By Bruce Meadows
More tips to help your game . . .
We continue to get golf tips and suggestions from pros and amateurs and would love to get more to pass along to our readers.
Thanks to those of you who took time to send me a golf tip – I got a lot of them this past week — and if you like what you see, contact the appropriate person for more help.
If you – pro or amateur –have not sent me a tip, please do so, and if you have, thanks and keep them coming.
PGA pro Demian Reddy, Windsor GC.
“On the putting green, place one alignment stick on the green on the inside of your putting line.
Place the second alignment stick through each belt loop on either side of your belt buckle.
First align these two sticks visually as you set up over the putt, this will show you if your feet, hips or shoulders are normally off-line.
Finally strike the putt attempting to have as little or no movement in the stick at your waist, this promotes an isolated shoulder and arm movement with a silent lower body.”
You can reach Demian at 707-837-7079, Ext. 39
Jess Stimack, Bennett Valley assistant pro:
“In muddy conditions, take a club or two more and grip down. Keep the ball position a little more forward than normal in hopes of a more shallow attack.
If you get steep or have the ball positioned too far back in the stance, you will wear it. Balance throughout the golf swing is premium in wet and muddy conditions”
Check Jess at 707-528-3673.
Sandypar:
“When aligning your stance towards a green or a fairway, pick a target out in the distance and then find an alignment reference point about 5 feet in front of you like a divot in the fairway
Line your club to the reference point and your feet slightly left . Finish your swing looking at the target .”
Daniel Stewart, formerly at Fairgrounds GC, now at McInnis Park GC in San Rafael:
“A great tip for putting is to put a coin or my favorite, a poker chip behind the golf ball. This will force you to hover the putter but it helps soften up the hands at address.
When making your stroke keep looking at the poker chip to help keep your head down. The ball should roll end over end and start on your line.
This will make you a more consistent putter especially on faster greens.”
Bob Borowicz, Bennett Valley Director of Golf:
“When trying to figure out how changes made in your set up will impact your swing don’t be afraid to ‘over exaggerate’.
Make certain there is a radical change – whether it be ball positioning, grip, stance, alignment, or posture. The tough part will be refining this process to your needs.
I would recommend that you first check with your PGA Golf Professional for his or her input.
Bob can be reached at 707-528-3673.
Steve Donner, Bennett Valley Director of Instruction:
“I hear a lot of older players talk about losing flexibility and that they don’t turn like they used to. I ask them to stand erect, cross their arms and turn until they are facing 90 degrees to the right. I explain that if they can do that standing up then they can make a full turn with their golf swing.
The problem is that most golfers take the club away with their arms and don’t use their body (ribs & core) which limits their backswing. The ribs turn the shoulders and the core turns the hips. The shoulders and hips are merely followers in the golf swing.
When you start your backswing, initiate it with your ribs. Your arms and club will move with it. Allow your hips to turn as well when needed. Your head should remain steady but may move down slightly. As you are turning, push your front arm back the target line as if you were going to punch something which will start the club moving up in a hinging fashion. Your backswing will be complete when your ribs have turned 90 degrees. “
Check out this video to learn to improve your backswing with Tathata Golf:
As a Tathata Golf Certified Movement Specialist I help golfers with chapter follow-ups as they progress through the Tathata Golf program. For more info and to purchase the yearly subscription with a discount see my website www.stevedonnergolf.com
Practice the movement in the video for 1 minute each day and see how better you get at making a full turn in the backswing which will give you more power and more distance.”
Contact Steve at 707-849-8446.
A different approach from pro Will Karnofsky, personal fitness trainer:
“Tips don’t work. If they did our scores would be improving. Long-term learning is a result of a non-thinking mind with a unified neuro/body response to a specific target.
How is it that a 4-year-old can hit the ball repeatedly down the center of the fairway with a driver? It’s not from thinking about a tip or seeing himself on video or thinking about mechanics.
What about a non-golfer producing swings and making decent contact in less than 10 minutes? How? By getting them out of their head and into the physical motion of swinging.
The thought machine is the very thing that creates our limitations – in everything! So if people want to improve their golf they have to let go of this tip of the day, golf magazine, Golf Channel overload madness.
Just my humble opinion of course”
Contact Will at 415-747-2613 or golfcoachwill.com
Santa Rosa JC tournament . . .
The 2019 inaugural Santa Rosa Junior College Golf Tournament is scheduled March 18 at Santa Rosa G&CC.
Proceeds from the event, an SRJC team fundraiser, will “help support team efforts for travel, tournaments and practice.”
Format is a four-person scramble with a cost of $100 per player. There will be special contests, raffle prizes and lunch is provided.
There will be a 10 a.m. shotgun start.
To sign up or get more information, contact Ben Jenkel at 707-477-9775 or go to jenkelben13@gmail.com
You can also access the SRJC web site at srjcathletics.com/sports/mgolf
Spring junior golf at Oakmont . . .
Beginning March 6 and going through May 1, the Oakmont Junior Golf Academy will be teaching its Spring Development Program.
All practices will be led by Jessica Reese Quayle and Rebecka Heinmert, LPGA/PGA.
For information on the academy, visit oakmontjunior golf academy.com or call Jessica (707-321-9791) or Rebecka (408-616-0226.
Sessions will alternate between Oakmont West and Oakmont East, and each session includes a half-hour private lesson and $70 range card.
There will be no class the week of Spring Break. Academy cost is $279 with a $40 discount for siblings.
This year, the Oakmont Junior Golf Academy is offering two junior leagues. The PGA Junior League (12 and under) and the North Bay Junior Golf League (17 and under).
More information will be given at the Kick-Off on March 3. To register for the PGA Junior League and for more information about the North Bay League, email Jessica at golfwithjessica@gmail.com
Deadline to sign up is April 15.
At Bodega Harbour . . .
Come out Monday through Thursday during the month of February and walk the course for $25 or play with a golf cart for $40.
Call 1-800-503-8158, or visit the website, bodegaharbourgolf.com
Buy Pro Vs, get a free round . . .
When you buy a dozen of the 2019 Pro V’s at Fairgrounds GC, you get a free round of golf.
The purchase offer is available on the Fairgrounds web site. Buy the Pro V’s at the online store and pick them up in the pro shop when you come in for your free round.
Fairgrounds also wants to remind you that it features the only covered, lighted range in Santa Rosa, so when it’s raining or dark – or both – come to the Fairgrounds and get in some practice.
To take advantage of the offer, go to info@fairgroundsgolfcourse.com
Ukiah and Healdsburg’s Tayman Park (also a covered range) are two of four Tayman Park Golf Group courses – others are Fairgrounds and McInnis Park in San Rafael – and also have the same offer.
Ukiah’s web site is ukiahgolf@gmail.com
Healdsburg’s is www.healdsburggolfclub.com
Let’s hear from you . . .
.Thanks for your comments, questions and suggestions. I love to get them and would really like to get more this year.
If you have information about anything golf-related, including upcoming activities, please let me know. And if you have questions, complaints or compliments about golf in our area, I’d love to hear them.
If you have a golfer you know who you think would be an interesting story. Tell me about it. Having trouble with your game? Let me know what it is and I’ll try to get a sensible answer for you from a local pro.
And we would be proud to include you as one of our sponsors – thanks to Bill Carson at Wine Country Golf for his continued support – so if you care to get some details about being a sponsor of GOLF 707, email me at bmeadows4sports@aol.com