When you hear the name of golf pro Harry Higgs, your first reaction is probably Harry Higwhoda, reminiscent of Danny Kaye’s Griwhoda declaration in a movie of yesteryear (yes, I’m so old I remember well my pet dinosaur Rex!). But Harry surprisingly has quite a following, and he’s ranked eighth in the race to the FedEx Cup. His story is one worth taking a closer look at.
The Majors
Fixing Jordan Spieth
In trying to help Jordan Spieth fix his game, former World Number One and now Golf Channel commentator David Duval came up with what he calls “reactionary golf.” In my thinking, it’s quite wise, and may have two, or possibly even more, meanings.
Goldilocks Golf: Not Too Fast, Nor Too Slow, But Just Right
With Buddhist practice, we aim for the Middle Way–something between the extremes the Buddha discovered by trial and error. The golf swing should be approached in like fashion.
The Shot Heard Round the (Golf) World
Golf, as with other sports, sometimes rises to the level of art, of beauty, of perfection, of talent, skill, determination, mindfulness,
Learning from One of the Greatest Ball Strikers of Them All
I’ve been studying the swing of Lee Buck Trevino lately. And there are several aspects that particularly strike me, and lead me to think we moderns have much to learn from from this six-time major and 29-time PGA victory winner. The guy goes after the ball like no one I’ve ever seen. Nearing impact, Trevino […]
The PGA Championship: Then and Now
When this major started back in 1916, golf pros weren’t even allowed clubhouse privileges at most courses. They changed their shoes, etc. in the parking lot. Being paid to play a sport was looked down upon. Amateurism was extolled and encouraged as late as the mid to late 1950s, with amateur Bobby Jones being the […]
Key Ways to Learn from Matt Wolff
The local pro at the range I frequent I understand is one of the best in the area; but his rates are a bit rich for my blood. So I decided, as I often do, to noodle around a bit with the mechanics of my swing and see if I could solve a couple conundrums. […]
Get a Grip
Arnold Palmer famously told of his father setting his hands on the club when he was learning the game, and told him never to change that grip. And Arnold never did. Arnie, though, had the hands of a blacksmith and probably would have excelled with just about any grip he chose. Gripping the club is […]
Staying Down on the Shot
You’ve heard the advice, I’m sure. “Stay down on it, Stay down on the shot!” And it really is important in achieving a consistently reliable swing. The other day on the course, I was not staying down and suffered the consequences–consistently lousy shots going this way and that. But before that round was over, I […]