ON THE SHORT GRASS: December 2012

My passion for golf began when I was 12 and got a job as a caddie. The Club Professional, who became my teacher and later a good friend, gave me an old, scratched up persimmon 2 wood with a steel shaft and a worn out leather grip, a rusty 9 iron and putter with wooden shafts and moldy grips. Being an innovative kid, I sanded the head, applied a few coats of black paint on the wood and shortened and polished the steel shaft, painted the 9 iron shaft red and the putter shaft silver. The Caddy Master installed new leather grips, threw the clubs and a couple of Wison Staff golf balls into a used white canvas Sunday bag and said "go play." As caddies we were permitted to play for a couple of hours on Monday mornings and late in the evenings. We had a great time and my competitive spirit and love for the game ignited my dream of becoming a golf professional. For the next 2 or 3 years, I learned with my first clubs and a few I added. I wish I still had those clubs - there were a lot of great memories in that old canvas bag. While I pursued a successful career in business the next 45 years, I continued to play and never forgot about my dream. In 1996 Ken Morton Sr. of Morton Golf presented me with the opportunity to become a Teaching Professional and my dream became a reality. Early in 1997 I became a Certified Teaching Professional and eventually a PING STAFF PLAYER. For the past 13 years I've been a Tenured Teaching Professional with Morton Golf at Haggin Oaks Golf Complex in Sacramento, CA. In 2001 I had the great honor to be named the ALISTER MacKENZIE - HAGGIN OAKS GOLF PROFESSIONAL of the YEAR. Since becoming a professional, I have had the privilege to attend numerous Gold Schools, Player & Teacher Development Forums, and Teacher/Coaching Seminars to enchance my skills. These were conducted by some of the world's most acclaimed instructors, including: Dave Pelz - Hank Haney - Butch Harmon - Michael Breed - Jim Hardy - Gary McCord - Ken Morton Sr. - Stan Utley - Sports Psychologist, Dr. Glen Abaugh - Chuck Hogan - Fred Shoemaker and Jim McLean. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COURSE S INCLUDE: Dave Pelz Short Game School - United States Golf Teachers Federation School - Natural Golf School - PING Clubfitting School - Slazenger Clubfitting School - Callaway Clubfitting School - NCPGA Player & Teacher Development Forumns - Multiple Coaching and Teaching Programs. PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS INCLUDE: Certified on Trackman Launch Monitor - Certified Clubfitter for PING, Taylor Made, Titliest, Callaway, Cobra, Cleveland, Tour Edge, Mizuno, Wilson, Adams, Nike and Powerbilt. My experience as a manager and trainer in the business world has enabled me to be a confident, effective and successful Teacher and Coach. I believe in teaching and coaching the game with simple, easy to understand instruction. My approach and methodology is to build a strong foundation of fundamentals - from putting to playing the game - designing individualized paths of practice and personalized improvement programs for maximum success and the pure enjoyment of playing the game.

Friday, December 14, 2012

2012 Fall Promotion GOLF PERFORMANCE PACKAGE