Following last week’s Masters Tournament meltdown by Jordan Spieth I thought it would be an appropriate time to post my book review of Don’t Choke – A Champion’s Guide to Winning Under Pressure, by Gary Player.
About Gary Player
First, let’s do a little quick history about Gary Player, which will show us that the man knows what he’s talking about.
From Johannesburg, South Africa, Gary Player won a total of nine major championships in golf, fourth all time. He is one of the few players to hold all four major championship trophies, known as the “Grand Slam.” Not even Arnold Palmer achieved this. Mind you, Gary’s success was during a time when some of the game’s greatest players were at their best, like Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Seve Ballesteros, and more. Player won 18 majors counting the nine he won on the Champions (Senior) Tour. Gary Player knows how to win.
Player has carried his winning ways to the business world, running a successful golf course design company which has built hundreds of golf courses. Other areas Player has excelled in include real estate, marketing, and fitness. Perhaps best of all is the 30+ years Player has put into giving back through charity work and the Player Foundation, whose mission is to “provide quality education for underprivileged children and strengthen impoverished communities plagued by disease and crime.”
Don’t Choke
Gary takes us through a quick tour of his major golf championships in sequential fashion. He covers his preparation, lessons learned, mistakes made, and how to parlay all of those experiences into building up the don’t choke mentality. Though golf is how Gary tells the reader how to succeed, but the book is not necessarily about golf.
Most Positive Golfer EVER
Gary Player must be the most energetic and positive golfer to ever grace our planet. He’s so passionate about success and being positive. He always has something positive to say, and shares his valuable knowledge of success. You can feel his energy. It’s vibrant.
Title Irony
Gary always looks at the positive in situations. If there’s a fairway left and a lake to the right, Gary would tell you to focus on the positive telling yourself, “I’m going to split that wide fairway.” He would not recommend you focus on the lake by telling yourself “don’t go on the lake.” This is what makes the title of the book a little ironic to me. Saying “Don’t Choke” is like focusing on the lake instead of the fairway. Of course, the title is an attention grabber, so I get it.
The Secret to Gary Player’s Success
There is no secret to Gary Player’s success. Player worked harder and more tenaciously than his opponents and kept a positive, winning attitude.
Can I Translate This To My Own Success?
So I’ve finished Gary’s book and tried to absorb as much of his positive vibe as I can. I hope to apply this attitude in my future golf and business experiences. I hope this book helps give me the strength and courage to not choke on that 3-foot-putt on the 18th hole to win that $2.00 nassau. That’s pressure.
Gary Player Interview
I had the great pleasure of speaking with Mr. Player for an extended period of time in an interview about fitness. It was truly one of the highlights of this modest, independent blog’s 11+ years. Hope you enjoy it.
My shoe queue is getting a little out of hand. Thankfully spring is here and I can start getting to these reviews. One of the new items on my review list is the Puma Titantour Ignite golf shoe.
Puma Titantour Ignite Golf Shoes
The Puma Titantour Ignite is Puma’s latest tour shoe. Typically the word “tour” means the ones the pros use in tournaments.
These are fine looking spiked shoes which come with the “Ignite” foam inside. This is very much intriguing to me as I intend to walk most of my rounds this year to get more exercise. After yesterday’s walking round my right knee was sore (different shoe) so I’m hoping some shoes with good cushion and low impact help. Plus I’ve got an upcoming Scotland trip. The last trip to Scotland I walked nearly 110 miles in a week on the golf course.
These are 2nd in my queue and I’ll be posting my full review of the Puma Titantour Ignite Golf Shoes in roughly 3-4 weeks after having a chance to fully test them on the course. Stay tuned.
Summer is coming fast and I have a perfect pair of golf shorts at the ready in the Antigua Men’s Performance Paradise Golf Shorts, part of Antigua’s “Men’s Performance – 72 Spring 16” collection.
Specs
The Paradise golf shorts are made from 95% polyester and 5% spandex. These are the core fabrics in golf apparel these days and in most cases I think far better than cotton. These materials are far more durable, easier to care for, don’t shrink, resist wrinkling, and breathe much better than cotton.
One other great benefit to the materials in these shorts is the Antigua “Desert Dry” moisture wicking system. The fabric helps lift moisture off the body to the garment, where it then can evaporate. Great for summer.
Sizes/Colors
This is a seasonal offering and therefore has some limited availability. These shorts are available in six different colors. I recommend one of each.
The size range for these shorts ranges from 30-42 inches on the waist. The inseam is 10 inches.
On and Off the Course
These shorts are very light, soft, and extremely comfortable. In fact, they’re the ones I chose to wear when flying to Singapore last week. When you know you’re going to be on airplanes and in airports for 35 straight hours, you must wear comfortable clothing. It tells a lot that these are what I chose for that ordeal!
On the golf course I’ve really loved these shorts. I’m doing a lot more walking this year and need not only comfort, but the moisture wicking. During the swing and while walking the shorts are very comfortable and move with my body, rather than resisting it.
The look and style of these shorts is classy, and matches up well with a huge portion of my gigantic selection of golf shirts and outerwear.
Conclusion
Antigua has been one of golf’s best apparel brands for years. The Paradise golf shorts are another fine example of Antigua’s quality, style, fabrics, comfort, and performance. I strongly recommend adding these shorts to your next apparel script.
I’ve never done crack or any severely addicting drug… or even mildly addictive drugs. But I feel like I’m in a serious withdrawal state right now after the Masters concluded a day and a half ago. The Masters is as close to a drug as tournament golf can get.
Most “journalists” have a large portion of their articles written before the tournament ends. I’m starting mine over a day later, and honestly, I’m coming up pretty blank. Perhaps I’m partially brain dead from traveling all last week to the other side of the planet, and then suffering a sudden passing of an uncle on Masters Saturday. That’s my excuse. Then again, I’m not a journalist. I’m a blogger. Thankfully I don’t have a deadline a minimum number of words to turn in.
Willett Winning or Spieth Collapsing – Which Will Be Remembered?
Quick quiz: Who won the Masters the year Greg Norman blew a 6-shot lead? Golf aficionados probably know, but the average joe doesn’t. It was Nick Faldo, the first englishman to win the Masters.
Will the 2016 Masters be the same? Will it be known as the year Spieth blew the 5-shot lead with nine holes to play? I hope not and here’s why. Danny Willett played his ass off. His final round was as close to flawless as it could have been. Willett had five birdies and NO bogeys. None. Willett shot a 67 in the final round of only his 2nd Masters to win it. That’s spectacular golf people. Spectacular. Hats off to Danny Willett.
Jordan Spieth
Jordan Spieth was fighting his swing in the final round of the 2016 Masters. He was getting away with it until #12 where he dunked two shots in the water and one in the back bunker on the world’s most famous par-3. He was able to recover from his off-shots previously and make up for it with great putting, but you can’t hit a recovery shot from water.
I think this Masters will be a very good learning experience for Spieth. It might take a little while for the sting and mental effects to subside, but in the long run it will be a character builder and something he can look back on and build from. Greg Norman used his Masters meltdown as a building block to great golf and business success.
Rory McIlory
One major championship left for Rory to claim the grand slam. I think this one is going to be more and more difficult for Rory to obtain. He has the perfect game for the Masters physically, but mentally this one is going to be tougher and tougher for him.
Rory played some very questionable shots from a game management standpoint. One in particular is the punch shot he hit out of the left trees on the par-4 11th. Too aggressive and it went in the water.
Jason Day
Jason Day should win a Masters one of these years. He too has a perfect game for Augusta. He just didn’t seem to have it this past week, especially with the putter.
Ernie Els and the Yips
On the first day we watched Ernie Els 7-putt (later it was recounted and was determined to be a 6-putt). Bad case of the yips and impossible to watch.
Aces on 16
The Sunday pin placement on the par-3 16th lends itself to aces and that’s just part of the great setup that produces excitement at the Masters. The 3rd and final ace was by Louis Oosthuizen and was amazing. His ball hit another player’s ball and still went in the hole. Never seen anything like that before.
No Tiger. No Phil. No Problem.
This is the first time since possibly the mid-90s that neither Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson have at least been part of the Masters conversation. Times aren’t changing. They have changed. Welcome to the new world. We may have a flash of Phil and Tiger in the future still, but the new guard has taken over.
The Masters Never Disappoints
I say this every year and it’s true every time I say it. The Masters Tournament never disappoints. Thanks to Bobby Jones and Allister Mackenzie for setting up a golf course and event that is truly the best and most exciting and entertaining, year in and year out. Even though I was not able to watch Thursday or most of Saturday this year due to more important things conflicting, it was still a thrill.
Good news! Only 359 days until the 2017 Masters Tournament!
It’s the best week of the year in golf, Masters week. This has been a different Masters week for me as I had to do an emergency trip to Singapore during the week and then had yet another issue which took me away from the Saturday round. I’ve not been able to watch or produce as much Masters material as normal.
Pictured: Bobby Jones Stretch Twill Jacket, Flat Front Stretch Twill Casual Pants, Stableford Jacquard Luxe Cotton Polo, FootJoy City Shoes
One review I really wanted to get to this week is of my new green jacket and associated shirt and pants from Bobby Jones.
I’ve got my first green jacket and I didn’t have to beat Jordan Spieth to get mine. Personally I like color better than the green jackets from Augusta National Golf Club. My green jacket is the Stretch Twill Travel Jacket by Bobby Jones Apparel, in “mint” color green.
Stretch Twill Jacket Specs
The Stretch Twill Travel Jacket is made from 98% cotton and 2% spandex. The coloring/dye produces a comfortable “lived-in” look. The jacket features two front buttons, chest pocket, two lower pockets, and two zippered pockets on the inside.
The cut is designed for comfort and versatility.
Stretch Twill Jacket Colors Available
Mint (pictured), Island Red, Light Blue, Navy
Stretch Twill Jacket Comments
Weddings and funerals. Those are the times I dress up. Otherwise my apparel scripting consists of golf shorts and golf shirts. I’ve always disliked dressing up because it always seemed so uncomfortable and hot. But with threads like these from Bobby Jones I’ve changed my tune. I can dress sharply and really enjoy comfort. The Stretch Twill Jacket is so comfortable and soft, and does not restrict my movement due to its design and cut. Plus I don’t get too hot in it, even at events which are outside and very warm.
This jacket is the beginning of a sharper image for me, and I’m very excited about that as is the lovely lady.
Stableford Jacqard Luxe Polo by Bobby Jones
When I was putting this outfit together I loved combining the mint green jacket with the pinkish (Lilac) color of the Bobby Jones Stableford Jacquard Luxe Cotton Polo. What a combo.
Stableford Jacquard Luxe Cotton Polo Specs
The Stableford Jacquard Luxe Cotton Polo is a double-mercerized 100% Egyptian cotton golf polo which oozes style. The mercerizing gives the shirt a texture and pattern which is very visually attractive, including a slight sheen. The collar is flat tipped and woven on the underside.
Stableford Jacquard Luxe Cotton Polo Colors/Sizes
Celery (light green), Pool (light blue), Lilac (pink, pictured here)
Sizes for this polo include small, medium, large, extra large, and double extra large
Stableford Jacquard Luxe Cotton Polo Comments
Wow is this polo comfortable. Whether I’m swinging a golf club or wielding a mouse at the office, this polo is luxury. The mercerizing gives it such a cool look and texture. It’s hard to describe. You have to see it in person.
Flat-Front Stretch Twill Casual Pant Specs
These pants are made from 98% cotton and 2% spandex. The fit is is relaxed. The design is meant to move with the wearer and provide comfort and ease of movement and flexibility.
Flat-Front Stretch Twill Casual Pants Sizes/Colors
There are eleven available colors in these pants. I’d like one of each color please, except perhaps blue.
Sizes run 30-44 on the waist. I have stubby legs so I had to have mine hemmed.
Flat-Front Stretch Twill Casual Pant Comments
I have really hot legs, and I don’t mean that from a visual standpoint. I have a lot of heat in my lower body, especially below the knees. I find long pants to be very uncomfortable and I get very, very hot and sweaty in my shins. Yes, I know that sounds strange. That’s why I wear shorts.
The Flat-Front Stretch Twill Casual Pants are very light and comfortable. I don’t get hot in these like I do other pants. The way they match up with the mint jacket and lilac shirt is fantastic. In fact, the white color I have will go with anything.
Final Comments
This whole outfit is so fun, classy, unique… Bobby Jones has such class. I love it. It’s comfortable and easy to wear traveling, out on the town, or hanging out at the local club. I’m thrilled to have a green jacket and can’t wait to take it on the road when I visit Scotland later this year.
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