By Tami Bealert PGA Professional / Fitness Trainer
After a long and grueling winter, spring has finally arrived! The fairways are getting their first cut, traps are being filled with fresh sand, and new balls are replacing the old ones at the golf range.
For some of you avid golfers who may have been practicing all winter, just hoping not to “lose your game”, are chewing at the bit to get out on the links. Perhaps others were lucky enough to travel someplace warm or tropical, and some are still trying to find where they stored their clubs for the winter. Regardless who you are, now is the time to re-evaluate your time spent at the driving range before making your first swing on the first tee box.
Some of those frustrating habits you’ve struggled with in the past can be easily corrected early in the spring, which can provide for a more enjoyable golf season. The best way to accomplish this is to take a lesson or a series of lessons from a PGA or LPGA instructor. I have been fortunate over the years to learn from some of the best in the industry. My professional playing experience and practical training, provides me the necessary tools to assist others improve their game. Together, we will develop a plan based on your experience, body type, range of motion, and personal goals. Understanding your own swing, and what your body is capable of doing, can directly contribute to how you physically and mentally approach the game. More importantly, the time you spend practicing will be more rewarding and likely to produce the results both on the course and your scorecard.
Here are a few suggestions on how to practice.
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Know the difference between warming up to play golf or warming up to practice on the range. The warm-up may be the same, but the actual time preparing to play or just working on your game is very different.
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Always have a purpose or a plan on what you’d like to accomplish when going to the range. Bring a note pad to record your progress and any additional thoughts or questions you may have.
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Start with your set up. Always have a target in mind, and adjust yourself to different targets throughout your practice.
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Apply the proper practice drills that will build motor skill memory. For quicker results, you can practice some of the drills daily away from the range.
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Make it fun! Bring a friend and share some of your goals. Go out for lunch or dinner afterwards.
What’s exciting for me as a PGA Golf Professional is that every student is unique and each one offers a different swing motion. I look forward to every lesson that I give, because both the student and I share the same goals – to improve their game.
With the correct instruction, proper practice will improve your performance. So whether you are a beginner or a scratch golfer, consider taking a few lessons. It’s one way to ensure that you are providing yourself the opportunity to play your best and to enjoy each moment on the course, swing after swing!
Tami Bealert is a teaching pro working out of Hickory Creek Golf Club www.trainwithtami.com
She will conduct a clinic after the Tin Cup tournament on May1 Tin Cup Clinic
Tour readies for 2010
January, 2010
The Mulligan Tour is preparing for its 12th season. Several tournaments are already set on the schedule with other events tentatively in place. The Tour is planning for as many as 39 different events in an ambitious 2010 campaign.
The Tour will create an East division and include 4 established tournaments and 3 new events. The Sweet Sixteen, the Big Dog Pro-Am, the Caddyshack Classic and the Fifty Cent Classic will anchor the new East division while the Casino Classic and the Sparty Classic will complete the regular season schedule. The division championship, called the EASTERN Championship, will wrap up the 7 event schedule.
New post season events will include the President’s Cup and the Division Bell. The President’s Cup will feature a team of 6 players captained by Tour founder and President Erik Meland competing in 3 different 9-hole matches against a team of 6 Touring members. The Division Bell will invite 4 players to represent each regional division in an 18-hole, 4 round total score event.
Membership rates will remain the same for the 3rd year in a row. A full membership will cost $120 for the year, although there is a $20 discount if the membership is received by March 31. A limited membership (6 events max) is still available for $80.
The Mulligan Tour is planning to be represented at the 2010 Michigan Golf Show on March 5-7 at the Rock Financial Showplace. Visit http://michigangolfshow.com/ for details about show.