JohnHayesGolf Newsletter – July 2014
For your golf game: Manuel de la Torre, PGA of America and World Golf Teachers Hall of Fame Member, was asked about a golfer who was having difficulty getting the speed correct on the greens during a round of golf and Manuel said this golfer “should do nothing.” The golfer should keep visualizing the ball rolling as far as the hole and hope that the instinct for the correct speed would improve. Certainly all golfers need practice to develop a good feel for the speed and good fundamentals such as proper a motion with the putter that achieves solid impact. I think it is also ideal to let the size of the swing cover the distance in putting so you are not adding a burst of speed or slowing the stroke down in order to roll the ball because you can never predict exactly how much speed you might add or subtract on any given putt. Manuel’s advice to do “nothing” meant that we are even worse when we start telling ourselves to hit them harder or to stop hitting them so hard. He asked one student, when the subject of uphill and downhill putts was brought up, “When you are getting ready to walk up a slope do you have to remind yourself that you will need more effort to walk up the slope?”
Just visualize the ball rolling on the line you select as far as the hole and trust your instincts – they are the best you have! If you have a putt that you know is going to be very slow and you want to get it to the hole then Manuel might tell you to “move the hole.” This means to picture that the hole is a foot or two past the real hole and to visualize your ball rolling to this imaginary hole. This way you are leaving your instincts alone instead of forcing your stroke and trying to “hit it harder.”
If you have a bad day with the speed on the greens during a round then this is a gentle reminder that you need to practice your fundamentals and practice some longer putts to calibrate your feel for the speed on the greens.
Upcoming clinics and events: I will conduct my next GET GOLF READY LADIES BOOT CAMP on Thur., July 31 through Sun., Aug. 3. There will be 4 hours of golf clinics (Thur. & Fri. from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and on Sat. from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.) and then we will finish on the golf course on Sun. from 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. This is perfect for beginners who want to feel comfortable on the golf course in a short time. Total cost is only $99 and includes everything! I will have my next LADIES-ONLY GOLF CLINIC on 4 consecutive Sunday afternoons – August 17, 24, 31 and September 7 from NOON to 1:00 p.m. Total cost is $40 and is good for beginners or newly dedicated golfers. We will be having a new ADULT GOLF SCHOOL on Tuesday evening July 15 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. where a limited number of golfers will go through a full swing station, a short game station and an on-course station with me, Dave Pedersen – PGA, and Dustin Snay – PGA Apprentice, at the Chi Chi Rodriguez Golf Club. This intense one-day school will leave you with some good plans for improving plus a lot of giveaways and a coupon for golf, all for only $59.99! I will have my TWO-DAY GOLF SCHOOL for experienced golfers on Sat., August 23 (3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.) and Sun., August 24 (8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.) Limit of only 3 golfers and total cost of $99.
Please call (727) 692-4679 or email, jh@johnhayesgolf.com, to sign up as space is limited for all clinics. Go to www.johnhayesgolf.com for more details.
As always, please contact me with any questions or comments and I hope to see you soon on the lesson tee at the Chi Chi Golf Range & Family Sports Complex in beautiful Clearwater, FL.