(September 2014)–Many times over the course of my long career covering golf tournaments has the game been overshadowed by other current events on the sports scene. Most of them have involved scandals too juicy to remain circulating around the water cooler.

If social media had been in vogue back then those storms would have been upgraded to level 5 through a tsunami of public opinion.

There was the case of Tim Donaghy (pictured left), the NBA referee who resigned from the league in July of 2007 prior to reports that the FBI was conducting an investigation into allegations that he had bet on games he officiated during his 13-year career. By August, he had pled guilty to two charges related to the investigation and was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison a year later.

His demise dominated the conversation among the golf media, too, most of whom were old beat writers who cut their teeth on a variety of sports. The controversy’s staying power lasted from the time the story broke straight through the Tour Championship at East Lake GC, won incidentally by Tiger Woods.

Back in 2001, a young Latino baseball pitcher named Danny Almonte led his Bronx, N.Y., team to the Little League World Series, hurling a perfect game, no-hitter and one-hit shutout in a dominating performance. New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani awarded him a key to the city. Numerous other accolades were heaped on the young, national hero.

(Left, baseball pitcher named Danny Almont)

Shortly after the final out of his series-concluding game on Aug. 30, the left-handed ace’s age was called into question via a report in Sports Illustrated. The discovery that Almonte’s age exceeded the eligibility limit by two years produced a scandal (his team had to forfeit all of its games) that rumbled throughout most sports arenas the rest of the summer into autumn.

For professional golf, that included premier events like the Tour Championship, held that year in Houston and won by Mike Weir.

Once again the sports world has been transfixed on not one but several scandals that detracted from the season-ending Tour Championship. Already the victim of Tiger’s bad back and Phil’s bad game, which sucked a measure of excitement from the annual climax to the FedEx Cup Playoffs, the TC had to fight for attention with Ray and Janay Rice’s domestic violence drama, Danny Ferry’s racially charged comments and allegations that Adrian Peterson applied a switch or some other object so forcefully to his 4-year-old son’s behind as to cause injury to the youth.

As if football season wasn’t enough of a show-stealer.

The scandals have equal weight in a universal perspective. All are serious offenses.

Even when threatened with physical violence, a real man should never hit a woman. He is morally obligated to show restraint. Our young men—and even some graybeards—would be wise to follow a slight modification of the old-school adage: “If you can’t get along, get on.’’

In the case of Danny Ferry (pictured left), the Atlanta Hawks general manager who took an indefinite leave of absence after unwittingly repeating a racially insensitive evaluation of then-free agent forward and Duke University brethren Luol Deng, you would think a product of Duke would know better. Perhaps a fall from the Hawks’ front office to the outhouse will give him pause.

If I have empathy for either of the offenders it just might be Peterson, the bionic running back for the Minnesota Vikings. First, I was reared in a household that staunchly believed in “spare-the-rod, spoil the child.’’ My parents handed out corporal punishment like lollipops to their four children on a daily basis or so it seemed. And we were considered fairly well behaved children.

I don’t know if the occasional spanking is effective parenting or not. I won’t lie. I am a believer in corrective measures when it comes to disciplining one’s children. How else do they learn to respect authority? I wasn’t a “time-out’’ parent.

However, I do know that parents should never cross the line of physical abuse. We must protect our children at all costs. They deserve at least that.

It would be scandalous not to.

ABOUT PETE McDANIEL

Pete McDaniel is a veteran golf writer and best-selling author. His blogs and books are available at petemcdaniel.com

Comments on this topic may be emailed directly to Pete at: [email protected]

(September 2014 Blog)– One of the most important things we have to do as a nation is to develop young minds and character.

Facts

As the golf world is looking forward to the Ryder Cup and the Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup, it reminds me of the many youth who are not exposed to golf and have not had the opportunity to experience the intrinsic values that the game offers.  I am one person that is dedicated to help change and positively influence the academics and social lives of our youth through the game of golf.

There are numerous published studies that prove golf has an impact on youth including TrueSport; Science Daily and The First Tee Impact Report. And with all of the data that validates the impact, you will be surprised that many educators, professors, businesspersons, coaches and parents still do not know the intrinsic value of golf. I have encountered fellow golfers (recently) who were not aware of the positive influences that golf can stimulate student’s academics. This is why Huntsville’s Tennessee Valley Youth Golf Development’s (TVYGD) goal is to encourage youth to improve their math, reading, science and character skills using the sport of golf as the context.

With partnerships and substantial financial commitments from the golf industry; educational institutions; various governmental entities; businesses; faith community; youth serving agencies; families and individuals, TVYGD will positively impact the lives of youth, families and communities.

Opportunities

In Huntsville, Alabama ABC News affiliate WAAY-TV Channel 31 will profile TVYGD this Sunday, September 7th, 2014 during their 10 p.m. newscast. Sports Anchor Ryan Marshall will focus on Emari Marshall, who is a Tennessee Valley Youth Golf Development (TVYGD) program participant. Ryan says he was touched when he recently read a TVYGD press release about the organization developing a golf league and how the program reaches out to youth unable to join the sport teams, students with marginal grades…and students with special needs. However, TVYGD Director Howard Bankhead believes that ALL kids are special and have needs in some way; some just need more than others. Mainly love and time…Love the most of all.

Because of the character component, the program will also benefit the “star athlete” and the “A” and “B” students” as well!

Please tune into WAAY-TV 31 on Sunday, September 7th, 2014 at 10 p.m. and enjoy a good news story.

This broadcast will give TVYGD some good exposure and an opportunity for us to get the word out about the work and services that we do to empower our youth, bring more youth and families to the game of golf.

NOTE: For those of you who may have missed it,
see how Huntsville’s Tennessee Valley Youth Golf
Development program (TVYGD) told its story to WAAY-TV
(Channel 31) this past Sunday
with Sports Anchor Ryan Marshall and TVYGD’s Director Howard Bankhead.
To see the VIDEO click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH4AtGcqi5Q

Possibilities

The possibility of someone seeing the newscast and appreciating the work that TVYGD has done and is doing and support the program financially is enormous. The possibilities of helping students to improve their character and academic skills through golf are dreams coming true. And developing the golf league and teams are the pinnacle.

Howard Bankhead
Executive Director
Tennessee Valley Youth Golf Development
604 Jordan Lane
Huntsville, AL 35816 USA
256-604-8172
Email: [email protected]

http://www.golflifeskills.org/

(September 2014)–This past year I ventured into unknown territory in terms of the game of golf.  I completed my first season as a Middle School Golf Coach while I also further introduced my 5-year-old son to the game.  I had no idea what I was in for during my first season of coaching golf, so I kept an open mind and decided that I would try to learn as much about the season long process as possible.

It has been a few decades since I’ve been in middle school and I was guessing that a few things had changed in that time.  Meeting and getting to know my team was an eye-opening experience—to say the least.  I was immediately transported back in time and even though the technology of the day has changed, most things have pretty much stayed the same.  Middle school kids are still trying to find their way not only in school but in life and count on adults to help as well as to know when to get out of the way.  Life on the golf course is no different.  Knowing when to instruct and knowing when to pull back and let a player experience something on their own was something that I learned quickly.

I learned that as long as each player is told what is expected of them then they have a better understanding of how to get it done or seek help when they cannot.  Whether I want to admit it or not, I am a role model for all of the lives that I touch on or around the golf course.  The kids that I coach along with my son count on me not only for golf wisdom and advice but they also look to me for cues and lessons about how to deal with life as a whole.

Now the other side of this coin is that they are still middle school kids and their attention span is even shorter today than it was when I was in middle school.  Smart phones, social networking and so many outside forces are fighting for what little attention each golfer is paying toward their game.  Maintaining focus for as long as possible has and will continue to be an uphill battle but one that you can at least earn a draw because winning sometimes seems like a long shot.  It all starts with keeping the game fun at ALL times.

Now my son is a vastly different ballgame but not completely.  In his eyes daddy can do no wrong and as long as he sees how important golf is to me then he will at least always have a passing interest in playing.  Getting him beyond a passing fancy is a challenge that I feel most parents/coaches fail miserably at, simply because they do not listen.  While at the driving range one day my son once told me that he no longer wanted to hit the ball and was happy just watching me hit the ball far.  That was when the light bulb went off and I knew that if I pushed him harder he may possibly never want to golf again.  So I practiced, he watched and when we were done we both went inside for his favorite drink…sweet tea.

Golf unfortunately is often a solitary game where it is more often than not just you and the ball.  You may have a coach/instructor with you from time to time but repeating a golf swing continuously for 20-40 minutes of just practice is a daunting task to ask any child to complete.  ALL kids need instant feedback to know that what they are doing is correct and even worth doing at all.  In golf that is a little harder to do but not impossible as you just need to find the right triggers to reach your audience.  My son loves to putt the ball simply because it goes into the hole giving him the feeling that he did it right and that feeling alone will make him want to do it over and over again.  As kids get older their level of feedback needs to grow right along with them.  It can range from them hitting the ball really far to chipping the ball into a small net that is 15 yards away.

Every junior golfer has something that will make them keep working at golf but it is a coach’s job to find it.  Keeping each golfer engaged while maintaining a constant level of authority has been a challenging and incredibly rewarding journey even after just one season.  I cannot wait for season #2!

Talk to you again, soon.

Anthony

Anthony L. Wilkins is a national Academy of Sports Medicine & Titleist Performance Institute Certified Personal Trainer an avid golfer from New Jersey who currently resides in the metro Atlanta area with his wife and son.  His book, Foundation to Fairways: The Everyman’s Guide to Golf Through Fitness & Strategic Performance can be purchased HERE 
Send Anthony an Email Message!
[email protected]