The Juniors are about to take over!

Summer is a few weeks away and my Junior Summer Camp preparations are done. The kids are going to have a blast, blasting away with me in camp.

Working with kids golfing is a joy that never ends. The surprised smiles and the creative ideas they have always lead to a great play.

Each week there is a new group and each week the campers find a special place in my heart, entering from every dimension possible. Personality road blocks to the "oh oh oh oh I knows". Then there is the one who listens when the teacher is there and who hears when the student is ready.

That brings a student to the fore front. His younger brother was effortlessly beating him on every hole. I saw the huge disappointment on the struggling brothers sleeve. I pulled him aside to show him that some day with his  high school or college golf these same feelings were going to come back to him when he could not afford to loose. The challenge was to see, accept the feeling and find the solution. To learn from the golf he and his brother were playing and make the changes needed to feel the way he had intended to feel. He then started to see that all was not lost and the new was there to gain.

A mother called to book her son for camp, she said that her son choose me out of many golf camps because I pushed him to play beyond what he knew was his potential. Yes the water is there and so is the green!

The week flies by with fun, challenging, rewarding new flight adventures that are a gift of a life time, fore the junior and their pro.

Come on teachers let the kids go!

Cathy Schmidt Golf

LOL Here is the divot post, Where is the Divot?

This months tip is about the Divot.

First for those who swore off to never take a divot I need you to lay that decision aside. Most divots from the golfing public happen in the wrong place or not at all. If you don't want to read on then get this, the divot has to be in front of the ball and the pro's divot are at least 4 inches in front. If you go out and just take divots. Start at the ball line and focus on striking the ground at the 4 inch mark ahead of the ball or further in front to accomplish this swing bottom. There, your game will improve, I promise.

The forward divot can not happen unless the shaft is forward leaning (handle before club-head), flat left (righties) wrist. Start with putts and see that you have a flat left wrist through impact. This simple one foot stroke will show you where the break down in your swing is, if you swing the club-head first not the handle. Your left wrist will end up bent. A bent left wrist through impact is the biggest break down in golf.

Gradually increase your length of swing keeping the forward leaning shaft through impact maintaining your flat left wrist. Eventually you will find your divots have moved forward and the ball flight will become predictable.

As an armature playing on Maui's muni course, Waihue County Golf Course. Jam packed with golfers. Waiting for what seemed like an eternity. I decided to hit, back then, many moons ago there were plenty of them, cigarette buts from the par 3 tee box that I was held up on. My swing bottom changed due to smokers. I knew something different was happening to my swing dynamics just had no clue it was a forward swing bottom. When the green cleared I hit something I had never felt before, a forward swing bottom, effortless power, club-shaft & head control. So I kept on hitting butts.

Try it when play is slow, take your divots lots of them! Fill them after to keep the super happy. Find an object off your left toe and hit it.  You will start to find your target more often than not. Caution you will also fly your target so rethink club selection.

Wishing all your divots are found forward.
Cathy

Bring this month's tip in for a 10% discount on any lesson package.

THE GOLF BOOT CAMP
Cathy Schmidt LPGA, GSEM,
Certified instructor of The Impact Zone Golf       
Timber Creek Golf Club
Bradenton, Fl 34210
941-720-9080