BGHT: Golfing Highlights Column 8-10-12

The Starter Wears Magnets

Tarry Brae Golf Course Starter Harold Diamond is a strong believer in magnetic therapy and has been wearing a magnetic bracelet for 15-years.

Diamond, 78, a retired principal and Monticello Central School District employee for 39 years is enjoying his second career as the golf course starter at Tarry Brae for the past 20 years.

Harold noted to us recently that as a result of tendinitis he was introduced to the magnetic bracelet by former Lochmor Golf Course teaching professional Kort Wheeler.

As the starter at Tarry Brae Diamond maintains the starting times and tee sheet and ensures that golfers get off the first tee in a prompt and orderly manner. This job is crucial in keeping the tee times on time and Harold certainly possess excellent interpersonal skills and handles customers in a friendly and courteous manner.

Harold makes sure that customers have properly paid for their round and he also helps golfers find a game if they are by themselves.

Making sure customers have a pleasant golfing experience is a top priority for starter Harold Diamond.

Magnetic therapy has become a popular topic of discussion with golfers as was evident when Diamond and I shared our experience wearing magnetic bracelets.

Harold is an avid golfer and plays in the Tuesday Men's league at Lochmor where he serves as league president and usually plays golf at least four times a week.

Tarry Brae PGA Professional Glenn Sonnenschein in commenting about Diamond said, "he has the right character for this job and just knows how to make golfers comfortable and at times knows how to use a little of the old principle if golfers get out of line."

Magnetic therapy today is an ancient tool for modern times and the bracelets have proven to be effective in relieving pain from arthritis, tendinitis, headaches, muscle strains, carpel tunnel syndrome as well as in speeding the healing of wounds and injuries.

In a telephone conversation with Michelle Kalata, a company representative of Sami, Int. we asked about magnets. She pointed out that the use of magnets as pain therapy for alternative health purposes and other forms of homeopathy goes back to ancient China.

Magnets are man-made, with either a ceramic or neodymium housing , with the latter being considered the best.

Michelle pointed out that the magnetic energy can be controlled as to its positive and negative charge and the amount of each which is called a Gauss rating. The higher the Gauss, the stronger the magnet and the negative charge or energy is considered the most effective for pain relief.

While spending a day of golf at your local course its evident that magnetic bracelets are popular with many golfers wearing them.

The king himself, Arnold Palmer wears a magnetic bracelet.

Ed's Outlook

A $10,000 hole-in-one award ($5,000 going to the golfer and $5,000 going to the Callicoon Fire Department) will be available at the 4th Annual Callicoon Fire Department annual golf tournament August 26 at the Villa Roma Golf Course.

Tournament Director Roger Widmann, in announcing this top award said that the hole-in-one contest will take place on the par 3 ninth hole.

The tournament will feature a 1 p.m. shotgun start using the scramble captain & his crew best ball format.

Open to men, women and mixed teams the entry fee of $70 per golfer offers juice, coffee and pastries prior to tee off, 50/50 chances, a putting contest, beverages on the course and a B-B-Q following tournament play.

This tournament is limited to 25 foursomes and August 22 has been set as an entry deadline.

Information can be obtained by calling 845-887-4452.

Ed Townsend is a consultant to the sport of golf. If you have league scores, tournament information, a hole in one score, scoring your age or any topic you feel would make good reading, Ed can be reached at 845-439-8177, by email at edwardctownsend@hotmail.com or by fax at 845-205-4474. View this column at http://bght.blogspot.com We are also on Facebook.

The Golf Tip

By Robert Menges

Find your rhythm in a hurry.

Here's a real simple exercise you can do anytime on the course to regain your rhythm. Simply turn a driver or wood up the other way and swing.

Doing this will make the club very, very light and it will change the feelings that you've been having with the club.

Once you've had a number of swings like this, I suggest you grip the club normally and go back to swinging it the way you normally would. But doing this drill will help you to feel the clubhead and that's critical in the golf swing.

Have you heard the expression "swing the clubhead?" Well, if you have or you haven't....just do it.

Swing the clubhead and not the club. Let the clubhead do the swinging and feel the power you get without forcing it.Keep turning the clubhead over so you can get the feeling of the clubhead more often.

You'll soon regain your rhythm and with it will return your confidence.

Robert Menges is the head golf professional at the Swan Lake Golf & Country Club, Mt. Hope Road, Swan Lake. He is available for private lessons and if you have a question or subject you would like covered, he can be reached by phone at 292-0323 or via email at menges@hughes.net

The Putting Doctor

Putting Tip

By Joe Bermel

The miscue of golfers is that on short putts, especially, they decelerate on the forward stroke. Golfers need to do the exact opposite, that is accelerate on the forward stroke.

Short putting is from a tap up to 6 ft., the "holy grail" of putting. Paramount to be proficient here...Your 2nd putt on every hole is between a tap in and up to 6 ft. How many of these 18 you make or do not make will determine your score.

Joe Bermel is available for private lessons, group, corporate, organization and golf shows-tournaments. His special edition DVD "How to Putt Well" is available by calling 631-589-1384, at his web site www.theputtingdoctor.com or by email at joe@theputtingdoctor.com