I just got back from spending 3 days with DJ, Jack and my brother Ken. We worked on some fine tuning of DJ's swing, his putting stroke and his mind. We had one problem in that South Carolina, even on the coast, was almost like being in the frozen tundra. The temperature for the 3 days never got above 40 degrees, with the wind blowing over 15 MPH. Being outside swinging and putting was close to unbearable. We only got around 2 hours in on the range swing practice and some putting work in from around 2 to 4 in the afternoon. The time was limited but quite productive. Since his swing was in really good shape, we spent more time working on his putting, specifically lag putting.
While hitting balls and talking about things, I liked his enthusiasm to commit to concentrating and focusing more on 'Technical Excellence' in his setup and swing, from tee to green. What I really liked is what I heard on the putting green. DJ was committed to work hard on short game, especially on his putting.
He said this was based on his evaluation and conclusion the stats of his 09 year performance. His take was that finishing 7th in ball striking and barely making over a million dollars was definitely proof positive that his short game, especially putting, needed serious attention and they were going to get it.
Since we were on the range for less time than usual, DJ had us helping him clean up his house, getting his Christmas tree down and out to the curb, and putting his Christmas decorations away. When we finished that, DJ then had us moving furniture from upstairs to his newly finished enclosed patio and then had some errands for us to run with him. I guess the real good part was some relaxed mornings, with DJ actually cooking breakfast for all of us each day. The house work and errands gave us some good quality 'non golf' time together and was really great for all of us.
Every year I write DJ a year end evaluation and grading of his year on Tour. I also include in this letter (which I priority mail him) my thoughts and suggestions for what we need to work on for his swing, putting and short game the next year.
This year I added a point about him increasing his on course familiarity and preparation in practice rounds before the tournament and to make a plan of attack. I also stressed and highly recommended he increase doing post round evaluations after every round with Todd, his caddy, and me if I am there. And last but not least, I added that he needed to really increase his attention to checking his stats. They tell the tale of the good, the average and the bad to make sure that what needs work gets it.
I also covered and stressed in this letter that I am confident his wedge game will improve and significantly. His up and down stat or scrambling, as the Tour calls it. will go up. Now that larger U grooves with sharp edges are outlawed by the USGA and the Tour, the fear of not being able to spin the ball as much out of the rough and around the greens will not hurt but actually help him.
Pitch and run shots, even from the fairway with the outlawed grooves, almost always tend to grab, bite or 'nibble' as I call it. I have always maintained that any pitch and run has to be harder to judge if the ball nibbles. Too much nibble comes up short and too little nibble runs by. Just pitching with the new grooves and dropping the ball on the green and letting it roll out without nibbling, is one less thing to factor in judging the power and distance to hit the shot. It is also one less thing to ruin the shot. I emphasized that playing a run out shot that only runs is easier and simpler. It will improve his technique and touch and his scrambling stat will go up a lot.
Lastly, I asked DJ if he had made his 'GOALS LIST' yet. I know he does so every year as we discuss them. He said he had and it was taped to his mirror in his bathroom so every day when he brushed his teeth he would see it and read it for reinforcement. He mentioned he did this in 2002 in his junior year when he was Collegiate Player of the Year and was also the #1 ranked Amateur in the Golfweek rankings.
I know he did it because when I helped him move at the end of the year, I took the list down from his mirror and kept it. A year or so ago, I had that goals list framed and I gave it to him to remind him of the power of making goals and keeping them where they can regularly be seen. To this day it is on his bureau in his bedroom.
DJ told me that since then, now over 6 years, he has set goals but had not written them down. This year he decided to do so and even has a travel list for taking on the road when he plays. He decided to approach this year with the same attitude he did in that extraordinarily successful year.
I really liked what I saw in his ball striking and his attitude commitment to technical excellence, and to improving this putting and short game. I really sensed a true commitment, dedication and attitude that I saw in his junior year. That year his technical excellence was so good I rarely had to make setup and swing adjustments. I just watched and kept saying everything looks great when he asked me why I was so quiet. What a year that was for me as his teacher and for him as a player.
A rerun of 2002 would be awesome. I eagerly look forward to watching that rerun as I am sure he looks forward to playing it.
The Surge!