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Happy 2012!  I am looking forward to a great golf season.  I will explain some new rules you need to be aware of,  and I’ll show you how to make more short putts.   After a European  holiday where Steph and I met my mom in Brussels, Belgium, I drove to Florida on January 9th to play and prepare for the Golf Schools.

florida golf schools

There is still room in a few of the schools in February and March.  Sessions 3, 4 and 5 in the middle of February and Session 7 (March 8-11) have limited space available.  We stay and play together for 4 days (Thursday-Sunday).  A practice session begins each day at 8:30;  this includes full swing, short game and putting-- all with video, k-vest (3d motion analysis).  After lunch you play 18 holes with a PGA Professional;  you will be  working on strategy, course management, scoring, rules, etiquette, etc.  Also included with the school is a take home dvd with your swings and a voice over lesson on each of the daily segments (full swing, short game, putting).  Everyone receives a practice plan to get the season started off on the right foot, and a TPI screening, which is a physical assessment of your body’s strength, range of motion and flexibility.  The cost is $1000 plus some incidental fees (airfare-$200, dinners-$100, discounted golf-$100).  It’s a great value!  If you know someone who may be interested let me know.  The remaining spots usually fill up quickly.

Rule Changes for 2012

(1) Ball moving after address, (2) Raking the bunker to smooth sand before your shot, (3) Arriving late for your tee time

In the past if your ball moved after addressing it, you incurred a penalty. For example, if you grounded the club and the ball moved, (even though you did nothing to make it move) it was a penalty. The rule has changed:   if the ball moves and you can determine you did nothing to make it move, it is no longer a penalty.  You will play the ball as it lies, you do not replace the ball.

In the past if you raked the sand on the way to your ball or raked the bunker after hitting a shot that stayed in the bunker it was a penalty.  For example, your ball is in a large bunker and you hit a shot that doesn’t get out of the bunker, you decide to rake your foot prints to save time.  In the past, that was a penalty; it is no longer.   This happens quite a bit on the PGA Tour when a player hits his shot and it doesn’t get out of the bunker and his caddy rakes the bunker while the player is assessing his next shot.  Similarly, if you are in a large bunker and have to walk a distance to get to your ball,  you drag the rake behind you to take care of your foot prints to save time.  In the past that was a penalty, it is no longer.

Late for your starting time is no longer disqualification--if you arrive within 5 minutes.  The penalty now is loss of hole in match play and 2 strokes in medal play.

Knowing the rules will benefit you.

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Getting fit for 2012

This is a good time to get your body prepared for the golf season, flexibility, strength, balance and nutrition.  There are a number of different websites that can help you with these parts of your body.  I use mytpi.com.  The first thing to do is get a screening, find a TPI professional or go to your local gym and find a trainer and get a physical screening.  I think the question-- is can your body do what you want your body to do?  For example your body is the most efficient with the biggest separation of your hip rotation and your shoulder rotation.  Can you rotate your hips separately from your shoulders or vice versa?  Let’s get together in the spring and get your body and golf game going in the right direction.    

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Chris Oleson
PGA Teaching Professional, UMD and Paint Branch GC