Alex Elias Every golfer has periods where their swing feels off. For me, it is coming over the top in the downswing – something that many golfers can relate to. Although many golfers may be aware of their over-the-top move, Matt Benton, Head Golf Professional at Old Marsh Golf Club, said, "You can’t just know that you’re coming over the top. You have to understand what you’re doing that is causing it."
Once the identification is addressed, then the swing change can begin, but not without the understanding that change doesn’t happen overnight. Benton said, "The speed at which golfers abandon change is crazy. In order to make a change, you have to understand the feel." To best understand the feel, "The swing must be exaggerated," said Benton. "Swing changes are often minimal but feel drastic. As a result, in order to achieve your goal at full swing speed, you need to repeatedly exaggerate the new feeling in slow motion first." Even if rehearsed and practiced properly, many golfers are guilty of abandoning change. Often, it occurs during the transition from the range to the course. Benton said, "If you’re making a swing change, and you’re doing it well on the range, that doesn’t guarantee you’re going to do it well on the course. In fact, chances are it won’t go well on the course, but that doesn’t mean you need to start diagnosing something else." "You have to stick with the change and understand when a shot is the result of the implemented swing change vs. when it’s the result of an old habit sneaking back. That’s how you’re going to successfully make the change and eventually see positive results," said Benton.
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Alex Elias Gabbi Pranger is the Merchandiser at St. Louis Country Club. Previously, Pranger was the Merchandise Manager at The Creek.
Why do you believe so many golfers, myself included, are obsessed with logos? Logos give people something to talk about and to connect on. I hear stories all the time about someone who was a thousand miles away from their home club, a person recognized the logo they were wearing, and there was an instant connection between two strangers that never would have sparked a conversation otherwise. As someone who loves logos, I think it's fun to talk about them, rank your top-5 with friends, and buy merchandise that you can't get anywhere else. What brands have you enjoyed working with? Men - Holderness and Bourne, B. Draddy, and Sid Mashburn (a sneaky new one to look out for) Women - Renwick, Smith and Quinn, Fairway & Greene. Although solid and striped polos tend to still be worn the most, patterned polos are becoming increasingly popular. Have you noticed a shift in golfers becoming more creative? I think golfers have become much more creative! Women's golf alone has grown so much in the past few years. I'd like to think it has a lot to do with the options they have now. I always preach to wear what makes you feel most comfortable so that you can have more fun and are less likely to focus on what you shot. I grew up playing golf in my older brother's polos and sneakers. I wish I had had bright pink shoes to rock! I do think it has had a positive effect on golf, and women's golf specifically. What other recent trends have you noticed? Hoodies, hoodies and hoodies. Though my opinion may be slightly skewed since the clubs I have worked at tend to be a little more conservative, I do see golfers getting more creative and showing more personality. But I also see a shift back to the classics. More knit tops, crew neck sweaters and traditional leather saddle shoes. As I love to wear Holderness & Bourne, I greatly appreciate how I can wear H&B on the course, in the office, or at dinner. Have you noticed members gravitating towards products with versatility? Yes! I get asked all the time for sweaters and trousers that people can wear to work. Something that those people like is putting the logo as a tonal color to blend into their sweater. That way it's still there, but it can be worn to the office and not jump out at anyone. For women, it tends to be more athleisure wear such as sweaters, or dresses that you can wear to play golf but also running errands. Alex Elias David McCue was recently named the First Assistant Golf Professional at Manhattan Woods Golf Club (West Nyack, New York). Previously, McCue served as an Assistant Golf Professional at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, Jupiter Island Club, and Ridgewood Country Club. How has your background shaped your view on the importance of networking and mentorship?
I graduated from the PGA Professional Golf Management Program at Penn State University and networking and mentorship were instilled from the beginning. There was always a major emphasis on connecting with the alumni and I quickly understood how important of a factor it was in getting a job and learning from a Head Golf Professional. Reflecting on your years at different clubs, who is one mentor that immediately comes to mind and why? Pat Gunning is a great mentor of mine. I have always been infatuated with how the membership is wrapped around his finger. I remember asking him, "How are you so good at talking with members?' and he responded, "You should always go up to every member and act like they're the most important part of your day." That message has really stuck with me. If you care about your membership and take the time to stop by the range or stand at the first tee to ask members how their families are doing, it'll go a long way. What is one lesson from a mentor that you incorporate into your day-to-day? There's many, but before I knew anything about teaching, I always thought lessons were all about X's and O's, club path, face angle, etc. I've learned that not everyone responds the same way and by having watched different Head Golf Professionals, I've learned how to interact and read members during a lesson. What is one piece of advice to current PGA Professional Golf Management Program students? I have a few. First, when you're looking for an internship, apply to clubs with Head Professionals that you know have a strong reputation. You want to work at club where you can learn from a mentor. Next, during each internship, take the time to reflect on what you like and want to institute from each Head Professional and just as importantly, what you might not want to institute. Lastly, you never know when someone from your past may be able to open a door for you. Even if it's someone you met once five years ago, stay in touch with them. For those reading that are not in the golf industry, what would your message be on the importance of networking and mentorship? Go outside your comfort zone. Wherever you're located, you should always be trying to meet people in your industry - whether it's asking them to grab a drink, go to dinner, or golf. In my eyes, if you meet one person, then you're going to meet three others. The more you can put yourself out there, the more successful you'll be. Alex Elias Rick Hartmann, Director of Golf, and Corey Layton, Head Golf Professional, at Atlantic Golf Club joined AE Golf News for a quick Q&A. Although Spring is quickly approaching, temperatures in the Northeast are still in the 20s. What would your message be to golfers in the Northeast looking to currently work on their game?
Rick Hartmann: This is the time to work on your game, not during the Summer. The more you can practice during the Winter, the better off you'll be. That way you can work on your swing in an environment where it takes the ball flight out and can react to the fundamentals, not the ball flight. Then by the summertime, you’re just maintaining it. You can play, rather than break down your swing. Corey Layton: There's very few simulators out here [Bridgehampton, New York], but in New York City, simulators are everywhere. If you live in an area with access to a simulator, then this is 100% the time to work on your game. Once you get to the Summer, you want to be able to play. You don't want to have to backtrack six months. How much is success in golf driven by one's mindset? Rick Hartmann: Golf is all about the mindset. The mindset is the #1 differentiator. In this game, the more positive you can be, the better off you are. You can't expect to make a putt if you are thinking to yourself "I can't make this putt." Our members tend to think much more positively rather than negatively, and that should be a lesson for every member. Corey Layton: The mindset has a very powerful grasp on the outcome. If you're worrying about the future, rather than playing in the present, it can have negative consequences. You see some of the swings of our members and you can't believe the shots they pull off, but it's a credit to their mentality being different. Their mentality is truly unbelievable and unique. While every golfer can benefit immensely from a positive mindset, why do golfers need to understand the difference between a positive mindset and unrealistic expectations? Rick Hartmann: As a golfer, you have to understand your strengths and weaknesses. If a high handicapper has a flop shot, downwind, over a bunker, out of the fescue, pin cut tight to the edge of the green, then maybe they shouldn't try it. Playing smarter and understanding the risk/reward of a shot will lead to better play. Corey Layton: Golfers can sometimes be a bit delusional. Maybe one out of hundred, they do pull off the tough shot, but that doesn’t mean it'll happen every time. Where else can golfers benefit from a better mindset? Rick Hartmann: Practice. Amateurs tend to expect results immediately and unfortunately it isn't that easy. Muscle changing in golf takes time and practice. A swing change takes more than one lesson. It can take an entire season and golfers need to trust that. Corey Layton: Are they taking a lesson once a week and playing the other days, or are they dedicated to practicing? Practicing can't be like a haircut or nail appointment. It can't be once a week. You have to practice in between lessons. It’s difficult for many amateur golfers to hear a swing change will take time. Realistically, you might get worse before you get better, or it may take months before you really start to see the changes. Alex Elias According to the National Golf Foundation, "3.5 million juniors played golf on a course in 2023... a 40% increase since 2019, the largest gains of any age group." Speaking of the demand, Ellen Breighner, JuniorGolf Manager at South Florida PGA, said, "Here in South Florida the demand is incredible. We have events selling out in a matter of minutes and waiting lists with over 60 players." As the game is growing rapidly, Breighner said, "Golf is having a sort of renaissance. The players on tour are cooler than ever, plus social media channels have captured the game in a whole new light. All of this is adding to the demand and new passion for the game. I am so proud to be a part of these junior golfers lives and to be building the next generation of the game. Investing in junior golf is investing in the future health of the game." As Breighner works with junior golfers from 6-18 years old, there is a wide range of lessons taught. Breighner said, "With the younger kids, it’s a lot about etiquette and learning how to interact with their peers in the golf setting. With the older players, it’s much more emotional. We are helping them to learn how to control emotions and control their minds to remain focused in times of adversity." Breighner continued, "I am biased but I think golf is the best sport children can play because of the lessons they learn. Juniors are not just learning how to play a sport. They are learning how to be kind, polite, and mentally strong individuals." Touching on her own practices, Breighner said, "Additionally, golf is so different from other sports in that it is so isolating. One thing I really push to my juniors is to take the game for what it is - a game. When I was a junior, I put so much pressure on myself and I wish I could go back and just enjoy it. I know that it would have made me a better player." Reflecting on a particular experience with a junior golfer, Breighner said, "I remember having a conversation with an 11 year old girl who was competing in an elite level event against 16-18 year olds. After not performing her best in the first round, she was frustrated and down on herself. I spoke with her about how she is just as good as anyone out there and she just had to go out tomorrow and trust herself. The next day she had a great round and finished 2nd in the event." Breighner continued, "I told her and her parents after her round how lucky she is to be learning these lessons at 11 years old, and that some people go their whole lives without trusting themselves." As Breighner is in her third year at the South Florida PGA, Breighner said, "Golf is my passion and for me to have the opportunity to give back to the game in this way is so fulfilling. I don’t know where I would be in life without golf, it’s made me who I am today. Being able to bring the game to juniors and their families in so rewarding. A few years ago, one of my junior golf parents passed away and I attended their funeral service. I was amazed that almost all their pictures as a family were of them on the golf course together. It was then I realized that we are doing so much more than running junior golf tournaments. We are creating memories these families will have forever." Alex Elias Managing expectations is one of golf’s greatest challenges. Lucas Spahl, First Assistant Golf Professional at The Creek (Locust Valley, NY) and Assistant Golf Professional at McArthur Golf Club (Hobe Sound, FL), said, “I believe that there is a misnomer between what amateur golfers see as goals for their game and goals that are realistic. I think amateurs see their goals as the best possible outcome, but that is not realistic for any player.” As amateurs’ goals are often unattainable, whether it be expecting to hit more fairways/greens or score lower, Spahl continued, “If your goals are too difficult to obtain, it can become very draining.”
As draining golf can consume a golfer’s mindset, Spahl said, “You can lose confidence, get down on yourself, and negative thoughts take control. From personal experience, I have definitely had a few rounds that have started off very poor, and it’s very difficult to get back on track or to get off the ‘bogey train.’” Ultimately, that loss of concentration leads to one’s scorecard being negatively affected. How to manage expectations: “To re-evaluate their expectations, I feel amateurs need enough information/statistics to have an understanding of what their average round looks like. Once that is understood, they can make achievable goals, and even orient their practice to help achieve those successfully,” said Spahl. Referencing his own game, Spahl said, “I tend to only have two goals. Regardless of the score, if I accomplish these two goals, I’ll be happy: No three putts, no double-bogeys.” By setting realistic goals, rather than having a score in mind, Spahl admitted, “When there is no score in mind, and the goals are accomplished, I do tend to score better. I find it’s hard to score poorly when those goals are accomplished, and at the very least, I avoid having a very poor round. For amateur players, I can see them get very stressed about a score relative to par. If you take that away and orient your thoughts to simple goals, the game can become more enjoyable at a simple level. Players of all calibers have rounds where they swing it well and don’t shoot a great score, it’s okay to do that.” Tripp Davis Completes Restoration on The Gasparilla Golf Club at The Gasparilla Inn & Club1/31/2024 Alex Elias Originally scheduled for the Summer of 2024, Tripp Davis' restoration project at The Gasparilla Golf Club at The Gasparilla Inn & Club (Boca Grande, Florida) was accelerated due to Hurricane Ian. Having first visited in April 2022, Davis had the opportunity to see the course prior to its decimation by the Category 5 Hurricane. Davis said, "My Wife and I went down and stayed a few days and I got to play it twice, on top of touring it with the Golf Course Superintendent Elliot Garrison. The course is in a beautiful setting with five holes playing along Charlotte Harbor – the big body of water inside the outer islands on the west coast of Florida south of Sarasota and north of Naples. The course is on a relatively small piece of land, but Pete [Dye] fit the holes in a way it does not feel too tight. There was a course on the same ground, originally built in 1933, but Pete moved somethings around. You could see Pete's style for sure, but over time since he did his work, there had been a lot of change. The bunkers had been changed so the grass faces had been laid down, the sand had been raised, and you could see the greens were smaller. The fact that it would be somewhat of a 'restoration' made it exciting to think about." As Davis mentioned Pete Dye’s style, the restoration project comes nine years after Davis restored Oak Tree National, designed by Pete Dye in 1975, and currently ranked 66th in the U.S. by Golf Digest. Speaking on Dye's designs, Davis said, “I was fortunate to play a lot of competitive golf on Pete’s courses. Pete’s style was certainly unique, and at times included a lot of earth movement and unique shaping. His courses tended to be visually intimidating, leading to the thought he was very much a penal type of designer. But I think his designs are typically misunderstood." "The options he regularly created, including more conservative lines of play, with a lot of strategic interest, is what I have found over the years of playing on and now working on his designs. As innovative as some think his style was, he was equally innovative with his strategic substance and how it took study to understand. He offered an aggressive line of play with most every shot, having small margins for error, and with most every shot on every one of his courses I have played or worked on there is a conservative line or shot option that offers a relatively wider margin for error. He highlighted and brought attention, visually, to the more aggressive lines of play, while the conservative route was often not as evident, often because it was not always directly wide right or left of the more aggressive line, but short of or at times long of," said Davis. Describing the restoration in great detail, Davis said, "I enlarged most every green and with most every green I shifted the location slightly to fit the strategic intent in a modern way. I took most of the greens and turned them a little to provide more angles into to enlarged parts of the greens – creating some new, tougher, hole locations. I had all of the greens mapped with 0.1' contours so I could see what the original intent was in detail. They were built to work with much slower greens than we expected we would have now, so I modified contours in places, using the mapping to move the contours to where we may have shifted the green location." Davis continued, "We did significantly move #1, #4, #8, #16, and especially #18, which we moved back 25 yards. With these greens I redesigned them with Pete’s basic approach in mind. The bunkers were rebuilt to have good liners, better drainage, and we restored the steeper grass face style. About 1/4th of the bunkers stayed pretty much where they were, half of the current bunkers were subtle changes mainly to push them further from tees, and 1/4th are new. We also removed 10 bunkers. The intent with the bunker work was clearly to bring them more into play for better players on more aggressive lines of play, while clearly creating more room for the average to higher handicap player so they have conservative options with wider margins for error."
With the intention to modernize how the course plays, Davis said, "The game has evolved, not only in how the best players play, but there are now a good many more different types of players – more Women play, more Senior Men and more older Senior Men, more beginners, more that play but less frequently, etc.. Pete's basic design intent at Gasparilla was to create a visually interesting golf experience that requires thought. We worked with his original design as the foundation of how we adapted the course for modern players to enjoy experiencing a Pete Dye design. That is most often found in a lot of subtle things like tee placements, strategic width of fairways, the demands of missing a green, more less stringent hole locations (along with more stringent hole locations). If you played Gasparilla before, you would likely not notice a significant difference, but it is there, from restoration of the bunker style, larger greens with a somewhat greater variety of hole locations, slightly different angles into greens, bunkers relocated slightly, etc." Reflecting on how he modernized how the course plays, Davis said, "I would also say that I saw some opportunities to do things Pete may have done had he done this project himself, which was really interesting for me. The change at #1 green, adding some tees well right on #14, pushing the green back on #18 to make it a stronger finishing hole (which he may not have been able to do originally). His original design intent was largely intact as I found it, only maybe with a different style in places and greens that were smaller, so we retained most it, enhanced it as it made sense. There is not one thing I wanted to restore from what was there as I found it, but I would say it was doing some things I think he would have done today." Alex Elias As temperatures continue to drop, and courses are covered in snow, many golfers are left uncertain with how to practice. Chris Gabriele, First Assistant Golf Professional at Quaker Ridge Golf Club, said, "With simulators at so many clubs, and even available in cities these days, like Five Iron Golf, golfers can get plenty of convenient practice in." Furthermore, it can be incredibly productive too. Gabriele said, "With so many opportunities to use indoor facilities with technology, like TrackMan, Foresight, etc, golfers can receive tremendous feedback, if they know what information to track and use."
Although practicing on a simulator may be the most course-like means of practice during the winter months, Gabriele suggested a few different ways to practice, without even having to leave the house. Gabriele said, "One would be to quite simply hold a club while you watch TV. The more you can have your hands on the club, the better or easier it'll be to make a change." Gabriele continued, "Another that is great is to use a doorway opening. In golf posture, place your forehead on the open frame, and your arms crossed over your chest. Then while keeping your forehead in place, practice how to turn your body while keeping your head steady on the backswing. For the followthrough, golfers want to keep their head behind the ball at impact, so this drill can help a golfer see where their head is at 'impact' and know what it feels like." As both of Gabriele's suggestions can be done at home without even having to hit a golf ball, Gabriele said, "It doesn't have to be hours on end, but more about doing it consistently."
Alex Elias
Founded in July 2023, the idea for the Charlie Golf Co. Toddler Sunday Golf Bag "came to life after a couple frustrations: 1) The small golf clubs falling through the golf cart basket and out of the cart while playing. 2) Golf tees and golf balls everywhere in the vehicle and pant pockets." Reflecting on the idea, Tyler Johnson, Founder of Charlie Golf Co. said, "My Dad has always cut down clubs for his grandchildren and put either a blue or pink grip on them. After my children were born, he brought the clubs with him as a gift, so they would have a club in their hands the day they were born!" Johnson continued, "Since then, we have always hauled around our kid's clubs, but have never had a bag for them. I was sick of hauling their clubs around and having them fall through the cart basket. One night, I searched for a bag and didn't find one that I liked, so I created a design and found a manufacturer."
As every Charlie Golf Co. golf bag sold out in twenty-minutes, Johnson described the moment saying, "I was absolutely shocked and blown away. I had a buddy over and my wife and kids were there too. We were giving each other high fives and celebrating, but then I realized I had a lot more work to do! Luckily my parents were able to come and help us pack orders and watch the kids so we could have the bags shipped out right away." Even with Charlie Golf Co.'s immediate success, Johnson said, "I definitely don't see myself as a merchandiser. It is so early in our journey that all I think about is how other parents could be in a similar situation to me and I know how much I enjoyed introducing the game to my kids."
As Charlie Golf Co. golf bags have allowed for more toddlers to experience the game of golf, Johnson said, "I love that other parents will be able to experience having their kids on the golf course, driving range, short game area, etc. with them, and hopefully that leads the kid to love the game and create memories as a family." Alex Elias South Carolina Junior All-American Louise Rydqvist earned a Sponsor Exemption at The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican via South Carolina's win at the 2023 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M. Reflecting on her LPGA Tour debut, Rydqvist said, "I have been dreaming about the day I make my LPGA debut for a long time and to do it at Annika’s event was so extremely special. Annika and her husband welcomed me with open arms and I cannot thank them and the Annika Foundation enough for providing the exemption." As Rydqvist was born in Jönköping, Sweden, fellow Swede Annika Sörenstam has been Rydqvist's role model since a very young age. Rydqvist said, "Annika has always been a role model for me. I have now played in Annika’s events at every level, starting with the Annika Cup and the Annika Invitational Europe in Sweden, then Annika Intercollegiate and now The ANNIKA LPGA. I remember being at the Annika Cup at 14 years old, and she told us, 'Control the things you can control, and let the other things go,' which has been with me since. Last week she told me, 'You have done the work, now you just have to trust it and stay confident in your process,' and I carried that with me all week." In a field that included eight of the Top 10 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings and 15 of this season’s winners, including all four major champions, Rydqvist never appeared to be fazed by the pressure. Rydqvist said, "Golf is all about staying in the moment, and not getting ahead of yourself or being bothered over something in the past. I work closely with my mental coach and we have a couple of strategies that I use to remind myself to be in the present. Last week, I had my boyfriend on the bag and he kept reminding me to enjoy the moment which also helped a lot."
As Rydqvist made the cut, posted a Round 3 65, and finished T46, Rydqvist said, "I would say that my game tee-to-green was solid all week. Although, I’m most happy with how I handled the pressure and kept my head up all week." |
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