What’s in the Bag: Trevor Broesamle, GolfTEC Coach

From the March Momentum Newsletter. A look inside the bag of Trevor Broesamle, GolfTEC Coach and Director of Instruction at GolfTEC Santa Barbara.

Driver: TaylorMade R9 (9.5-degree, 45″); Mitsubishi Rayon Fubuki 63 shaft, S-flex

I’ve never been exceptionally long off the tee, so hitting fairways has always been a priority. Dialing in the adjustable settings has allowed me to find a very consistent shot pattern that gives me the best chance to score from the fairway. My typical miss is a wild draw (translation: hook), so I’ve configured the hosel setting to promote a slight fade and set the adjustable weights neutral. I was able to fine tune the exact weight configuration with the help of our Vector Launch Monitor here at GolfTEC; I decreased my spin rates by placing more weight closer to the clubface, optimizing my launch characteristics for my ball speed.

You may note that despite drivers getting longer and longer (the latest TaylorMade offering is 46.5″), I’ve kept my driver a more manageable 45″ for better control. This is something I encourage my clients to do, as the slight increase in clubhead speed from the extra length is often negated by the inability to consistently hit the center of the face.

Fairway wood: TaylorMade R9 (15-degree, 42.75″); Mitsubishi Rayon Fubuki 73 shaft, S-flex

I always stay consistent with the settings from driver to fairway wood. It’s just one of those things that I have to know is consistent—if the settings varied, I think it would drive me crazy.

Hybrid: TaylorMade Rescue TP (19-degree, 40″); Aldila VooDoo SVS8 shaft

My launch characteristics change as I jump down to the hybrid, so I’ve adjusted the hosel settings to promote a slightly higher ball flight as well as changing the shaft for a tighter shot pattern. The need for accuracy rather than distance increases considerably as you approach your wedges.

Irons: 4-iron: TaylorMade R7 CGB Max; 90g SuperFast Black Steel shaft, S-flex. 5-iron-PW: TaylorMade Tour Preferred; KBS Tour shaft, S-flex

Having that 4-iron in my bag is almost not even fair—in fact, sometimes it feels like I’m cheating. It’s slightly stronger loft and super low center of gravity, coupled with the light steel shaft makes it play like another hybrid. Having a 5-iron as my first “real” iron makes sense with my lower ball flight and launch characteristics. Most amateurs would benefit from ditching their long irons entirely and replacing them with something that helps them “cheat” a little.

Wedges: TaylorMade RAC TP Z (52-, 56-, 60-degree); Project X 5.5 shaft

To get the most consistent distances between wedges, I changed the shafts and bent the 52-degree to a 51-degree. The extra degree closes the gap (pun intended) between that and the PW.

Since I’m more of a digger (as opposed to a sweeper/slider), I’ve had my wedges built with the most bounce available. It’s especially helpful in the softer turf conditions on the California Central Coast and that pesky kikuyu grass that’s so ubiquitous around here.

I recommend having your GolfTEC Coach look at the gaps between your wedges and check to see if you have an optimal amount of bounce for your swing and the conditions you play in.

Putter: TaylorMade Rossa Maranello by Kia Ma (33″)

I’m six feet tall and have a putter that’s two inches shorter than what you’ll typically find at a retail store. This is not an accident. Most players have a putter that is too long for them, forcing them to get on their heels, move their eyes inside the ball and bunch up their arms. This makes that true pendulum stroke we’re always talking about a near impossibility. Get fit for your putter and give yourself a chance to make a better, more consistent putting stroke.

This putter is very toe heavy, which helps me feel the discreet opening and closing of the face on the way back and the way through.

Ball: TaylorMade Penta TP

I’ve been playing the Penta 5-layer ball since last year. This ball gives me the best of both worlds. With most other balls out there, you have to sacrifice one thing (feel, spin) in order to gain another (driver ball speed). The engineers at TaylorMade figured out how to piece it all together. What I like most about the Penta ball is the amount of spin I can get from just off the green.

Accessories: Laser Range Finder; Sharpies

One item that is an absolute must is my laser range finder. Not only is it helpful with course management decisions, but it’s great for practice at the range to really dial in your distances. That’s the primary reason I don’t have a GPS unit; ranges are usually poorly marked. And what’s the point of outdoor practice without yardages?

Finally, I always have silver and purple Sharpies in my bag so I can mark my balls with three dots below the number—in Los Angeles Kings colors. I know, a hockey fan in Southern California… go figure.

If you’re considering upgrading your bag, getting a club fitting or just want to try out some new golf equipment, call or stop by a GolfTEC Improvement Center near you.

3 Keys to Increasing Your Short Game Spin and Distance Control

March Momentum Newsletter Performance Secret by Rob Randall, Coach, Store Manager and Director of Instruction at GolfTEC Country Club Village in Des Moines, IA.

The most common challenge golfers face in their short game is an inability to control spin and distance. This is primarily due to an unstable lower body, which leads to poor and inconsistent contact (i.e. heavy or thin shots). Proper contact is what provides the ability to control the spin of the ball, and ultimately, the distance it travels.

Here are three keys that will help you control spin and distance:

1. Stabilize your lower body. Practice hitting chip shots with only the toes of your right foot touching the ground. This will put all of your weight on your left foot, forcing you to rely on hip turn through the entire shot, as opposed to relying on hip tilt. The key is turning your hips through contact, not tilting them.
2. Level your shoulders. Once you can hit chip shots with a stable lower body, focus on setting up with level shoulders. Keeping your hands, wrists and forearms quiet, use your shoulders to take the club back. As you take the club back and through the ball, your shoulders will naturally tilt, resulting in crisp contact every time.
3. Accurately read different lies. As you increase your spin and distance control, it will become increasingly important to accurately read different lies. For example, when the ball is in the fairway or a tight lie, you can easily create backspin. When hitting out of tight lies, expect the ball to spin and stop quickly. Conversely, when the ball is sitting down in the rough, your ability to create clean contact and backspin is more difficult. When hitting out of the rough, expect the ball to release and roll out much farther. From the rough, play a club with more loft and utilize the bounce by firmly “thumping” the ground under the golf ball.

Practice these three aspects of your short game and you’ll improve your spin and distance control, leading to more scoring opportunities and lower overall scores.

GolfTEC is Officially On Facebook – Join Us and Become a Fan

GolfTEC is now officially on Facebook. Check out our page and become a fan.

As we’d guess it is for you, Facebook is relatively new to GolfTEC. We’re going to be continually looking for creative ways to interact with our fans. If you have any ideas, we’d love to hear them. Just become a fan and leave a comment on our wall.

Not on Facebook? Well neither were we (at least corporately) a few days ago. If you’ve been curious (but perhaps a bit skeptical) about joining, now you have an excuse to give it a shot. We’ve got some exciting things coming soon (hint: birdies and prizes).

So sign up if you haven’t already, become a fan, keep on the lookout for what’s ahead, and help us spread the word by telling your friends.

Click Here to check out GolfTEC’s page.

Goal Planning Session: How It Helped GolfTEC Client Mike Kornmeyer

From the March Momentum Newsletter.

In golf, there are times when you have to take a step back, forget about the mechanics and look at the big picture. This was the case for GolfTEC Client, Mike Kornmeyer.

Pushing towards his long-term goal of one day playing golf for a living, Mike had steadily improved under the guidance of his Coach, Dan Sniffin. Mike’s mechanics had drastically improved and his handicap had dropped considerably—from shooting around 100 (estimated 24 handicap) to a 2.4 handicap. After each season, Dan and Mike would step back to look at the progress they had made. And more importantly, they would look forward to what needed to happen in the coming season. Because one thing was always clear: to play golf for a living, Mike needed to get even better.

This review process—which Mike calls the “glue that builds my understanding of the swing and the philosophy of the game as a whole”—has played an integral role in the success Dan and Mike have had. From Dan’s perspective, this process is something he’s always believed in, both as a Coach and a player. When asked about this, Dan remarked, “I have always been convinced [that the process is a key to success], as I have done this type of thing for many years in my own game. We did this twice a year when I played in college.”

Now, you can get the same experience that Dan and Mike have benefited from in our newly-released Goal Planning Session (GPS).

What to expect in a Goal Planning Session

Dan and Mike used the 30-minute GPS to achieve four key things:

1. Review goals and progress from the previous season
2. Identify what worked (and what didn’t work)
3. Re-evaluate short- and long-term goals
4. Build a gameplan for the coming season

Guided by those objectives, Dan and Mike started their Goal Planning Session.

The biggest success for Mike was how much he was able to drop his handicap. There were no major shortcomings in the previous season; Mike had steadily improved. However, it was clear that Mike needed to shift his focus in a big way heading into the new season. His putting and lack of tournament experience was holding him back.

Mike’s goal to one day play golf for a living was still front and center. What needed adjusting were his short-term goals, such as playing in a specific number of tournaments in the upcoming golf season. Next was identifying what needed to happen to continue Mike’s success. The verdict:

1. Better practice. Mike needed to bring increased focus and structure to his practice (e.g. complete a designated number putting, pitching and full-swing drills)
2. More putting. Dan and Mike decided to focus more of their lesson time on putting
3. New courses and tournaments. Dan recommended that Mike strengthen his on-course experience by playing a group of new courses and competing in a specific list of tournaments

Ready to take on the new season, Mike walked away from his Goal Planning Session with a “good understanding of the relationship between my goals and the work necessary to achieve those goals.”

The GPS is a great tool that you can now take advantage of. If you’d like to learn more about it or schedule one today, call a GolfTEC Improvement Center near you and talk to a Coach. Click Here to find your nearest Improvement Center.

Thoughts on the Goal Planning Session? Ever used a similar process in your golf improvement? Let us know in the comments.

ASK STEVE: Results from Training Aid Poll and Steve’s Take

Steve Atherton (@AthertonPGA)— GolfTEC VP of Research and Development and PGA Master Professional in Instruction — responds to the poll on training aids.

We certainly received the expected result from the training aids poll. I figured a lot of you would try training aids here and there. The results showed that 79% of you either try every training aid you can get your hands on, or try most of them and use a few. 21% of you said there’s no room for training aids in your bag.

Here is my take on training aids: there are some really good ones and there are some really bad ones. I believe there are three key elements that almost all of the “great” training aids have in common:

1. Simple – they have to be very easy to use — typically the more moving parts or more complex the design the worse they are. If it requires batteries, installing it on a club with epoxy, special lighting to be able to see it, or a remote control it’s probably not worth your time.
2. Portable – you should be able to take it with you in your golf bag, set it up quickly, and use it almost anywhere. A great example is the No 3-Putt Cup Reducers that you can drop into any golf hole to make it smaller. Great to improve focus and precision in putting, small, light and can be set up in 3 seconds.
3. Intuitive – Eyeline Golf, one of our great vendors, comes up with more intuitive training aids than anyone. Their training aids for putting require almost no instruction, yet they promote functional improvement in many ways. They have a great new product coming out soon called the Ball of Steel. It’s a golf ball that weighs 5 times more than a regular ball. You hit it around for 5 minutes, and all of a sudden you don’t decelerate anymore, and you hit the ball solidly every time. No instructions needed to improve your putting!

I am happy to offer advice on some of the more popular training aids out there if you have questions, but I really feel if you keep those three things in mind when analyzing a training aid you’ll find more good ones than bad ones!

Question for Steve? Leave it below.

If you would like to check out a few training aids and receive one-on-one guidance on how to use them, call or stop by your nearest GolfTEC Improvement Center and talk to a Coach.