GOLFING HIGHLIGHTS

Golf Shows Promote This Sport

                                                      

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
     Targeting golfers when they can't play golf has proven why Joe Stegh meets with success in the presentation of the North Coast Golf Shows from mid-January through  mid-March.     
    Tri-state golfers in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania flock each year to the Somerset, NJ show held annually in the Garden State Exhibit Center.
    After many years of attending Joe's shows which previously were held at the Rockland County Community College, Syracuse, NY and now at Somerset we finally were able to get together and meet the President of this great golf show.
  Joe, 50, was born and still resides in suburban Cleveland, Ohio. He's married with a stepdaughter and the family also has four dogs.
  Joe's wife Tracey works with him selling booth space and handling exhibitor relations.
  An avid golfer, Joe started playing at an early age and now plays a couple times a week during the summer months. He formerly played in local Cleveland USGA amateur events when he was a member of a club where he was a 9-time club champion. The club was sold and went public so he can no longer enter these events. His current USGA index is 0.7.
  He held his first golf show in 1986 in Cleveland and the original concept for the show was to gather all of the local golf professionals together at the end of the season to sell their remaining pro shop inventory.
  The show's concept has now evolved into something much different where golfers can shop, compare and save on a huge selection of golf equipment, apparel, accessories, where you can plan your next golf getaway to fabulous resorts, where you can compete in skills competitions and win valuable prizes, where you can test, hit and compare the newest golf clubs, where you can enjoy entertaining stage presentations and demonstrations and where you can receive free instruction from PGA professionals. 

  His North Coast Golf Shows start out in mid-January and run through mid-March with  shows in Baltimore, New Jersey (Somerset), Indianapolis, Washington, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Columbus and Pittsburgh.

  Moving the show from one location to another involves transporting  tons of equipment in four trucks. Joe brings with him to each show a staff of 11 people and he also hires an additional five or six people locally as well.

  His own staff of employees are mostly involved in setting up and dismantling all of their interactive features and displays and they also staff the long drive contest, demo range and long putt areas.

  Each show averages about 150 exhibitors which fills around 250 booths.

  The golf  entertainers selected for the shows are professionals who are popular with golfers and are good speakers.

  The only show we have missed in many years was the result of a severe snow storm that hit this area several years ago ....... we certainly can attest to the fact that Joe Stegh's North Coast Golf Shows bring an outstanding, professionally run golfing event which is certainly refreshing and welcome to area golfers.

Ed's Outlook

  The World Golf rankings has Tiger Woods listed in 10th place and Adam Scott of Australia in 1st place followed by Rory Mcllroy in 2ed.
  Those Americans ahead of wood include Matt Kuchar in 6th, Bubba Watson in 7th and Jim Furyk in 8th.
  So do these rankings have any bearing on Woods being picked for the U.S. Ryder Cup team.
  If it were up to Jack Nicklaus Woods would be an easy decision as a pick for the team but Nicklaus recently pointed out, "I couldn't imagine Woods not being on a Ryder Cup team....unless he does absolutely nothing in recovering from his game between now and then."
  Wood expressed his desire to be on the team following his 69th-place finish at the British Open.
  U.S. Captain Tom Watson also said he would like to pick Woods, but suggested he needs to show some form in his remaining starts....basically meaning that Woods likely needs to average top-3 finishes in tournaments he enters.
  Woods did not fare well in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and there is some doubt that he will be selected for this years U.S. Ryder Cup team.
 
The Golf Tip

By Robert Menges

  One of the most overlooked aspects in the game of golf is called "course management". 

  There are two different components that control the game of golf, mental and physical. Course management falls under the mental side of the game. Golfers of all ability levels can learn to shave strokes off their game by thinking. 

  Even the greatest golfers in the world hit errant shots once in a while. While some of them make fantastic miracle shots to get out of trouble the smart safe play is forgotten because it does not make the highlight reel. 

  I see golfers try to hit shots they are not capable of and it ends up costing them strokes instead of saving them. If you use good course management, sometimes it is better to pitch out to the fairway and then hit to the green.

  When you are playing a par 5 you may want to lay up with your second shot and then try to make a birdie by using a good wedge game. 

  If you find yourself in trouble on the course, make sure you go through all your options before you hit your shot. By using good course management you are able to keep a big number off of your scorecard.

  You may feel like you are giving up, but sometimes a smart safe play will save you strokes and improve your score.

  Robert Menges is the head golf professional at the Swan Lake Golf & Country Club on Mt. Hope Road in 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 292-0323 or via email at menges@hughes.net 

The Putting Tip

By Joe Bermel

  Confidence in your putting ability is a huge key.

  4 step process.

  1. Motivation to improve.

  2. Practicing the correct elements of putting including 4 putting drills.

  3. Quality, diligent practice putting sessions will bring good results.

  4. Good results will give the golfer the CONFIDENCE to continue the practice and building of putting skills over time.

  Joe Bermel is available for private lessons, group, corporate, organization and golf shows-tournaments. His special edition DVD "How To Putt Well" and his 2014 Golf Tips Calendar are available by calling 631-589-1384, at his web site www.ThePuttingDoctor.com or my email at joe@theputtingdoctor.com