[innercityteacher]

Great story Patrick, thanks. So those birds you saw were really mosquitos?


"Keep it come'n on , keep it......." K. C. and the sunshine band ladies and gentlemen.

Though I cannot tell why it was exactly that those stage managers, the Fates, put me down for this shabby part of a whaling voyage, when others were set down for magnificent parts in high tragedies, and short and easy parts in genteel comedies, and jolly parts in farces - though I cannot tell why this was exactly; yet, now that I recall all the circumstances, I think I can see a little into the springs and motives which being cunningly presented to me under various disguises, induced me to set about performing the part I did, besides cajoling me into the delusion that it was a choice resulting from my own unbiased freewill and discriminating judgment. ("Moby Dick" pp. 5-6)


Why did the Fates induce me to come to Minnesota and to trust these two seemingly fine men, Kevin and Gerry, and those they represented (Mssrs. Kelly and Blake), to inspect my mind for golf and my friendship? Would part of my stay and study be tragedy, subtle comedy, or even farce?


By reason of these things, then, the whaling voyage was welcome; the great flood-gates of the wonder-world swung open, and in the wild conceits that swayed me to my purpose, two and two there floated into my inmost soul, endless processions of the whale, and, mid most of them all, one grand hooded phantom, like a snow hill in the air. ("Moby Dick)

My trip was welcome for lots of reasons but chief among all the reasons I had was the Plane and most importantly, my ability to keep all my clubs and swings on the Plane, using all my bio-mechanical abilities and finding the necessary combination of components to stay on Plane.

On my first day, Sunday, Kevin revealed that I was getting lost on my right side, my feet were not flared to allow freer Pivot, my ball position was 6" too far back, my head swayed, and my version of driving the Primary Lever was most likely, Throway.

On Monday, I had an excellent playing lesson on the toughest course I ever played, the Donald Ross designed White Bear Yacht Club. For almost 6 hours, Kevin and Gerry gently but firmly reminded me of my foibles and I was able to observe Gerry and K.S. put on a TGM clinic. All the while Kevin would be explaining to me what I did incorrectly, and ask me how I thought I could achieve the goals of starting at Impact Fix and getting back to that position with a minimum of compensations.

When I messed up on Monday, the mistake was clear. I would get over and stay over my right side. That would cause my head to move, my balance to change and the OTT's (over the tops) to re-appear. If that was my only lesson, the trip would've been worth it.

On Tuesday, though, with Kevin training many of the golfers of the North Central Plains, I was in the capable hands of the fine high-school golf coach, JerryG. Jerry had once been a 2 hcp. and competed in state-wide and regional competitions (with K.S. who could still kick a lot of golfers around, physically and golf skill wise. I'm sure K.S. has a negigible hcp.).

On the first three holes of a new course, I was 9 over. Exhaustion from the first day combined with lesson overload of my tiny brain left me lost. But Jerry had the answer. "Get to your left side and stay there." I had been using the swing key of "Impact Fix, nose on ball, rotate and shoulder up," but it was not resulting in finding my way back to my left side.

I agreed with Jerry in the decision to plant my left heel firmly, to assure getting over on my left side. On the next thirteen holes, I was 8 over! Again, TGM had identified the Plane as the goal, and provided through Jerry, the possible components to use to reach that goal.

I was left with a few questions, though.

Why would a shoulder bump (to replace my left hip bump which I cannot feel) work so well on such a tough course, yet not on a course with a more "Parkland" type layout? Was it just fatigue? Why was I still getting lost on my right side with my drives? On the last two drives I made, I simply pulled the ball 45 degrees to the left having planted on my left heel so strongly.

Again, Jerry had the answer that Kevin had wondered aloud earlier on Monday. "Didn't I need to brace my right knee in?" and today, Jerry actually made me do the old drill of placing a golf ball on the outside of the left foot.

We played Kevin's Green Haven course, today, from the tips. Lots of slope, long holes, deep rough and uhmm, sand. I was fatigued and forgot on some tee shots to set my right knee brace. (I know this is a response to a left hip bump for normal leg lengths, but my back leg is extra long and I really need to set it on purpose.) Every hole at Green Haven, and I mean every hole offers a 2 club elevation to get to the green with bunkers on the front.

In the old days, with my sweeping hook, I ignored bunkers and played around them, in front of them and behind them. Now, though, I could hit straight at the pin!

I added one or sometimes even two clubs to my distances. Guess what? The bunkers at Green Haven are really long and deep. As a matter of fact, the elevation of the greens, the length of the bunkers, and the size of the bunkers helped me have the longest day "at the beach" I had ever experienced! That was the bad news.

The good news was that I was no longer playing for the hook/draw and was aiming straight, and hitting straight at the pin! I was also long enough to get into trouble! More "strategerie" needed on the courses and probably a new hot driver and souped up new model three wood, too!


The Drama's Done. Why then here does any one step forth? - Because one did survive the wreck. ("Moby Dick, Epilogue")

The Plane...the Plane...it's the Plane! I have survived my lack of skill and disabilities with the help of this forum and my friends from it and TGM. In a funny way we have all set out to capture our "whale" the golf "Plane," and because of Mr. Blake and Mr. Kelly and TGM, we have all survived and will survive the wreckage of our old swings, to begin a better golfing adventure.

Thanks Kevin, Jerry, K.S. OB, Daryl, Yoda, and Mr. Kelly! We will have more great adventures searching for the Plane in the future!

Patrick