The Power In A
Golf Swing
Earlier this year we met National
Long Drive Champion Brian Pavlet and watched in awe as he wowed the audience at
the Somerset New Jersey Golf Show as he drove a golf ball through a one-half
inch plywood board.
This columnist along with golfers
from the tri-state area who attend yearly this outstanding consumer golf show
watched as he teed up the ball, placed the plywood board some 8 to 10 feet from
the tee and launched a tee shot that took the ball all the way through the
plywood.
We captured this shot which shows the
ball through the plywood and the pieces of wood chips flying in the
air.
Is that crazy, or
what?
Brian's swing speed is 145 mph and
his ball speed is 208 miles an hour, that's approximately .27 mach.......more
than one-fourth the speed of sound.
Officially the longest drive he ever
hit was 462 yards and the longest unofficially drive was 520 yards to the back
of a green on a par five....unfortunately is was downhill.
Brian proudly lets golfers know what
his Sunday set of golf clubs can do, his drivers averages 350-yards, 3 mtl 310,
3 iron 255, 4 iron 240, 5 iron 225, 6 iron 210, 7 iron 195, 8 iron 185, 9 iron
175, PW 165, 52 Gap Wedge 150, 56 Sand Wedge 135, and 60 Flop Wedge
120. Brian came to golf in a roundabout
way as he spent his youth playing baseball well enough to earn a scholarship to
the University of Nevada (UNR) at Reno. He arrived at UNR expecting to play
catcher and outfielder.
That changed when his coaches
discovered that Brian had one kidney instead of the usual two. The University's athletic program considered his lack
of two kidney's a potential insurance liability so they wouldn't let him bat and
made him a pitcher. He threw in the 90's until he wrecked his arm ending all
baseball hopes. Pavlett noted that "I was wild, anyway."
At 22 he began to play golf and
immediately amazed people with his quick hands, power and distance. It took him
only three years to win the 1993 National Long Drive
Championship.
Brian has performed in over 1,200
shows worldwide and has entertained the troops in Iraq with the
USO.
His engaging personality and
performance make him one of golf's premier showmen.
I immediately went to a nearby photo
shop next door and had several 8 x 10's made up and went back to the show to
present Brian with one of the photos. He was amazed at how I had captured the
ball going through the board and he was more than happy to sign his autograph to
my picture which I now proudly hang on the wall in my
office.
I signed a release and a contract
with him so that he could use my photo in his advertising
promotions.
Ed's
Outlook
Over $1,000 was raised for
the scholarship fund at the recently held Twin Village Golf Club (TVGC)
Memorial Tournament.
TVGC annually awards scholarship
funds to graduates from the Roscoe Central School
district.
Over $1,200 in golf certificate
outings and prizes were awarded to tournament
participants.
Tournament director Chuck Husson gave
special thanks to golfers, hole sponsors and to merchants and golf courses who
donated prizes and golf outings.
Special thanks was offered to Tom and
Marea Roseo of The Rockland House for another great happy hour and buffet
dinner.
Tournament champions included in the
Men's Division Tyler Schmidt and Collin Tallman, Ladies Division Jean
Knickerbocker and Mary Austin, Mixed Division Becky Ackerly and Poppy, Men's
Senior Division Watson George and Jim Gokie, Ladies Senior Division Sally Shea
and Mary Day and Mixed Senior Division Anne Jarema and Cliff
Albertson.
Ed Townsend is a PR consultant to the
sport of golf. Ed writes and compiles the information for this column. If you
have league and tournament information, shoot a hole-in-one or even shoot your
age, let Ed know at 845-439-8177, email at edwardctownsend@hotmail.com or fax
at 845-205-4474. View this column and all of Ed's pictures at
http://bght.blogspot.com We are also on Facebook.
Golf Tip
By Robert Menges
Prepare Our Mind For A Better
Game
We all have different ways of doing
thing things on the golf course, which is why one technique or
strategy might work for one person but not another.
For example, some of us will
visualize the shot we want to hit in our mind, because it helps us execute the
shot. For others, they have to experience the shot.
With that said (or written in this
case) it never hurts to try something new.
So here are several "pep talks" you
can create to help build your confidence for the next round.
After each round of golf, take 60
seconds to sit quietly and replay three best shots of the round. Visualize them
in slow motion and lock every detail into your memory. They'll come back to
cheer you on in the future.
Tell someone about your best shot of
the day, but never talk about your worst shots. Professionals can usually
remember every shot during a tlournament, but there is one shot they "just don't
recall".....its their worst shot. Let the bad shots go, and never ever talk
about them.
After every shot, remember to say,
"great shot" and mean it when you say it.....the results may not be exactly what
you wanted, but the ball went where you hit it. So go do it
again.
Breathe before every shot or putt,
remember to breathe deeply and softly. It will relax your body and allow you to
focus on the task at hand.
Make it a part of your pre-shot
routine to consciously expect a great shot. As you pull the club from your bag,
smile. As you look down the fairway or line up your putt, smile. As you stand
over the ball, smile. Expect the best.
Finally, but perhaps most
importantly, have fun our there. Golf is a game. Yes, it can be very challenging
and frustrating at times, but it is intended to be a form of enjoyment. Enjoy
the day, the weather and the time with friends. Chances are, you'll enjoy the
wonderful game of golf as well.
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 at 845-292-0323 or via email at
menges@hughes.net
The Putting Tip
By
Joe Bermel
Your opportunities will come for a
'green light', a realistic 1 putt attempt.
Meanwhile, stay calm and patient, be
reasonable, steady, conservative, get your solid 2 putts, and then when the time
is right, the distance, the undulation manageable, you feel comfortable and most
positive.
Then you strike, like a cat on the
prowl, stalking her pray while lurking in the shadows for that
opportunity.
For that opportunity that you knew
was coming and you begin sinking those one putt shots.
Joe Bermel is available for private
lessons, group, corporate, organization and golf shows-tournaments. He has two
special edition DVD's, "How To Putt Well" and they are available by calling
631-589-1384, at his Web site www.ThePuttingDoctor.com or by email at
joe@theputtingdoctor.com
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