GTB Ryder Cup Announced

November 1st - 4th 2011
Penina Resort, Algarve, Portugal.

Are you up for a challenge?

Golf Tuition Breaks have just put together the first annual Ryder Cup event.

I would like to invite you to join my team. We will be taking on Adrian and 6 of his clients on a 3 rounds challenge at Penina in Portugal.

Each day we will be offering an hour of indivudual coaching plus a playing lesson whilst competing against Team CAFARO!

You will be taking part in our inaugral running of the Ryder Cup, dont miss out on a chance to hold the academy bragging rights for the year!

Places will be first come first served and there are only 6 spots available.

4 days of compeition, fun and plenty of time to work on your game in a world class venue that has hosted the Portuguese Open on multiple occasions.  Penina boasts one of the best practice facilities in the Algarve.

Package includes:
Flights to Faro
Transfers to and from Resort
3 rounds on the Chapionship course
3 nights B&B - Sharing twin rooms
Daily Coaching
3 Playing lessons
Team Prizes
Ryder Cup Style Format
 

Dont miss out,reserve your place now.

Congratulations to Stewart Farrell - Golf Monthly Power Play WINNER!

Golf Monthly PowerPlay Masters round-up

Golf Monthly PowerPlay Masters. Photography: Tom Miles

Last Wednesday, 44 intrepid Golf Monthly forumers and staff got to sample golf's new PowerPlay format for themselves in a special event at The Grove in Hertfordshire, the only English course to have hosted a WGC event.
This new format is played over nine holes using Stableford scoring with a couple of crucial differences - a second ‘black' flag on each green usually in a tougher position, and extra points on offer for success when playing to the black flag.


Each player must use three black flag PowerPlays in the first eight holes with an optional fourth available on the 9th. Nett birdies or better score double Stableford points, with no downside until the 9th where if the gamble goes wrong and you score nett bogey or worse you lose three points.

Great fun was had by all trying to work out where best to use their PowerPlays with lower handicappers generally favouring the lower stroke index holes in search of nett birdies rather than gross birdies elsewhere.
At the end of an exciting nine holes, the master strategist turned out to be 11-handicapper Stewart Farrell, who chose his PowerPlays wisely, making nett birdies on all four to boost his score by 24 points. His winning tally of 33 eclipsed runner-up Tim Burnett - who converted three of his four PowerPlays - by three.

Unluckiest man in the field was Gary Mitchell who racked up an amazing five gross birdies in nine holes... but only one of them on a PowerPlay hole - the tough 5th - where he amassed 8 PowerPlay points. His 27-point return did at least give him the consolation of 3rd place.

source:

http://www.golf-monthly.co.uk/tours-and-news/tournews/529164/golf-monthly-powerplay-masters-round-up.html

Congratulations Stewart, always great to hear that my clients are doing well.

Braggie's Golf Tips - Putting Priority

Hole more putts than you ever have before.

The most effective way to look at putting, and importantly our evaluation of putts is to look at it in a more simple way;

We often get bogged down with reading the green, judging speed, size of stroke, stance width, ball position,  bad strokes and stress etc!!! to name but a few.

This tip is designed to focus the mind on the things you can control, and not be driven crazy by the things you cannot!

Look at a putt as a 6 inch target.

If you can strike the ball 'online' for the first 6 inches and with a reasonable pace then you have succeeded, you have if you like "holed it".

After the ball as left the putter face, you no longer have control of it.  It is in the lap of the gods as to what happens next...sadly will power alone will not make it go into the hole!


Practice Method - Prioritise the first 6 inches.

• Place a ball marker in the ground approx 6-10 feet from a hole (or fringe of green).
• Place two tees 6 inches in front of the ball marker just wider than a golf ball.
• Place the ball on top of the ball marker.
• Practice hitting putts through the tees.

Every putt that goes through the tees is a Holed Putt!

Practice Set Up

Additional Pace Practice

• If putting to a hole, lie a club shaft 2 feet beyond the cup.

A "Holed Putt" is one that goes through the tees and finishes either in the hole or between the hole and club shaft (good pace).

Give this a try over the next few weeks in your practice and play, seeing yourself "hole" more putts will start to enforce a more positive, confident mindset and help to lower your scores.

Good Luck

Darren

VICTORY AT ST ANDREWS

Cleveland Golf and Srixon Invitational Pro Am
Fairmont St Andrews
15th & 16th August 2011.

My Partner Nick Avery (6 hcp) and I returned this week from St Andrews where we competed in the Cleveland Golf and Srixon Invitational Pro Am hosted by the Fairmont Hotel and Torrance golf course in St Andrews.

It was a 36 hole 4Ball betterball format over the challenging Torrance course.

The event was a warm up for the Cleveland and Srixon Scottish Senior Open which was played from the 19th -21st.

My coach Glenn Ralph won this event in 2009 and it was great to see him and work with him on our games. Glenn is shown in the picture above (bottom right).


With 50 teams entered into the Pro am it was a great event hosted under tournament conditions.  We even had the Cleveland and Srixon Tour Van there to offer hardware support.

Nick and I started with a very respectful 44 points (-8) on day one which left us lying in 4th position.  The afternoon was spent walking some of the Old course and St Andrews town.  We played in reverse order on the last day which meant that we were in the second to last group.

After a lovely sunny day on the Monday, Tuesday offered us wind and rain!! This didn't dampen our spirits and we started with 6 straight birdies setting the tone for a great day.  We finished with 47 points (-11) giving us a total of 91 points (-19), thankfully this was good enough and we collected the top prize for the event.

A big thank you to all at Cleveland Golf and Srixon for their support and organising of a terrific event, and also to Nick, what can I say, you were immense, I'm very proud to have witnessed the golf I believe you can play.

Roll on 2012!!

Darren

Near miss in 4Ball qualifier!

Adrian and I recently entered the PGA Skins national 4Ball regional qualifier at Bush Hill Golf Club.

We both really enjoyed the day and carded an impressive 64 (-6), sadly this was one shot off the marl for automatic qualification. It was nether less good enough to enter a play off!

I wont mention the 3 putt on 17!!!! D'oh :(

From 64 teams there were 9 places available or the finals in early October at Forest Pines.
5 teams including us started a sudden death play off for the last 2 places.

A par on the 1st was good enough to continue with one team making a birdie to get through.
The second hole was the 14th a short dogleg par four, both Adrian and I had a 10-12 foot putt for birdie but sadly another team had made an eagle 2 to qualify.

We are currently on the reserve list for the event.
Fingers crossed!

Darren

Some Golf with Friends

Last week was amazing, on Monday Adrian and I travelled with Sepehr and Azar to play 27 holes at Burnham and Berrow Golf Club (links) in Somerset.

9 holes on the channel course followed by lunch and then a game on the championship course in the afternoon.

Getting up at 4.30am and not returning home until well past midnight was the agenda...

Sepehr and Az (right) experienced Links golf for the first time!  I know they both really enjoyed it and cant wait to play this type of golf again.  Perhaps though they would like the result of the game to be different!

Thanks to all for a great day on the Links.

Next week I'm travelling to St Andrews to compete in the Srixon/Cleveland Golf Pro Am.
My partner Nick Avery and I cant wait to get there and walk on the promised land.

Azar, Adrian and I

Links greens, great fun :)

The famous Watch tower that sits on the course.

This will test you Sepehr!

Deep bunkers!

Our friend the Adder that joined in the fun on the 5th!

July News - SRIXON BALL OFFER

Hi All,


We are nearing the end of July and this month has flown by.


As you are aware the academy now boasts a full range of Cleveland Golf and Srixon Golf equipment.  


I'm also using 14 Cleveland Golf clubs, woods and putter along with the Srixon Z-STAR XV ball. 



 


BLOG SPECIAL OFFER


The first 5 people that email me DarrenNLGA@gmail with the following code will receive a dozen Srixon AD333 or Soft Feel balls for only £10!!
Promo code - DBCG4

Karl Morris
The Mind Factor


Last week Karl visited the academy and delivered a wonderful seminar for 50 guests.  Those of you who attended I'm sure have taken some great pointers to work on to help lower your scores.
Remember that True Confidence is produced by Evidence.

Playing Lessons


Over the last 6 weeks I have been fortunate to spend many hours on the course with my clients, this time should never be underestimated as it provides me the opportunity to see how you are taking the technical and and course management work onto the course. Not only this but it shows me how you think about your game, what shots you select and also a chance to showcase some new shots in certain situations that will help broaden your options on course.


I hope you are enjoying your summers golf.


Cheers


Darren