It is important to note that there is no single way to take the club away from the ball.  The one piece is only one option.  An example of the opposite move would be a Fred Couples who allows his hands to play a major role in the takeaway and setting of the wrists at the top of the swing.  David Leadbetter’s stable of touring professionals all seem to employ an early wrist set to gain leverage.  Nick Faldo used to set his wrists almost immediately at the takeaway and produces an outstanding ball flight as a result.  I would encourage golfers lacking in any power to feel as though the butt end of the club is pointing a little behind the ball when the lead arm reaches parallel to the ground in the backswing.  This will encourage a little more “hit” on the downswing.  Golfers who do not lack the physical strength to move the ball with some authority are encouraged to work within the guidelines of the one piece takeaway.  There are less moving parts which make the swing less complicated and sequencing of those parts becomes easier.  Give both a try and see for yourself what works.

Jason March

#10 Goes to Mike B who has posted a couple nice scores.  However, nice scores is another name for  hacker or chopper.

#9 Goes to Brian R with who posted one nice score and one not so nice score.  He said in a news conference after his round, “I stopped trying after my triple bogey on 16.”  That’s what makes league so great folks…when adversity strikes you can fold like a lawn chair in tornado alley.

#8 Goes to me who shot a one under par score to set the early “who will most certainly lose due to handicapping” challenge. 

#7 Goes to Adam E who will easily be the next guy to hack it up shortly.  Two great scores out of the gate sets a tremendously high kybosh rating that it is simply off the charts.

#6 Goes to Arturo G who improves day after day.  It’s rather disgusting really.

#5 Goes to Chris R who still holds a grudge from the winter league.  What can I tell ya man, play worse!

#4 Goes to Tim B who on the other side of the coin played well in the winter championship.  He likey golf right nowwy!

#3 Goes to JP M who now understands the importance of sandbagging. 

#2 Goes to Ciaran who placed one shot out of the money in the winter championship.  He is not bitter though.  Sometimes he actually says hello to me.

#1 This week is Leon S who posted a score that everyone is shocked to see.  He shot a score that was about 20 shots less than his winter average.  Keep it up Leon.  That was pure magic!

Agree or disagree?  Have your say!

Parents

This is your chance to get your child started out right with the game of golf.  We are now taking reservations for summer camp starting this July and running all summer long!

This year’s camp is a half day where your kids will get a chance to putt, chip, pitch and drive their way to great fun.  We are accepting children age 6 to 16 and will be following the CN Future Links format for golf developement.  The cost of the camp is $199 per week and includes four half days of instruction and one half day of playing golf at Dentonia Park Golf Course.

Give us a call at 416 405 9888 and ask for Jason March our resident CPGA Professional to book your child for this fun camp experience.  We are accepting registrations in limited numbers and on a first come first serve basis.

Well…my fine feathered friends, another winter league has come and gone and we here at LSL could not be more pleased with how the season turned out.  I want to thank all participants, members and hobos in the night that got themselves up off their couches, chesterfields and box cars respectively, to come out every Wednesday to participate, compete and have more fun than a coon dog……well…er….around a whole bunch of racoons.  Your participation and attitude was tremendous.

This past Wednesday April 11 at 7 pm we played our Winter League Championship and it was indeed a barn burner.  Everyone ate, drank, grumbled, pissed and moaned their way around an awe inspiring Bethpage Black Course that brought most to their knees, several to their asses and made one actually poop his pants a little.  This is their story…..THIS IS YOUR FINAL WINTER SEASON POWER RANKINGS~!!

#10 Goes to the man who man who was the most shocked to find out he had no chance to win after playing his first shot.  Chris R who easily posted the best gross scores all season got blindsided this past Wednesday night when he realized he would have to shoot 45 for 18 holes to have a chance.  Oops!

#9 Goes to J.P M who seemed happy just to be included in the whole thing….This whole lowered expectations thing needs to stop J.P.

#8 Goes to Ciaran G who actually asked me for a ruling because he thought his approach looked closer than 6.2 feet from the hole.  I said..”No bloody chance you hacker”.  He missed placing in the top three by one shot.  Ouchy!

#7 Goes to Peter O. who spent more time outside than in the simulator playing.  He makes this list because he realized he was slow and then went a little faster when I said to him” I’m going to give you and your group a penalty if you don’t pick up the pace there chopper!”  Well done Peter O.

#6 Goes to Mike B. who I touted as the guy who would kick some serious butt…and I was right….He kicked his own butt by hitting more wood than a lumberjack on crystal meth.

#5 Goes to Peter M. who brought his own wine to the party and…yes…offered to share.  That, my friends is a true competitor!

#4 Goes to Jerry J. who made this old writer, instructor and friend proud when he hit the shot heard round Nicklaus Room winning our closest to the pin contest.  Jerry is a student of mine and I had to convince him he was ready for the big time and he proved this prognosticator right!

AND NOW………YOUR TOP THREE…….GOLF..TYPE…ER..GUY….PLAYERS

#3 Goes to Arturo G who shot 9 below his handicap to wrestle third place away from the above mentioned Ciaran by one measily shot.  When I asked Arturo how he felt after receiving the Nike hat, TaylorMade Towel, Titleist Balls and brunch for two at the Beacher Cafe he simply said..”I like play golf..but this might no be enough balls”  Well said Arturo!

#2 Goes to Tim B. who collected a Nike VapourX Stand Bag a four month membership at Lakeshore Links and brunch for two at the Beacher Cafe.  Tim beat Arturo by one shot as well which tells me my handicapping system was pretty solid………………….until…………………#1

#1 Goes to the ultimate in ultimate SANDBAGGING Hackers!  Greg H was a former student of mine who turned to the darkside somewhere along the way.  Now he goes from tournament to tournament preying on prize tables.  I’m no Obi Wan Kenobi or anything but I do see some similarities here.  Greg won an RBZ Driver, Six Month Membership at Lakeshore Links and Brunch at the Beacher Cafe.  Nice Haul Kid!

Again, Let me thank everyone who participated, and let everone know that Lakeshore Links is about Golf, Entertainment and Learning and we look forward to a new summer league beginning next week with a great championship again this fall.

Cheers All!

Jason March

We also had some great prize  giveaways, courtesy of MGD (Thanks Keith!!!)

Congratulations to Harry for winning the infrared oil-less turkey cooker and Bob for winning the portable gas grill!

#10 this week goes to Donna Y. who makes her way onto the top 10 for the first time.  She’s taking lessons from a non-Lakeshore Links golf professional so we should not expect her to move to far up the list too soon.  Ouch!  That’s gotta hoit!

#9 goes to Donna’s playing partner Max S.  He seems to be getting second hand tips from Donna’s lesson last week.  That’s why he’s one spot better than her.  Welcome to the top 10 you two.

#8 goes to JP M. who has been improving as of late, not by an noticeable measure but…..oh hell, he stinks too!

#7 goes to Alex T. who simply gets progressively worse as time goes by.  Why do you all play so bad that I have to say these cruel things?  I hate myself a little right now…..Ok….I’m over it.

#6 goes to Don I.  who refuses to improve or get worse.  Don has basically shot the same score every Wednesday and it will probably continue.  Have you ever seen that movie Ground Hog Day?  That’s Don’s life story.  Bill Murray was cast in that role because he’s tall, funny lookin and enjoys golfing just like Don.  Hey Don!  Wiarton Willie called….he wants his attention back!

#5 goes to James R. who makes his way onto the top 10 for the very first time with his very first score….of 60.  (cricket sounds)……………….good for you kiddo.

#4 goes to Greg H. who is a student of mine and hits the ball hard.  He’s no Donna Y. or Max S. but at least he takes his lessons from LSL resident professionals. (that wound I’ve created is looking a little infected now)

#3 goes to Jorge C. who is also a student of mine.  I have no complaints about this guy except that he hits the ball about 200 yard with his 8 iron.  That’s a little disgusting Jorge.  Ease up on the steroids a bit and you might hit the fairway once in a while.

#2 goes to Craig H. who posted his worst score to date.  #2 is an appropriate ranking for such a score because…well…..we all no what a #2 is.  Pow!  Right in the kisser!

#1 goes to Leon S. who posted the highest score ever in LSL League play this week with an 87.  When I asked Leon how he could have possibly shot an 87 he simply replied…”I missed a 7 footer on 18 for an 86.”  Well said Leon…well said.

Don’t agree with me?  Have your say by leaving a comment.

Jason March

Amateur golfers have a tendency to lift or pick the golf club up abruptly during the back swing (narrow) and then on the down swing extend their arms out on the way back down to the ball (wide).   This causes an extremely shallow angle of approach into the ball with much of the power drained before impact.  The result is a weak ball flight.  The term “casting” is often used for this move. 

This is what you should do.  As the club moves away from the ball on the backswing extend your arms as far as you can without letting your wrists cock or lift the club prematurely.  You can extend your arms too far though.  If your arms become disconnected from your chest and try to reach too far you can get into trouble.  The key is to extend, but not at the expense of your connection to your upper body.  You’ve seen touring professionals practice with head covers or towels under their arm pits to mimic this connection.  Try that too if you wish.  After you have extended back, let the wrists hinge up.  This move that you have made is the “wide”.

The “narrow” refers to the downswing or approach into the ball.  Your wrists should be fully cocked at the top of your backswing.  Now, simply try to maintain that wrist cock as the club swings down.  This trip back to the ball is much narrower than the trip back.  Some instructors call this lagging the club.  Some just refer to it as wide then narrow.  Narrow then wide is a weak slapping action.

Give this a try this winter.  Indoor simulators can show you that your swing path is getting more on track.  Or maybe just give your local CPGA Teaching Professional a call.

Did this lesson help?  Please leave a comment and let’s keep the golf talk going!

All the best!

Jason March

CPGA Head Teaching Professional

Lakeshore Links Indoor Golf Academy

#10 This week goes to Ryan Woods who “says” he shot a 32 for the back nine at Spyglass.  Ryan seems to “career it” when no one is looking and he sets up his own golf course.  A little prognostication here folks.  Ryan will get stompted like a Narcotics officer at a biker rally come April’s big tournament. (You heard it here!!)

#9 Goes to a slew of FNG’s who I have not had a chance to trash yet.  Jorge, Greg, Don and Ciaran should be made aware that playing well guarantees nothing and playing bad guaratees mean spirited language and abuse.  Welcome!

#8 Goes to Scot.  Scot….what were you thinking by posting a 54 on my watch.  Your playing golf like a man who has been evicted, arrested, divorced and belittled in writing to the Lakeshore Links community, all in the same day!  (As you can see folks, there is “some” truth to eveything I say.)

#7 Goes to Adam who gets progressively worse every time he plays.  Last week I took pity on poor Adam and let him beat me in a round.  That’s right…LET HIM!  Sour grapes are my specialty!

#6 Goes to Joel and Chris R.  Is it just me or is it tacky beyond all recognition to “have” to own every single course record here at LSL.  Listen Guys…if you have to tell everyone how good you are….well….you know the rest.

#5 Goes to Peter M. who proved to everyone here at LSL that anyone with a pulse and a Yip can make the power rankings.  Welcome to the world of obscurity Peter.

#4 Goes to Bruce who, of late, is playing better and better.  Posting a 41 this week for a guy who could’nt hit the side of barn with a scatter gun and a hand grenade, should be quite proud. Cheers ya hacker!

#3 Goes to Arturo who’s scores are simply improving by leaps and bounds.  Arturo actually leaps during his backswing and bounds on the downswing.  If he times it right he sometimes hits the ball.

#2 Goes to simply the best golfer in the whole league (he he he me!)

#1 Goes to Gerry who makes improvement seem effortless and easy.  The amount of time he practices suggests he will be the force to be reckoned with come April.  Gerry’s wife will always remember him fondly and think about the good times when he was actually home.

Disagree with me suckas?  Leave a comment and let the debate begin!

Jason March

I like to get as much information as possible on the course I am playing.  This starts with the green and where the pin is located.  This information is vital because it tells me what type of a shot I may be hitting my approach shot with and the best possible direction to putt to the hole.  If the pin is located on the left side of the green I will probably need to hit a draw shot to get the ball close to the hole.  Now that I have determined what type of approach shot is required I can plan where my tee shot needs to be situated.  I may feel as though I need to put the ball in the centre or right centre of the fairway for a simple approach.  In that case I may decide to fade my tee shot to eliminate the left side of the fairway to secure an offensive position.

Be a thinker and planner the next time you play.  The ball won’t always behave the way you want it to, but if you have a plan your misses will be better.

Tell us what you think of this lesson.  Post a comment.

Good luck.

Jason March

CPGA Head Teaching Professional

Lakeshore Links Indoor Golf Academy.