Admiration Of A Better Player Is A Good Thing

I like to think we all seemed to have our heroes andlike to view those same shots again.
greats in our early years. Growing up in front of aNadler was a different type of golfer. She liked to
television had us dashing around with a sword orplay a low draw shot or fade shot. Her ability to
packing a six-shooter at our side. Depending on whatmove a ball in any direction was uncanny. Going up
we were watching at the time, whether it was inand over trees was not her game. Nadler steered her
front of a television or out on some field watching agolf shots around them, like she was navigating a
football game. We all seemed to mimic someone atvehicle on an obstacle course. Her golf game was
one time or another. In our early years findingkind of like, hit the ball just before the green and
someone we admired as a Mentor kind of kept thewatch it bounce past a sand trap and roll in towards
spirit alive in direction and where we are today.the flagstick. Nadler could steer the ball around sand
I often wondered back how I caught on to whattraps, trees, and whatever obstacles that were in
some people call golf fever. Thinking back I oftenher way. I often thought her golf ball had eyes,
admired good golfers where I caddied. How Ibecause of how her golf shots would start out
remembered getting excited when I watched a goodstraight and come back in towards the flagstick. It
golfer walk towards the first tee box. Standing therewas amazing to watch. I learned from her that a
in anticipation of a huge drive to follow as the golferstraight shot was not the only golf shot you needed
teed up his ball, remembering how they maneuveredto master to play good golf. Also playing the old
the golf ball off the tee box, watching the shot risebump and run approach is an alternative game to
with a steady climb as it went out into the distance. Iplay, that she was a master at.
had to figure out then and there on how they didIt was because of them, my enthusiasm for golf
that by grabbing a stick or a nearby branch of anytook me to a better game. I didn't even think about
length and mimicking their swing. I use to takewatching it on television at the time. Sure I enjoy
buckets of golf balls out to the practice range to trywatching it on television today. You tend to slow
and accomplish that remarkable hitting distance. Itdown and take a more relaxed approach, or what
just made me a better golfer trying.you may call a golf couch approach at the game, as
Names like Kendal and Nadler sparked my excitementyou get older. I guess the golf fever for me then,
that took me where I am today in golf. To this day,was being able to play golf like my Mentors, and
because of my admiration of their golf game backthere was nothing more enjoyable than actually
then, it fired up the enthusiasm for years of golf thattrying to create a golf swing like theirs out on the
followed. The names may not have recognition tocourse. I liked to think of them as Mentors, because
anybody else, but to me they were like a Palmer andit was them that taught me the potential thrill of
Nicklaus as their names are to anybody today in theplaying good golf.
golf industry.No matter what game of sports you play or want to
Kendal I admired because of his ability to take treeslearn. It could work for all walks of life. Go out and
and woods out of play. His shots started out lowwatch someone that is much better than you, and
with a steady climb upwards at about 200 yards out.see if you can catch the excitement, to be as good,
His drives were so huge. I think then and there isif not better. It could bring you to the top. If you're
where I caught the fever. His 5 wood took all thepersistent!
trees out of play. With today's technology, I would