Yoda's Birthday
 

I hope Lynn forgives me for this one, but I thought all disciples would like to know...It's Yoda's birthday on Thursday 13th October..And I'm getting a lesson! Happy Birthday in advance. See you on Thursday! :smile:

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall...
 

Right you are, Neil. Good memory!

It's been a wonderful past twelve months sharing The Golfing Machine with students from all over the world. And our work together on Thursday and Friday will crank the next twelve into high gear.

I'll be sixty next time, but I sure don't feel it. I now understand what my friend meant years ago when he said, "Inside every old guy is a young guy saying...

'What the heck happened?!'"

Happy Birthday Lynn :)
 

Best Happy Birthday Wishes :)

Happy Birthday
 

60...... Hmmmmm.... Been there done that.

You've only started........The earlier years were only the preperation for what is to come.

Have a good Birthday.:)

Just Think
 

You are a year closer to shooting your age!!!
Happy 60!!!

Mr. 59
 

Thanks for the best wishes, gentlemen. And I'm pleased to report that I'm 'only' 59 this time 'round. Next year is the Big Six-Oh!

Regarding shooting my age, where is Al Geiberger when you need him?

http://www.sybervision.com/Golf/driver.htm

How 'bout this?:D

Oops, uh, and happy birthday!!

Many, many happy returns of the day!

Something I want to put on the table for your birthday.... As a few of the other LBG board members know, I have been doing volunteer work with several high risk teens, who come from circumstances of limited opportunity.

I taught them exactly as you taught me last March, as best I could. This summer 2 of them took summer jobs on grass at a local range and chipnputt. That meant they turned away from the concrete and streetcorners that devour their peers. And one was just told that he has made alternate for his school's team.

None of them, had touched a golf club before last fall, and none had a lesson until this past Spring when we began to construct the LBG/TGM fundamentals.

The point is that LBG/TGM fundamentals gave them such a FAST jumpstart, that interest in golf overcame them quickly. They worked hard and had fun, and most important.... I think for the first time in their lives, they see themselves as special. They are TGMers.

They heard Mr Kelley's and your name often.

(And a special kudo to Matt. I think they were a little tired of seeing myself and vids/photos of other old f*rts. Matt put up vids here of himself crushing balls in a T-shirt, baggy shorts, and sneaks. They got that. :) )

The stationary head and steady legs are their rock. The Flying Wedges are their sword. The Inclined Plane is their shield. And there is hope, where there once was very little.

Just so you know, what you do touches others 900 miles away, in ways you may not have imagined.

Happy Birthday,

Charlie

It is no coincidence that the great Mickey Mantle was born on 10/20. I had the chance to ask him in the mid 80's on how far he hit a golf ball. He replied by saying that he averaged 310 off the tee!!!!!!!So Lynn there is still hope!!!!!![-o<

"That boy hits baseballs over buildings. He runs as fast as Ty Cobb."
— Casey Stengel

Yo Mickey!
 

Rich,

With credit to Lloyd Bentsen in the Bentsen-Quayle Vice-Presidential debates:

You knew Mickey Mantle.

Mickey Mantle was a friend of yours.

But Rich...

I ain't no Mickey Mantle!

In the 80's I had a press pass and used it to go to the stadium every chance I got. At this time "The Mick" was a commentator for SportsChannel NY. I spoke with him on a few occasions and also put together a music video of him in my spare time and gave it to him. I did a video montage of him swinging the bat and using scenes from The Natural. So you would see mick swinging and then see the ball he hit, hit a scoreboard. He loved the video and "The Scooter" liked it as well. He actually thanked me on the air!!!!!.....

Happy Birthday!!
 

Happy birthday Yoda!!!! Tracing the plane line and all those breakfasts at Cracker Barrel must be the secret of youth...cause you have the look, demeanor, and enthusiasm of a man much younger!

Hope you have a great 59th,

Keith

So Long Cracker Barrel?
 

One thing's for sure, Keith, those Cracker Barrel breakfasts are showing. I'm working with Vickie to do something about that!

Don't give up on the Barrel!!!![-o< The barrel's almost as good as the Bucket. You could hurt yourself with all that work out stuff. Plus all the chili slides of the hotdog when you're lifting weights.

Solution = buy bigger pants.

Happy birthday!!! and one to grow on!!!!

Happy Birthday Dr.Collards....Thanks for all you provide for us!!!

Skywalker

59 is fine
 

Happy birthday Yoda! The following should remove any doubts that top performance is still possible after 50.

It is well known around here that Mantle drove #9 at Southern Hills in Tulsa in the 1980s when in his 50s. The green is elevated and plays 374 from the championship tees(2001 US Open) and 359 from the whites, from which Mantle played. This was all carry and done with a persimmon driver and Titleist balata. I should also say that he was in poor health due to baseball injuries as well as liver damage from alcoholism.

In the 2001 Open, Woods hit a steelheaded Cobra driver to the crosswalk, some 80+ yds from the green.

Now Where Did I Put Those Pinstripes?
 

Thanks, MJ. I'll start wearing my pinstripes to the golf course!

yodas birthday
 

happy birthday yoda you are the best and deserve the best.:)

golfbum 22

Runnin' Scared
 

Thanks, golfbum. Remember, though, I had a great teacher -- Homer Kelley -- and I've got a great team here at LBG. But with those gifts comes a unique pressure:

If I blow it -- if I let everybody down -- there are no excuses.

It will be my fault.

I'm doing my best to make sure that doesn't happen.

Happy Birthday, Yoda. May you live to be as old as your namesake. (But with more hair)

There's Hair...And There's Hair
 

Thanks, rchang. My wife says I already have more ear hair.:cool:

Thanks Mizuno for that story. Mantle also drove the green of the 9th hole dog-leg par 4 of the Black Course.......I saw video of Mantle swinging the club. Looked like he set up with a flat left wrist and his right hand underneath...........

Lynn,

Have a great day on Thursday.

Lee

SNTS,

You mention his swing - I saw Mantle play at the Roy Clark Celebrity tournament in the 80s. He had the most unusual move with the driver that I've ever seen. The best view was behind him. He was a "width" swinger, taking his hands straight back, starting the BS with his hips and mooning the target - no sway. Then he did something, which I thought was a gag for the spectators, but it was not. He paused at the top and waggled his butt two or three times and then fired his hips. Yes - a butt-waggle! The sound at impact was a rifle-like crack, which caught the attention of everyone. My guess is that he was a 4-barrel Hitter.

One of the best books about the mick was "Explosion", I think that was the name. But this book talked about all of his long homeruns, the sound it made.
Back in the 80's I was at a gift shop across the street just outside of Yankee Stadium. This old timer there said that when the yankees were playing he knew by the crack of the bat when Mantle hit one out.He said you can hear hit across the street.........

When I was a kid, Warren Spahn brought all the OK major leaguers to old Texas League Park in Tulsa to play a game against TL stars. Mantle was batting RH and the pitcher fooled him badly with a low sinker that would have hit the plate, but Mantle, off balance with his weight forward, golfed the ball over the CF fence with an arm/wrist swing.

Happy Birthday, Yoda. 901 years is it? I guess you've already shot your age. :D
There is no try! :)

Thanks Lynn for giving so much! =;

'59' Never Looked So Good!
 

Thanks, Fredrik. Always the creative one, aren't you!

Green Actors Guild
 

Back at'cha, my friend. See you Wednesday for our DVD filming!

"A Toast"
 

As we walk along the path of life's journey, we meet so many different people. When I was a young boy, my father once told me that one of the ways of looking at people is, are they "givers" or "takers". We all know some of each. Unfortunately, there are too many of the latter and not enough of the former.

However, if you are fortunate enough to meet a "giver", be-friend them or marry them, for they will provide a lifetime of true friendship. Unselfishly, they better our worlds and make the "our bumpy roads" easier to travel.

So, let us raise our glasses, with a little Extensor Action (6-B-1-D), and toast one of the "True Givers" on his 59th Birthday.

On behalf of a grateful TGM Nation we wish you all the best that life has to offer. Cheers!!!!!!


Drew

Wonderful thoughts, Drew. Thanks!

Marilyn Sings
 

When she heard the news, she called and insisted on singing Happy Birthday to you - just like she did for Jack. ;-)


Happy Birthday Lynn Blake. Plenty of them ahead of you.

mike

Happy Birthday Yoda!
 

\\:D/ Happy birthday - or tillykke med fødselsdagen - Yoda
from the Copenhagen TGM headquarter\\:D/

Impact Fix
 

Could not resist as I saw this pic

Cheers=D> and a bent right wrist too....

Nice toast Drew and a very Happy Birthday to you Lynn! - EdZ

Happy Birthday my Friend.
You don't look a day over 500 and play like a Jedi in their 200's.

Bagger

But, I'm List'nin!
 

Bagger,

Flattery will get you nowhere!

A Good Day
 

Thanks, everybody. Now...

Back to work!