End of the Week Tip: Fairway Metals from the Fairway

Hitting fairway metals from the fairway can be difficult.  Here are some tips to help you take advantage of your fairway metals on long approaches:

·       Have the right equipment.  Most players automatically put a 3 wood in the bag as their next logical choice of club following a driver.  However not every player generates enough club head speed to launch a 3 wood high enough for it to go any further than your next club.  Using launch monitor technology like Trackman you can see what your carry distance is relative to the next club in the bag.  A 4 or 5 wood may turn out to be the optimum club to follow the driver.

·       Choose your target wisely.  Pin seeking with a fairway metal isn’t always a good idea, especially if the pin is guarded by bunkers, rough or water hazards.  Choose a target line that will allow the ball to roll out after hitting the ground and will keep you out of trouble if the ball lands a little short of your intended destination. 

·       Stick the finish.  When the ball is on the ground versus a tee, our subconscious may tell us to “lift” the ball in the air, resulting in topped shots that stay on the ground.  These swings also result in finishes that hang back, or end with more weight on the back foot instead of the front.  Be sure to contact the ground and finish with your weight on the front foot, allowing the loft of the club to do its job and get the ball in the air.

End of the Week Tip: Avoiding High Numbers

It’s a fairly common thing for most golfers to have a good round going only to have their score inflated by a couple bad holes.  Here are some tips to help you avoid those big numbers and keep your scores where they belong:

·       Choose the correct recovery shot.  Errant shots are sometimes unavoidable when you play.  The trouble comes from turning one bad shot into several.  Assessing the amount of risk involved when attempting a recovery shot is critical.  Look at it two ways: what is the easiest shot that gets the ball in play and which shot is the most aggressive.  The answer usually lies in the middle.  Just remember, bogey isn’t always bad.  

·       Practice those recovery shots.  Attempting a shot you’ve never attempted during the course of a competitive round is a big no.  After a few rounds you may discover that you keep finding yourself in a particular situation but are unsure how to proceed.  Whether on the driving range or on the course, the next time you practice try to recreate your trouble shots.

·       Get creative.  Some of the most “creative” golfers on Tour just so happen to be some the least accurate drivers off the tee.  Because they spend a lot of time hitting recovery shots, they’ve gotten creative in how to produce the best results.  Hopefully the majority of your shots are in the fairway, but be prepared by using your creativity and practicing the recovery shots that will be the difference between you making par or triple bogey.

End of the Week Tip: Dealing with Fast Greens

Watching the best players in the world navigate their way around Augusta National during The Masters is one of my favorite times of year. I especially enjoy watching how they handle the famously firm and fast greens during the year's first major.

We may not experience greens as difficult as the ones during the Masters, but there are a few times a year where the greens you play can get firm and fast.  Check out these tips for the next time you are dealing with firm, fast greens.

·       Consider your options when approaching the green.  Creating spin depends more on your lie than anything else.  If playing from the rough where more grass can get between the clubface and the ball, you are less likely to create the necessary spin to hold the green.  In this case your best bet would be to find a landing area short and try getting your ball to roll up to the green.

·       Your grooves matter.  Old, worn out grooves will not help you create spin.  The function of grooves is to channel away any debris that can get between your ball and the clubface so that you get more friction.  New, clean grooves will help you create the most friction and the most spin.

·       Consider a heavier putter on faster greens.  Several putters on the market now have adjustable weight technology that allows you to add or take weight away from the putter head.  A heavier putter head will help you make slower swings which will be needed on fast greens.  Just make sure when you make the change that you spend a little extra time on the practice green getting the feel for your putter and the green.

2016 Programs and Rates

The End of the Week Tip will return next week. Please send me your suggestions for a golf tip and I'll do my best to answer!

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2016 Programs and Rates

 

• Individual Rates (45 minutes)

  • Adult: $100
  • Junior (21 and under): $80
  • 2 Hour Playing Lesson: $150
  • K-Vest Evaluation (30 min.): $50
  • Sam Putt Lab Evaluation: $90
  • 1 Hour Iron Fitting: $80
  • 2 Hour Sam Putt Lab Fitting: 150  

 

• Val-Pak (6 lessons for the price of 5)                                                                                         

Adult: $500                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Junior: $400                                                                                                                                                                                                                

*Expires 2 years from purchase date                                                                                                                                                                

Coaching Package (4 month term)

Adult: $1,120 (or $300 w/ auto pay)

Junior: $960 (or $260 w/ auto pay)

16 sessions (avg. 1 per week) for 4 months. Includes an equipment evaluation, Shot By Shot stat tracking, Sam Putt Lab, K-Vest evaluation, and on course training. 

3% added to credit card purchases                             

End of the Week Tip: Be Creative and Have Fun!

Creativity on the golf course will not only improve your score, it will make the game of golf more fun and exciting. Hopefully every drive is in the middle of the fairway and every approach is very close to the hole. However, the chances are that you experience some trouble every once in a while that requires you to use your brain to escape it.

Here are a few things to consider when trying to get creative on the course:

·       Consider the risk vs. reward.  I like to think of the worst case scenario when attempting a high risk shot and make sure I’ll be comfortable with myself if it happens.  That frees up any anxiety the shot could create and gives me my best chance to succeed. If the worst case is too much to handle then it may not be a good idea to attempt the shot.

·       Practice creativity on the range.  The best place to discover the different shots you can hit is on the driving range.  I’m a big proponent of having always attempted any given shot in practice before using in a round of golf.  A great way to practice your creativity on the range is to choose a target between 100-125 yards away, and practice hitting every club in your bag to that target. Then practice intentionally curving the ball and controlling your trajectory to hit high and low shots.   Do this with every club in the bag and you’ll find that there a few clubs in there that are easier to control which means they can be your go-to clubs on the course.

·       Practicing on the course.  Without delaying pace of play, it’s always a good idea when you’re on the course in a non-competitive round to practice your creativity.  Challenge your friends to a contest of who can pull off the wildest, most creative shot on the course.  The possibilities are endless so get creative and have fun!

End of the Week Tip: The Game Inside the Game - Putting

There are few things as invigorating for a golfer as smashing a drive down the middle of the fairway 10 to 20 yards past your playing partners.  But when it comes to consistently scoring at or below your handicap, one part of the game becomes very important.  It is often referred to as the game inside the game: putting.

Here are some ideas to make sure you’re getting the most from the flat stick.

·       Make sure your putter fits.  Clubfitting has come a long way in the last few years but few people take the time to make sure their putter actually fits them.  Today I use Sam Putt Lab to measure the finest details of the putting stroke to make educated decisions on putter fitting. Personal preference is important when it comes to the brand, and possibly the weight of the putter, but make sure the length and lie angle of your putter accomplishes the following things at address:

1.     Putter is flat on the ground

2.     Eyes are directly over or slightly inside the ball

3.     Arms hang naturally from your shoulders

·       Speed control is key.  The size of your putting stroke will determine the speed of the putter and the distance of your putt.  But much like judging how far your arm would go back to throw a ball, little thought needs to be involved.  Use the practice green before a round to determine the speed of the greens, and then use that knowledge on the course.  Let your body react to the speed, slope, and distance of the putt.  

End of the Week Tip: Short Game's Tight Lies

The technique used to get the ball close to the hole from a closely mown lie can be very different from when the ball is in taller grass.  Follow these tips to make sure you perform your best when you find yourself in a closely mown area around the green:

·       Club selection.  My first rule when around the green is to use your putter if at all possible.  Closely mown areas around the green can offer several opportunities to use your putter.  But sometimes the shot is either too long or you need to carry the ball over a steep slope or obstacle.  In this case, you want to select a club that will create your desired ball flight.  Just make sure whichever club you pick is one that you’ve spent time rehearsing in practice.

·       “Land” the club on the ground like an airplane. In Andrew Rice’s “Wedge Project” he discusses how your club should stay as close to the ground as possible for as long as possible through impact.  This means trying to hit down on the ball is a bad idea that will result in inconsistent contact.  “Landing” the club on the ground through impact can be achieved by using little to no wrist hinge in the swing and rotating your upper body to swing the club.  You will also notice that there is little to no divot when you execute this shot properly.

·       Go for the draw.  In order to “land” your club it needs to come in shallow and from inside the target line.  The draw, curving right to left for the right handed golfer, is created with a swing path that is from the inside and shallow.  Practice this by placing an alignment rod in the ground on the target line about 10 feet in front of the ball.  Make the ball start just right of the stick then slightly curve left back to the target (opposite for left handed golfers).

NEWS: York Selected to Lead Women's Golf at Transylvania

The weekly End of the Week Tip will return next week!

From www.transysports.com. Click here for the original release.

Lexington, KY. – PGA professional Tyrus York has been hired as the new women's golf head coach at Transylvania University, Vice President of Athletics Holly Sheilley announced Thursday.

York, a Harlan, Ky. native, brings a unique combination of professional golfing experience along with a rich teaching pedigree to the position. York entered the PGA Professional Golf Management Program and became a Class A PGA Professional in 2010.

Additionally, York currently instructs as a PGA Teaching Professional and Co-Owner of the High Performance Golf Academy in Nicholasville, Ky., an academy he co-founded.

"I am excited for us and our team to have Tyrus York as our new coach," commented Vice President of Athletics Dr. Holly Sheilley on the hiring. "Tyrus is very well respected by his peers for his knowledge of the game and the character he displays. His enthusiasm and passion for the game make him the perfect fit. I have no doubt that he will take the next steps in leading our program to winning conference and NCAA Championships."

"It is an incredible honor to be selected as the next coach for the Transylvania Women's Golf team," said York. "To have the opportunity to further the development of current and future student-athletes is very exciting. Transylvania is a place where student-athletes can come in, receive a world-class education, and compete to win championships. I'm ready to ensure the women's golf team gets to that level."

York takes over for outgoing women's golf coach Keilly Purdom, who is relocating with her family to Oxford, Mississippi, where her husband Kirk has accepted a new position in alumni relations with the University of Mississippi where both were athletes. Kirk Purdom was most recently the Vice President for Advancement at Transylvania.

"Coach Purdom has done an excellent job with our program," said Sheilley. "We hate to see her departure, but we know she has left our program headed in the right direction and we are thankful for her service."

York brings a wealth of acclaim to the women's golf head coaching position at Transylvania, including the 2014 Kentucky Section PGA Teacher of the Year award. York has also been nominated for the 2011, 2012, and 2013 Junior Golf Leader of the Year awards in the Kentucky Section.

York served as the boys and girls high school head coach at the Sayre School in Lexington for three years from 2012 through 2015. In all, York has been involved in golf instruction for over a decade as he enters the women's golf head coaching position at Transylvania.

After a decorated junior golf career which included two Player of the Year honors from the Southeast Kentucky Junior Golf Tour, York played four years of golf at the University of the Cumberlands, graduating in 2005 with a Bachelor's in Business Administration.

Following graduation, York moved to Lexington where he specialized in golf instruction. "I began teaching golf shortly after the conclusion of my college golf career and knew that coaching was something I wanted to do for a long time," said York. "I'm fortunate that my primary focus has been on instruction, and subsequently improving these teaching skills. Along the way I've been able to contribute to the marketing efforts of the facilities I've worked with, as well as manage the financial responsibilities of running my own teaching business."

York touts a relationship-first teaching philosophy based upon initially evaluating the learning style of each of his students, and developing a method that best aligns with their abilities and talents prior to developing the optimal golf swing. "My philosophy as an instructor is do something every day to better yourself and personally adopt that in my own life," said York.

Other notable instruction certifications York possesses are K-Vest level 2, SeeMore putter, putting zone, and EyeLine golf. York actively subscribes to the usage of technology within golfing, implementing the revolutionary K-Vest and Trackman as some of the tools utilized in his training sessions.

On York, Purdom commented, "Tyrus will bring a wealth of teaching experience to the Transy program, which will bring top recruits and future championships to the women's golf program. I feel confident that I am leaving the program in excellent hands."

As the coaching change occurs in the middle of the spring season, Purdom noted that she will continue to serve as a resource to York during the transition period in order to make the transition as smooth as possible for the current team and recruits.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for the Transy program to continue moving forward," said Purdom.

York added, "I would like to thank Coach Purdom for her help in this process, as well as for the dedication she has put in the last few seasons to lay a solid foundation in growing Transy women's golf. I would also like to thank Dr. Holly Sheilley for her support of women's golf at Transylvania, and entrusting me to continue the great work Coach Purdom has begun."

As a resident of the Lexington area for nearly a decade, York enters the position with an understanding of the university and top-level aspirations for his program: "Transylvania has a rich history here in the state of Kentucky for both academics and sports," said York. "The university has long been a very important landmark in Lexington. Having produced extremely talented student-athletes already, I want to see more women's golfers be a part of that legacy. I am humbled to be the coach to take these ladies to the next level."

End of the Week Tip: Improve Ball Striking

One of the most important things needed to play good golf is to be able to hit the center of the club face (aka the sweet spot) with some regularity. The benefits of hitting the center of the club are many, but none as big as it simply feels good when you make solid contact.

If you can improve your ability to make center contact, you can begin lowering your scores to levels you may have never imagined.  Here are some things to consider when trying to improve your overall ball striking:

·       Pre-swing fundamentals like grip, aim, alignment, and posture can be difficult if you’ve never had instruction to guide you.  But compared to the intricacies involved in a full swing, pre-swing fundamentals are a simple, necessary step to make sure your ball striking won’t suffer.  A lesson with your local PGA professional is well worth the investment just to make sure your game isn’t suffering from simple, fundamental mistakes.

·       Find the sweet spot.  It still amazes me how many golfers there are that aren’t sure when their ball hits the center of the clubface.  When feel isn’t providing enough feedback, it is important that you find a way to see where the ball is hitting the clubface.  Impact tape applied to the clubface has been used for a long time to get proper feedback, but it can be expensive and can influence the feel you get at impact.  Try covering the clubface with a dry erase marker or foot spray (like Dr. Scholl’s) as an inexpensive way to see where the ball is contacting the clubface.

·       Get in shape.  You may have the best golf swing in the world, but for it to hold up for 18 holes, especially under pressure, your body needs to be in good condition.  Today’s stars on the PGA Tour prove this point day in and day out.  Golf specific fitness programs like the Titleist Performance Institute are great ways to get in golf shape.  But if you’re unable to start those programs, simply walking the course more often will begin building your endurance.

End of the Week Tip: Reduce Tension with the Waggle

I had never really heard of a waggle before I read Ben Hogan's Five Lessons. Then I realized it was something that I had been doing all along and didn't know it.

On the PGA Tour, Jason Dufner is known for a very long, pronounced waggle before every full swing.  His waggle has been praised and criticized by many, but in my opinion it plays a crucial role in his success.

A waggle can be defined as any movement made before the swing to reduce tension in your body.  Tension can be a killer of any golf swing, so having a waggle (of some kind) is important to creating consistent golf swings.

Here are a few tips to help you reduce tension in your swing:

·       Use a waggle.  There are many different ways to waggle the club before you swing.  Dufner’s method is a very big waggle that is repeated as many as 10 times before he actually swings.  Any method you choose is fine as long as you can feel the tension escaping your body.

·       Avoid freezing over the ball.  Many amateur golfers tend to freeze over the ball before they swing.  Just like a free throw in basketball begins with a slight bend in the knees, the golf swing needs an igniter.  Any time you freeze over the ball, tension creeps in and makes it difficult to repeat your swing.

·       Monitor your grip pressure.  The waggle is a great way to maintain a proper grip pressure.  When your grip pressure is too tight, your wrists become locked and immobile.  Another great test for grip pressure is to take your grip, hold the club in front of you parallel to the ground, and make circles with the clubhead using only your wrists.  As long as the club stays secure in your hands (no slipping!) and you can make the circles, then you have the proper grip pressure.