Twenty-year-old Jennifer Song is not only a competitor on the Duramed Futures Tour, but is an inspiration to us all. Jennifer has committed to donate 30% of her winnings to charities in Korea- as if competing for a paycheck isn’t tough enough on the tour! Jennifer is certainly a class-act golfer with a big heart; we wish her the best of luck!
Can’t seem to make solid contact when faced with a downhill lie? If you don’t adjust your setup you will likely hit behind the ball. Make sure you remember these tips when hitting from a downhill lie:
1. Shots from a downhill lie tend to have a lower tragectory. Use a club with higher loft to get the ball in the air.
2. Take your normal stance and then tilt your shoulders so they are parallel to the slope you are hitting off of. For right-handed players, your left shoulder should be lower than your right for a downhill lie (opposite for uphill lies). Tilting your shoulders downwards creates a steeper swing which will prevent your clubface from hitting behind the ball.
3. Swing with the slope.
4. Depending on the severity of the slope, it may help to widen your stance to help maintain your balance.
Last week we chatted with Debbie O’Connell and her team on the Ladies Links Fore Golf Radio Show. This was our first live radio show interview- it was definitely different than being interviewed on camera! We had a blast! Wear to Win is about 20 minutes into the show, enjoy!
When heading out to play or practice, many of us take a few practice swings and start hitting balls. This is can turn out to be a big mistake! Golfers are athletes. Warming up your body is just as important as stretching before a soccer or basketball game. While golf may seem fairly relaxed, the golf swing is very complex and involves the entire body.
Here are a few stretches I like to do before a few practice swings:
- Hamstring stretch: You can do this by propping your foot up on a bench or the golf cart and reach for your toes, or just simply grab your club and reach down towards your toes (this is just a simple toe touch). Hold these stretches for 10-15 seconds.
- Stretch the hips: Simply cross your leg on top of the other and push your knee down until you feel a good stretch (make sure to keep your back upright and your ankle on top of your knee).
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Hold it behind your back and try and lift upward, you will feel this stretch in the front of your shoulders. After that, set the club on your shoulders behind your head and rotate your shoulders back and forth. This stretch warms up your shoulders as well as your back.-Don’t forget the forearms: This is the easiest of them all. Just hold your hand out in front of you and pull your palm toward you, one hand at a time. Hold this stretch for 10-15 seconds. Next, do the same stretches downward; just push the top of your hand downward.
- Twists: Place your club behind your shoulders, twist at the waist. Then, get into a golf stance (while keeping the club behind your shoulders) and twist back and forth from this position.
These are some simple, but important, stretches that take very little time. Next time you go out to the course try these stretches and see what happens!
When playing a round of golf, it’s important to remember basic sun safety tips. After all, skin cancer is the number one cancer in the US. Take a look at this video for some good tips on how to protect your skin as you swing away.
Right after the tournament in Indiana, I headed straight to my next Duramed Futures Tour golf tournament in Kentucky. I flew into Nashville so my friend Eric (who caddied for me in the US Open qualifier) could pick me up. We then drove late at night to London, Kentucky–welcome to life of a professional golfer!
Monday we went to the course and got a practice round in. Eric and I strategized about what I planned to do on each hole. Tuesday I was back on my own and played a practice round with my friends Heather and Jackie. Wednesday I used as a practice day; I spent a lot of time on the range and getting a feel for the green which was important as they were a lot slower than the ones in Indiana. Thursday I played another practice round just to stay familiar and get more comfortable with the course.
Pro golfer Dolores White sporting Wear to Win golfwear!
The first round was Friday and I had the last tee time: 2:45. I had a lot of time to kill but at least I could sleep in. I was able to have a nice breakfast with my family and get a good warm up in before I teed off. I shot 70 the opening round and felt very comfortable on the course–the best part was that I felt like I still left a few putts out there.
The second day was another late tee time, so I went through the same routine. I hit the ball the best I ever have and only missed one green. I finished with a 69 and was headed into the final round tied for 14th. I was excited to make my first cut, but I was more focused on the fact that I had the opportunity to make a top ten finish. I thought the hard part was over (making the cut), but I was wrong.
For the final round, I was surprised to find myself very nervous on the tee box (and it only got worse when they decided to give a little more elaborate introduction). I got off to a rough start and made the turn with a 40 on the front nine. Once I was able to calm my nerves, I turned things around and shot a 33 on the back nine to finish with a 73. I lost my position in the field and finished in a tie for 28th. But I was still very proud of myself. Plus, I made my first check!
Even when I was struggling the last day, I loved every minute of it. I am heading home for a week off then I’m on the road again for five weeks. I’m so happy to be doing what I love.
Dolores White, a recent Wake Forest University Women’s Golf Team graduate, hits the road for a summer filled with golf tournaments. But this year it will be different. She is now a professional. Dolores is keeping us posted on the ins and outs of being a young professional golfer.
At the Duramed Futures Tour in Hammond, Indiana:
What a week! Monday night I flew into Chicago with David Braykovich of MAVRIK Golf. David was there for my first professional tournament experience and also caddied for me. Tuesday I spent the day at the course practicing, trying to get a feel for the greens by practicing a lot of chipping out of the northern rough (I’m from Florida where we have Bermuda grass).
I also got to spend some time with my former high school teammate Heather Burgner and her college teammate Jackie Barenborg. They were kind enough to give me a few rides; we practiced and ate lunch together. Wednesday we were only able to get a few holes in before a storm hit. Due to a pro-am in the afternoon, all we could do was practice once the weather cleared up, but luckily Thursday we were able to play the full 18.
I felt really good going into the first round on Friday. I played well minus one bad swing and a couple small mental mistakes. I shot 75. After the round I felt like I had made myself proud; I didn’t let the nerves get to me and competed well in my first round as pro. It was scary, frustrating and so thrilling all at the same time. The next day I knew I needed to play well to make the cut. I came out to the course with a little more determination than the day before. I finished with a 73 and missed the cut by only one.
While it was easy to be disappointed, I was still proud. I had no difficulty adapting to the competition, and I have great confidence going into this week for the next tournament in Kentucky.
Dolores White, a recent Wake Forest University Women’s Golf Team graduate, hits the road for a summer filled with golf tournaments. But this year it will be different. She is now a professional. Dolores is keeping us posted on the ins and outs of being a young professional golfer.
Have you ever been putting on a green and hit a well struck putt online that seemed to break twice as much as you expected? Or maybe you could have sworn it would break to the right but it stays straight?
This could possibly be because the grass on the greens may have something called grain! Grain is the direction the grass is growing in. There can be many directions of grain on the same putting green so it can be tricky.
-One easy way to determine the grain is by looking at the cup. If one side of the cup seems a little rough and the opposite side seems relatively smooth, than it is likely the grain is growing in the direction of the rough side. For example, if the left side of the cup is smooth and the right side seems rough, the grain is going from left to right.
-Another way you can determine the grain is by looking at old cups that have been filled in. Sometimes you can see the smooth side and the rough side still on the filled in cup with tells you the direction of the grain.
-And last, another easy way to see the grain on the green is by looking at the colors of the grass. If you are standing in a spot on the green and you look to your left and the grass looks light, and you look to your right and the grass looks dark, the grain is going from right to left. The grass to your left looks lighter because the grass is growing and laying down in the direction making it appear smoother and a lighter color.
Try not to over think your putts, but if there is noticeable grain it can sometimes double the break in a putt, or eliminate the break in a putt!
Last night was my first fundraiser for my golf expenses (traveling, entry fees, etc…). I must admit I was nervous at first. With this being the first event, we didn’t really know what kind of showing to expect.
My family and I held a wine tasting at a local wine market, the Red Door, with food and live entertainment. My mom helped me with planning and advertising. Throughout the week we made fliers explaining the event. We distributed them to different courses around my hometown in Florida and to other local businesses.
It took a while for people to show, but then it was like they all came at once. Fortunately, we had a large turnout. Some people who came have supported me over the years. Others came because they wanted to meet me and show support in my quest for the LPGA.
I was happy my swing instructor Earl Hawkins was there so everyone could meet him and get a better understanding about what we are working towards. Everyone had a good time and we raised enough money for traveling expenses for part of the summer.
Because of this I feel like I can just go out there and play my game. I am fortunate because I won’t have to stress about expenses each week.
Off to the Futures tournament in Indiana this week!
Dolores White, a recent Wake Forest University Women’s Golf Team graduate, hits the road for a summer filled with golf tournaments. But this year it will be different. She is now a professional. Dolores is keeping us posted on the ins and outs of being a young professional golfer.
Golf is a great game to play just for fun, but sometimes a little competition is in order. No matter your skill level, competitive play tests your game and can lead to some great improvements. Here are a few ideas to get you going, whether it’s competing with friends or flying solo.
What about you? Do you have any fun ways of seeking competition?