| 24th
May 2007
Greetings from Duncan,
Simon Harrison
Hele Park has said a fond farewell to Simon Harrison
who has moved on to pastures new. We wish him
all the best with his new ventures and thank
him for all his hard work at Hele Park. He will
be missed! This leaves us with a vacancy for
a cook. If you’re interested in finding
out more about the position please call 01626
336060.
Stuart’s Short
Game Academy
There are still spaces available for Stuart’s
Short Game and Wedge Clinic next Tuesday. More
details can be found on the whiteboard. It’s
open to everybody – members and non-members
alike, and is a great way to learn new skills
and brush up on existing ones.
I’m running another free coaching session
on Sunday 3 June for beginners from 11am - 12
noon. If you would like to come along or know
somebody who would, then please let me know!
New Staff
We’ve had lots of extra help at Hele Park.
Junior members Dean Lang, Alistair Powe, Sean
McArdle, Tom Harwood and Andy Jones are all on
work experience here. Their enthusiasm, spirit
and hard work have really impressed me and it’s
been great having them around. Thanks boys!
Winners
Special mention goes to Dean Lang who came first
in the Juniors’ Monthly Medal with a nett
55. This has cut his handicap from 23 to 19 – a
great result for a very promising young golfer.
More success for the Juniors as Josh Martin came
first in the Queen Mother’s Stableford
with 43 points. Anne Harris won the Ladies’ event
with 33 points.
I continue my discussion
on wedges this week with a look at the difficulty
in managing ‘distance
control’ as one of the side effects of
club head innovations. I also highlight another
set of wedges available to you from your pro
shop. If you are having a problem with your short
game – why not pop down to the pro shop
and come see me for a chat.
Best wishes.
Duncan
GOLF SCHEDULE
Saturday 26 May
Weekend Mixed Stableford
Book your own times
Tuesday 29 May
Seniors v Wrangaton (H)
Noon
Wednesday 30 May
Ladies’ Medal
9.30am
Thursday 31 May
Midweek Mixed Stableford
Book your own times
Friday 1 June
Men’s Friendly Fingle Glen (A)
4pm
Juniors’ Stableford
& 9-H Stableford
1pm
TWILIGHT GOLF
Our special offer was so popular last year, we’re
doing it again! With immediate effect, from 6pm
each evening you can pay for 9 holes, and play
as many as you like.
SHORT
GAME & WEDGE FITTING
CLINIC WITH STUART DISNEY
Tuesday 29 May
6.30-8.00pm
Everybody welcome, members and
non-members alike.
£5 each
Book in the shop
FATHER’S DAY
SUNDAY 17 JUNE
We’ve got plenty of ideas for Father’s
Day
in the Pro Shop – from gloves to shirts
to balls. Vouchers are also available for
tuition, rounds and driving range membership
SPECIAL OFFER FOR READERS!
A new selection of logo shirts is now available
in the shop.
If you mention this newsletter, I’ll
give you 20% off your purchase.
GREAT PRIZES STILL ON OFFER
Don’t miss out on the chance to win prizes
worth £2500 from Srixon, Ping, Powakaddy,
Nike, Mizuno and Glenmuir – click on the
banner below to enter!
WHAT’S ON
AT THE TOURS?
US TOUR
Crown Plaza Invitational (Colonial CC)
Defending Champ: Tim Herron
EURO TOUR
BMW Championship (Wentworth Club)
Defending Champ: David Howell
RESULTS FROM THE TOURS
US TOUR
AT&T Classic (TPC Sugarloaf, Duluth)
Defending Champ: Zach Johnson
EURO TOUR
Irish Open (Adare Manor Hotel & GolfResort)
2007 Champ: Padraig Harrington
SAY IT LIKE A PRO…
"The average golfer doesn't play golf -
He attacks it!"- Jack Burke
A SIDE EFFECT OF CLUB HEAD INNOVATION
There are specific features that the manufacturers
design into all club heads that are intended
to make the game easier for you. Of course
with the Driver there is the lure of extra
distance; with the hybrid there is the inspiration
of long, high, easy to hit shots and with our
mid irons there is the promise of a soaring
approach that lands and stops in single putt
distance.
With your shorter irons and especially your
Wedges it is distance control that is the key
to success and in this respect I do not think
the manufacturers have done us too many favours.
With the rush to provide
Irons that now go further, using larger sweet
spots, we have seen the lofts on your Irons
continue to shrink. I have written about ‘shrinking lofts’ before
and I return to it now because it does have
a negative effect on your game.
There is probably a 30 yard ‘gap’ between
your full Sand Wedge and full Pitching Wedge.
This will make ‘distance control’ on
those in between shots extremely difficult. In
fact have a look at your game and shots in that
range and work out for yourself: “were
you outside the one putt potential because you
were wide or because you were too long / short.”
I suspect that you are going to find that trying
to manage your distance is a problem and one
that causes you to approach these shots with
too little confidence.
Here is an example of a situation where you need
to accommodate the reality of club head design – shrinking
lofts – and acknowledge that the PW today
is more like an 8-iron of 20 years ago. The inevitable
conclusion is that you should look at a 52° Wedge
to fill the gap between the 48° Pitching
Wedge and the 56° Sand Wedge.
If you want to see improvement
in your Wedge play, despite the manufacturers
design teams, then come and chat to me about
taking ‘the
Gap’.
ROUNDED OR TEAR
DROP – DOES
IT MATTER?
Last week I talked about the ‘R’ Series
Mizuno Wedges and this week I am going to talk
about the ‘T’ series Mizuno Wedges
but, before I do, most importantly for you I
am going to try and highlight what are the fundamental
differences that will impact your golf game.
Besides finish etc the ‘R’ series
allows the golf ball to be played slightly closer
to the hosel. This provides you with maximum
control over the trajectory and shape of the
shot and provides great feel.
The ‘T’ series however has a more
conventional and slightly larger sweet spot placement.
That will mean increased consistency of strike
and slightly better distance control therefore.
This, in my mind, is the fundamental difference,
but for many there is then the preference of
appearance.
The Mizuno ‘R’ series has a rounded
design while the ‘T’ series (see
the image on the left) has a tear drop shape
to the top of the club head.
Both of these designs allow
you to lay the club open or shut the face and
still retain consistency of appearance. The
rounded ‘R’ series
may be slightly more so but the ‘T’ series
probably appears more conventional.
The Mizuno ‘T’ series come in the
Raw Haze finish (shown above) and the ‘Black
Nickel’ finish.
Now, finish is important, suiting your preference
but do come and chat to me about the smaller
differences that are often not as well publicised
in adverts.
Have a great week and good luck to all of you
playing this weekend.
Regards
Duncan
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