2011 Columbus Golf Guide

GOLF 2011 Thursday, March 10, 2011

Columbus, Indiana

Bridge over troubled water New span at Greenbelt Golf Course to be finished by May 1 — Otter Creek. For many years it was the site of the Amateur Championship, but Otter Creek has not hosted the event since 2007. That event will run from June 20-23.

The course will host several other tournaments this year, including the Indiana University Invitational for the women’s program April 4-5.

It’s a perfect opportunity to show off the bunker renovation that took a full summer’s worth of work to complete last fall.

Head professional Chad Cockerham said all of the wintry ice and snow has been great for the bunkers because it will help pack down the sand.

By Tyler V. Hoeppner For The Republic Golfers driving down 17th Street hopes that refurbishment will be completed by April 1.

An exact opening date is unknown as weather may force a few delays, but Cohen is looking forward to the time when golfers can play in Columbus have seen a welcome sight. Construction is under way on the bridge that will reconnect the 6th and 7th holes at Greenbelt Golf Course.

The bridge has not been in use since it was destroyed in the flood of 2008, and golf professional Steve Cohen Greenbelt as it originally was designed to be played.

The lack of the bridge forced players into long walks between holes, and Cohen had to turn one of the holes into a Par 3.

He estimates that the course lost 10-15 percent of its normal business in 2009 with another loss of 10-15 percent last season, although he admits bad weather also was a factor.

Still, the bridge reopening couldn’t come at a better time.

“We were going through a slow death where people were slowly leaving Greenbelt. Hopefully just driving by and seeing it, they will come back,” Cohen said.

“Instead of playing once a week, they’ll come back to play two or three times a week. The course is going to be in good shape. We weathered the weather last year.

“I think we’ll be just as good as ever.”

Lundy makes transition Kyle Lundy took over at Harrison

Timbergate ready ANDREW LAKER | THE REPUBLIC

George Harvey and Sons workers drive an H pile March 1, as work continues on the new bridge at Greenbelt Golf Course. The bridge is expected to be completed by May 1.

Lake Country Club last spring with a lot of work to do. Immediately he began work on a membership drive, and he and the rest of the staff had to start making some decisions for the long term.

It wasn’t until July that Lundy could really concentrate on the day-to-day operations of the club, but Lundy said one of the easiest things in the transition was the membership.

“The people that we have here had their arms wide open for me right when I got here,” Lundy said. “I was able to build some really strong relationships with our membership, get to know every-

body on a personal level.”

Now he’s ready to make this year even better. Membership grew last season, and he’s hoping it will grow even more.

Tournament participation was up, and he believes he has created an even better schedule.

Also, Harrison Lake will get to showcase its course for the state when it hosts the Indiana Golf Association’s Senior Amateur Championship on Aug. 22-23.

State Am to Otter The Indiana Amateur Championship will return to the home of amateur golf

The drought may actually have helped Timbergate Golf Course last season. With so many courses adversely affected, Timbergate was able to keep its fairways and greens perfectly green all summer with its ponds and artesian wells.

As a result, many people left other courses and came to play the course for the first time. Revenues were up last season and the hope is that trend will continue.

On the cover Grant Huffman uses the launch monitor and swing simulator at Jeff Smith's Plane and Simple Golf School in this photo by The Republic's Andrew Laker.

More than 21K Hoosiers make living in golf industry T

BY MIKE DAVID For The Republic

O almost 1 million Hoosiers, golf is a relaxing pastime, a frustrating hobby or the ultimate test of skill pitting them against the course in a futile search for perfection.

However, for more than 21,000 Hoosiers, golf is how they make their living.

Golf provides a significant direct benefit to the Indiana economy, and MIKE DAVID for thousands of Indiana charities it is a vital source of funding.

Such were the findings of a recent study conducted by Indiana’s leading

golf associations along with Golf 20/20 and SRI International. Indiana became the 21st state to complete an Economic Impact Study on the game of golf when it did so last summer.

Several state associations were involved in the process. The study was commissioned by the Indiana Golf Association and the Indiana Section of the PGA. Other associations that participated in the study were the Indiana Golf Course Owner’s Association, the Indiana Golf Course Superintendents Association, the Indiana Club Managers Association and the Indiana Department of Tourism.

Golf 20/20 is an organization run by the World Golf Foundation and supported by all of the national leaders in the golf industry, including the PGA of America, the USGA, the National Golf Course Owners Association, the PGA Tour and the LPGA. SRI International was commissioned

2 The Republic, Columbus, Ind., Thursday, March 10, 2011

by Golf 20/20 to work with state and regional golf coalitions to conduct these economic impact studies around the country.

No surprise The findings of the study came as no surprise to those closely associated with the golf industry.

“The Economic Impact Study validates that golf is an economic engine that contributes substantially to the momentum of the Indiana economy,” said Linda Rogers, owner of Juday Creek Golf Course in Granger and vice president of the National Golf Course Owners Association.

PGA of America CEO Joe Steranka concurred with Rogers’ statement.

“The biggest benefit of these studies is the ability to show how golf benefits not only the 1 in 11 Americans who play, but entire communities which benefit

from the jobs it creates, the green space it protects and the healthy recreation it provides for people of all ages,” he said.

The need for these studies became evident in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. The Gulf Opportunity Zone Act was passed following Katrina.

The act allocated tax benefits and relief for businesses that had been affected

by Hurricane Katrina. The bill specified that tax benefits would not apply to golf courses or country clubs, lumping those facilities in with massage parlors, hot tub facilities, tanning salons, liquor stores and gambling establishments.

The Gulf Opportunity Zone Act highlighted the fact that the golf industry needed to coordinate efforts to prove how the golf industry benefits society. To date, 22 state golf economic impact studies have been conducted.

“Studies on the state level impact of

See DAVID on Page 5

The Republic, Columbus, Ind., Thursday, March 10, 2011 3

Is straighter or farther better?

BY TYLER V. HOEPPNER For The Republic There are two phrases that golf professionals hear before or during a lesson over and over again: “I want to drive the ball farther,” and “I want to drive the ball straighter.”

And that’s usually the order too.

Too often players are almost unwilling to sacrifice distance for a shot in the fairway. But what truly matters: The big bomb off the tee or a lower score?

“The truth of the matter is, some people need to hit it farther and some people need to hit it straighter, and it takes a little bit of time to figure out which direction you really need to go there,” said Kyle Lundy, professional at Harrison Lake.

The swing starts at the set up, and poor form here will ruin the shot. That’s why Lundy first looks at grip, posture and alignment and he said a small tweak here or there can easily fix a lot of problems. It’s best to have a professional look at you because he can diagnose – Otter Creek head many problems pro Chad Cockerham that you may not even realize you are making.

“I think if you put a little bit of time (in) and make a commitment to make some changes or figure out what the correct things are to do in a golf swing, I think it becomes a little easier,” Lundy said.

When making a swing with a driver, the point is to contact the ball with the face of the club square. So if you hit your iron shots well, there should be no reason you can’t hit your driver.

The problem is too many players have the mentality that the driver requires a completely different swing, said Otter Creek head professional Chad Cockerham.

Balance and tempo are two words you’ll hear over and over again. Cockerham said you should be able to hold the follow through and not fall away or recoil after impact. It’s not the speed at which you swing but rather the impact.

“The main thing that’s going to affect how far you hit a tee shot is how much energy you can transfer to that golf ball,” Cockerham said. “You can have the fastest club head speed in the world, but if you’re not hitting the ball on the center of the face, you’re costing yourself distance.”

Your driver may also be the issue. Jeff Smith, teaching professional at Otter Creek, does the club fitting there and said a lot of players are just too impa-

“The main thing ... is how much energy you can transfer to that golf ball.”

tient. Instead of waiting to get fitted, they buy a new driver now. In the long run they end up buying a new one again because they don’t hit the old one very well.

The most common club errors are having one that is too stiff or too low lofted for them. Length is also an issue. Jack Nicklaus used to play with a driver that was 42-43 inches, and most PGA Tour players use a driver that is 44.5 inches or less. The problem is that most stock drivers are 46 inches so most players either need to have their driver shortened or choke down on the club.

There is a lot of technology involved in golf today, and Lundy said that can be good or bad. He said there are some things out there that can help some people, but more importantly, a player needs to get a good grasp of the fundaments.

One of the hottest pieces of equipment in recent years has been the adjustable driver. With a few tools, a player can adjust the head of the driver, setting the player up to hit a draw, fade or neutral shot. They can adjust the degree of the face. This, too, can be good or bad.

It does allow professionals to help players set up a club so that it works best for them, but players are doing a lot more than that, sometimes adjusting them before every round after they have hit a few balls on the driving range.

“I think it gives them the thought that they don’t have to work on the No. 1 influence on the flight of the ball,” Smith said. “I think they think they can just change the club and they don’t have to work at getting better.”

4 The Republic, Columbus, Ind., Thursday, March 10, 2011

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DAVID

Continued from Page 2 golf, such as the report for Indiana, illustrate how vital our industry is in terms of job creation, charitable contributions and environmental benefits,” Steranka said.

“Golf is managed open green space, which delights urban planners, a job creator, which pleases mayors and governors, and a model for fundraising, which benefits thousands of charitable organizations.”

Creating jobs Unemployment and job opportunities have obviously been major topics of discussion on the national level. The Indiana study showed that more than 21,000 jobs in Indiana are created through the golf industry. The number nationally is over 1 million. Those Indiana jobs account for a total wage income of $530 million.

It’s well-publicized that golf and charities work hand-in-hand. The PGA Tour gave more than $108 million to charities in 2009 alone. What many people might not realize is that PGA professionals from around the state and around the country work almost on a daily basis to assist charitable organizations that use golf as vital annual fundraisers.

The study found that in 2008, charitable giving by the Indiana golf industry topped the $42 million mark. Golf course owners, operators and PGA professionals serve as access points for annual fundraising by hundreds, if not thousands, of local service organizations.

The Indiana Golf Foundation has been awarding scholarships since 1996, awarding nearly $300,000 worth. The IGF kicked off a new Indiana Charities Day in 2010. With more than 40 golf professionals from around the state participating in a 100-hole marathon event, more than $90,000 was raised for charity.

Perhaps the most notable finding from the study is that golf provides $909 million in direct revenue to the Indiana economy. In Indiana, medical equipment manufacturing accounts for $5.8 billion to Indiana’s economy, soybean production accounts for $2.4 billion and dairy products account for $640 million.

“To think an acre of golf delivers more economic impact than an acre of corn in Iowa or more than an acre of residential homes in Virginia demonstrated to me how important our sport is to the business communities we live in,” Steranka said.

The study findings in Indiana and nationwide are designed to offset the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act and show state and national legislators the importance of golf as a beneficial industry across the country.

On April 12, state golf associations are scheduled to meet with state legislators to share the study results at the Indiana Statehouse.

“With the evidentiary support from the Economic Impact Study of the positive

THE REPUBLIC FILE PHOTO

Timbergate Golf Course grounds crew worker Fonda Sanders uses an aerator to take plugs out of the ground on a fairway at the golf course in Edinburgh, Sept. 29. effect that golf has for Indiana through job creation, property tax generation, charitable giving, environmental stewardship and increased tourism, lawmakers will likely be more inclined to craft

legislation that is favorable to the golf industry,” Rogers said.

Mike David is the executive director of Indiana Golf.

The Republic, Columbus, Ind., Thursday, March 10, 2011 5

Great wedge players on course to score

BY JIM SUTTIE Scripps Howard News Service One thing for sure in golf is that great wedge players can score. They can hit an errant second shot, and still know that they can make par because of their ability to hit their wedges close.

Most players carry at least three wedges and sometimes four. These include: (1) A pitching wedge; (2) A gap wedge (52 degrees); (3) A sand wedge (56 degrees); and (4) A lob wedge (60 degrees).

The sand wedge should have the most bounce on the flange of the club, because you will need to use it out of the sand and in the heavy rough around the green. I would probably recommend at least 12 degrees of bounce for the sand wedge, and eight or less with the other wedges.

It is also necessary to have a gap wedge to narrow the gap between the 48-degree pitching wedge and the 56-degree sand wedge. Having too much bounce on your wedges on tight lies like we get here in Florida will just cause your club to bounce into the ball, and a thin or fat shot will be the result. All of the great wedge players have at least three distances they can rely on with each club. This will give you a minimum of 12 different distances.

Now, what is the easiest technique for hitting the wedges close? First and foremost, keep it simple.

The wedge swing is a little different than the full swing. With that in mind, think of the full swing as a total body motion, where the wedge

swing is more of an upper body motion. The wedge swing is a shorter, lower, and more armsto-body-connected type of motion. Set up with the ball in the middle of the stance, with the weight slightly on the left leg at the start. On the backswing, try to stay as centered as possible as you rotate your shoulders and hips equal amounts.

Keep the swing short and the arms connected to the body as you go back. Allow your turning upper body to control your downswing. Try to keep the hands and arms somewhat passive, and let them respond to the turn of your body coming through. The arms and body come through together as the body turn creates the acceleration of the clubhead. Think “short back” and “turn through.”

Your distance will be controlled by the length of your backswing, and the speed of your downswing turning action with your body. Of course, there is no substitute for practicing these shots from different distances and different lies with all of your different wedges.

Look at all of the great wedge players, and notice that they take little or no divot after hitting the ball, and they never decelerate the clubhead coming through. To do this, the body has to be in charge of the downswing. Keep the hands passive through the entire motion, with a minimum amount of wrist cocking and uncocking. To ensure good contact, practice with a tee three inches in front of your ball. Hit your ball first and then the tee. Soon your wedge play will excel.

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Using right equipment key to success

BY TYLER V. HOEPPNER For The Republic It’s said that a good craftsman doesn’t blame his tools. Golfers on the other hand may be using the wrong equipment and that can easily be fixed with a visit to a professional for club fitting.

Many golfers buy their clubs right off the shelf and don’t take into account the size, weight and material of the clubs.

They like them because they are the newest and greatest, or their friends have them.

Clubs come in a standard, which is very misleading because standard at one company is not the standard at another company.

Players also don’t take into account their own body size.

People are custom built, and their clubs should be also.

Science and technology have improved golf so much in the last decade that has widened the array of products out there.

“Every different aspect of a golf club benefits each individual in a different way,” said Kyle Lundy, head professional at Harrison Lake Country Club. “The technology is out there. Some of it is very inexpensive, and some of it is very expensive. There are so many different options so the better fitting that you have, it will help you out the most.”

Jeff Smith does the club fitting at Otter Creek Golf Course, using his launch monitors to fit people with the best clubs.

There are four things that he looks for with each set of clubs—lie angle, shaft

length, shaft type and grip size.

The lie angle is the angle that is formed with the bottom of the club head and the shaft. A player’s height and how they stand at address will affect the lie angle of the club.

This is important because if the toe of the club is down at impact, the ball will go right. If it’s up too much, the ball will go left.

Smith looks at lie angle and shaft length at the same time because as the club gets longer or shorter, the head changes as you swing the club. It’s all about helping the player make sure the club head is square at impact.

“If it’s off two degrees from where it would be flat at impact, on a 160-yard shot, the ball will be 22 yards off from the target no matter the golf swing,” Smith said. “Why do we club fit?

Because it is part of how balls go.”

The flex of the shaft is also important because it changes the angle as a player swings, and there are several factors, including how thick the wall FOR THE REPUBLIC is, how much it weighs and where the flex point is.

All of this has to do with getting the club head square. As you swing, the shaft will twist too much if the shaft is too soft or won’t twist enough if the shaft is too stiff.

Finally Smith looks at grip size.

Everyone has different sized hands, and it is important how they match up with the club since a lot of what controls ball flight starts there.

“Your clubs should match your golf swing, not somebody else’s,” Smith said.

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Spend wisely when buying balls

BY TYLER V. HOEPPNER For The Republic Walk into the golf section of any sporting goods store, or even the local pro shop, and the variety of golf balls will jump out at you. Titleist, Nike, Bridgestone, Calloway and that’s just the start. The list is so long players can get overwhelmed.

Which ball is the right ball for me?

For some, the simple factor is price, and for some, that’s all it should be. As Chad Cockerham from Otter Creek said, if you’re going to lose 12 balls a round, it doesn’t matter if it’s a Titleist Pro V1 or bargain basement ball.

But for those players looking to find an edge, it may be as simple as changing the ball you play. Cockerham believes there is a big misconception from players on what they should look for.

“I hear, ‘Am I going to hit this golf ball further?’” Cockerham said. “But if you go to any good player, they want to work backwards. We always go from the hole backwards. How does it feel when you putt? How does it feel when you chip it, then pitch it and then with iron shots?

The final note is how it does with the driver.”

It’s to the point where golf professionals will fit a player for the correct ball.

Using launch monitors and swing simulators, Jeff Smith at Otter Creek can match a player up with the ball that works best for them and the type of shots they like to hit.

If a player likes to hit high wedge shots that stop on a dime, they’ll want to play a ball with a lot of spin. If a player likes to hit shots that land and release to the hole, they wouldn’t want as much spin.

The launch monitors provide all of the spin rates and help Smith and the player choose.

“I start with what’s best for their score, but a lot of people think they want what spins less off the driver,” Smith said. “Well it’s also going to spin less off the short game.”

Cockerham said that golf balls fit into approximately three price windows, and most companies produce at least one ball that fits into each window.

The top window is designed for the best players, created to be used with a lot of swing speed. These are the PGA Tour-type balls and for players that are single-digit handicaps.

“A lot of people jump in at the top of the ladder because that’s what they see on Sundays, but that’s not where they want to be,” Cockerham said.

“They can’t compress the golf ball enough. They’re just wasting their money.”

The middle window is the level that reaches out to the masses. It has a very similar performance, but the companies use a cover material that is less expensive.

There are a lot of varieties at this lev-

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“A lot of people jump in at the top of the ladder because that’s what they see on Sunday, but that’s not where they want to be.

They can’t compress the golf ball enough. They’re just wasting their money.”

– Chad Cockerham, head pro at Otter Creek Golf Course el so there are all sorts of options—hard or soft feel, or more or less spin. A lot of niche companies are in this level.

The bottom level is the value balls where you are looking more at quantity than performance. That’s not to say these balls still can’t perform.

Instead of ditching all of the presses and machines, some companies will lower the price and put on a new logo.

Pinnacle is a Titleist company and some of the Pinnacle balls were actually Titleist balls five or six years ago.

First determine how much money you want to spend. If shots are performing like you want, or you’re looking for a way to lower your score a few shots, finding the right ball may be the easiest way of doing that.

8 The Republic, Columbus, Ind., Thursday, March 10, 2011

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Jeff Smith, right, Otter Creek Golf Course director of instruction, talks to Grant Huffman during a Feb. 26 lesson using the launch monitor and swing simulator at Smith’s Plane and Simple Golf School.

Simulator helps during off-season

BY TYLER V. HOEPPNER For the Republic For many golfers, the winter months can be long and boring, just a season of wait until it’s finally nice enough to get back outside and play. And those first few weeks of nice weather are often used to shake off the rust and get the game back to where it was the previous summer.

But this past winter many golfers took advantage of the launch monitors and simulators that Head Teaching Professional Jeff Smith uses at Otter Creek Golf Course.

Smith uses two machines — the Foresight Sports Launch Monitor and the Zelocity Pure Launch — and both provide instant and, more importantly, accurate

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results from each swing.

Today’s better technology allowed Smith to work with students during the winter and other times of inclement weather.

“It’s more about the accuracy of the launch monitor itself. It projects onto the screen real ball flight, real distance and real shot heights and carry,” Smith said. “… I can take it outside or use it in here.

I can give the player everything that is real about their golf swing.”

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www.southerinortho.com The Republic, Columbus, Ind., Thursday, March 10, 2011 9

STEVE COHEN

CHAD COCKERHAM

KYLE LUNDY

City tournament to use 3 courses

BY TYLER V. HOEPPNER For The Republic The Columbus Men’s City Golf Championship is going back in time, back to when the three golf courses in the city all shared part of the action.

For the first time since the early 1970s, the championship will be held at Greenbelt Golf Course, Harrison Lake Country and Otter Creek Golf Course.

The first rounds will be played July 16-17 with the final round on July 24.

Players will play at either Greenbelt or Harrison Lake the first Saturday and alternate courses the next day. That will set up the final round, which will be played at Otter Creek.

Greenbelt Golf Professional Steve Cohen doesn’t have an exact entry fee yet, but he expects it to be around $100.

That’s a deal to play all three courses.

“I’ve been around forever, and I just know the people at Greenbelt that never had an opportunity (to play at) Harrison Lake or Otter Creek for whatever reason,” Cohen said. “So really, this is just win-win-win for everybody.”

Otter Creek and Harrison Lake hosted the event together in 2009 when the flood left Greenbelt unavailable. Last year, Otter hosted the entire event.

When Kyle Lundy came on board at Harrison Lake last spring, he didn’t hear much about the championship but heard

from his members that they wanted to get involved and be part of the community event.

Lundy got in touch with Cohen and Otter Creek’s Chad Cockerham about helping out any way he could, and the three began discussions on if they could make it work and how best to run it. The key was making sure the event didn’t stretch longer than two weekends as it had in the past.

Cohen said the tournament was played at all three courses years ago before his time, but he doesn’t think it lasted very long. He said the three pros are very happy with the set-up and hope the players will be also.

Ryan Meyers, last year’s winner, really likes the idea and thinks the other players will as well. He believes more people will play in the event.

“I’ve always wanted it to be like that,” Myers said. “I think the more rounds you play, it will make a better tournament overall. It will be a real city champion.”

The professionals will see how it goes, talk to the players and determine whether to keep the format going or make necessary changes. Lundy thinks it’s going to be a fantastic event.

“It’s going to be a real test of their skill, to be able to play at each facility and compete,” Lundy said. “I think it will bring out the best of what our city has.”

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Ryan Myers watches as he sinks a putt on No. 18 during the final round of the 2010 Men’s Columbus City Golf Tournament. Myers won the title.

10 The Republic, Columbus, Ind., Thursday, March 10, 2011

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Lessons best way to improve game

BY JIM SUTTIE Scripps Howard News Service Golf is a wonderful sport. It gives you the opportunity to be out in the fresh air and play a game with your friends.

People play the game for different reasons, but one of them is to compete against yourself and the course. Golf is fun, but it is always more fun to play well when you go out.

One of the best ways to get better is to take lessons. Believe it or not, fewer than 20 percent of all the people who play golf take lessons. Why is this? Well, there are a lot of reasons people don’t take lessons.

Here are just a few. Look at this list and tell me if this sounds like you? ● Fear. This would include fear of ruining the swing you presently have. Some people have had bad experiences with lessons, and now won’t take any lessons from anyone. ● Lack of commitment. This includes a time commitment, a practice commitment, and a financial commitment. ● Intimidation and embarrassment.

Many players, especially ladies, are very sensitive about taking lessons. Nobody wants to show everybody their bad habits. ● Most people don’t believe they will get any better. In fact, most people feel they will get worse. ● Unwillingness to make any changes that the teacher suggests. That is too bad, as people can get better. ● Lack of trust. People just don’t trust what the teacher is trying to tell them.

In fact, I have always said that there are probably more teachers than players, as all the players think they know more than the teachers. People continue to think that they can fix themselves, and they

can’t. ● The Quick Fix. Unfortunately, our society wants the quick fix, and it just doesn’t work that way in golf. Change is a process, and you will get a little better each time you go out. ● Fear of getting over-analytical. Many players are being encouraged to stay away from teachers because the teacher will make them too analytical. A good teacher will never let this happen. For example, if the player is a creative type of personality, and not the analytical type, the teacher will recognize this and teach accordingly. ● Can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

Well, people aren’t dogs, and education is not tricks.

The question is this: Do you want to be a Chevy or do you want to be a Ferrari?

Lessons will help you become the latter. Do you want to just exercise, or practice for a purpose? Do you know the problems, but can’t find the solutions?

Then take a lesson.

Getting better at golf is a journey, not a destination. Enjoy the journey. Stay away from method teachers, and anyone who doesn’t treat you as an individual.

Remember, all golf swings are different, and your fundamentals have to fit your ball flight preference and your physical capabilities.

Don’t try to swing like your favorite pro since that will be impossible for you to accomplish. If you are a 22-handicap, then you have 22 reasons to take a lesson.

Golf is meant to be fun, but it is always more fun to play better. Realize this, know this and seek out your nearest PGA professional, who has your best interest at heart.

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SIMULATOR Continued from Page 9

attached to the simulator, the player can actually see the display of their shot on the screen.

Smith even uses the monitors in the summer. When it became unbearably hot last summer, he moved lessons indoors.

He can also take the machines to the range.

It’s all about the numbers, which give players tangible results.

“When I teach, I use this unit every single lesson because every time the student wants to know, ‘Did I hit it any better? Did I hit it any further?’” Smith said. “It is one of the things I use along with video to prove to the student that they are actually getting better. I would much rather prove to someone what we did was beneficial for them as opposed to them walking away and not knowing.”

The technology isn’t just used for les-

sons. Smith can take the same readouts and custom fit players for proper clubs for their swing. He can also fit golf balls for players depending on their swing and the type of shots that player hits.

Simulators have another feature as well, one that Smith hopes to use in the future. The simulators feature over 30 famous courses from around the world, meaning players could come in during the winter and tee it up at St. Andrew’s or Pebble Beach.

Smith said he has to wait until he gets another simulator before that’s an option, and right now he is focusing on custom fittings and lessons.

“The reason I use this technology is because I’m a better teacher because I can prove it,” Smith said. “The student will buy into what we are doing. They don’t have to think or wonder anymore.”

The Republic, Columbus, Ind., Thursday, March 10, 2011 11

Start ’em young

FOR THE REPUBLIC

Garrett Lewis, 11, of Whiteland, lines up a putt during a recreational round at The Legends of Indiana Golf Course in Franklin in April.

Getting youth involved can be fun, rewarding

BY TYLER V. HOEPPNER For The Republic For those with a love for the game of golf, few things are better than passing that love onto the next generation. Getting youths involved in golf can be a fun experience, as can watching them grow in the game.

Most youths are introduced by parents, older siblings or grandparents.

So when is the right time to introduce a youth to golf? According to the club professionals, as soon as the child shows interest. There is no set age, but somewhere around 5-6 years old seems about average.

“My main goal is to teach them about the game, the respect and traditions and the friendship and having fun,” said Kyle

See YOUTH on Page 13

12 The Republic, Columbus, Ind., Thursday, March 10, 2011

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YOUTH

Continued from Page 12 Lundy, professional at Harrison Lake Country Club. “I try to do everything I can to make sure those kids are having fun.”

The most important thing at this age is finding the right thing for them to swing. Anything too heavy can ruin the building blocks of mechanics, and if they don’t have success, they won’t find it fun and want to continue.

About age 7-9, it starts to click with a lot of kids. Lundy was a self-learner, but he wishes he would have just taken a few lessons instead of wasting years trying to figure it out on his own.

It’s also a time when junior programs become popular with the kids, and golfing with buddies is a lot more fun. Steve Cohen, professional at Greenbelt Golf Course, has been largely responsible for the successful junior league in Columbus that takes place in the summer. It’s a competitive format with seven mini tournaments held mostly at Par 3 Golf Course.

Most courses have a junior program.

Lundy runs one at Harrison Lake, and Jeff Smith runs one at Otter Creek. They said one of the biggest things they teach once kids get clubs into their hands is safety.

“We teach them how to have success in certain things first because if the child learns the failures, they won’t continue the game,” Smith said.

One area of concern for parents

is clubs for their kids. Since they are always growing, keeping a child in a correctly-sized set is not easy. Smith and Chad Cockerham of Otter Creek have a “Fit and Hit Day” where they help put kids into proper clubs and allow they to try them out on the range.

Lundy is trying to start a rental program at Harrison Lake where a family rents a set for a season. They return it for someone else to use the following year and possibly get a new set for their own kid.

Hand-me-downs also work, especially for younger kids and for families with lots of kids.

“I’ve always recommended to families, don’t spend a lot of money up front,” Cohen said. “You can either rent junior clubs or buy used junior clubs. All you need is a few irons, a wood and a putter to get a kid started. If they have some interest and they want to start playing, you can slowly start upgrading.”

The other worry is always cost, but Cohen believes it’s all relative. Think of sending one kid to a movie. If you hand them $20, they probably won’t come back with much after the ticket, popcorn and a drink.

Par 3 costs $6 for 18 holes and Greenbelt it $8.

“You’re talking four hours of entertainment,” Cohen said. “You just can’t beat that. Golf has become a lot more affordable.”

FOR THE REPUBLIC

Scott Downing, right, PGA director of instruction, works with Noah Ludwig, 14, of Franklin, on the driving range of The Legends of Indiana Golf Course in Franklin in April.

The Republic, Columbus, Ind., Thursday, March 10, 2011 13

Improve game with tips, drills from local pros STAFF REPORTS Want to improve your game? Here are some tips from the pros:

Chip, Putt Drill Use between three and six balls and pick a spot off the putting green to chip from. Now pick out a hole location and chip all of the balls onto the green. Starting with the ball closest to the hole, putt them in and continue until you miss.

When you miss, you take one ball out of the hole plus all the balls you have left on the green and go back to where you were chipping from. Go until you can make all of them.

“It works not only on getting it close to the hole. It also has the pressure of making it. It’s more of a real-life experience and there’s a consequence to it.”

— Chad Cockerham, head golf professional at Otter Creek Golf Course

Five from Five Drill Take five golf balls and putt them all from five feet away. If you miss, you have to start over. Continue until you can make all five in a row.

“It puts some pressure on you. Those are the types of putts you have to be able to make on the course. It’s the most common putt you’ll get.”

— Steve Cohen, professional at Greenbelt Golf Course

Rainbow Drill Set up six balls on the green that are shot at the hole from a different length and a different angle, forming an arch away from the hole. Work forward and backward on the rainbow. This works on your adjustments for speed and the line you’ll use on each putt.

“I would start out on the putting green because it’s the spot you’re going to use about 50 percent of your shots on in every round of golf. The more confidence you can build there, the better off you’ll be.”

— Kyle Lundy, golf professional at Harrison Lake Country Club

Mat Drill This can be done in the winter or when the weather is not great. Get a mat of some kind and paint a mark on it or put a penny on it. Take swings and hit that mark or penny. Focus on hitting the same spot over and over.

“We’re working toward getting good impact. I can have them focused on an impact, where that club is going to land.”

— Jeff Smith, teaching professional at Otter Creek Golf Course

Better balance builds consistency in swing

BY JIM SUTTIE Scripps Howard News Service Balance is probably the No. 1 fundamental in golf. There is not a better way to improve your consistency when you play than concentrating on good balance on both the backswing and the finish.

I live on a golf course, and I can look out my window and watch people tee off. Last week, I watched 82 golfers tee off. Of those 82 golfers, 57 of them were on their right leg at the finish of their swing. And, most all of the golfers were off balance at the finish of their swing because they were swinging too hard and hitting from the top.

When we talk about balance I am talking about right-side balance and left-side balance. To be more specific, we have

three pivot points in our body when we swing a golf club: (1) The spine; (2) The right hip; and (3) The left hip.

Golfers generally turn around their spine, or some have a little more motion and allow themselves to turn around their hip sockets. Either way is very acceptable. Mark Wilson, the recent winner of the Sony Open in Hawaii, is a student of mine, and we are constantly working on his balance, and how he should turn around his spine. He has improved this significantly, as his results have shown.

Golfers that finish on their right leg at the finish of their swing are usually “hitting from the top.” In other words, they are pressuring the club from the top of their swing with their right hand and

See BALANCE on Page 15

14 The Republic, Columbus, Ind., Thursday, March 10, 2011

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Stance, alignment crucial to game

BY JIM SUTTIE Scripps Howard News Service There are two types of fundamentals that a golfer must learn: (1) Pre-swing and (2) In-swing.

The pre-swing fundamentals are those things that happen before any movement occurs. These are static rather than dynamic fundamentals. Fortunately for us, these pre-swing fundamentals have a direct bearing on how we swing the club.

Some examples of these fundamentals are stance, alignment, posture, ball position, clubface aim, weight distribution, and tension level.

Let’s focus on stance, alignment and ball position. No greater player than Jack Nicklaus said that the feet, knees and hips were one of the most important fundamentals in golf.

The golf swing is a ground-reaction game, so therefore, we need a correct stance in order to be consistent. The width of the stance is important for stability and freedom of movement. A stance that is too narrow will result in poor balance, while a stance that is too wide will restrict movement and cause unnecessary lateral movement with the body toward the target.

Stances are also classified as open, closed or square.

Some players, mainly senior players, play out of a slightly closed stance. This stance is lined up slightly right of the target.

This allows the player to make a better body turn on the backswing and, generally, will help the golfer hook the ball.

Sam Snead played this way. He aimed to the right and “came over the top” on the downswing. His shot was a pull hook that was very consistent. Arnold Palmer also played out of a closed stance most of his career.

The other stance type is called the open stance. In this stance, the left foot

is pulled off the target line. This stance will restrict the turning motion of the hips on the backswing, but will help the hips turn out of the way on the forward swing. Lee Trevino played this way.

This stance is hard on the back, and not generally recommended for the average player. The open stance encourages a left-to-right fade.

The other stance type is the square stance. This stance is used by most golfers, and is a stance that is parallel to the target line.

The thing that I see most golfers leaving out of their stance is what I call foot flare. Foot flare is simply flaring out the left foot about 15 to 20 degrees at the setup. This also helps the golfer turn his hips and body through the shot on the forward swing.

Body alignment or shoulder alignment is another pre-swing fundamental that should be addressed. The direction the shoulders are aimed has a direct bearing on the path of the clubhead through impact.

For example, if the shoulders are lined up too far to the left of the target at address, the golfer will cut across the ball and hit a pull hook or pull slice. On the other hand, if the shoulders are lined up to the right of the target at address, the golfer would probably swing too “inside out” and hook the ball.

You can work on your stance and your posture by putting two clubs down on the ground as you are practicing. One club is for the stance and shoulder line, and one club for the target line. A third club can be put in between your feet in order to keep your ball position consistent.

I use a training aid called the Practice Pod that works on all three of these pre-swing fundamentals.

Sometimes the simplest fundamentals will make the biggest difference in your game.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Tseng Yani of Taiwan tees off on No. 9 during the final round of the LPGA Thailand golf tournament in Pattaya, southern Thailand, Feb. 20.

BALANCE Continued from Page 14

right shoulder. The result is an out-of-balance finish position. This sudden acceleration with the right hand and right shoulder is one of the biggest problems that golfers have.

To stop hitting from the top and falling back on the right leg at the finish, the golfer must learn that there are two distinct slow points in the golf swing: The takeaway and the transition. These two areas in the swing must be slow.

Our goal in creating good balance, and thus, good impact, is to swing within ourselves.

Sam Snead has been quoted as saying, that he never swings more than 80 percent of his power. He also said that he has three speeds to his golf swing: (1) Slow, (2) Medium, and (3) Fast. He went on to say, “I never use a swing that will put me out of balance.”

Here are some tips that will help your

balance and consistency: ● Set-up tension free. especially with the hands and arms. ● Develop a slow takeaway and a slow change of direction. ● Make sure you get your weight into your right pivot point on the backswing. ● Try to start down with the lower body and not the hands and arms. ● Concentrate on a straight-balanced finish with your head positioned over your front leg and your knees together. ● Swing within your physical limitations and don’t every swing more than 80 percent of your power.

The best drill I know to improve your balance is to start your swing at the finish position. Now, make your backswing, and go back to your finish and just “hold” your finish for three seconds. It won’t be long before you too are finishing in balance and making better contact.

The Republic, Columbus, Ind., Thursday, March 10, 2011 15

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Contact Charles Kerber for Memberships, Outings and other information Club: 812-579-9173 • Cell: 812-345-4030 Hours: One hour after dawn until dusk