| 16th
August 2007
Greetings from Duncan,
I’m pleased to say that the shop is fully
stocked again after the break-in a couple of
weeks ago. We’ve got a fantastic range
of rescue clubs including Mizuno, Cobra, MacGregor
and PGA Collection to name but a few. As always,
should you wish to try any of these new clubs
please feel free to call in and speak to our
sales team.
Suits You
Sir (…or
Madam!)
The brand new Callaway Opti-Fit system is
going great guns. It allows us as professional
club fitters to select from over 1200 different
options and get the clubs to suit you. Part of
the fitting process is to make sure that not
only the lie angle of the golf club and the shaft
flex suits you but also that the grip and glove
size match too. A simple way of achieving this
is for us to watch your ball flight and also
a close examination of how your hands are placed
on the club. This will enable us to complete
the fitting service.
Pop in for your FREE glove and
grip check
Our fantastic 24 hour regripping service
compliments our custom fitting service. We have
a huge selection of grips to suit all hand sizes
with prices ranging from just £3 per grip,
fully fitted, to over £10 per grip, fully
fitted. Our most popular grip is the Lamkin Crossline
which is available in Men’s, Ladies’ and
Jumbo size.
Super-Stu’s
Super Deal!
10
x Tour Match grips expertly fitted by Super-Stu
(Regripper Extraordinaire) – only £25
Basil Steer Trophy
Hele Park’s
Basil Steer Trophy team have continued their
success and won the semi-final of the competition.
They beat East Devon at Teign Valley 2/1. Andy
Steele, Scott Jessop and Sam Wallace will find
out who they will be up against next week in
the finals in September. Good luck boys!
Olivia Dunn
This week we say goodbye
to Olivia who has worked in the office for
the past two years – we
wish her the best of luck for the future.
In the mail this week I take
a look at why it is important to take the way
you swing your clubs into account when fitting
your clubs. Fitting individual golfers with
the best clubs for their game is about a lot
more than measuring each golfer’s height,
wrist-to-floor dimensions or swing speed. I
also discuss two drills which, if you make
use of them on the practice green, are guaranteed
to reduce the number of putts you take in a
round. Remember I am here to help you play
your best possible game of golf, so pop into
the shop if you need advice, or even if you
just want to chat about your game.
Have a good week.
Best wishes,
Duncan
GOLF SCHEDULE
Saturday 18 August
Juniors’ Monthly Medal
2pm
Sunday 19 August
Men’s Friendly v Padbrook Park (H)
2pm
Monday 20 August
Monday Group
1pm
Tuesday 21 August
Seniors’ Stableford
9.30am
Wednesday 22 August
Ladies’ 9 Hole Stableford
9.30am
Ladies’ v Fingle Glen
League Match
Noon
Thursday 23 August
Midweek Mixed Stableford
Book your own times
Friday 24 August
Juniors’ Stableford &
9 Hole Stableford
2pm
Saturday 25 August
Weekend Mixed Stableford
Book your own times
Sunday 26 August
Men’s Friendly v Libbaton (A)
2pm
SPECIAL CONGRATULATIONS
To
Harriet Sampson
who came 2nd in the Juniors’ Open 9-Hole
Stableford. Harriet is now the 2nd Hele park
girl to achieve a 36 handicap.
JUNIORS’ OPEN
2007
70 juniors from 12 different clubs played in
Hele Park's Juniors' Open on Monday 13 August.
If there was a prize for traveling the furthest
it would go to James Grant (9) whose club is
in Doha (United Arab Emirates).
21 juniors with handicaps of 29 and above played
in a 9-hole Stableford, split into 2 divisions
- Division A 29-39 and Division B 40-54.
William Perrett (36) from Churston scored a magnificent
26 points to win Division A by a huge margin
from Matt Clenahan (38) from Hele Park with 18
points.
Harriet Sansom (40) from
Hele Park was equally impressive with 24 points
to win Division B from James Thompson (43)
from Torquay with 18 points. In another blow
to the boys, the Longest Drive of both Division
A & B was Harriet Sansom.
Jack Pope from Exeter was Nearest-the-Pin.
The Big Boys teed off with the course record
of 63 firmly in their sights. Again, split into
two divisions (Division 1, 0-18 and Division
2, 19-28) there were a few disappointments for
some very good players with 7 No Returns in Division
1 and 4 No Returns in Division 2.
Hele Park's fast improving Scott Jessop (14)
cut his handicap for the fourth time this month
with a gross 75, nett 61 to win Division 1, with
Ian Stephenson from Dainton Park (18) with a
gross 80, nett 62 in second place.
Division 1 (0-18)
1st Scott Jessop (14-Hele Park)
Gross 75, nett 61
2nd Ian Stephenson (18-Dainton
Park) Gross 80, nett 62
3rd Hayden Priscott (10-Dainton
Park) Gross 72, nett 62
Division 2 (19-28)
1st Ben Wilson (24-Hele Park) Gross
83, nett 59
2nd Joe Rowbotham (28-Dainton Park)
Gross 94, nett 66
3rd Joe Melmore (23-Dainton
Park) Gross 89, nett 66
Wilsworthy Cup (Lowest
Gross)
Luke Radford (4-Teignmouth) Gross 68
Longest Drive
Andy Steele (Hele Park)
Nearest-the-Pin Luke Radford
(Teignmouth)
WINTER GOLFING GETAWAY
Following on from last year’s hugely successful
golf coaching trip to Penina, Duncan and Stuart
are arranging to visit a new resort in southern
Spain called Islantilla. This fantastic 27-hole
complex boasts some of the best practice facilities
we have seen (excluding Hele Park of course!).
This great opportunity to have some fun in the
sun and improve your golf is happening from 25
February to 3 March 2008. Check it out on www.islantillagolfresort.com.
If you would like to go, contact Super Stu on
01626 336060.
HAVE YOU GOT LAZY HANDS?
The most common affliction of amateur golfers
is a ball flight with left to right sidespin
that ultimately leaves the ball to the right
of the target (right-handed golfers). Let’s
start the process of finding a solution that
will reduce or even remove the problem.
There are two ways of fading or slicing the
golf ball and a very simple test to determine
which of those applies to you.
YOUR BALL FLIGHT IS CRITICAL TO FITTING
Firstly there is the 'lazy hands' slice, caused
by not squaring the club at impact. The ball
starts out straight but begins to turn right
and keeps going in that direction.
Then there is the slice caused by an out-to-in
swing path. In most cases your club head is square
at impact, but your swing path is across the
ball, imparting sidespin. The ball takes off
left of target, will then turn right, to land
on, or right of, the target.
There is a simple drill to determine which of
these two problems are causing your slice/fade.
The next time you are on the range, place your
driver cover next to the toe of your club at
address. See the graphic on the right.
The cover is soft so there shouldn't be any
damage to your club if you stroke it. Once it
is in position, take your normal swing and check
if you strike the cover or not.
If the cover remains in its original position
and yet you create the left to right sidespin
on the ball, then your swing path is good, but
you may have lazy hands.
If the cover moves, you have
an out-to-in swing path. Of course you may
have lazy hands as well but then you’ll
be going really high, wide and handsome.
The reason for this test
is simple... If you have an out-to-in swing
path, then a draw biased or offset driver may
lead to a pull instead of the desired 'straight'
shot. If your swing path is correct but you’re
guilty of 'lazy hands' then a draw biased or
off set driver will probably work for you.
All of the leading brands offer their woods,
and irons, in neutral and draw biased options.
Some use offset and others use weighting to get
the desired effect.
Fitting you into the correct
clubs is a lot more than measuring your wrist-to-floor
dimensions and swing speed. If you think I
can help you, or want anymore assistance then
click here and I’ll get back to you.
SHORT CUTS, SHORT PUTTS, SHORT SWING
The two ways to reduce the number of Putts that
you take in a round are: improve your distance
control and sink more 3 - 9´ Putts. Obvious
really. So here’s some help.
There are some common reasons
why we don’t
drain the shorter putts. The first is a tentative
stroke with a backswing that is too long and
a deceleration through the contact with a lack
of any follow through. That’s exactly the
opposite of what is required. So try these practice
drills and they will force improvement:
From your selected distance
from the hole (start at 3´) put another golf ball no more than
9” behind your ball (as shown right) in
line with your Putt. Now make your Putt.
Notice how the restriction of the ball behind
does four things: it shortens your backswing,
forces you to accelerate through the ball and
that leads to a proper follow through and of
course more successful putts.
This approach to short putts will take out any
chance of you being tentative and jabbing at
the ball. Also, notice how much further your
follow through is. Another secret to a more accurate
putting stroke.
Another issue, common in amateur golfers is
too much movement and a putting stroke that brings
the club head back to the ball off-centre and
out of line. To help solve this challenge: place
two tees, one each side of the golf ball and
just wider than your putter. Now take your short
putt with the aim of hitting the ball straight
at the hole without hitting either tee.
I came across a variation
of this where you used two golf balls (see
the image on the left) rather than two tees.
If you hit either of the balls it will then
scoot off and you’ll
have to go fetch. This acts as an encouragement
to improve quicker.
This drill has the objective of keeping you
still, through a smoother, more pendulum putting
stroke.
Both of these drills, if you spend time on the
practice green, will improve the number of short
putts that you sink. If you want some more help
sinking those shorter putts then please call
me, click here to mail me or come into the shop.
Have a great week and good luck to all of you
playing this weekend.
Regards
Duncan |
