OK ... so it's been a little while since I posted .. you know I'm not Stephen King. Ha Ha. I've been fairly busy since the last post spending a lot of time getting acclimated to my position at Fox Run.
It's been hectic sometimes but that always happens when you're trying to learn new names, places and faces. My biggest challenge has been learning all of the acronyms associated with the Air Force and thus finding out the overall chain of command. I come from a long Navy background and I'm simply learning a lot of new info.
I'm giving lots of lessons and based on the great feedback, I think I'm really helping my students. I usually see a marked improvement after the first lesson. Most of the time they don't have a "horrible" swing, they simply are doing most things right but a few key things wrong. The most common issues I see are (in order of commonality) ball position, grip and posture. Unfortunately, these three are the TOP THREE swing killers. However .. I must say that they are also easier to fix than most would think. Changing the grip is probably the most difficult for golfers to do but I see the most improvement once I get the student to master the proper grip. Ball position is the easiest of the three to fix and I do this by educating them on the physics of the swing and how and why the ball does what it does when the ball is in a certain position in their stance/address. Posture is a common flaw I see but it's not as much of a swing killer as the previous two just mentioned but it does have an enormous effect on one's ability to repeat their swing.
The golf swing is comprised of many elements but it most certainly is based on REPETITION. Just like the mechanical devices that club manufacturers use to design and test clubs (Iron Byron, etal), repetition is key. I know it's THE number one key that ALL tour level golfers are seeking. They're not nearly as concerned about what they're doing to change a swing element, but rather "If this works, is it repeatable so that I can depend on it?" This is the message that I really try to get to my students and so far they're getting it. I see the results almost immediately and so do they. The look on their face when they hit that first excellent shot, then another and another is worth the price of gold.
Until next time,
Gary
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
The course is looking better and .. a little news.
Well, the weather is getting better (warmer and a "little" dryer), so now everyone is dusting off the clubs and venturing back to the course. I'm getting more requests for lessons and the tournament season is gearing up. I'll be rather busy in the next several months with many tournaments happening at Fox Run GC (Barksdale AFB). This is where "a little news" comes in. I've been asked to assume the position of Director of Instruction and Director of Tournaments for Fox Run and I think it will be a wonderful opportunity to help this wonderful course be even better. I'm hitting the ground running with many tournaments coming up in April and May, the biggest being our annual "Customer Appreciation" tournament on April 30, 2010.
I'm having a great time with some of my current students and watching them improve. With time they should really be enjoying their "new" swing and so far I see some wonderful improvement in their swings.
As people drag their clubs out for the first trips around the course let's hope they don't forget to work on their stretching routine also. Many golf related sports injuries occur due to lack of proper stretching before taking full swings. In fact many swing faults can also be attributed to "range of motion" issues involving the shoulders (deltoids, trapezia, etc) and hips (flexors, abductors, etc). I encourage my students to check with their physician if they have ANY range of motion restrictions for whatever reason. I know I have several medical conditions that require me to pay extra attention to stretching before playing golf and I'm sure that most people also have some limitations that they need to think about also. Your doctor and physical therapist or kinesiologist can recommend a proper stretching regimen for your particular situation but please don't think that you can simply "take a few hard practice swings" and you'll be good to go. It's NOT that simple, I know from experience.
So, until next time, arrive a few minutes early and take the time to stretch your body BEFORE you stretch things too far.
Gary
I'm having a great time with some of my current students and watching them improve. With time they should really be enjoying their "new" swing and so far I see some wonderful improvement in their swings.
As people drag their clubs out for the first trips around the course let's hope they don't forget to work on their stretching routine also. Many golf related sports injuries occur due to lack of proper stretching before taking full swings. In fact many swing faults can also be attributed to "range of motion" issues involving the shoulders (deltoids, trapezia, etc) and hips (flexors, abductors, etc). I encourage my students to check with their physician if they have ANY range of motion restrictions for whatever reason. I know I have several medical conditions that require me to pay extra attention to stretching before playing golf and I'm sure that most people also have some limitations that they need to think about also. Your doctor and physical therapist or kinesiologist can recommend a proper stretching regimen for your particular situation but please don't think that you can simply "take a few hard practice swings" and you'll be good to go. It's NOT that simple, I know from experience.
So, until next time, arrive a few minutes early and take the time to stretch your body BEFORE you stretch things too far.
Gary
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Ahhh ... Spring! Or not?
I'm hoping (with fingers crossed) that today's warm weather is a sure sign of things to come. Last week I got my hopes up about the warm, dry weather only to find it snowing Sunday morning and in the low 30's again followed by MORE RAIN!! I know we're in an El Nino year but dang ... this has got to end sometime. I know ... we could be flooded like some other areas so really we should count our blessings (so to speak).
So since we do have these soggy fairways to deal with let's talk about how to deal with them. Since the Rules of Golf DO NOT ALLOW for Lift, Clean and Cheat (as is done on the PGA Tour), you've got to know when and where you are allowed to lift and clean your ball during your round. Here I will touch on the most common situations you might encounter.
1. On the putting surface (aka - the green)- We all know about this one. But I do see many amateurs abuse or misinterpret this rule. They seem to think that anytime they are about to putt from just around the green they can mark and clean their ball. One needs to remember that the first cut of grass next to the "putting surface" is actually called the "apron". It is sometimes called other things like "frog hair" "semi-green", etc. but rest assured that it is NOT the putting surface and thus you cannot mark and lift/clean your ball there... UNLESS ...
2. Your ball is embedded "IN IT'S OWN PITCH MARK" on any "Closely mown area through the green". First we need to understand what area is defined as "Through the green". This would be the area from the Teeing area (aka- Tee Box) down to but not including the putting surface, nor any marked hazards (water, sand, etc.). Then you need to consider what is a "closely mown area". This would basically be the "fairway" part of the hole being played. This does not include the "rough" (primary or secondary). So if your ball is embedded in it's own pitch mark in the fairway, on the apron, or even on the tee box (come see me for lessons if you encounter this problem) you can lift, clean and place it with in one club length no closer to the hole with no penalty incurred. If your ball is embedded but lies in the rough or any hazard you must play it as it lies including all attached real estate (dirt), OR .. you always have the option of declaring an "unplayable lie" and can then take the appropriate measures (i.e. drop) in accordance with the Rules of Golf. When you take the penalty stroke for an unplayable lie then you can can clean your ball prior to taking your drop. WARNING: Once you have taken your drop and the ball stops in a manner following the Rules of Golf, THAT BALL IS IN PLAY... meaning you cannot pick it up to clean it off! So ... word up ... clean your ball BEFORE you take that drop! Remember, if you do not mind the extra penalty stroke, you can declare an unplayable lie pretty much at anytime you wish (except on the putting surface) but no other person can advise you to do so, not even a rules official in a tournament. The only person who can advise you on this matter would be 1) your caddy or 2) your playing partner in a Match Play competition. Any other situation would incur penalty strokes for taking advice during play. (But that's another set of rules altogether).
3. Lastly there's the situation involving "Ball Identification". We've all had times where there's so much mud on you ball you're not really sure if it's yours or not. If you have this come up, you are allowed to mark your ball, lift and clean the dirt and debris for identification purposes. Once you've determined it's your ball (here's the tricky part), you must recreate the original lie. This means that, yes, you must pack the dirt back around your ball to the best of your ability, so as to recreate the original lie of the ball. (Dang, if it had stayed in it's original pitch mark you'd be free and clear huh?). If you determine that it's NOT your ball, but it's a fellow competitor's ball you simply put the ball back where it previously lay with no penalty for you or the other player. You were simply an outside agency at that point and they now have a clean ball.
Now here's where honesty really comes into play. Let's say you and your fellow competitor both hit balls in the fairway but one is covered in mud. It should be fairly easy to discern whose ball is who's. Now let's say, you and your fellow competitor are both in the fairway but both balls are covered in mud. You have a couple of options. You can both go check a ball at the same time and if you both have the wrong ball then both of you replace the ball but it's already cleaned so you both come out ok ... or if you both find that you have uncovered you own ball you both have to recreate the muddy ball lie... or only one of you check a ball and if it's your own you recreate your lie and your partner leaves his where it lay and if it's you buddy's ball he get's a clean ball and you get a muddy ball. I know it sounds far-fetched but it's an ethical dilemma that sometimes comes up. The honesty part some into play when two people agree to "check" each others ball so that both players wind up with a clean ball. This is something that you have to deal with yourself. Golf is, after all, a game of integrity that is "self-governed". When it comes to dirt on your ball, I say just "take your lumps" Yeah, I know, I know..
Yes, there are other technical situations involving "relief" during a round but I wanted to cover the most common situations that one might encounter. If you have any questions about the golf swing or the rules of golf, send me an email at gary@glbgolf.com
Until next time, keep it low and slow.
Gary
So since we do have these soggy fairways to deal with let's talk about how to deal with them. Since the Rules of Golf DO NOT ALLOW for Lift, Clean and Cheat (as is done on the PGA Tour), you've got to know when and where you are allowed to lift and clean your ball during your round. Here I will touch on the most common situations you might encounter.
1. On the putting surface (aka - the green)- We all know about this one. But I do see many amateurs abuse or misinterpret this rule. They seem to think that anytime they are about to putt from just around the green they can mark and clean their ball. One needs to remember that the first cut of grass next to the "putting surface" is actually called the "apron". It is sometimes called other things like "frog hair" "semi-green", etc. but rest assured that it is NOT the putting surface and thus you cannot mark and lift/clean your ball there... UNLESS ...
2. Your ball is embedded "IN IT'S OWN PITCH MARK" on any "Closely mown area through the green". First we need to understand what area is defined as "Through the green". This would be the area from the Teeing area (aka- Tee Box) down to but not including the putting surface, nor any marked hazards (water, sand, etc.). Then you need to consider what is a "closely mown area". This would basically be the "fairway" part of the hole being played. This does not include the "rough" (primary or secondary). So if your ball is embedded in it's own pitch mark in the fairway, on the apron, or even on the tee box (come see me for lessons if you encounter this problem) you can lift, clean and place it with in one club length no closer to the hole with no penalty incurred. If your ball is embedded but lies in the rough or any hazard you must play it as it lies including all attached real estate (dirt), OR .. you always have the option of declaring an "unplayable lie" and can then take the appropriate measures (i.e. drop) in accordance with the Rules of Golf. When you take the penalty stroke for an unplayable lie then you can can clean your ball prior to taking your drop. WARNING: Once you have taken your drop and the ball stops in a manner following the Rules of Golf, THAT BALL IS IN PLAY... meaning you cannot pick it up to clean it off! So ... word up ... clean your ball BEFORE you take that drop! Remember, if you do not mind the extra penalty stroke, you can declare an unplayable lie pretty much at anytime you wish (except on the putting surface) but no other person can advise you to do so, not even a rules official in a tournament. The only person who can advise you on this matter would be 1) your caddy or 2) your playing partner in a Match Play competition. Any other situation would incur penalty strokes for taking advice during play. (But that's another set of rules altogether).
3. Lastly there's the situation involving "Ball Identification". We've all had times where there's so much mud on you ball you're not really sure if it's yours or not. If you have this come up, you are allowed to mark your ball, lift and clean the dirt and debris for identification purposes. Once you've determined it's your ball (here's the tricky part), you must recreate the original lie. This means that, yes, you must pack the dirt back around your ball to the best of your ability, so as to recreate the original lie of the ball. (Dang, if it had stayed in it's original pitch mark you'd be free and clear huh?). If you determine that it's NOT your ball, but it's a fellow competitor's ball you simply put the ball back where it previously lay with no penalty for you or the other player. You were simply an outside agency at that point and they now have a clean ball.
Now here's where honesty really comes into play. Let's say you and your fellow competitor both hit balls in the fairway but one is covered in mud. It should be fairly easy to discern whose ball is who's. Now let's say, you and your fellow competitor are both in the fairway but both balls are covered in mud. You have a couple of options. You can both go check a ball at the same time and if you both have the wrong ball then both of you replace the ball but it's already cleaned so you both come out ok ... or if you both find that you have uncovered you own ball you both have to recreate the muddy ball lie... or only one of you check a ball and if it's your own you recreate your lie and your partner leaves his where it lay and if it's you buddy's ball he get's a clean ball and you get a muddy ball. I know it sounds far-fetched but it's an ethical dilemma that sometimes comes up. The honesty part some into play when two people agree to "check" each others ball so that both players wind up with a clean ball. This is something that you have to deal with yourself. Golf is, after all, a game of integrity that is "self-governed". When it comes to dirt on your ball, I say just "take your lumps" Yeah, I know, I know..
Yes, there are other technical situations involving "relief" during a round but I wanted to cover the most common situations that one might encounter. If you have any questions about the golf swing or the rules of golf, send me an email at gary@glbgolf.com
Until next time, keep it low and slow.
Gary
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Got in a round at Fox Run on Friday
Well, I got to get out on a better day for golf on Friday. It was warmer than the bitter cold I played in on Monday. But with the slight chill in the air (which made for dry, low humidity) and winds that were kicking up to about 15-20 I got a second case of chapped, dry lips. Let me tell you, when those babies are dry and cracked like mine are now, they hurt like never before.
I guess I should know better, I've had this happen before and my lovely wife, Barb simply has no sympathy for me. She is the type that puts on lip balm at almost every opportunity. We could be running from a house fire and she would stop and apply some lip balm. Me ... I hate the stuff. I know, I know ... it's good for you and if I'd used some then my lips wouldn't feel and look like my grandmothers feet. But the truth is this ... I can't stand to put anything glossy, waxy, pasty, or sandpaper-ish (is that a word?) on my lips. I've tried too many times and I do the same thing my dog would do and that's WIPE IT OFF!. It just feels un-natural. Kinda like stepping in doggie -doo. You know it's not supposed to be there so you gotta get it off.
Just before my wife goes to sleep , the last thing she does is put on a good thick coat of bees wax, floor wax, or what ever that stuff is. THEN, yes then, she gives me her goodnight kiss. You know what happens next ... I gotta get that stuff off my lips. Now maybe if it either tasted better or it weren't so "noticeable" I would be able to leave it on there but for now it's no use. Like I tell Barb ... there's a reason they call it BALM and it's too close to EMBALMING fluid for me. If anyone knows of something that'll do the trick but doesn't make me feel like I'm resurfacing my brakes let me know what it is.
Enough of that though. The golf course is still very much in winter hibernation. Fortunately they do not over seed with Winter Ryegrass. Yeah you don't get the green look and feel but you also don't get the weird, odd mix when the ryegrass is going dormant while the burmudagrass is not quite full yet. At least this will be consistant. The course is also still a little soggy in places because technically it's just a little below the level of the Red River and that means as long as the Red is still way high, the water table is still VERY close to the surface and any rain/snow water has nowhere to go. All in all, I still like the course. The greens are not really in that bad a shape considering the relatively harsh winter we've had. I've seen MUCH worse in my travels. The bunkers are in decent shape. Since we've had such a rough winter I wonder if the tee boxes should've been shaved down a little. Some of them are a little mounded but again, not as bad as some I've been on. Don't believe me? Go down to Florida and you'll see courses that haven't shaved (leveled) their tee boxes in years. You can't find a level spot to tee it up down there so you have to live with hitting the ball from above or below your feet. I'm not a prude but I think that at least on the tee boxes you should expect to be able to start the hole from a level shot.
All in all, Fox Run is a great little course and certainly an excellent value and gives you a wonderful test of golf. I'm looking forward to it greening up this spring. I'll be conducting golf lessons there this year so if you've got anything that you want to work on let me know and we'll get you fixed. Your swing that is.
Remember when in doubt, club up one and swing smoother. Oh, and use some lip balm.
Gary
I guess I should know better, I've had this happen before and my lovely wife, Barb simply has no sympathy for me. She is the type that puts on lip balm at almost every opportunity. We could be running from a house fire and she would stop and apply some lip balm. Me ... I hate the stuff. I know, I know ... it's good for you and if I'd used some then my lips wouldn't feel and look like my grandmothers feet. But the truth is this ... I can't stand to put anything glossy, waxy, pasty, or sandpaper-ish (is that a word?) on my lips. I've tried too many times and I do the same thing my dog would do and that's WIPE IT OFF!. It just feels un-natural. Kinda like stepping in doggie -doo. You know it's not supposed to be there so you gotta get it off.
Just before my wife goes to sleep , the last thing she does is put on a good thick coat of bees wax, floor wax, or what ever that stuff is. THEN, yes then, she gives me her goodnight kiss. You know what happens next ... I gotta get that stuff off my lips. Now maybe if it either tasted better or it weren't so "noticeable" I would be able to leave it on there but for now it's no use. Like I tell Barb ... there's a reason they call it BALM and it's too close to EMBALMING fluid for me. If anyone knows of something that'll do the trick but doesn't make me feel like I'm resurfacing my brakes let me know what it is.
Enough of that though. The golf course is still very much in winter hibernation. Fortunately they do not over seed with Winter Ryegrass. Yeah you don't get the green look and feel but you also don't get the weird, odd mix when the ryegrass is going dormant while the burmudagrass is not quite full yet. At least this will be consistant. The course is also still a little soggy in places because technically it's just a little below the level of the Red River and that means as long as the Red is still way high, the water table is still VERY close to the surface and any rain/snow water has nowhere to go. All in all, I still like the course. The greens are not really in that bad a shape considering the relatively harsh winter we've had. I've seen MUCH worse in my travels. The bunkers are in decent shape. Since we've had such a rough winter I wonder if the tee boxes should've been shaved down a little. Some of them are a little mounded but again, not as bad as some I've been on. Don't believe me? Go down to Florida and you'll see courses that haven't shaved (leveled) their tee boxes in years. You can't find a level spot to tee it up down there so you have to live with hitting the ball from above or below your feet. I'm not a prude but I think that at least on the tee boxes you should expect to be able to start the hole from a level shot.
All in all, Fox Run is a great little course and certainly an excellent value and gives you a wonderful test of golf. I'm looking forward to it greening up this spring. I'll be conducting golf lessons there this year so if you've got anything that you want to work on let me know and we'll get you fixed. Your swing that is.
Remember when in doubt, club up one and swing smoother. Oh, and use some lip balm.
Gary
Friday, February 19, 2010
Instruction Opportunity
Today I am going to go over to Barksdale Airforce Base to play the Fox Run course for the first time in many years. I need to see the course and familiarize myself with the opportunities and trouble spots that my students might face.
I mention my students because I'm due this week or next to sign a contract to become the Golf Instructor at Fox Run Golf Club. This is a great opportunity for me and is also a wonderful situation for Fox Run's customers. There are lots of ideas that I have for conducting clinics and other events designed to get people out on the course again. The club already has several programs and initiatives in place that will be of great help. I just need to take advantage of them.
I've not seen this course in MANY years. I understand that there have been some changes including the loss of many trees on the south side of the course after the March 2009 tornado that came right through the old layout. I'll let you know what I think of this course and also a few others that I've played in this area recently.
Until later, keep it low and slow.
Gary
I mention my students because I'm due this week or next to sign a contract to become the Golf Instructor at Fox Run Golf Club. This is a great opportunity for me and is also a wonderful situation for Fox Run's customers. There are lots of ideas that I have for conducting clinics and other events designed to get people out on the course again. The club already has several programs and initiatives in place that will be of great help. I just need to take advantage of them.
I've not seen this course in MANY years. I understand that there have been some changes including the loss of many trees on the south side of the course after the March 2009 tornado that came right through the old layout. I'll let you know what I think of this course and also a few others that I've played in this area recently.
Until later, keep it low and slow.
Gary
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Charity, Fun and BRRRRRR !!
Yesterday was the 2010 David Duncan Memorial Golf Classic at EastRidge Country Club and there was the usual large turnout. I think the final total was 124 players and 16 LPGA Tour pros and 2 PGA Tour Pros. I was on the Tournament Committee assisting Pam Kimbrough with organizing, and helping make this event happen. There were many, many others who put in many hours of hard work and this fine event simply cold not have went as smoothly as it did without their help. You ladies and gentlemen did a great job!
It being a golf tournament held in February you gotta expect that it would be a little "chilly". Well, it was more than just a little chilly, it was bone chilling COLD! David Fulco and I were asked to put out the hole sponsor signs and check out the overall course setup. Now I've played golf in some cold conditions before and I've always found that it was distracting but tolerable. However, on this occasion simply putting out signs was beyond distracting. But, I will say this, I've found that when you lose all feeling in your face, hands and feet it's not really all that bad after that. Eventually we got all of the sponsor signs and the closest-to-the-pin and longest drive signs placed despite David not being able to feel the steering wheel. Not bad since it was below freezing with a 15 mph wind blowing from all directions. That too is one of those strange anomalies that simply defies the laws of physics. When the wind is from a "constant" direction, and the course is obviously in a fixed location, how in the world can EVERY HOLE BE INTO THE WIND ! I found later that the earlier 15 mph winds were "light" compared to what was in store during the tournament.
Let's just say that David and I dodged plenty of ice on the course that morning. All of the water that was on the cart paths was pretty much frozen. There was even ice on Bayou Pierre that runs through the course. Then I found out later that I was needed to actually play in this event. It seems that another entrant was not able to return from an out of country trip in time to make it and Pam had asked me if I could fill in. Always having your sticks in your car is sometimes NOT a good thing. I really like this course but I was looking forward to thawing out and spend the morning inside drinking hot chocolate and eating donuts.
So next thing I know I'm trying to convince my body that I'm not actually trying to kill it, I just want to try to help my poor team after their misfortune at having me dumped on their team. I actually had a decent workout on the range and was lulled into thinking that it might not be so bad.
Long story short ... My game was not as bad as I expected from such a long drought of playing time. The driver was OK, the short game was OK, but those mid-irons ... well, let's just say that we're not on speaking terms at the moment. I was lucky enough though to have two other great players on the team one of which was a former player at Centenary College and also Nationwide Tour. He had it working that day and together we managed to put together a respectable 8 under par "63" which was good enough for 2nd place. Not bad for a 3 person team in a field of 4 person teams. We were rewarded with some great prizes for placing 2nd which included an Odyssey Black Swirl putter and a dozen Titleist balls, a round of golf for 2 at East Ridge Country Club, a very nice LSU Tiger driver headcover and a Titleist hat. Luck was with me that day too because I also won, in one of the raffle drawings, a very nice Mizuno Bettanardi tour prototype putter and dozen Bridgestone balls. That was the amazing thing actually because I NEVER win anything when it comes to raffle tickets. I was as surprised as anyone.
All in all it was a great day for the ARC of Caddo-Bossier, and the kids at the Goldman School and that's really what it's all about in the first place. Until next time, stay warm, stretch before you play, and play often.
Gary
It being a golf tournament held in February you gotta expect that it would be a little "chilly". Well, it was more than just a little chilly, it was bone chilling COLD! David Fulco and I were asked to put out the hole sponsor signs and check out the overall course setup. Now I've played golf in some cold conditions before and I've always found that it was distracting but tolerable. However, on this occasion simply putting out signs was beyond distracting. But, I will say this, I've found that when you lose all feeling in your face, hands and feet it's not really all that bad after that. Eventually we got all of the sponsor signs and the closest-to-the-pin and longest drive signs placed despite David not being able to feel the steering wheel. Not bad since it was below freezing with a 15 mph wind blowing from all directions. That too is one of those strange anomalies that simply defies the laws of physics. When the wind is from a "constant" direction, and the course is obviously in a fixed location, how in the world can EVERY HOLE BE INTO THE WIND ! I found later that the earlier 15 mph winds were "light" compared to what was in store during the tournament.
Let's just say that David and I dodged plenty of ice on the course that morning. All of the water that was on the cart paths was pretty much frozen. There was even ice on Bayou Pierre that runs through the course. Then I found out later that I was needed to actually play in this event. It seems that another entrant was not able to return from an out of country trip in time to make it and Pam had asked me if I could fill in. Always having your sticks in your car is sometimes NOT a good thing. I really like this course but I was looking forward to thawing out and spend the morning inside drinking hot chocolate and eating donuts.
So next thing I know I'm trying to convince my body that I'm not actually trying to kill it, I just want to try to help my poor team after their misfortune at having me dumped on their team. I actually had a decent workout on the range and was lulled into thinking that it might not be so bad.
Long story short ... My game was not as bad as I expected from such a long drought of playing time. The driver was OK, the short game was OK, but those mid-irons ... well, let's just say that we're not on speaking terms at the moment. I was lucky enough though to have two other great players on the team one of which was a former player at Centenary College and also Nationwide Tour. He had it working that day and together we managed to put together a respectable 8 under par "63" which was good enough for 2nd place. Not bad for a 3 person team in a field of 4 person teams. We were rewarded with some great prizes for placing 2nd which included an Odyssey Black Swirl putter and a dozen Titleist balls, a round of golf for 2 at East Ridge Country Club, a very nice LSU Tiger driver headcover and a Titleist hat. Luck was with me that day too because I also won, in one of the raffle drawings, a very nice Mizuno Bettanardi tour prototype putter and dozen Bridgestone balls. That was the amazing thing actually because I NEVER win anything when it comes to raffle tickets. I was as surprised as anyone.
All in all it was a great day for the ARC of Caddo-Bossier, and the kids at the Goldman School and that's really what it's all about in the first place. Until next time, stay warm, stretch before you play, and play often.
Gary
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Thanks to all my friends for your patience!
I haven't posted in quite a while due to my recent move from Florida back to my hometown of Shreveport, La. and then the unusually cold winter we've had has really kept the golf to a minimum. I'm also moving away from having a separate "website" and this blog. I prefer to keep this blog, but you can still use the GLBGolf.com URL but it will bring you to this blog instead. As some may know, I'm not a web designer ( I know Luke... it's hard to believe ;-D) and Luke Brown has been helping me to get this transition done and I thank him profusely.
Normally I like the winter time of year. The cooler weather really is nice after a long hot summer. However, this is the coldest and wettest year on record for this part of the country. Yesterday we had about 8 inches of snow at my place and for those who don't live in this area THAT'S A LOT OF SNOW! I got some great pix and video and I'll post them later.
But golf weather is just around the corner. Matter of fact, we have a golf tournament coming up this Monday at East Ridge Country Club, here in Shreveport. The tournament is the David Duncan Memorial Classic and it's the annual fundraiser for the ARC of Caddo-Bossier (Goldman School). There will be 16 LPGA pros and two Nationwide PGA pros playing alongside the participants. There are some excellent prizes to be won and some even better raffle prizes including a seat on a chartered 737 going to The Masters on April 7th. Win this and you get round trip air, food on board, admission to Wednesdays practice round and Par 3 contest, and memories to last a lifetime. This was donated by David Toms and the David Toms Foundation. It's going to be cold so my advice to all entrants is to make sure you stretch adequately before you try to tee off. You will play better golf after stretching and more importantly you will avoid some painful and potentially long lasting injuries.
Oh yeah, I want to let my friends know that I'll be signing a contract to give golf instruction and conduct clinics at Fox Run Golf Club at Barksdale Airforce Base in Bossier City. So contact me for any instruction needs or to simply get yourself ready for this spring. I'll be setting up short game clinics soon and don't worry about not being able to access the base. I can make arrangements for that easy enough. I'm also working on permission to teach at another location here on the SW side of Shreveport. I'll keep you posted on when that happens.
Until then you might want to start looking at your clubs and making sure your grooves are clean and your grips aren't worn (they probably are). I need to change my grips now too, so I'll add that to my list of things to do.
Stay warm,
Gary
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