8 Jan 2016

Golf – The Game Of Lasting Friendship

By Anthony Bernard Benny

Sitting at my desk and looking down memory lane, I could not help but smile at what this great game has done for me, from being a caddie, a worker on the golf course, a stint as caddie master and also a player, but the best was yet to come. One day, I was asked to play in an event that had the best players in my country.  It was a four-day event and at the end, I placed second, a loser by one (1) shot.  The then-manager of the golf club suggested that I should turn pro.  In those days, being a pro was mostly to teach, because there were one or two events for us to play, and being a good player, everyone believed that you could teach, as well. I remember quite clearly that one day while giving a lesson to one of my very outstanding students, there was a guy not too far away, on the range.  He put his clubs down and headed for the manager’s office.  I then thought that maybe I had spoken too loudly, or said something offensive.  In a matter of minutes, the manager came out of her office and requested that I visit her after finishing my lesson.  I proceeded to the Manager’s office after my lesson was completed.  She informed that the gentleman on the range had asked her to speak to me about being his teacher/coach.  We became good friends.  One night he asked me, “Where do you get all this knowledge?  What do you have as evidence to show that you are a teacher?”  All I had was my local PGA card.  He then informed that that was not enough and I should research and find a school where I could get my teaching card. Chris Richards and I went in search of this and we found quite a large number of schools, but decided on the United States Golf Teachers Federation. On yet another night, I had a class of six (6) new students and after the class, I told the leader of the group that I was going to America to golf school to learn to be a better teacher.  He asked me who was paying for it.  I then called the name of the other guy present and without hesitation he said that he would double what the other guy was paying. That was more than ten (10) years ago and to date, I am still supported by the second gentleman to be a member of the USGTF every year.  I look forward with great anticipation as to where the next USGTF Cup will be held.  There are many reasons why, but most of all, I look forward to seeing my friends made from events of the years gone by, and the new ones that I am going to make.  Plus, it gives me time to go visit my guru and friend David Leadbetter. Being a lover of the sport, I am always open to knowledge, and to be a good teacher, one must be always open to learning. To all my golfing friends, golf simply means a game of lasting friendship.
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MY EXPERIENCE WITH FOOT GOLF
8 Jan 2016

MY EXPERIENCE WITH FOOT GOLF

Our golf course just added a foot golf layout. For those unfamiliar with this new sport, an individual uses a soccer ball and kicks it down the fairway to a hole about the size of the top of a 55-gallon drum. There are flags in the hole so one knows where the hole ends. Each hole, like with a golf course, is different in length and weaves around trees and hazards. The purpose is to increase revenue and provide a fun outdoor activity to active people. Just like golf, you can play individually or in groups. Based on my observation thus far, it does not require a lot of skill, just a strong foot. The real question is what is the overall purpose of this activity? Was it designed to expose more people to golf with the hope of creating new golfers, or to add more money into the course coffers? I suspect both, but money will most likely win out. No question we need more golfers, but I’m not sure this will be the answer. I say this based on my own experience and that of some savvy young people in a recent golf camp I conducted. For me, it was pretty dull. Not a lot of excitement. About the equivalent of skipping rocks on a lake. At my Christmas golf camp, I earmarked one afternoon for all the kids to play a round of foot golf. Ages ranged from 6 to 11. When asked if they liked it, the overwhelming response was “it was okay.” Not a ringing endorsement. Where it will lead, no one can really say.
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GET INDOORS TO WORK ON YOUR SWING IN THE WINTER MONTHS
23 Dec 2015

GET INDOORS TO WORK ON YOUR SWING IN THE WINTER MONTHS

By: Arlen Bento, WGCA contributing writer Now that we are near the end of the year, a lot of golfers will be hanging up the sticks for the winter season.  For many of us this means very little work on our golf swings…or does it? I am a big fan of indoor golf for player development.  I have been using video technology and launch monitor technology indoors for over 20 years and I have developed many great players starting in my net.  Many people ask me why I encourage so many students to start inside, and I always give them the same answer: It is a lot easier to teach the golf swing without worrying about what the ball is doing. I often get a puzzled look when I say this statement, but it is a true belief of mine that the golf ball messes up the golf swing when you are first learning how to play. Now of course, I understand that we have to take the swing to the range and the course, but learning the swing and building confidence is a lot easier inside.  When you take a new player out to the course or range and give them a club, it is a very awkward situation.  The grip is not natural, nor are the stance and the posture or figuring out how to hit the ball.  Most people take a grip that is comfortable, lift the club up and chop down in an attempt to strike the ball.  Usually this attempt is met with a hard thunk on the ground and a ball that slides off low and fast in the wrong direction. With an indoor lesson, you can eliminate all that initial tension and focus on what really has to happen in the golf swing.  You have to swing the club, you have to move your body and you have to let your feet shift your weight.  Once you can create a swinging motion, you can introduce the ball and the odds of making a solid contact are dramatically increased. In my studio in Stuart, Florida, I work with a lot of new players who just want to be able to hit the ball, I always joke with them, “Let’s learn to swing the club and let the ball get in the way.”   I have a great system in my studio that gives great shot feedback using two different launch monitors.   I can really simulate what it is like on the range or even the course, so the indoor lesson is much better than it was 10 years ago. So, my advice to those of you who are getting ready to put the golf swing on the back burner for the winter: don’t.  Find an area where you can swing, a place that you can work on the movement of your body.  If you can get some wiffle balls they can help.  Better yet, get a net, a nice hitting mat and maybe some technology, or find a place nearby that offers indoor golf. Please email me at arlenbentojr@gmail.com or visit my website at www.arlenbentojr.com. Master Teaching Professional Arlen Bento Jr. is an award-winning golf coach, business owner, product developer and writer living in Jensen Beach, Florida.   He is the former head golf professional at the PGA Country Club at PGA Village in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and the director of golf at Eagle Marsh Golf Club in Jensen Beach, Florida. 
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PAYING THE PRICE
23 Dec 2015

PAYING THE PRICE

We have all heard phrases about working hard to be successful or willing to never quit.  There are phrases on t-shirts, posters, and even coffee mugs.  The great Ben Hogan said to become great at golf, you need to “dig it out of the dirt,” meaning hitting a lot of range balls.  I’m sure your parents or mentors have also reinforced the philosophy that perseverance is the key to greatness. Even though hard work is important, I believe many of these phrases leave out an important fact.  You must love the sacrifice that hard work requires to reach your goals.  Let’s think about someone wanting to lose weight and get into the best shape of their life.  They can read some nutritional books, buy healthy foods and even join a gym.  Doing this might help them lose a few pounds, but unless they love the feeling of sore muscles and the hours of being in a gym, they won’t attain their ultimate goal.  They must fall in love with the sacrifice of being a gym rat, sore muscles and all. In golf teaching, we tell our students they must invest in the work to enjoy the outcomes.  I think we need to add into the equation that our students must also love the sacrifice of what will happen to become a great player.  Hours working on the range means calluses on their hands and missing out on times with friends.  It means getting their body into shape to perform the best it can and knowing they will also be facing a tough mental game.  It’s overcoming these challenges that bring the most satisfaction. It’s easy to tell someone to work hard or that they need to push themselves.  As golf teaching professionals, we need to help our students understand the sacrifices that come with becoming great.  No one list will be right; no one list will be wrong.  Share your challenges and the resulting successes with your students so they embrace the struggle of becoming great, as opposed to just dreaming it.
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