Saturday, June 29, 2024

Francesco Molinari - US Open 2024 Pinehurst

Frankie

Francisco Molinari is the Italian golfer known for beating Tiger Woods in the 2018 Open championship held at Carnoustie golf course in Scotland.  Carnoustie is known as being one of the toughest golf courses in the world. Not only was it the first Major win for Frankie but also more significantly the first Major win by an Italian.  2018 was a fantastic year where he won several times and was the European golfer of the year. 

Molinari would face Tiger Woods again in the final round of the 2019 Masters.  Francisco held a few stroke lead going into the famous par 3 12th hole hole known as Golden Bell.  The 155 yard may be short but it is also very dangerous.  The dramatic hole has decided many Masters championships over the years. The hole crosses Raes creek and presents players with swirling winds. Frankie would go on to hit the ball into the creek, and like many other golfers over the years end his chances at winning the coveted Green Jacket. Tiger would go on to win a remarkable 4th Masters in his 40's. 

The 2024 US Open was held at the USA's home of golf the challenging Pinehurst #2 in North Caorlina.  Pinehurst has 10 courses you can play and is open to the public.  If you ever happen to get the opportunity to visit, you must go. Pinehurst with it's lovely Carolina hotel, quaint village, and renowned Southern hospitality is simply heaven for golfers. 

Frankie whose golf game has been struggling in recent years would come to the last hast hole needing a hole-in-one on the par three 9th hole to make the cut and  continue playing on the weekend.   Francisco would go on to the Ace the hold recording a miraculous hole-in-one.  Incredible, fantastic, historic!

https://twitter.com/i/status/1801745770082599386

Francisco is known as being one of the good guys on tour and it was terrific to see such a magical shot at the venerable Pinehurst. Frankie's brother Edoardo is also a professional golfer and is known for winning the 2005 US Amateur at historic Merion golf club in Merion, Pennsylvania. 

This is why golf is both enchanting, demanding, and exhilarating. 

 

With Love,

Coach K

 


Sunday, June 23, 2024

And Jesus Said

Getting to know God through the words of Jesus.  Let the words of of Jesus wash over you, comfort you, heal you, inspire you, fill you with peace, love, and joy. Take time to get to know the word of God and the life of Jesus it will transform you in incredible ways.

 For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:

40He has blinded their eyes

and hardened their hearts,

so they can neither see with their eyes,

nor understand with their hearts,

nor turn—and I would heal them.” i

41Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.

42Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43for they loved human praise more than praise from God.

44Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. 45The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. 46I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

47“If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. 49For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. 50I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”

 “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. 32“A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.

33I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 14:

 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.

  12Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

5“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

9As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17This is my command: Love each other.

The World Hates the Disciples

18“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ b If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. 22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. 24If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’ c

The Work of the Holy Spirit

26When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. 27And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning

 

 

Thursday, June 20, 2024

May The Force Be With You

 Star Wars

The year was 1977 and the classic blockbuster movie Star Wars was released.  I remember sitting in the movie theater as a young teenager just mesmerized.  When the movie ended I just sat in my seat not wanting the movie to end and not wanting to leave. 

The iconic movie created by George Lucas has had such an impact that it has influenced our culture to this very day. The plot is a familiar theme of good overcoming evil but with a futuristic space twist. The famous saying and slogan from the movie is, "May the Force be with you"

The Force referenced is a secular word for Spirit or God. This universal force that permeates everything we say and do.  And for so many of us that are not familiar with this God Force may I humbly suggest you get to know it.  We are here on earth and have the privilege to experience this gift called Life. It's disheartening when I hear so may young people discouraged by what's going on in the world today.  Don't believe the hype. The world has always had it's challenges but we have come so far at improving the lives of the human race.  There will always be challenges just like there is in our every day lives.  And we will overcome them all with the grace of God. 

You can harness this God force in your everyday life and use it to better your own life and the world as a whole. When we all live from our highest selves we can improve our society as a whole.  Our attitudes and beliefs can literally change the world.  Read about the life of Jesus and his teachings, focus on his spoken word which you can access in the Book of John from the bible. 

Jesus tells us that we can do all that he has done and more if we but believe and that we All we made in his divine image.  So let's use that power to help ourselves, our families, and the world at large.  Disconnect from the negativity and focus on the gift of life, the beauty, and all the goodness that abounds in the universe.  You have the choice and the decision is yours.  Your attitude can be the difference so choose to have a good attitude. 

And as the good book say, "This is the day the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad".

May the God force be with you!

With Love,

Coach K


Saturday, June 1, 2024

A Special Day of Golf

 

May 31, 2024   Skippack Golf Course Par 70;

What a special day of golf.  Playing with my son Alex and Brother in law Pasquale at Skippack golf course I was able to chip in from below the green on the Par 5 2nd hold for a birdie. The shot was 20 feet below the green so you could not see the surface of the green.  I just clipped a 60 degree wedge perfectly I knew it would be close and then Alex yelled Dad it went in! 

Moving on to the next hole a 160 yard par 3 slightly uphill protected by two bunkers.  Alex hit a nice shot just off the right side of the green.  I pured an 8 iron 15 feet below the hole with a nice look for birdie.  Alex proceeded to chip in for birdie and then I made a bending putt that made a right turn and went in at the top of the cup for a follow-up birdie.

The 10th hole is a par 4 slight dog leg right of about a 350 yds with woods on the right.  I hit a nice drive that drifted slightly left leaving me a 110 yds in light rough. I had to carry the bunkers and try to land it softly to get close to the pin that was tucked right over the sand traps. I decided on the 60 degree and hit it perfectly I saw the ball land about 4' feet from the cup and roll gently into the hole for an Eagle 2!

We had an little match with Uncle Pat and his friend Steve and as we headed to the short 120 yd par 3 18th hole all square. Alex hit a 52 degree wedge 10 feet below the hole and then sank the birdie putt for the win!

The rest of my scoring was just average shooting a weak 92 but in my 40 years of golf I can't recall having two hole-outs and an Eagle 2 on a par 4 so a wonderful special day on the golf course. 

 

With Love,

 

Kaboom