==================================================== BCC Golf Newsletter - Issue 178 Date 09/21/11 ==================================================== MOVING ON - SAYONARA This will be the last newsletter I write for the Batavia Country Club due to a career change that has taken place for me. I am leaving the teaching side of the business to focus on the business side. Starting Monday September 26th, I will assume general manager duties for Arrowhead GC, Rothland GC, and Bright Meadows Golf in Akron NY. This opportunity came about rather quickly, and as a result I will not be teaching golf anymore, or coaching the GCC golf teams. Tom Moynihan, my assistant coach at GCC and a fellow USGTF Certified Professional Golf Teacher, will be stepping in at both venues - as the teaching pro at BCC, as well as the head golf coach at GCC. It should be a smooth transition, and he also brings club fitting and repair skills to the table. I must say that I've loved my tenure at the Batavia Country Club, and also as the GCC golf coach. I can't imagine better people to work for that Karen, Chris, and Nick Pompa, but I received an offer that I could not refuse. I'll miss all of my readers too! I've thoroughly enjoyed writing these newsletters and the feedback and interaction that I've received over the years from all of you. So it's Sayonara, best of luck to everyone, and thanks for your support! Tom Tucker ==================================================== ==================================================== TCT Quick Tip - Clean Your Ball ==================================================== This seems like common sense, but it's worth motioning. Before your first putt, check your ball to make sure that it is clean and free of chunks of mud or grains of sand which can influence either the direction and/or the path of the ball. Enjoy, Tom ==================================================== Golf Tip: How To get Good At The Short Game ==================================================== Last week I conducted a putting and chipping lesson with a student named Tony. I decided to print my lesson comments to him as this weeks main tip, because the sequence for practicing is spelled out specifically, and it's very important. Hi Tony, really great job on your putting and chipping lesson last night. I can't recall any of my students - and I teach some very low handicap students - that did as well as you on multiple chips to varying distance targets. Very well done, keep practicing. BTW, we may never be able to hit the ball like Tiger or Bubba, but I sincerely believe that anyone can get to an extremely high level of competence in putting and chipping if they are willing to put in the time. Here's what you need to keep doing to get to be a top level putter and chipper: Practice the drills we did yesterday EXACTLY LIKE WE PRACTICED THEM The last part of the previous statement is important, because we practiced each skill - putting and chipping - in a very specific manner. First we worked on stroke mechanics, then we worked on feel. THAT'S THE SECRET: when you have practiced the mechanics enough, it becomes feel, and you shouldn't practice either exclusively at the expense of the other. The sequence for practice should always be to check your stroke mechanics first to make sure they are perfect, then work on feel. Enjoy, Tom