Turning a Negative Into a Positive, and Why I Dislike Math

In math, when one takes a negative number and multiplies it by a positive number, the number will be negative.  When you takes a negative number and multiplies it by a negative number, the number will be positive.

I strongly dislike math for this concept.  In real life, two negatives do not make a positive in my opinion.  I believe one negative can be turned into a positive.

I was talking one of my coworkers today and he used to be a football coach.   He told me that he played football in college and went on to coach for the next few years as a youth, high school coach at the varsity level and as an assistant college coach.  I played the part of listener and asked some engaging questions.  He stopped coaching because he didn't like the way the kids were being treated and his gut told him that having young kids playing.  So he gave up coaching football and for some reason when he said that it really bothered me and I didn't know why.

He explained when he was coaching at a division 2 college program about a kid who received a large football scholarship.  After two years in the program the player never really realized the potential the other coaches had hoped he would achieve.  Suddenly my coworker said, the other coaches started trying to entice the kid to quit the team so they could use the money on the next prospect.  He believed that this was completely unfair to the player, a negative part of the job.  Theoretically of course, the players who play on a team are at the discretion of the head coach, even if it some of the things are ethically questionable.

I had an opportunity to talk to him about it when we went out and played 9 holes in the afternoon.  I told him that he shouldn't give up because of a few negatives, especially if the positives are so many. I told him he should turn this into a recruiting tool.  If he decides to go back to coaching football he can tell the student-athletes he is recruiting what some coaches are actually thinking.  He can tell these kids that many coaches don't care about them outside of football and that he is the exact opposite of those negative coaches.  This is turning a positive into a negative in my eyes.

I feel that this lesson is particularly important because, on this day, President Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th president of the United States.  Many people are upset about Mr. Trump becoming president, while others are ready for some change.  Either way it is imperative that we give the new president a chance just like we gave President Obama his chance.

Happy Inauguration Day and God Bless America,

Kevin Trobaugh, PGA Apprentice

"Be the change you wish to see in the world"

How Good Is Justin Thomas?

It's been a while since I last posted but I was waiting for something to write about and now I have it thanks to Justin Thomas.

After successfully defending the CIMB Classic at the end of October, Justin Thomas seemed poised to break out in 2017.  He has exploded during this wraparound season by completing the Hawaii Slam winning the Tournament of Champions and the Sony Open by three and seven shots respectively.  The 23 year old is taking the week off of this week's CareerBuilder Challenge at PGA West in Palm Springs and rightly so.  Thomas is now ranked 8th in the OWGR.  Don't quote me but I believe his next appearance in a tournament will be down by me at The WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale.

JT now has 4 PGA Tour wins 3 in the last 3 months.  After becoming the youngest on the PGA Tour to shoot 59, where does he go from here?  He has always been a great player, the results just haven't come as quickly as they did for Jordan Spieth.  Thomas admitted that the difference has been his maturity and preparation. Last year at the TOC, he said he spent more time at the beach and doing activities than he did practicing.  He vowed that would change and boy did it ever change.  Instead of spending an afternoon at the beach, Thomas spent it on the putting green.  He has putted beautifully while winning the Hawaiian Slam. 🏆

Thomas is now playing with house money, meaning he has no fear of keeping his card.  His card is secure.  He can now freewheel his way through 2017 just like that free-flowing beautiful release he puts on the golf ball.  I love basically everything about JT's game.  He swings the club with beautiful rhythm and balance.  His short game is outstanding which is one factor for a player's ceiling.  Getting a timely up and down for par is much more important for maintaining good rounds than a 300+ yard drive.

Thomas has shown that he can win some smaller tour events, the next step is probably winning an event where all the best in the world are in attendance such as a WGC, The Players, or dare I say, a major championship.

In my opinion, the floodgates are wide open as Jordan Spieth said after the TOC.


Aloha,

Kevin Trobaugh, PGA Apprentice

"Even if the results don't happen right away, stay confident, stay poised, and keep working"

Sponsorship in Golf and the Direction It Is Heading

There has already been some major news in golf for 2017 on the sponsorship side.  Jason Day has officially signed with Nike to wear their apparel and shoes going forward into 2017 and beyond.  Dozens of tour pros and hundreds of Nike Golf staffers will need to find new equipment to use if they haven't already.  Brandel Chamblee said on Golf Channel during the Hero World Challenge that Tiger Woods is in a "dream situation" being able to choose his clubs.  Rory McIlroy is also a part of that dream.

No Laying Up was the first to post about Rory McIlroy who announced that McIlroy will will be playing the new Callaway GBB Epic Sub Zero driver, Callaway Custom Apex MB irons, and the ProV1x golf ball.  During the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National, Rory still had his Nike equipment through the bag.  In China at the WGC-HSBC Championship, he had put the Taylormade M2 driver in the bag and fairway woods to match.  McIlroy will also use Titleist Vokey wedges and a prototype Odyssey putter.  McIlroy has also said he doesn't plan on signing an equipment deal in 2017.  

This begs the question will we see a trend?  Will others test equipment of all brands looking for the exact tools and equipment that suit their game the best?  

I am actually surprised this hasn't been the case by more high profile players.  Looking for every edge and advantage available to them seems like a favorable course of action.  By auditing their equipment this could allow players to gain advantages they didn't even know were available.  Whether it is a little bit more forgiveness on mishit irons or an extra 2 mph of ball speed on the driver, every advantage big or small is still an advantage.  I believe this is the direction of the game.  Sponsorship is certainly in for a change over the next few years.

What can the average person take away from an elite player like McIlroy changing his equipment? Conduct an audit in your own golf bag and decide if the club is helping you or hurting you.  If the club isn't broke, don't fix it.  In other words, if you hit your old Cleveland 5 wood well, don't put a new one in the bag.  Take in information, test the information for yourself, and then decide.  Arm yourself with equipment that fits you and that you enjoy using.

Jason Day wearing new Nike gear

 Golf is expensive enough and difficult enough without buying new clubs every year.

Cheers to a great 2017

Kevin Trobaugh, PGA Apprentice

"Audit your circle" - Gary Vaynerchuk

P.S. 
If anyone knows of anyone who might be interested in helping a young pro out let me know :)

Happy Birthday Tiger Woods

Golf Channel is playing all 14 of Tiger's major championship victories.  Arguably the greatest golfer of all time, although many will argue Jack Nicklaus because of his 18 major victories, Woods had some amazing major triumphs.  Many of which will never be duplicated again.  Here are a few of these incredible accomplishments and statistics.  🐯

• From 1997-2008, Tiger won 14 major championships. 
• He won zero majors from 2003-2004 which means in the other 7 years, he averaged 2 major wins.
• He completed the "Tiger Slam" where he held all 4 major championships after winning the 2001 Masters.
• His largest margin of victory in a major was an astounding 15 shot victory at Pebble Beach in 2000.
• He was the only player to break par in the 2000 US Open at Pebble Beach and he shattered a 101 year old record for largest margin of victory in a US Open.
• His 2nd largest margin of in a major included a 12 shot victory at Augusta National in the 1997 Masters.  This was also his first major victory at the age of 21. 
• Tiger began his 1997 Masters Tournament with an opening 40 (+4) but finished his round with a blistering 6-under-par 30 to get himself back in contention.  Woods played his last 63 holes in 23 under par.
• With at least a share of the lead after 54 holes in a major, Tiger is a perfect 14 for 14 in converting those leads into victories.

These statistics alone could allow one to make a case that Tiger Woods was the most dominant player in majors regardless of whether or not he passes Jack Nicklaus.  Whether or not you love Tiger or despise him, his greatness is undeniable.

Happy New Year and good luck with your own "major" resolutions,

Kevin Trobaugh, PGA Apprentice

"Small changes eventually add up to huge results."

My Top 5 Golf Course Choices in Iowa (Only courses I have played)

Today, I am thinking of my family at home in Iowa while I am in Arizona.  I miss my family and friends from back home dearly.  So I am going to talk about the best golf courses I have played in my home state.  Here are my top five:

1. Glen Oaks CC 
2. Spirit Hollow
3. Tournament Club of Iowa
4. Amana Colonies
5. Lake Panorama National GC

1. Glen Oaks CC is one of the top 3 golf clubs in Iowa if not the best in the state.  A private club that has hosted the Principal Charity Classic on the PGA Champions Tour many times, you will definitely need to know someone to get a tee time.  However, it is in phenomenal shape and recently the golf course underwent a renovation.  Glen Oaks has hosted Iowa's US Amateur qualifiers as well and don't be surprised if the Charity Classic returns to West Des Moines soon.

2. I have played Spirit Hollow just once and it was about 8 years ago as a teenager.  However, I remember being amazed with the golf course even then.  The elevation changes and course layout are tough to beat.  It was unlike any golf course I had played in my life at the time and it really opened my eyes to golf outside the small nine hole golf course I grew up on.  Spirit Hollow hosts the Golfweek Conference Challenge hosted by the University of Iowa every year as well.

3. Tournament Club of Iowa is another golf course I have played only once.  An Arnold Palmer design, TCI is another golf course with surprising elevation changes for the flattish state of Iowa.  Just about 20 minutes away from Des Moines,  TCI is a must play if you are in the area. Last year, TCI hosted pre-qualifying for the John Deere Classic.

4. Amana Colonies does not attract as much play as it probably should because of the location being so far away from civilization. However there is definitely beauty of a golf course with a remote location. Amana Colonies was ranked by Golf Advisor as the 35th toughest based on consumer reviews and I can't say that I am surprised.  The golf course is extremely tight with a lot of massive trees over 100 feet tall.  At 50$ with a cart the price is pretty tough to beat, but I would recommend bringing an extra sleeve of balls! 😉

A look at the approach into the 15th green at LPN.  The green slopes severely back to front and the shot is all over water.  The approach is blind from the right side of the fairway.

5. Lake Panorama National GC is located in a little town called Panora about an hour from Des Moines. The golf course features views of the lake on about 3 of the holes including a beautiful view of Lake Panorama on the difficult closing hole.  LPN has extremely undulating greens which is one of the golf course's defenses and also makes for a fun time on the greens!  It's signature 15th hole(see above) features one of the toughest tee shots and approach shots you will ever face, especially if the tee shot is hit down the right half of the fairway. For reasons such as this, LPN has hosted the Iowa Open golf tournament for many years and remains one of the top state opens in the United States bringing in professionals from all over the country.  I have had the pleasure of playing in the tournament three times as an amateur and it is likely I return to play the tournament as professional in the future.

Merry Christmas,

Kevin Trobaugh, PGA Apprentice

"...The one who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.  I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should remain in darkness.." -John 12:35 & 12:46

Slow Play, TGR,and the Future of Golf Course Design

Slow Play: My least favorite part about golf is having to spend minutes looking for the golf ball.  If I hit the ball offline I should struggle just as much to find the offline ball as I do if it is in the middle of the fairway.  If you walk into a PGA Seminar and ask what is one of the biggest problems with recreational golf today?  Many PGA Professionals would say something along the lines of golf courses are too long and too difficult for the average player, thus creating 4.5-5 hour rounds of golf. An article written in Golf Digest showed the average round of golf in America takes 4 hours, 17 minutes, according to Lucius Riccio, Ph.D., who analyzed 40,460 rounds. The average time of dewsweepers, or the first group out, is 3:46.  One of the reasons golf takes so long is because some courses are so penalizing off the tee and around the greens, is that players believe they must slow down and take their time in order to maneuver around the golf course.  Another reason is the way golf courses are designed and set up.  Having a par 3 after a reachable par 5 can often lead to waiting, just as much if not more than an especially difficult hole. Having to wait between shots disrupts the flow of the round.   


TGR: Tiger's life off the golf course and in his personal life is one place I have never looked up to him.  Probably the area I look up to Tiger the most is his philosophy on how golf should be played and his vision for the game going forward into the future.  As I said in my Christmas Eve post, Tiger Woods' legacy will be making the game more accessible and fun for the future generation.  As some of you may know Tiger Woods started his newest business venture called TGR. Tiger Woods created TGR Design because he believes modern golf has begun too difficult and he wants to design fun and playable golf courses to bring people back to the game.

Recently TGR unveiled Bluejack National Golf Club a private club located in Texas.  If you look up Bluejack National, you will notice that it has an Augusta National look to it.  Although the trees at Bluejack are massive, it is not thick grass that lies at the base, but pine straw.  The idea places a premium on playability, shotmaking, and enjoyment of the game.  The golf course is designed to play firm and fast, therefore, landing areas are generous.  Grass around the greens are mowed tight to promote creativity and further enhance playability.  Bluejack National also has a 10 hole lighted short course for beginners or for some quality short game practice.

If you want to read about the vision behind TGR Design check it out here. http://www.tigerwoods.com/news/2016/12/07/210587916/a-look-at-the-vision-behind-tgr-design/

Future of Golf Course Design: I expect future golf course designers to take pages out of TGR's book.  If future golf course designers can design golf courses with the average player in mind then they can add some aesthetics and challenges.  Golf is already difficult enough that thick rough around greens and front bunkers around the green are simply not needed.  If designers can utilize run-off areas around the green where players can have plenty of options of playing shots around the green, the game will become more fun while still having an abundance of challenge.  The key is the right kind of challenge.

All the best,

Kevin Trobaugh, PGA Apprentice

"Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated." -Arnold Palmer

Better Than Most... Generational Players and Game Changers

Better than most………… BETTER THAN MOST!!

If you know this quote by Jim Nantz, you know exactly who I will be talking about.

BUT FIRST!  If you follow sports then you can typically name players who can be described as a generational or a game changer.  It is important here to understand the definitions of generational and game changer.

A generational player is someone who is one of the best of his generation. 

A game changer is someone who changed the game by bringing something new and unique to his respective.

Using basketball as an example, in the 2000s most would consider Kobe Bryant and LeBron James to be the generational players of the 2000s.   Kobe Bryant was an absolute killer.  The closest thing to Michael Jordan the world has ever seen, Bryant had a will and work ethic to rival Air Jordan’s.  On the other hand, LeBron James who is just a natural athlete with incredible size and coordination.  Nobody in the NBA has had Lebron’s combination of size, speed, agility, strength, and basketball skills.  Throw in one of the highest basketball IQs and you have a “GOAT” candidate.  These two players will go down in the history books as one of the best to lace it up.

I would consider with a biased opinion that Steph Curry is a game changer because he changed the game by showing elite shooting and basketball IQ can compete with size and athleticism.  He changed the game by showing that the game can be played a different way and yet still dominate.  Curry has now won two consecutive MVP trophies and one NBA Championship. 

How does this relate to golf??

Many golfers that grew up in the 90s and early 2000s, were drawn to the game by a guy by the name of Tiger Woods.  He falls into the category of a “one name superstars”.  Everyone knew of him just as Tiger.  Nobody except perhaps Arnold Palmer has been as important to the growth of golf as Tiger.  As a black athlete in a predominantly white collar sport, Tiger is a both a generational and game changing player. 

Along with many other golfers, Tiger Woods is one of the major reasons I took up an interest in golf as a sport.  He was emotional, exciting, raw.  All things that golf was not, Tiger was.  He would fist pump putts dropping and bash his driver without fear into horrible lies.  All you can think as a spectator is how the heck is he going to get out of that??  The next thing you know he his hitting a 9 iron from 195 from 2 fairways over onto the green or hitting a  20 yard slice 6 iron out of a fairway bunker from 215 onto the back edge of the green!  He was doing all this while wearing a bright red shirt in a dull game where the brightest colors was the green grass on the golf course.  He played the game like an athlete.  He made the game athletic.  

If you have ever seen Caddyshack, you will notice how ritzy the game is portrayed.  This is how golf was perceived before Tiger Woods was known.  Take a look at Nike Golf.  They recently got rid of their golf equipment department but they still make golf apparel.  The apparel is as athletic as any of their other sports and also equally innovative.  Recently Nike created golf shoes using snowmobile tread as inspiration for the tread on their newest golf shoe.  Nike is known for employing the best athletes in the world and Tiger Woods was no different. 

Tiger Woods at 2005 Masters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyQc66iTaOo

Tiger Woods made the game much more accessible for all people by helping to make the game more popular and cool. The Tiger Woods Foundation he started helps educate children and help them go to college. His legacy and footprint on the game will be everlasting and  as a result he laid the groundwork for young people like myself to choose golf as a career and change lives as he has.  Pretty game changing if you ask me.

Merry Christmas Eve 🎄🎅,

Kevin Trobaugh, PGA Apprentice

"You can always become better." -Tiger Woods