Inside the Ropes

Jay Williamson on playing in the heat, his game and his goals for the future

Q:

What does heat do to you psychologically?

A:

To be honest with you. I don’t mind competing in the heat. It’s actually preparing for the week. Once I am inside the ropes, it doesn’t really matter. I’d rather be hot than cold. The problem that I have with the heat is that golf courses are very susceptible to the heat. And here in Greensboro, the golf course is in great shape, but when you get to the greens, they are probably the slowest softest greens I’ve seen on the Tour. No one likes to play when the ball’s not rolling. It’s a different type of putting stroke that you have to make to get to the hole.

Q:

Is putting in the heat like putting on a sponge?

A:

Yeah, that’s kind of the way it is. The superintendent has got to be so cautious this week. I mean it’s supposed to be hotter today and tomorrow. These greens aren’t made for this type of heat. It’s cool weather grass.

Q:

It’s interesting. You’re response is more about how the golf course plays, most golfers talk about heat’s physical impact on their body.

A:

I’m in decent shape. On a scale from 1 to 10 I am maybe a 7. Anyone who is under a 5 is going to struggle this week fitness-wise. It’s just definitely taxing. I played on the Monday Pro-Am and after five hours of playing I was thinking, there aren’t many people who stand outside for five hours in heat like this, well, except people who work outside. You almost have to have a screw loose to walk around five or six hours. You don’t get to walk into a dugout, you don’t really get a break for the time you are out there. Hopefully you don’t hit it in the shade because that means you are in the trees. It definitely takes it toll this time of year; these are definitely the dog days of August.

Q:

How’s your game right now?

A:

My game is feeling pretty good. I had a nice week off last week, didn’t get a whole lot of rest, but had a nice week off. I played Monday and Tuesday and it felt really good. I’m basically just trying to go back to no thoughts, where I just try to be natural and swing the club the way my body wants to do it, instead of trying to force it into positions.

Q:

Talk a little about your upcoming break?

A:

I’ve never had four weeks off like this so it will be interesting. I don’t know what I’m going to do yet – play a couple of Nationwide events, spend time with my family. It’s great knowing I have options where previously I haven’t. I’ve played a lot of golf here recently and to have a month off is nice, but I feel like I need to do something. There’s still seven weeks left at the end of the year, I need to stay sharp. I feel like you can practice all you want, but it’s all about the competition. I think that I actually play better when I play a lot.

Q:

When you sit back and look at golf as a whole, it appears almost as if the best-known golfers play in only a few tournaments each year?

A:

Well, I just think earlier in my career I did better when I played a lot and golf is a lot about routine and repetition for me and I think my routine gets better when I play a lot. It gets tiring being on the road, but this is where I need to be.

Q:

What’s your best-case scenario for the remainder of this year?

A:

Best case is for me to win over the next two months. Once we get to the end of the year then we start focusing on the next year. It would be really great to focus on going to Hawaii for a couple of weeks. I feel like I have the game to win, it’s just a matter of putting it together. It’s just nice to be in a position where I can think like that on this TOUR.

Q:

When we first talked, your goal was to finish in the top 25 of the Nationwide Money List, what’s your goal today?

A:

The goal today is to get in the top 70 of the PGA TOUR Money List. I think I’m about 98th. I don’t show up on the Money List right now, but where I finish will get me the status next year. To get in that top 70 I would need to make another 300 or 400 thousand dollars more. That’s where I would like to be, because that would get me in the Invitationals for next year. So, my goals have changed through one week of playing out here. It’s the amazing thing about golf, your whole life can change in one week. My life has changed for the better, if I had won it would have changed for the best, but I still have that opportunity which is the great thing.

Jay Williamson on the Reno-Tahoe Open

Greetings from the Reno-Tahoe Open.  I cannot explain with words how good it feels to be playing in the west right now.  No doubt it’s hot but the heat is dry and doesn’t leave you feeling drained and tired at the end of a round.  I really appreciate the opportunity to play in this climate.

I began the tournament with a -4 first round on Thursday.  As for my game, I feel good about where I am but know that there is a lot more that I’m capable of.  I’m in the right frame of mind.  Shooting -4 on this course is an accomplishment but yet I’m not satisfied.  I know that I can play better.  I’m very thankful that I can view my game realistically and with great clarity.  The areas in which I need to improve are as plain as the nose on my face.

As soon as I finish this blog I’ll head to the training facility for some therapy on my elbow.  The soreness has held me back but I feel as if we are making some progress each day I attend physical therapy.  The pain is nothing to cringe about but the constant nagging ache is enough to make a difference on the course.

After the Reno-Tahoe Open I’m taking a much-needed vacation with my family.  I’m really looking forward to some alone time with the kids and my wife.  I cannot describe how much support they give me while on the TOUR or what their support means to me while I’m playing golf.  I’m sure my fans who travel for their job understand the situation.

During my down time, I’m going to have the chance to tour a number of the Land Resource communities with CEO, Mike Flaskey.  I’m really looking forward to experiencing the view of Lake Lure from the 2006 HGTV Dream Home at Grey Rock in North Carolina and breathing in the salt air from the 2004 HGTV Dream Home at Cumberland Harbour in St. Marys, Georgia.  Spending some quality time with my primary sponsor is very important to me.  Without their confidence in my playing abilities who knows what my future in golf would have been.  I’m grateful for Land Resource’s support.

My next PGA stop will be in Greensboro, North Carolina for the Wyndham Championship at Forest Oaks Country Club, August 16 – 19.  I look forward to updating you on my experience and will try to answer some of your mailbag questions between now and then.

Thanks for your support; it means the world to me and my family.

Jay on the Canadian Open

The Canadian Open is a wonderful experience for me. Not only do I have the privilege of playing in a very competitive field of golfers, I also get the opportunity to participate in one of the more historical tournaments in golf.  Established in 1904, the Canadian Open is the third oldest national open golf championship worldwide next to the British Open and the U.S. Open. This year the Canadian Open returned to Angus Glen Golf Club which hosted the Open in 2002.  The Open is being played this year on the North Course, newly renovated by veteran PGA pro, Davis Love III.

Like all well-established golf courses in need of renovation, the fairways at Angus Glen had to be narrowed and the entire course needed to be lengthened in order present any sort of challenge to today’s long hitters with bags full of the most advanced equipment available. 1904, the year Angus Glen was constructed, was the also the year Walter Travis used the Schenectady putter, an aluminum center-shafted mallet, to become the first American to win the British Amateur. It would be another 75 years before the TaylorMade Pittsburg Persimmon Drive was introduced, a club now considered extinct. I’m sure you get the point: the game has made a few more advances since then.

The “new” North Course received mixed reviews after the first round.  No fewer than six pros teeing-off in the morning shot 5-under or better, including first round leader, Hunter Mahan's 9-under par 62, which tied him for the lowest round in the 104-year history of the Canadian Open.  The nicest statement (that I can publish) from this crowd was that the course was “decent.” It seemed the higher the sun at the time a golfer teed-off for the first time, the better his review of the course.

One other interesting note from Thursday’s round was Bubba Watson’s 374 yard drive off the 1st tee.   What an ESPY moment that was.

Next week the PGA TOUR heads to Nevada for the Reno-Tahoe Open.  Played at Montreux Golf & Country Club since being added to the schedule in 1999, the Jack Nicklaus-designed course showcases three signature holes (#3, #4 and #5) known as the “Bear Trap.”  I know it’s corny, but any man capable of mastering Amen Corner six times has the right to design that, I guess.

Jay on what's coming next

Q:

What’s up next tournament wise?

Jay:

I’m leaving tomorrow morning for the John Deere Classic. The tournament director called Sunday night after the Travelers and offered an exemption. I’m really looking forward to it.

Q:

Has your Travelers finish taken some of the pressure off?

Jay:

Yes. I have to wake myself every morning and pinch myself. I can actually support my family playing this TOUR. This is where I’m comfortable.

Q:

Have you changed the way you prepare? Or does your day-to-day preparation stay the same?
    
Jay:

I have a set routine that I use in preparing for a tournament.  Really, my day-to-day activities are set at home; we’re like any other busy family.  I have to practice when I can and spend time with my wife and kids.  That’s just the way it is when you travel like I do.  During the week, I have my routine and that won’t change.  I’m going to rely on the system that has helped me win this year and reach a playoff at the Travelers. 
                  
Q:

Jason Day [Nationwide Legend Financial Group Classic winner] is only 19 years old and has his entire life and golf career before him.  What advice would you give him?

Jay:

You know that’s actually a good question because I did have the opportunity - I never played with him - but I had an opportunity to meet him on the range and talk to him and my advice to him two months ago was don’t change anything that you’re doing.

He’s a great kid; he’s obviously got a ton of talent. He’s one of the friendliest international players that I have ever met in my life. They have a tendency to be a little bit less outgoing. I think Jason Day is exactly the kind of person he should be. He is a real asset to golf.

Q:

How competitive is the game between players of different nationalities?  Is there a sense of competitiveness?

Jay:

Oh, absolutely. Americans have gotten their brains beat in the Ryder Cup for who knows how many years - I’ve kind of lost count. You sprinkle that in, and then you sprinkle in the fact that there are a lot of different nationalities on the PGA TOUR. I would almost venture to guess that it’s almost half and half at this point. If there’s a 144 man field, I am going to guess that there are at least 70 guys from outside the United States. Obviously the American pros are a little bit jeopardized job-wise, and we definitely see that. Golf is a competitive game, there’s a lot of money at stake and then you start shrinking jobs and you start beating us at the Ryder Cup then there’s definitely going to be some – not animosity - just competition.

Q:

Would you say the competition is mainly between the American and the international players, or do you also see the international players competing among themselves?

Jay:

I don’t recognize competition between the international players as much.

Q:

What are your thoughts on Tiger Woods being the only PGA pro with his own tournament?

Jay:

I don’t think it’s a bad thing. I think the fact that it’s a limited field doesn’t make any sense. And to be quite honest, I don’t think it’s the best time of year to play there, I think the golf course is kind of boring at that time of year, just hot and humid. I think it would be much better served in Seattle or somewhere in New England. I think weather plays such a big part in golf tournaments.

Q:

PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem recently stated that a drug-testing policy is imminent on the PGA Tour, what are your thoughts on the subject?

Jay:

Well, yeah. I don’t know what he’s waiting for. I think it should have been adopted a year or two ago when all this was going on in baseball. I think there’s too much money at stake and guys will do anything they can to get an edge. I think it definitely should be adopted sooner rather than later.

Jay at the Buick Open

* All photos courtesy of Jason Nuttle Photography.

Travelers Championship: A Personal Victory

Q:

Can you summarize what the Travelers Championship was like for you?

Jay:

All week was like I lived in a movie.  It was like I scripted a movie, but the only difference is that if it was a movie I would have won. But then reality caught up right there at the end, and Hunter just hit some shots that I couldn’t duplicate basically. And my wife said that there were people on the hill that were crying, it was just bizarre; it is really bizarre.

Q:

How significant of a role has Land Resource played in your life this year?

Jay:

Well, I think if we go back to January. I came down [to Orlando] and played golf with Mike Flaskey [CEO of Land Resource]. It was a professional member guest tournament and we won. I was trying to figure out where my life was headed at that point and Mike really stepped up to the plate for me. He said this is what we want to do at Land Resource, we want to get involved with you and we want to be your primary partner this year.

I said, great, let’s do it. Mike and Land Resource were there from the very beginning. And when no one else saw potential, Land Resource did. Mike has always believed in me. That was certainly a huge confidence booster for me.

Obviously, playing golf you aren’t thinking of the hat or the things that you are wearing, but just knowing, you know, as Mike has told me, that there are a lot of people within the company and the entire Land Resource family who are pulling for me. That is nice to know, especially when the competition heats up.

Q:

How did your performance affect your family?

Jay:

When my daughter came down the hill, and was obviously very disappointed, that was a tough moment because the last thing I wanted to do that day was hurt anybody. My daughter, who’s eight now, Whitney, quite honestly was really affected by that deal and I was really kind of surprised by that. Even the last couple of days I’ve noticed that she just kind of looks at me in a different way. I think she was so shocked and so struck by the situation that it really affected her -- probably someday in a good way, but I think at the time it was difficult for her. Not J.T. my 4-year-old. Quite honestly he had no clue what was going on, bless his heart. He was trying to tell Whitney when she got there that we had been to the dinosaur park and seen the dinosaurs and he just wasn’t able to ingest the situation. And George, who will be two in October, George was obviously just a wild man. But Whitney was really affected by it.

Q:

Any other thoughts on your family?

Jay:

I’m very blessed. I have a wife, Marnie, that has always supported me and has been my biggest cheerleader. Now, obviously Hunter’s a young guy so he doesn’t have a family yet and he has a lot to look forward to in that respect. But when you decide to have kids, you take on a lot. And having three kids and living the life we do is pretty crazy. I’ll be the first to admit that we, as a family, needed this to happen. Everything happens for a reason, but we needed this to happen, to kind of, you know… I’ve been saying for a while now, even though I won on the Nationwide Tour and that is all fun and good, I needed something like this to happen, on this level, so I could confirm to myself and to my family that this is what I should be doing. And to have it happen like that was just incredible.

Certainly having a family, I’ll be the first to admit it, wasn’t the best thing for my golf game just because you have to be so selfish, but there’s no question that my family is good for me personally. It has added a whole lot to my life that I would never want to change.

Q:

I don’t think spectators saw you lose a tournament but rather witnessed you gain a personal victory.  Would you agree?

Jay:

That’s what everyone has told me. As the days slip away, it stings a little bit more to be honest with you. Just because of all the things that a win would have carried with it. Now certainly, the way I finished, it kind of got me “out of jail” basically. I served my penance on the Nationwide Tour and it was just my time to get out. And so at least it did that for me and it gives me a chance to play out here on unlimited sponsor’s exemptions throughout the rest of the year and try to finish in the top 125 and stay out here again next year. That’s what I’ve got to take – I’ve got to look at it as a positive. Obviously it’s a huge positive. I made a lot of fans and Land Resource came through loud and clear; I’m thankful for that.

Q:

Can you give us some insight into the hours right after the tournament?

Jay:

In golf you don’t really have teammates. When you walk in a locker room, you walk in with other players but they’re all hoping to beat you. There is camaraderie, but it is a little artificial I think. But I’ll tell you what, walking in the locker room after Sunday I was really touched by how many people genuinely felt good for me. I remember Paul Stankowski saying it was great for golf to see two guys that people have never heard of to step up under those conditions, under extreme playoff conditions and under the stress, and hit good shots that weren’t named Tiger and Phil. He said it was really good for golf; it was good for the PGA TOUR that two guys could play like that under the circumstances.

Q:

Did you talk with Hunter after the one-hole playoff?

Jay:

A little bit when he basically finished me off, but other than that I never saw him. I did see his caddie and his caddie was obviously very nice to me. I think…Well, I was obviously proud of the way I played, proud of the way I hung in there because I had never been in that situation before. I was proud of the way I held myself together afterwards. You know, I’m not usually the strongest person under emotional duress. I have a tendency to maybe shed a tear at inappropriate times and I was really surprised that I was as strong as I was.

Q:

Compare the way you played at Travelers to your Nationwide victory.

Jay:

This was a different week for me. This was unlike any other week I‘ve had because I was basically leading the whole time. You know I’ve never really had a tournament where I was basically leading from start to finish.  I’d never been in that kind of situation. So, I was feeling it obviously all week, where the Nationwide event I came pretty much from behind. This time I had to sleep on the lead and do things like that which adds to the whole stress level. Playing with David Toms on Saturday was a great experience too. Obviously he is a world-class player and you know, I held my own with him and that’s actually what gave me some confidence on Sunday to go out there and feel like I could perform. It was very different than my Nationwide Tour win.

The Travelers Championship was an incredible experience and hopefully I can play in a few more with similar or better results. When you reach the top in a tournament you just never want it to end, even though you want it to end immediately, you want to get to the finish line, but make sure that you don’t blow it, that you don’t do anything stupid or embarrass yourself. You just want to get to the finish line. Then, this week, you want to start it all over again.

Q:

How do you transfer your success from last week to the Buick Open?

Jay:

Well, I’m trying. You know it’s just golf. Getting out there and just trying to do the same things. Although I am still trying to make adjustments, golf is always about making adjustments and trying to get better and that is what I am doing. I’m playing in the Pro-am today [Wednesday]. I’ll just try to prepare to play the golf course, just try to do some of the same things I did last week.

Travelers Championship Media Coverage

Click here to hear an XM radio interview where Jay talks about his incredible experience at the Travelers Championship.

Clicking on the image below takes you to the PGATOUR website to a recap of the 2007 Travelers Championship Round 3.

Please click on links to view a selection of news about Jay Williamson from around the world.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Even in defeat, Williamson proves he can compete on TOUR
Williamson makes most of exemption
Williamson finishes in second at Travelers
No Fairy Tale, But Quite An Ending
Solomon: Williamson better than he believes
Williamson comes up short
Travelers Championship round four: Not quite a fairy tale, but close
Kiss ends Williamson's fairy tale

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Williamson takes lead at Travelers
Williamson out to prove he still belongs with best
Williamson stares down doubts at Travelers
World No. 299 sets pace
Jay Williamson leads the Travelers Championship in Round 3
Williamson out in front
Exemption paying off
Williamson holds narrow lead
Williamson nears PGA return
Tour card within Williamson’s reach
Williamson leads by one
Williamson In Front After 3 For First Time
Williamson eyeing tour
Travelers leader has Connecticut connection

Friday, June 22, 2007

Toms and Williamson tied for second-round lead
Toms, Williamson lead at Travelers
Senior day proves to be a strange twist
Toms stays high and dry, posts 65 for share of lead
Almost screwy for Williamson
Williamson, Toms on top
Course Is Far From A Breeze
Toms, Wiliamson share us PGA Travelers lead
Travelers: Mismatched pair -- Williamson, Toms share 1-shot lead

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Williamson Trying To Return To Tour

Williamson and the Travelers Championship

Jay has not had an opportunity to update his blog since he's leading the Travelers Championship heading into the final round but he hopes friends and fans will tune into their local CBS affiliate for final round coverage from 3 – 6 ET.

He thanks everyone for their support. Up-to-date information can be found at www.landresource.com. 

From the mail bag

"Jay, I’m shopping for a new driver, any recommendations?"  From Clark, Jacksonville, FL

I'm often asked about what drivers I recommend because there are so many available out on the market and it feels like there are too many to pick just the right one. Here are some things I suggest and some things I keep in mind when I purchase my own driver.

For the recreational golfer who is pretty new and is hitting about a hundred and isn’t overly-strong, the Regular shaft, marked by an R, would be a good choice. It is also a good choice for women players who are long and strong hitters.

And speaking of the right driver for women golfers, while there are a lot of driver choices out on the market, there don’t seem to be that many for ladies to choose from. Typically, women are given a Lady’s Shaft, the L is more flexible, with a ten- or twelve-degree loft head on it but if a lady has some height on her and she is pretty strong, she should pick the next shaft up, which is usually an A shaft, sometimes called a Senior Shaft. It is just a little longer and a little heavier than the typical Lady’s Shaft.

Younger players and players who are playing with an 8 or lower handicap would do well with the S shaft, which is a firmer, more stiff shaft. When using a driver, the letters L, A, R, S indicate the amount of flex in the in the driver, meaning if you swing them with the right amount of speed, the shaft will flex at the right spot.

For players who are really good, or for very strong players, there is the X shaft that is very inflexible and takes a lot of strength to flex at the right point.

Also important about a driver is the club’s head. Loft is the angle of the club face that controls trajectory and affects distance. The more loft, the more backspin there is, and the more backspin, the higher it goes. The flatter the face is the less loft there is and the more it will curve left or right. A great example of the importance of face is how it can correct slicing the golf ball, an easy mistake for beginners and even weekend players. Correcting a golf slice is the fastest way to shave strokes off of your golf game, so, if, for example, you have a driver that’s a 12 and you slice it all the time, you might find it better to go with a 14.

Now, if you have a driver that is a 6 ½ and you’re a great driver of the golf ball, you should stick with the 6 ½. But if the ball is curving, make sure that you get a driver that has more, not less, loft.

Another important aspect of selecting a driver is the grip. The vast majority, 99 percent of the grips, come in a standard size. So, women with smaller fingers and hands might do better with a Junior Grip. Men with small hands and fingers might want to try out the Ladies Grip. Really strong players, or those players with large hands who are hooking the ball, should stick with a Regular Grip or a Jumbo Grip. Hooking the ball is often a sign of an improper grip.

I hope that gave you some new insight into selecting a driver, and maybe taught you something new. Until next time.

Jay

*Do you have a question for Jay? Email him at jaywilliamsoniv@gmail.com.

A conversation with Jay Williamson

Q:

If you could play around with one of golf’s greatest, who would you choose? 

JW:

Gosh, that’s a very good question.  There’s so many great players that I would want to play with.  I’d have to say Ben Hogan.  Although golf is such a singular game that I’d probably learn more from practicing with Hogan rather than playing a round of golf.  I’d have to also say that I’d like to play with Jack Nicklaus.  He was the best that ever played.  Now obviously Tiger Woods will probably beat his record, but in his day Jack Nicklaus was the best.

Q:

What are your thoughts on Zach Johnson, winner of this year’s Masters and ATT Classic? And what impact does Zach have on the Nationwide Tour, being a former member?

JW:

I think that Zach helps the outside perspective of the Nationwide Tour.  The mindset on the Nationwide Tour is to help you reach the top 25 and avoid Q-school or weed you out.  It’s a very cut-throat environment.  What Zach does is give us all hope; it wasn’t that long ago that he was out here.  Now he’s on the Tour with two wins.  That’s inspirational.

Q:

Have you played with Tiger Woods? 

JW:

I did, at the Nissan three years ago.  We both shot a 72 on Saturday and after the round I began feeling relieved that it was over until I realized we shot the same score and may be paired on Sunday.  We both shot a 64 that day.

Q:

What was the experience of playing with Tiger Woods like?

JW:

Well first, he was great to play with.  He treated me the way that I would want to be treated during a round of golf.  I was excited to play with Tiger, but deathly afraid.  It was an experience that I will never forget.

Q:

You mentioned that you each shot a 72 during the Saturday round and a 64 on Sunday.  Do you find that you rise to the level of competition?

JW:

Certainly. I do play to the level of my competition and that’s a good example.  I just need to do it more often.

Q:

What does Tiger Woods do for professional golf?

JW:

Tiger is so good that he hurts the tour.  He’s the odds-on-favorite every time he plays.  When he doesn’t play, like at Colonial this year, there will not be as much attention.  The PGA TOUR has become the Tiger Tour.

*Follow Jay this week as he plays in the PGA TOUR Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut.   

With the support of a new title sponsor, the Travelers Championship embarks on a new era. 

2007 TPC River Highlands Highlights:

• Players compete for a total purse of $6 million - the highest purse in the tournament's history.
• The winner will receive $1.08 million - the highest in the tournament's history.
• As part of the inaugural FedExCup season, the Travelers Championship is worth 25,000 points.