Editorial

11 Jul 2013 Corina Pelloni

THE VALUE OF TRAINING AIDS

With some students, words, demonstrations, and even drills aren’t enough. In these cases, the use of training aids can provide the teaching professional with an additional option to help improve a student’s understanding. Training aids are just as the name implies: An aid to assist in teaching and to assist the student in learning. The myriads of training devices available seemingly address every aspect of the golf game. These aids come in all types, from inexpensive and homemade (such as a cut-down broom, a towel under the arms) to expensive and elaborate. In the minds of some, teaching devices fall in to the category of gimmicky, running from questionable to worthless. True, there are some bad teaching aids, which tend to drag the good ones down. In using a training aid, the student should have enough repetitions until they truly feel what the aid is teaching them. At this point, the student can then make some practice swings and hit some balls without the aid.  Your job as the teaching professional is to make sure that the student is incorporating what they learned from the training device. The most effective training aids have proven to be the ones where the student actually gets to swing a club and hit shots. Training aids that do not involve a student in swinging a club have proven to be less effective, but nevertheless can still provide some merit. Training aids that do too much of the work for the student do not teach the students as effectively as training aids which require the student to do his/her fair share of the work.

7 Jun 2013 Corina Pelloni

ARE WE KEEPING IT SIMPLE?

I was on my way to the lesson tee a few weeks ago, and one of the other teaching professionals was giving a lesson to a six-year-old boy.  Glancing at the boy’s swing, I would classify him as a beginner.  I overheard the pro telling the youngster and his dad that his clubface was too closed at the top of his swing.  Walking to my lesson I kept asking myself, “Do I keep things simple for my students . . .  especially children?” When teaching children or even beginners, we can often over-complicate things.  Many of us speak a language very few understand.  Swing plane, clubface angle, forearm rotation and spine angle are everyday terms in our world, but not many students know what they mean or how it applies to them.  Most people do not like to ask questions or admit they don’t know what we are talking about.  When you ask a student if they understand you, they usually say yes. For me, I like to make sure we are on the same page.  I will ask them to demonstrate what they think I am telling them to do.  This opens the communication line and also shows me as their teacher whether my style or word choice is being comprehended.  Students get excited when they demonstrate a proper drill or idea; they are engaged and their confidence builds. With children, keep is simple.  Have kids figure out how to hit the ball high or low, bump a shot through the fringe, and keep it fun.  As children develop and understand the game, you can begin to discuss more technical terms with them.  Don’t forget:  This form of simple communication should also be directed towards the parents.  In the beginning, perfect swing mechanics are the least of things with which young players should be concerned.  Our job is to help people enjoy the game, not bog it down with terms students they don’t understand.

4 Jun 2013 Corina Pelloni

WILL THIS YEAR’S US OPEN TELL US ANYTHING ABOUT MODERN GOLF?

Many people in golf believe that the distance people are hitting the golf ball these days is detrimental to the game. Yet, the governing bodies don’t seem to be overly concerned about it. Even though they acknowledge that the pros are hitting the ball farther, they counter with statements that the scoring has not changed very much. Rarely do they point to the fact that golf courses have gotten much longer to offset yardage gains. This year could have been a perfect opportunity to compare just how much modern equipment has changed the game, or not. The US Open is being played at the Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. In all previous Opens, the course ranged from 6,480 yards to 6,550 yards. That is what Merion played to in all previous Opens from Bobby Jones to David Graham. The opportunity to compare has been lost, as for this year’s tournament, the course has been lengthened to just under 7,000 yards. Rarely in this day and age do professional tournaments play on courses under 7,200 yards. Remember when the 600-yard hole at Firestone was considered a brute? Players reach this hole in two now, and some with irons. If equipment and balls have not mattered, then why the need to keep adding yardage? The only way to determine the true effect is to play on a course exactly as it was built. That won’t be the case, however, this year when there was a perfect opportunity to do so. Instead, we’ll get an altered layout with overgrown rough, and in the end, they will say the distance issue is a moot point. Oh yeah, and the moustache painted on the Mona Lisa looks real good too.

6 May 2013 Corina Pelloni

WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM ADAM SCOTT

This year’s Masters tournament provided a lot of great lessons we can learn from and teach our students.  The one that stands out the most in my mind is the patience that the winner, Adam Scott, exemplified during his final round.  Patience is something many of us preach to our students, or even try to work on in our own game, but it is more difficult to integrate than other skills. During the final round, Scott began his round with a bogey on the first hole.  His demeanor walking off the green was very calm; one couldn’t tell if he made a par or worse.  He parred the next hole, which is a par-5 that many players think is a birdie hole.  Again, he walked off the green very calm, not upset for making par.  Many players, including yours truly, start to press if they feel they are falling behind the leaders.  Scott kept calm and birdied the next hole. He then parred the next nine holes in a row, missing many makeable birdie putts.  His conduct never changed.  He stayed patient, knowing that he was hitting the ball well and that the putts would start to all.  If he would have started to press his game when he was not making birdies, he would have started to put more pressure on his ballstriking, possibly resulting in poor execution and possibly some bogeys. Scott made three birdies on the last six holes, eventually winning in a playoff.  His patience and calm demeanor allowed him to take advantage of great shots and not get in his own way, winning his first major.  It took me a long time to learn how to play this way.  I would always feel that missing short putts or not making birdies meant that I was falling behind the leaders.  Tournament golf is a long process.  You must stay patient and let the good scores come to you.

6 May 2013 Corina Pelloni

THE PROBLEM WITH TOO MUCH BOUNCE ON A WEDGE

One of the biggest faults I see in intermediate and advanced golfers in their short games is they create too much lag in their pitching and chipping swings. That is, they lead with the hands too much and the clubhead lags behind.  This usually stems from a powerful swing which compresses the ball. This golfer often struggles with touch around the greens and often struggles with taking too big of a divot. The problem I see stems from the selection of wedges that they are using. I teach my students to use low-bounce wedges, which help to get the leading edge under the ball without having to lead with the wrists. Leading with the hands through impact creates a low punchy style of a shot that is often inconsistent, and runs out too much and creates usually quite a deep divot. By using wedges with less bounce, the golfer can play the ball farther forward in their stance, open the face slightly, and use a smooth “armsie” swing and still get the leading edge under the ball without hitting it skinny or driving the leading edge deep into the ground. It is important, when playing the short game this way, that the clubface is fractionally open, and the ball is played up in the stance. If we open the face on a high-bounce wedge, the leading edge is raised too high off turf, and we will run the risk of hitting it skinny or be forced to hit down on the ball too much.  this leads to getting too steep, creating a lower-than-desired shot that relies on spin and a good bounce.

3 May 2013 Corina Pelloni

THE IMPORTANCE OF BALL POSITION AND STANCE WIDTH

Ball position and stance width are two key fundamentals that can have a great effect on a golfer’s impact position.  The following data is an average of the measurements for these positions from over 100 Tour players.  How do you measure up?  Ball Position

• For the driver, the ball is positioned directly in line with the lead foot instep.
• The ball slightly moves progressively back in the stance with each club.
• From the driver to the 9-iron, the ball moves back 2.7 inches for Tour professionals.
• For individuals with extremely wide stances, the ball can move slightly further back but not more than 5 inches or past the center point.

Stance Width

• The stance width with a 5-iron should be shoulder width.
• The driver stance is the widest, with averages near 2 inches outside of the shoulders for each foot.
• The 9-iron stance is 2 inches narrower than each shoulder.
• The lead foot is opened toward the target (flared) 25 degrees.

Distance from the ball  These are measurements with standard clubs from the end of the lead foot (toe) to the center of the ball.  Excessively large or small foot size can change this slightly.  The average foot size is 11. Proper distance from the ball (toe to center of the ball) is dictated mostly by length of club. This distance can also be affected by numerous body characteristics, including height (taller = closer), shoulder and hip width (narrower = closer), arm length (shorter = closer), and foot size (larger = closer).  The reality is that most people will fall between these tolerances.  Height, arms, hips, and foot size only have a slight effect on distance.

• The driver distance (45- to 46-inch driver) is between 32 to 36 inches from the ball (pro average: 33 to 34 inches)
• The 5-iron distance is between 22 to 26 inches (average 24 inches).
• The 9-iron distance is between 18 to 22 inches (average 22 inches)
• For every inch in length of a golf club, there is a .5 inch (1/2 inch) difference in distance.

3 May 2013 Corina Pelloni

PLAYING BETTER GOLF IS UP TO YOU

In many places around the country, the golf season is just getting underway. Clubs are coming out of their hibernating places such as garages or attics, club lockers, or car trunks. And, the quest for the perfect golf swing begins again. It seems like each season there is a new theory on how to do something that people have been doing for hundreds of years. It is often easy to become over-reliant on the words of a golf teacher to the point of forgetting that golf requires time and repetition. Not to say that a teacher isn’t relevant, but understand that the teacher/student relationship is really a journey in self-discovery. Unfortunately, golfers good and bad will try anything that even hints at being the one thing that they think will quickly make them better. If it is on the cover of a magazine or a 30-second spot on TV, a note to self is recorded and off to the range one goes. Many of my friends are like this, and probably yours, too: Eternal experimenters, quick-fix searchers, and generally on a path to failure. I am going to paraphrase from a recent article I came across in a popular golf magazine. Getting better at golf requires a deeply personal engagement. It is a subtle and difficult process that is always a mystery. In essence, what it comes down to is that golf is hard. When I contemplate that, I often recall the movie A League of their Own, when character Jimmy Dugan is told by his player that baseball is too hard, his response is classic: “It’s supposed to be hard. If it was easy, everyone would do it. It’s the hard that makes it great.” We should never forget that golf is a journey, a winding road with many ups and downs. There are guides to help along the way. In the end, however, it is up to you.

12 Apr 2013 Corina Pelloni

SELLING YOUR TALENT!

As golf teaching professionals, it is important to have highly developed technical knowledge and teaching skills.  However, we must be able to sell that skill (lessons) to be financially successful.  Therefore, it is important to market yourself as a golf teaching professional.  The USGTF provides numerous resources that are available from the National Office.  Here are some often-overlooked points that will help you become a better and more successful instructor:

• Your professional experience and talent are valuable assets.  Therefore, do not be afraid to sell your talents.  Often, golf instructors charge too little for their time, talent, and experience.

 

• Try to sell a percentage of your lessons as a program such as group lessons.  If you charge $75 per hour for an individual lesson but charge $30 per group lesson with 5 people per hour, you have now effectively doubled your income.  The added benefit is group lessons often have more energy and dynamics.  Be creative!

 

• NGF statistics show that 87% of golfers would play more golf and spend more money if they could play better.  Yet, only 13% of golfers are taking regular lessons!

 

• Invest in your business and education.  It is important to keep up to date with technology, training aids, and equipment.  Equally as important is to continue your education by utilizing the vast resources that the USGTF and WGTF have to offer.

 

• As an instructor, you should adapt and constantly evolve to the changing world.  Use new and innovative marketing ideas in your kids’ programs, ladies’ golf clinics, and social events that combine golf and business.  Try to keep up with effective forms of communications.  Opportunities exist when you make an effort.  Simple cost-effective ideas such as online social media, involvement in group activities, community clubs, parks and recreation, and volunteering for local schools can provide a great boost to your client base.

12 Apr 2013 Corina Pelloni

SLOW PLAY: ARE WE RESPONSIBLE?

There is a weekly money game at one of the local country clubs in Kansas near my home.  There are a lot of great players in the game, including mini-tour players.  A few months back I was paired with two mini-tour players, along with a top local college player.  We were the fourth out of six groups to tee off in the money game.  Five hours later we finished, at least two holes, if not three, behind the group in front of us. During the round, I mentioned that we were falling behind the group in front of us, and we needed to pick up our pace.  I guess my opinions went on deaf ears because we never sped up at all.  After our round, I wasn’t very happy with our pace; I felt like I worried about it the entire round, and therefore, had a negative outlook on the game.  I paid my debts, and went my merry way home. The next day I couldn’t quit thinking about how slow these good players were.  I started to think about why we were so slow and it came down to two major areas.  The first area was routine or process, while the other area was the timing of starting the process.  These ideas turned into many thoughts about teaching professionals and how we teach pre-shot routines. For the most part, I think we all teach that you should have a routine for all shots.  The point of a routine is to keep you calm when you are nervous, help get you back on track when things are bad, and help you go lower when things are going really good.  But, do we teach the players to become so engaged to their routine that they forget about common sense pace of play? All three players had full-shot routines that took about two minutes.  It seemed the more time one player took, the next player would take more.  It was amazing to me to see someone back off a shot more than four or five times.  It showed me that they were forcing their routine because of the self-doubt in their decisions.  I would like to see players be more confident in their decisions and play the shot. The other thing that amazed me was none of the players started their routine, including pre-reads, until the other player was finished.  This is something that makes me feel that their coach has failed them.  Students should be taught to do their pre-reads all the time, whether they are walking up to their ball or walking from the cart to the green.  This helps them continually assess what they want to do and to be more decisive. It is our responsibility to grow the game and help players get more enjoyment.  One way we can help this is to instruct players to move along at a good pace.  Not only does it benefit them, but it benefits everyone in the group and on the course.  If we teach “common sense” pace of play skills to our students, then they will help better the game.

12 Apr 2013 Corina Pelloni

FUNDAMENTALS ALWAYS WORK!

As the spring season makes its way into many parts of the northern US and Canada, players that have been dreaming of playing golf on their favorite courses are now getting really excited about the 2013 golf season.,,   For those of us that live in the Sun Belt, we have been in full golf season for almost six months and are starting to see our winter friends leave for their homes in the north. A few weeks ago, I started my middle-school golf program and was thrilled to have almost 30 young players show up for golf from grades 3 to 8. As we started out training programs, we were spending a lot of time on the chipping and putting greens working on our short games. On one afternoon, as we made our way to the chipping green at our local public course, I noticed an older woman on the chipping green working on her short game. Now, what caught my attention is what she was doing. She had 10 balls and a 9-iron, and she was working her way around the chipping green hitting basically the same 25-foot chip from many different angles. She was terrific, chipping almost all of her shots to within a few feet of each hole. I watched her for about 5 to 10 minutes with the kids. I told all of them to watch what she was doing, and her fundamentals were outstanding. She had a simple setup, narrow stance, weight forward, and open feet with an open hip. Her hands held the club softly but firmly, and each shot had that perfect little “click” as she hit each short firmly with a descending blow. The result: A little loft, hop and roll right next to the hole. My lesson to the kids as we were watching this exhibition was that her fundamentals were outstanding and that her practice was simple and productive. I had to finally ask her about her game, and she was so gracious, said she had been a good player for a long time, over 60 years, and she has always practiced her short game with her 9-iron. She felt that the shot she was practicing was the shot that she faced the most when she played. You could tell she was very good at the shot – fundamentals always work!