If this email is difficult to view, please click here to view on website.

June 2012 Pro Shop Enews

Welcome to the June Pro Shop Enews

Dear subscriber

Hopefully the sun will shine and summer will arrive soon – hopefully it will remain for the rest of the season and we can all enjoy having the sun on our backs while we treading the fairways.

In this month’s newsletter we have a fantastic prize to give away with two tickets for the opening days of the Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St Anne’s up for grabs.

We take a look at the latest products and technology available from the leading clothing manufacturers while in the Scoring Zone section we emphasise the importance of knowing how far you can hit each club and some tips on playing the bump and run shot around the green.

If you have any questions or queries about anything to do with your game, please do not hesitate to come into the Pro Shop and see us – we’ll be happy to help.

Enjoy the read

Name

AAT PGA Professional

Scarcroft Golf Club

0113 2892780

Pro Shop Offers

June Offer

Powakaddy Electric Trolley

£299.00

The new 2012 powakaddy Digital Electric Trolley

With battery and charger

While stocks last - 3 trolleys available at this price.

****Lowest UK Price****

RRP £399.00

When they are gone, they are gone!!

**********************************************************

Junior Golf Coaching

Next group of coaching starts on Saturday 7th July 2012

Book now to reserve places

£20 for 6 sessions

Ages 5 - 15

Levels 1 -3 of the Golf Roots Programme

The 112th US Open Championship

San Francisco’s Olympic Club welcomes the world’s best golfers for the second Major of the season this month the US Open.

The competition has been kind to the Irish in recent years with Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy winning the previous two times and the latter is installed as favourite to retain the title he won so convincingly with an outstanding performance at The Congressional 12 months ago.

To do so he will have to tame The Lakes Course at The Olympic Club where the USGA are determined to return the US Open to its traditional place as ‘golf’s toughest test’ after a rain soaked Congressional led to easier conditions last year.

McIlroy was one of 20 players to finish under par last year, a stat that bamboozled organisers as in the previous four years only seven had achieved such a feat.

Players teeing off alongside the Pacific Ocean at this year’s event will experience something totally different in the dry conditions of Northern California and the narrow fairways of the Lakes Course will be fast and fickle, turning an already demanding course known for its elevated lies and tiny greens into a stress inducing track.

The par-70, 7,170-yard course is 373 yards longer than the last time it hosted the national championship in 1998 – including the 670-yard 16th hole that will be the longest par 5 in the event’s 112-year history.

Windy conditions and the threat of the city's famous fog – especially unpredictable along the coast – also could make the thick, tree-lined course even trickier.

Win Tickets to The Open Championship

We have teamed up with Nikon to offer you the chance to win four tickets to the opening two days of the Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St Anne’s.

This year’s Open Championship heads to the west coast – from July 19-22 – for the first time since 2001 when America David Duval emerged victorious, with Niclas Fasth and reigning Open Champion Darren Clarke finishing second and third respectively.

Will the likeable Irishman Clarke retain his title this year? You could be there to find out thanks to Nikon and the new Coolshot, a compact, lightweight, cool and ergonomic laser rangefinder that gives golfers a comfortable grip and easy to use measuring device.

New to the Coolshot is an automatic light sensitive, LED illumination for clear viewing of the display in dark/grey conditions. The 6x magnification multicoated lenses and large ocular dioptre offer a wider field of view which ensures easy and immediate flag/object acquisition.

To be in with a chance of winning two tickets to the opening rounds of the Open Championship simply answer the following question.

What is Nikon’s latest Laser Rangefinder called?
a) Fullshot
b) Clearshot
c) Coolshot

To enter this amazing competition simply click here and fiill out the online form.

Focus on Clothing

Golf technology has come so far that now even the clothes you wear while walking the fairways are designed specifically to help you perform as well as look good and feel comfortable.

With each clothing company developing special ‘moisture wicking’ materials that are designed to keep sweat away from the skin, there is plenty of choice out there to enhance your game as well as your look.

Below we take a look at the latest ranges from golf’s leading suppliers and give you a little insight into the technology they are using and how it can help you and your game

Calvin Klein

The Calvin Klein Golf collection is a fusion of the stylish, understated look associated with the CK brand, mixed with design specific for golf apparel.

The original Pima Pique Polo shirt is available in nine different colours and is of a high quality. The discreet but recognisable Calvin Klein golf logo is a sign that fashion has come to the golf course.

Prices Range From: £29.99

Glenmuir

Glenmuir's collection of men’s performance shirts, featuring ThermoCool, CoolMax, Hi-Cool and even UV Protection shirts, is an all-encompassing range of products to enhance golfing performance in even the warmest of weather.

Glenmuir is proud to have designed and supplied shirts and knitwear for 12 successive European Ryder Cup Teams, including the successful 2010 team.

Prices Range From: £24.99

Oscar Jacobson

Golf is a sport that is steeped in tradition, which suits Oscar Jacobson perfectly considering they have been around since 1903. OJ’s golf clothing is timeless, with influences of tailored English conservatism.

But don't be deceived, the brand’s working with new fabrics in 3d constructions (with taped seams) for improved functionality.

It is no coincidence that Oscar Jacobson is considered one of the world's top suppliers of golf wear and that several professional golf players wear Oscar Jacobson.

PING Collection

Focusing on comfort, protection and performance, PING Collection is held in high esteem for its range of essential and performance enhanced on-course clothing for golfers.

With a wide range of styles and fits available PING Collection has a shirt for every golfer, whatever their preference, from performance garments such as the Fynn to the more traditional looking Fitzgerald.

Each shirt comes in a wide range of colours from the basic blacks, whites and blues through to the brighter cerise.

Know Your Distance

Do you know how far you hit each of your clubs? In the last game you played how many times was your ball past the flag?

The majority of club golfers will answer ‘not sure’ and ‘not often’. One of the most common errors club golfers make is not hitting enough club, which is just one of the many areas where the top professionals differ greatly from their amateur counterparts.

When Greg Norman was at his prime he would talk of hitting the ball one foot long or short of his desired yardage when he had struck the ball correctly, and most golfers have heard the infamous story about Bernhard Langer asking whether the yardage another player had just given him during a practice round was from the front or the back of the sprinkler head!

Knowing how far you hit each club is vital in order to be able select the correct one and give yourself more putts for birdies or pars.

A simple method to get a better appreciation of how far you carry each club is to find out how far you hit one.

Using a six or a seven iron select 40 balls of the same type and condition if possible and then hit them all with the chosen club in as similar a direction as possible. It is advisable to try and do this when you are hitting the ball well and in conditions that are not excessive in either wind or temperature.

If you don't own a GPS or a range finder pace out from where you were hitting to the middle of the group of balls and this will give you and indication of how far you carry that club.

If you then add or subtract 12 yards for each subsequent club you shouldn't be too far away with how far they will also fly.

With this improved knowledge it is then advisable when playing to select a club that when struck correctly will fly the yardage for the back of the green.

The Bump and Run

This is a great to be able to play when faced with a shot that:

A. Can’t be putted due to an obstacle such as long grass, puddles or divots between your ball and the green.

B. There is no requirement to hit the ball high, as there is plenty of green to work with.

Simple think of this shot as putting with loft.

Using your seven iron adopt your putting stance, grip and ball position. You will notice immediately that the heel of your club is in the air. This is exactly how it should be.
Once you are in this position, simply imagine that you are putting, allowing the loft on the club to lift the ball the little amount it needs to get onto the green and running as quickly as possible.

It is important to understand that this shot should only be in the air for 4 -5 yards at the most, therefore do not try it from any further away from the green.

It is slightly limited in that respect but if you adhere to this rule and simply vary the club you are using you will find with a bit of practice that your chances of getting up and down from around the green will greatly improve.

2012 LESSON PRICES

Standard Lesson	£18.00
6 Lessons	£90.00
1 hour video lesson	£20.00
Eagle Package	£99.00

Please don't hesitate to drop by the Pro Shop at anytime to discuss your game!

Monthly Q & A With Alastair Forsyth

You had your second European Tour top 10 finish of the season in May, how is your game at the moment?
I felt I played very well finishing ninth in Madeira. I’ve been striking the ball very well all year but had been struggling badly on the greens.

Following our conversation last month I tried a belly putter (TaylorMade Stingray) in Madeira and putted a lot better and that made a wee difference.

What does a top 10 finish on the Tour do for your confidence?
It gave me a nice confidence boost as it had been frustrating hitting the ball so well without taking advantage of it and as its a results business it was pleasing to see some reward for good golf.

How important is confidence to a Tour player?
Confidence is everything to any golfer. It’s amazing how much the mind can affect your game, good and bad.

Although there are no guarantees that we will play well every time we expect to. And it’s a certainty that we won’t play well at all when we expect to be poor.

The main thing sports psychologists work on is finding the best ways to make a player feel good about themselves.

In this month’s newsletter we’re focussing on apparel – what clothing brand do you wear?
I have been wearing Under Armour clothing for the last two years and it has been fantastic. The shirts, trousers and outerwear are the most comfortable I’ve ever worn on the course.

Do you have a preference for shirts – cotton, performance fabric, loose/tight fitting?
I would always wear loose fitting shirts, as I don’t like to feel too restricted swinging the club. The compression tops are great to keep you warm in the winter, but in general I prefer to feel as loose as possible.

What’s your take on some of the outfits appearing on Tour today? Such as Rickie Fowler’s bright orange or John Daly’s Loudmouth trousers? Can you see yourself in such attire?
I think some of the guys are creating a good image nowadays. I think Ian Poulter took it too far a few years ago but has toned it down now and is usually quite smart.

Rickie Fowler can be quite loud but he's allowed to be because he’s young and he’s awesome!

I think John Daly however is wearing those trousers for one reason, or should a say thousands of reasons.... ££££!

It’s just not me to be bringing attention to myself with my clothing, I think it would bring extra pressure to perform well.

Is fashion more important to golfers today than in years gone by or has it always been something on golfers’ minds?
I don't think these guys are starting anything that’s not been going on for a long time. Just look at some of the Tartan trousers Open champions were wearing in the 70s and 80s.

What’s your schedule for the next month?
My schedule is a bit up in the air at the moment. I am waiting to hear about the possibility of a sponsor’s invite into The Wales Open and hope to get into the Nordea Masters the following week in Sweden.

Failing those I will look at playing one or two events on the Challenge Tour to keep competitive and given the fact I am 25th on the Challenge Tour Order of Merit.

Callaway Launch Innovative uDesign Programme

Callaway’s new uDesign gives you the chance to design your very own RAZR Fit Driver, the company’s hot new driver that is already in the hands of Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and the European Tour’s biggest hitter Alvaro Quiros.

Using Callaway’s innovative online interface that allows you to design one of more than 70,000 unique versions of the award-winning RAZR Fit Driver you can dial in your head colour choice, grip, shaft preference and grip selection, plus a host of other custom configurations.

Accessible to virtually customise RAZR Fit drivers for both Men and Ladies models, the uDesign by Callaway process begins with the selection of a right-handed or left-handed clubhead and a range of loft and color choices.

With each selection, the RAZR Fit image on screen modifies to embody the latest design choice. After making a colour selection, advanced customisation options detailing the choice of stock or after-market shaft, its length, grip model and wraps follow.

When finished, each user can view multiple angles of their configuration and also send their unique RAZR Fit design to friends and contacts via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Email through a dedicated share function.

Click here to design your new RAZR Fit Driver now.

Matt Kuchar - What's In My Bag

Matt Kuchar was victorious in last month’s The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, posting a score of 13-under, two shots ahead of the chasing pack.

His victory netted him a cool $1.71 million, golf’s single biggest payday, and he did it with the following equipment.

Driver: Bridgestone J40 430cc 9.5 degree
Irons: Bridgestone J40 Cavity Back – black finish (5-PW)
Wedges: Bridgestone J40 Black Oxide (53 and 60 – bent to 57 degrees)
Putter: RIFE Island Series Barbados
Golf Ball: Bridgestone 2012 TOUR B3330-S

If you do not wish to receive further marketing emails from your local PGA professional please click here to unsubscribe .