Mike Diffley's Sage Advice For Starting Your Golf Season

A guest post from Pelham CC Head Professional Mike Diffley

Mike Diffley

The golf season is about to start and hopefully you're excited for a great season. I know I am.

I have set my goals, physical, mental and achievement wise. Have you? Goal setting is the best way to stay motivated. Write them down, put them somewhere you can see them regularly, (keep them private if you like or share them with just a few people.)

If they are easily reachable, maybe they are too easy. Have some that are reachable, some that are a stretch, and some that are a dream. Yes a dream! If you don't dream, you might be selling yourself short. Why would we do that? Do you think Keegan Bradley when he was recruited only by St.John's still dreamed he was going to be a PGA tour player? Damn right he did.

How do we reach our goals? To succeed at golf we need some key physical skills, a repeatable motion, scoring skills, strength, endurance. Every good player has those traits, some more than others. That's what makes some players improve and get closer to their dreams.The following is a list of things on the inside that are invisible to the eye but that great players and high achievers all have:

• Character
• Strong work ethic
• High level of competitiveness
• Ambition
• Grit or toughness

Do you know how much of the above you have? If you don't, you should, it doesn't matter how far you hit it or how great you swing. It's takes a combination of many facets to succeed at anything especially something as difficult as golf. Are you ready?

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf

Take a Lesson on Pebble Beach at Ashford Golf Academy

I've played Pebble Beach and I've taken a few (not enough) golf lessons, but I'd never done both at the same time until I visited the Billy Ashford Golf Academy at Bilancio. In case you're wondering, that's in Purchase, NY, not California. The Pebble Beach experience occurs on the About Golf simulator in Ashford's studio, which may not have sea breezes but does come complete with the sounds of shore birds and surf.

Billy Ashford

There are other places where you can play golf on simulators, but Ashford is the only PGA pro I know who incorporates the simulator into his teaching plan. I have to say it's a heck of a lot more interesting to try to work on a swing change using the pin on Pebble's eighth hole as a target than the usual driving range flag. Not only do you have some spectacular scenery to look at, but I have to believe it makes it easier to take the lesson from the range to the course for real when the time comes.

Another big advantage is that your swings are recorded on the simulator software so that you and Ashford have solid data about swing speed, efficiency, ball spin, and more to work with. This also means you can empirically track your progress from session to session.  Ashford also adds video of your swing to the lesson so that you get a really, really complete look at why your ball ends up in the Pacific instead of the fairway. He takes an extra step and emails the video to you with his analysis after the lesson, too, so you can work on it on your own.

Tired of playing Pebble Beach (don't you wish!)--there are dozens of other fabulous courses to choose from. The simulator and studio, which is located in the Bilancio personal fitness center, is available for a weekly round with your buddies, too. Ashford will also give group lessons and even arrange refreshments. It's all at Bilancio, 4 Manhattanville Road, Purchase, NY. For more information, email Billy Ashford or call him at (845) 222-9056. He also gives lessons to both members and non-members of Mahopac Golf Club during the regular season.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf

Sharon McQuillan Clicks With Golfers

Bubba Watson may not need golf lessons, but I bet you do. Why? Because you're not Bubba Watson! You probably didn't start swinging a club at age six, nor do you practice--with or without a teacher--six or eight hours every day, work out every day, and play five or six rounds of golf every week. Maybe that's why you've not only never won the Masters, you've never even been invited. Trust me, you need a lesson or two or three. So how do you find a good teacher?

Plenty of golf professionals know a lot about the game, but the really good teachers are the ones who can transfer their knowledge to their students. Sharon McQuillan is one of those. I spent an hour with her on the lesson tee and came away knowing a lot about my swing--and how to fix it.

McQuillan, who teaches primarily at the Westchester Driving Range, taught with some of the best in the business, including Jim McLean and David Ledbetter. I first met her a few years ago when she was the head pro at Bonnie Briar Country Club, one of the few women to hold that position anywhere in the country. In addition to teaching, she currently is Tour Director for US Kids Golf for Southern Westchester and Long Island.

When I arrived for my lesson, McQuillan took the step that many teachers skip--she tried to learn something about me. I didn't fill out any forms, but we had a very useful conversation about what my game is like, what I'd like it to be, what kind of clubs I play (and whether they were fitted to me), as well as whether I have any physical limitations--including what kind of glasses I wear on the course. Then I warmed up a bit and hit a few balls.

McQuillan uses the JC Video system, which has two cameras (one down the line and the other face-on) that capture your swing in high-speed video. Like any good teacher, McQuillan probably doesn't need the high-tech gizmos to spot what's happening in the golf swing, but it makes a great tool to show the student what's really going on when they swipe at the ball. As opposed, that is, to what they THINK is occurring. McQuillan patiently showed me two problems, one with my grip (I'd unconsciously slipped into a bad position) and one with the way my lower body was moving during the swing. It's the kind of thing I may have suspected, but I'd never have seen it without her help.

Working with the video, we went through several more swings as I tried to correct the faults. McQuillan was extremely supportive throughout the process of critiquing each swing until I finally got it right. In addition to the swing analysis, McQuillan discussed several drills I could use in the gym or even in my office to work on the move I'm trying to approve.

One of the big advantages of her approach is that I'll be able to refer back to the lesson as often as I want, since the video is available on her website in a password-protected section for students. She also sent the video lesson to me so I could load it on a mobile video device like an iPhone if I chose. The video shows both my "before" and "after" swings complete with telestrator-type lines, stop-motion, and even a clip of Tiger Woods hitting a similar club. The most useful feature of the video, though, is McQuillan's commentary, which repeated the points she made during the lesson. It makes for a very effective learning experience.

There's no question that having another set of expert eyes (NOT just your buddy or the guy next to you on the range unless he happens to be a PGA professional) can help you play better golf. If you're looking for a knowledgeable, accessible, easy-to-work-with pro, turn to someone like Sharon Mcquillan.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf

A Word To the Wise Golf Marketer

If you're in the golf business and want to reach a significant number of golfers in the New York market, add the 7th Annual Journal News Golf Show to your must-do calendar for 2011. The dates are Saturday and Sunday, March 12 and 13, and it will be held at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, NY.

This is a new name and new dates for the show, which drew 3500 golfers last year despite horrendous weather. They braved the elements to see exhibits by leading manufacturers, courses, resort destinations, and others. There were also nearly continuous free lessons, demonstrations, and dozens of participatory exhibits. The demo area saw a constant stream of players trying out the latest equipment.

This year's event was moved back a week so it coincides with the opening of the Westchester County Courses. Westchester County Parks, which runs six daily fee courses here, is a sponsor of the show. The show also changed names from Lower Hudson Golf Show to The Journal News Golf Show to better brand the Journal News which has been the major sponsor since 2005.

If you'd like more information on exhibiting in the show, contact John Zanzarella at JAZMC@aol.com.

Dave Donelson, author of Heart of Diamonds a romantic thriller about blood diamonds in the Congo.

Tom Watson Releases DVD Instruction Set

By guest blogger and fellow golf writer Howie Munck

Tom Watson has released an instructional two-disk DVD set entitled “Lessons of a Lifetime” in which he draws upon his many years of experience and observation of reliable golf swings.

Watson's swing has been a model of repeatable simplicity and effectiveness. He credits his longevity in golf primarily to good family genes, a regimen of aerobics and weight training. He also credits The Champions Tour with keeping his game sharp.

Watson is generous with crediting those from whom he has learned: his father, Stan Thirsk, Cory Pavin, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, lee Trevino, Byron Nelson, Johnny Miller, Seve Ballesteros, Claude Harmon, Billy Casper, Dave Stockton, George Archer, Tiger Woods, Freddie Couples, Harvey Penick, and Gary Player.

A cursory on-line check reveals several of his You Tube sessions of recent vintage, but the new set provides a picture of his collective fundamentals that can be helpful to all.

Things not generally found in other instructional videos include the importance of maintaining the bend in the wrist at setup all the way through impact and his abandonment of the reverse C finish in favor of maintaining spine angle and swing plane. His observation of Cory Pavin’s unusual swing prelude in 1992 at Harbour Town led him to swing down the target line with a higher right shoulder at impact and more consistency.

Asked last week how long it took to internalize the new move, he said, “It took me three swings.” That translates to more than three for those without eight majors.

The set includes 44 instructional points. It plays in two hours and forty minutes. As to how the dvd’s should be viewed, Watson said, “You certainly can’t go through all 44 points. You’d be a basket case. There’s a sequential order to it. We started with the grip, then the setup and grip pressure, where your feet should be and your weight balance. You have to start with that before you swing the golf club.”

The set was in the planning last year, and he credits the mental process in working out the script as a factor for his fine performance at Turnberry. He does not dwell on quick fixes, but following the fundamentals he presents should minimize the need for them. View selected lessons with the dvd player for what you need. Available for $49.95 at golf stores or at www.tomwatson.com.

Dave Donelson, author of Heart of Diamonds a romantic thriller about blood diamonds in the Congo.

Words From A Winner

Bobby Heins is one of the most successful golfers I know, so when he talks about what it takes to win, I try to pay attention. He had some interesting words of advice during the MGA 2010 Media Day:

"To win," he said, "it's all about staying in the moment. You have to take care of the shot at hand. After forty years in this game, I've learned that a bogey not made is a birdie not needed."

"Once you get outside three or four feet, putting is all about the feel. Master your stroke on the short ones, then trust it on the long ones."

"When I reached my 40s, I went back to work. I couldn't rely on natural talent anymore. I try to hit a few balls every day and keep in shape with yoga, rolfing, and stretching."

Bobby is the head professional at Old Oaks Country Club in Purchase, NY, and one of the top teachers in the area. Among others, he coaches PGA Tour winner Johnson Wagner. He's also one of the winningest golfers in the game. In 2009 he was named Met PGA Senior Player of the Year after a fabulous season during which he won the MGA Senior Open Championship for the second year in a row. Those back-to-back wins mirrored his two-peat of the Met Open Championship, which he captured exactly twenty years earlier in 1988 and '89.

Dave Donelson, author of Heart of Diamonds a romantic thriller about blood diamonds in the Congo.

Take A Lesson, Stupid

Want to improve your scores? Cut strokes from your handicap index? Beat your buddies' brains in? Forget bout achieving these golf miracles with a new $400 driver or three days at a $3,000 golf school. Take a lesson from your local PGA pro instead. In fact, take one even if you think your game is perfect---you might be surprised.

A lesson with a PGA pro will cost about as much as a round of golf at a good daily fee course, but I guarantee it's the very best thing you can do for your game. Don't know where to go? Start with a phone call to the nearest golf club. Even if it's private, most club pros eagerly take on students who aren't members--and you'll get to use the practice facility at the course when you take your lesson, too.

I struggled on the course more than usual early this season, but for no good reason violated my practice of going for a lesson or two to tune things up before I did too much damage to my handicap in the spring rounds. I shot several scores I was ashamed to post (although I did) and was rapidly approaching a hara-kiri state of mind. That is not the way you want to start your golf year. I put the belly-slicer away, though, and went to see Rob Davis, head pro at Anglebrook Golf Club in Lincolndale, NY. I like Rob; he's an excellent player and a knowledgeable teacher. Because we're friends, I also knew he wouldn't pull any punches.

"What the hell are you thinking?" he said after watching me hit a half dozen balls, none of which went in the same direction. As I started to explain my lame-brained excuse for a swing thought, he told me to be quiet and address the ball. Before I could massacre another piece of turf, he put a tee in front of each my feet and told me to step away. Then he pointed to the position of the ball, which was exactly in the center of my stance. Even I knew that was the wrong place. I couldn't explain how it got there, either, although I had been consciously trying to make contact with the ball before the grass all year. As soon as I moved the ball forward to where Rob told me to put it (about in inch inside my left heel), good things started to happen.

It was a simple fix, but one I never would have figured out without another set of trained, knowledgeable eyes on my swing. With the help of Rob Davis, I knocked two points off my handicap index within the next month.

As time goes on, I'm sure some other little flaw will grow into a major carbuncle on my swing. When it does, you can bet the first dollar I spend to fix it will be with a PGA pro.

Dave Donelson, author of Heart of Diamonds a romantic thriller about blood diamonds in the Congo

Free Golf Lessons In May

One of the best deals to come around every year is a free ten-minute lesson from participating PGA teaching professionals. Think you can't learn anything in ten minutes? Then you must have a perfect repeating swing, hit every fairway, get up and down out of every bunker, and never miss a putt. Try it! It's free and I guarantee you'll save a stroke or two on your next round.

If you're anywhere near Westchester County (NY) where I live, you can get a great bonus: a chance to win a free swing analysis in the state-of-the-art studios of GolfTEC, a recent addition to the golf scene here run by well-respected PGA Professional Tom Sialiano. GolfTEC White Plains features four coaching studios and a putting studio, each one equipped with the latest technology to tell you more about your swing than you can possibly imagine. Add in their PGA teaching staff, and golfers of all skill levels can improve their performance.

All golfers who sign up for the free 10 minute lesson in May will participate in a drawing for a free evaluation from GolfTEC valued at $195. How can you beat that?

Dave Donelson, author of Heart of Diamonds a romantic thriller about blood diamonds in the Congo

Sermon From the Pulpit at Winged Foot

When my friend John Buczek became head pro at Winged Foot, I asked him what it takes to become a better golfer. His answer was immediate and unequivocal: Lessons.

“Look at Tiger and Ernie Els and all the rest, it might be 10% coaching and 90% perspiration, but they’re all taking lessons.”

“You can’t see yourself, so you don’t realize the balls back too far to forward too far, or your posture isn’t good, or your grip’s slipped, or you’re aiming to the right or left. Just different little things that all of us humans need some coaching with. Even Michael Jordan had good coaching.”

So next time you're handing over $500 for the latest can't-miss driver, consider handing $50 to your local PGA professional instead. The odds are much better than ten to one that he or she will straighten out your drive a lot quicker than that shiny new chunk of titanium.

Dave Donelson, author of Heart of Diamonds a romantic thriller about blood diamonds in the Congo