December 2013 Golf Tip

Newsletter – December 2013

 

Upcoming events: I will have my LADIES ONLY CLINIC ON 4 CONSECUTIVE SUNDAY AFTERNOONS, DEC. 8, 15, 22 AND 29.  Each session will be from Noon to 1:00 p.m. and total cost is only $40.  The GOLF PARTNERS BREAKTHROUGH CLINIC WILL BE ON 2 CONSECUTIVE SATURDAYS, DEC. 14 AND 21.  The sessions will run from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on both days and total cost is only $99 per twosome (can be split $49.50 per).  This is designed for couples, a parent-child or just 2 friends who golf and practice together.  You will learn awareness exercises that are helped by your golf partner and they will improve your understanding and skills in producing the golf swing.  I will conduct my TWO-DAY GOLF SCHOOL ON DEC. 27 AND 28.  It will be on Friday from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and on Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.  Total cost is only $99 and is limited to 3 golfers.

Finally, this is my first announcement of a special MANUEL DE LA TORRE CLINIC ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15!  You may sign up for the morning session from 9:00 a.m. to Noon or the afternoon session from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.  There is a limit of 4 students for each session as Manuel will do a one-hour presentation and then each participant will get a 30-minute private lesson with Manuel de la Torre.  Total cost is only $125.

Space is limited on all these opportunities so call me at (727) 692-4679 or email: jh@johnhayesgolf.com to sign up for any of these golf clinics.  All sessions are held at the beautiful Chi Chi Golf Range & Family Sports Complex in Clearwater, FL.

 

YOUR BUNKER SHOTS should be produced with the same golf swing that works for the rest of your golf game.  This means that your club should still be swung forward and the clubface should still go from square, as you scrape the sand, to “toe up” when the shaft of the club is pointing at your target past the ball.  You may need to start by visualizing the ball going low, into the bank of the bunker in front of you.  (That is not a misprint!)  I have discussed how this low mental picture of the shot is helpful on the pitch shot and the same is true in the bunker.  If you feel that you need to lift the ball up in the bunker in order to get out then you will often hit too far behind the ball in the sand and work the club “face up” by using a scooping action with your hands.  This mistake will not send the ball very far in the bunker or, if your clubhead leaves the sand before it reaches the ball, then you will blade the ball with the leading edge of your club and send it screaming over the green.  So I want you to go to the practice bunker and make some swings and scrape the sand and observe that the club still swings square to “toe up.”  If you stop the club when the shaft is horizontal past the ball area then the clubhead should be “toe up.”  This means with the toe of the clubhead points straight up to the sky.  If you like to play your bunker shots with the clubhead open at address then, say you open the blade 20 degrees, the clubhead should return to impact 20 degrees open and it will also be 20 degrees open when it is at the “toe up” position with the club shaft horizontal past the ball area.

Call or email with your questions or comments and I hope to see you soon on the lesson tee at the Chi Chi Golf Range & Family Sports Complex.