Twenty Dollar Group Lessons

Every Saturday, 10am, at Bow Creek Driving Range from Ed Collins, PGA Professional and all around nice guy. The lessons are relaxed, everyone talks, and Ed moves from person to person and I am telling you, he spots things right away for you to work on.

Ed Collins, PGA
Head Professional

I began my career as assistant professional at Pasadena Yacht & Country Club in Gulfport Florida where I worked for 9 years. While working there I took lessons from tour pro Bill Buttner and PGA teaching professional Bob Ellsworth.

Later, I moved to Ft Lauderdale where I worked to complete my entrance into the PGA of America. While working for Coral Ridge Country Club, personal course to Robert Trent Jones, I began taking lessons and seminars with Chris Toulson, PGA Director of Instruction for Jim McLean at Doral in Miami.

Upon arriving in Virginia in 2003, I worked as PGA Head Professional at Cahoon Plantation in Chesapeake. I began teaching while at Cahoon which later became a full time position at Indian River Golf Center. Now, I am living my dream of teaching full time!

Short Game Clinic this Sunday

This Sunday at Bow Creek Golf Course, the Ed Collins Golf Academy will be holding a 2 hour short game clinic. The price is 25.00 a person, a steal of a deal, and will also have a guest. Below is the link with more information and sing ups:

http://www.edcollinsgolf.com/Home_Page.html

Golf Schools and Clinics


Next Sunday the 23rd, from 3:00 to 5:00 at Bow Creek will be a two hour short game school. We will cover chipping, pitching, and bunker shots.

Special guest PGA Professional Scott Gray will be here as well.




Event

Short Game Clinic


August 23
3:00 to 5:00 PM






Price: $25.00

Call Ed at 757-739-3381 to register or email Ed at edcollins@pga.com

The 20.00 Dollar Lesson

I wanted to share with everyone, the 20.00 dollar group lesson I took this past Saturday from Ed Collins over at Bow Creek Golf Club.

Arrived with a bout 10 minutes to spare, went inside the club house and bought a bucket of balls. To my surprise, Leo Anthony, former ODU Basket Ball Legend, former PA High School Basket Ball Coach, and my coach and PE teacher for 3 years at PA, was behind the counter. The guy looks great,. and he's manning the counter twice a week so he can play more and more free golf. Retirement must be nice.

Ed was on the range, and set me up, along with the 3 others who had signed up. He watched my swing a few times, and asked my handicap, then immediately made 2 adjustments to my slicing swing. He brought my left hand over more towards my right shoulder, and had me shorten my back swing. He then had me hit a few shots, then told me to practice and moved to the next guy. The atmosphere was relaxed, and the other guys had taken the class before or knew Ed. It was a very relaxed feel, but at the same time, Ed was very attentive to everyone in the class.

His golf cart had a huge bucket of balls, and told me to refill several times. He came back and worked with me 6 more times, each time, I dialed the new grip in more, and started straightening out my swing with the irons. I switched to my driver, and worked on that.

I would say I got more than my money's worth, and Ed watches you, and asked what I wanted to work on, so I am sure I am going to find myself a regular on Saturday Mornings at 10am! Best 20.00 dollars I ever spent, and I urge you guys to come out.

Group Lesson this Weekend

There is a group lesson this weekend at Bow Creek Golf Course, taught by local PGA Pro Ed Collins of the Ed Collins Golf Academy. The fee for this lesson is 20.00 for 45 minutes of instruction.

Group Lesson, Pro demonstrates a topic, followed by question answer period, then pro will check each golfer 's progress. Topics range from: swing, short game, to specialty shots.

This is a class that happens every Saturday for the Summer, and everyone is welcome to sign up and join at:

https://www.smarterlessons.com/prod/pub/grouplist2.php?facilityid=258&from=inst

Here is the Ed Collins Golf Academy Web Site address also, along with all the information about their Pros and Lessons:

http://www.edcollinsgolf.com/Home_Page.html

I hope to see some of you guys out there in the next few weeks.

Jamie Smith, PGA Pro Working Hard for You!

Can you introduce yourself to the readers and tell us about yourself?

My full name is Jamie Dean Smith, age 47. I am from San Diego CA. I grew up as a competitive Surfer on the west coast and in Hawaii. I am retired from the US Air Force and my wife is currently a 04 in the Navy as a Nurse Practitioner. I am a 3rd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and a former instructor.

You are a PGA certified golf instructor; tell us a little bit about your lessons and your style of teaching.

I did not start golfing until the age of 27. On my first round, I birdied the 18th hole and was hooked. I got into the business while we were stationed in Hawaii. I first worked at the Mamala Bay Golf course at Hickam AFB. My mentor there told me that I would not pass the Players Ability Test until I am a three handicap. He was correct. I finished the 6-year education program in 2 years.
Other instructors have asked me many times, who’s system I follow. The answer I always give is no ones system. I treat each student as an individual and based what they are trying to accomplish I will choose the best procedures for them. That is usually the answer they are looking for and my students tend to agree. I use Video when needed to see in slow motion what I may miss at full speed. This is also good to show a student what they are doing that they may not realize.


Where do you give your lessons at?

I currently am a Sole Proprietorship (Jamie Smith Golf Instruction) at Lynnhaven Golf Park on Holland Road. I also am the only PGA instructor at the Ocean View Golf Course in Norfolk.


You are also active in the community with local golf tournaments, and I spoke to you about mine, and you offered a unique prize, can you explain.

Many golf outings go out and look for sponsors that can give products or money. I am not in that type of position. I do however have time that I can give.
I donate a lesson to each member of the loosing team as a gift certificate in trade for placing my business card in each grab bag that is usually handed out.


You are also on staff at Adams Golf, can you explain what you do for them?

I am on staff with Adams Golf for the woods and Irons and on Cleveland for the wedges.
They provide me with fitting clubs to custom fit golfers. I have an account with them just like the golf shops to order direct from the factory. I may also have Taylor Made soon.
I find much easier to teach when a student is properly fitted in a proper set of clubs for their level.


Adams Golf is a respective name in golf, where do you see the company heading in the next few years?

If you look at the, what’s in the bag stats for each tournament you will see that they have their Hybrid clubs in more bags than any other on all the tours. Their quality control is as good as anything out there and I see them doing very well in the future.

If there is one piece of Adams Golf equipment you would like to speak on and recommend, what would it be?

They have a new driver out that is very good. They have a three wood that compliments it as well.


Tell us a little bit about your years in working in the golf industry:

I have worked at both indoor facilities and green grass. Both gave me great experience. In both cases, I felt bound by the rules of the organization that I worked for. Now that I have my own business I have much more flexibility to do things that work much better for me as well as for my students. In total, I have worked in the industry for 6 years and have been golfing for 20.


What is your favorite course locally and then what is your favorite you played world wide?

I have only been here two years so I have yet to play some of the really nice tracks but so far my favorite was probably Bayville. The most beautiful and most difficult course had to be Ko’o Lau in Hawaii.


I have met you several times and I know the answer, but what sets you apart from all the other PGA Pros giving lessons locally?

I would think most of us are pretty well trained to teach a golf swing, but what makes a great teacher is being able to build a relationship. I feel we need to get to know the person and not just the person’s swing. Unlike most, I was an instructor in the military and in the martial arts, which gave me a good foundation for the game of golf.


Any specials you would like to offer up for people who read this on the web site?


Although I may offer the occasional holiday special, my continuous offer of four lessons for the price of $150.00 is better than most in the area.
I also do not charge for club fittings as most others do. I expect that if I do a good fitting, they will trust that I am also going to get them the appropriate product.



Thanks for your time Jamie, any last words for us?

I love the game enough to want to share the things that I have learned, to hopefully give the golfer the best chance to have a good experience on the golf course.
Thank you for the opportunity to share my experience.

Jamie Smith, PGA
Jamie Smith Golf Instruction
Jfksmith0611@yahoo.com
757-287-1965

Lesson 3

Well golf fans, Lesson three from PGA Professional Dave Stacy is in the books. I had my lesson again on my lunch break Friday June 5th (who needs to eat any way??)

This time, I came in feeling a little confident in my irons, but none in my driver, so we worked on it the whole lesson. After a few swings, we looked at the video, and say my take away, and coming into the hitting position was actually great. I had something to be proud of, but what followed was trouble. I was not turning my wrists over, not "shutting the gate" so to speak.

Out came the heavy driver aid, and a sleeve for my left arm, seems I am letting it break down. After swinging a few, I started trying my best to turn the wrists and keep the left arm straight. It seemed to click half way through, and I started hitting straighter drives. I left the lesson feeling confident again, but a Sunday round at Kempsville Greens was in store, and of course, it's terrible conditions. The course is a dog track.

I played with my buddy Chef, and Kevin Nicholson, and our friend Steve Esposito (a 1 handicap). He watched me spray the ball all day, and worked with me. Seems I was not pulling my hips through, just thinking of too many things at one time. Towards the finial 5-6 holes, I suddenly figured it out, and boom, I was driving and playing it well.

I have one more lesson with David planned for Friday the 19, for a general tune up. Then it's off to Myrtle Beach for the annual trip on the 24th.

Thanks David Stacy again for another great lesson!

My Second Golf Lesson

Friday May 29th was my second lesson with PGA Pro David Stacy , who teaches at the Virginia Beach Golf Galaxy. I left my first lesson with a totally different and new swing, hit the range 4 times, and played 1 so so round. I was confident after the first lesson, and it was shaken a bit on the course, but I still feel I am moving in the right direction.

Lesson two started with the 6 iron again, a few swings, and David discovered I wasn't turning my hands over still, something I have found hard to do. We worked with a couple training aids, modified my grip just a little, and it started to click.

Next step was the driver. After a few swings, we moved the ball further up in my stance, and started with about 80% of my weight on my back foot, and then powering through the ball. It felt better right away. Turning the hands over remains the key for me, and something I need to work on the most. I will be seeing the driving range a lot this week.

I have my third lesson this Friday, and hope have improved the swing. I also traded in the Taylor Made 07 Draw Driver this weekend. I want to fix my swing through practice, not the band aid fix that a draw driver is. I bought the Adams Speedline Driver, along with the free 3 fairway/hybrid. My usual swing speed is is around 92-93mph, with the Speedline, I am at 101mph, a big, big difference as advertised.

First Lesson and then a Discovery

Ok, yesterday, after running story and interview of Gene Weldon, I decided to take my first lesson. So, I logged into my Golf Galaxy account, and booked a 30 minute lesson with David Stacy, the PGA Pro at the Virginia Beach location. Booked it online, added some notes about being my first lesson, so when I showed up, David knew who I was, and what I wanted to do. I told him, being able to just hit the ball consistently is all I am after for now. He had me hit a few balls, and then took action.

He had me stand more upright, move closer to the ball at address, I wasn't turning my wrist over and opening the club face on the back swing, not driving my my knee through the ball, my hands were behind the ball at contact, not firing my hips through, and not turning my wrists again and closing the club face at contact. Sounds like a mess, I was, but I picked it up very fast. I am off to the range to continue my practice at lunch. The whole lesson was video tapped and I saw a huge different from first swing to corrected swing. I will be back for more lessons.

UPDATE

I just hit a bucket at lunch, and I have never, ever come close to hitting the ball like that ever. I was averaging about 180 with the 6 iron, high, and consistently straighter than I have ever hit the ball. DAVID STACY, thank you, and look forwarding to seeing me for more lessons!

The Discovery

Somehow, some way I come across this site:

http://www.subseventy.com/


Which is SubSeventy Golf Clothes. It looks like they are European based, but expanding into the US. It reminds me a bit of Loud Mouth Golf, but it has a more European style and flair, and very, very good looking. You can crank it loud, or keep it a little more conservative. The clothes look great, not sure who would carry them around here, as it looks like they are looking for sales reps in the US, but you can order online, and you would be unique in your next golf outing for sure.

The only thing I can complain about, is this is exactly what I have been trying to push as an idea to the owner of the clothing company I work for. We are Urban and Contemporary Fashion, so getting him to sign off on a golf line has been impossible. All I can say is, Kudos SubSeventy, the line looks great!!

A Golfer's first Lesson, it's never too late

Special thanks to Gene Weldon for answering a few questions for every.

WHAT IS YOUR NAME AND JOB?

My name is Gene Weldon and I run the golf operation for a 27 hole golf facility in Sunset Beach, NC.


HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A PGA PROFESSIONAL?

I wad elected to membership as a PGA Professional in 1977.


A LOT OF GOLFERS HAVE PLAYED FOR YEARS, AND NEVER HAD LESSONS, WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THEY GET ONE, NO MATTER WHAT AGE?


ABSOLUTELY!!! I’ve been a PGA Member for 32 years and I had a lesson last week. It’s always good to have someone KNOWLEDGEABLE to take a look at your swing. Would you drive your car for 20 years without a checkup?

WHAT SHOULD A PLAYER EXPECT IN HIS FIRST LESSON?

A good teacher will always communicate on a level that the player can understand. My first question to a new student is always what does he or she want to achieve in golf. Next step in the first lesson would be to check the players fundamentals from A to Z.


WHAT SHOULD THE PLAYER EXPECT TO TAKE AWAY FROM HIS FIRST LESSON?

A better understanding of his own game and what they need to work on prior to their next lesson.

ANY OTHER THINGS YOU WANTED TO SAY?

If you have been playing for 15 or 20 years and you decide to take your first lesson and your instructor wants to change pretty much everything you already do, I might suggest a second opinion.

CAN YOU END WITH YOUR POSITION, THE COURSE INFO, ETC?

I am the Director of Golf at Thistle Golf Club in Sunset Beach NC. My phone number is 910-393-9636

If you have any other questions just give me a shout. John, I hope this is what you were looking for. Thanks - Gene

Gene Weldon
PGA Club Professional
Thistle Golf Club
910-393-9636