When The Price Is Right, People Will Respond
2 Apr 2012

When The Price Is Right, People Will Respond

There is a lot of talk about the state of the game these days and what needs to be done to create growth. Not many talk about reducing their prices, however, to attract more people.

I have been on a few forums lately, and you would think that lowering the price of a lesson or a round of golf is akin to selling your soul to the devil. Let’s be realistic for a moment, however. People are always looking for a deal, and in a tough economy even more so. I know I do. I play with a regular group of guys once a week, and we generally go to the course with the best rate.

Amenities only go so far. My friends are not going to pay $75 or more for a round of golf on a regular basis just because the course is newer, has GPS, a fancy clubhouse, and might be in better condition. If the course is in decent shape and priced right, my buddies are going there. They just want to play golf, and I believe most people are that way.

Here are a few example of what I mean. One of our local courses made a mistake and advertised a weekend rate of $25 instead of $35. We, of course, jumped on it. So did most of the other golfers in the area. The tee sheet was full all day, both days. I was approached by Groupon about doing a deal with them. I said what the heck. The discount was significant, but they sold 315 packages in a three-day period.

No matter what, people are always looking for the best deal they can find. If that means I have to take less for a lesson right now, so be it. I love what I do and want to keep doing it. Everything cycles, and adapting to the ups and downs is not compromising your principles – it is making sound business decisions.
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Teaching Simple Pitch Shots
2 Apr 2012

Teaching Simple Pitch Shots

The technique used for pitching the ball is basically the same as with other full shots with a golf club.  The only changes are a smaller swing, a slightly opened stance, and an open hip position that most good wedge players use.  This is done because the smaller swing of the wedge.  By opening the stance and hips, it gives the body a little more room to clear through the shot.

The length of the backswing and speed of the downswing influence the distance control on pitch shots.  A longer backswing increases the potential speed of the clubhead.

There are several different theories on how to control distance.  Some advocate the length of backswing dictates the distance hit.  Others control the distance by swing speed.  Personally, I think that is a combination of the two.   However, I prefer to rely on swing length as a guide and swing speed as the ultimate control under pressure.

There are various styles that we can use to accomplish a successful pitch but there are a few fundamentals that should be followed:

  • The pitch shot is just a small swing with a lofted club.
  • Feet and hips should be slightly open to the target.  This makes it easier to see the target line and to swing down the target line.
  • Set the weight more to the target side to promoting a stable impact position.  The set-up should nearly mimic the impact position.
  • For most pitch shots, there is very little rotation of the clubhead on the backswing and through the impact area.  The clubface should remain square to the target well after impact.
  • Feel as if the clubhead is a broom brushing the ground at impact.  There is no need for a huge divot.

Pitch and Run  

There is a variation of the pitch shot where the ball is pitched into the air and releases upon landing.  The shot is executed the same as a normal pitch, except the non-target hand releases more at impact.  The clubhead is allowed to rotate over after impact to encourage for the pitch and run shot.
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Golf Needs New Thinking
2 Apr 2012

Golf Needs New Thinking

Many of us have been lucky enough to make a living in the great game of golf. At a time when the game has taken a beating from the economy, it is the duty of all of us in the industry to give back to the game to make it healthy and growing again.

As I sat in the front row of the audience at the January PGA show in Orlando listening to the great Jack Nicklaus speak, I couldn’t help but be moved by his words. It wasn’t only his words, but the tone in his voice and the obvious concern you could see on his face. Here was this die-hard traditionalist talking about how he had to revisit his beliefs and attitudes in order to realize that the game was falling behind other sports with kids and the public in general. On the big screen behind him, he played a video of a focus group session. Some of the comments about the game, its representatives (us!), and its image were not very positive. As a matter of fact, it was startling to hear “outside voices” from average people who have either left the game or never played talk about their perceptions of the game. I was squirming in my seat.

At Jack’s beloved Muirfield Village course in Columbus, Ohio, Jack hosted some “out of the box thinking” outings. He was proud to show the pictures and videos of the interviews recorded during and after each event. One was a tournament with the hole being made three inches bigger on every green. Another event featured more than one hole on every green. Another set of pictures and participant interviews focused on his initiative of shortening the course significantly for a large outing. To say the least, the feedback was wildly popular and positive. And, all of this came from someone I always considered one of the hardcore traditionalists in the history of the game.

In the mid-to-late 1990s, golf was riding a wave of popularity. Golf schools were packed, and courses were being built long and difficult – and a lot of them were being built. Equipment manufacturers were thriving. Tiger Woods was seemingly the lead on ESPN every day. Television ratings were setting records, and there were new golf shops everywhere. Since then, we have lost over 9 million golfers.

Think about that number for a moment. Jack’s message was basically that it was up to all of us to promote the game, not just in our traditional close-minded way, but with “new thinking,” as he called it. He called on everyone listening to get kids involved, give some free lessons and change the way the game is introduced to new players. Change the game somehow to make it more fun.
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