Sometimes, a disjointed thought says more than a thousand words of orderly discourse. I thought I might test that theory.  Here are twenty random thoughts about golf. Feel free to agree, beat me down, or add your own in the comments.

1. I don’t care about the new groove regulations because I would still love the game if I had to hit featheries with persimmon woods across six holes of sheep pasture.
2. If I owned a golf course, alcohol would be forbidden on the course, but would be allowed in the awesome 19th hole bar that would be on the premises.
3. I cannot explain why, but I firmly believe in dress codes on golf courses. If there isn’t one, then fine, but if a course is going to have one, it should be enforced in a draconian manner, even if it means sacrificing revenue.
4. As a fan, I prefer watching golf on TV.  As a student of the game, there is absolutely no alternative to being there on the premises during a tournament.
5. The length of time Sam Snead played at a high level is amazing to me. Tom Watson is performing well at his age, but isn’t even on the same planet with respect to total wins.
6. The LPGA Tour has some great players, cool personalities, and good golf, but given the choice, I prefer watching a PGA Tour event 99% of the time.
7. My dream foursome:  David Feherty, Gary McCord, John Daly.  THAT would be a fun day.
8. Why do people refuse to fix ball marks and rake bunkers?  I bet those same people complain when their ball lands in a foot print or their putt rolls like a game of Plinko.
9. I love how people will spend $400 for the newest driver for its “forgiveness” but won’t spend $50 on a lesson with a pro. With a good swing, there’s not much to forgive.
10. Attention golf course operators:  I appreciate the guy who is there to help get carts loaded and unloaded and shine up clubs, but I would be infinitely more happy if you would have him riding around as a course ranger – and not just during weekend mornings.
11. There are some great golf blogs out there.  To anyone thinking of starting one: if you’re just doing it for money, your heart won’t be in it and it will show.  And, it probably won’t last for long.
12. I believe I will make every putt within ten feet. I don’t just tell myself I’ll make it, and of course I don’t make every one, but I believe that I will before I make the stroke.
13. If you’ve ever mowed fairways on a golf course, then you know that when you finish one and the striping is nearly perfect, it’s a very rewarding feeling.
14. I’ve done just about every task a golf maintenance worker can do and the one I hated most was changing hole locations.
15. I’m still waiting for the wonderful day when I get matched up on the course with some stranger and he says, “Do you mind if we play a match for honor, not money, and can we strictly enforce the rules?”
16. I’m not sure how I feel about long putters. I could see outlawing them and forcing a traditional-type stroke, but at the same time, they don’t really bother me that much to push the issue.
17. I’m a fan of using a little gamesmanship, but I’m afraid that in a serious tournament, I might cross the line, so I would probably not even try to play any mind games.
18. Since I started my journey to become a pro, I’ve been working with my pro to develop my game, but I haven’t played any competitive tournaments, partly because of poorly-timed injuries.  My club championship is this Sunday and it occurs to me that I don’t really know how to prepare effectively for a tournament. Both in the days leading up, and on the day itself.  I need to develop my own routine.
19. I have Hogan’s famous 1-iron photo hanging up in my dining room in my apartment, or my “golffice” as I like to call it.  It provides great inspiration on a daily basis.
20. I prefer match play to stroke play in a one-on-one situation. In stroke play, it’s too easy for a player just to zone out and shoot a number.  In match play, the opponent matters a lot more and there’s a lot more opportunity to get inside a player’s head. Especially since in match play, when the match is mathematically decided, it’s over, but in stroke play, a huge lead just means the need to grind out the final holes.

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