Public Holidays - Interclub Matches - and the Juniors are back!

After a long Christmas / New Year and School Holiday Break, the week that just passed is a bit of a hump. It's all down hill and back to our regular routines. The Australia Day long weekend is usually the time that everything goes back to normal. This week just gone, we started to see golfers for on-course sessions, new students for lessons at the range, the juniors started back for there regular Thursday sessions and the girls Encourage Shield has started for another year. (it is a busy time)

David and I are only weeks away from our first golf schools of the year out at Riverside Oaks as we are running "Myths and Influences" sessions. The schools were originally advertised with Super Coach Bryan Ferguson but due to scheduling difficulties Bryan will not be available for our February 10 and 12 schools. David and I will be running these classes that we developed with Bryan with smaller numbers in a more intimate format. These classes have been very popular in the past giving students a better understanding of what actually happens when we hit a golf ball and with the new format they will be even more help for all attendees. If you would like to find out more information on our Myths and Influence Schools click on this link  www.absolutegolf.com.au/index.php?p=1_5 .

The Absolute Golf Team with some golf school attendees 

at Riverside Oaks. 

We are also inside 8 weeks from our annual Tasmania Trip to Barnbougle Dunes and the Lost Farm. Bob, Paul, Scotty, David and myself have booked our flights and are prepared for a great weekend. We have twelve already booked and are just looking for the last three to fill her up so we can get to our Island State for some of the best golf in the country. The schedule looks great with clinics, golf and an evening at a local Winery to make the trip one to remember. For more information click on this link  http://www.absolutegolf.com.au/web_images/Itinnary%20for%20BD.pdf

A big night out in Tasmania. Pipersbrook Winery.

Tour and Dinner.

Absolute Golf is also holding an on-course golf day at Lynwood Country Club on Friday the 24th of February, starting at 12.00 noon. These days were very popular during January and the addition of one a month to our schedule should be something that everyone can benefit from. Contact David or I for mare information. 

It is a busy time, so if you would like to get in on the festivities contact David or myself and we will help you with what is your best option and how it will help your golf.

See you on the course.

Jeff Mansfield 





Even the best practice their putting.

What a week in golf. Already by the 16th of January there are two US Tour events finished and in the book and it was a comment from the first one that really took my attention. The first week of the year is the Hyundai Tournament of Champions at Kapalua Plantation Course, a course i was lucky to play many moons ago. The eventual winner of the event was Steve Stricker who held on under the pump. But the comment that really got my attention was by one of the commentators who noted that even though Stricker was renowned on tour as one of the best putters he was surprised that he spends every off season working on his putting. Putting and chipping are both very much feel aspects of our game and the only way to maintain good feel or to improve on feel is to practice and work on non technique related aspects of these skills. Every type of skill acquisition has two parts, firstly technique which allows us to learn the skill in question, putting the movements in place, putting them in the correct sequence, ironing out any incorrect pieces, the second part is putting it to memory, learning what it feels like or making it so we don't have to think about it.

Here is David Reckless, one of Absolute Golf's head coaches 

running through a putting feel drill at our patented short game schools. 

Have you ever noticed that you may be hitting the ball well and you hit one shot that's not quite right and when you start working on something or thinking about that swing you just loose it all together. In learning there are 4 stages unconscious incompetence - conscious incompetence - conscious competence and unconscious competence. When playing well we are in a state of unconscious competence and if you start thinking about what you are doing you move backwards into conscious competence, which will work some time but will be prone to break down under pressure. Conscious competence is where most people spend most of their time when they are having lessons and our goal is to get you to a state of unconscious competence so you can play well for longer. I always say that during a course of lessons you must take in the information we are working on, work on the movement until it works, then forget about the technique and work on the evaluations you have been given. The evaluations allow us to know what is going wrong without thinking about the technique.

Great players like Steve Stricker have the same issues as we do, just on a different level and part of his off season routine would be to breakdown his putting so that he starts each year with the confidence that he started the year before with and every other year before. That is why they call it a routine and he obviously found a routine a while ago that works and he sticks to it to make sure he is at his best when it counts and after winning at Kapalua at the end of that first week i think he should keep doing what he does.

Jeff and David of Absolute Golf are holding their first 1/2 day schools for the year which are Myths and Influences schools with Bryan Ferguson at Riverside Oaks on the Friday the 10th of Feb and Sunday the 12th of February. Anyone who has been to a school with Fergy will know the treat they are in for and anyone who hasn't been is in for a special occasion as Bryan is a talented man. The schools start at 11.00am and run through to 5.00pm and include a 2 hour range session, lunch and 3 hours on-course. Contact us at jeff@absolutegolf.com.au for more information. We would love to see you there, so we can teach you a little more of what Steve Stricker knows so you can play more confident golf.

Old mate Bryan Ferguson is coming up from Melbourne for

Absolute Golf's February 10th and 12th schools at Riverside Oaks.

The Barnbougle Dunes trip to Tassie is only 8 weeks away and with the numbers almost full we are looking for just a few players to fill the trip. Go to http://www.absolutegolf.com.au/ and go to the activities and news page and click on the flier and schedule at the bottom of the information.

see you on the course.
Jeff Mansfield        

Happy New Year! back at it and busy already.

Dave and I have both started back for the year, so we started by looking at what we have on and what needs to be done.
Barnbougle Dunes is coming up in March (22 - 26 actually). We have five pro's including a few of our American mates Bob Duncan and Paul Buchanan. It will be the first time there for both of these guys and they can't wait. The regulars on the trip Scott Davis, David and myself are all geared up for another great trip to this fantastic venue with these great courses, terrific food and excellent people.

The first hole at Barnbougle - Lost Farm Golf Club.

The group is limited to 15 guests (as this gives 3 players to 1 pro per group) and of these 15 spots we already have 9 players confirmed. So this is exactly what we were hoping for. With eleven weeks to go, we need just 6 more golfers for a fun filled long weekend at one of Australia's finest golf destinations, with clinics three of the four days, all meals and transfers included this is a fantastic opportunity for anyone looking for a special weekend away playing golf. Please contact David or myself if you are interested in this terrific weekend and we can send you any information you need to answer any questions.

The famous 7th hole at Pebble Beach

We also started receiving confirmation for our annual U.S.A. Trip, which this year goes to San Francisco, Monterey and Palm Springs, California and in particular Pebble Beach and the PGA West resorts . Theses places are such well oiled machines and so unbelievably busy that we have to start making bookings for 2012 before the end of 2011. It really is amazing. In the past weeks we have received confirmations for accommodation at the Inn @ Spanish Bay and the La Quinta Resort in Palm Springs as well as golf bookings for Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, Spanish Bay, TPC Stadium at PGA West, The Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West, Silverrock Golf Club and The Norman Course at PGA West.  Everyone of these courses is a regular tournament venue ( U.S. Open - AT&T National pro-Am - Bob Hope Classic - Final Stage U.S.Tour School) and just to play one of these courses would be a dream come true to any golf addict but to play all of these seven is an absolute overdose that will be cherished by all (me included).

This is a very intimate group we take to the U.S.A. with only 3 pros and 9 guests so you wont only be spoiled with the courses or the accommodation but you will be one of the chosen few who have got to go on an Absolute Golf U.S.A. Trip. Something to remember for ever. For more information contact us and we will send you a copy of the intinary or any other information you may like to help you on your way. This year we also have a non golfers package with days at some of the best spa's in the states, first class shopping trips, guided tours and much much more. Contact David or myself for more information.

The 6th hole and surrounding View at the Stadium Course PGA West.

We hope you had a great start to the New Year and that it is filled with joy and success. We hope to catch up with all of you over the next twelve months, whether it be at a corporate day, a golf school or one of our special trips and we hope to be able to add to your joy and success when it comes to your golfing life.

See you on the course.
Jeff Mansfield