Hello golfers,
It was a proud day for Luke and for me at the University of Birmingham on Friday. I was there to witness his graduation ceremony at the PGA's Annual Awards. It was a hugely grand affair held in the Great Hall with all the movers and shakers from the world's oldest professional sports body in attendance. Denis Pugh was the guest of honour who presented the graduates with their certificates, including to the first successful candidate from mainland China. As Denis commented, every graduate has spent four years completing the course whilst working full time, often at unreasonable times, and developing their golf games alongside their studies - so a lot of effort has been displayed.
Luke is now a fully qualified member of the PGA and intends to reduce his hours in the pro shop to concentrate on playing and coaching. The junior coaching continues most weekends and he brings some great experience of how to play the game to these fun sessions. Here's some pictures from the day.
I particularly liked the range of handshakes on display as each graduate was individually announced on stage to receive their certificate from Denis. It was an eclectic mix featuring:
- The high arm, palm down, dominant approach.
- The low arm, palm up, submissive approach.
- The similar, but less common low arm, palm up, submissive action, PLUS the dual submissive head tilted to the side method.
- The early extended arm with all fingers outstretched shake.
- The early extended arm with all fingers outstretched, PLUS head tilted back as if running at speed shake.
- The early extended arm with all fingers outstretched, PLUS head tilted back, PLUS eyebrows raised and mouth wide open in surprise as if greeting a long-lost friend who you've just recognised in a queue shake.
- The leaving it until the very last split second and make your hand-shake think that you're not going to bother and then slightly surprise them with the speed of your arm raise shake.
- The opposite hand clasping the back of the shook hand shake.
- The opposite hand clasping the elbow of the shook arm shake - which looks like two people trying to stop each other falling off a narrow bridge when they both do it together.
Practice Ground Etiquette
The practice area is there for you to use your own golf balls on, not to go and hit balls which are already there. I'm now using my summer golf balls for lessons on the practice area which are all yellow Srixon range balls. Please don't use them for practice. I'll often go to pick the balls up, knowing that they are all at one end of the practice area, to discover that someone has been hitting them all over the range. You may think you're being helpful by knocking them into a group on the green as well, but the next person sees them conveniently placed together and whacks them into the distance before walking off. We happily lend a tube of balls to golfers wishing to warm up or practice, but please ensure you only pick the white balls up.
A Friendly Visit...
We had a group of golfers pay us a visit last week on a pilgrimage from Portsmouth. Johnny Wilkes once lived near the course and used to caddie at the club in the early 80's, mostly for Frank Thompson. He'd never played the course and had arranged to bring a dozen of his mates up for a game on the occasion of his 50th Birthday.
Course Update
Here's a spring picture of the third green as I played with Lewis and Simon on Sunday afternoon. The course was deserted and in great condition. Here's another picture taken Tuesday morning after the snow - also deserted!
I keep a daily record of the weather to analyse how it's affected our business historically, the last time we had any appreciable rain during the day this year was back on Monday, 27 February - and amazingly it snowed on exactly the same day last year, 25th April. So what have we done whilst the snow's on the ground? We've ordered a stock of shorts of course - it's forecast 20 degrees most of next week!
"Just Do It"
Remember my suggestion to 'Just Do It" in last week's newsletter. This is a heads up to let you know that I'll be busy from Saturday, 13 May - Saturday, 21 May. Here's a picture of a new Mizuno gap wedge I've put in my bag ready for an upcoming golf trip, featuring a quote from 'Happy Gilmore' that I've stamped in the back.
When you get your new wedges, have a think about what you'd like stamping on the back of them. It's easy to pimp them up and add any colour you like. Click here to book a fitting session today and sharpen your short game for the season ahead.
Coming Soon...
I wrote in my newsletter a couple of weeks ago that I'm ordering a new launch monitor, well, it's on the way for the end of May and I have my FlightScope X2 radar launch monitor for sale if you know of anyone that is after it. I'll also be letting my SkyTrak launch monitor go - this one takes pictures of the ball as it takes off and is used as a simulator with 92,000 course available to play...
Click here to get in touch for more details.
Workshop News
We have been busy in the workshop again this week:
Mizuno T7 wedge.
Callaway Epic Sub Zero driver - Hazardous shaft.
PING putter re-shaft.
Mizuno JPX 900 Forged irons - XP105 shafts.
Mizuno JPX 900 Tour irons - Modus Tour 105 shafts.
PING putter.
Scotty Cameron and Super Stroke putter grips.
Cleveland 60 degree wedge.
PING fairway re-shaft - Fujikura shaft.
TaylorMade M2 driver - Grafalloy Blue shaft.
If you would like to book a fitting session to try some of the latest products on the market, please click here to get in touch.
