By Golfers – Blog.Greenskeeper.Org

Posted on July 7, 2015July 6, 2015 by Vic Flores

FREE Birthday Golf: Celebrate on the Cheap

Birthday Golf: Celebrate with a FREE round of Golf

Golfers celebrate your birthday with a round of golf! You took time off from work. You cleared your calendar for that special day. You even have permission from your significant other to escape with your buddies for a round of golf on your birthday. Now what do you do? Look no further. Find out how to get the most bang for your hard earned buck.

FREE Birthday Golf Specials

This question is asked often on the forums at Greenskeeper.org. I have posted about it here on the GK Blog. In fact it was the topic of one of our more popular forum threads at GK. So popular it inspired a Greenskeeper.org Member (GKer) to compile a list. (Much thanks to GKer KonaExpress for following his gut and compiling the list.) Then a few weeks later the FREE Birthday Golf List also known as the FREE Birthday Golf Specials page was born.

So what is the Birthday Golf Specials page? It’s a FREE Birthday Golf List to play FREE golf on or around your birthday. It’s an exhaustive listing of all participating golf courses in the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas and Washington that offer free golf on your birthday.

That is the short answer.

Now the Long Answer

Google “Free Birthday Golf” and you will be amazed at how many golf related websites ask question: Where they can get FREE Golf on their Birthday. Everyone has a few but the list is often incomplete and outdated. It’s a starting point but honestly some of the advice is either too far or not in your area to make much of a difference.

To illustrate, check out some of these forum posts from other websites: Folks in Canada are always up for free rounds of golf on their birthday even in the snow. Midwesterners are looking for free golf. Other niche golf related sites talk about it. Social Media is not immune — Facebook and Twitter. Even golf instruction websites talk about finding free golf on their birthday.

What you need is a source that provides a comprehensive list. It’s not enough to simply type in a few choice key words into a web browser and have it spit out an answer. You desire information relevant to you and where you want to play golf next. That is what this Golf Birthday Specials list offers. It’s the most current listing of golf course operators that offer you free golf on your birthday.

At Greenskeeper.org we are here for the Regular Joe Golfer.

The Birthday Specials List is free. It’s available right now. (Be sure to check the links listed below.) We do however feel that

Greenskeeper.org offers you a lot of incentives to become a member. This is just one of the many. If you are interested in joining the community here at Greenskeeper.org you can read a little more about it here; even read about what others are saying about Greenskeeper.org. Membership is FREE.

Membership drive aside, consider this, the FREE Birthday Golf List is a tool. And just like any tool in your tool box it fulfills a need. In this case where you can find the best deal for your round of golf on your birthday. It is unlike other websites that tout a list of free golf on your birthday. The plain fact is that this list of Birthday Golf Specials is updated often so that makes it relevant and useful. You have a better chance of finding a golf course here that can fit your needs compared to other places. Use our Golf Course Finder to help locate golf courses in your area that offer the free birthday golf as well as keep up-to-date on golf course maintenance. Nothing worse than playing golf for free on your birthday AFTER they aerated the greens.

All golf courses that participate are listed by state and indexed to make it easy to find your golf course. If a course is not listed be sure to let us know. Our staff will confirm the existence of the special on their website and if that information is there they will call the golf course to confirm the deal exists as well as the details of the deal.

Greenskeeper.org defines FREE birthday golf as a golf course operator that first lists the deal on their website with their conditions. And as the word FREE implies the round of golf for the birthday boy or girl is free on their birthday. This is not a discounted rate. FREE means free.

On an aside, savvy golf course operators use the appeal of free golf to expand their audience. As they view it, it opens the golfer to the possibility to playing a golf course they would not normally play and bring a few buddies in the process. If they like the conditions of the course they may pass on those favorable words whenever other golfers ask them where to play their next round of golf. Don’t take my word for it. Advice coming from a credible source or even “word of mouth” comments have a lot of traction for marketing and savvy golf course operators take heed.

Don’t believe us. You can do things the hard way. But why when that information is here. It’s current. It’s relevant and you can decide where to play your next round of golf. Throw in the fact we have current golf course reviews written by credible golfers like yourself that describe what their round of golf was like at the course you may want to play, it’s a winning combination — a powerful 1-2-3 punch. It takes a lot of the guesswork out of the equation.

How can you use this Birthday Specials List?

You now know why the Birthday Golf Specials list is so fantastic. Here are some suggestions on how you can use this list to your benefit.

Think of the Birthday Golf Specials list as keys to the kingdom. Work it right and you can play some really great, premium daily-fee golf courses FREE. Couple that with the golf course reviews at Greenskeeper.org and you can make some pretty informed choices on where to play your next birthday round.

If you haven’t heard about this list well you’re in luck. Now you can benefit from my personal experience using the Birthday Golf Specials page as well as one extreme golfer: Nickesquire.

Here is some inspiration.

A buddy’s birthday was coming up last year and we honestly did not know where to play golf. We knew we did; just not where. We knew we could get out on his birthday but we didn’t have a clue where to play. Enter the Birthday Golf Specials list from Greenskeeper.org. Using the latest golf course reviews and the Birthday Golf Specials List we were able to narrow it down to a single golf course — Tustin Ranch Golf Club.

For those of you who don’t know where Tustin Ranch is located, it’s in Tustin, California just behind the “Orange Curtain.” It’s a higher-end daily fee golf course that sports some really great golf over 6800 yards. Tustin places the bar high on customer service and it shows. Staff and management greet you with a smile and take care of you. It was a nice touch for my buddy’s birthday. Frankly it was a great change of pace from playing municipals and the golf conditions were fabulous. Now, whenever someone asks about where to play some free birthday golf in the OC, Tustin is at the top of my list. Find out more on Tustin Ranch Golf Club, check out my review and others on Greenskeeper.org.

Nickesquire - Avid Golfer — Nickesquire – Avid Golfer

That’s my story.

Now consider what one of Greenskeeper.org’s member Nickesquire did. Honestly this isn’t for the faint of heart but definitely an adventure. Read on O’ intrepid explorer!

To celebrate his birthday, Nickesquire decided not to play one course but six golf courses over three days leading up to the Memorial holiday a few months ago. It was a daunting task to say the least and the Blog.Greenskeeper.org was fortunate to commemorate this event with a series of blog posts. Find out more of his adventure in detail from the links below. Here is the short list of the golf courses he did play to celebrate his birthday.

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Mile Square Players Course -- Fountain Valley CA — Mile Square Park

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Riverwalk Golf Club - San Diego CA — Riverwalk Golf club

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Shorecliffs Golf Course -- San Clemente CA — Shorecliffs Golf Course

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Dos Lagos Golf Course

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Legends Golf Club

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Now we are not saying you try this at home but you can at least see how you can seriously take advantage of this great piece information. Celebrating your birthday over a round of golf … or six is not only possible, but probable.

While few other than myself or Sixpex would go to the extreme I did last week, I would definitely encourage everyone on GK to utilize B-Day specials and enjoy/support some of your favorite courses. . . . . Read More

Just take it from Nickesquire.

So what is stopping you? The information is all there. Take advantage of it. And if you like what you see, come back, join us and write a golf course review or six and let us know how everything went. We would love to hear from you and your experiences. After all at Greenskeeper.org our content is member generated, that means informed golfers like yourself want to share your experiences.

FREE This and FREE That: What’s in it for Us?

Why is everything here at Greenskeeper.org free?

It’s very simple. It is our belief that although the items we offer are free they have value. If you see that value, you will come back and visit us time and again.

Our value proposition is simple. You come to Greenskeeper.org because we have up-to-date information on the golf courses you play, or you want to play, or would consider playing if the price were right. It is information you have come to trust; because it is written by regular golfers like you and me. It is believed that if you visit us enough you would eventually consider joining us as a valued member of our community by posting golf course reviews, participating in our forums; being a great help as a participating member of our online community. We value your input. It is the foundation we have built one of the largest online golf communities.

So what do you think? We would love to hear input from you and your experiences using our advice here. Tell us about it. Write a golf course review and mention this article.

What are you waiting for? It’s your birthday! Now go play some golf!

We’re Greenskeeper.org and now “You Know Before You Go!” Happy Birthday!

Previous Articles for Birthday Golf

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Birthday Golf My Way Part One [/su_column]
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Birthday Golf My Way Part Two [/su_column]
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Birthday Golf My Way Part Three [/su_column]
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Birthday Golf List [/su_column]
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Links:

Birthday Golf Specials on Greenskeeper.org

Birthday Golf My Way Part I, Part II, and Part III

Tustin Ranch Golf Club

Mile Square Golf Course

Riverwalk Golf Club

The Crossings at Carlsbad

Shorecliffs Golf Club

Dos Lagos Golf Course

the Legends Golf Club

Disclaimer:

While Greenskeeper.org has made every effort to ensure the Birthday Golf Specials list is current and up-to-date; things do change. Some golf course operators in their infinite wisdom decide to alter or discontinue their birthday golf offerings so mileage will vary. Please consult with the golf course prior to celebrating your birthday to ensure you will get the most for your dollar or in some cases FREE round of golf. Good Luck and Enjoy your Birthday!

Posted on July 1, 2015June 1, 2015 by Vic Flores

Shafts — How Flexible Are You?: CUSTOM FIT GOLF CLUBS – Part 4

These articles are meant to motivate the golfer to research and educate themselves on that piece of equipment they are physically attached to during the game. One integral component, that could be discussed for days, is the club shaft; some call it the ‘transmission’ of the club. Due to the limited length of these articles, this part barely scratches the surface of golf shafts.

Q: OK, let’s get to the next part of the golf club, the shaft. We have discussed grips, heads, what determines which shaft should be used for each golfer? And with that shaft, what flex is used? How important is it?
A: The shaft is the most important component of a golf club. We mostly use ball flight as a critical input of the type of shaft to assign. When it is not matched to the golfer, severe inconsistency will result in their shots. I know you have played with some clubs where the shaft is either too stiff, or too flexible. What happens is you try to make the shaft work to feel right, by swinging too fast or too slowly. And when a golfer must consciously, or sub-consciously, change their swing to make the ‘shaft feel’ match what they want the ‘bend feel’ to be, inconsistency will result. The fitter will put a shaft in your hands matching YOUR swing, for weight, flex, bend, torque, length; one less thing to think about.

Q: What is flex, torque, kick point, bend point, frequency?
A: Look, all of those are simply definitions, and would take an entire article for me to describe. I suggest that the golfer goes online, maybe start at USGA site, or ask.com, and read up on these terms. I am sure some questions will come up in his mind, but certainly he ends up being much better educated and informed. It is enough to say that a fitter would best match those variables in to the component for the golfer, given the data collected during the fitting analysis.
Shebylo: That’s right. Even for this interview, when online, I was overwhelmed by all the data and information that is out there. But now I at least know how you can apply it during your fitting.

Golf Shafts Matter. — So many choices. But it really comes down to how you feel about your choices. Let a professional help you navigate through all the technical to get what gives you better feel.

Q: What about the difference of steel to graphite shafts?
A: Weight difference is the biggest, and better vibration dampening with graphite. Steel shafts are typically heavier. Graphite, although lighter, can be cost prohibitive, but provide a wider array of solutions for different swing types.

Q: When I go to look at, or buy a set of clubs, how do I know what the quality of shafts are in the club?
A: You don’t. It is important for you to know enough about shafts to confirm the information that is being provided. If any doubt, ask questions to your satisfaction.

Q: Is there a good rule of thumb a golfer can use if he has to choose a shaft during an impulse buy?
A: Without having gone to a fitter, the golfer’s specs are not known, and therefore you do not know what to look for in the shaft. If you think I am promoting club fitting, you’re right. If a decision has to be made on the spot, you should choose the one that feels the best.

Thanks Don.
Those are all good comments and ideas. I think it is a good idea to do some research online. There are certainly more questions that need answers. It definitely got me feeling more intimate with my clubs.

Posted on June 28, 2015June 23, 2015 by Vic Flores

It’s Summer and That Means Stay Hydrated. Beat the Heat.

The Sun can be good and bad. Learn how to cope and beat the heat.

Beat the heat. Stay hydrated. Stay cool. Play well in the heat.

I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on television. I do however play a lot of golf in the heat and I have quite a few friends that do as well. Take some advice from a few seasoned veterans playing golf in the heat.

Disclaimer:

The information provided on this site is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider. Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.

A strategy from one of our members gbplay10s on dealing with the heat.

The strategy of walking a golf course should be no different than a hike. First the elements need to be addressed (hot, cold, wind and any combination of them.) Second, proper equipment for the conditions. If you you carry a bag, then all 14 clubs might not be recommended. If the opportunity to reload is there at the end of 9, then don’t carry four sleeves, etc. Hydration and nutrition are required if you are out for 4+ hours. Energy bards, bananas, water, sports drinks, etc. Think high value, light weight. If you walk but use a push/pull cart then thins are a bit easier, and you might get away with all the gear that can possibly fit in your bag.

The pace of your walk is really what is the ‘strategy’ of walking. For each shot, you can think of a Fast-medium-slow approach to the next shot. Off the tee box, walk briskly to about 2/3 the way to the next shot. For the next 1/3, walk medium speed for the first 2/3 of the distance, and then slow it down for the rest of the way. (eg 300 yard walk= 200 yard fast, 70 yard medium 30 yard slow.) At each stage, your focus is on different aspects of the next shot. Long ways away, think general area to land, what hazards are there. Middle, start thinking shot nuances, outs, where you want to avoid and therefore your actual target area. Near the ball, actual club and distance. By the time you are at the ball, you are calm, your heart rate has slowed and you are fully recovered from the past walk.

Hit the ball –

Start the process over.

Another tip from GK Member GDR23:

1. Gatorade and water couple hours before the round , during round and after round. Eat and have something in your system as you could be out on the course for 5+ hours.

2. Stay in the shade if possible when you are not hitting.

3. Ready golf if everybody in your group agrees.

4. Watch everybody’s shots as much as possible within your group especially places like Olivas Links where there is tall rough.

5. Dump all the extra golf balls, empty water bottles and junk out of your bag so that it is as light as possible.

6. Try and leave your bag at strategic places if you can for the next hole and only carry the clubs you need to play out your current hole. Have one man in your group that is not playing or already finished ready to place the flag in when the last guy is putting. Don’t be afraid to rake some one else’s bunker shot if you are done. As a walker stay clear of another players line of sight to the hole. Stay still on the tee box and putting green and away from the players intended line of view. When you approach a green try and leave your bag close to the next tee box.

7. Don’t be afraid to let a group play through if you feel it would speed up play or if your group is not keeping up (even if you play quick).

8. Keep up the pace and walk to your ball as fast as your body will allow you. But take the time to go through your routine and do not let anyone rush your game.

9. Play in the early morning or if you can twilight to avoid the hottest parts of the day.

10. Try and guesstimate (if that’s a word) if you can your yardage, wind, pin placements just prior to getting to your ball. If you have a walker’s pin sheet this should give you the pin placement, you have been playing the course so you should know what the wind is doing. Be looking for sprinkler heads and yardage markers on the side of the fairways as you are approaching your ball.

11. Do not mark tap-in’s or one footers just knock them in to speed up play.

12. Know when it is your turn to putt, play, etc. – be ready, have your head up.

13. Most importantly always shake hands, have a smile on your face and make your playing partners feel comfortable.

GK Member kurator62 offers another solution:

been playing desert willow ,great summer program,start at 6:15 and finish by 10:00. perfect conditons

And other assorted suggestions:

Bring a towel, wet it and keep it around your neck. I like to freeze mine. It should help reduce your body temp a few degrees.

Stay in the Shade. Play shade golf. The sun tends to zap what strength you have.

Refrain from drinking a lot in a short time. Smaller sips more frequently will fit the bill. If you feel dehydrated it’s already too late.

Proper head gear is always a must in the sun.

Frozen bottles of water are the bomb!!!!

Stay cool my friends. Enjoy your round with tips from your friends at Greenskeeper.org.

Posted on June 24, 2015June 1, 2015 by Vic Flores

Forge A Head: CUSTOM FIT GOLF CLUBS – Part 3

I have decided, in these articles, to write about my first hand experience with custom golf club fitting and building; what I have learned and how it has helped. None of my improvement would have been possible without Don and what he has taught me about the club and the game. With the new sticks, my game is 8 strokes better, and the confidence has soared because the uncertainty is gone with what I am swinging.

Q: What about club heads? What guide do you use in pointing the golfer in the right direction?
A: Ball flight. What has been your experience?
Shebylo: My progress went from OS Cavity back, to forged perimeter weighted blades, then to a game improvement perimeter weighted iron. Each had very different characteristics and results, but then I was younger at the time. But one thing was certain, I remember having to swing them all differently – something we will discuss in Part 4 – Shafts

Q: Does it really matter what brand the golfer buys?
A: Yes. Golfers should buy the best club they are comfortable with based on the recommendations of the club fitter, with the data collected of that golfer. Actual brand name is not important; more the head style.
Again, I get back to my philosophy: appropriate for ability, commensurate with the golfer’s goals.

Q:Why is loft and lie important for the golfer?
A: Loft is important due to proper progression spacing of each golf club (yardage). Lie is necessary to ensure consistency of ball strike, i.e. ball flight. The right length is also calculated.

Q: What is the difference between offset and non offset club heads?
A: Offset is the distance between the imaginary line down the center of the shaft and a second line just touching the leading edge of the club. The leading edge is ‘offset’ from the center line. It is used primarily to counteract the slice. Some sets even have a progressive offset feature.

Q: Don, swing weight. What is it?
A: Basically, it is how the weight of the club feels during the swing. Technically, the club’s balanced weight is measured about a fulcrum point. That is as technical I want to get here.

Q: How does swing weight affect each golfer? Which weight gets assigned?
A: Generally, we assign stronger players heavier clubs. The faster your swing speed, the heavier your swing weight. Sometimes that doesn’t fit though. I vary the weight in a progression through the set, depending on the golfer’s strengths and how much mass is required behind the strike of the ball.
Sunny: So, club head design and material will also affect overall swing weight.
Don: Yes, but remember, appropriate for ability and commensurate with their goals.

Q: How is shaft flex involved when fitting? And how does that play into swing weight?
A: I choose your flex to get to the swing weight you need.

Thanks Don.

I hope these articles help golfers better understand how all the components of a club come together for their swing. It should also give you a different view of a golf club when next you visit an equipment store. In the next article, we will attach the head to the correct shaft for you, in: Shafts – How Flexible Are You.

Posted on June 22, 2015July 24, 2015 by Vic Flores

Aimpoint Clinic: My Personal Odyssey to Putting Enlightenment (Part VIII)

I went to Palm Springs, played Desert Springs and Shadow Hills, and I golfed with my instructor Peter Brown. Here are some of my thoughts about these past experiences and how it relates to my Aimpoint experience.

Outing in Desert Springs & Shadow Ridge:
I putted very well. I hit the ball crappy, but I putted very well. I made a ton of putts, (except for the 2 birdie putts inside 5 feet I left short.) At this point, I figured I should start keeping stats. I want to know how many 7-15 footers I make a round. I want to know how many putts I make a round. I want to know how many 3 putts I have. My initial feeling is that my putts per round won’t go down until my ball striking improves. However, the number of 3-putts should go down, and my Mid-range Putts Made should go up. I know for a fact that those 2 things have improved. My personal statistical analysis should confirm this. I also make at least 1 10-foot putt per round, if not 5 or 6 — in the past, I never used to make those.

With my Instructor, Peter Brown:
I played golf with my instructor, Peter Brown. He’s a pretty good golfer, and obviously, he putts well. We were able to play a casual round and spend some time on a few greens to work through some difficult putts and reads. He taught me how to make a “combo-read”. So when you putt over changing shapes, you break the putt into sections and figure out the breaks for each section, and combine them to get a net Aimpoint. It’s complicated to explain and visualize through text, but it’s really simple once we went through it a few times. More practice for me. He read a few of the more complex putts for me, gave me an Aimpoint, and was spot on. I had 3 1-putts out of 4 in one stretch (12, 15, and 20 footers). I had one 3-putt on the first green; 29 putts for the round overall.

So a few random thoughts of things I’ve learned through this process, epiphanies, if you will:

If you want to improve your putting, and could only change ONE thing, work on speed. Speed. Speed. SPEED. You’ll make more die-in-the-hole putts, and never 3-putt.
The thing that Aimpoint has helped me the most is that I only have to concentrate on one thing over the putt: speed. I make the read, line up my aim, and trust my stroke as far as starting it out on line. Once that is done, all I think about before pulling the trigger is speed. This has helped clear my head, and THAT has improved my putting.
If you miss the putt, or have a bad putting day, it’s user error. This system is impeccable. Missed putts are due to bad stroke, poor speed, or misreading the slope. Gravity is NEVER wrong.
I practice better. Before Aimpoint, putting practice was almost pointless. I guess the main benefit I got out of putting practice pre-Aimpoint is a solid stroke so that I could start putts online… but even then, I see how much more I have to perfect. I worked on lagging, but for me, overall putting practice was very unfocused.

Now, I have so much better understanding on HOW to practice. This is a part of my checklist:

Work on speed (which I’ve found the key is consistent tempo for all distances… yeah, didn’t really understand that until now).
Work on “green-feeling” with my feet… finding zero lines. Rolling balls.
Work on recognizing slope steepness.
Work on the actual green reading. Identify green shapes, make reads, and confirm. Now I have to work on the combo reads.
Work on aiming from 5 ft, 25 ft. Recognize what 12 inches looks like from any distance away. A marked yardstick will help with this.
And now, I’m adding starting putts on line. I’m using an elevated string line to help with this.

Putting practice is so much fun now.

Anyways, I think this is a good place to end my blog. I hope I’ve inspired some of you to give Aimpoint a try. Take a clinic. Check their website for clinic dates in your area. www.aimpointgolf.com. Take a clinic. Or call a local instructor for a lesson. They have a directory on the site. Take a clinic. Or call a local instructor for a lesson. They have a directory on the site. I will continue to update my progress or share interesting stories as I see fit. Click the ‘discuss it’ button above to go to the original thread and leave me a question or comment. Reread the previous entries.. maybe you’ll get something new out of those by reading them again.

Until next time: Make Everything.

About GK Member michaelko:
Our resident physical therapist from Northern California and one of the original GK Staffers. He is also one of the individuals responsible for making the GK Casual Golf Events possible. Way back when it was only an idea, michaelko, was one of those individuals that made it possible with our first outing of six members at Rio Hondo Country Club, Downey CA.

Posted on June 17, 2015June 1, 2015 by Vic Flores

The Truth About Golf Grips — Can you Handle it?: CUSTOM FIT GOLF CLUBS – Part 2

If you remember from Part 1, I interviewed Don and we are discussing custom fit golf clubs and the intricacies of fitting and building them. This series is meant to give you some insight of a builder and to educate golfers about what they can learn from a custom golf club fit and build.

Q: Don, a few questions came up in my mind after our last discussion. I am curious, is there more than one method to fit a golfer? We have been in a lot of golf shops and on many ranges, so how many are there?

A: There are hundreds, believe it or not. I am glad you are asking these questions because it is important for golfers to have some educated and realistic expectations when they show up for a fitting. It also depends a lot on the person doing the fitting and the method used. There are many different philosophies out there. You should make sure you understand exactly what the fitter is saying before you proceed with the fitting and purchase of golf clubs.

Q: How many visits are required and are any return visits needed?

A: As many as it takes for you to understand and be comfortable with the new equipment. And, yes, everyone should have a club person that they trust so they can get occasional maintenance done on the clubs.

Q: We know that grips need changing periodically, how often should they be changed?

A: About every 75 rounds or every year, whichever comes first. Depending also on how much you practice, will affect the wear of the grip. How clean you keep your grips and how you clean them affects grip life.

Q: Now with the grips, let’s talk a bit about building the club beginning with the grip. Can you help us out with grip sizes, styles, materials, and correct fit of the grip itself?

A: Well, that’s such an in depth subject, and personal to every golfer. Size is most important, then feel. Styles play a role, and comfort in YOUR hand. Try as many as you can; cord, wrap grip, crossline, with varying degrees of tacky – they will all feel different, but you will find one that is comfortable for you; give you a feeling of confidence. As far as fit is concerned, this is best done with a fitter you have confidence in. Why don’t you explain what your experience was.

Shebylo: Well, OK, the thing I realized with you is not how much I learned; it is how much I didn’t know!! First of all, the reason size of the grip is important has got to do with how effectively the golfer rotates through the ball hitting area. Your swing is optimized by the effectiveness of how well you are connected to the club. The primary point of contact is the grip, so that measurement is very important. The fitter would suggest a grip size and also the number of wraps required (if needed). The feel and style you choose should conform to that suggestion. Remember mine was the tour velvet Golf Pride, 1 1/2 wraps, then later I added the rib to the grip which helped me keep in mind the position of the club face, and increased my confidence. And I think confidence is probably most important.

Q: Even though a golfer chooses a particular grip, do you keep the same wrap (s) length and number all the way through the set from driver to scoring clubs?
A: No. The wraps will vary in length and, maybe number, depending on the data collected during the fitting. All I am going to tell you here is that it varies in accordance with ball flight.

Thanks Don.

So with all the grips on the market these days, I hope that these few words will guide you the next time you are looking around for grips. I bet you never look at a grip the same way again, but I know you can handle it.

Posted on June 16, 2015September 9, 2015 by Cate R

Golfing Healthy – Champion’s Choice: Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a unique metabolism boosting fat that can help shed pounds off your body and strokes off your scorecard! A favorite among athletes, this nutrient-dense, saturated fat also supports the immune system, and reduces aging. With coconut oil included in your daily diet, you’ll be able to take your game, and your health, to the next level!

Four Big Fat Facts

1. Boosts Metabolism
Reap the benefits of coconuts oil’s thermic effect as your Camilo Villegas like muscles intimidate the competition with a deep drive straight down the middle of the fairway! Similar to lean protein, the medium-chain fats in coconuts actually increase metabolism to support muscle mass and aid fat loss.

2. Nutrient Dense
Stay strong and maximize course management skills with some nourishing pre-round coconut oil to fuel your body and brain. Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid, capric acid, manganese, molybdenum, and copper, while also containing adequate calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, potassium and vitamins B, C and E.

3. Supports Immunity
Now you’re “sick days” can be spent on the course instead of the couch! Rich in lauric acid, coconut oil has antimicrobial, antifungal, and antiviral properties that strengthen the immune system, keeping you eligible for the course record all year long!

4. Reduces Aging
Shooting your age is easier with coconut oil! Although most people think of extra virgin olive oil as a good oil for cooking, coconut would be a much healthier choice. Unlike olive oil, coconut oil has a high heat point, making it much less susceptible to harmful oxidation that can advance aging and promote cancer.

Sample Day to Go Coconuts!
Breakfast: 3 eggs, spinach & red pepper (cooked in coconut oil)
Lunch: lettuce-wrapped burger (cooked in coconut oil), avocado & tomatoes
Snack: chocolate protein shake with coconut oil & strawberries
Dinner: wild salmon, asparagus, mushrooms & red potatoes (cooked in coconut oil)

Select: Unrefined, organic, virgin coconut oil with no other ingredients listed
Avoid: Refined, hydrogenated, non-organic, bleached or deodorized
Storage: Keep at room temperature for up to 2 years

Cate Ritter — MTT (Make The Turn) Performance
Nutritionist, Speaker & Kitchen Coach

Cate Ritter runs THE LEAN 18 Nutrition program at MTT Performance, A Golf Channel Academy located in Pebble Beach, CA. With a successful career as a top junior and collegiate golfer, Cate knows the importance of nutrition when it comes to having a competitive edge on the course. Cate’s work has been featured on ABC15 News, U.S. News and World Report, Wall Street Journal, Golf Digest, GolfWRX, Golf Tips, Golf Today Northwest, PopGolf Mexico, GolfPunk UK, and The Arizona Republic.

Posted on June 15, 2015July 24, 2015 by Vic Flores

Aimpoint Clinic: My Personal Odyssey to Putting Enlightenment (Part VII)

Aimpoint Golf Review: Part 7 of my Aimpoint Odyssey

First round after my lesson. Casual round at my home course. Was able to take my time with my reads. I was playing with a friend who is a pretty good putter herself. I made 5-6 7-10 footers, one for birdie. Made great reads, but my speed was off, too hard on most of the bad ones. I was able to put the fall line, aka break line, reads in action. It is pretty simple.

My friend’s comment was: “You do what I do, but with feel, instead of seeing it. I just see it.” Which is true, but ultimately, she’s guessing her read and I’m not. I may be wrong, but I’m not guessing, and what she does works for her. She totally bought into it, but wasn’t as enthusiastic as I was… maybe because she’s a good putter already. She was impressed with my putting overall, for what that’s worth.

So I’m caught up timeline wise. I’m taking lessons with our head pro, which is helping my swing immensely. As soon as I get my swing up to speed, I’m gonna be dangerous! But seriously, we’ll see. I’m gonna play golf with Peter, my Aimpoint instructor, which will hopefully be enlightening.

Here’s the clinic page for Aimpoint. Dates of the clinics. Highly highly recommend. http://www.aimpointgolf.com/clinics.asp

As the Aimpointers say: Make Everything!