LEFTY’S DILEMMA

Did Phil Mickelson make a bad choice last Sunday in the final round of the Masters when he made a triple bogey 6 on the 240-yard fourth hole and ultimately lost the tournament by two strokes? Mickelson has long been perceived as a “gambler” and the answer may appear obvious. However, before we rush to judgment, let’s examine his choices.

Under the rules of golf Mickelson actually had three options – other than playing his original ball – and all included a one-stroke penalty:

1. He could have gone back to the tee and hit his shot.

2. He could have dropped within two club lengths of the spot the original ball came to rest.

3. He could drop on an imaginary line extending from the spot of the original ball, without limit on how far behind that point the ball may be dropped.

However, Mickelson couldn’t utilize either of the latter options. With #2 he had no backswing. With #3 he only went deeper into the woods. The only real choices were #1 (back to the tee), or playing the ball from its original spot. If he exercised #1 he would hit his “third” shot. If he landed on the green and made his putt (a “birdie” on the second ball) his score would be four.

But the hole – Flowering Crab Apple – is formidable. Mickelson knew making birdie would be difficult and that his “probable” score would end up a five.

He elected to hit his original ball in an attempt to put it in position somewhere near the green where he had some chance to chip in for par and a good chance to make four. Remember, he is one of the best short-game players on tour.

I believe he felt that by playing the original ball his worst score would be five; which was the likely score he would receive if he had gone back to the tee. Under the circumstances, Mickelson made the best decision of those available. Unfortunately, he was just unable to successfully execute. He sort of became you or me for a moment.

AROMATHERAPY FOR YOUR GAME

It’s called “Swing Trust Oil” and the company hopes it will do just that for your game – it’s a proprietary blend of essential oils that they say can enhance concentration and increase relaxation.

Click here to listen to an interview with the President of Play With Trust LLC, Chad Van Den Top, who used to be a young golf pro. SWINGTRUSTOIL

Based in Sioux Falls, SD, Play with Trust LLC has launched Swing Trust Oil which costs $29.95. It’s an aromatherapy product targeted at avid golfers looking to enhance their game.

The blend includes: bergamot, cedar atlas, clary sage, red cedarwood, ylang-ylang and grape seed. The distinctive aroma of this blend can improve both concentration and relaxation, two essential elements in the game of golf.  The blend may be sniffed as often as desired by golfers of all ages.

Packaged in a handsome keychain flask, Swing Trust Oil is easily clipped on to the golf bag and will last for 200 rounds of golf.

“Swing Trust Oil is designed to help golfers reduce tension, build confidence in their game and improve their mental focus,” said Van Den Top. “Calming the nerves, eliminating the yips and sharpening one’s focus can help center the golfer. Using Swing Trust Oil brings a new dimension to the game that focuses on the mind, rather than technique.  When the mind is sharp and clear, it follows that the game is sharp and clear.”

According to the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy, aromatherapy can be defined as the art and science of utilizing naturally extracted aromatic essences from plants to balance, harmonize and promote the health of body, mind and spirit.  It is a natural, non-invasive modality designed to affect the whole person … and to assist the body’s natural ability to balance, regulate, heal and maintain itself by the correct use of essential oils.

The NAHA also states that direct inhalation of the oils has psychological effects through olfactory links with the limbic system that can then stimulate or sedate body systems or organs. In addition, contact with nasal mucosa and the alveoli in the lungs gives fast access to the bloodstream, making physiological effects possible.

ABOUT SWING TRUST OIL

When Van Den Top was a young golf professional he struggled with the need to increase energy and mental focus, along with the need to managing escalating stress of tournament golf.  He turned to the myriad benefits of aromatherapy and found it helped him gain clarity and confidence while minimizing stress and anxiety.

In time, Chad began using different blends of essential oils to create his “swing oil,” wafting the formulation under his nose when he felt the yips coming on or simply needed to gain confidence before a difficult shot.  While his playing partners used their own version of “swing oil” (alcohol) to settle their nerves during play, Chad began sharing his aromatherapy blend, thus creating a demand for a natural, non-technique means of enhancing concentration and game performance.

ROTELLA, KEEGAN BRADLEY AND THE ATLANTA ATHLETIC CLUB

Editor’s note: Dave Mahoney is a Professional Golf Instuctor who teaches at Route 4 Golf Center in North Greenbush and at Murphy’s Driving Range on Route 9 in Saratoga Springs. Mahoney graduated from Columbia High School in East Greenbush and was captain of the golf team at RPI, earning All-ECAC First Team while getting a degree in entrepreneurial management and marketing. You can find him at www.davemahoneygolf.com.

The 2011 PGA Championship was an extra special tournament for me to watch for a couple of reasons. First of all, I had a chance to go back and watch the tournament live on the same course that just three years ago I had the great fortune to tee it up and play on.

Secondly, it was a lot of fun watching rookie Keegan Bradley win his first major championship employing the same principles that Doctor Bob Rotella taught me when I stayed at his house in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Keegan Bradley had a lot to take away from his final round collapse at the World Golf Championships in Akron, OH a week earlier. I am sure that most golfers, if they had a disappointing final nine holes like Keegan did at Firestone, would not know how to frame that experience properly. That’s when the help of Doctor Bob Rotella comes in. I can tell you that Doctor Bob likes to get his players to pay attention to the positives when they get done with a round or a tournament.

I am sure that Doctor Bob reminded Keegan that for 63 holes of the World Golf Championships he had a good shot to beat the best players in the world. In other words – if he can do that for 63 holes, why not 72? Now isn’t that a great way of looking at it?!

So over those last nine holes at Firestone, something must have changed that didn’t allow Keegan to continue his great play. Doctor Bob is really big on taking it one shot at a time, and measuring a round’s success not by how you score but by how well a player sticks to what he can control. In other words: the process or the pre-shot routine.

When Keegan Bradley skulled his chip into the water on the par-3 15th hole the tournament appeared like it was over for him. Jason Dufner had a four-shot lead with four holes to play. But this time, it looked like Keegan wasn’t going to lose his focus. As a result, he was able to play his best and force a playoff that he would eventually win.

Keegan followed up his triple-bogey with birdies on #16 and #17 and made a great par at 18. He committed himself to being fully-focused on his routine, and didn’t let the outcome of the 15th hole carry over into one more shot.

If you watched Keegan, when he teed it up on #16, it didn’t appear that there were any remnants of negativity in his mind. He was completely focused on hitting a great drive. It was as if the 15th hole hadn’t even happened when he was ready to hit.

Doctor Bob gave me another great trick he likes to use with his players that I think you will find very valuable. While working with Fred Couples, before each shot, Freddie would remember the best shot he had ever hit with that particular club. So Keegan may have been standing on 16 not giving any attention the previous hole but rather giving full attention to the shot he wanted to hit. Maybe he remembered hitting a perfect drive on that hole before he got into his routine? Who knows, but it’s a great tip.

It is also interesting to note that when I played two rounds with Doctor Bob, he never used a score card. The reason was because in his mind, if I stayed committed to the shot at hand, and just played one shot at a time, I would play my best. He didn’t want to give importance to the score; rather he gave complete importance to the routine, and how committed I was on each shot before I hit.

Finally, one of the greatest things Doctor Bob shared with me was the idea of having a long term memory of great shots, tournament victories, or any great experiences you may have had with your game in the forefront of your memory.

Giving all your golfing attention to reasons why you are good enough to achieve your goals rather than filling your mind with reasons why you are not.

In order to win on the PGA Tour today, you have to do a lot more than have a great swing. Your mindset has to be your greatest asset.

With the help of Doctor Bob, Keegan Bradley was able to make his wildest dreams a reality. Use these tips, and you too can become the kind of golfer you really want to be!

ABOUT MAHONEY

Dave Mahoney II, 30, grew up in North Greenbush and has battled back injuries but says he feels great now.
Mahoney learned the mental side of the game from just a couple of days spent with famed sports psychologist Bob Rotella.  In October 2006, Mahoney stayed with Rotella the day after Padraig Harrington did.

“It was like golfer’s heaven when you walked into [Rotella’s] basement,” Mahoney said. “There was a putting green, weight room, autographed pictures” including Phil Mickelson, Tom Kite and The Goo-Goo Dolls rock band.

“[Rotella] helped them get over writer’s block for their new CD,” Mahoney said.

They had dinner and played a round of golf and Mahoney watched him work.

“Really just a positive aura around the guy,” he said.

MORE ADVENTURES WITH NICK & WAYNE

Nick and Wayne are playing a match in their golf league and encounter a somewhat unusual situation. Wayne hit his shot a bit off-line. It landed on the cart path and proceeded to roll into a depressed area on the other side of the path, but still inbounds.

When Wayne and Nick arrived at the spot where the ball disappeared they came upon a large, open drainage pipe at the bottom of the ditch. They searched for Wayne’s ball but were unable to locate it. After a few minutes both mutually concluded that the ball most likely ended up inside the pipe.

Wayne looked at Nick and asked, “What do I do now?”

Is Wayne entitled to relief without penalty?

Since both players were “reasonably certain” the ball was lost inside the immovable obstruction, Wayne is not subject to penalty and should proceed under Rule 24-2B- Immovable Obstruction.

Since the ball was not immediately recoverable, Wayne should substitute another ball and drop it within one club length of the nearest point of relief, no closer to the hole. He may have lost his ball, but he might not lose the hole.

RELIEF OR ARE YOU ALL WET?

Nick and Wayne are playing a match in their golf league and both hit their drives on the first hole. When Nick arrived at his ball he noticed that it had landed about six inches from a sprinkler head. Nick took his practice swing and had a clear path to the green.

Nick set up to hit the shot and then backed off. He turned to Wayne and said, “The sprinkler head is in my line of vision when I prepare to swing. Since it is an immovable obstruction, I believe I’m entitled to get one club length relief as long as I don’t go closer to the hole.”

Wayne replied, “I don’t think you can do that.”

Is Nick entitled to relief?

RULE

Rule 24-2(a) states, “interference by an immovable obstruction occurs when a ball lies in or on the obstruction, or when the obstruction interferes with the player’s stance or the area of his intended swing.”

Since neither Nick’s swing nor stance was impeded by the sprinkler head he is not entitled to relief in this situation. However, it is interesting to note that if it was Wayne’s ball in his line of vision rather than the sprinkler head, Nick could ask that the ball be marked.

The rules allow it anytime that there may be doubt about finding your original ball. Even if the ball lands in the rough and there’s only a minimal chance it could be lost, you can reload. I like to look at it as a chance to work on correcting whatever it was that obviously caused a less-than-stellar shot in the first place – a chance to get in some practice in the middle of a round…what a concept! Be careful though. If there’s any reason to believe your ball is absolutely NOT lost, you’ll be pushing the envelope by playing a second ball.
 
Okay, now that I’ve got that off my chest, let’s spice things up a little. Frank mentioned that Wayne hit his provisional a foot from the stick and declared his first tee shot lost. Let’s say that as Nick is walking to the green, he sees what could be a ball over in the woods by where Wayne hit his first shot. This is what I love about this game – the moral dilemmas we face when applying the rules – let’s talk about it.

Nick has every right to trample through the woods and determine if the ball is, in fact, Wayne’s first shot. If it is, Wayne is stuck with it and he must abandon the provisional and attempt an escape from the pokey. It could get ugly. Should Nick have respected Wayne’s “request” of sorts to abandon the first ball and stay out of the woods? What if the ball that Nick saw (and foraged through the woods to identify) turns out not to be Wayne’s? Should Nick find another group to play with next Saturday?

Here’s the point – nothing prohibits Nick from going into the forest to look for Wayne’s ball but, should he concede to principles of sportsmanship (does anyone really know what the principles of sportsmanship are?) and not give it a look? The guy in the red suit with a pitchfork who’s sitting on my left shoulder is telling me (Nick) to find the ball, make Wayne play it (ouch!) and negate the provisional ball. The other guy on my right – you know, the one with the white robe and the halo – is trying hard to convince me to keep walking to the green, stay out of the woods and win the hole based on my own ability. Is Nick wrong if he exercises all his rights under the rules?

I would really like to get a few comments posted on this “moral dilemma.” My experience (32 years of tournament golf) tells me that the rules often create that issue of what’s really the right thing to do… and what’s thought about those who do apply the rules when it isn’t the most “popular” course of action.
 
A couple of appetizers to add to the “food for thought” menu: the rules state that when putting a provisional ball in play, the player must clearly state that he (or she) is putting a provisional ball in play. Phrases such as “I’ll reload” or “I’ll hit again” don’t cut it. You must make it clear that you are hitting a “provisional ball,” actually saying those words. When your fellow competitor fails to specifically state, “This is a provisional ball,” or something to that effect specifying that it is a provisional, are you going to call him (or her) on it and require him to play the second ball, thus abandoning the first? Do you really care if the intent is obvious? How about this: are you going to wait to see how the hole turns out before making your claim? That could really be interesting!
 
Please feel free to comment and stop by often; it’s going to be a great season. I hope you join me for the ride!

Over the course of my life, I have been to major championships, competed with some outstanding players, seen some of the most beautiful courses, but never had the opportunity to be inside the ropes with some of the PGA Tour’s finest players.  This week at Turning Stone gave me an up close and personal behind the scenes look at the PGA Tour. 
 
When I was offered this opportunity, I was very excited about a few things.  First of all, having no media experience I was looking forward to seeing what it was like in the interview room as well in the actual media room.  The interview room at this particular tournament was very small, and even after the leaders came in, no more than 10 to 15 reporters were there at a time which made it very easy to ask questions if you wanted to do so.  In the media room we were surrounded by golf’s most recognizable sports writers, photographers, and of course The Golf Channel.  On top of that, I was also impressed by how much food they had there for us!  What a bonus!
 
My favorite part of the experience was having the ability to stand on the driving range as well as on all of the other practice facilities with the players.  I really wanted to get a close look at how these guys prepare and hit the ball.  On Saturday, I witnessed first hand some of the finest swings in golf today.  On the range I was standing directly behind Adam Scott, Brandt Snedeker, Jonathan Byrd, Will MacKenzie, Matt Kuchar, Steve Elkington, Justin Rose, Aaron Baddeley, and Stuart Appleby.  They all had different approaches to hitting the ball, but they were all a pleasure to watch and were also very friendly.
 
After their rounds, they walked to the scoring table inside the clubhouse and then they would step outside for some quick interviews with The Golf Channel, XM Radio, or with me from Capital Area Golf.  I really wanted to talk with Will MacKenzie.  He offers a unique prospective on chasing a dream.  Will was nothing like a Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, or an Adam Scott who were all where very dominant amateur players that were destined for stardom on the PGA Tour since they were young.  Rather, he offers a different story that I feel resonates deeply with the human spirit.  At the tender age of 14, Will quit playing golf because he was burnt out.  After high school, he moved out west and went though a bunch of jobs, and snowboarded all the time, and even lived in his van for a while.  In his mid 20’s he began to wonder if his life was going to amount to much and even tried to open a Christmas tree shop that inevitably didn’t work out to well. 

Motivated by Payne Stewart’s U.S. Open triumph over Phil Mickelson at Pinehurst, Will decided that he was going to pick up the sticks again and put all of his energy into trying to make it on tour.  I asked him if he could offer some perspective for those who are chasing a dream that is considered outside the box.  He added “Perseverance.  You have to work hard, and you have to believe that you are going to make it.  I was shooting 77’s and 78’s and the people from where I grew up where looking at me like I was never going to make it.  I said I am going to make it; I’m in it for the long run.  If I have to wait for the Champion’s Tour, I am going to make it.  You have to see no other way.” 

Regardless of what your dream is, this story shows that with the right mindset, you can achieve what you set out to.  Very inspiring!  Will is currently on the PGA Tour and doing quite well, after Saturday’s round at Turning Stone, he was 8 under par and 6 shots back from the lead.
 
The event at Turning Stone offered me a tremendous opportunity to observe and imagine what its like on tour from a player’s eye.  I have a new respect for how hard these guys work, and how level headed the majority of the players remain through it all.  There was certain energy around this experience that made it all very special to me.  If you ever get the chance to step inside the ropes on tour, take advantage because it is an experience you will not forget!!!

 Wednesday’s preparation for the Turning Stone Resort Championship proved that being a player on the PGA Tour presents a tremendous physical and mental challenge.  After a long season of continuous travel, the players found themselves braving the elements that consisted of a 45 degree day with rain and wind.  Many of the players were committed to playing in the Pro-Am and most of the others were outside practicing.   
 
 I arrived at Turning Stone around noon, and after a 15 minute lunch with John Craig, we were on our way to Adam Scott’s interview.  After the interview I asked Adam if he brought his surf board with him and he commented that it would come in handy on the fairways here.  He also added that he didn’t come prepared with a lot of warm weather gear.  With four layers on today, I found myself still feeling cold. 
 
 However, the best players in the world know how to handle the weather both on a mental and physical level.  I was talking to Aaron Baddeley and he remarked that staying warm and dry is top on the priority list.  This is something Dr. Bob Rotella also preached to me before I would go to a tournament.  When getting ready for any round of golf it is essential to have the necessary equipment so you can minimize the distraction of the elements.  After you are as physically comfortable as possible, the next step is staying as mentally positive as you can. 
 
 Jack Nicklaus has talked about how he thrived on having the opportunity to compete in what many would often label as “bad weather”.  He stated that before the actual tournament began, he would estimate that about 90 percent of the players in the field played themselves out of the tournament by mere complaining and negative thinking.  So staying positive and embracing the elements is a great way to give yourself a little mental edge when you tee it up. 
 
 As for the night before the tournament, the players all seemed to have very casual routines.  Michael Sim stated that he wasn’t going to spend extra time thinking about the week ahead after he finished practicing.  Aaron Baddley told me that he liked the routine of going to a tour “Bible Study”.  Any way you look at it, the best players in the world know how to keep it simple by not over doing or over analyzing anything.  The best players know how to go to the course, practice what they need to with full focus, and then relax and let it go until tournament time. 
 
 Dr. Bob Rotella once told me a story about how Brad Faxon had won a tournament the same week he decided to play tennis instead of a practice round.  Maybe we will find that this week’s winner was at the casino during today’s practice round. Who Knows?!  Preparation is different for all players, and I hope this article will help you to find your best way to prepare for your next round! 

It was a beautiful day in Virginia and Dr. Bob Rotella invited me to come with him to a golf course that neither of us had ever played. After the golf, he was going to give a talk and I was with him spending a couple of days learning how to improve my mind game. I have to be honest; spending a couple of days with this guy was such an uplifting experience. He has such a great perspective on golf and more importantly on life in general. After all, he has helped some of the biggest names in golf reach a level of play that they would have previously only dreamed of.

We were standing on the fifth hole which was this course’s number one handicapped hole. It was a par 5 that appeared to have many obstacles, but Bob didn’t want to see it that way. The man who was playing with us began to describe the hole to us as we stood on the tee. He said, “Well as you can see, there is lots of trouble out there. Watch out for the water on the left, the out of bounds markers far to the right and If you hit too far then…”

Right at that moment Bob stopped him and said laughingly, “Whoa, whoa, would you just tell me where I should hit it so I can focus on that?!” The man turned back to Bob and said… “Left side of the fairway is perfect.” Bob remarked… “How about at that red tree in the distance?” “Even better!” the man commented back to Bob. Then Bob got up, went through his brief routine, took a couple of waggles and knocked another beautiful drive down the left side of the fairway. He must have only missed his target of the red tree by less than 5 yards, but none the less, he was perfectly positioned in the fairway.

After the round I really thought about the significance of Bob’s mental approach that every golfer can benefit from. He preaches making sure that your last thought before you hit is an image of what you are trying to achieve. It has to do with being clear and committed. The best golfers in the world focus on what they want the shot to look like and feel like, they do not waste their energy thinking about what they don’t want the shot to look like or feel like.

You may have found yourself on the course noticing some sort of trouble and focusing your attention on the shot you don’t want. The result that often follows this habitual thought process is a shot that goes exactly where your attention was. This is how the human mind works, through habit. Going deeper here, when you bring your attention to what you don’t want you are really focusing on what you fear. In golf as in life, when we focus on what the mind fears, the best results don’t come about.

As the saying goes “We are what we think.” Our thoughts are our most powerful resource. Learning how to harness the power of the mind and bring our attention where we want it, in the face of fear is a practice that is most rewarding. As with anything else, the more you practice this type of mindset, the easier it gets.

• By BRIAN MOGG GOLF MAGAZINE TOP 100 TEACHER

Keep your chin up!
Literally. Studies have shown that human beings are almost twice as alert and also better able to concentrate on the task at hand when they walk with their chin held high — regardless of how bad their last shot might have been.

Ignore golf between shots
When the wheels are falling off, you walk too fast, talk too fast, breathe too fast and play too fast. This, of course, means that you prepare for and hit each shot too fast — and the cycle of bad shots continues. Between shots, shut down your golf brain — talk about football, talk about the movie you saw the night before, talk about the weather. Anything but golf to clear your mind.

Time to think. Fred Vuich

Time for action. Fred Vuich