My little man and the visits we all have....

Have spent the last couple days before Xmas with my little man and we had a great visit. Being divorced and not seeing my kids as much as I want has always been tough. For all the parents who follow me, that have their kids living with them most of the time, well, you all should feel real lucky, never, ever, take it for granted and make everyday count. I'm sure that most parents know exactly what I am saying and that of course is the way it should be. For those of you that are in my situation, I feel for you all, I am with you in the lonliness that we all feel seeing them leave, to go back to their normality of having a permant home. It's tough watching them leave - not knowing for sure, at all, sometimes, when we will see them again and during the holiday's it's always even more tough, I feel it and I feel for all of you that have it so. 

Remember that your not alone - there are millions of us, parents that have in many ways chosen it, to go almost two weeks in between the precious visits that we cherish beyond these feeble words I now write -  I know - it's damn hard to feel the feelings that we all share, I guess we have to, as I try and be, as noraml as possible, smile and give them a hug and kiss goodbye and tell them that you love them. What else can we do? Lucky for us we have mobil phones, skype and all the rest that gives us a chance to see them even if we phyiscaly can't be with them. It's better than nothing I know and I am glad for it even though sometimes it does not help all that much. We have to smile and keep the faith, all of us that are part time parents in the sense of being together with them in person but we can give them all the love possible and hope it's enough. Normaly it is and that's a good thought.

Be strong, think that the choice you make are the right ones, trust yourself and your convictions - most times they are spot on and when we make those tough choices, well, we are doing that which is best for the ones we love the most. I know I did, I made the right choice almost 7 years ago, have seen my kids blossom in their 'new' life without me as part of their everyday life - I made the choice I knew was best and really, I do sleep well at night even though I miss them so. I hope all of you, my readers that are in similar situations feel the same about your own personal choices you've had to make in regards to your kids. Trust yourself and think about that kids are smart, they know, they feel your love and understand the choices you made and in almost all cases they'll love you even more for making the sacrifices that you have made!! Remember that - life is long and our kids grow, become adults and then you'll get the message from them in the form of a thank you that will make your heart expand with pride and joy...Peace and love everyone. 😊💗💪😊👊💗

Grass Killers....😠😠😠

I get this sick feeling when I see this at the club... why oh why do people feel they have the right to go right out on the course when it is obviously covered in frost?? Do they not know that with each and every step they take they are killing the grass?? Do they not care? Is it an apethy because it's not their course, it's not their grass they are killing?? I try and stop as many people as possible when I see it but sometimes I just don't see them or am maybe busy with something else...but the response of people is amazing - they 9 out 10 times understand that they are actrually killing the grass and that they understand that we don't want them taking their nightly walks upon the course when it's covered in frost... My question is always 'If you know that you killing the grass with each step, why are you doing it...??' 

The answers I get are as equally amazing - because for the most part the people have no sign of remorse, almost never say sorry and seem to be actually mad at me for telling them to get off the grass and use the paths or roads that are just meters from where they are killing the very grass they are walking on... Unreal... just unreal. 

I guess nothing should surprise me anymore and I guess I shouldn't get upset but I do and I just hope people would think about all the members who actually pay a good amount of money to have a course in good shape come spring - one without footprints of dead grass all over the place. 

People just don't care when it's not theirs and that in and of itself is scary I think. Grass Killers stay away - PLEASE!!!!!

Tiger Wooooo

The Big Cat is back and he's causing waves in the golf world as always. I have a Twitter account and follow a good many other professional golfers there and some of the reactions are just so great to see, While others are saying things like he gets to much tv time, does not deserve to jump so much in the world rankings and other jealous remarks that are really just quite sad. Grown men who misjudge their own importance in the golfing community. I won't name names but just check Twitter yourselves. You'll see it among all the other of us, that are just happy and humbled to see the great player once again stalking the fairways and most likely making more birdies than the rest of the field - just like he did in his first comeback from 16 months away after an extensive back surgery. 

I can remember watching Tiger win his third US Amature at Pumkin Ridge Golf Club in 1996. I had worked there in 1994 while starting my own PGA schooling. He was amazing then and still is. Never has a player changed the game of golf as he did. Arnold brought it to the people and Jack rewrote the record books giving us the first player to dominate in a way no one had seen - Then the Big Cat said 'Hello world' days after that last US Amature win and the change began that we see today. 

I have always been a huge Tiger fan, no matter the mistakes he made in leading up to the disgrace he had in 2009 or any other hiccup he has had along the way - he still is the most important player in modern history. The tv ratings from the Hero shows the so called Tiger effect - it's like nothing we've ever seen in any other sport and all the haters can just back up off and instead thank the man for giving them the increase of money they play for each and every week. Even the Ryder Cup team showed him - they made 'Let's make Tiger great again' t-shirts - showing their respect and love for the man. 

I root for him everytime, every single time and I hope he makes true his goals in the future, I believe that at some point in the future he will break the 18 mark set by Jack - I am tipping 20 will be the magic number when it's all said and done. Being a Tiger fan is like being a Yankee fan, or a Patriots fan...you are either a fan for life or not. I can say with pride that I never have doubted his comeback, that he would make it back to the biggest stage and prove himself again. Visit Twitteer all of you and see for yourself... aloof golf professionals hating the man, the player and lets not forget his foundation and all the money he gives back...it's quite unreal....

GO TIGER WOOOOO!!!!

Imagine and taking a chance....

I took this picture on a trip to New York a good many years ago, John Lennon and his wife Joko got permission from the city to put this in Central Park a few years before he was sadly taken from her and the rest of us. Imagine though, imagine the possibilities of this life, and the chances that come into our lives that we choose to take - some of them can change our lives forever, simple things like a letter to the right person - making a trip someplace that your actually unsure about but think is a good idea - you imagine what might happen and the results can be magic to say the least. When we dare to imagine the good in someone or something we open our hearts to the universe and the possiblity for it to maybe guide us forward with a new future...

Imagine that the chances we dare not take are the things we will regret the most in the end. I believe this. Of course taking risks that include personal harm or injury are probably not a smart idea but even jumping out of perfectly good airplane with nothing but the faith that the parachute will open and save you might for some be worth it -Imagine that. There are many times in life we jump - with our whole self and we have faith - sometimes it's faith in ourselves and other times it's faith in someone or something else, but we imagine the results of the chance we take and we judge the risks and rewards - and we jump... 

I beleive that's part of being part of it all - life - the incredible universe and this wonderous spinning thing we inhabit that is sometimes called Mother Earth - Absoultly amazing isn't it? We are all riding this earth and it's spinning through the universe at unbeleaveable speeds and we can imagine so many things that we can not only feel but things that we believe without knowing actually why- love is one of those things, and for me the most important. Imagine a world with more or less love being the reason, the cause for everything...

Imagine that. Unreal? No way. I know it's possible and I beleive it with all my heart... Love is the key to being able to imagine the best in each of ourselves and the others we are so lucky to meet in this life, the chances we take with our hearts and love. I dare every one of my readers to imagine their lives filled with more love than they can hold in their own hearts and imagine what you could do if you took the chance to give all that extra love away to someone who really deserves it...do it and open your heart to the chance of getting back so much more than you could ever expect...and imagine how wonderful the world would be...peace and love would rule forever!

Sometimes...

Sometimes one just looks at the sky and thinks wow... with all the tragic happenings around the world that we see night in and night out on the local and international news - we can be humbled by the sight of just one sunset. The ability to take a step back and appreciate the simple things is so important and something I think we all should try and do each day. I know it's not always easy, life can be tough on each of us, things happen for no good reason and sometimes it seems unfair and one can even think 'why me' and all that...but I believe in redemption, forgiveness and understanding that being free to do just those two things are what makes us true and free to ourslevs. 

For me - seeing a sight - a simple one like the sunset above makes me see the wonder of life and what makes it so precious and of such value, each and everyday. One has to see that? Right? I hope that my readers do and accept that as an individual we can't really change world events maybe but we can change our outlook on life and maybe as a whole - if everyone does it - maybe things will fall in the right for all of us... 

Believe in love - forgiveness and redemption for past mistakes and the ones that we all are going to make in the future to come. No one is perfect - that's for sure but when we see something like this sunset we can for a short time see that perfection comes in so many shapes and sizes - that the world can give us so much if we are willlng to see it - accept it into our hearts and believe. I do -  I really do and I'm not sure if it makes me stronger for real but the sunset above is and for me it was just perfect... Have a wonderful day wherever you might find yourself in this world and try to take just a few minutes to take a look around and see - what is perfect around you -even if it's just the sun saying goodbye for one day...💜💜😊😊

What A Day!!

The picture above did not happen today - it was maybe about 6 years ago and it's without a doubt one of my all time favorites - my boy putting and he's still playing golf as much as possible. Today was a beautiful day with sun and blue sky. A bit cold being that it's almost the end of November here in Norway. I got to practice with my 58 degree today for almost 3 hours and really enjoyed myself. Not sure if it's climate change or what but if I am being selfish then I have to say good for us golfers that live almost above the artic circle - it's been a long season in the sense of the amount of time we could have hoped for when the course opened in the end of March. 

I know for folks that are so lucky to play golf year around maybe can't realize for us what that really means...well, it's almost 9 months and that's not very typical to say it mild. Hoping that this winter will be a continuing of what we've experienced this Novemeber. I know, I know the chances of that happpening is almost none... we'll get snow at some point and maybe a whole bunch too. One can hope 😊😊

Seen a lot of people playing the last two days and that is great, I have not taken a good walk spoiled this fall...it's most because of the greens and that the tee boxes are closed. Maybe I should get out there even though but I guess the scoring game is the part I like the best and that's not that easy this time of year because the green keeping staff let's the greens grow a bit long - something I understand and support with thoughts about what's best for the baby grass - but then I choose to work on the 58 degree every chance I can - do spot practice and length control...Rambling on here...hehe.. thanks for checking in - no matter where you are in the world - from Mountain View, California to New Deli, India...keep swinging and good luck with everything that comes this winter 👍😊👊🏁💪😊

Looking forward...

Looking forward...always a good thing and something I have been doing, or at least trying to do, to the best of my abilities I am trying to look forward and see the options that are there and the ones that are not. Seeing the difference between the two are is not always easy sometimes, but something a person has to learn. Thinking ahead. Planning ahead. Seeing the future ahead....always moving forward. Not easy.

The past is something that always one carries, it's not the future because that is unknown, while each of our pasts is a fact, something we cannot change - even if we want to. It's one of the impossibilties we have here in life - you can never change the past - never. The only possible thing you can do is learn from it and that's the real key isn't it? I know for myself I have not always learned from my past, I have at times lived in the common expression that if one dosn't learn from it, then one is destined to repeat it. That is something I know a lot about, but, it is never to late to learn from it and sometimes we are not ready to do so until the time is right for moving forward,....

It's a feeling, a private knowledge that one feels inside that is hard to explain, at least for me it is. Some things are obvious and easy to learn, while other things are hidden from us, and maybe, just maybe, they stay hidden until we are ready to learn from them and move forward - looking forward without the baggage that keeps us there in the past....learning to put it down - set it down and leave it. It's not an easy thing to see at times, and I would go so far to say that sometimes we don't want to see it - we are afraid to see it - accept it and then feel nothing when we are strong enough to lay it down and move forward free of it and it's power to influance us in any way - good or bad.

I wish all my readers good luck in just that - the battle that each of us has inside of ourselves and I hope you all eventualy can lay it down, put it aside and look forward without feeling one way or the other. Indifference to it - letting it just be, with no acceptence of it anymore and live with the thoughts of moving forward, looking forward into the great unknown that is the future each of us has as individuals....good luck everyone.

Smokey Gutt and Me - The joy of Whippets

Love, it comes in so many different shapes and sizes and I can try to begin to describe the feelings I have for the dog in the picture above, my Smokey Gutt. I can remember what life was like, all the years before he came into my life, but, I cannot understand now, what kind of life I'd have without him in it now.  He is such a huge part of my everyday life, the choices I make and the results of the love he gives back to me are understandable in ways that maybe I am the only one to comprehend. Whippets as a rule are different than most other races of dogs, they are very fast, the fastest dogs in the world from 0 to 70 kilometers an hour, only the Greyhounds can reach a higher top speed of around 90 but Whippets reach 70 before them - every single time. 

Created by the working class in Great Britian in the 1800's - a combo of Greyhound and Terrier - a little weird to think about in the sense of just the size difference between the two races - one can think, how is that possible and it is a strange mix but thank goodness they made it. Whippets are one of the only few races that are used for compainionship theropy - it all has to do with how they are naturally, they seek contact, want to feel the physical connection between themselves and their owner. Smokey is really nothing special in that regard, he loves people, maybe I have had in some small way created a safe enviorment that gives him confidence that people are just good and not dangerous? I hope so. 

Nothing had prepared me for him, the goodness he has, the kind way he gives of himself each and everyday, The way he seeks and gives affection is humbling and makes me think how lucky I am to have him in my life. I talk with him and he looks into my eye's for the most part and I wonder, does he understand much more than I can imagine? Does he know how much he means to me? Is it possible for him to actually understand any of it? Sometimes I think so, without a doubt and I wish he could talk back and let me know how I could love him better - give him more of what he really wants, because I would -  I would do anything for him. Love is wonderful and loving a Whippet is easy and one of the most rewarding experinces I have had.... 

Not a usual post for me this - not sure why I feel the need to either - but I do feel it and hope that if you,  the reader of my blog, ever think about buying a new dog - buy a Whippet and I promise it will be one of the best things you ever do... it will change your life in ways you would have never expected. The joy and love you will recieve is beyond the words I have tried to use to explain my feelings... way beyond.

Smokey Gutt - My best friend - I love you!!

Gore Vidal - American Presidency

This book is a must read for all who really want to understand the complex and somewhat disturbing history of the office of the President. For those who don't know who Gore Vidal is, well, I would go so far to say that if you have not read him, then you can't even the begin to understand what has and is happening in the United States today.

I wish everyone would you tube this man and see the plenty of videos there if reading his works is maybe to much for some. It's important to see the military industrial complex for what it is and how it came to be. Many many good vids out there not to mention the books written. 

Have to be honest, have read about one third of his work... he wrote, if I remember correctly, somewhere in the range of 30 pluss books and many other essays. He became a public celeb and even ran for political office twice. Never did win though which is sad. He might just be the right type of person for the right job - but tu var we lost him and now all that is left is his books, essays and recorded speeches and shows on the www. 

It's important to see all sides of the history which is often not considered and hidden to that which is of most importance - the people. 

The Foutainhead - The battle between individualism and collectivism and the modern day....

Read this book once in college many many years ago and finished it again yesterday. Now all these years later I got much more out of Rand's book than I did as a History major trying to get though the pits and falls of being a college student athlete. Funny how one learns almost more about something when one chooses to do something as read a book like this instead of having to based on a college courses outlines. 

'From the beginining of history, the two antagonists have stood face to face: the creator and the second-hander. When the first creator invented the wheel, the first second-hander respomded. He invented altusim.'

'The creator- denied, opposed, persecuted, exploited-wnet on, moved forward and carried all humanity along on his energy. The second-hander contributed nothing to the process except the impediments. The contest has another name: the individual against the collective.'

'The 'common good' of a collective - a race, a class, a state-was the claim and justification of every tyranny ever established over men. Every major horror of history was commited in the name of an altruistic motive. Has any act of selfisness ever equaled the carnage perpetrated by disciples of altrusim? Does the fault lie in men's hyprocrisy or in the nature of the principle? The most dreadful butchers were the most sincere.....The only good which men can do to one another and the only statement of their proper relationship is ---Hands off!!!!!'

Ayn Rand---1935 The Fountainhead

Deep deep deep. 

Everyone in this day and age should read or reread this book. There are so many things she wrote that are perfect for the discourse that we read about everyday in the modern world. Facebook, Twitter and the like are alturism in it's almost perfect form.... divide and conqure. Scary that this women almost a hundered years ago was EXACTLY right in her views and our leaders today would do themselves a huge favor in figuring out what she is trying to say.... 

We are headed down a very slippery slope folks and the individual is the one that is going to pay the price. Having to join the crowd might just be what she says... it's another form of slavery- just one that people don't see and often give themselves to without knowing.....OPEN YOUR EYES and see the truth people and we need to express our individualism in this society- in the correct way now. More than ever in the course of history we need to stand and fight for our individuality and being the creator of our own history and lives. 

Palmers truth and Rod Pampling

It's just beautiful, is it not? A true and honsest statement by a man who was the perfect example of both those words. It's hasn't been a a couple months yet but I still miss him. Strange? Maybe so, but the truth. I know he was growing old and his time was in. He lived a charmed life, worked hard, played harder and made a huge impact in peoples lives, for thousands upon thousands of people, golfers and non-golfers alike. I can't really get over it, what he did in his long life on and off the golf course. The reverence is unmatched actually and totally deserved. 

His statement rings true and it's why I love the game like I do. There is no game in the world like it, enabling people to play over several generations together, being able to compete against others that are many many years younger or older. Golf is that way. It's fair. It's hard. But, nothing is so rewarding in the sense of self achievemnet when one competes against onesself or others and coming out on top. Watching the last PGA tournament this past weekend, it rang true again, Rod Pampling won in Vegas, beating guys half his age and doing it with solid ball striking and last round flat stick magic. I think he one putted the last 7 holes, draining a 30 foot bird to clinch his first victory in 10 years. His jounrey to the winners circle this time was long and hard. Coming back from The Web.com tour and fighting his way to it. Very motivating and something I keep in the back of my own mind and soul... Anything is possible. If you have the desire and ability - anything is possible. Anything. 

Stories like Rod Pampling's are the reason I don't give up or give in - keeping the dream alive by watching and feeling it deep down inside the golfing soul - thank goodness for modern day tv and the chance it gives us to see things just like his victory and in some ways his redemption for all the years of hard work. He never gave up on himself and beleived in his ability to do it and he did. Super cool and a beaken of light for all us old farts that still have dreams of playing against the odds and winning.... 

Great played Rod Pampling!!!

Get Up - Stand Up and the Bank of Karma

Bob... he said it. He wrote it. He made it. He lived it. He tried to show us the way. Did we listen?
The answer in my mind is a resounding no. Society today is all about getting yours, people will agree and disagree but I know it to be true. In the now times of this life people will do almost anything to advance their own agenda without the consideration of even the closest who will be greatly affected.
Nothing can make a person more dejected and depressed than being cast aside in the wake of people who really live this way. Oblivious to the affect of their actions and deeds. People lie, cheat and steal their way to the perferbial top. This we all kmow to be true and the people out their that deny it are hiding their head so far down in the sand that it's not even funny and actually real scary.. People should be ashamed of themselves for causing so much pain, suffering, uncertainty and society should create new rules that will enable us to change it.

I beileive in one thing. The Bank of Karma. In all it shapes and sizes. Sometimes it takes a long time for it to come around to the people who deserve it the most. In both it's negative and positive outcomes karma has it's subtle ways of balancing the scale and in some instances tipping it over in one direction. If and when this happens to you, well, I just hope that you have built up enough good credit in the Bank og Karma that the tipping goes in the right direction. We all have to live, everyday, we have to get up and stand up. We have to try to fight the good fight and hope the Bank keeps a total record for us that shows the real truth of our hearts.

Please consider the outcome if we don't... we can see, ever single day where we are headed and only me and you can change the path if we want. Each and everyone of us needs to Get Up and Stand Up and follow the example of Bob. Period. The world would be a better place.

The King...

The King

Uff a meg... If your a golfer and visiting me today please take a few minutes and remember the one and only Mr. Palmer. The King. The man who brought golf to the masses more or less alone. He was a pioneer of golf in so many ways and as the picture above shows forever...was too cool for school. 

Love was his strongest attribute. Really it was. 

I'm from Portland, Oregon and Mr. Palmer played the Fred Meyer Challenge every year, Peter Jacobsens tournament. He was there everytime. One time my father bought tickets to a dinner they were having after the first day and I got to go. Wow. I actually got o rub elbows with him, shake his hand and thank him, I was 19 and was in awe. All the great ones were there but he was the best. 

The best. 

I am not afraid to admit it - rather proud - I've cried tears for the man today - Every tear is respect. 

I love you Mr. Palmer!

Have you ever....?

Always, like an absolute positive. It's gonna happen at some point and you, or me, will be asking the question....have you ever...and the stories that follow those three words are as unique as each one of us and that, will always be so.  Each of us, every person has to fill in the blanks and somehow make heads or tails of the answers. Sometimes the answers will be in accordance with times, while other answers can really make a person wonder about life, the people we meet and the small details of it all that one can almost chalk up to fate. Hmmm. I don't know.  A person can never get away from asking the question from time to time. Have you ever...

I had a friend in the states that was down on his luck, was actually homeless at the time I met him, he was living a few hundred yards from Disney World in a tent city. My friend, who I'll call D was actually living from hand to mouth and was dependent on handouts to survive. I for one never would have thought it when I first met him at a Mac'ern. Nothing could have prepaired me for what was going to happen to us and our friendship during the following 5 or so weeks. Seeing and living that life in a way was a learning experience that I thought I actually would not have enjoyed and I guess at the time I didn't enjoy a lot about it but without a doubt it was an experience that changed me forever, Have you ever lived hand to mouth and slept out under the stars because you had to? Or was it a free choice to put yourself there? Was it a learning experience that continues on to this day? Have you ever leaned something the hard way? Many many have and it's normal,  Knowing how lucky one is might not be that easy for some and if one can't seem to judge the difference than things can and most often do run their course and one learns in the end anyway. Blabbering on here I know.

Have you ever...the weird thing is, I have not talked to D in a long while now, and while writing this post he got in touch with me on the road back to Orlando from Texas. Weird or not? In my life I have experienced a lot of those kinds of things and it just proves to me how much we are interconnected with each other and espescially the people we  l o v e.

Love has to be that one all powerful 'thing' it just has to be... have you ever felt that way?

Have you ever... 

Free Balls....Again

Free Balls.....Again.

Free balls, come and get it! Free balls!! This past friday at Aas Gaard Golfpark and Hakadal GK my son (who is now 9) and I were once again at the driving range giving away free balls to the 'lucky' golfers who seem to find their way to us on a friday evening. This paticular evening we had a grand total of 7 people that received balls between the times of 17 to 19. They were surprised to hear that no, they didn't have to pay for balls, that every friday from 17 to 19 there was free balls here at the golf club. The reaction is always the same, they are happy and the smiles are worth the evt wait. 

It makes me wonder how many people are aware of the offer and if not, why? I know that I have at least twice this season posted on the clubs website and on this blog. The days and times are clearly stated on the clubs website course page and of course I tell every private and group student I have. Free balls! PR and the like is important and it seems like we have to do something different. 

I know that where I come from, that if the local club was giving away balls every single friday for open public that the place would be packed from 17 to 19. The jungle telegraph would have taken care of the most. I just know it. Maybe people here have so much money that paying 5 dollars a bucket is not a big deal and that's just the way it might be. Strange for this golf professional anyway. Here you have a club that is willing to pay the owners who own the range to give away balls to the public and no one comes, no article in the paper...nothing. Weird,. 

I'll continue to show up every friday that I can. I think it's fun at least to see the happy surprised golfers that do get these Free Ball when the come on fridays. Sometimes people are quick to buy befiore they understand but that's life too... 

Have a good weekend all my followers and for those visiting for the first time. Welcome.

Kevin Michael

Head Golf Professional

Aas Gaard Golfpark and Hakadal GK

Face Value...

Face Value: 

We've all heard the phrase taking something or someone at face value.

Most of us who are english speakers by birth have used this expression from time to time and it makes me wonder, is it dangerous to take something or someone at face value and if so what are the risks involved? Is it possible to do this or is the idea outdated and maybe something the majority does not do anymore? It would be nice though, huh? To be able to do that from time to time without having to worry about it turning out to be something else. Would be nice but it's all to rare and for that,  I'll have to be honest and write it makes me sad and a little worried that the answers to my questions will be ones I do not like.

Here's what Websters says about it...

noun

t    the value printed or depicted on a coin, banknote, postage stamp, ticket, etc., 

"    touts offer tickets priced at many times their face value"

•   the apparent worth or implication of something.

    "her lie was unconvincing, but he took it at face value"

'To take something at face value means to believe what is being said without looking for deeper meanings or hidden agendas.'

I guess one could be tempted into saying that taking something or someone at face value is all about trust and not much else.  I for one am leaning twords this way of thinking and I can't seem to break away from the simple idea of it all. Taking something or someone at face value is all about trusting that thing or person without even considering that the inate value is not true. 

To be correct, I have to write that as a rule I have really tried to do this throughout my life, beleive in people and what they are showing me, be it a boat to buy or a possible freindship, taking people and the things they seem to represent at face value has kinda been an idea to live by for me but maybe that's all just bullshit. 

Maybe the world has changed right right before my eyes and I have not seen it, this idea of being able to take things at face value, to trust and believe in the things or people standing in front of you, that you've just seen or met for the very first time. Maybe it's over, maybe we all need to see the proof in the pudding so to say? To see the works before making any kind of value assestment? 

Maybe so, maybe not... like a whole lot of other things here in life.

You know, sitting here at my girlfriends house, with a headache that I've been nursing for days now because I'm stressed out. Why? Because life once again has showed me that yes, one can continue to take things and people at face value but that one then has to accept that people are hunan beings and because of that, well, life is the way it is, right? Things and the people that represent them are often exactly the way we think they are...and some are not. 

Dissapointment is part of life, guarding against it is pointless and finding a good way to deal with it is absolute the best way to learn to recognize the difference between the things and people that are taken at face value and those of which who are not. It's a choice. 

Me, you, the whole ball of wax has to make a choice. I know that for me, even before I started writing this knew, deep down, that trusting things or people is a personal choice based on the individuals life experiences and not much else. BUT that being said does not mean that people can't learn to try or maybe in full accept things at face value but I am completly aware that it's hard. 

To take something or someone at face value is to take a risk, a personal risk that might end up in one being hurt somehow, dissapointed in the result of his or her own choice to trust and beleive. I for one will continue to take things at face value - unless my 'spidey sensors' act up and by nothing else than life experience can see the non value in something right away - because when that happens, well, taking things at face value then is probably not happening what so ever....

Hope all my people are doing great and for those of you who are reading my stuff for the first time... welcome to my world, and yes, if you have not figured it out yet, I am someone you can take at face value. I've never been afraid to stand up for what I beleive is right and will always do so. 

Living my life as Kevin Michael Porn, with the last name and all that, well, there is only one Mr. Porn here in this little country and my name is really all I have, that plus my reputation and character...remember one's reputation is what others think about you, something you can do little or nothing about, but one's character is what you think about yourself and that is of course what's important in the long run...being true to yourself and the core values you have is one of the keys in building a good character. 

Thanks for clicking in... :-)

Best golfing regards,
Kevin Michael Porn
Head Golf Professional
Ass Gaard Golfpark & Hakadal Golfklubb

Fall News from Kevin

Hi Aas Gaard Golfpark and Hakadal Golfklubb,

Life is always about choices and a man has to do what a man has to do.

At the end of last week I lifted the blocking for this weekend that I had put in place on my instruction calendar that's visible on the World Wide Web. Within a day I received telephones about the then available time during the upcoming weekend.

A little bit of a choice for me – play the club championship or take the instruction, play myself or make my members better by teaching them, both juniors and the grown ups who have used lots of their hard earned money in the clubs shop, restaurant and on instruction… and in the least make a few thousand for the club in the process??

Generating money out of nothing is always the best for club.

That's where I come in and it's an easy choice.

It's always my members…always.

Of course it would be fun to play but I have my boy this weekend as well, whom I haven't seen in two weeks and playing 36 on Saturday takes over 10 hours…if I did that I wouldn't be able to see him almost at all on Sat and very little on Sunday.

An easy choice. It's always family…always.

It's always nice to get questions from my members about possible instruction either on the practice area or out on the course! The great thing is that it seems like my members have for serious started talking to each other about me, or about the positive help they receive from me and the eventual positive progress they experienced.

Word of mouth. Big.

Super cool and in regards to making more of my members better golfers, well, that's just good for everybody, good for business, actually the community as a whole and of course the individuals themselves own enjoyment of this wonderful game!

Job #1 is my members. Playing competitively can wait until this winter and eventually a little next season if I am able to in regards to my duties here at the farm.

The fall season is well underway, have seen more and more of the usual suspects at practice this past week with the addition of a few new faces..fun!

I am going to have to adjust the practice times for the last month in regards to light in the evenings. We need to start up at least 30 min earlier, maybe one hour earlier in a few weeks from today's date. I will make a news article and post it both on the clubs website and FB.

Other than that, I would like to wish all the players who are competing this weekend for the club championship good luck and I hope the weather holds for everyone. As it turns out I'll be playing with some of my members right after the last ball on Sunday. Cool! Maybe we'll see a bit of the action…again super good luck is wished for all the brave who choose to try and be club champion!!

Tonight, tomorrow and the days after are filled with that I enjoy all the most…helping others enjoy this great game that has given me so very much in my life so far, I want all who try this crazy game to love it and be lifetime golfers! Ferdig snakket. 🏌 👊 🏌

Best golfing regards,

Kevin Michael

Head Golf Professional

Aas Gaard Golfpark & Hakadal GK

A Class Act - One of the Best of ALL time and ONLY man to shoot 58....

Mr. 58.

Unreal.......

Mr. Jim Furyk is a class act and one of the best golfers of all time and the only man EVER to shoot a 58 in tournament play on the PGA Tour.  Wow,  and it's quite possible we'll never see it again in our lifetime... greatness comes in all shapes and sizes, and this gentleman just showed us all (again) that a person does not need a 'perfect' swing to play great golf. This man, in my eyes has a beautiful swing that has given him a lifetime of chances to help himself and many many others without trying to take credit at all. That's the kind of man Mr. Furyk is. He lets his golf clubs do the talking on the course and he's as humble as Mr. Snead, as kind as Mr. Palmer and a fighter like The Great Bear. I have always loved watching this man play, always. I can remember following him in person at several different PGA events and Ryder Cups. He plans his rounds and tournaments as good as anyone ever has and is a thinking man's player. My man.

As a teaching professional Mr. Furyk gives me a light to shine, to show my students that they can find their own swing, develop it with some qualified help and play great golf with it over many many years. He said in his press conference after the 58 round that he NEVER watches video of his swing, he figures it out with help of his pro (his dad) and feel. Gotta love it! If more players had his attitude and way of thinking about the swing I believe that younger players would develop a technique that suits them without taking risks in regards to injury. Many of the 'new' ideas around the golf swing the past 10 years or so have increased the amount of injuries that takes plass among younger players. Not good.

I believe that once a person has found their own true swing and the process it takes to do so makes the chances must less that the player will have injuries that might actually end ones golf playing once and for all. All our body's are different and I believe that each one of us has one true swing in us, one swing that will inable us to play great golf without risking injury. Finding it takes time and qualified help. That's a proven fact for 99% of us. There will always be the Bubba's, Franco's, Daly's and the Trevino's that never took a lesson but they are the remainig one percent who whould have been great no matter - but the rest of us should seek some help from time to time -  along the way.

Once a person understands his own swing, all the different phases of it, from the tee box, transport shots and all the way in the hole, one can make the nessassary changes during practice and/or on the golf course during a round. Hitting a shot and knowing why it did what it did is paramount in becoming a real good golfer. Many players use years and years to find it themselves and that's ok, that's why they play but for the rest of us, taking a lesson or two can be something that gives us that 'a ha' experience that sets us down the road to total understanding of our indivdual true swing.

Thanks Mr. Furyk for being you and sticking to YOUR swing!!

Best golfing regards,

Kevin Michael Porn
Head Golf Professional
Aas Gaard Golfpark & Hakadal Golfklubb

Back in the Swing...

Back in the swing of things here at Aas Gaard Golfpark and Hakadal Golfklubb....

It's been a nice July here at the farm. Most of my members have been gone on vacation but some of course have been home and have used the club regularly and that's super!! I have been helping out in the shop a lot more than I was able to in May and June and it has been nice. Getting to know more members, being comfortable with the register, products and all the other small things that are important for me as Head Golf Professional to see, experience and know so that I have a good idea of how things are functioning both in and out of the shop...having a complete picture is just so important to giving the best service. Our 'shop lady' does a super job at presenting the products and keeping the shop looking fresh week in and week out, giving great service during long hours - super - just great work there and now it's the late summer and fall season push ahead for us all.

I put out the teaching course schedule on the clubs website last night and made a little thing for Face, simple advertising through social media is important in today's golf world, that plus the standard is usually enough to turn the tide and generate new players and members. I know that this season we have experienced a steady increase in new members while the exiting seems to have stopped up. Positive and exciting to say the least. My goal is that within 3 years or so that the golf club as at least 10% of the local population. Now are we about 5% I think. We'll get there.

For me, the next two months are going to filled with most naturlig lots of golf, most of all teaching - seniors, juniors and all the members in between that sign up for the different courses we offer here on the farm. Planning the fall school visits, working active to find new sponsors and when the time is there working on my own game has always been important for me both as a teacher and player of the game. Looking forward to the club championship at the end of the month, going to try and set aside a little time each week to try and prepare myself for those two days. Playing 36 plus 18 from the back tees is going to be a fun challenge and I'm looking forward to it.

My boy Leon is staying with me until school starts in the middle of the month and that is a special treat being that I usually only have him every other weekend. My daughter has moved to Oslo as of yesterday and is now 30 min away. Nice for Pappa. :)

Wishing all my members and guests welcome back to Aas Gaard Golfpark and Hakadal GK!
The course gets positive feedback each and everyday, people in the know say that it's almost as good as Bogstad... can't get better feedback than that!!  Come and see for yourself!

Best Golfing,

Kevin Michael
Head Golf Professional
Aas Gaard Golfpark & Hakadal GK

In the Finish...

Two seconds later the move was made and he was done...in His finish position. Coming to the finish is so very important, not only in this crazy game of golf but also in this crazy thing called life.

When we finish something, at the moment of completing whatever it is we get an immediate feeling of how it went...did we do a good job, did we accomplish our goal, is "it" done?

Is it done correctly?  That's the question we all get answered when we come to the finish.

In golf, it's the balance we have in our finish position that gives us the only chance of feeling almost all we need to know about what just happened with our swing and we see the results in the flight of the ball.

But...it takes practice. Holding onto/not quiting on it and being in control of your swing until you get into the finish position  correctly is a huge part of being a good golfer and learning about ones own swing.

It's at that moment, those few fleeting seconds after we hit the ball and come into our finish position, that exact few seconds is really the only chance we have to "feel" what went wrong or more hopefully what went right with the swing.

I'm convinced without a single doubt that this is the case and that more than 90% of us, if, and it's a big if but if we could just concentrate on our finish position and almost nothing else at the time of "pulling the trigger", that most of us would play much better and more consistent golf.

Finish it and do it with the best balance you can...every single time...every single shot. If we all could do this we'd play better.

Is it mind over body then? Can we concentrate so single minded and still perform our best? I believe so. I know so and it is a matter of practice. Correct practice and lots of it. 😊😊😊

I'm still working at getting my fade back, it's coming along and the ball flies left to right again but sometimes it's a bit to much banana airlines... 😂😂😂 Nothing else to do but find the answers in the dirt sometimes, along with good practice and short game.

Have my dear boy until Saturday this week... before he travels "over there" with his Mamma for the first time... wow.  A little jealous ja...😉😉😉

Hope everyone is doing good where ever you are in the world. Keep swinging and come to the good finish you know you can!!

Best regards,
Kevin Michael

Leon in Full Focus...

Here's a picture of someone who is in full focus. It just so happens the picture is of my boy Leon. One can see his facial expression in the picture and see that he's really focusing on the ball and is ready to try and make a good swing. Fun!

He's only 8 and making progress in learning about the game. Not to press him, give him space and time to make mistakes, try new things and teach himself a thing or two.

Golf is a difficult game. To play it at all is a challenge and to play well is an achievement that makes one appreciate the times it does happen. Nothing can be more frustrating than golf...take my last round for example...over 90 shots I assume and I am still excited about this silly game...😆😆

A draw or a fade? That's been my question now the past 4 seasons. Last year I didn't really play much golf but the goal has been the same... hit a draw. Getting more distance has been my goal and now I'm going to say that it's been achieved and that it's time to move on. I've learned how to hit it, maybe not as well as I had hoped but moving the ball right to left is now a learned skill that can be utilised from time to time if absolute need be.

But for my standard shot, my bread and butter has always been a fade, as far back as I can remember. I am done playing a draw as my standard shot. Period.

I might hit the draw farther but my control is for shit and my ability to score is quite  inconsistent to say the least.

That my good people is the name of the game. Getting the ball in the hole with as few shots as possible. Nothing more - nothing less.

Time to hit the fade again, time to play safe and score the ball again. Time to play boring golf again. Experimental changes are now finished and the main goal is  repositioned again front and center.

Back to the range and finding the answers in the dirt. ☺☺👊👊

Little late night chipping with the new...

Put in a little late night chipping with my new 50° wedge from Callaway. That plus the new balls it's another feel than I'm used to and I must say I that really like both the wedge and ball. Looking forward to more short game practice to see how it reacts to other kinds of shots.

Being a long time BV man, I was sceptic to trying new wedges and changing out the Pro V 1 have I actually never even considered before trying this new chrome soft ball... real nice.

Seems to have the same properties as the Pro V 1 but seems to be a little more wear and tear resistant, which is nice when the cost for 3 or a dz can be expensive.

Looking forward to some putting practice tomorrow morning after the boys have clipped the greens :-)

The course is getting better and better each day and the greens are rolling super great!

Hope all the golfers out there who stop in from time to time are doing good where ever you might be in this wide world of golf...

Take it easy :-)

Kevin Michael

Fredags Kos - Spillehastehet - Go' Helg :-)

Halla folkens og ja det var Fredags Kos på Aas Gaard Golfpark & Hakadal GK i kveld!

Vi hadde Trener 1 folk der fra 17 og jeg kom rundt 18 etter jeg var inni Oslo til å hente gutta basen min. Var mange på rangen i kveld, noe ny ansikter også, og det var kjempe hyggelig! Vi avsluttet kvelden med en chipping konkurranse mellom 5 stk og det var også veldig gøy! Moro at folk har begynt kanskje å skjønne tilbudene som vi har på plass, kult og spennende . :)

Håper at alle kan fortelle noen de kjenner som kanskje burde starter med golf, som alle av oss som spiller og leve dette livsstil vet så veldig godt. Golf er godt for kropp og sjel! Sellom det kan være frustrerende til tiders, veldig frustrerende også er golf et godt ting for folk flest! Så ikke vent, fortelle noen du bare vet hadde likt golf hvis de hadde bare prøvd seg! Fredags Kos på Aas Gaard Golfpark!!

Spillehastehet er nok et tema som vi burde snakke om av å til. Går vi rask nok mens vi spiller? Skjønner vi når det er greit til å gå rundt og opp på siden når mann spiller sammen med andre? Vet vi alle at det er ok og at vi alle burde gjør det? Når vi spiller golf vi burde gå helle tiden, nesten... Mann burde vær i bevegelse hele tiden ut på banen bortsett på utslag, greenen og de tidene vi alle vet vi burde holde stille. Men å gå rundt og foran til å komme fram til ballen sin er en del av golf, ja, passe på når de andre slå men til å gjør seg klar til å slå når det er ditt tur er viktig for å få flytt ut på banen. Et runde golf burde ikke tar mer en 4 timer sånn ca. Det er et godt tempo og spillehastehet for de fleste. Holde seg til max 2 prøve sving på transport slagene og bli aktiv rundt greenen sånn at når det er ditt tur, du er klar til å slå. Enkelt ting ofte er det beste, i golf å... :-)

Håper alle har en fint helg og vi sees på klubben!

Mvh,

Kevin Michael Porn
Head Golf Professional
Aas Gaard Golfpark & Hakadal GK


www.kevinporngolf.com

Kl 1300 og vi er 'back in business'...

Opening the course at 1300 hours today!  After a couple days closed because of big spring showers the course is the most green I've seen it this season and it's really great to see. Last night after a lesson I went home grabbed a hot dog and then went back up to the practice area to do some putting. The greenkeepers had just clipped the practice green and that's the perfect time for a little close tot he hole practice. Hit about 100, 1 mt putts and some length control training. Was windy and a bit cold but the hour went by fast and I felt good about the putting.

Later we had the Juniors and were lucky to be able to sneak out on the back nine with the gang. I made the choice to walk with the younger juniors this time and that was fun. We played a little scramble where they actually made 3 pars and 2 bogeys! Fun to watch for us adults and even more fun for the kids. It's all about making it fun, the way you talk, the amount of enthusiasism one uses in his voice, all that stuff makes it more fun for the younger juniors. Cool to see how the Junior group assistants talk to, instruct the kids and all the small things that make for a successful junior program. This is going to be really fun!!

Other than that, not much else than golf going on here in Norway  and for those of you following along, spread the word about the great course we have here at Aas Gaard Golfpark & Hakadal GK that opens again today at 1300 hours!!

Good golfing and we'll see you all at the club!

Best Regards,

Kevin Michael
Head Golf Professional
Aas Gaard Golfpark & Hakadal GK

Rain, golfing in it, and waiting for something big...

Rain, rain, go away, come back another day...a silly saying we learn as kids in the states. Sitting here in my office at the golf club I\m thinking just that. I have the door open and can hear the pitter patter of the tiny dropplets outside. Looking out the window at the rain beating down outside makes me remember my childhood and all the rainy days in Portland, Oregon. We got used to it and people from there say often that they have webbed feet because of all the rain. Hehe. Maybe so. The picture up top is of Lag NM in 2006 I think and it rained and rained and rained that week....

Playing in the rain is something all golfers must do, esp if they are tournament players at any level. Being able to post a score in the wet and wild world of golf in the rain is nothing easy. The most important is to have a rutine that keeps your grips and hands as dry as possible. If the grips and hands get slippery, well, it's not going to be a fun round, Use a trolly with a umbrella holder. Have a dry towel under your umbrella and an extra in a platic bag along with some several dry gloves. I for one have never liked the Rain Grip golf grips, whre they say you can just let the grips get wet and because of the glove it's supposed to be just as good, Well, for me it's never been the same and I have tried just about everything and to post the best score I feel like one has to use the equipment one uses to everyday play. Same glove, same ball, just keep your grips and hands dry when your going to hit the ball...

Often when it rains one thinks about the things one could be doing outside if it wasn't raining.

True?

I think so. So, if your a golfer and sitting inside like me looking at the rain and wishing... just remember that it stops at some point and then something big might happen, maybe not but it just might be the case... Nothing can be so difficult than waitng for something, a date, a good meal, love, a sporting event, graduation from school, getting married, having kids, starting school, christmas, getting a new pet, a set of clubs, a movie or theater tickets or other things that us people find important. Waiting is tough. No matter what it might be but when it's something big than it makes it even harder.

I have experience with waiting, probably no less or no more than the most of you around my age, waitng for things throughout  a lifetime is just part of living.  I have heard the saying that the older one gets the easier it is. I for one am not so sure. I still think it's hard. At the age of 45, I still really do. I can have problems sleeping before a big golf round and I know this is not something that is uncommon but part of being human. But how do we deal with it? How can one relax if your waiting for something big? Well, there are many options but how many of them are good ones? I'm really not sure. If I knew the answers to all these questions I guess I could write a book instead of a blog and make a million. :-)

Hoping the weather people are right and that summer is around the bend. Long warm days with golf into the late evening. The smell of new cut grass, the sound of the ball being cracked from a solid iron shot, the occasional 'fore' and all the other sights and sounds of being at the course on a warm summer day.

We'll all just have to wait and see... :-)

Good golfing and I'll see you at the club!

Kevin Michael

Feeling it, or not...

Played the Monday men's tournament a few days ago, the day started out pretty much normal, up somewhat early, drank my morning coffee, make some breakfast for Leon and did some cleaning. Nothing really out of the ordinary and I was looking forward to a day out on the course. Leon and I relaxed most of the morning, hit some putts, chips and except for being a little stiff in my lower back the body seemed to working normal.

About 45 min before my tee-time Leon and I went over to the range to warm up my swing/body. Other than the little stiffness in my back everything was feeling ok. Hit some normal shots on the range, 5 drivers and was ready to go. Busted my opening drive way down the middle and had 197 mt to the pin for my second shot, left it short in the bunker, took 3 shots from there to get it on the green and a one putt for bogey....Have played enough golf to know that sometimes we (humans) just loose the touch, the feeling or whatever you want to call it. Not fun when it happens, but it does happen. Keep grinding. Keep trying. 85 shots... whew... a lot. But went 2 under the last 4 and actually maybe something loosened up for me. For the first time this season I actually hit some real quality wedges into the greens the last 6 holes. Sounds strange for all the non golfers but ya, wedges. That's a must. 

Had a nice ball to go with, thanks guys and one of the gentlemen I played with won the day, so that was fun and it just so happens that the same guy played with me last week as well and played so poorly that he got some free swing help. Looks like it's helping... Cool.

A person can just make one shot at a time, live one day at time and make the best out of it. That's kinda my thinking about how to do things. Either on the course or off. We can't do a damn thing with the past, shots or life, if it's done let it be so and move on the the job at hand, Today, now, this shot and plan ahead for the next one with the best expectations. Not the easiest of tasks but with some mental practice one can keep his or her cool, accept the situation and really try to make the best out of the lie given.

Out on the golf course under normal conditions one has to accept where the ball ends up, no matter if its luck or not, one has to play the ball as it is, just like life. A person has to in many ways see where his life is, how he is going to make it better and accept the results of his actions. Hehehe... a lot like golf.  Being able to accpet how the ball lies, just as accepting how ones life is at that exact moment is neassasary in being able to move forward - either hitting the shot well or not. One has to try. There is no other option.

Well, there is, but that's not really an option.

Hope all the golfers and non-golfers alike are doing well this fine spring day.

Best Regards,

Kevin

Callaway Demo Dag!!

Snart, ca to uker så er det Callaway Demo Dag på Aas Gaard Golfpark! Ta med din nærmeste og komme seg ut til å teste årets produkter! Jeg og en fra Callaway  skal bli tilstede hele tiden for å hjelpe til!

Glede meg selv å teste litt køller!

Sees 01.06.2016!!!

Mvh,

Kevin Michael Porn
Head Golf Professional
Aas Gaard Golfpark & HGK

Kurs deltagere er tøffe...

Vi hadde en dag med regn og snø men idag var det mye bedre med vær... Tusen takk dere alle sammen for to fine dager ;-)

Alle av oss på Aas Gaard Golfpark ønsker dere lykke til med golfen!

Golf er gøy :-)

Oops... forgot my wallet...Movatn and Fredriks Grandparents with Portland ties...small world and thanks!!

The VTG course I had today was done a bit before planned and I got a ride from a friend to the train stastion here in Hakadal. While we were sitting there waitng for the train to come, my friend lent me his train pass, for which I am now even more thankful for. After I ger situated in my seat, the conductor swipes the card and I am on my way into Oslo.

Well, about two stops later I realize that I have forgotten my wallet on the kitchen counter at my appartment at the golf club. I get out at the next stop assuming (I sometimes forget, never assume..it makes an of ass u me ;) that I could just catch the next train coming the other direction. Correct yes, how long must I wait? 1,5 hours. Movatn train stop. Population 317. :-)

Lucky for me, there was a car that stopped to fix something with their tires and I asked them about this train stop (the picture above)and if they knew anything about the area... yes they did, and no there wasn't any other public transport going my way except for the train coming in 90 min.

I call my friend and we try and figure something out, and out of desperation I ask the gentleman if I might be able to sit with them down to the nearest gas stastion or store. The kind man explained that there was nothing between there and Oslo but dense forest land and of course I could sit with them.

Aftrer getting seated in the front seat, his kind wife sitting behind me with their Grandson Fredrik sitting in the back watching a dvd. Within a few minutes we found out that they had lots of family in Portland, Oregon which is where I grew up as a boy/young man. Funny how the world is really so small. These kind people drove me all the way to Oslo S train stastion where I met my friend for coffee and was on the next train back to Hakadal.

Upon reaching the train stop in Hakadal I was ready to walk back to the golf club or the Farm as we here call it-- or the golf park.. took about 20 min and was actually a real nice walk even though it was raining. I might have forgotten my wallet but my umbrella- I had that... ;-)

Thanks soooooo much Fredrik's Grandparents! You saved me from catching a real case of the Norweigian spring cold... here at Aas Gaard Golfpark it's snowing again, even though it melts fast and warm weather is probably a little ways off...

Practice indoors then!! Work on your swing at home!!! All good players do that!!

Golf er Gøy!!

Leaving your wallet at home is not.

:-)

Yes, I'm really serious... :-)

Golfing in the snow... :-)