This month’s class is Short Game Fundamentals, and the first day’s lecture was followed by training and drills on the 1,500 square foot indoor putting green by Southwest Greens. Students were put through a Short Game Evaluation at the PGA CGLP, which consisted of Short Putts, Long Putts, Chipping, Pitching, and Bunker Play. Chris Dobbs scored highest with 89 points. Following will be the second day of Short Game Evaluation, and students will rely on their time on the practice green to improve on their first performance. The Motion Analysis Technology by Taylor Made System has been installed in the new College of Golf facility. Students will be able to have lessons by PGA Certified and Master Professionals on this system and lessons are scheduled weekly. We also hooked up the TOMI Computer Putting Analysis System today and will use this to provide detailed technical putting data to students on their initial aim point, face angle at impact, path of stroke, centeredness of contact, and tempo during their stroke. All three 65” Flat Panel TVs in the student lounge are hooked up and the HD is running so students were able to watch The Masters Tournament while practicing putting. All in all, a very exciting opening for the new College of Golf Keiser University Facility.

Brian Hughes, PGA Professional

So you’ve been working on your golf game for a while now, playing and having fun.  But there is one small element of the game that is frustrating you, that is, your scores are not getting any better.  Lessons are a consideration, but will they help?  With the proper planning and attitude, they most certainly will.

First of all, let’s check the attitude.  Do not consider taking lessons as a defeat to your ego.  The finest players in the world take lessons on a regular basis (think there is a correlation there?).  Having another set of eyes watching is bound to help any of us.  Effective golf lessons are more than just tinkering with your swing; they also “tinker” with your mind.  How you approach the game from a mental standpoint has a great deal to do with your performance.  Strategy, club selection, knowing the strengths of your game and dealing with your weaknesses are all part of the improvement process.  Having a professional help you with these parts of your game will make improvement come much more quickly than relying on trial and error.

Before showing up for that first lesson, be prepared to discuss a few items with your instructor.  Before any first golf lesson, there will probably be a short “interview” with the golf professional.  Evaluate your game and abilities honestly before you arrive so that the instructor can best assist you with your improvement plan.  Be ready to talk about the strengths of your game (and there are some) as well as your weak points.  Define your typical ball flight (high, low, right-to-left, left-to-right, etc.); is contact the biggest issue; know how far you hit certain clubs in the air.  This information alone will help the instructor know more about your game and what particular areas of it are in need of some repair.

Something else to remember before starting out with golf lessons: Everyone will be different as to how quickly they improve.  There are peaks and valleys to your learning curve, with some improvements occurring very quickly and some improvements needing more time.  There are many facets of the game that are relatively simple that can help your game almost immediately.  Items such as ball position in your stance, posture and aim can be improved very quickly by having someone help you and by paying attention to them.  Other items, particularly swing adjustments, take a little more time.  Be patient, as positive change does not occur immediately.

Finally, when considering taking golf lessons, remember that the lessons are a partnership between you and the instructor.  You have to be a good student!  Take notes, practice, ask questions, practice some more.  If possible, use video during your lessons and practice.  Most of us learn best visually.  The game of golf is much too challenging to be learned overnight without any practice at all.  Ensure that your instructor gives you drills to work on while at home.  With many other things going on in your life, no one short of PGA TOUR players has the time to get to the course every single day to practice.  However, much of what can be improved in your golf game can be worked on at home.  What we strive to do during a lesson is improve the movement of your golf swing and build into it some repetition.  This repetition can be achieved just as easily at home, without a ball, as at the practice range.  With a consistent golf swing, achieved through proper instruction and practice, the ball simply gets in the way (we hope!).

The College of Golf Keiser University facility hosted a Port St. Lucie Athletic Directors/Golf Coaches scheduling meeting Tuesday evening. Athletic Directors/Golf Coaches were given a tour of the facility, including a demonstration of the MATT System, V-1 Computer Swing Analysis System, and Fore Golf Simulator by Brian Hughes. Four High School Golf Teams signed up to visit The College of Golf Facility over the next two weekends to receive instruction from Brian and Dr. Wilson.

Should be a great experience for some local high school players.  Pictures will follow!

JOSH CAMITTA, COLLEGE OF GOLF KEISER UNIVERSITY STUDENT, COMPETES IN A LONG DRIVERS’ CIRCUIT EVENT

Upon his return from the long-drive competition, Josh was asked to provide a first-hand account of his experience, which follows:
Recently, I competed in my first Long Drive event on the Long Drivers’ Circuit. The event was held at the championship driving grid in Mesquite, Nevada on Sunday March 28. Going out there, I was unsure of what to expect from my fellow competitors and the atmosphere of the event. Waking up Sunday, I was wired and ready to go. I was one of the first competitors to arrive and soon saw a tee box with my name on it. Right then I knew that this was no joke. Seeing tees with names consisting of Dewald Gouws, David Mobely, Allen McDougall, and Steve Monroe, I knew it was game time. In the first round, I went OB 6 out of 6 balls and put myself in a real hole to start, going directly to the losers’ bracket. I gathered myself and prepared for the next round. I was up against a long-drive legend, David Mobely, who won the World Remax Long Drive Championship in 2005. I hit a long ball of 336 yards that set and topped out the others in my group, allowing me to advance to Round 4. Come round 4, the wind started to pick up and the grid was becoming more and more susceptible to lower ball flights. Having only 7.5 deg heads, I knew I was in a bit of trouble, but still had great confidence going to the next round. I hit 5 of 6 balls in the grid, with the long being 330 yards 3 inches. After Round 4 was complete, I learned that I was just 4 yards short of advancing to round 6; in long-drive competitions, every yard matters. Instead of getting down on myself for not advancing as far as I would have liked, I took the positives from the situation. Being able to meet some of the longest hitters in the world and know that I competed on the same stage as them is a great feeling. I plan on attending the next LDA event called The Texas 2 Step in June. Tee it high and let it fly.