Part 3 of My 8 Part Series - How Do I? - Fairway Woods

In this installment of "How do I" I will discuss proper technique for hitting fairway woods. What can make fairway woods difficult to hit is that visually it resembles our driver which, when set up to properly will allow us to swing up on the golf ball and golfers generally allow that philosophy to spill over to the fairway woods. When golfers get in to the habit of swinging a fairway wood like a driver, that's when the bad shots start to multiply. If anything, the mental idea of hitting a fairway wood should favor that of an iron, not a driver. Let me explain........

Of all the shots hit in golf (putting aside, that is another animal) the only time we should be swinging "up" on the ball is when we have a driver in our hand. Reason being is that the ball is sitting off the ground on a tee. The last thing we want when hitting the tee ball is club to ground contact.

All other shots however, are made off the turf and in such cases requires club to ground contact even if it is minimal (such as a fairway wood). For that reason alone, the mentality of hitting your fairway woods should more closely resemble that of hybrids and irons more-so than a driver. I can tell you from experience people who come to me seeking help with hitting their fairway woods inevitably are swinging too much "up" trying to help the ball get airborne. Remember golf is a very counter intuitive sport. So if you're having trouble with your fairway woods and looking to make a change for improvement here's what you want to do:

1. Set up with your stance about shoulder width apart.
2. Ball position should be moved about 2 '' in (moving towards center of stance) from where you position your drivers ball position.
3. Maintain your spine angle  for as long as you can through impact to insure solid contact.
4. Swing as if you are trying to take a shallow divot. Let the club do the work, don't try and swing up on the ball as this will greatly increase your odds of topping it or hitting a thin shot.

Things To Remember: 1. Swing down to the ball NOT up on the ball. Golfers generally try too hard to get shots airborne; let the loft of the club work for you, stay down and through.

Give it a try and with a slight modification in the thought process of how to hit your fairways, you'll soon be reaching those par 5's in two.

Blog written by Vince Fratercangelo-Director of Instruction at VJF Golf Academy

Part 2 of My 8 Part Series - How Do I? - Hit Irons

Welcome to the 2nd of an 8 part series "How do I?" which will examine set up & techniques of playing from tee to green in an easy to understand format. This installment will discuss set up for hitting irons. There are a variety of theories on how to hit your irons, especially when it comes to ball position. And as I always say if you do it another way and it works why change? But…..if you’re irons have been a source of inconsistency and you’re looking for a new approach, this might be the piece you need.

Remember: Taking a divot is a good thing. A good solid iron shot most times requires taking a swatch of turf!

What To Do:

1. Set up with your stance about shoulder width apart.
2. Ball position should be middle or just slightly forward of center (but not much) in your stance.
3. As you swing try and maintain your spine angle as long as you can which will increase your odds of staying down and through the shot. Let the momentum of your swing pull you up and through after impact.

Things To Know: 1. The divot, when hitting an iron, starts in front of the ball not behind. So hitting a solid iron shot requires you to hit ball first and ground second. 2. I recommend using the same ball position for all irons (either middle or slightly forward) This helps to maintain consistency. There are times to change ball position for irons (chip shot, knockdown shot, punch shot etc) but on a basic iron to the green (approach shot) stick with a consistent ball position for all irons.

Blog written by Vince Fratercangelo-Director of Instruction at VJF Golf Academy

Part 1 of My 8 Part Series - How Do I? - Hit a Driver

Welcome to the first of an 8 part series "How do I?" which will examine set up & techniques of playing from tee to green in an easy to understand format. Areas that will be discussed in the coming weeks include: Irons. Fairway Woods/Hybrids, Pitch Shots, Chip Shots, Alignment and Putting. Whether you're a new golfer looking to get started or a seasoned player looking to make a change, the easy to follow steps will have you hitting more fairways and greens, making more putts and developing more consistency.

PART 1 - DRIVER

What To Do:

1. Place the ball position just inside your lead foot (left foot for righties)
2. Widening you stance is also an option but not a necessity.
3. Tilt your shoulders so that your leading shoulder is higher than your trailing shoulder.
4. Tee height will vary but we recommend lining up the bottom of the ball with the top line of the driver which will put the ball approx. 1/4 below the face and 3/4 above the face.

Hint: Don't physically try and swing up on the ball, let the actual set up dictate the motions. Also, aim for striking the TEE not the BALL. Striking the tee increases the odds on better contact. Good Luck !

Remember:  The Tee Ball is the only swing we make that we actually want to be swinging "up" on the ball at contact. Proper set up will give you the best opportunity to achieve this motion.

 Blog written by Vince Fratercangelo-Director of Instruction at VJF Golf Academy

Grow The Game Through Networking

The Golf Academy Network Association™ has been established to provide golf instructional destinations to golfers traveling throughout the U.S. Much like golf courses that utilize a reciprocal system, this network is designed to do the same for golf academies in an effort to drive customers to your business when in your area; ie business travel, vacation etc.

 

There are hundreds if not thousands of small golf schools/academies around the country owned and operated by professionals, instructors and business entrepreneurs that cater to a relatively small audience and by establishing a network of academies it will provide a platform to showcase your “GANA™ Academy” to a wider audience.

In addition, the respective clients/students of all participating GANA™ members will become part of a nationwide family of establishments and will add instant value to the perks each academy already offers.

How it works:

To be a member of the GANA™ you must provide the following:

      -    Minimum of a 10% discount on services offered to anyone visiting your facility who are clients/students from a participating GANA™ facility.

     -     Provide a membership card to your students so as to be presented at participating facilities.

     -     Some % of savings with at least ONE local golf course that you are affiliated with in your area.

     -     Provide at least 1 person (and contact info) as a point of contact at your facility that will be kept current on all GANA™ activity.

Like many small businesses, Golf Academies face the same hurdles in trying to gain exposure as well as create effective marketing and advertising. By establishing the Golf Academy Network Association™ our goal is to build a strong network of reputable golf teaching facilities that can feed off one another as well as help one another grow while at the same time growing the game of golf!

Cost to join:

$49.99 annually

What you will receive as a member:

  

•  Listed on the Golf Academy Network Association™ website (set to launch 12/10/14)

• All members of the GANA™ family of facilities will have links on their website that link to all other member websites.

• Ability to update information on the GANA™ website via the GANA™ administrator (all                 changes will be current and updated within a max of 48 hrs)

• Discounts on golf equipment for yourself or clients/students through the GANA™ home office. It’s as easy as a phone call!

• Use of the GANA™ logo

• More to come!

If you would like more information on becoming part of the Golf Academy Network Association™ drop me an email at thepro1@inbox.com. Please provide your name, contact number and name of your academy or school and I will be happy to get back to you ASAP!

 

Blog written by Vince Fratercangelo-Director of Instruction at VJF Golf Academy

 

EQUIPMENT REVIEW – ORLIMAR GOLF

As a golf professional I have had the pleasure of playing (and/or hitting) just about every brand of club that’s ever come down the pike over the past 20 + years. Like a kid in a candy store some you really like and want more of and others are just ahh…..

Orlimar, although not the first name that comes to mind when contemplating new clubs has re-entered the market with some great offerings across the board; from irons to woods to balls with something for everyone regardless of your skill level.

•        Tour 2 Irons: Great looking set of irons! Forged, with a traditional look that better players want. Thin top line, uncluttered and classic. Performance is outstanding with a feel as good as anything on the market today!

•        OMax Driver: Has an adjustable loft, lie and face angle to meet the needs of any golfer. Comes standard with a True Temper Project X shaft in both 9.5* and 10.5* lofts. This driver is a pleasure to hit! Nice sound off the face, great feel and a very responsive Project X shaft. It’s a gamer!

•        Tour Groove Wedges:  Comes in traditional lofts of 52 /8 bounce; 56/12 bounce, 60/6 bounce. With standard True Temper Dynamic Golf shafts. These clubs provide pin point accuracy like throwing darts at a dart board. Solid spin off the face and very responsive to a variety of shots around the green!

•        Golf Ball – 318UC: The only ball Orlimar currently produces but is certainly well worth a look. It’s a 3 piece ball designed to provide optimal spin without compromising distance. As a long time player of both Srixon and Titleist I would like to see this ball tested side by side with both as I believe it would measure up nicely!

•        Tad Moore TadPole Putter: Mallet putter, center shafted with a T shaped aluminum head. Nice feel with ball coming off the face both smooth and true. If you use a mallet putter and/or like center shafted styles give this one a look!

Orlimar has both caught my attention and gained my trust as a viable player in the world of golf equipment that is dominated heavily by a few.

If you’re not one of the millions sucked in by name to keep up with the Jones’s give Orlimar a look, better yet get one in your hands, let the clubs do the talking or should I say selling. For more on the entire line of Orlimar products visit http://orlimar.com

Have a golf product you’d like reviewed, contact VJF Golf and we’d be happy to provide an honest and unbiased review of your product. We can even field test your product at our Golf Academy should you so desire. For further info or to contact us visit our website @ vjfgolf.yolasite.com

Blog written by Vince Fratercangelo-Director of Instruction at VJF Golf Academy

Tigers Return…With or Without a Drummer?

The latest buzz over the last couple of days regarding Tiger Woods has been two fold; His return to golf in December for the Hero World Challenge and the current situation with not having a coach. Since the split with his now former coach Sean Foley, it appears as though Woods is giving serious consideration to going it alone, being his own coach if you will….good idea? Maybe, it all depends on what Tiger needs to get him back to his once dominating form and the only person who knows what he needs is TW himself.

In a recent article I read, Woods stated that although a coach can be beneficial, what a coach can’t know is “Feel” when making the turn at Augusta on Sunday leading by 1. True statement? Yes, valid…. not so sure. There aren’t too many coaches that can lay claim to such a feeling. So, if that be the criteria by which to find a new swing guru, Tiger may indeed need to go it solo.

As a coach and teaching professional, my gut feeling tells me that TW will be doing himself a disservice by not bringing a swing coach into his camp. Sure I’m a bit partial, but there are reasons and benefits that I believe go beyond the swing itself. Let’s face it, players on the PGA Tour are there because they know how to swing a golf club pretty consistently, I think anyone would agree. But there is a reason why the best “swingers” in the world use swing coaches.

Having been in the golf industry for over 22 years, I can tell you that the best players I work with need more that just swing advice. It’s kind of cliché but we wear many hat and the better the player the more demanding and the more hats one must wear; Advisor, strategist, psychologist, listener, mentor and motivator. In my opinion swing guru is just a part of the whole. If it were just a matter of managing his swing, maybe.

If I were advising Tiger, first I would tell him to look for a coach that is a good listener. One who can create a strategy for success based on Tigers needs. Second, is the obvious, someone who has an inside-out understanding of the golf swing but not someone with the latest FAD flavor of the month new tour swing (I will refrain from diverting and getting on my soap box) but rather someone who will diagnose and advise objectively rather than for the betterment of pushing an agenda. And thirdly I would advise TW to find someone with the capabilities to be the advisor, strategist, psychologist, listener, mentor and motivator as previously mentioned.

So it remains to be seen in the coming weeks and months just what direction Tigers career will take. Certainly Tiger is good for the game and the fans love to watch great players play great! The question is can Tiger return to greatness solo or will he need a drummer to keep the beat? Time will tell and only TW holds the answer.

 Blog written by Vince Fratercangelo-Director of Instruction at VJF Golf Academy

A Changing of The Guard??

I thought I would devote this latest entry to examining what some believe is a changing of the guard given the recent performances of Tiger Woods coming off his back surgery.  This is certainly a hot topic these days and it seems everyone has an opinion one way or another. I have also found that those opinions tend to coincide with whether people are or are not Tiger fans. Let’s make no mistake about it… most of us who live and breathe golf have our opinion about Tiger Woods and I think it is fair to say there isn’t a lot of middle ground…you either really like him or you really don’t and with that said I am going to try my best not to turn this entry into an “I love him or hat him” article because that’s not what this is about. Personal feelings aside, I’d like to focus more on the title of this blog which is about whether Tiger will continue to stand tall as the current guard or are we bearing witness to a change that will inevitably come, it’s just a matter of when.

Many are quick to write Tiger off based on the performances we have seen since his recent return from back surgery. My first question would be, is that fair or accurate? Any golfer who plays at that level and is forced to take time off to recover from a surgery is entitled to a grace period upon his/her return which is why I believe it is too early to determine the future of TW and his impact on tour week in and week out.

With all that said the current young talent that is out there every week, guys like Jordan Speith, Rickie Fowler, Adam Scott, Rory Mcllroy etc. are not going to make it easy, that’s for sure. But as we know golf is about battling the golf course and yourself, after all you can’t control what the other guys are doing. So I believe part of the question will be answered by how Tiger handles this adversity. I think another question that could be asked is…what (if any) changes are being made to his swing as a result of his surgery? Swing changes take some time before they truly take hold especially under tournament condition and pressure, so again another missing piece to this story.

I believe the answer to the title of this blog entry will be answered sooner rather than later. If TW wins a tournament between now and the first quarter of the 2015 season the guard will be unchanged for a few more years. However, if Tiger fails to win at least one event prior to that same time frame, then yes the days of Tiger domination will slowly fade into history. That’s not to say he will never win again, we are talking about a changing of the Golf Guard, a shift in power. If I were a betting man (or a weather man) here would be my 5 year outlook in percentages:

                                                                                             YES                  NO

• Win another tournament                                                99%                 1%
• Win another major                                                        50%                 50%
• Break Jack’s record                                                     15%                 85%
• Win 2 or more tournaments in a season                         45%                 55% 

So there you have it, just another point of view regarding the Tiger saga. One thing is for certain people tune in to see what will happen. If you’re a TW fan you watch in hopes that he wins. If not a fan you watch in hopes that he falters. When viewership is up that’s good for the game!

 Blog written by Vince-Director of Instruction at VJF Golf Academy