Posts Tagged ‘golf’

Preparing for Winter Golf

Monday, September 19th, 2011


Well it’s that time of year again when the evenings are getting shorter and the last strands of summer begin to disappear with that Autumnal chill taking prominence. Autumn gradually leads us into the winter months and often a lot of amateur golfers tend to hibernate their clubs. Depending on your location throughout the globe there comes a time every year when golf stops resembling golf. In Ireland that is usually around November time, when the ball seems to travel about 20 yards shorter than it did in August as a result of too much clothing which inhibits any swing fluidity, also, the fairways become slightly slower while the greens seem to become dead and lifeless.

The enforced hiatus from the game during the winter months can often lead to golfers dreading the ensuing March or April when they take to the fairways once again. The clubs will inevitably feel like foreign objects and it can often take two or three solid months of play to rediscover the form of the previous summer. So the old adage that practise makes perfect is even truer for a game such as golf when the skills involved need to be critically precise. The Golf Academy at Fota Island Resort is an ideal environment to hone your skills especially during the winter months with some enticing membership offers at present.

Winter golf can be a different game than the summer variety particularly when jack frost or a hint of snow begins to cover the landscape. But the cold climate should not be an excuse for you not to enjoy the game. Often there are no lines and slow play may not be an issue if there is no one on the course but you! That water hazard you had trouble carrying in the summer months may be frozen and those flies that plagued you during those long summer evenings are no where to be seen. It may not be exactly the same game you played during the summer but if you prepare correctly, it can be just as, if not more, fun and exhilarating.

Some Winter Golf Tips


In his blog, Gareth McShea provides some insightful tips for the amateur golfer when preparing for winter golf:

  • Check your golf shoes and make sure they are waterproof. If not, you might want to consider buying a new pair. When cold weather comes, it brings frost and moisture on the grass along with it. This can soak your feet which can lead to an overall feeling of discomfort. Also, ensure that you have sufficient waterproofs for the wet months ahead.

  • When dressing for the cold, put on layers of clothing, as opposed to wearing thicker items like a lined sweater. Multi layering will provide more warmth and you’ll be able to easily remove a layer if necessary. Under Armour compression garments are great for these times.

  • Always wear a hat that provides warmth for the head and protects the ears. You may not be nominated for the most fashionable person of the year award, but you’ll never have to worry about frostbite, or a headache from the cold.

  • Performance gloves are an essential piece of kit in the cold. New materials have allowed manufacturers to create pairs of gloves which are highly effective in combating the cold and wet. All of this is achieved without any compromise in feel.

  • During cold weather, the air is denser or heavier, which slows the flight of the ball and the distance it will travel. You might have to use more club than normal for a given distance. For example, a 6-iron might have to be used for a distance that would normally require a 7-iron, and so on.

  • With the ground getting softer it is important to keep the grooves on your clubs clean. Clean grooves impart backspin on the ball which in turn creates flight, so include a dry clean towel and a 3-in-1 multi-club cleaner as part of your kit.

  • Your risk of injury increases with cold stiff muscles, so keep moving. This is not the time of year for reading putts from ten different angles (there is no right time of year for that!). If possible get to the club in time to do some gentle light stretching before launching a missile off the first tee or you could partake in some spinning and core classes, enlist in a boot camp, avail of the swimming lessons or indulge in some Ashtanga yoga classes at the Fota Island Spa.



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    Posted in Fota Island Golf, Fota Island Golf Academy, Fota Island Resort, Fota Island Spa, General Information | 1 Comment »

    Golf Myths Exposed!

    Wednesday, November 10th, 2010

     

    Have you ever been deceived by a Golf Myth? It may seem harmless but it could seriously impact on your game. I visited the Pro-Shop this week to get the truth behind some common golf myths that are out there.

    #1 Keep your head down

    It’s a widespread belief when playing  golf that you must keep your head down because by lifting your head you may miss or top the ball.

    Verdict: Myth

    Truth: When you keep your head down you often forget to follow and turn as you hit the ball, which can cause transfer of weight and also lead to a lack of distance. Worse again it restricts the backswing and the downswing resulting in a swing that is too tight and one that also restrains your extension.

    Advice: Your head should naturally follow through and go with the momentum of the swing. So loosen up and go with the flow!  Have a look at the Pros in action and watch as their heads turn and rotate towards the target before they strike.

    Ryder Cup 2010 day 4 highlights  

     

    #2 The longer my driver is, the further I’ll be able to hit.

    Verdict: It is true to a certain extent!

    Truth: Many believe that a longer club creates a longer and wider arc and increases the speed the head will travel at. However the disadvantage of playing with a longer driver is that it is more difficult to control and achieve accuracy. The length of the club is the main factor in achieving driver accuracy. Many golfers play with drivers that are in fact too long. Did you know that the average PGA Tour Players plays with a 44.5″ long driver!

    Advice: Custom fitting is advised.  You can get your driver checked at the Pro-Shop to make sure that it is the correct length for you.

     

     

    #3 The lower the loft, the further the ball will go

    Verdict: Myth but this can be achieved if you have the equivalent swing speed to match.

    Truth: However the lower the loft the more difficult it is to launch the ball in the air. It is the loft that determines the distance a driver can be hit. In actual fact, the lower the swing speed, the higher the loft needs to be.

    Advice: The right loft matched with the correct shaft can help achieve this.  Feel free to pop into the Pro-Shop or the Golf Academy where you can get your swing speed measured and find out what driver is right for you. 

     

    #4 Flex ratings are all the same

    Verdict: Myth

    Truth: Flex ratings are not all the same.  They come in Ladies, Seniors, Regular, Stiff and Extra Stiff. Flex rates should be measured according to your swing speed.  The wrong flex rating can’t create correct flight in the ball.  A shaft that is too stiff will cause you to slice the ball and a shaft that is too whippy will cause you to hook the ball.

    Advice: To find out the flex rating of your shaft you can visit the golfers in the Fota Island Pro Shop, who will be able to tell you what stiffness is correct for your swing.

     

     

    #5 To hit a good shot, you must get under the ball

    Verdict: Myth

    Truth: This actually causes a person to top the ball and come out of posture. Remember the function of the loft is to get the ball in the air and it is not the golfer’s job to try and lift the ball.

    Advice: Hit down through the ball and let the loft to all the work.

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    ‘Winter Rules’

    Monday, November 1st, 2010

     

    It’s that time of year again when the wind and the rain take over life as we know it and harsh weather conditions impact the golf course.  Many will notice the sign ‘Winter Rules in effect’ displayed in the Pro Store,  for those of you who are not quite sure what the Winter Rules are, or mean, I will briefly explain.

    ‘Winter Rules’ also called ‘Preferred lies’, are not codified under any of the regular thirty-four Rules of Golf,  instead they fall under the category of local rules.  They cannot be declared in effect by an individual player, only a course, club or committee has the authority to announce ‘Winter Rules’.  So unless ‘Winter Rules’ have been confirmed by one of these parties,  you may not use ‘Winter Rules’ no matter how bad weather conditions are.

    Placing on the fairway and dropping on the rough are the main winter rules which are currently in effect at Fota Island Golf Club.  This entitles a player to mark, clean and place the ball as close to the original spot as possible.  Players may take relief by placing the ball, without penalty, at the nearest point of relief.  ”If the player fails to mark the position of the ball before lifting it or moves the ball in any other manner, such as rolling it with a club, he incurs a penalty of one stroke’. The condition of marking the ball reduces and eliminates many problems such as ‘bumping the ball around’ and ensures fair play on the course.  To avoid penalties you should always mark your ball with either a tee peg, a pitchmark repairer or a ball-marker.  When playing under winter rules you are required to post your handicap score although it will not affect it. On a final note ,no golfer is obliged to play under winter rules when the local rule is in effect.  You are of course entitled to play the ball as it lies if you so wish.

    Please check with the Pro Shop daily to confirm if  ‘ Winter Rules’  are in effect.

     

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    Fota Island Golf, getting back to basics after a short or long break!

    Friday, February 5th, 2010

    Kevin Morris Director of golf at Fota Island Resort and PGA Professional since 1979 has given the following advice “Having not played a round for so long due to weather constraints or for whatever reason, why not play a few practice holes to ease back into it. It will help warm up your game and get you back on form” for a proper round of the course.

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