Italy in October

Golf Club Castello La Bastardina

My first Italian golf experience was at

Golf Club Castello La Bastardina in Strada Bastardina, (Piacenza) Italy. It’s only 20 minutes drive from the New Amazon Fulfillment Center in Piacenza, Italy. It reminded me of a Montana golf course that was tucked into farmland between villages. Driving and playing there would prove to be a good adventure.

The global position of Piacenza, Italy is 45.0500º N, 9.7000º E and the global position of the Little Snowy Mountains in Montana is 46.7575º N, 109.1599º W. The similarities of the terrain made me feel quite at home as I spent many summers as a child in this same type of climate in Montana.

Driving the twisting roads to Golf Club Bastardina was a little tricky as the two-lane road in most places was faintly marked and shoulders small. The driving adventure was as much charming as adventurous. Chickens, horses, dogs and farm cats did not notice my lonely rental car passing bye. Contemplating what the hotel clerk told me that I might get lost finding the course I was relieved to see a newly placed golf sign at a “y” in the road. There was even a quaint little church; well I think it was a church? 

Golf Club Bastardina was a friendly open to the public golf club with dinning and a bed and breakfast. It boasted of a Castle with a moat inside of its golf course. The clerk at my hotel also told me the golfing management wanted me to know the course was playable but “under maintained” at the moment. I wondered on that statement?

“Fantastic Fun” would have been a better choice for the clerk at my hotel to tell me. Even with the “under maintained” holes, playing the course was still challenging and enjoyable. The bees and I were the only ones on the course that morning. The hilly holes, twists and turns and variety of holes made for fun play. Wild sage, lavender and mint aromas of the grounds were lovely. I would play and bring my fellow friends to golf at Golf Club Castello La Bastardina in Strada Bastardina.

Narrow Par 3

Par 3 on Top/ Bellow and far Par 4

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Golf-Club-Bastardina/514310115277784

Philipians 4:8…—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

The TCP Scottsdale, AZ at www.tpc.com is such an excellent course to think upon. TCP Scottsdale is the course where the Waste Management Open is played. Any golfer can play this course, as it is open to the public. The day I played September 30, 2013 was perfect short wearing weather.

I arrived later in the afternoon at 1:30. I enjoyed the higher view from the clubhouse that gave an open view of the starting tee’s below. The mountains seemed to behave like a frame as in a photo. The people who worked there were kind and happy to serve the golfers. 

As I waited at the 10^th tee to start that day, I welcomed the threesome that I was supposed to play with. However, their grandfather faces contorted and winced at the site of me waiting to play. The threesome who I now call the 3 Billy Goats clicked together like high school jocks that would be upset at a new kid coming to play. I watched those older men turn their carts around to tell the pro-shop they did not want to play with me. This was my first lesson learned at TCP Scottsdale. You must have $100 to play at twilight but good character is optional. (SMILE)

The staff at TCP was helpful in making me feel welcomed and placed me with two Manhattan golfers. Over the next four hours we would find that we were equally matched and all enjoyed the game and the course.

The tee boxes were immaculate, level and all the grass was cut perfectly.  The greens were like “ice” according to the Manhattan golfers. The fairways were wide but eye tricking with fades to the sides, which could mean trouble. I soon noticed, possibly do to the dry weather and tightly short cut grass, my approach shots would bounce on the front of the green and roll to the back quite regularly. When approaching the greens, they looked wide and welcoming. The back of the greens looked almost designed short looking back. The greens gave the golfer the illusion of a lot of green to work with. When in fact depending on the pin location, there was often not a lot of green to keep your ball on if it had a good roll.

Hole 15 is the most talked about hole with a water Island for the green. It is a par 5. I could not resist the greedy temptation of getting on the green in 2, landing my ball in the moat of water. It was a ball worth losing. I did par six holes and birdie one but with two holes of lost balls I landed myself a score of 90 for my first time of playing TCP Scottsdale.

This course is easily my favorite course I’ve played so far. I recommend playing this course even if there are a few “Goats” out there. J

Sunset Hole 9 TCP Scottsdale, AZ

Lucky 2013

September 1, 2013

         One might say the year 2013 is unlucky, I may agree if I were to think that having a flood in my new to me home in AZ was unlucky. Instead I’m saying 2013 is a very lucky year as moving to AZ put a knowledgeable golf teacher in my path, Dave Shaver. The long wet cold winter in WA left my golf swing in need of some attention. My swing is getting some “Swing Model” attention at http://www.ahwatukeeacademyofgolf.com/instructors.htm

         I’m learning from Dave the Swing Model as he takes me through all the explanations and concepts found in Dr.Ralph Mann and Fred Griffin’s book called 

Swing like a Pro

         Swing like a Pro is quite interesting because it is based on the filming of many PGA and LPG players where the science behind the book looked at each pro filmed based on a specific body part. The science showed that all these pros had specific parts of their swing that matched. The book explains how to have a technical swing that looks as technical as the lowest scoring golfers in the professional golfing world. 

         What I like the best from the Swing Model approach is the sound the club makes as it smoothly powerfully cuts a whipping sound through the air. Thwack!

         After a few drills with Dave to help me shift my weight through my swing, I could hear that “Thwack” sound more clearly in the front of my follow through just beyond impact. I liked it. If you want to learn the parts of your swing that you can learn to match the parts of many of the best players in the world, read Swing like a Pro.

-Golfing Friends isn't this year just zipping along? I've been reading a few new books but not quite ready to blog on them just yet. However, I did make a new video with a fellow Golf Pro. It is a fun video and lets golfers see that teachers are still working on their game. I went into this lesson knowing my aim process needed some help and wanting to get another opinion on getting my hip turn feeling effective. After the viewing, I seen that a lot of my issue was in my back swing. I realized afterwards that my grip was too much in my fingers and causing my club in my back swing to flop in way that I never intended. As you can see on the video, as a teacher we can feel frustration and also victory just like anyone else. It was even a SUNNY day in Washington state. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVtWGEEFORs

February 2013 Happy Valentines!

The 30-Second Golf Swing by T.J. Tomasi

Loved the read!

Bower Harris a skilled golf instructor in Knoxville TN recommended the tittle The 30-Second Golf Swing by T.J. Tomasi. Thanks to Bower also for showing me how to flip my least favorite club to my favorite club. J

So far, The 30-Second Golf Swing by T.J. Tomasi is one of my favorite books on addressing in-depth the whole golfer. There is much in this book that leads the reader onto a pathway of how to capture his/her best golf swing based on how he/she chooses to think. My two favorite points made in the book worth noting without giving too much away is to watch your negative self talk and to think like a champion.

“Banish the Nega-talk” page 13. Duh, no kidding. Seriously, when we openly or internally wallow in our own personal negative talk, we leave ourselves stuck with emotions that linger at the forefront of our thoughts. We should acknowledge a poor shot only, nothing else. Consider this, your running a race and you can’t run faster than the opponent in front of you.  Do you stop on the tack and mope? No, you run the race and focus intently on the finish line. Same in golf, just like the finish line will come to the racer, so will the smooth swing come to a golfer.

 “Champions are in charge of their success and their failures.” Page 37. Do we claim victories and learn from failure where both have enriched our strategy for results? If not, lets start! 

Again consider this, I recently tagged along at a dinner meeting where the table seated 10 other “Champion Regionals” who work for Amazon.com. Regionals are responsible for a region of warehouses for Amazon in different parts of the country. How these Champions spoke made it obvious how they thought about themselves and how they craved both success and loss. One Champion who recently came to Amazon, who competes in triathlons, said he loves working as hard as he does for Amazon because everyday is a chance to fail. This person believes in himself so much as a Champion in the work place that failure can happened at any moment and yet he craves that responsibility. Champion golfers keep their eyes on the target, as they know failure is married to success and it is a sweet union.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in playing golf with a smooth golf swing and creating an passionate experience on the golf course.

Happy Golfing and Remember 1Putt1Chip makes par too. J

Happy Thanksgiving 2012

Happy Thanksgiving 2012

When you’re counting your blessings and enjoying your feast. Consider creating good golf shot memories similar to the good memories you have at special occasions like today on Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a good memory in itself. Yes, it is good for your golf game to also have stored memories of good shots.  Purposely get thankful out on the course.

I just finished reading Golf is Not a Game of Perfect Dr. Bob Rotella writes to golfers to celebrate, remember and be thankful for the good shots. "I encourage players to do that. It will help make the game more enjoyable. It will help make the memory of good shots stronger." Do you realize "a great golf shot is a thing of beauty" and do you "savor it and celebrate it?"  (p. 131)

I have been working on this same thing with my game. Yesterday at Camelback Mountain in Paradise Valley, AZ I was faced with a low punch shot between four trees and the other side awaited a bunker in front of the raised green. I was 125 yards out. Since I’ve been working on my good memory golf shots I recalled a good low shot out of the woods I hit recently in Washington. I went for it and punched an amazing fade that needled through the narrow tree opening and faded just enough to bounce beside the bunker tossing my ball pin high in regulation. It was tempting to fall back on negative feelings of concern when I first seen where my ball was. I considered even chipping out 30 yards side ways just to get an easier shot and take a stroke; but Rotella’s book helped me to "trust my golf swing" by relying on past good shots.

If you want to create a better game for yourself that has more to do with what and how you think than your actual golf swing mechanics, then order Golf is Not a Game of Perfect

You won’t be disappointed and maybe you can even get one as a gift for your negative playing golf buddies that toss their clubs, pout in the cart, and well you know how some of us play! Happy Thanksgiving!

What happens in the LPGA Teaching Professional Apprentice week... goes out to each student!

October 2012, I spent one full week in Daytona Florida in conferences and on the practice tee learning communication to help the student and the teacher create a lesson that is relevant, authentic to the students intentions, and fun. The LPGA Professional Teachers and Clubs is driven to get new golfers out quickly on the course playing. I myself hit a score of 80 only after 15 months of golfing. This was a direct result from all my teachers but most specifically from my LPGA Professional Teachers who are trained in the student centered model. Knowing how to actively listen and effectively communicate creates fast and fun learning. Find a LPGA Teaching pro near you and you will be pleasantly fulfilled with LPGA's knowledge from shared research from over 30 years that the LPGA has been working on and giving their teachers to share with new golfers and seasoned golfers. Fall is here, Winter is near...find a LPGA Professional Teacher near you and make your own golfing goals happen even with an indoor lesson. Find a LPGA Professional Teacher Near you.