Tag Archives: pga professional

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New classes to help your golf

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Have you started playing golf this year?

There is no doubt golf has benefitted recently by being one of the few social and sporting activities that have been allowed to restart safely.

Most, if not all, the local clubs have seen a huge increase in membership numbers, and we have certainly seen an influx of new golfers coming to the range.

We are seeing lots of men aged 18 to 40 starting the game as a replacement for playing sports like football and cricket.

We have also had many conversations with these golfers, most of which are competitive by nature and want to improve but have found that turning to the internet, and YouTube in particular, is causing more confusion than providing any benefit.

Join a Golf Clinic at Dunes

We have come up with the perfect solution to help you get the information you need to play better golf.

The Golf Clinics at Dunes, hosted by PGA qualified professional – Sam Griffiths, will shine a light on the thing you need to do to improve your game and have more fun.

The group sessions, covering three key aspects of the game will give you the time to practice what you have learned under the guidance of the Pro.

Each clinic runs over two sessions with the first being the one that identifies your key area for improvement and the second one to check up and reinforce the new information.

“The ‘two-session’ clinics will provide each student with the opportunity to spend a week practicing the new information I have shared with them in the first week,” states PGA Pro Sam Griffiths, “Having the second week to check on progress and make any adjustments will be key to ensure each student makes good progress and achieves their goals”

Book you space now. Spaces are limited to just 8 per class to allow plenty of time for the coach to work individually with each pupil.

» Pure Striking Iron Play Clinic
Are you duffing or thinning your irons shots?
Do you find most of your irons go about the same distance?
Good from the tee but struggle from the deck?
In this class you will be shown the secrets to pure ball striking using proven techniques that work.

Next Class: Friday 2nd October & Friday 9th October 4.30pm to 6.00pm
£39.00 Book Here

» Fairway Finder Driving Clinic
Find out how to straighten up your tee shots, find more fairways, lose less balls and have more fun.
Learn how to deliver the club to the ball for optimal launch conditions and consistency
Check your current driver set up

Next Class: Saturday 3rd & 10th October 2.00pm to 3.30pm
£39.00 Book Here

» Up ‘n’ down Chipping Clinic
Struggling to judge the distance on chip shots?
Striking the ball poor, including thins and duffs?
Learn how to use the bounce effectively and gain insights in to club choice for each shot
Improving your short game is the single fastest way to shoot lower scores

Next Class: Saturday 3rd & 10th October 3.45pm to 5.15pm
£39.00 Book Here

Each of the above clinics include:

  • 3 hours of coaching (over two 90 minute sessions)
  • All range balls included
  • PGA Qualified Golf Coach
  • Video analysis and Launch monitor data where beneficial

To book call us on 01346 510693 or go to www.dunesgolfcentre.co.uk/golfclinics

Spaces are limited to a maximum of 8 on each class

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Extra Junior Class added on a Saturday morning but be quick!

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Dunes Golf Centre is proud to deliver a first class junior coaching programme to youngsters aged 4 to 12 years old.

Over the last 5 years well over 500 children have taken part in the lessons and have been provided the perfect introduction to the game.

The classes are run by experienced PGA Professional, Sam Griffiths, and since lockdown was lifted they have proven more popular than ever.

So much so that we have diarised a new class for 4 to 8 year olds on a Saturday morning between 9am and 9.40am.

The class starts on Saturday 29th August and lasts for 6 weeks. (Note: there is no class on 5th September but it runs for a further 5 consecutive weeks from 12th September onwards)

CLICK HERE to reserve your child a space

No previous experience or equipment is needed and any borrowed clubs are properly cleaned down before and after each use. However, if a child has their own clubs, they are encouraged to bring them along.

There are also a very limited number of spaces left on classes for 8 to 12 year olds during the week and on a Saturday.

For more information on any of the groups please CLICK HERE.

Alternatively, if you would like to call us to discuss golf for your child it’s 01346 510693

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Kris wins the Firkin in style

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Last weekend Kris took home his 5th Buchan Firkin title at Fraserburgh Golf Club with an impressive 10 under par total.

His first round score of 62 (-8) featured 6 birdies and an eagle in a blemish free round which was just one shot away from the course record.

It isn’t yet known if this is a lowest ever total for the event but the club are scouring the history books to find out.

Either way, it is a fantastic score and a great achievement, especially given the fact Kris is spending so much time helping other golfers these days.

Kris has fast gained a reputation as a top teacher of the game as he shares his knowledge from years of experience playing at an elite level. Never one to shy away from continuing his learning, he has used lockdown to further his education and has recently put together an exciting new project called the Speed Clinic.

Kris’ Speed Clinic is proving popular

The first series of 6 lessons filled up quickly so he has added another class starting on Monday 5th October 7-8pm for six consecutive weeks.

The speed clinic is for anyone looking to gain at least 20 yards on their tee shots and gains in yardage on every full shot.

“I started the Superspeed training programme at the beginning of lockdown and the gains I have made are unbelievable! 115mph was my max clubhead speed with a driver but now I can reach 123mph! So now when I go and play I can easily achieve faster speeds without as much effort. That’s game changing for me and now I am excited about what I can do for you!”
– Kris Nicol, PGA Golf Professional

To join the clinic or for more information go to www.dunesgolfcentre.co.uk/speedclinic Or call us on 01346 510693

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Have you ever been told to keep your head down?

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Why this is the biggest myth in golf…

I find myself compelled to repeat this message every year as part of my mission to help people play better, more enjoyable golf, and in this case…to save them from injury to.

Every week I hear amateur golfers telling each other that the cause of the bad shot they just hit was because they lifted their head.

This is usually followed by the instruction “KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN!”

I even have pupils tell me after a bad shot in a lesson that they ‘knew’ what went wrong there… “I lifted my head!”

I often show the pupil the video back and prove to them that they did not lift their head and in actual fact, the thought keeping their head down was one of the main causes of the bad shot.

This SHOCK news is often hard to take on board, so ingrained is this thought in the mind of the amateur golfer. In fact, this swing advice seems the fix for pretty much every bad shot.

Let me help you now…GET RID OF THE THOUGHT ‘KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN!’ It will be one of the best things you do for your golf game, AND your physical health!

In over 20 years as a PGA golf coach I can tell you how many times someone lifting their head was the cause of a bad shot – NOT ONCE!

Most advanced level players understand that keeping the head down is some what undesired and once they have hit the shot they allow the head to release freely. 

An inhibited head movement in the follow through restricts shoulder rotation, weight transfer and then ultimately club path through impact. It will also effect the release of the forearms and club head.

Worse still, it putts extra strain on your back and neck and, if you were to rotate effectively through impact and keep you head ‘down’ at the same time, you would rupture the top of your spine!

Keeping your head down also effects your starting posture. The spine becomes curved and with the chin tucked in to your chest you cannot turn properly and build up power. In many cases keeping the head down like this actually causes the body to lift in the backswing as the shoulder pushes the chin up.

Annika Sorenstam – certainly not ‘keeping’ her head down

Jim Mclean and Hank Haney are two of the Worlds’ top coaches and here is what they have to say:

Book a golf lesson with a PGA Pro at Dunes Golf Centre

“Many top players never see the ball at impact or even in the downswing. Players that do this include – Annika Sorenstam, David Duval, Jim Furyk, Steve Elkington and Paul Azinger. You must almost consciously look up at the target quickly after impact or risk hanging on the right side too long and restricting the movement of the body.”
Jim McLean

”I worked with Tiger to look up very quickly almost before he hit the shot like David Duval and Annika Sorenstam. Releasing the head early really helps to stop the body from working underneath and back in the downswing.”

Hank Haney (Excerpt from The Big Miss)

I hear so many well intentioned parents, grandparents, husbands, friends and so on telling the new golfer to ‘keep their head down’. I cringe when I hear this as I know what damage it does to a potentially good golf swing. So, please stop giving out this terrible advice and start letting yourself and your fellow golfers develop a swing that flows through to face the target, just like all good players do!

Look at the head position of all of these top golf pro’s when they are at or around impact

STOP TELLING EACH OTHER TO KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN – PLEASE!

You could argue that there are many top players who are still looking at the ground where the ball was after impact but I can tell you that this is not a conscious effort. You will see that the head is free to rotate with the body thus allowing the swing to sequence better, creating more power and greater accuracy.

Next time you go to the range – give it a go for yourself and experience the freedom of movement and extra power you can create.

Find out what you need to do differently to improve any aspect of your game…

If you want to unlock your potential simply book an initial lesson with at Dunes Golf Centre for just £30.00. Call 01346 510693 or go to www.dunesgolfcentre.co.uk/bookalesson 

Lessons are available 7 days a week 10am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 4pm at a weekend.

FREE FITTINGS IN MARCH AT DUNES

SPECIAL OFFER – SAVE £30!
Get a FREE fitting from one of our expert club fitters during the month of March with this special promotional code ‘MARCH19’
Simply go the website – click the button to book and then enter the code in the Redeem Coupon section to get your £30 discount

Book online at www.dunesgolfcentre.co.uk/custom-fitting/ or call 01346 510693 and quote the code above.

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Kris Nicol Shares His Secrets to Better Golf

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Many of you will have heard of him but for those that don’t know, Kris Nicol is one of the PGA Golf Professionals at Dunes Golf Centre in Fraserburgh.

He is fast gaining a reputation as one of the top golf coaches in the North East as well as retaining his status as one of the regions best players (he turned pro off a handicap of plus five!)

Victories in three North East Alliance fixtures on the trot in February this year have proven that, despite a shift of focus to coaching the game, he still has what it takes to shoot a low score.

There is no doubt that Kris still wants to make it as a Tour player and at Dunes we are working with him to help make this dream a reality.

In the mean-time though he is certainly enjoying helping the local golfers discover how to play better as he shares his wisdom in a series group and individual golf classes.

“Kris helped me a lot and he made it easy for me to understand. I was really impressed, I will be back for more and can’t speak highly enough about him. Thanks Kris I be passing it on to my friends as well!” Alan Lobaczewski

If you want to realise your golfing potential then book a one to one lesson with Kris and let him guide you to your best golf.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ONE TO ONE LESSONS AND TO BOOK

“I love helping other people to play better golf. I think it helps that I have played to quite a high level and can share my experiences and the things I have learned on the way. I enjoy the variety teaching golf brings; from teaching a fellow professional to a complete beginner.” Kris Nicol

Alternatively, you could join one of Kris’ popular group classes. There are currently 3 diarised that are starting in the next few weeks so don’t delay – book your space today as room on the classes is very limited.

The Short Game Masterclass
This class has proven hugely popular since it launched last year with dozens of local golfers having already benefitted from attending.

Most shots from amateur golfers are wasted from within 100 yards of the green and in this class you will discover the secrets to better wedge play so you can shoot lower scores.

What you will learn…

Session 1: Saturday 9th March 2.30pm to 4.00pm
Technique/Low Point of swing & and assessment of your current wedge setup

Session 2: Saturday 16th March 2.30pm to 4.00pm
Trajectory control; Using the bounce vs leading edge of the club

Session 3: Saturday 23rd March 2.30pm to 4.00pm
Dial in your distances on the launch monitor and how to practice like a Tour Pro

Suitable for golfers of all levels from Scratch Hcp to relative beginner!
All for only £60.00 Maximum number of students = 8
Spaces available on a 1st come 1st served basis
Price includes all 3 coaching sessions, all range balls and course materials 

CLICK HERE TO BOOK A SPACE ON THE SHORT GAME MASTERCLASS

The Putting Masterclass
A new programme for 2019 in which Kris will share his years of gained wisdom and insights in to how you can improve your performance on the greens.

What you will learn…

Session 1: Sunday 10th March 10am to 11.30am
Individual Technique Assessment
Kris will watch what you do, work with what you have got and highlight to you the key area for you to practice to become the best putter you can be.

Session 2: Sunday 17th March 10am to 11.30am
Holing out and distance control
Discover the techniques and strategies used by the best putters in the World to get the ball in the hole!

Session 3: Sunday 24th March 10am to 11.30am 
Practice drills and games
The key to productive putting practice is to create routines, which have an element of competition. This way you keep your mind and your method sharp so that when you come to the first green your practice drill is fresh in your mind.

Maximum number of students = 8
Spaces available on a 1st come 1st served basis
Price includes all 3 coaching sessions and course materials

CLICK HERE TO BOOK A SPACE ON THE PUTTING MASTERCLASS

The Monday Night Golf School
This group class is back again and is a great way for you to learn all aspects of the game in a relaxed and social environment. It is for any golfers who want to improve and even for those who want start playing the game for the first time.

Perhaps you have come to the end of your football playing days and are looking for a sport that you can continue to play and be competitive at into older age?  

Or, maybe you are looking for something to do when you are home from working offshore, or to just spend some quality time with friends or family?  

Whatever your reasons; we have created the perfect opportunity for ages 18 to 80 to start golfing or improve on their existing abilities at Dunes Golf Centre. 

You do not need any previous experience or equipment and you will learn from a PGA Professional who will guide you through the basics to get you out playing in no time at all.  

You will receive 6 hours of coaching over 4 sessions.

Course Run…
Monday 4th March 18:30 to 20:00 Lesson 1
Monday 11th March 18:30 to 20:00 Lesson 2
Monday 18th March 18:30 to 20:00 Lesson 3
Monday 25th March 18:30 to 20:00 Lesson 4
Total cost for all the sessions, including balls and club hire is £70.00

CLICK HERE TO BOOK A SPACE ON THE MONDAY NIGHT GOLF SCHOOL

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The Strike Plan

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Most golfers are looking to improve their performance but often I find them looking in the wrong place and they suffer by making the game more technical and difficult than it needs to be.

Whether you are a relatively new golfer or a low handicapper, most of your worst shots will come from a poor strike location on the club.

It might sound overly simple but if you just focus on striking from the centre of the club then you may be surprised at how good you hit the ball, and with very little thought too!

How do you know where you are hitting it from?
To begin with you need to become aware of where on the club you are striking the ball. The easiest way to do this is to coat the face with foot powder spray or get some face impact tape.

You may find that your strike is all over the club or it could be consistent but out of an ineffective part of the club.

In our lessons at Dunes we use the industry leading GC2 launch monitor with Head Measurement Technology (HMT). It displays exactly where on the clubface the ball was struck and this information has proven valuable to help golfers of all abilities improve their golf.

The industry leading GC2 with HMT launch monitor

For as long as I have played golf, I have been aware of how valuable it is to consistently find the middle of the club. However, since I started using GC2/HMT it has certainly highlighted how much the ball flight can vary depending upon strike location.

And I am not talking about strikes on the edges of the club face either, missing the centre by small amounts can create a tilted spin on the ball that turns a would be drawer of the ball into a slicer and vice versa.

This is primarily down to a phenomenon we call Gear Effect.

As the club crashes into the ball it is travelling at speeds of 60mph to 120mph depending upon the club and the individual swing speed. If the strike location is not directly in front of the centre of gravity (often referred to as sweet spot or the middle of the club) then a twisting will occur in the shaft. This can often be felt by the golfer through a vibration in the club on impact and often a reaction where they will say that the club twisted in their hands.

This twisting is caused by huge forces going through the shaft as a result of the off-centre collision. Imagine a car crashing into a concrete bollard at speed and off centre, you would see it twisting to one side.

Now this is where it can get a little complicated as the resultant ball flight is somewhat counter intuitive.

If the ball is struck from the heel of the club; the face rotates closed due to the impact. One would imagine this would send the ball to the left but in actual fact it creates a slice spin (to the right) because of the Gear Effect.

The exact opposite is true for strikes from the toe of the club.

It is like two gears working together. As the club twists clockwise, the ball will spin anti-clockwise.

However, the forces at play and variations during the impact phase are complicated and this can result in all sorts of things happening on severely off centre hits.

If you take a closer look at your driver club face you will notice that it is not actually dead flat. Instead it has a curve on it that we know as ‘Bulge’.

The bulge on the club is a design feature to help auto-correct the gear effect by starting the ball further right – for the draw spin to bring the ball back to centre on a toe strike and further left on a heel strike.

The images here show 6 shots played by a Tour Pro, a 7 handicap golfer and a 15 handicap golfer.
You can clearly see the huge difference in the consistency of centred strike achieved by the Tour Pro.

Next time you come to the range, take note of where on the clubface you are striking the ball. You don’t need to invest in expensive technology like we have in the studio; as I have already said, a £4 can of foot powder spray will do the job perfectly!

If you struggle to find the middle consistently then book a lesson at Dunes Golf Centre. The initial 1 hour session is just £30 and makes an ideal Christmas Gift.

This can be purchased online and a voucher printed all from the comfort of your own home. Simply go to www.dunesgolfcentre.co.uk/giftvouchers

Happy Golfing!

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Improve your scores – guaranteed!

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Your ability to score is significantly influenced by your ability to minimise the number of putts per round.
But it is not simply a case of going out there and practicing your putting!

Did you know?…The leading money winner on the PGA Tour (Justin Thomas) this year only made 58.47% from the 5-10 foot range. Tiger Woods only made 56.00%.

If any amateur golfer can average over 50% over the course of a season from this critical scoring range, I would very much like to meet them!

In the words of Dave Pelz, short game coach to the world’s top players,
“If you want to score, the most important “game” to improve is your short game. Second most important is your putting game. And the least important is your power-swing, ball striking game, the game you’ve been practicing all these years!”

Here is why…
Dave Pelz places the short game (this is chipping and pitching) above putting because all the stats show that how close you hit it to the hole has a significant impact upon how many putts you take.
Take a look at the 2018 season putting stats from current World Number One, Brooks Koepka.

Notice how the percentage success rate from outside 10ft drops off a cliff. Outside of 20ft Brooks doesn’t make that many putts at all!

This means all golfers will benefit hugely by hitting the ball closer to the hole from 100 yards and in.

Practice is not just about hitting ball after ball and spending a lot of time at it – in fact it is entirely not that! Good practice is about being deliberate with what you are doing and to make practice more like your play.

The Golf Studio at Dunes provides highly accurate distance information and is ideal for working on your short game throughout the winter.

Wedge Fitting at Dunes Golf Centre

Over the last 15-20 years the manufacturers have strengthened the lofts on Iron sets meaning the Pitching Wedge has strengthened from 52° to 45°. In fact, the Pitching Wedge on one new set of Irons is 42°. That is a three club length gap to the Sand Wedge. 

No wonder we haven’t seen a drop in scores despite the longer tee shots. With a gap between the Pitching Wedge and Sand Wedge (which they couldn’t strengthen as we needed that loft to get out of bunkers) extended to 11°, in the scoring zone you are effectively playing with a Sand Wedge and 8 Iron!

If you want a better short game, as a minimum you must do the following: get very good at playing 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4Pitching Wedge shots and, as I would also recommend, you put a 50 or 52° Wedge in your bag.
This Wedge (the ‘Gap’ Wedge to fill the gap the manufacturer’s have created between the PW and SW) will make it much easier for you to play better shots into greens.

I currently carry 4 wedges; They are a 46° wedge, a 50° Gap wedge and a 54° Sand wedge and a 58° lob wedge. I feel this gives me the versatility around the greens that I require.

We are a Custom Fitting Centre for most of the major brands including Ping, Cleveland, Callaway, Vokey, Taylormade and Mizuno.

What wedges do you carry?
We have a loft and lie machine and will gladly check your loft gaps FREE of charge! It only takes us a few minutes to do by using our special Loft and Lie machine. We can also talk to you about what distance gaps you have in your set as well as what bounce angles would suit you best – are you a Digger or a Sweeper?

If you want to make 2019 your best and most enjoyable year on a golf course we suggest you come for an assessment lesson at Dunes Golf Centre. It is open to golfers of all ages and levels of ability and is a fantastic learning experience costing just £30 for the 60 minute session.

Telephone 01346 510693 to book or go to www.dunesgolfcentre.co.uk/bookalessson

Short Game Masterclass with PGA Pro – Kris Nicol
Kris is hosting a 3-part series of lessons that is guaranteed to improve your short game.
What you will learn…
NEW TIMES ADDED DUE TO SELL OUT:
Session 1 Sunday 25th November 10am to 11.30am: Technique/Low Point of swing & and assessment of your current wedge setup
Session 2 Sunday 2nd December 10am to 11.30am: Trajectory control; Using the bounce vs leading edge of the club
Session 3 Sunday 9th December 10am to 11.30am: Dial in your distances on the launch monitor and how to practice like a Tour Pro

Suitable for golfers of all levels from Scratch Hcp to relative beginner!

All for only £60.00

Maximum number of students is 8 with spaces available on a 1st come 1st served basis
Price includes all 3 coaching sessions, all range balls and course materials 

Telephone 01346 510693 to book your space or go to www.dunesgolfcentre.co.uk/shortgamemasterclass

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Your 2019 season starts now…

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Yes, the 2018 season has only just finished but if you want to make 2019 your best year ever than you should start taking steps in the right direction today!

What type of winter golf practice are you going to embark upon in readiness for next season?

Important Note: Putting the clubs away and dusting them off in the Spring is a sure-fire way to get off to a slow start!

If you have kept statistics for your golf this past season, now is the time to review them so you can set a plan to improve your game this winter.

  • Hitting a low percentage of fairways?
  • Having trouble finding greens in regulation?
  • Missing too many short putts?

Your stats will tell the tale, and let you know what areas to focus on as you practice.

If you haven’t kept detailed statistics simply look back and reflect upon your strengths and weaknesses. Identify where you feel the biggest improvements need to come from and spend some time working on those areas.

This is the time when I discuss with my clients a winter plan which will involve fewer playing rounds with increased technical work on specific aspects of the game.

This usually involves a greater focus on blocked practice as opposed to randomised practice.

So, what is the difference?
Have you ever noticed that you hit the golf ball great on the driving range, but when you go to the golf course, it’s the complete opposite – just terrible?

Why is that?
A customer at the range commented to me as they were leaving recently.. “When I’m at the driving range I hit the ball great; but when I go to the golf course, I really struggle to repeat what I was doing on the driving range.”

First, let me tell you about blocked practice.

Blocked practice should be used when changing a certain part of your swing or when trying to learn a new movement.

This would be when you have a large bucket of balls and you hit all of them to the exact same target with the exact same club.  

You aren’t really working on your routine or doing much visualisation.

Instead, you are trying to get a feel for the new swing and get comfortable with it.

For many of you this is exactly where you will need to start you winter practice plan if technical flaws have caused problems with your consistency this season. 

Once the new move feels natural and you are not thinking about the swing as much, that’s when you would move onto random practice.

Random practice is completely different than blocked practice.

In random practice, you are never hitting the same shot twice.

An example of this is when you are going to practice hitting a 7-iron to one target, a 4-iron to a different target, and a pitching wedge to another target. This forms the basis of our 54 ball driving range practice game (Game sheets are available free of charge – just ask at the counter when you get your range balls)

The ideal goal in random practice is to simulate on the driving range what you will be doing on the golf course.

Random practice is used once you feel you comfortable with a swing change.

You are not standing over the ball thinking about it. It’s automatic.

Studies have shown…

People who use blocked practice typically have better practice sessions in that they are much more confident and happy when they leave the driving range.

This is largely because they have successfully hit the same shot over and over again.

The one downside to these “better” blocked practice sessions is that when they take it to the golf course, their performance is not as good as those people who employed random practice.

Generally, people who use random practice typically leave the range saying, “Oh, I hit it just OK.” However, when they go to the golf course, their performance ends up being much better than those who used blocked practice.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I want to play better on the course!

Here is a good analogy for you…
If you ask someone, what is 6 plus 9, for a split second they have to think about it, calculate it, and hopefully give you an answer of fifteen. If you immediately asked them the same question again, they have to think even less because they already ‘know’ the answer. Then if you continue to ask them the same question they won’t have to think at all about solving the problem, they already know the answer.

This is what happens with blocked practice: You hit two or three 7-irons in a row and groove a swing pretty quickly; consequently, you stop testing and challenging yourself – you go ahead and continue to hit ball after ball.

What is happening here is that you are not challenging yourselves enough in practice and you actually stop learning.

Therefore, when you go to the golf course it’s a lot more difficult because you have not practiced effectively.

I’ll leave you with a final thought: The most important thing to remember when practicing is to always be learning and challenging yourself.

You want to make your practice as difficult as possible, so that when you go to the golf course, you’ll be ready.

Make 2019 your best ever season…

To highlight the technical aspects of your swing that you need to change over the winter, and to improve the quality and productivity of your practice sessions then get in touch with us.

The 1 hour initial lesson with one of our PGA Professionals is just £30 and is a complete game analysis using industry leading technology in The Golf Studio at Dunes. We use a GC2 with HMT that provides us with highly accurate ball flight and clubhead data as well as C-Swing video analysis so we can show you exactly what you are doing.

Telephone 01346 510693 or use our new online lesson booking system at www.dunesgolfcentre.co.uk/bookalesson

Dunes Golf Centre is open Monday to Friday 10am to 8pm, Saturday 10am to 4pm and Sunday 12pm to 4pm.

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Declan makes it 4 PGA Pro’s at Dunes

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It’s just over 3 years since I re-opened the doors to Dunes Golf Centre with my wife Emma and son Billy.

In that time we have worked hard to turn a former failed business in to something that is proving to be highly successful…..so successful in fact that we are needing to recruit more golf staff!

As a PGA Professional for over 20 years I know how valuable my PGA training has been to me and my two assistants, Sam Griffiths and Kris Nicol, who are now in their final year of their training with both of them developing a great reputation for their coaching and club fitting abilities.

The PGA is the leading association in the World for training all different aspects of golf, including teaching, retail, rules and business management.

I am delighted to announce that we have just taken on our latest member of the PGA team at Dunes as Declan Addison from Peterhead has joined us, meaning there will now be four PGA members serving you at the centre.

PGA Pro’s: Peter Myers and Declan Addison

Declan was playing off 2 handicap but has just lost his amateur status having turned pro last week and is about to start his three year PGA training programme.

“I am really looking forward to this fantastic opportunity, working with Peter and the rest of the Dunes staff will Provide me with all the key information I will need to be successful in the PGA programme,” stated Declan…

“Before starting at Dunes, I spent my summer caddying at Cruden Bay golf club after returning from America. I recently graduated with a BA in Business and Organizational Leadership from Brevard College NC. I played on the golf team for Brevard where I learned to develop my own game. I hope to apply the skills I learned from my time at College to working at Dunes.

“My aspirations with the PGA programme is to help further the development of the next generation of golfers. Seeing young beginners grow and develop their skills makes is very satisfying and I want to do as much as I can to help make this happen. This applies to any age beginners, I believe it’s never too late to start and it’s great to see people taking the opportunity. Helping people enjoy the game is of the greatest importance and I want to do my part to help everyone do this.

“The PGA program is something I have been interested in doing for a while now so when I saw that Dunes was offering the position I did not hesitate to throw my name into the hat. I very much look forward to starting the programme and learning all the important information I will need to become a successful PGA professional.”

We are delighted to welcome Declan in to the team and we wish him the very best of luck.

Peter Myers (PGA Professional)

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Hotter than an Ed Sheeran Concert Ticket!

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Statistics show that across the UK golf club membership numbers are down and the number of females playing the game is especially low, but in the far North East corner of Scotland something different is happening, something very special indeed….

On Saturday 22nd September, the seventh ladies love.golf Scramble took place at the beautiful Inverallochy Golf Club just outside Fraserburgh in Aberdeenshire.

The Scrambles are now famous amongst the women of North East Scotland as the community of female golfers has grown to such an extent (217 women to date have started love.golf so far!) that it’s said to be easier to get an Ed Sheeran concert ticket than get in to a love.golf scramble!

All the women who played have started golf within the last two years as part of the love.golf coaching programme run by PGA Professional, Peter Myers, at Dunes Golf Centre.

What makes the events so special?

The idea of the Scrambles is to get the women out playing in a friendly competition but the way the day is structured means there is a big emphasis on the social side of the game.

This sums it from in an email from love.golfer, Ashley Ritchie….

“Another great day!
“I remember the feeling when I signed up for my first scramble.  I was anxious and nervous.  I even wished for torrential rain so it would be called off!

“As soon I as played my first hole, I realised that it wasn’t about perfection it was about a group of girls looking for a good, fun day out. 

“Now it’s the opposite, I pray for no rain although that doesn’t always work 😂
Yesterday, I played horrendous. Did it matter?  No nae really, the only person disappointed was me. 

“I love the format of a scramble, it gets people out playing when they didn’t think they could.  I find it very little pressure, just enough for you to want to do well. 

“The second part of the day; with the meal, quiz, bingo or whatever is just as important for me. 
I love meeting & chatting with new people, as well as catching up with friends. 

“Thank you to Peter, Emma and everyone behind the scenes who make these days possible. 

“Looking forward to the Christmas Scramble already!”

You’re a golfer as soon as you start love.golf

The opening statement in the first love.golf class goes something like this….

“Congratulations you are now a golfer and my job as a coach is to help you discover your way of playing the game and for you to have the most fun whilst doing it.”

A chance meeting in Tesco the evening before gave one woman the opportunity to play even though she only came to her first love.golf  lesson just 8 days earlier.

A late drop out due to illness meant it looked like one team would be a player short but Peter happened to bump in to new golfer – Jacqui Kelly whilst picking up some shopping and she was brave enough to say yes she’d play…

“I just wanted to thank everyone for making me feel so welcome as a late stand in yesterday. Special thanks to my team for putting up with me and to Peter for giving me the chance to play my first scramble.

“The whole day was so well organised. Playing on such a great course has really inspired me (the weather didn’t even bother me, four seasons in one day!) The meal and evening entertainment were also faultless. Thank you!” Jacqui Kelly

The ladies teed off in a shotgun format, starting at 3pm and then it was in to the clubhouse for a meal, drinks and presentation of prizes.

Finishing as runners up with a score of 34 were Jill Campbell, Moore Bowie, Liz Davidson and Adele Abercrombie
The winners, with a superb score of level par gross (32) were Iona Cameron, Ann Coulman, Diane Buchan and Emma Hadden

“I am delighted to see so many women out enjoying playing the game” states PGA Pro, Peter Myers,
“I very much believe the long-term health of our game is to get more women playing and ultimately more families. I also think most golf clubs still need to do way more to be welcoming to women and families… though that said, Inverallochy and our other local courses are doing a great job right now.”

After the golf the ladies drew a raffle with prizes they had each donated and this raised an incredible sum of £268 which was chosen to go to ‘2 The Nations charity’ which is helping Sefton Children’s Home in the Philippines.

The evening was finished off with music, drinks and the first ever game of love.bingo which provided much entertainment!

Watch a short video of the day by clicking the video play button below…

Why love.golf?

love.golf has been specially developed for women, with a unique approach focused on coaching while playing the game as a group, rather than simply hitting balls on a practice range.

It is helping to transform the game’s outdated image and welcome a new generation of female golfers who may not have considered trying golf before.

The great thing about love.golf is that it provides an environment for women to discover, learn and improve skills. Participants frequently say they are surprised at their achievements and the sense of self-confidence and empowerment that comes with this.

All the equipment is provided so it’s ideal for new golfers, you can wear jeans and trainers and you don’t have to be a club member, or even have played before. It’s relaxed, welcoming and probably not at all what you think golf is like.

love.golf was launched in 2015 on the back of an academic study at the University of Birmingham looking at how golf is taught to women. It also follows a nationwide survey that found more than 640,000 women said they would be ‘very interested’ in taking up golf.

If you or a woman you know are interested in taking up the game then go to www.dunesgolfcentre.co.uk/lovegolf or call 01346 510693 to learn more.