4 Apr 2018

“Pro” Files – Touring Professional Jessica Korda

Athletic genes run in the Korda family of Florida. Patriarch Petr is a native of the former country of Czechoslovakia and the 1998 Australian Open winner in tennis, and his wife Regina was also a professional tennis player. They have three American-born children, Jessica, Nelly and Sebastian. Both Jessica and Nelly play on the LPGA Tour, and Sebastian is the #1-ranked junior tennis player in the world. Jessica, the oldest of the three, has won five times on the LPGA Tour, but had been battling facial cramps and headaches due to a severe overbite. She finally had surgery to correct the problem, with doctors having to break her nose and both her upper and lower jaw to complete the procedure. After an extended recovery, she returned to professional golf in 2018 and won the Honda Thailand Classic. Korda’s appearance is somewhat different, and she said she is getting used to the new face she sees in the mirror. Having won so soon after returning to the Tour shows her mental toughness, and it’s a sure bet that she will be better than ever now that this problem is behind her.
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usgtf logo golf teacher certified golf instructor pga
4 Apr 2018

Editorial – Now They’re Concerned with Distance…A Bit too Late at this Stage

People say golf is about tradition. Nonsense! Ever since the first sheepherder hit a rock with the crook of his staff, the only constant in golf has been distance, more and more of it. The rock was replaced by wood, wood by stuffed leather. After that, hard rubber, which was overtaken by wound elastic, to finally solid cores with multi-elastomeric covers. The farther the ball went the better, everyone said. That makes the game more fun, according to the experts.

So why the fuss lately and by whom? I don’t hear the fans complaining, nor the average golfer. The people who were supposed to be looking out for the game are now concerned after years of stating that distance was not a problem. Seems a bit late.

So, let’s think about it a bit. If golf courses are continually lengthened and toughened to counter the distance gains, then that presents an issue. Maintenance costs for upkeep become overwhelming, and many courses that were built as so-called championship venues have closed. They were too hard and expensive for the average player. On the other hand, if courses are not altered, especially older ones that have been successfully run for years, then distance should not be an issue.

If people start shooting much lower scores, so what? That’s the whole point of hitting the ball longer. Does anyone think golfers want to go backwards in this day and age? Not going to happen. The cat is out of the bag and it’s not going back in.

By Mike Stevens, USGTF Member, Tampa, Florida
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Dylan Malafronte
2 Mar 2018

Florida Pro Wins USGTF-Sponsored US Pro Hickory

Temple Terrace Golf & Country Club in Tampa, Florida, opened in 1922 and laid out by noted architect Tom Bendelow, was described by the Tampa Tribune as a brute of a course stretching out over 6,400 yards. That’s probably not worthy by today’s standard, but a stout test for the century-old clubs used back then. The links held up well against some excellent modern-day hickory golfers at the 2018 United States Professional Hickory Championship held February 26, with Dylan Malafronte from Ocala, Florida, carding an even-par 72 to grab the John Shippen Cup with a margin of two strokes clear of Mark Harman from Ridgeland, South Carolina. This year’s Ladies’ championship goes to Jennifer Cully of Apollo Beach Golf Club in Florida, with an excellent round of 86.

The U.S. Pro Hickory is the brainchild of USGTF Southeast Region director Mike Stevens, himself a three-time national champion in hickory golf. The event is held annually in February at Temple Terrace.

For more information, please go to www.USProHickory.com or email Stevens at ams1127@msn.com.
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international golf psychology association
2 Mar 2018

IGPA Course Offered

The International Golf Psychology Association (IGPA) is pleased to announce the Masters Level Golf Psychology Webinar series with Dr. Gregg Steinberg. The Masters Level Golf Psychology webinar series is a continuation of the IGPA on-line golf psychology certification course found at www.MasteringGolfPsychology.com.

This webinar series will cover many essential golf psychology topics and is conducted by Dr. Steinberg, who is recognized by Golf Digest as one of the world’s greatest sport psychologists. Dr. Steinberg has been the mental game coach for many PGA Tour winners, and is the head psychologist for the IGPA as well as the head sport psychologist for the United States Golf Teachers Federation.

The Masters Level Golf Psychology Webinar series will be 7-8 p.m. EST on Wednesday nights in March (March, 7, 14, 21, 28). If you miss a webinar, it will be recorded. During the live webinar, you will have access to Dr. Steinberg and be able to ask him any questions. Following the completion of this webinar series, you will receive a certificate from the IGPA stating you have received Masters-level training and expertise in golf psychology.

This entire webinar series is $149. If you are interested in signing up for this webinar series, please click here.

If you have any questions, please email Dr. Steinberg at mentalrules24@msn.com. If you have not taken the online course but plan to take the webinar series, we strongly encourage you to also take the online golf psychology course. Please e-mail Dr. Steinberg for the promo code for your discounted rate for the online course.

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2 Mar 2018

USGTF Regional and National Tournament Action

The 23rd United States Golf Teachers Cup will take place October 2-3, 2018, in Niagara Falls, Ontario, as a joint venture with the Canadian Golf Teachers Federation. CGTF president Marc Ray has announced that Ussher’s Creek at Legends on the Niagara will be the location. Registration is now open at http://www.cgtf.com/2018-cgtf-usgtf-teachers-cup.

Dates for the Southwest Region Championship and the Central Region Championship have been announced. Information for the Southeast, Northeast, and Northwest Region championships is pending. All current information can be found at https://www.usgtf.com/tournaments-for-golf-teaching-professionals.
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2 Mar 2018

Player Amateur Tour in Full Swing

USGTF member Wayne Player is thrilled to update us that the launch of the Player Amateur Tour has been met with great success. Marketing through the Player Amateur Site and mobile app is reaching millions, Membership in the Tour is increasing daily, and sponsors like OnCore Golf, TeeOff.com, OGIO, NuCalm, Par Bar, Skimp Belts and Easy Belt have all jumped on board to “Go For The Green.”

Looking to earn some extra cash? Now it’s your turn to tee off with the Player Amateur Tour. USGTF members have an opportunity to serve as a Brand Ambassador with the tour and earn money along the way. To become a Brand Ambassador for the Player Amateur Tour and start generating incremental income today, please click here.
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ontal corporate golf
2 Mar 2018

Ontal Offers Partner Opportunity for USGTF Members

USGTF members now have the opportunity to purchase discounted golf equipment through their personal Ontal Corporate Golf Wellness account and resell to their students at retail pricing. You are then able to not only set up your students with new clubs and products, but also make a profit on the sale. Setup is easy – simply visit www.Ontalcgw.com and create an account. Once your account has been approved, you will receive a welcome email and may then log on to see your member pricing. You can then set your sale price, order and sell to your students. Please call Dan Webb at 414-614-8488 for more information and/or questions.
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2 Mar 2018

“PRO” File – Touring Professional Luke List

He nearly grabbed his first PGA Tour win at the Honda Classic, but Luke List’s effort in a playoff against reigning Player of the Year Justin Thomas fell just short.  Nevertheless, the long-hitting List seems ready to take the next step in professional golf. List was runner-up to Ryan Moore in the 2004 U.S. Amateur and earned a Master’s invitation the following year, where he finished in a tie for 33rd place. He turned pro in 2007 and made it to what is now known as the Web.com Tour in 2010, and in 2013 he was a rookie on the PGA Tour. However, he failed to keep his card and it was three years later before he finally rejoined the big tour for good. The playoff loss to Thomas was List’s second runner-up finish in his career and the seventh top-10. List is a regular in the top-10 in driving distance, which gives him the potential to compete anywhere at anytime. He seems poised to finally reach the potential that many saw in him during his days at Vanderbilt University.
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2 Feb 2018

Registration Now Open for 2018 US/CGTF Cup

Registration is now open for the 23rd annual United States Golf Teachers Cup to be played October 1-3, 2018, at Ussher’s Creek Golf Course in Niagara Falls, Canada. This year’s cup will be played as a joint venture with the Canadian Golf Teachers Federation and will be held concurrently with the CGTF Cup. Niagara Falls is one of the world’s greatest vacation destinations and offers many amenities for a complete golf and family vacation. Please visit http://www.cgtf.com/2018-cgtf-usgtf-teachers-cup/ for more information and to register. We look forward to seeing you at this unique and cooperative venture.
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2 Feb 2018

US Professional Hickory Championship This Month

The 2018 United States Professional Hickory Championship will be played Monday, February 26 at Temple Terrace Country Club in Tampa, Florida. USGTF Southeast Region director Mike Stevens hosts this USGTF-sponsored event, which honors the game’s heritage, and pays homage to the original Florida Open played at the same site.

A purse of $5,000 is offered, and there is also a separate amateur division. Clubs will be provided for those who do not have their own, and may be obtained Sunday, February 25 at Terrace Hill Golf Course and Driving Range near the club. The entry fee is $100. For more information and to enter, please go to www.USProHickory.com or email Stevens at ams1127@msn.com.

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