PGTAA (Professional Golf Teachers Association of America)

1 week ago

Amusing. The weekend is almost here.

"Lexophile" describes those that have a love for words, such as:

"you can tune a piano, but you can't tuna fish",

"To write with a broken pencil is pointless."

An annual competition is held by the New York Times to see who can create the best original lexophile.

This year's submissions.

I changed my iPod's name to Titanic. It's syncing now.

England has no kidney bank, but it does have a Liverpool .

Haunted French pancakes give me the crepes.

This girl today said she recognized me from the Vegetarians Club, but I'd swear I've never met herbivore.

I know a guy who's addicted to drinking brake fluid, but he says he can stop any time.

A thief who stole a calendar got twelve months.

When the smog lifts in Los Angeles U.C.L.A.

I got some batteries that were given out free of charge.

A dentist and a manicurist married. They fought tooth and nail.

A will is a dead giveaway.

With her marriage, she got a new name and a dress.

Police was summoned to a daycare center where a three-year-old was resisting a rest.

Did you hear about the fellow whose entire left side was cut off?
He's all right now.

A bicycle can't stand alone; it's just two tired.

The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine last week is now fully recovered.

He had a photographic memory but it was never fully developed.

When she saw her first strands of gray hair she thought she'd dye.

Acupuncture is a jab well done. That's the point of it.

I didn't like my beard at first. Then it grew on me.

Did you hear about the crossed-eyed teacher who lost her job because she couldn't control her pupils?

When you get a bladder infection, urine trouble.

When chemists die, they barium.

I stayed up all night to see where the sun went, and then it dawned on me.

I'm reading a book about anti-gravity. I just can't put it down.

Those who get too big for their pants will be totally exposed in the end. ... See MoreSee Less

PGTAA (Professional Golf Teachers Association of America)

1 week ago

GOLF’S ORIGINAL MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIP RETURNS TO NORTHERN IRELAND WITH ROLEX AS OFFICIAL TIMEKEEPER - 50 years and still ticking.

For the first time in 68 years, The Open returns to Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland where the world’s elite golfing talent will compete from 18–21 July to be crowned the Champion Golfer of the Year. Ever-present at The Open since 1981, Rolex is the Official Timekeeper of golf’s oldest Major.

Royal Portrush’s rugged North Atlantic coastline will provide a perfect backdrop for the 148th Championship, while the challenging Dunluce Links will test even the game’s finest players as they vie for the coveted Claret Jug.

For more than 50 years, the Swiss watch manufacturer has become intimately linked with the sport, reflecting its enduring commitment to the ancient game. The partnership between Rolex and golf started in 1967 with Arnold Palmer, joined by close friends and fellow members of The Big Three, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, who this year celebrates the 60th anniversary of his first Major victory, at The Open in 1959.

The relationship has expanded into one with a global reach that is based on shared respect for heritage and the quest for perpetual excellence. Rolex now supports the game at all levels, from golfing legends to today’s elite players, the men’s and women’s Major championships, and other leading tournaments, such as the Rolex Series, which comprises the eight most prestigious tournaments on the European Tour’s International Schedule. The partnership also extends to the organizations around the world responsible for safeguarding the game’s future.

RETURNING CHAMPIONS

Returning for The Open in 2019 is Rolex Testimonee and 2018 Champion Golfer of the Year, Francesco Molinari. He carded a bogey-free final round of 69 to lift the Claret Jug at Carnoustie last year, thereby becoming the first Italian professional golfer to win a Major. He maintained his rich vein of form at The Ryder Cup in Paris later in the year when he became the first European in history to win five out of five matches as his team defeated the United States. The 36-year-old from Turin rounded off his tremendous year by winning the European Tour Race to Dubai and being named 2018 European Tour Golfer of the Year.

His outstanding form has continued in 2019 and he will contest The Open for an 11th time with the prospect of doing something only a select few have achieved in the modern age: win back-to-back titles. In doing so, Molinari would join fellow Testimonees Arnold Palmer (1961, 1962), Tom Watson (1982, 1983), Tiger Woods (2005, 2006) and Pádraig Harrington (2007, 2008).


Already a Champion Golfer of the Year on three occasions, Tiger Woods will hope to recapture the magic of 13 years ago when he last lifted the Claret Jug and edge closer to fellow Testimonee Jack Nicklaus’s record of 18 Major titles. Woods now holds 15, thanks to his remarkable Masters triumph in April 2019, his first Major title after a gap of 11 years.

Inspired by their fellow Testimonees’ success at The Open comes a new generation of players, the Rolex New Guard. Playing with integrity, maturity, and respect, these golfers represent the future of the game, all keen to leave their own mark on this tournament and the game itself.

World No. 1 Brooks Koepka has enjoyed an unprecedented run of form these past two years, including back-to-back wins in both the PGA Championship (2018, 2019) and the U.S. Open (2017, 2018) – and narrowly missing out on a third consecutive U.S. Open title at Pebble Beach, two months after being runner-up at the 2019 Masters Tournament. He boasts the best record in this year’s Majors and Royal Portrush marks a golden opportunity for the 29-year-old from Florida to capture the only Major played outside the United States.

Just one of two players to win three of golf’s four men’s Majors before his 24th birthday, American Jordan Spieth is the only New Guard member to have won The Open. Given Spieth’s tremendous record at this event, including two top-10 finishes in addition to his victory, he has the championship pedigree to capture a second title and fourth Major.

Among the New Guard Testimonees competing at The Open this year are China’s Haotong Li, who finished third in his first Open appearance in 2017, and Spaniard Jon Rahm, who will look to emulate previous success in Ireland. The 24-year-old has eight professional wins to his name, including three Rolex Series victories, of which, two have been at the Dubai Duty-Free Irish Open (2017, 2019).

ROLEX TESTIMONEE OPEN CHAMPIONS

Gary Player (1959, 1968, 1974)

Arnold Palmer (1961, 1962)
Jack Nicklaus (1966, 1970, 1978)
Tom Watson (1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983)

Tiger Woods (2000, 2005, 2006)
Pádraig Harrington (2007, 2008)

Phil Mickelson (2013)
Jordan Spieth (2017)
Francesco Molinari (2018)


ROLEX TESTIMONEES EXPECTED TO PLAY THE 148TH OPEN

Rafa Cabrera Bello
Paul Casey
Jason Day
Bryson DeChambeau
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Rickie Fowler
Pádraig Harrington
Brooks Koepka
Haotong Li
Hideki Matsuyama
Phil Mickelson
Francesco Molinari
Joaquín Niemann
Thorbjørn Olesen
Thomas Pieters
Jon Rahm
Adam Scott
Jordan Spieth
Justin Thomas
Tiger Woods

ABOUT ROLEX

An unrivaled reputation for quality and expertise

Rolex, a Swiss watch manufacturer headquartered in Geneva, is recognized the world over for its expertise and the quality of its products. It's Oyster Perpetual and Cellini watches, all certified as Superlative Chronometers for their precision, performance, and reliability, are symbols of excellence, elegance, and prestige. The word “Perpetual” is inscribed on every Rolex Oyster. But more than just a word on a dial, it is a philosophy that embodies the company’s vision and values. Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of the company, instilled a notion of perpetual excellence that would drive the company forward. This led Rolex to pioneer the development of the wristwatch and numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanism, invented in 1931. Rolex has registered over 500 patents in the course of its history. A truly integrated and independent manufacturing company, Rolex designs, develops and produces in-house the essential components of its watches, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial, and bracelet. Furthermore, Rolex is actively involved in supporting the arts and culture, sport and exploration, as well as those who are devising solutions to preserve the planet.

www.rolex.com ... See MoreSee Less

PGTAA (Professional Golf Teachers Association of America)

2 weeks ago

Going into a golf season with realistic goals adds motivation, direction, and purpose for golfers.

Going into a competitive season with excessively high expectations adds pressure, anxiety, and distraction for an athlete.

Throw adversity into the equation, things change drastically.

First, let’s examine exactly what goals are and how adversity affects the athlete… A goal is a well-defined, measurable, attainable objective.

More importantly, goals are adjustable. If you reach your goal prior to the end of the season, you can set a new objective to work towards.

Likewise, if an unavoidable circumstance strikes, such as an injury, you can adjust your goal accordingly… Maybe you need to extend the date in which you want to accomplish your goal.

Expectations are rigid. Expectations are usually written in statements such as, “I have to…,” “I must…” and “I need to…”

When it comes to expectations, there is no flexibility. No matter the circumstance, the expectation remains the same.

Expectations generate tension, anxiety and pressure.

These are the very things that interfere with performance and cause golfers to feel that they constantly fall short. When an athlete with unrealistic expectations experiences adversity, they become devastated and feel like a failure.

Every athlete will experience some degree of adversity.

Athletes with realistic goals feel they still have some degree of control and can alter their objectives in a way that keeps them working towards something positive.

Working towards a well-defined, measurable, attainable, adjustable objective helps athletes stay motivated, confident and positive through a wide range of circumstances.

High expectations and injury derailed Philadelphia Sixers’ small forward Zhaire Smith in his 2018-19 rookie season.

Smith was selected with the sixteenth overall pick by the Phoenix Suns in the 2018 NBA draft, then immediately traded to the Sixers. The Sixers had hopes that Smith would be able to contribute to a playoff run.

Smith had high expectations for his first year in the NBA and that pressure caused him to play tight and hesitant the last pre-season. Smith was further derailed by a fracture in his foot and an allergic reaction.

Smith played in only eight games during the year. Smith has changed his perspective for the upcoming year and is focused on doing the little things to help the team.

SMITH: "I’m coming in, 16th pick, first-rounder. I’m coming in like, ‘I’m going to drop 30.' But this year, I’m like, ‘Let’s just have fun and have the game come to me, do the little things and help the team win.’”

It is important, prior to each season, to sit down and write your goals for the season. Make sure those goals are realistic and attainable by the end of the season.

Understand that your goals are fluid. That means your goals are not etched in stone and can be adjusted, if necessary.

With sound goals, you can maintain high confidence, stay focused and sustain your motivation through the season.

Changing Expectations into Goals

The first step is to challenge what you want to accomplish during the upcoming season:

Ask yourself, “Realistically, can I accomplish THIS within the time constraints of this season?”

Consult with your coach or mental game coach and write down specific, attainable, measurable goals for the season and a plan of action.

If adversity strikes, again sit down with your coaches and adjust your goals if necessary.

Make sure you identify the expectations that lead to pressure and frustration and decide to discard these in place of manageable goals.

By PGTAA member Dr. Patrick Cohn ... See MoreSee Less