Golfing Highlights Column 7-20-12

Teaching Youth Is The Future Of Golf

  Teaching the game of golf to our youth will provide the growth and survival of this great sport.

  Sharing the passion for the game is exactly what the Tarry Brae Golf Programs are doing thanks to the dedicated staff at Tarry Brae headed up by PGA Professional Glenn 

Sonnenschein.

  These youth golf programs also teach kids critical skills that help them throughout their lives

   Sonnenschein pointed out that a number of these skills include:

  1. Honesty and integrity because the game is self-policed with players responsible for knowing the rules and applying them fairly to themselves.

  2. Good sportsmanship along with manners and etiquette are a critical part of the game.

  3. Perseverance because to a large extent golf is a game that requires practice.

  4. Good judgement comes when kids who golf learn to make good decisions.   

  The Tarry Brae Junior golf program offers three different types of program for juniors aged 7-18 and all are one week schools. 

  The camps run Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and the first camp was completed July 13. Two additional camps will run July 23-27 and August 6-10. The Tuesday Tournament series is open to any juniors ages 8-17. Golf youth clinics are held Saturday's from 11 a.m. to 12:30 and clubs are provided if needed. 

  Glen's son Ryan Sonnenschine, 21, a golf course employee presently working towards obtaining his PGA certification noted that they divide the young golfers up according to their ability and then help teach them the short game, putting, driving at the range, small course competition, bunker lessons and small course competition where they actually go out on the course and play several holes each day. 

  Glen pointed out that "we try to keep it light and fun and keep it moving."

  Another golf course employee who also helps with these camps is Max Heimowitz who presently is a member of the Monticello High School golf team and went through the Junior golf programs.

  The final day of the July 9-13 camp featured  competition in long and short putting with Oliver McLaughlin, 10, of South Fallsburg winning the long putting, Anna Bittinger, 11, of Monticello winner of the short putting contest, Ari Loewinger, 9, of Loch Sheldrake winning the  closest to the line on the driving range and the chipping contests  and Matt Gabriel, 13 of Eldred winning the 7-hole putting contest. 

  The enthusiasm and the willingness to learn was very evident on the faces of these young golfers at the Tarry Brae Town of Fallsburg Junior golf program. 

                                                   Ed's Outlook 

  The Tarry Brae Golf Course ascends and descends some hilly mountain side terrain with a number of doglegs and tree-lined fairways. A great course designed by architect William Mitchell who also placed many greens which slope back to front.

  The beautiful par 5 signature sixth hole is framed by Echo Lake and superintendents Clark Bartholomew and John Jaycox keep the course in excellent condition.

  PGA Professional Glenn Sonnenschein is available for lessons and tee times for this Town of Fallsburg municipal course are available by calling 845-434-2620.

  We played the course recently and complete details and play by play hole descriptions are available on our Web site at http://bght.blogspot.com 

  This column is written by Ed Townsend, a consultant to the amateur-professional sport of golf and to several golf writers associations. If you have league scores, tournament info. a hole-in-one, scoring your age or any topic that would make good reading Ed can be reached at 845-439-8177, by email at edwardctownsend@hotmail.com, by fax at 845-205-4474. View my full column at http://bght.blogspot.com  We are also on Facebook.                

                                       

                                                                    Golfing Tip 

                                                              By Robert Menges 

   Buried Bunker Lies. 

   To blast the ball out of the sand, your club needs to swing  more up and down to create a steeper angle of attack.

  To help illustrate, have someone stand (or picture a wall) several feet behind the ball. In the backswing, hinge your wrists early to get the club up more, avoiding the person (or wall). 

  Also make note of the length of the backswing. It should almost be a full swing. In order to create enough speed and energy to blast the ball out of the sand, avoid taking a short and /or low backswing.

  From this position, you will be able to swing the club into the sand on the downswing. It's imperative that you strike down into the sand 1 to 2 inches behind the ball and finish with the club low to the ground.

  Amateur golfers often try to scoop or help lift the ball out of the sand. This usually results in the club hitting the sand too far behind the ball and either missing it completely or taking too much sand and leaving the ball in the bunker. Or, the club misses the sand and strikes the top of the ball, resulting in a topped shot that can go anywhere.

  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 

    Here is one of the best putting drills since "sliced bread was invented.

    Drill # 2..... A Quadrant Drill

    1. Take 1 golf ball.

    2. On practice green, establish on one hole at four foot distance only.

    3. Ist putt straight uphill.

    4. 2nd putt straight downhill.

    5. 3rd putt right edge slight right to left.

    6. 4th putt left edge slight left to right.

    Every golfer has these 4 puts many times every round. Do this drill again and again. 

    Make yourself make 3 consecutive putts at each quadrant.

    This will make you a better 2 putt per hole average.

    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                                                   

                                                                       

Identification of the above photos

Participants and champions of the July 9-13 Tarry Brae Junior golf program include, front row from the left, Ari Loewinger, 9, Loch Sheldrake, winner of closest to the line at the driving range and the chipping contest, Oliver McLaughlin, 10, South Fallsburg, winner of the long putting contest, Matt Gabriel, 13, Eldred, winner of the 7-hole putting contest, and Lucian McLaughlin 6, South Fallsburg.  Back row from the left, instructor Max Heimwitz, Anna Bittinger, 11, Monticello, winner of the short putting contest, Hayley Weiner, 11, Fallsburg, Shane Bittinger, 9, Monticello, instructor Brandon Rieber and head instructor Ryan Sonnenschein.                                                     

Hayley Weiner, 11, Fallsburg, putts during the long putting contest held as part of the July 9-13 Tarry Brae Junior Golf program.