!  Consider this… what if you went to the test centre and found the equipment you currently have is perfectly suited to your game?   A clear worst-case scenario! You are hitting the ball as far and as accurately as you ever will.  That is all there is.

     In my opinion, the best thing the tester could say to me is "Sir, the good news is that your existing equipment could not possibly be more ill suited to your golf swing".   Thank goodness.   Things can always get better.

Play well,

The Committee