The Golfing Blog

Play Golf The Way The Pros Do

For a long time I have discussed with my students about choosing the correct set of tees they should play in order maximize their enjoyment of the game. In my opinion most players play from the wrong tees and play a golf course which is too long for their capabilities which also contributes to slow play.

One of the questions I ask my students is "How far do you hit your driver?". The standard response from the men is "250 yards", for some of them that may be the case but statistics show that the average male golfer drives the ball closer to 225 yards. This is where the problem begins and should end.

If you have not heard the terms yet, in the very near future you will be hearing about "Tee It Forward" or "Tour Equivalent Tees". They are programs being brought forward by the PGA of America and the USGA which based upon your driving distance will help you select a length golf course which will allow you to play a course the way tour players do. These programs are a result of research that was provided by Barney Adams, Founder of Adams Golf who studied the length of tee shots and how they related to a player's approach shot into the green.

For example, according to statistics if you hit your tee shot 225 yards the proper length course you should be playing would be 5800 to 6000 yards long. If you are playing a course 6400 yards long that is the same as a tour player who is playing a course that is 8000 yards long. I don't know about you but I wouldn't find that to be any fun and isn't that why we play golf, to have fun?

Below you will find a chart that will help you choose a course length that will allow you to play the course the way the tour players do and have more fun.

Driver Distance Recommended
18 hole Yardages
PGA Tour Professional 7,600 to 7,900
300 yds 7,150 to 7,400
275 yds 6,700 to 6,900
250 yds 6,200 to 6,400
225 yds 5,800 to 6,000
200 yds 5,200 to 5,400
175 yds 4,400 to 4,600
150 yds 3,500 to 3,700
125 yds 2,800 to 3,000
100 yds 2,100 to 2,300

Winning Edge Golf adds Online Coaching to its offerings

In an effort to help make game improvement more accessible, Winning Edge Golf has added Online Coaching to the services it offers.

The Online Coaching which is powered by LessonVision and allows Winning Edge Golf Director of Instruction and PGA Golf Professional, Scott Szybowicz to view a student's video then provide an evaluation and recommendations by using tools such as side by side comparisons, voice-over and on-screen graphics.

The new system will be used by Winning Edge in 2 ways:
Golfers may upload videos to the system and request coaching for a nominal fee.
or
The service will be provided free of charge and used for summarizing game
improvement sessions and as a method of reference for golfers who are members
of the Winning Edge Golf Game Improvement Series.

Each golfer will have their own video locker where they can access their videos from any computer 24 hours a day.

For more information about Online Coaching click here.

Just One Putt

It has been said that "A picture is worth a thousand words" but it can also be said that on the PGA Tour "A putt is worth millions of dollars".

If are like me, during every round of golf there is one putt I miss that I wish I could have back. We also hear announcers on television say how that missing that final putt was "COSTLY" but there is now data showing that after making the cut in a tournament any single putt missed is "COSTLY"!

Aim Point Golf an innovator and industry leader in green reading has researched PGA Tour data from 2005 through 2009 and has determined what one putt is worth to PGA Tour Professionals. And the numbers are eye opening!

Aim Point Golf's data shows how much more money a player would have made if they had made one more putt per event, that's right just one more putt per event.

Here is the total amount of additional prize money these top players would have made between 2005 and 2009 if they had made just one more putt per event:

Tiger Woods $9,333,465
Phil Mickelson $5,874,992
Sergio Garcia $7,197,888
Luke Donald $5,918,691
Zach Johnson $5,239,614

To see the entire list click here.

The numbers speak volumes about how important putting is to their games and yours. To improve your putting you can contact Scott by clicking here.

PGA Tour Putting Statistics. How Do You Compare?

The official PGA Tour season has come to a close and the statistics of how the tour players performed are coming to light. Eyeline Golf who specializes in putting training aids has published the 2010 PGA Tour putting statistics and some of the statistics may surprise you.

Here is how the tour players performed:
At 3 to 5 feet from the hole PGA Tour players made 88% of putts attempted.

At 5 to 10 feet from the hole PGA Tour players made 57% of putts attempted.

At 10 to 15 feet the percentage of putts made dropped down to 33%.

At 15 to 20 feet the percentage of putts made fell to only 19%.

When players putted from to 20 to 25 feet the percentage of holed putts went to 14%.

How do you compare to these numbers?
If you don't know, start by making putt tracking part of your 2011 routine. You can begin by testing yourself by hitting 10 putts from 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 feet. Keep track of how many you hole but also how close the remainder of your putts finish in relation to the hole. This test will give you an indication of where your strengths and weaknesses lie and where to start practicing. Distance is a key element in putting, I seldom see a player miss putts 6 feet to the left or right of the hole but 6 feet short and long is a common occurence.

If you would like to turn your putting into a strength contact Scott by clicking here.

Golf Gives A Helping Hand To Charity

The Holiday Season is rapidly approaching and the Illinois PGA Foundation has created a great program where people can improve their golf games and help charity at the same time.

As a member of the Illinois PGA I will be participating in the Golf Gives Holiday Teach-a-thon. The Holiday Teach-a-thon will run November 20, 2010 - Janauary 31, 2011.

During the Teach-a-thon, 20% of all my program lesson fees will be donated to the Illinois PGA Foundation and 21 other charities from which you can personally choose as your charity. Among the charities benefitting from the program are: Folds of Honor, Evans Scholarship Foundation, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Ronald McDonald House, Special Olympics and more.

This is a win, win program for golfers and charity alike. I hope you will participate.

For more information click here or contact me directly at golfpro.pga@gmail.com.

2010 PGA Championship Gets Kid and Wallet Friendly

The 2010 PGA Championship will be contested starting August 9th at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin which is a short drive north of Milwaukee. As part of its goal to grow the game the PGA has created a program which is kid and parent friendly.

It is possible for 4 kids, age 17 and under to attend any day of the 2010 PGA Championship for free when accompanied by a paying adult. If you are looking for advice for kids getting the most out of the experience I would recommend attending the practice rounds during the championship. During practice rounds, the players are much more relaxed and cameras are permitted on the course which makes for a great experience.

The last time the tournament was held at Whistling Straits it was a sell out so if you are interested in attending the 2010 PGA Championship I would suggest getting tickets early. For more information click here.

Thank You, You Make It All Possible

From the desk of Scott Szybowicz, PGA Professional

Hello Everyone, I would like to share some exciting news with you.

I have just been nominated for the 2010 Illinois PGA Teacher of the Year Award.

While this honor means a lot to me I am especially proud that it is a reflection of you and your trust in me as your teacher. It also shows that I have been able to help you play better and enjoy the game of golf more.

So I would like to salute you in helping me get honored in this way and tell you it is a privilege to be your teacher.

Scott Szybowicz
PGA Golf Professional
312.719.7268

The PGA Show means new equipment

If you are considering getting new golf equipment and are looking for the newest technology your time is almost here.

From January 28-30 the PGA of America is conducting their annual merchandise show at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. The show is a 1,000,000 square foot candy store for golfers. During that time manufacturers will be introducing all their newest equipment and innovations to industry professionals. That means all that new equipment will become available to the general public a few weeks after the show.

If 2010 is the year you will be upgrading your equipment then this is the time of year to start doing your research with the help of the information coming out of the PGA Show.

For more information on the equipment that is best for your game contact me at GolfPro.PGA@gmail.com.