TERRE HAUTE —
Few who have ever tried their hands at playing the game of golf would describe the sport as “easy”. In fact, just the opposite would be the case.
Wouldn’t it be much better if the poor golfer knew “the secret” of the game? Then, he or she could go out and smack the little, dimpled ball straight down the middle of the fairway, knock approach shots close to the pin and send those putts straight to the bottom of the cup.
Only one thing is wrong. We don’t know the doggone “secret.” The great Ben Hogan was paid a ton of money by golf publications to expose “the secret.” Ben came out with his expose’ that included terms such as suppination and pronation. If Ben did have the secret he surely would have counted on it to defeat an unheralded and unknown Jack Fleck in a playoff for the U.S. Open. Fleck won handily.
Hogan was no fool. As long as golf magazines were willing to pass out the cash, he was willing to come up with another secret. Perhaps his best was, “I dug it out of the dirt.” And indeed he did. He was willing to practice hour after hour on a daily schedule until he was striking shots to his satisfaction. Ben was definitely a perfectionist. He came back to win a number of tournaments after he had been told by his doctors that he would never walk again after enduring catastrophic injuries to both legs. But “the secret”, this writer believes is still out there.
Back in the 1940s I learned of a secret called “The square to square method.” Another one came along later named “The X factor.” Following that came a succession of methods that countless golfers hoped would transform them into the outstanding players they hoped to become. Some were: The Inside Out Method, The Natural Approach, Self Hypnosis, Swing the Handle, A Left Hander’s Game for Right Handed Players, and Hit It With Your Right Hand. Anyone who pays strict attention to all of golf’s secrets can be assured of one thing, a disease known as “paralysis by analysis.”
Passing along golf instruction is really a slippery slope or perhaps akin to climbing a hill of sand, for every step forward, you slide back two.
Back in 1954, an Indiana State Teachers College golfer went out to qualify for the upcoming season. In mid-March he scored a 67 at the Phoenix Country Club. He went home and wrote the first chapter of what would be his contribution to golf’s literature.
The following day he returned to the same course, used the same woods, irons and putter, and scored a round of 82. Fifteen shots higher than the score he made the previous day. He went home and threw his previous rendition into the wastebasket. He now offers a tip or two, if asked. He forsakes any mention of “a method” or a “secret.”
Is there really a secret to outstanding golf? Possibly! I have a theory that it is hidden away somewhere in the lost continent of Atlantis. Until someone can figure a way to find it, I guess we’ll just have to call it “Lost.”
• If you are genuinely interested in golf’s secrets and methods, I heartily recommend “The Secret of Golf,” edited and annotated by George Peper who for 25 years was editor-in-chief of “Golf Magazine.”
• A trio of Terre Haute seniors have continued to play well in state and regional competition. Dave Brown fired a smooth 76 at the ultra difficult Victoria National Golf Club at Newburgh (IN) which allowed him entry into the U.S. Senior Amateur played at Lake Nona in Florida.
Since many of professional golf’s hierarchy live in that area Dave got to meet several, one of whom was Annika Sorenstam, formerly rated as the No. 1 player on the LPGA Tour.
Tom Jones has qualified for two USGA Mid Amateur tourneys. He qualified for one at Heartland Crossing and again at Otter Creek. He then advanced to tournaments hosted by the National Cash Register Course in Dayton (Ohio) as well as Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis (Mo.). Jones is a seven-time Terre Haute City Champion.
Ted Kaperak has eight Terre Haute city titles as well as four senior city wins. In addition he has finished first, second and third in the Indiana Club Champions Tournament played at Fox Prairie Golf Club each year.
Kaperak also remembers playing in a Society of Seniors event in Arizona when the temperature hit 112 degrees.
• Participating in senior events is not necessarily an unusual occurrence. Bill Doan Sr. is a former Terre Haute City Senior Champion as well as an Indiana Senior Amateur titleholder. Along the way he qualified for a pair of U S. Senior Amateur events. One was held at Dearborn Country Club in Dearborn (Mich.) and the other at Interlaken Country club in Minneapolis, Minn.
• Tip of the week — Although golfers will get many tips in regard to alterations in their respective golfing techniques most will be discarded. The intelligent golfer will adopt what works and discards the rest. The player who is playing well will make a mistake if he or she tries to improve on perfection. Remember: If it works don’t fix it.
Until next season, keep your head down and your shoestrings tied. We’ll be back.
Bob Arnett can be reached by e-mail at subob@aol.com.
Rub of the Green
RUB OF THE GREEN: Golf instruction a strenuous art
- Rub of the Green
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Ryder Cub drama a great part of American sports scene
The recent Ryder Cup matches are over, but not done with! At the time the final match had concluded the “talking heads” had already gone to work assessing blame to those who didn’t live up to their preconceived expectations.
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Snedeker the big winner after FedEx Championship
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Memories of Crooked Stick
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RUB OF THE GREEN: "Fair Joe" known expects rules to be followed in local hunts
Fair Joe is the name and golf is the game when referring to Joe Bukovack, who has sponsored hunts in Terre Haute as well as throughout Indiana during the past 25 years.
The “Fair” in Joe’s title refers to the fact that players who wish to participate in Bukovack’s competition must be willing to follow the rules of golf to the letter, otherwise they will not be invited to participate. -
RUB OF THE GREEN: Enjoying the game after all these years
When golf is referred to as “The Game for a Lifetime,” you’ve got to believe that description is definitely on target. For example, there is the Danny Williams hunt that converges on the first tee at The Landing on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. Many players are in their 70s and retired dentist, Bill Aikin, has seen 92 birthdays.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Hunts still popular on golf course
There is something about golf that lends itself to some friendly competition and in times gone by, the competitions were called “choose-ups.” Somewhere along the line, choose-ups became “hunts.” Regardless of what you call them, they remain a most popular mode of play for Terre Haute divot-diggers on courses throughout the Wabash Valley.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Heat doesn’t deter Terre Haute golfers
“When you’re hot, you’re hot, and when you’re not, you’re not.” Those are the words of country singer Jerry Reed and they apply to golfers as well.
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Rub of the Green: Father’s golf imprint still evident today
I was lucky and I knew it. My father, Robert Erwin Arnett, was one of the best dads any youngster could hope for.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Hogan, small of stature, left big footprints
With the Crowne Plaza Invitational being played at Colonial Country Club today, it conjures up images of the man himself, Bantam Ben Hogan, who won so often at Colonial it became known as “Hogan’s Alley.”
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Rub of the Green: Bowling or golf? Both provide plenty of challenge
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Sometimes this can be a confounding game
To be sure, the great Sam Snead certainly knew what he was talking about when he delivered his favorite axiom, “The sun don’t shine on the same dog every day.”
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Grayless takes over as golf professional at Hulman Links
Ed Grayless has assumed the “head man’s” position at the Links after Ryan Klopfenstein resigned as Hulman Links golf professional in order to pursue other interests.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Young players should match course to skills
One of the biggest mistakes a beginning golfer can make is to keep playing a golf course that is far too difficult for the ability demonstrated by that player.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: On the lanes or links, Davis is competitive
Darrell Davis carries a 240 bowling average which obviously puts him in some strong company on the alleys, but he feels that golf is a much more difficult sport than keggling.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Loquacious golfers can provide priceless quotes
Golfers always seem to have a great deal to say, but determining who said what and who said it first can be a problem.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Rick Fernandes can look back on a great golf career
What does an outstanding golfer have left when an accident has robbed him of the consummate skills he once possessed? The answer most assuredly would be one word, “Memories.”
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Feherty’s humor good for golf
David Feherty is an extremely funny man. If you have read his book written a few years ago, you might have guessed what to expect from him. The book, entitled “Somewhere in Ireland a Village is Missing an Idiot,” set the stage for his far out brand of humor, most of which is directed at himself.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: It's all in your head
A pair of divot diggers had been discussing their favorite sport when one could be heard saying, “You know, I think this game is 90 percent mental.” After a short pause his friend replied, “Well, I think you’re about 10 percent short in your estimation.”
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Golf: ‘The Game You Love to Hate’
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Golf is only sport that offers both hilarity, pathos
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This writer would heartily agree. No sport or game can offer combinations of happiness and sadness, hilarity and pathos as evidenced by an activity called “cow pasture pool” by some of its practitioners. -
RUB OF THE GREEN: Even golfers say there is drug problem on Tour
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Not all golfers display their trophies
Back in the “old days,” let’s say the 1940s, most of the time when you won something in a golf tournament your prize came in the form of a trophy. That was it, just a dust catcher. Later, merchandise prizes were added.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Golf full of colorful characters
Every sport has its own cast of characters and golf is definitely no exception. Whether it is diving head first into a greenside bunker or tying an unreliable putter to a car’s bumper and dragging it down the road, golfers can do some strange things.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Winter made golf impossible this year
Old Man Winter along with Mother Nature must have something against area golfers. They have joined forces to sabotage a sport called winter golf, an activity many Wabash Valley players have enjoyed in years gone by.
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RUB OF THE GREEN: Golf instruction a strenuous art
Few who have ever tried their hands at playing the game of golf would describe the sport as “easy”. In fact, just the opposite would be the case.
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BOB ARNETT: No matter what your level, watch out for pressure
What is the affliction that can affect most any golfer from those who can’t break an egg to skilled golfers who can break 70?
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RUB OF THE GREEN: THGA tournaments include variety, long history
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RUB OF THE GREEN: PGA playoff system still needs work
Is anyone fed up with the convoluted Fed Ex playoffs? The PGA has been tweaking its so-called Fed Ex playoff system for years, and they never seem to get it right.
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Rub of the Green: Golf can be roller coaster for young pros
Dustin Johnson may be best remembered for his appearances in the major tournaments in 2010, but not because he won. He didn’t win. But he came awfully close.
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Rub of the Green: One size does NOT fit all when it comes to golfing ability
Literally hundreds of books have been written on the subject of golf instruction, and we can be certain they all agree on one fundamental, always keep your head stationary throughout the swing.
Right? Nope, wrong as it could be! How’s that, you say? As examples both David Duval and Annika Sorenstam at one time were rated the world’s No. 1 professional golfers, respectively, and both swiveled their heads well before their clubheads reached the impact zone. In fact, Duval is one of a select few who has a 59 to his credit on the PGA Tour. - More Rub of the Green Headlines
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