Golf Sure, I’ll admit that it’s fun to turn on your TV every weekend and watch PGA Tour or LPGA Tour pros bash the ball miles straight down the fairway and drain putts from other time zones in thrilling and dramatic finishes. But, while these feats of athleticism are incredible to watch, these players are in a different league. While trolling the range at this year’s RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey in Oakville, Ontario, I saw players who were surrounded by coaches, caddies, swing instructors, etc. Standing by were representatives from the major equipment manufacturers ‒ such as Titleist and TaylorMade ‒ to make any necessary tweaks to their clubs. I believe that the professional game has gone too far and is starting to suffer from paralysis by analysis. Everyone knows the adage that golf is 90 per cent mental. Well I believe that the pro game, in trying to fine-tune, dial in and analyze every little thing, is not setting a good example for showing the average golfer how to enjoy this game without all of the gadgets and data. It’s like aspiring hockey players watching their hero taking slap shots and then all they want to do is try to emulate a shot which they will rarely get to execute, versus focusing on honing the more fundamental skills such as skating, stick-handling and passing. That’s why I want to write about amateur golf. If you love golf as much as I do, there’s nothing quite like watching an amateur play – those who mostly tee it up every week – first and foremost – for the love of the game. I witnessed this first-hand earlier this summer when I travelled 90 minutes down the highway to Lewiston, N.Y., to attend the final round ofThe Porter Cup at Niagara Falls Country Club: amateur golf is alive and well. This year marked the 59th playing of this event. Past champions include current PGA Tour pros Phil Mickelson and Brian Harman. What a fun afternoon I had following the final threesome for their penultimate holes. Joining me was a throng of fellow golf lovers. Some drove just as many miles as I did to watch these rising fairway stars compete. Stanford’s Brandon Wu won by wielding a hot flat stick and putting on a clinic – hitting 17 of 18 greens in regulation and 11 of 13 fairways. For the Love of the Game Giving Amateur Golf Its Due 40 | www.snowbirds.org
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