narrominded
Jake Narro, PGA professional, head golf coach at Southeastern Louisiana University and
Backspin publisher
Happy Holidays to all from the staff at
Backspin. We are very thankful for many things
as we close in on our third year of publications.
When Amber and I decided to add Backspin
to our already busy schedule I, being the
conservative one in the family, was skeptical to
say the least. Like everything else in our lives
over the past 18 years, Amber took the bull by
the horns and willed us through the tough times
of the start up.
I am very thankful for that as our magazine
combines our professions of golf and
journalism, and it would be an understatement
to say it’s been a “labor of love.” Despite all
of our efforts, which include my son Shayne,
to make this venture go, it would not be going
strong without the positive reaction from you,
our readers. We are very thankful for not only
the reading of the magazine, but it truly makes
us glow when we bump into someone and get a
“good job” or “we really enjoy your magazine.”
Pride would be the emotion we feel when that
happens, and for that, we are most thankful.
Now that I have you buttered up, let’s talk
about some things to get us better over the
winter. Some of these tips will be actual golf
stuff as in practice, but there will also be some
advice as to how to get better while off the
course.
Let’s begin with some on the course routines
that can get you ready for spring. First will
be to work on your chipping and putting.
The holidays and weather tend to take away
our opportunities to play so why not use that
limited time to practice. When the turf is soft
from winter time rains and the temperature is a
bit uncomfortable, practicing can be a lot easier
than playing. Get a couple of lessons from your
local PGA professional so you will be practicing
good fundamentals. Find 45 minutes twice a
week for some good practice. Short game one
day and full swing for the other 45 minute
session will work wonders over a three month
stretch if taken seriously.
I always felt if I could pure a seven-iron on
less than firm turf, with more than one layer on
while my hands were cold I could really hit it
solid when the weather warmed up. How about
that chip shot off of mushy turf that’s into the
grain. If you can pull that one off over the
winter, how easy do you think it will seem once
the grass starts growing again? We all know the
answer to that question.
How many times have you heard someone
say, and even said yourself, “It’s hard to swing
when layered up”? Most of us over swing in our
full swing so the feeling a being restricted is a
good one. The reality is we’re not actually being
restricted but we are swinging more within
ourselves versus trying to make swings we’re
not capable of. Hitting golf balls with layers on
is actually training us to be a bit more efficient
in our swing which not only improves accuracy
and is also more powerful. How about hitting it
longer and straighter?
Now let’s move on to a couple of off the
course improvements. First, will be assessing
the makeup of your golf bag. This means what
clubs you have in your bag and how they fit into
your game. Do you need a new wedge to fill in
a gap in the scoring area? How about a hybrid
replacing a long iron.
Is it time for a new driver? Once again
consulting with your PGA professional is always
the way to get the ball rolling. If you decide that
a new club or clubs is in your budget, a fitting
is in order. There is no reason to guess if a club
is right for you with the technology available
in the form of launch monitors, demos and
professional guidance.
Oh yeah, be sure to leave Santa a few extra
cookies if you are lucky enough to get those
new clubs. If new is not in your budget, there is
a way to make then feel new. Treat yourself to
some new grips. Regripping your entire set with
the proper grip size and texture can give you
that same confident feeling of new clubs. It can
also help with ball flight if your grips are either
too small or too big. Putter grips come in many
shapes and sizes. Find one that feels good and
fits your style of putting; it might be an easy
change to better scores.
The staff, my family, at Backspin hopes
everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy
New Year. We are grateful for the opportunity to
promote the game we love to our area in which
we live. I hope you enjoy what we’re doing as
we look forward to continuing our coverage of
golf in the Gulf States section of the PGA of
America.
Jake
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