I have played sports all my life. I have always had a natural ability to excel. I played basketball, baseball, football, all the major sports. As I became a little older I discovered a more pressing need to advance my financial position. Since my father was one of those dads who didn't give you money off the "money tree" in the back yard, but expected you to earn it, I found myself caddying for him and his cronies at Riverside Country Club. I can't prove it but I think it was dad's plan to get me interested in the game through caddying. It worked! I started taking lessons from a guy named Burt, a nice guy who had been in an accident and couldn't play anymore. I don't know to this day if dad had to pay him or not, but I know his knowledge of the game and interest in teaching an enthusiastic kid how to swing the club correctly began a lifetime of challenge and enjoyment playing golf.
I recall, my dad would drop me off at the course when he went to work in the morning and pick me up when he came home at night. I would play from thirty six to fifty four holes every day. I gradually improved and by the time I was fourteen I was city junior champ with a handicap of three. I suppose I was a bit cocky about it but as I have said before, nature has a way of balancing the scales. I was playing in the club championship, not the junior club championship, but the adult tourny. I was feeling pretty good about myself. The field had been narrowed down to me and Ted Horn. I didn't realize at the time that I was witnessing one of the finest athletes I would ever see in action. You see, Ted's right arm was much shorter than his left and virtually useless. He would swing the club on the full shots with only his left. Then to chip and put he could use his right arm to help guide the club. Being young, I didn't let this influence my play. I played pretty well that day. Ted played well too. I lost by one shot at the last hole. Ted is gone now, but I wish I had realized at the time how special his ability was. I am sure I could have learned a lot from him, about golf, and more importantly about life and dealing courageously with it's setbacks.
It is now more than thirty years later, but I still love the game. Golf is the most difficult sport to play well. Really, if you don't believe me ask Michael Jordan. Every action in the golf swing is opposite to what the body wants to do naturally. Just learning the mechanics of the swing takes dedication and persistence. But it's the mental side of the game that makes it "the best game on the planet". In other sports you can release the tension through physical exertion. In golf, you have the same feelings of tension and nervousness but no way to release them. Let too much tension out and your game becomes wild and uncontrolled. Keep it all in and the pressure soon affects your rhythm and timing, the two things most important to the golf swing. Golf is a balancing act, even if you only play on Sunday with the boys, you must balance the forces of power with control, of attack with common sense.
The perfect example of the balance between power and control is Tiger Woods. He is constantly doing a high wire act between these two forces. All the best players do, the difference is that Tiger has much more power and controls it better than anyone ever has. If he can keep a level head and humble attitude through all the fame and fortune, and keep alive his desire to "play" the game for the sheer enjoyment and personal challenge, he undoubtedly will be the best player in history. Can he keep it up for a career lasting 20 or 30 years? Can he ever hope to develop the charm and charisma of an Arnold Palmer? Who knows; only time will tell, but I find myself pulling for him. Golf needs a new hero. Tiger is the perfect choice. He understands that, like it or not, athletes are role models, and that kids do look up to and emulate them. He is bright, unbelievably talented, and appreciates the honor and tradition of the game. Who better, then, to lead "the best game on the planet" into the next century!
In today's golf market, the cost of a quality set of clubs can be much more than many of us can afford. Being one of this group of players who can not justify two to three hundred dollars just for a driver I decided the only way to acquire the latest in equipment at a reasonable cost was to learn to build the clubs myself. For the last five or six years I have been doing just that. On average, I can build a set of clubs comparable to the big names at about one third the price. The cost of the equipment needed to accomplish any building need was small compared to the cost of brand name clubs out of the pro shop. The main expense was for a swing weight scale, bending machine, and drill press.
I would not be afraid to compare the quality of my clubs with those purchased through retail outlets, especially the fit and custom features such as changes to the loft and lie to fit a particular players physical dimensions and playing style
If any of you have questions about specific problems in building your clubs, or how to get started in the club building process, I would be happy to answer them!
