The Big Bag Trade In has seen some great success over the past week and it's nice to watch my large bag stock gradually going down. I still have a variety of seventy carry and trolley bags which can be purchased at a twenty pound discount when you trade in your old golf bag. An offer not to be missed.

Chris Wood is flying to Louisiana on Sunday to prepare for the US PGA championships at Valhalla. We are both really happy with the form and have been shaking a few pepper pots around to find the magic for hopefully a successful performance in the final major of the year. He then plays the fol-lowing week in Denmark on the European Tour.

The Captain and I remain unbeaten in our Captain Pro Challenges. We halved our first match and have now won six matches on the trot. We haven't had any easy matches and on many occasions Azim has had a five or six footer to win the match and save himself paying out the £40 fee. If you want a good partner under pressure then ask the Captain to join you, he loves it!

I spent Sunday at Saunton Golf Club watching a practice round by young Jimmy Mullen. Jimmy who I have been coaching for twelve months, has made steady progress in the amateur ranks this year. He has broken into the top fifty on the amateur world rankings and has gained exemption to the US Amateur Championships in Atlanta next month. Jimmy plays off a handicap of plus four but I have told him to resist turning professional and to continue to learn his trade as an amateur for the time being. In a year or so, Jimmy will be ready to spread his wings as a professional as there is no point turning to the paid ranks unless he is one of the very best in the country, if not in Europe or the World. Good sponsor deals beckon for top amateurs and big wins on the amateur scene are vital for success.

Now over to Caren! 


Hi everyone

Just a real quickie from me this week!

We had a fabulous end to our four weekly series of disabled and special needs sessions on Tuesday morning. This particular session was more full on for us than normal as coaches, as the disabilities of the incredible people who attended needed much more consideration on our part. 

We also had two wheelchair users, and with the use of a high tee and baseball bat (yes I am pretty resourceful and imaginative when it comes to providing alternative ways to do things!) all of the participants could hit a ball off a tee and actually watch it move forward. This gave the attendees great feedback, and many of them were thrilled with what they could achieve. 

Once again, thank you to you all for allowing me the use of the facilities. Here is Jack with his carer using our high tee and baseball bat!

Roll on September when we restart our inclusive provision!

I will now hand over to Andy McGreevy for an instructional this week, so have a fab week guys :)



The Basics - The Grip

I'm sure you've heard it all before but the grip really is the cornerstone of a consistent swing. I won't bore you with the details but how you grip the club can affect many aspects of your swing including posture, club path and face alignment. Therefore in order for you to hit the ball straight with a consistent strike it is important that you understand how the hands are placed on the club so they can work together.

Often I see amateurs grip the club with what is termed a strong right hand grip (see picture 1) where the right hand is 'under' the club and the top of the left thumb is in full view. This can be due to them being right hand dominant and can cause all sorts of inconsistencies. In order for you to understand how to grip the club correctly so both hands work together and feel secure on the grip try this quick and easy drill. 

  

Start by standing in golf posture and letting your arms hang down in front of you. Now squeeze your thumb and forefinger together (see picture 2). This should create a fleshy pad in your palm just under your thumb. Now bring your hands together so your left thumb slots into the groove made by squeezing your thumb and forefinger together (see picture 3). From this position take your normal grip or even hold a club. Your left thumb should now be hidden by your right hand giving you the feel for a neutral and natural grip where both hands are working together. 

  
       
Try this next time you're out practising and if it feels uncomfortable at first stick with it. I believe that by using this method to grip the club correctly the hands feel like they come together on the club naturally and should feel like they're melded to the club as one unit. With a correct grip you will learn to create club head speed and square the club face correctly with out using your dominant right hand.

Yours in golf, 

Andy 

Have a great week Paul, Caren, Andy, Luke and Kris