Lesson 2, the Grip

Lesson 2 - The Grip

The Grip

Part 1. Left Hand

Perhaps the oldest cliche in golf instruction is that a sound grip is the foundation of a sound swing. Every golf book ever written contains a chapter about the grip. With every detail of the grip lavishly illustrated. Unfortunately, the function of the grip in the swing is less frequently discussed. If it were, players would have a better understanding of the importance of an "orthodox" grip, and how to achieve it.
As the details of the orthodox grip are so well known, how is it that so few golfers actually possess such a grip? The tragic fact is that the orthodox golf grip simply will not work for most players... they have too many errors in their swing actions to live with it! Most of them spend years searching for a grip . . . any grip . . . that will minimise the errors in their swings. Hence the endless variety of grotesque grips one sees on the course.
Go to any golf range. Most of the victims can be seen fiddling with their grips, experimenting endlessly in the hope that natural selection will provide them with a position that will reduce, or eliminate the slice. They should, of course, be rebuilding their swings, not their grips!
So get your grip right, and stick to it. If you can't play golf with an orthodox grip, it's your swing that needs attention . . . not your grip. You can't cure a bad swing with an equally bad grip.
It is not generally appreciated that the set-up and grip are closely inter- related. A poor set-up makes a good grip more difficult, and a bad grip affects the set-up. This is important. So relate what is said about the grip to what I say elsewhere about the set-up, particularly of the arms. They are the two sides of the same coin.
Like every other aspect of the swing, common sense principles govern the "orthodox" golf grip. You should be aware of them.
First, what is the role of the grip, in the swing? In all "bat and ball" sports we aim to get the striking surface of the "bat" (or racquet, club, etc.) moving squarely along the intended line of flight of the ball. If the face of the striking implement is not moving squarely along the intended line of flight, sidespin is imparted to the ball, and it does not fly straight.
A correct grip simply enables one to swing the club backwards (to the top), and return it to the ball (in the downswing) so that the club-face is both square to the intended line of flight (as it was at address), and travelling along the intended line of flight at impact, and slightly beyond.
A so called "good grip" will, barring other complications in the swing, bring about these two requirements. "Bad grips" make the attainment of these two conditions almost impossible.
The Left Hand.
General Principles
Left hand Grip

1. With the club correctly soled in front of you, align the open left palm to the shaft so that the back of the left hand squarely faces the target.

2. Close the left hand on the shaft. The thumb will be on top of the shaft at this stage, vertically aligned with the centre of the shaft.

3. We now turn the entire left hand slightly to the right as illustrated, so that the left thumb moves to the right side of the shaft . . . just a little. We have turned the left hand in this way simply to establish muscular contact between the fingers and wrist of the hand . . . and the left forearm. That is all. This adjustment "firms up" the entire hand and wrist. You can feel this quite distinctly. The left hand and arm can now act as a single unit, swinging the club with control. The thumb on top of the shaft (position 2) is a "weak" position of the hand in which the wrist has too much freedom to hinge. This makes control of the club-face much more difficult.

Angle of the shaft

With the club correctly soled in front of you, apply the open left hand to the shaft. Note carefully the angle of the shaft across the base of the fingers. This is critical. It runs from the middle knuckle of the forefinger to a point just below the base of the little finger.

Spacing of fingers

Close the hand on the shaft. Note that the last three fingers are close together. The forefinger makes a slight gap with the next finger to help support the thumb.
The thumb opposes the fore-finger, and is slightly off-centre, on the right of the shaft. NEVER ON TOP OF THE SHAFT, remember!
The position of the left thumb, key to power and control...

1. Correct
The position of the left thumb on the shaft is critical. I have said that it should favour the right side of the shaft (picture 1), and is placed in this position by rotating the hand as described earlier.
The purpose of this adjustment was to establish muscular unity between the fingers, wrist and forearm, welding all together into a firm, controllable unit. The left arm hand can now swing through the ball with firmness and authority, holding the face of the club square through the ball.
To test this for yourself, place the left hand correctly on the shaft as described, and grasp the left forearm with the right hand. Note that when the arm and hand is correctly placed on the shaft the possibility of independent wrist movement (breaking or rolling of the wrist through the ball) is eliminated. The hand and arm is firm, and will remain so through the stroke.
Further, by placing the left hand (and especially the thumb) correctly on the shaft, one establishes the correct left arm position (see the "arm-set") that we require in the set-up.

2. Wrong
In contrast, note what happens when the left thumb is on top of the shaft. Again, grasp the left forearm with the right hand. Note that the left wrist is capable of both break and roll movements when the left hand is incorrectly placed in the grip. This "looseness" is bound to occur through impact, leading to wayward shots.
That is why the placement of the left thumb is so important. It establishes a position of the left hand and arm which is powerful, leading to enhanced control of the club-face through the ball.

Firmness Test
Having completed the left hand grip, raise the head of the club with the left thumb OFF the shaft. If the grip is correct, the fingers will be holding the shaft secure against the fleshy pad at the heel of the hand.

The left hand is the key to club-face control in the swing. Be sure it is correctly applied to the shaft.

The Grip
Part 2. Right Hand
As a general guide to the placement of the right hand on the grip, consider how you would place the right hand if you were going to strike something with the palm of that hand. Quite simply, you would strike the object with the palm vertical, thumb upper-most, as illustrated.
You would not place the hand in either of the positions shown in the smaller drawings, would you? The blow would lack power . . . and you would probably hurt your hand in the process. Hence grips in which the right hand is either on top of, or under the shaft have no logical basis whatsoever! Thus, the right hand is placed on the shaft so that the palm squarely faces the target. this is the sole guiding principle for the placement of the right hand in the grip.
Wrong basic hand positions

The right palm and the blade are aligned

Both squarely face the target

By placing the right hand in the grip with the palm facing the target, we immediately establish the idea that the right palm and the face of the club are aligned at all times. This is a useful concept to bear in mind as, we now know that the position of the

right hand anywhere in the swing sequence will be reflected by the angle and position of the blade.
In the correct grip, the right palm squarely faces the target.

Unifying the hands to complete the grip ...

Place the open palm of the right hand alongside the shaft. The palm is thus aligned with the face of the club . . . that is, they are both "looking" directly at the target. That is how they must stay. Close the two middle fingers round the shaft, with the upper of these two fingers drawn closely against the forefinger of the left hand. Now loop the right little-finger over the left forefinger, so that it rests in the space between the first two fingers of the left hand. This placement of the fingers establishes a close unity of the two hands, and is known as the Vardon overlapping grip. It has been employed by most of the world's great players, and has stood the test of time. I thoroughly recommend it to you.

NOTE

The right thumb should lie diagonally across the shaft.

Now to the right thumb and forefinger. The bent right forefinger fits snugly under the shaft, slightly separated from the other fingers. The placing of the right thumb is vital. It is never pressed on the top of the shaft, or still worse, on the right side of the shaft. It should lie diagonally across the shaft with its tip close to, or touching the tip of the right forefinger.

The grip, especially of the right hand, is mainly in the fingers. No ham-fisted palm grips please!

Get your grip right... and keep it that way!

Pressure points of the GRIP

The pressure points of the grip are with the last three fingers of the left hand, and the two middle fingers of the right hand. In other words, there is absolutely no pressure between the thumbs and index fingers of either hand. If there is, the wrists and forearms are stiffened, and the swing becomes inhibited.

Remember, we grip the club to swing it. We cannot swing anything effectively with a fierce grip. Golf is not a game of force, so don't grip the club as if it were an axe. A sensitive, yet firm finger grip is what is required. No more . . . no less.

Grip pressure points. Last three fingers of the left hand. Middle two fingers of the right hand. No great pressure between the thumb and index finger of either hand.

Finally, I repeat again. Acquire a correct grip . . . and stick to it, no matter what. If your grip is correct, and your shots are still going off line you must look to your swing to discover the error. You simply cannot cure a bad swing by making remedial alterations to a correct grip. In doing so you are simply compounding error! Get your grip right, and then leave it alone.

Golf Lesson 1 from Golf Today

 An excellant series of lessons with great visual aids. Please take a look:

Lesson 1 - The set-up - A Master Reference
We ask that you pay particular attention what we have to say about the set-up, and to study the diagrams carefully. Check your position in front of a mirror often, as it is extremely easy to move out of position, and bad habits are developed quickly. That is why players such as Nick Faldo have someone who understands the method to check him out regularly and it also why some top players drop away from contention so quickly. It is not that they have a bad swing it is just that they have moved out of position without knowing it.
The method you are going to read in these lessons is based on a free swing of the hands and arms. Just as you freely swing your arms from the shoulder as you walk down the fairway so you must learn to swing your hands and arms with equal freedom and fluency in your golf action.
You will be given several exercises throughout the various stages of this course which are designed to achieve this freedom of arm swing.
Therefore the first principle of the swing is ....
THE GOLF ACTION IS BASED UPON A FREE SWING OF THE HANDS AND ARMS INDEPENDENT OF THE BODY.
The body in fact has nothing to do with propelling (cause the movement of) the hands and arms at any time.
A correct swing is based upon a free swing of the hands and arms. A bad swing is based upon body propulsion - an action in which the hands and arms are set in motion by body movement. There is a profound difference between these two types of action. Try to understand this concept right away. The sooner you grasp its meaning the better for you.
The role of the body is to create conditions for a free unrestricted swing of the hands and arms. If the body is correctly positioned at address, and from then on is employed in the correct manner a free swing of the hands and arms can take place. Conversely, if the body is out of position at the start, and is subsequently misused in the swing, a free swing is utterly destroyed and the whole action is wrecked. In short the body moves in response to what the hands and arms are doing. It is never responsible for creating movement. It has a reactive rather than a creative role.
We show you that a free swing of the hands and arms and the correct sequence of body movements upon which the former depends, result in a movement in which a swing into and along the intended line of flight occurs automatically. The swing is so shaped that the club cannot go anywhere but squarely along the line of flight through impact.
Thus the Leslie King method does not consider curing hooks or slices. This is negative. Rather we will teach a swing movement in which you will be programmed to achieve a straight and powerful shot every time you swing.
Note the word swing. We will be stressing it again and again throughout this instruction. We insist that you 'swing' the club, not 'hit' the ball.
Firstly we ask that you start by swinging your arms backwards and forwards. This is the foundation of the swing. The body does not move when you do this. In the golf swing also the body doesn't move, rather it responds to the movement which has been started by the swing. This is a vital concept. You really must grasp this idea if you are ever to develop a reliable swing action. Please think about and understand it.
THE HANDS AND ARMS ALONE START THE CLUB-HEAD MOVING BACK FROM THE BALL. THE SHOULDERS THEN RESPOND TO THIS MOVEMENT BY TURNING, TO ALLOW THE HANDS AND ARM SWING TO PROGRESS TO THE TOP.
The purpose of the set-up is simply to arrange the body for this swing of the hands and arms. A bad set-up impedes the swing ..... or even renders it impossible. A good set-up anticipates the hand and arm swing. Indeed, it is dictated by the intention to swing the hands and arms. Always remember this when you are setting-up for a shot.
Essentially, the golf set-up is a fluid one. There is absolutely no tension or rigidity and the legs, especially, are flexed and supple.
There is no room in the golf set-up for a stiff legged stance. It should be avoided at all costs.
The swing of the hands and arms depends entirely upon a correct basic posture. The correct basic position is the key to success.
1. Stand normally, chest out, with the width between the feet equal to that of your shoulders.

2. Bend the body forward from the waist. This means that the back will be reasonably straight - definately not hunched or curved. We stress that you bend forward from the waist as if you were going to bow to someone. As you do so, allow the knees to flex as in the illustration.

3. If you have difficulty in achieving this bend forward from the waist, take a club, and with one hand at each end place the shaft horizontally across the top of your legs. Now bend forward, exerting a backward pressure on the club so that your seat is pushed back and out. This ensures a correct forward bend from the waist. Now stand erect again and assume the correct body position. Repeat this exercise often.
4. From the correct bending forward position, place the hands and arms in position as if you were holding a club. Note that the upper arms are NOT resting on the chest. Quite the contrary, they are held clear of the body so that they can swing freely, independent of the body correctly from the waist line. The knees of course, are flexed. This is vital.

5. The exercise. Once having perfected the bending forward posture, place the arms in the position they would be in when holding a club ... but with the palms of your hands about a foot apart as in the illustration. Now practice swinging the arms upwards to about head height and down again......without altering the attitude of your body. You must NOT allow your body to rise up as you swing the arms up. This is essential and by doing this exercise correctly we feel perhaps for the first time, that the arms can swing freely from the shoulder joints, quite independent of the body.

Indeed if you allow the body to rise up as the hands and arms swing up, you actually diminish the capacity of the hands and arms to swing. Can you feel that?
This is a vital lesson that you must learn - to swing the HANDS AND ARMS WHILE THE BODY REMAINS IN POSITION. BECAUSE AS YOU SWING THE CLUB UP INTO THE BACKSWING THE BODY MUST BE TRAINED TO MAINTAIN ITS HEIGHT AS THE CLUB SWINGS BACK AND UP.
If you "go with" the club as it swings back you will surely destroy the swing. In fact going with the club is "body propulsion".........exactly what we have warned you against!
Get your position right, and repeat this exercise often. It is your first experience of " freeing off" the hands and the arms from the body.
We have dealt with the correct body position in some detail because it is extremely important. Indeed it is the very foundation of your swing for two reasons.
1. It promotes and makes possible a free swing of the hands and arms.
2. It creates the conditions for correct use of the feet and legs in the swing which has a vital bearing on power and accuracy. For the moment we will say that a very upright position at address is a "weak" position of the body that inhibits correct use of the feet and legs in the swing.

The basic stance - foundation of the golf swing.

Checklist

Summary

1. Bend forward from the waist.

2. The back must be straight with the head held up.

3. The rump should protrude to the rear.

4. The arms must be held clear of the chest.

5. The knees must be flexed.

Perfect this body position by using a full length mirror if necessary. It must be correct in every detail if you are to benefit from the lessons that follow.

Jamie Smith Golf Clinic This Saturday at Bow Creek 10am

In his tee to green series, the drivers and woods will be worked on. This is going to be a very nice day, join Chef and I as we enjoy Jamie's great teaching ideas:

I believe that we all want to learn. It is not impossible to learn a sport for ourselves, but to be good or even great we must get help. The golf swing is no exception. My study of the golf swing and my experience in teaching Martial Arts has helped me understand the lever system and core rotation needed to deliver a precise blow to an object. This knowledge has helped me become an effective teacher of the game. It is my personal obligation to pass the knowledge given to me to golfers of all levels. I too must learn and continually seek more education in order to provide the best and most complete lesson plan. I have been teaching throughout my career and feel I am, and will be a great asset to the sport of golf

Best Wings, Most are in North Myrtle

Top 5 List: Myrtle Beach's Best Wings

By

Chris King

  on November 3, 2009 11:25 AM | Comments (14)

An order of wings has long been a favorite of Myrtle Beach golfers.

In the not-so-distant past chicken wings were a blue collar bar food, a delicacy that lacked broad appeal. But chicken (or buffalo) wings have emerged from the culinary shadows.

Wings are now everywhere (even Dominos Pizza offers them!) and can be coated in almost any sauce imaginable. Long a Myrtle Beach golf favorite, wings are a popular post-round treat, and we are here to help you find the Grand Strand’s best.

The choices were many,  but after consulting with a distinguished panel, we’ve come up with a list that has a decidedly local slant, with one very prominent exception.  Without further ado, here are the best places in the Myrtle Beach area to get an order of wings.

1. The Original Fat Jack’s Wings & Things – Serving fresh wings, Fat Jack’s has been a Grand Strand institution since the 1970s. Now located in Surfside, Fat Jack’s offers 15 sauces and first rate customer service. If you want excellent wings in a good local establishment, Fat Jack’s is worth a stop, but keep in mind, it doesn’t open until 3 p.m.

2. Murphy’s Law – A local sports bar that caters to Pittsburgh fans of any stripe, Murphy’s has many options but their specialty is the hot wing. The hot wings at Murphy’s have the necessary kick but don’t exchange heat for flavor. You won’t go wrong at one of Murphy’s three Myrtle Beach area locations.

3. Wing Kings – The appropriately named Wing Kings is the area’s best kept secret. Located on Socastee Boulevard in Myrtle Beach, it’s a little off the beaten path but well worth finding. Wing Kings serves only fresh product – never pre-cooked, never frozen – and patrons are the beneficiary. The locally owned bar offers 20 different flavors ranging from lemon pepper to suicide wings. Here is personal endorsement for the parmeyaki wings, a delectable combination of teriyaki and parmesan.

4. Bully’s Pub – Located at Barefoot Landing, Bully’s is home to some of the area’s best wings. Bully’s doesn’t offer as many sauce selections as the others on the list, but what they do offer is exceedingly good. If you are looking for a non-traditional flavor, try the spicy ranch wings.

5. Hooter’s – Hooter’s is America’s most renowned franchises and its former owner, the late Bob Brooks, was a Horry County resident. With three Myrtle Beach area locations, a Hooters is easy to find and the food is a known quantity. Did I mention that you can’t beat the view? 

Top 5 Sports Bars in North Myrtle

  Since we will be staying and playing in North Myrtle Beach this year, I thought I would start putting up some local info on the best places, as this is a first for our group. Enjoy and get ready, we are starting to get close!

Top 5 Sports Bars: North Strand

By

Chris King

  on March 17, 2010 3:45 PM | Comments (0)

Overtime Sports Cafe is Myrtle Beach's best sports bar.

The North Strand has grown into a golf and entertainment powerhouse in recent years, earning its spot as a good time destination. For the sake of comparison, think of the North Strand might be analogous to the Big East, a conference that didn’t exist three decades but is now, unquestionably, one of college basketball’s best. Which destination’s are the Syracuse and Villanova of North Strand sports bars? Wonder no more:

1. Overtime Sports Café – The area’s best sports bar is also the best place to watch the tournament. The North Myrtle Beach establishment has 150 televisions, including a 12-foot video wall, and three 10-foot projection screens. You can’t go wrong watching the game at Overtime.

2. Oscar’s - Ninety-eight televisions, including a 6-foot projection screen, a collection of sports memorabilia and good food is a hard combination to beat. Oscar’s, located just minutes North of Barefoot Resort, is an appealing option, especially if you are a Pitt Panthers fan.

3. Wild Wing Café – Wild Wing enjoys a prime location and some of the area’s best wings. You won’t go wrong at the Wild Wing and enjoys the added benefit of being at Barefoot Landing where several other bars and restaurants await.

4. Bully’s – Also located at Barefoot Landing, Bully’s provides a more intimate but no less appealing environment than Wild Wing. Bully’s has $2 draft beers all day, every day and outstanding wings – a winning combination during March Madness.

5. Pat & Mike’s – An Irish pub located in Little River, Pat & Mike’s will provide local flavor to your viewing experience.

Myrtle Beach Free Golf Contest

Here is another chance to win free golf to Myrtle Beach, brought to you by Golf Digest. Everyone sign up, lets increase our odds!

http://golfdigestpromotions.com/ultimatefoursometrip/

VB Golf Crew Member Goes on the Golf Galaxy Tour

 Our very own, local golf super star, Steve Esposito will be playing on the Golf Galaxy East Coast Tour this Spring and Summer. He plans to play 8-10 events, all with in driving distance of the area. I am sure I am saying this for everyone, Good Luck Steve, and Hit Her Straight!"

From Left to Right, Steve Esposito, John Barry, Ted Spencer, and Kevin Nicholson!

River Oaks Face Lift 2/3rd Done

River Oaks holes reopen

The Fox nine at River Oaks Golf Plantation reopened Friday after undergoing renovations that included new cart paths and reworked bunkers.

Cart paths were replaced on the entire nine holes at the 27-hole facility, irrigation work was done, and about 1,800 trees were removed to open up fairway corridors and help grass grow by exposing it to more sunlight. Some bunkers were removed and others were made smaller or less severe to soften the course for higher handicap players.

"For the good player the bunkers are still in the right places and are deep enough to give you some challenge if you're in them," said Dave Downing, president of Signature Golf Group, which manages River Oaks.

Some sodding and seeding is continuing this upcoming week, particularly around the new cart paths. The course has been closed since Oct. 5 and was scheduled to reopen on March 1, but the renovations were slowed by an exceptionally cold and wet winter. "I didn't think there was any way we wouldn't reopen by March 1," Downing said.

Similar work on the Otter nine preceded the Fox renovations last summer and improvements to the Bear nine are planned, though there are no dates set. Designer Craig Schreiner designed the changes and superintendent Patrick Donelan, who has previously worked at Wild Wing Plantation and Barefoot Resort, helped implement them.

The undulating greens on all 27 holes were redone a few years ago, and they now feature Champions ultradwarf Bermudagrass.

Tradition Club Review, Myrtle Beach

Course Review: Tradition Club Makes Golfers Feel At Home

By

Chris King

  on March 17, 2010 3:26 PM | Comments (0)

Tradition Club, a 4.5-star course, strives to provide the member for a day experience.

Generous fairways. Superb conditions. Outstanding customer service.

Many factors combine to make Tradition Club a 4.5-star layout, according to Golf Digest, and contribute to its inviting atmosphere.

Tradition isn’t one of seven Myrtle Beach golf courses ranked among America’s 100 Greatest, but it delivers an outstanding round of golf and a good value. It’s the type of course people want to play year after year.

The Ron Garl design earned its name; Tradition isn’t a tricked up layout. The challenge is in front of golfers as Garl’s only Grand Strand layout features wide fairways, many of them lined with Carolina pine trees, and some of area’s largest greens.

From a design perspective, Tradition offers great variety. The par 4s range in length from 329 to 475 yards. Some holes encourage players to bomb away with the driver while others demand precision off the tee. Unlike many area courses, water isn’t a huge factor, coming into view on nine holes, but Tradition does have a pair of island greens that are memorable.

Two of the course’s four par 5s are reachable in two, and the par 3s are distinct.

In short, Tradition has a little bit of everything.

“None of the holes play alike, and they all have a different look,” Tradition’s general manager, Clay DuBose, said.

The course plays 6,875 yards from the tips and 6,313 yards from the white tees, so Tradition doesn’t overwhelm players with length. Playability is one of Tradition’s strengths, and while the course isn’t a pushover by any stretch, golfers that play well can expect to score well.

For the mid to high handicapper, there aren’t a lot of forced carries and there is room to run the ball up to the green. Speaking of greens, Tradition’s average more than 8,500-square feet per complex.

When players arrive at the green, they will find complexes that challenge with subtle break as opposed to being forced to make putts with more twists and turns than a country road. Most of the greens run from front to back and are receptive to approach shots.

“(The course) isn’t going to beat you to death,” DuBose said. “But if you are a good golfer and want to step it back, it will give you all you want.”

Par 3s
Garl used water, waste bunkers and natural waste area to craft a memorable quartet of par 3s that give players a chance to score.

The 201-yard second hole (165 from the white tees) has water and a waste bunker on the left side, encouraging players to play to the right side of a relatively small green (28 yards deep).

The 203-yard fifth hole is clearly the hardest par 3. Only a disaster off the tee will bring water into play but sand in front and on the right side present challenges on the longest par 3. A back right pin placement can be particularly dicey because the green narrows and a bunker looms.

The 12th hole is Tradition’s easiest, playing 185 from the tips (but just 147 from the white tees) into a large flat green. The 12th is a good place to start a back-nine run. The 15th hole (174 yards from the tips/157 from the whites) plays into what amounts to an island green. The green is a massive 46 yards deep and it’s surrounded by water and sand. While trouble lurks, if players can past the visual intimidation, the 15th isn’t exceedingly difficult.

Par 4s
The par 4s at Tradition offer great diversity, ranging from the 329-yard third hole to the 455-yard 18th.

The longest of hitters might be tempted to try and drive the third hole, which plays 300 yards from the white tees, and is a slight dogleg right, but it’s a daunting challenge.

On a course with large greens, No. 3 is the exception. The third green is Tradition’s smallest and a waste bunker runs the entire right side of the hole, claiming its share of errant shots. The percentage play is a 225-yard drive up the left side of the fairway, leaving a good angle into the green.

The most memorable front nine par 4 is the seventh, which features an island green. The water that surrounds the green requires a 100-yard carry.

The scenic seventh is followed by Tradition’s most difficult hole, the 430-yard eighth. The hole offers a slight dogleg left and players must drive the ball to the right side of the fairway to avoid the risk of having their view of the green blocked by trees. A fairway bunker on the right increases the difficulty of your drive, as does the fact that the prevailing wind is typically in your face.

Tradition closes with three strong par 4s, all playing at least 379 yards from the white tees. The 18th is an outstanding finishing hole, playing 455 from the tips and 407 from the whites, and it requires a decision off the tee. Players that opt to hit driver face a fairway that is pinched by a waste bunker 250 yards from the white tees.

If you are accurate enough to hit the sliver of fairway untouched by the sand, a relatively short approach could await. If you play the percentages and layback, a long approach into a green flanked by a large bunker on the left awaits.

Par 5s
Tradition has an outstanding collection of par 5s, giving players a pair of opportunities to reach the green in two.

The 540-yard fourth hole, isn’t one of those opportunities - it’s a true three-shot hole.

The ninth hole, the first of consecutive par 5s, opens the door for a possible eagle putt, but players have to thread the needle. The hole is relatively short (490 from the tips/453 from the whites) but the area’s natural wetlands dissect the fairway 300 yards from the back tee. Any chance of reaching the green in two requires players to push up against the wetlands without going in. Either way the opportunity for birdie exists.

The 10th is a dogleg left with a waste bunker that runs the length of the hole on the left side. The most memorable par 5 is the 500-yard 14th, which requires a carry over water into the green. The hole is reachable in two, especially from the white tees (450 yards), but there is little margin for error. It’s a great risk-reward hole.

The Verdict: Tradition comes highly recommended. It’s the type of under the radar course – if a 4.5-star layout can lay claim to that mantle – that makes a Myrtle Beach golf trip memorable. The course won’t beat you up but at the same time it’s challenging. If your group leader books Tradition, he (or she) is doing you a favor.

3 Best Holes: Tradition Club

By

Chris King

  on March 17, 2010 3:18 PM | Comments (0)

The 14th hole at Tradition, with water fronting the green, is one of the course's best.

Tradition Club is a Myrtle Beach golf “sleeper.” Located on the South Strand, the layout doesn’t enjoy the high profile of some of its neighbors, but Tradition is an outstanding course, carved through the area’s native pine trees

One of Tradition’s greatest strengths is the variety of holes it offers.  With that in mind, we asked Clay DuBose, Tradition’s general manager, to tell us the course’s three best holes, and he obliged.

No. 7, 393-yard, par 4 – Most men play from the white tees, meaning the seventh plays 377 yards, and it features an island green. If you are a long hitter, leave the driver in the bag, because the water is 286 yards from the white tee.

“(No. 7) has a large fairway so drive ball up the right side with a little drawl and you will leave yourself with the best angle into the green,” DuBose said.

The green is 35 yards deep and surrounded by bulkhead. If you manage your nerves, there is plenty of room to keep the ball dry. It’s a fun hole.

No. 8, 430-yard, par 4 – In addition to being one of the best, No. 8 is also Tradition’s hardest hole. Your drive needs to find the right side of the fairway because a couple of large oak trees on the left can block your view of the green.

There is trouble on the left (sand) and right (trees) on the approach, though the green provides an ample target.

The eighth is challenging but fair.

No. 14, 500-yard, par 5 – If the eighth is the course’s hardest hole, No. 14 offers the chance to get a stroke back. The hole is reachable in two for most players (it plays 450 yards from the white tees) but a pond that fronts the green raises the stakes.

“If I drive the ball up the right side it will catch some hard ground and get a lot of roll,” DuBose said. “With a well placed drive, you have a really good chance to get on the green in two.”

Be wary, shots that come up short  will funnel back into the water, so take one club more than you think you need. If your drive is errant, you still have plenty of opportunity to layup on the second shot and put yourself in position for a birdie with a good approach shot.

5 Things You Need To Know About Tradition

By

Chris King

  on March 17, 2010 11:57 AM | Comments (0)

Tradition Club features large greens.

Tradition Club is Ron Garl’s only Myrtle Beach golf design, a 4.5-star course that leaves players smiling. What do you need to know about Tradition prior to your first swing?

Here are five things that will help you arrive at the course prepared to play well:

1. Green Room – Players don’t have to have to be Phil Mickelson with a wedge to hit a green at Tradition.  Getting it close might be a different story. The course’s greens, which average about 8,500-square feet per hole, are among the area’s largest, so a precision iron game is rewarded.

2. Two to Win – Because of the size of the Tradition’s greens, distance control is the key to putting well. Elephants aren’t buried under the greens, most which feature subtle break, and good lag putters should be able to consistently two putt. 

3. You Won’t Drown – Water isn’t an overwhelming concern for players. Water is visible on nine holes but on numbers 3, 5 and 16, it will only come into play on the worst of shots. That being said, island greens at No. 7 and No. 15 provide two of Tradition’s take-home memories.

4. You have latitude off the tee but …  – The fairways at Tradition are generous, but trees typically await just beyond the short grass. You will have the opportunity to rip the driver, with some margin for error, but if you are to wild, the trees will penalize you.

5. Tradition earned its name – Tradition is a throw-back. The challenges are in front players, and it’s not a tricked up course, which adds to its appeal. The course provides  an enjoyable round, thanks partly to the work of Garl, who took what the land provided him and maximized it.

RockBottom Golf Sale and Show at Lake Wright This Weekend!!!

	Where? The Lake Wright Dominion Hall On The Golf Course 6280 Northampton Blvd Norfolk, VA 23502 Click Here For Directions! When? Thursday Mar 18th: 2pm - 8pm Friday Mar 19th: 11am - 8pm Saturday Mar 20th: 10am - 6pm Sunday Mar 21st: 10am - 4pm
Click Here And See Where Else We're Headed In '10! Let Your Buddy Know We're On Our Way!
Can't Make It?  No Worries! The Same Great Deals Are Waiting At www.RockBottomGolf.com 6701 College Drive Suite 150 - Suffolk, VA 23435 Don't Want To Hear About Shows In Your Area?  Click Here!

Finially Coming to the US, SubSeventy Clothing

 UK based SubSeventy Clothing announced earier this month that they will be opening a US based Web Site and a warehouse from which they will be shipping from. They also have a Sales Rep Force going out to sell whole sale to the golf shops around the country.

I am going to leave you with a few pictures of the 100's of options of clothing. So go get your Funk on in April this year!!