Jumior Golf Clinic tomorrow....

15/9/2011 The weeks rest has been a good thing enjoyed sharpening up with the putter and getting the method a little better. Wrist is still a little tender and changing back to the 400cc driver with the ultra lite shaft will be a smart move Sunday.

Tomorrow on the volunteer trail with 20 Juniors from the primary school coming to the course for a coaching clinic. A bit of serendipity this unplanned (from the local club) junior golf event. The region golf body is running it sending the coach and in the first week of October holiday there is another Junior clinic with PGA golfers at the club. Having discussed doing this a couple of months ago with the club captain, the lack of time to organise it has been covered by these two bodies.

This and membership drives were my stated aims when going on committee this season, which was circumvented by taking on the secretary role when the last one stood down. This coming season I am standing down from secretary, staying on committee puerley to fulfill the membership drive aim and junor golf development. Already in this my different approach is bearing fruit.

Yes selling and marketing is a strength of mine, together with promotion. The 20 students at the clinic tomorrow will be leaving with a “showbag” of info inviting them to the 4th of October clinic, 1/2 price Junior membership offer.Plus the details of a junior program throughout summer holidays. Local press coverage done and more to follow. Also some relevant reading on golf as Excerise, a Family activity and Employment career."Benefits of Golf Exercise and Fitness In 2009, Australian Bureau of Statistics released the figures that 600,000 (approx. 25 percent) of children and adolescents in Australia are overweight. The physical and emotional issues that can result from childhood obesity are as staggering as the number itself. Twenty years ago, golf and fitness were rarely uttered in the same sentence, but thanks to a new generation of golf professionals, strength, conditioning and nutrition are a significant part of golf instruction programs. Would you rather have your son or daughter immersed in the latest video game or walking nine holes of golf? As schools are reducing the time spent on physical fitness, it is crucial that kids avoid becoming couch potatoes when they are not in school. Golf is a great low-impact way to develop the cardio activity, core stability, balance and focus that is necessary to function effectively from day-to-day and reduce the risk of health concerns. Importantly injuries from playing golf are minimal and you do not need to be an athlete to be a champion golfer. Golfers can play at their best level world wide for years.
Family time When was the last time you played a game of football with your son or netball with your daughter? Golf is a game that families can learn and play together. And because of the handicap system that was created to determine a golfer’s playing ability and potential, mums and dads can actually compete with their children even if they play from different tee boxes or at significantly different skill levels. You have a game that everyone can enjoy together as a family for years and years.
Teachings of the Game We all want our kids to develop into responsible adults. The game of golf has at its core a standard of behaviour that lends itself to positive development. Personal skills such as honesty, integrity, courtesy and respect are all present in golf, regardless of the level of competition. Golf teaches kids to use good judgment and be responsible for their actions. It also encourages the highest level of sportsmanship. What other sport allows you to call a penalty on yourself with examples of this very thing being demonstrated on the biggest stages of the game? Golf is included in the Olympic games in 2016."


A start to getting the kids whose numbers over the past two years have been growing at the club come and try golf days. The golf club is not a creche though and with the kids will come the parents. Very happy to be ‘doing’ something hands on with the club using my particular special skills, away from the bar work or competition starting.

Thankyou for your time and attention “Hit ‘em straight all”
Geoff

Elimination Final Footyheads review Carlton V Esendon

90,000 footy fans at the MCG for the Carlton V Essendon final and a 65 point win to the Blues a slow start was no indication of the coming result at the end of the game. First finals victory in 10 years and the season is still alive for the mighty Blues.
Thankyou for your time and attention, Geoff

Icebergs ahead! Too late..

13/9/11 The first round of qualifying for the club championships is best likened to the maiden voyage of the Titanic, when it comes to my result. In the build up over the past weeks all has been running sweetly in competition and practise, the addition to my bag of a slightly larger driver (420cc) was an added bonus in the week. After gradually building up from 380cc to 400cc the pick up of the 420cc driver was one of opportunity, the right place at the right time. On the driving range and in a couple of practise rounds another 20-30m was added off the tee with a slight increase in missing fairways, which will soon be rectified.




This had a little to do with the poor round on Sunday, 102 gross Nett 89 and 34 putts. The damage was caused by something totally unexpected, a wrist injury on the first tee. There was no pulling out of the round and hindsight is always 20/20 in that if using the smaller 400 cc Driver the injury may have not been so severe and not as damaging to my round afterwards. I have been carrying a niggle in the right wrist that gives a sharp twinge at the height of my backswing off the tee. The new driver has a heavier shaft and club head weight and with the first hit the injury ripped through my wrist. The recent coaching has established changes to my driver swing plane and effectively began to final elimination of the slice/fade off the tee that has been a definite game killer for me in the past. Unfortunately there may be some residual weakness in the r/wrist from a broken arm in a past motor vehicle accident. Would not be surprised and that would explain why I favour the wrist in other activities.



Water under the bridge now, the problem is that as the matchplay draw stands I would be first up against last years club champion. Playing off against a 6 handicapper on my 13 in off the stick matchplay will have me making a quick exit. No chance of getting under his guard either, defeated him in the handicap matchplay championship two years ago. Make no bones about it squaring up on me for that defeat would make him very happy. Must get out on the coming Sunday and get myself into a better position, anything less than an 86 should get me out of danger. Went for a hit today and only lasted 4 holes so going to rest up this week, let the injury heal. Only light practise putting and a bit of chipping until Thursday when I will walk and have a light hit for 18 holes simply for a new member to get a card in and qualify for a handicap and be able to play in the championships. Thankyou for your time and attention, “Hit ‘em straight all” Geoff

Book publishing... new driver and putter

Early start in Adelaide this morning off shopping for domestic necessities and had to go past Golf Clearance store on South Rd. Dropped in for a look as you do and now have a 420cc Infinity CBG35 driver $25 and a new putter $30.

Can put both purchases down to bonuses for the good results from this week. Have almost finalised the publishing of golf books that I completed in 2009 and 2010. The self published sales were promising and I have been updating them since then. The next two months are going to be head down and plough through to get them finished and ready for re-release in November 2011. I am fortunate in arranging life to be on top of most projects on the go that if there is an unexpected deadline thrown in making it is not too difficult.
The 10.5 degree driver I understand buying at that price from the clearance bin with a reg flex shaft, a bargain to experiment with another size up. Now have 380, 400 and 420 cc Drivers since finding that my game is better without the 460cc off the tee. This one I liken to the similar smaller size Titleist Drivers. There was also a Dynacast 9.5 deg. 425cc Driver Ultra light shaft, it was not forged nor titanium and would not have lasted long in my hands.

Was on the way to the Drummond Driving range anyway so it got a good work out. Distance is better than the 400cc, feels a lot more direct and explosive when hitting the ball. Going to take a bit of work to use accuracy was very poor compared to the 400cc. May swap shafts though and see if I can pick up some distance with the smaller driver head that way.



The Tour Sonic putter on the other hand I have no reason for getting apart from it was cheap. Similar to the Wilson 100 I use at the minute except with an insert in the face it is slightly lighter. May add a little more finesse to my putting which has been effective for several months and for practise will not be as tiring to use for extended periods.




Thankyou for your time and attention, Geoff