Last week i posted that i was in Melbourne with Tour player Tim Frazer at stage 2 of tour school for his Australasian tour card. It was a terrific week, getting to see what Tim gets up to on the course when he is playing in tournament conditions. Just like you guys this is where i spend my time working on his game. You may make the same mistake 5 times while on the course, well in this scenario, a mistake made once can be very expensive so we are looking for what transpires and how we can prevent it next time. We were at the Peninsula Golf Club just south of the Sand belt (and a particular favourite course of mine) Tim played great with limited luck.He hit the ball off the fairway 3 times the first day and had to chip out once and had two un-playables for a round of 76. At the half way mark this left him around 65th place, so with 60 positions on offer for the final stage a score better than round 1 for round 2 should put him in good place (or so we thought) Tim played even better during round 2, the wind had picked up and the course really showed it's teeth. Tim shot a round of 75 and then we waited for everyone to finish. Boy what a wait. Definitely the least fun i have had for a long time. As it turned out Tim score was one more than the cut line at 150 for the two rounds. The guys must have played some good golf on the second day in all that wind.
So what was learnt.
That you can play well and it won't always be good enough.
How much luck plays a part in this game ( The young guy Tim played with had nine provisional tee shots and didn't lose a ball, didn't take a penalty - Tim hit off the fairway three times in two days and took two penalties),
How important experience is when it comes to golf. Tim's only been a pro for a little over five months and he has come such a long way but he knows how much more he has to learn. But there is so much more to being a pro golfer than just golf and Tim is going in the right direction, his future looks great so now it's just time and experience. I had a great week and learnt a lot about my young charge and a lot about golf. Well done Tim, we will get them next time.
Next time you get upset with yourself because of the way you played or that you didn't qualify for the event you were hoping too, remember, it's just a game and s#&t happens and don't let it get you down, work out what you need to do to change it and make it better, Tim and i have started already
I hope you had a great Xmas and got to spend some nice time with your families and that you have a fantastic new year.
Play well, i will see you on the course.
Jeff Mansfield
"making a difficult game less complicated"
Friday, 30 December 2011
Tuesday, 20 December 2011
Having fun on the course!
Hi guys.
While the golf schools are on a break over Christmas Dave and I are up to our usual gig of trying to get golfers enjoying and improving at this marvellous game we love. I would like to tell you about some of the things we do to not only help people play better but also to get our pupils having more fun with their golf.
This week while on the golf course with regular pupils i have engaged in different tactics to create more enjoyment while giving an authentic learning experience.
Firstly i start with Lee, who is a very regular pupil who over the past 22 months has improved from a 12 handicap to a 4. Lee is a very hard worker on his game, putting in at least three days per week of serious practice (including tuition). A regular session with Lee will include a warm up on the range, either a chipping or a putting competition, 18 holes which include a point score game that i have devised for our sessions as well as a 9 hole scratch competition between he and I. Now if you were to look at what we get up to on a usual session it would look like a great skylark and two grown men playing golf, but the sessions have much greater depth. Firstly they allow for evaluation. Because we catch up regularly it is hard for us to be able to adequately keep check on Lees improvement. Games like the point score allows him to compare point scores now to that of the past noticing a nearly 50 % increase in the past 9 months, also with the 9 hole comp starting at 3 holes and growing to 6 ( and from next year we are going to 12 holes). Playing golf with someone who (at present - and maybe not much longer if he keeps getting better) plays better than he can be quite off putting for an average person. Having these games tailored to match Lees progress and standard at the time, allows him to have success without being patronised by receiving something that he is not entitled and puts him under real life pressures which allows us to check whether what he is learning actually works. Sometimes the procedure fails and it allows Lee and I to evaluate where it went wrong and what we do to make it better. Which really is what a good golf lesson is about. By the way if you were wondering Lee is the current holder of the chips which is the trophy we play for over 9 holes and he has taken them with him to the UK to visit his family. Well done mate.
The other story i would like to relay is the junior group i teach at Wallacia Panthers where i took 4 (of the usual 8 that attend when it's not xmas) for a game of cross country golf. I had been explaining to the guys and girls how when i was their age, me and my friends would make up holes from the first tee to the 8 green, then the 9th tee to the 13th green and so on to see what we would need to do to have the best score we could. This was something the kids thought sounded like great fun , so we held the latest edition of cross country golf to be held at Wallacia in over twenty years (at least that i have been involved in). We played the boys versus the girls with me being an honouree girl for the day. We played 5 holes over two hours including a par 8 from the 8th tee to the 18th green in ambrose format with the boys finishing triumphant. But nobody really lost as everyone had a great time, we all thought a little different on the course for a change and saw some of the holes from a different perspective for a little while.
Just remember. Golf is a game. It's supposed to be fun, we are supposed to enjoy it and if we can learn while we are having fun well who can complain about that.
This will be the last posting before Christmas. I would like to thank all the attendees of the schools, classes, trips and anything else that Absolute Golf has been involved in this year. Thanks to all our guest coaches Bryan, Bob, Paul, Geoff and of course Scott as well as all the venues who have looked after us so beautifully during the year, with out you all we could not be doing what we are doing. we look forward to helping you with your game next year and getting everyone to enjoy their golf just that little bit more.
See you on the course.
Jeff Mansfield
While the golf schools are on a break over Christmas Dave and I are up to our usual gig of trying to get golfers enjoying and improving at this marvellous game we love. I would like to tell you about some of the things we do to not only help people play better but also to get our pupils having more fun with their golf.
This week while on the golf course with regular pupils i have engaged in different tactics to create more enjoyment while giving an authentic learning experience.
Firstly i start with Lee, who is a very regular pupil who over the past 22 months has improved from a 12 handicap to a 4. Lee is a very hard worker on his game, putting in at least three days per week of serious practice (including tuition). A regular session with Lee will include a warm up on the range, either a chipping or a putting competition, 18 holes which include a point score game that i have devised for our sessions as well as a 9 hole scratch competition between he and I. Now if you were to look at what we get up to on a usual session it would look like a great skylark and two grown men playing golf, but the sessions have much greater depth. Firstly they allow for evaluation. Because we catch up regularly it is hard for us to be able to adequately keep check on Lees improvement. Games like the point score allows him to compare point scores now to that of the past noticing a nearly 50 % increase in the past 9 months, also with the 9 hole comp starting at 3 holes and growing to 6 ( and from next year we are going to 12 holes). Playing golf with someone who (at present - and maybe not much longer if he keeps getting better) plays better than he can be quite off putting for an average person. Having these games tailored to match Lees progress and standard at the time, allows him to have success without being patronised by receiving something that he is not entitled and puts him under real life pressures which allows us to check whether what he is learning actually works. Sometimes the procedure fails and it allows Lee and I to evaluate where it went wrong and what we do to make it better. Which really is what a good golf lesson is about. By the way if you were wondering Lee is the current holder of the chips which is the trophy we play for over 9 holes and he has taken them with him to the UK to visit his family. Well done mate.
The other story i would like to relay is the junior group i teach at Wallacia Panthers where i took 4 (of the usual 8 that attend when it's not xmas) for a game of cross country golf. I had been explaining to the guys and girls how when i was their age, me and my friends would make up holes from the first tee to the 8 green, then the 9th tee to the 13th green and so on to see what we would need to do to have the best score we could. This was something the kids thought sounded like great fun , so we held the latest edition of cross country golf to be held at Wallacia in over twenty years (at least that i have been involved in). We played the boys versus the girls with me being an honouree girl for the day. We played 5 holes over two hours including a par 8 from the 8th tee to the 18th green in ambrose format with the boys finishing triumphant. But nobody really lost as everyone had a great time, we all thought a little different on the course for a change and saw some of the holes from a different perspective for a little while.
Just remember. Golf is a game. It's supposed to be fun, we are supposed to enjoy it and if we can learn while we are having fun well who can complain about that.
This will be the last posting before Christmas. I would like to thank all the attendees of the schools, classes, trips and anything else that Absolute Golf has been involved in this year. Thanks to all our guest coaches Bryan, Bob, Paul, Geoff and of course Scott as well as all the venues who have looked after us so beautifully during the year, with out you all we could not be doing what we are doing. we look forward to helping you with your game next year and getting everyone to enjoy their golf just that little bit more.
See you on the course.
Jeff Mansfield
Friday, 9 December 2011
Back in Melbourne and having a great time.
Dave and I headed down to Melbourne Sunday morning, we had to drive as we were taking all of our videoequipment with us for the corporate function we were attending. it's a long trip but gave us plenty of time to work through our schedules for next year and talk about upcoming trips and events we have on. It was great catching up with Bryan and Diane Ferguson, their hospitality is always very generous and something that makes our trips bearable.
Monday morning we headed off to Huntingdale Golf Club for our corporate event starting at 12.00 noon. We were set up on the first tee and had the cold south easter trying to blow us away all day. Mind you it was still better than the weather in Sydney. We had about 70 players to look after, the day ran like clockwork and we were all done by about 5.30. We would like to thank David Andrews for his invitation to do the two days and we look forward to many more. It was also great catching up with Paul Gow an old mate who's now cutting a future for himself in the corporate world. Paul was at both the days we did for HSBC Bank and as usual he was in fine fettle. By the time we got back to Bryan's, put all the golfers details in the computer and downloaded all the swings it was about 11.00pm and we were delirious. Another long day but we had a great time.
The clubhouse and putting green at Hutingdale Golf Club
Jeff on the first tee at Hutingdale with the proshop in the background.
On the Tuesday we headed to Sunshine Golf Club. It was a beautiful day, warm and sunny and Bryan and Geoff had organised 11 golfers for our "myths and influences" school. It was great. We spent the first two and a half hours on the range going over some of the schools legendary drills and then after lunch it was out on the course for 3 hours of on-course tuition. We rotated through the groups giving everyone plenty of time, with each of the coaches working on something a bit different. We had two repeat attendees Lee and Ashish and the boys had a great time again, making sure they were on the invitation list for our next trip down to Melbourne in February. They were a terrific group of guys and everyone went home with some new acrewed knowledge and i am sure we will see most of them again. This really is a good facility, brand new undercover driving range, the golf course is a bit new but has some great golf holes on it and the fairways, tees and greens were in top condition and the clubhouse with it's city views looked after us very well with coffees and lunch. We have been very lucky to hook up with such a fine facility within 30 minutes of the centre of Melbourne. We can't wait to get back there. well done to both Geoff and Bryan for their efforts at getting the group together. As usual you did great!
David working with part of the group on the putting green before teeing off.
On the Wednesday we had the morning off so we caught up with an old mate Russell Barlow for a round of golf at Sandhurst Golf Club on the Champions layout. It was another cracker of a day on a very pleasant golf course. This fun day out on the course reminded us why you guys love playing so much and will be something we will try and do more often. With all the travel we are doing these days it is important to take the time to smell the roses. After golf and a bit of lunch we headed back to Sydney. 11 hours in the car gave us plenty of time to Post Morten our efforts for the week and plan anything that had come up over our travels. It's a tough life but someone has to do it.
With the run into Christmas, next week is sure to be a busy one i will keep you posted with the latest then.
See you on the course.
Jeff Mansfield
Friday, 2 December 2011
The week between!
That's right, it's the week between our last visit to Melbourne and our next week in Melbourne. David and I have had a busy week with our day to day commitments as well as putting arrangements together for next weeks trip. We did take the opportunity to catch up and start working on next years calender which looks great. Our goal for next year is is to have an average of two events each week and we are very close to fulfilling that plan. Next year we hope to run 24 guest coach schools, 12 on-course days, 3 Wisemans Ferry Weekends, the Tasmania Trip, the U.S.A. Trip, the Western Australian Trip, as well as picking up about 20 schools at our new Absolute Golf School venue - Sunshine Golf Club. So far we are about 85% of the way there and with some other activities being made available to us in the near future we are very confident of making it in 2012. This is great for us but it's also great for you as this means more opportunity for you to get along to an Absolute Golf activity which are still proving to be the "best way to play golf".
Next week we have a corporate day at Huntingdale Golf Club, past home of the Australian Masters, with the HSBC bank people. The last day we ran at Terrey Hills for them was a terrific event and something we very much enjoyed doing. Guests at the days are Paul Gow (ex PGA tour player and Media personality) and past U.S. Open Champion Michael Campbell. All the golfers at these days are in great spirits, big smiles on their faces, all happy to be there. This really is what the game is all about and something most of us just don't get the opportunity to do, so it does remind me that the reason we all started playing the game is is to have fun which i am sure sometimes we forget.
While we are in Melbourne we are also going to run a golf school with Bryan Ferguson and Geoff Ross at Sunshine Golf Club. Our day there two weeks ago was a huge hit and some of the people who missed out last time are coming along to see what it is all about and i can't wait. It should be good fun.
Dave and I will be back on Thursday as i am sure we will have a lot of people wanting to get hold of us before the weekend. It will be back to Sydney and back in to it, which is just how we like it.
If you are interested in any of the activities at the top of this post from the schools, to the golf days, to the trips or even organising a corporate day please go to www.absolutegolf.com.au or contact David or myself today.
See you on the course.
Jeff Mansfield
Picture of the 3rd green at Huntingdale Golf Club.
Venue of our next corporate function.
While we are in Melbourne we are also going to run a golf school with Bryan Ferguson and Geoff Ross at Sunshine Golf Club. Our day there two weeks ago was a huge hit and some of the people who missed out last time are coming along to see what it is all about and i can't wait. It should be good fun.
Dave and I will be back on Thursday as i am sure we will have a lot of people wanting to get hold of us before the weekend. It will be back to Sydney and back in to it, which is just how we like it.
If you are interested in any of the activities at the top of this post from the schools, to the golf days, to the trips or even organising a corporate day please go to www.absolutegolf.com.au or contact David or myself today.
See you on the course.
Jeff Mansfield
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)