Perspective from the 19^th Hole is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

There is a lot to like about new pro golf star, Ludwig Aberg, who won the Genesis Invitational last Sunday.

My favorite:  He plays fast.  He gets over his next shot, whatever it is, waggles a couple times and then hits.

It often goes where he is aiming.

Far better than slow players such as Tom Kim who stands over his shot for a long time, then finally hits it.

So, for me, Aberg is a good example of fixing one of the main things wrong with golf – slow play.

His play – and, of course, his excellence – underlines one of the simple solutions, play faster.

The win Sunday was his second in a career that is on an upward trajectory.

Here’s way Global Golf Post (by the way, if you don’t subscribe, do so…it’s worth it) describes Aberg’s win:

“So, it’s the biggest moment of your life thus far.  Thousands of people surround you as you go for the biggest win of your career.  Two years ago, you were in college courses, studying between tournaments.  Now, you’re tied for the lead on the 18th hole with a chance, 224 yards from the pin, with water sitting in front of the hole, ready to ruin your day.  Everybody in the golf world is watching to see if you can live up to what you’re supposed to be.

“How long do you take?

“Do you think about it?  Do you take an extra few breaths?  Do you make sure you have this before committing full tilt?

“Or are you Åberg, the tall, handsome and comically nonchalant Swede who steps up to the ball and doesn’t even let a beat pass before launching into the smoothest swing the game has seen in some time?

“There are no pauses for Åberg.  There are no hesitations.  He just goes.  So, he arrived on tour and finished T4 immediately.  He won two tournaments in his first four professional months.  He played on a winning European Ryder Cup team before he set foot in a major.  He became a week-in, week-out top-10 golfer before many fans even knew his name.

“’You’re not gonna slow down on purpose, right?’ his caddie, Joe Skovron, said, grinning.  ‘Just stay in the rhythm, as long as we go through our stuff, and he’s ready to go. …

“’Just let him go.’”

Åberg didn’t slow down.  He went up to the birdie putt to win the Genesis Invitational, didn’t take so much as a moment and hit it in for $4 million and official validation as the best young player in the world.  He overcame a three-shot deficit over six holes to steal a signature win.

To me, Aberg is a solid example of what should happen in pro golf.  Players should play faster on their own.

Scottie Scheffler is another example of a player who goes about his business with speed and finesse.

Not Tom Kim.

Not Patrick Cantley.

Not J.B. Holmes.

Not Keegan Bradley.

All examples of slow players I have mentioned before – slow players who are no fun to watch.

For them – as well as some others – it will take a decision by those who run pro golf to penalize players who take too much time over each shot.  That will be the only way to get their attention.  Affect their pocketbook.

And this conclusion from Global Golf Post:

“For all of Åberg’s burgeoning superpowers, maybe the most relevant to follow is the development of a leaderboard anchor.  Nobody causes fear like Scheffler, but Åberg has become the type of player who’s always hanging near the top, ready to go on a run at any moment.  He doesn’t fall far.  He goes with the flow.  And he can outlast most of the field over 72 holes with his lengthy drives and dialed iron play.

And he plays fast.  Good for him!