Sergio Garcia Should Control Emotions!

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Not only does Sergio loose it on 17 at the TPC but know he makes a jackass out of himself.  When Fuzzy made is remark about fried chicken I excused it because Fuzzy was just kidding, had a drink in his hand and wasn’t malicious about it.

Sergio was displaying a hurtful comment on purpose and is not setting the example for junior golfers everywhere with his comments.  Sure Tiger and Sergio evidently don’t get along.  Sure Tiger has proven that he can be right nasty when being competitive.  BUT….you have to be mature enough to not let it get to you.

Whatever happened to, “you can’t control what others do, just control what you do.”  Concentrate on your golf game Sergio and don’t worry about Tiger or anyone else.  More importantly, you have disgraced the fine golfers from Spain that have been more than polite and very gentleman like in their demeanor.

I lived in Spain four years so I know from experience.  In Spain when you act like Sergio just did, they say your have no education.

Believe me I am NO fan of Tiger.  But….Sergio shame on you!

Say Goodbye To Achor Putting!

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Yea!  Yea!  Yea!   Yes I’m against the anchoring of the putter and now the rule banning such usage will take effect in 2016.  One can still use the longer putter configuration, you just can’t anchor it against your chest or anywhere else.

To be honest, I as also against the putting style Sam Snead developed when he lost his stroke.  Standing behind the ball was equally unfair in my opinion and luckily that too was taken off the table.

Play the game the way it was meant to be played I say.  Here’s the complete article from the Associated Press.  See the article here.

Tiger Woods Misses Golden Opportunity!

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In my opinion, Tiger Woods missed a golden opportunity to better himself, his image and his standing with his peers had he stepped up to the plate and disqualified himself. If money was the issue, I believe he would have gained income in endorsements from companies that dropped him in the past. Of course this is all easy for me to say, I wasn’t playing, however Tiger displayed in my estimation a lack of understanding of the true mission of a legacy.

The legacy is not only beating Jack Nicklaus on majors. In fact, I believe he will have an increased opportunity to do that in his later years due to his tremendous training and conditioning. The legacy should be what you contributed to the game!

Bob Toski once told me, “don’t forget that no matter how good you get, you’re never bigger than the game of golf.”

Had Tiger stepped forward and said, “if it is deemed that I violated a rule, my apologies. Having signed an inaccurate score card I should disqualify myself.

He would have shown himself to be a gentleman and displayed a true respect for the tradition of the Masters.

As for the Masters officials that did NOT disqualify Tiger shame on you! Ben Hogan is turning in his grave. Was it the potential loss in television ratings that influenced you? Did you not take into consideration that Tiger had a similar incident in Dubai? He was penalized two strokes for an improper drop and missed the cut because of it.

The good news is that the game of golf still won with such an exciting finish without any single individual as the highlight as it should be.

What Are My Choices In Wedges?

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I’ve attached for you a copy of the article written by Scott Kramer of PGA magazine.  PGA magazine goes directly to PGA professionals with all the latest on the golf business.  Scott does a great job in this article explaining how better golfers seem to carry more wedges.  As it is said on tour, “you make all your money 85 yards and in.”

I personally carry:

Gap 50 degrees loft
Sand 54 degrees loft
Lob 58 degrees loft
Super Lob 64 degrees loft that I only carry for courses that have elevated greens.

Here’s the article:

Page 1       Page 2

Lady Golf Pro Golf Swing Analysis Caroline Westrup

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We had the pleasure of interviewing Caroline Westrup on one of our Monday golf webinars and we also did an analysis of her swing.  Caroline is one of a fine crop of college athletes, (she graduated from Florida State) that continue to make the step up to pro ball even more difficult every year.

The Futures Tour and other tours like it offer young players the opportunity to learn how to play under competition.  Of course you eventually have to get the “L” out of learn!

Caroline has her own website at http://www.carolinewestrup.com/  You can not only follow her progress but you can also join her birdie club!  Very interesting way for you to have skin in the game.

I think you will learn something by watching this analysis of Caroline’s swing.  You will probably agree she has power and tremendous potential.  Sometimes it’s just a shot or two here and there that makes the difference.

 

Playing Golf at Belleair Country Club in Florida

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playing-golf-florida

Thanks to my pal Phil Auerbach and the head golf professional Jim Slattery, PGA I enjoyed paradise even if it was only for four hours.  Wow what a facility!  Belleaire Country Club, Florida’s First Golf Club. In fact, the Philadelphia Phillies were there playing an outing before starting spring training.

The golf course condition was magnificent, right on the water and the greens rolled fast and pure.  I’m sure you guys in Richmond are really happy to hear about this considering snow is forecast for today!  ha ha ah he he he.

Phil hit the ball right out of the park all day long.  I haven’t seen drives like that in years!

Phil has a great website we’re going to get to work with, Golf Coach Direct.  Phil is on the edge of the envelope with technology.  His system allows us to have you load up your swing video for analysis.  Set up an appointment for us to meet on line.  Then with technology similar to Skype but better, we can converse with each other, see each other swinging the golf club and reviewing the video simultaneous!

I’ll be setting up a few members to try this out very soon.

Gary Players Gets Fitted For A New Set of Callaway Golf Clubs

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Attached is an article written by Scot Kramer which covers a Callaway Golf Club fitting with Gary Player.  He’s the part I find important….He’s 77 and still hitting it!  There’s hope for all us senior golfers out there!  All we’ve got to do is eat see weed and run five miles every morning!  Forget it!  Give me a cold one and I’ll make it up with the putting.

I marked with a RED ARROW what I thought to be very important and interesting information that would help you with your game and your club fitting whenever you desire to have one.  One big comment was the distance he hits his wedges.  About the same as mine.  I’ve told many a student that when I played, except for a few golfers that were scary long in our day, I hit it about the same distance.  I’m not a long hitter.  People over emphasize hitting it further as their problem which is not so.  Think accuracy not distance, especially with the irons.

This was a great article combining the fitting process along with some great old tour stories which of course I love.  Those guys were more colorful back in those days.

Gary Player’s Callaway Golf Club Fitting Article Page 1Gary Player’s Callaway Golf Club Fitting Article Page 2
Gary Player’s Callaway Golf Club Fitting Article Page 3

Golf Wedges and Their Bounce Factor

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What prompted this entry was a follow-up fitting we did on the purchase of a new set of Callaway Black Irons, where the golfer was hitting the ball perfectly on the sole of the golf club for loft and lie angle on his six iron, but the wedge was making contact with the ground on the trailing edge of the golf club.

This short video below will give you a better perspective on the bounce factor on wedges and why this occurred.  It might be happening to you and you are not aware of it because you haven’t hit balls on a lie board. (a board usually of plastic where you hit a golf ball off of it with an impact tape on the bottom of the golf clubs so you know how and where you made contact with the board)

lie-angleActually all golf clubs have “bounce” (radius) on the sole or at least they should AND every golf club should have a slightly different bounce angle. Why? To accommodate the angle of attack which is different for every golf club.  Why?  Because each golf club is different in length.  The shorter the golf club the steeper the lie angle. (lie angle is measured from the center of the shaft to the ground in degrees)

When someone asks, were should he ball be in my stance?  The answer is, how are the soles designed.

Here’s a big key when buying a wedge.  You can’t just buy one off the wall or in a barrel, UNLESS you are already versed on the different sole configurations available, what they will do to your impact point and have already used that configuration in the past, tested it and are basically just replacing a prior wedge.

Best way to buy a wedge is testing it outside in the presence of a qualified professional that is well versed on the subject himself and specializes in wedge play.

Here’s the portion of our last webinar that relates to wedge bounce.  Hope it helps your golf game.  Just click on the graphic.

Golf-wedges-bounce

If you would like to see the full webinar we had on wedges try the following link. Full Webinar on Wedges, Bounce Angles and Buy A Wedge

Golf Gift Ideas for Christmas!

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By Bobby Lopez, PGA

Having trouble with getting the right gift for the favorite golfer in your life?  Maybe we can help.  First you need to know what kind of golfer you’re buying for.  Are they a beginner?  Are they a long time golfer but not very good?  Maybe they’re a long time golfer that is competitive and plays in tournaments?  Is it a junior golfer or maybe a lady golfer?

I’ve broken down my suggestions by, “Do – Buys” and “Don’t – Buys”.  I also tried to fit into anyone’s budget.  You have gifts to choose form that start as low as $12.99.  Of course the sky is the limited when you talk top of the line golf clubs.  However, even in buying golf clubs be smart.  Now is the time most golf club companies try to get rid of their 2012 models to make room for the new 2013’s coming soon.

For instance, Callaway is now offering their Razr Fit Driver, (top of the line) for $299, (regular $399) and including a FREE fairway wood to match, ($249 value).
For details

For Beginning Golfers

Do – Buy: For Beginning Golfers – If you’re going to give them lessons, you need a bunch of them!  Beginners need a lot of volume upfront to get them over the hump and dedicated to golf long term.  With that, I would suggest group lessons.  Cost less so you can get more of them.  We have an Unlimited Lesson Program which is unique and offers a beginner the volume they need at a very affordable cost.  A 90 day membership of Unlimited Lessons is only $89 and a full year is $197. For details and to buy online go here.

Do – Buy: For Beginning Golfers – The Private Lesson with Video Analysis is a good buy for the $59 you spend on the one lesson but, you can get your beginning golfer Unlimited Group Lessons for a full 90 days for only $89, which will have a more positive impact on their golf game.  If you do decide on private lessons, think about getting more than one.  For details and to buy online.

Do – Buy: For Beginning Golfers – Less Than High Quality Golf Balls – The beginning golfer does not need $48 per dozen golf balls. The construction of a top of the link tour golf ball alone demands a golf club head speed of over 100 mph just to take advantage of the technology in the ball!  At Pendleton Golf Course they have the Pinnacle Gold Golf Balls 15 pack for only $19.50.  I have the Callaway HX Diablo golf ball with over run logos for only $12.99 but I would NOT recommend the logo ball for a gift.   The Pinnacle at Pendleton is a better choice.  For details and to buy online

Do – Buy: For Beginning Golfers – A golf gift certificate is very appropriate with the proper note attached.  Maybe something like; “I know you love golf so this gift certificate is to improve your enjoyment of the game you love”.  If it’s your boss, maybe you want to offer something like a lesson with a card saying you’re concerned about their enjoyment of the game of golf.  A gift certificate for a golf club, (where the golfer can be fitted properly before the purchase) is fine in any case.

Don’t – Buy: For Beginning Golfers – Golf Clubs!  For the beginning golfer, they would do better to get a golf lesson first and be properly fitted, even if the set is not costly or top of the line. The wrong configuration golf club can cause bad habits to develop that may discourage the golfer from play golf in the future.  Golf clubs need to be fitted to the golfer’s swing, not just their physical characteristics.  In the end, your golf club gift could collect dust in the garage.

Don’t – Buy: For Beginning Golfers – Golf Bags! Unless you know exactly which golf bag they want, I would stay away from it.  Golf bags are very personal to each golfer.

Don’t – Buy: For Beginning Golfers – Golf Shoes This may not seem like a bad choice considering the golfer can probably take them back to the store and exchange them.

Don’t – Buy: For Beginning Golfers – Accessories I would shy away from Golf gloves, teaching gadgets, distance finders (electronic measuring device that tells the golfer how far they are from the green) can all be difficult to please.  For these types of purchases use the gift certificate and they can get what they want.  Now, if you happen to know that your golfer is a BIG Redskins Fan, you could possibly look at some Redskin head covers for his/her woods.  Some golf stores sell golf towels with College and NFL insignias.

For The Average Golfer

The average golfer is one who plays maybe once or twice a week, can probably shoot a score below 100, (or at least claims he/she can) and already has a better understanding of what they need and use in golf equipment.  I would suggest….

Do – Buy: For Average Golfer – The Private Golf Lesson with Video Analysis is good buy.  We offer one lesson with video analysis at $20 off and you get an even deeper discount when you buy 4 and get the fifth lesson FREE, only $235. For details and to buy online

Do – Buy: For Average Golfer – One Day Golf School – This is by far our best seller every year.  Regular price is $199 but you get a discount during Christmas of $60 OFF or $139 and they can use it anytime during the year.

We start with a classroom discussion, then short game which is chipping and putting, then video analysis of their swing on the practice range, lunch and review of the video and then off to the golf course for a very unique format that reveals the golfer’s strengths and weaknesses.  This is the perfect gift for that golfer that is not totally dedicated to golf but would benefit from a full day of insider tips and secrets only the better players know.  For details and to buy online

Do – Buy: For Average Golfer – The Six Pack Green Fees at Pendleton Golf Club – You can’t loose with this gift.  For $199 you get six full rounds of golf at Pendleton along with the golf cart fees included.  That is a significant discount from the regular rates of $43 per round or $258.  Pendleton also offers a Six Pack Lite for $169 for six rounds of golf however this package is restricted to use on week days only.  For details and to Buy Online.

Don’t – Buy: For Average Golfer – Moderate Quality Golf Balls – Now this could be tricky. Your golfer may not be good enough to use the high quality golf balls but they think they’re that good.  You might offend them if you get them a less than top of the line golf ball and not be excited about using them.  Another consideration might be, if you buy them a top of the line golf ball which would cost you about $48 a dozen, they might not ever play with a golf ball like that again AND they might be disappointed when they can’t hit the ball hard enough to use the technology in the ball.  My suggestion, stay away from golf balls.

For The Accomplished Golfer

The accomplished golfer will be very impressed with you when you choose the right gift, even though you don’t play golf at all!

Do – Buy: For the Accomplished Golfer – The Private Golf Lesson with Video Analysis is a good buy.  We offer one lesson with video analysis as $20 off and you get an even deeper discount when you buy 4 and get the fifth lesson FREE, only $235. Even the best players in the world are working with a swing guru that constantly tinkers with their golf swing searching for that perfect balance. For details and to buy online

Do – Buy: For the Accomplished Golfer – The Six Pack Green Fees at Pendleton Golf Club – You can’t loose with this gift.  For $199 you get six full rounds of golf at Pendleton Golf Club along with the golf cart fees included.  That is a significant discount from the regular rates of $43 per round or $258.  Pendleton also offers a Six Pack Lite for $169 for six rounds of golf however it is restricted to use on week days only.  For details and to Buy Online.

Do – Buy: For the Accomplished Golfer – Top Quality Golf Balls.  I carry the Callaway Hex Black which is the same ball played on tour. They sell for $45.99 a dozen.  At Pendleton Golf Course they have the Pro V1 and V1X which is the most popular ball on tour at $48 per dozen.  If you get your golfer the V1 and he plays the V1X fear not, Pendleton will let your golfer exchange them at the same price.

Don’t – Buy: For the Accomplished Golfer – All the “don’t buys” for the beginning and average golfer hold true for the accomplished golfer as well.  Stick to the three basics, lessons, golf balls, green fees, gift certificate.  In fact, consider a gift certificate that is a VISA gift card where he/she can go to any establishment rather than getting a gift certificate at a golf shop that the golfer does not frequent or might find limited in the kind of equipment they use.  Really good golfers are really picky!

For The Junior Golfer

Do – Buy: For the Junior Golfer – Lessons, lessons, lessons, lessons.  I cannot over emphasize the need for the proper instruction for a junior golfer.  Building the proper fundamentals early will save years of frustration.
One interesting twist we offer is the ability for the parent to accompany the child during the lessons at no extra charge.

With our lesson being 45 minutes in length we have plenty of time to teach Mom or Dad at the same time.  Also it allows us to teach Mom and Dad what to look for in the golf swing so they can follow-up with the same processes we all learn together. To buy on line go here.

For The Lady Golfer

I would say that for the accomplished lady golfer the same would hold true as with men golfers.  In fact, I would follow the same suggestions as with the men.

In Summary

Hopefully you at least have a little better idea of what to or not to buy for your favorite golfer.  If you need any help finding something we don’t have, we would be very pleased to help you.

Just like Macy’s in The Miracle on 34th Street, we will send you to someone else if they have what you need.  We will even tell you about what you should expect to pay and give you all the details so you don’t a mistake and get the wrong thing.

For a non-golfer it can be very intimidating walking into a golf shop.  Pendleton Golf Course has a very friendly and helpful atmosphere.

You can reach Jim Mason, Director of Golf and Head PGA Professional at Pendleton at 804-448-4727.  You can reach me, Teaching PGA Professional at Pendleton 804-378-7456

Say Bye Bye To Your Belly Putter!

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Well it looks like the Royal and Ancient and the USGA make the right decision for once!  No anchoring the putter to your body. I’ve hated that from the beginning and complained about it to all my students for years.

Anchoring the putter against your body is a very distinct advantage.  Now, the long putter is OK with me as long as you hold it out in front of you and not against the body.  In fact on the radio show we had on ESPN years ago I complained about it.  You can hear it here.

Here’s some links to the latest press on this issue.

The Independent in Dublin
The Golf Channel
The Australian Press
Bradley and Simpson say they wouldn’t fight belly putter ban
CBS Sports – Golf to ban anchoring of belly putters, long putters
Dave Peltz



I’ll add more of these as they become available.