Tip of the Month

February 2006

By John Pallot
Director of Instruction

At The Biltmore Golf Course and John Pallot Golf Academy we work to make sure junior golf is alive and well in The City Beautiful. Our talented teacher/pros are preparing for the Spring Break Golf Classic, Spring Break Junior Camp and Summer Camp. In addition we continue with our regular Saturday morning clinics, after school clinics and private lessons.

Tiger Woods and Michelle Wie have made golf a " cool sport". At the Biltmore we take it from there by providing aspiring young golfers with a healthy, fun-filled productive environment so they gain ability, through memorable experiences, learn the fundamentals of the game and etiquette, rules, sportmanship, discipline and physical skills to play well.

I have fond memories of my own junior golfer days. I eagerly looked forward to Saturday morning lessons with Dick Medford at the Granada Golf Course practice area. I remember holing out a 65 yard 7 iron and receiving congrats from Mr. Medford and being rewarded with a free lesson. Wow! To this day, thirty seven years later, I remember that shot vividly. Junior golf sure has come a long way. In my day junior tournaments yes, but no group clinics, summer camps, Nike camps, Leadbetter Academy, Golf Channel, Junior Tours, and no after school programs such as we offer at the Biltmore. This is a great time to get your son, daughter, grandchild, nephew, niece, or friend involved in junior golf. You have the opportunity to bestow the gift of great golf for a lifetime. How many times have you heard someone say, " I wish I began to play as a kid."

This month's tip will help kids and parents. It involves 3 important fundamentals:grip, backswing, and finish

1) Grip- The club handle rests across the fingers. Make sure both "V's" formed by the thumbs and fingers point at your right ear. This allows the hands to work as a unit. Make sure the leading edge(bottom) of the club is perpendicular to the ground. This tells you the club-face is straight, an essential element in hitting straight shots. For beginning juniors I recommend the ten-finger or baseball grip.

2) Backswing- Swing the club back to the "waiter position". By that I mean the right arm forms an "L" at the top of the backswing. Have a look at your "L" while practicing swings. This right arm "L" position promotes an on-plane swing which yields longer, straighter shots.

3) Finish- Make a picture pose follow through. Here's the drill to teach you how. Take your normal address position. From there swing forward to finish. No backswing. You'll feel your arms and body rotate to the ideal finish. This is a relaxing, uncomplicated way to start your practice or warm-up. It's fun and synergistic. By holding the picture pose you're naturally working on balance, a critical element.

Hope to see you soon on Biltmore's fairways so be sure to say hello and ask for your free tip of the day