#golfny

[willowcreekgolfny-blog]

Golf Fitness Tip - Stability

Body stability is a key component to making an effortless golf swing.  If you cannot separate your shoulder movement from your hip movement without someone holding either your shoulders or hips, then your body stability needs improvement.  By doing alternating leg prone planks (as demonstrated in the above picture) golfers can increase their body stability and ultimately improve their golf swing. Start by lying prone with your legs straight and your elbows bent and placed directly under your shoulders.  From here, slowly lift your hips off the ground until your spine makes a straight plank.  From the plank position try to maintain a good stable posture and core and lift one leg off the ground.  Hold for the prescribed amount of time and return to the ground.  Repeat procedure and alternate leg. **Information gathered from www.mytpi.com

For more information check out this article: www.pgatour.com/2009/tourlife/instruction/03/05/cochran/index.html

[willowcreekgolfny-blog]

Golf Fitness Tip - Mobility

Everybody has different body mobility, but golf specific movements will help increase ones mobility.  An example of good mobility would be to get into a golf stance and rotate your shoulders without moving your hips.  Then rotate your hips without moving your shoulders in the same golf stance.  Being able to rotate one half of your body without rotating the other half is an example of good golf mobilty.

One great stretch for better golf mobility is the hip cross over stretch (as demonstrated in the above picture).  Begin this stretch by laying flat on your back with both knees up and with your feet flat on the ground/floor.  Next, take your right ankle and cross it over your left knee, and allow the left knee/ankle complex to fall slowly down to the ground on the LEFT side.  While the complex is slowly lowering to the left, place your left hand on the RIGHT knee and gently aid this slow lowering of the legs.  Once the legs have fallen completely to the left and your left hand is pulling the right knee towards the ground, you may turn your head to the right to try and get the maximum out of the stretch.  Always be sure to perform this stretch in a very slow and controlled manner, never to the point of pain.  Repeat procedure on the opposite side.

**Information gathered from www.mytpi.com For more information go to www.pgatour.com/2009/tourlife/instruction/07/26/cochran/index.html

[willowcreekgolfny-blog]

Ponds on the Golf Course

Unsightly Algae seen in a pond in 2008

Ponds play a big role on a golf course. They serve an aesthetic purpose, making the golf hole more pleasing to the eye and they serve a playability purpose, increasing the difficulty of the hole. For a golf course superintendent, ponds can be very difficult to maintain and for many different reasons. Controlling Filamentous Algae, which left untreated can make a pond look unsightly, is a big part of pond maintenance. The main reason for an outbreak or bloom of this form of algae is an increase of nutrients, mainly phosphorus and nitrogen which is found in most grass fertilizers. Golf courses take care to make sure that they never fertilize within 20 feet of a pond, as per New York State law, or when heavy rain is forecasted. Abiding by these fertilizing practices helps reduce runoff into ponds thus keeping nutrient levels low and preventing a bloom in Filamentous Algae.

[willowcreekgolfny-blog]

Why do Golf Courses Aerify?

On Monday, March 12th and Tuesday, March 13th the golf course at Willow Creek was closed while our course maintenance team aerated the greens. While closing the golf course is never something we like to do, aerification is necessary to create great playing conditions (hard, fast & limited grain) for everyone in the future. When greens are aerified soil compaction is reduced and oxygen is increased in the soil profile. Aerifying the grass also leads to better water and nutrient infiltration to promote good rooting and seed germination. Thatch build-up is reduced when grass is aerified. Thatch, the tightly bound layer of dead grass that builds up on the soil surface at the base of a grass blade, can be detrimental to grass growth if it becomes to thick. While some thatch is good for grass, when it is too thick, water and air flow to the root is restricted and growth can be stunted.

We are pleased to report that the aerification of the course at Willow Creek went great

[willowcreekgolfny-blog]

New Additions to our Golf Course!

  Installation has begun of yardage / distance markers on the cart paths throughout Willow Creek's golf course. This new addition will give golfers a general yard distance to the green from that location along the cart path. These markers should also help increase the pace of play, giving more information to the golfers before they leave the golf cart which should make for easier and more accurate club selection.

There are three distinct yardage markers – red for 100 yards, white for 150 yards, and blue for 200 yards. It should be noted that the distance is measured from the cart path to the center of the green and not necessarily to the pin placement.

[willowcreekgolfny-blog]

New York State’s New Fertilizer Laws 

Fertilizing is now prohibited from December 1st through April 1st in all of New York State. As of January 1, 2012, phosphorus is prohibited on lawns and turf throughout the state. Phosphorus causes impairment of over 100 water bodies in NY State. This new regulation will improve our water quality as nitrate levels have increased over the years due to winter fertilizer run-off, but this change could have an adverse effect on turf quality in future years. Justification of the use of phosphorus will be granted with proper soil tests showing depleted levels of this nutrient on a case to case basis.

[willowcreekgolfny-blog]

Off-Season Golf Conditioning Tip - Working on your Posture

One of the biggest swing faults among recreational golfers is a loss of posture throughout the golf swing. One of the best exercises to develop good golf posture is the overhead deep squat. The correct way to perform this is to stand with your feet shoulder width apart and feet straight (not flared out). You also want to hold a golf club with two hands, directly over your head (see picture 1).  Then, simply squat down as far as you can go while keeping your feet flat on the ground and golf club directly over head. Never let your heals come up off the ground or let the golf club move forward (see picture 2).

If this exercise is difficult, stop by the golf shop and I will be happy to show variations that can improve your mobility and more importantly, improve your golf game.

Larry Scortichini PGA Professional / TPI Certified Golf Fitness Instructor Head Golf Professional ~ Willow Creek Golf & Country Club

[willowcreekgolfny-blog]

The Impact of Snow

Believe it or not, snow during the winter months is very beneficial to the golf course turf.   With dry spells and high winds often happening during the winter months, snow helps prevent winter desiccation (the drying of the leaf blade).  

Snow can become detrimental to the golf course when there are long periods of snow cover.   With excessive snow cover, there is an increased chance of disease developing, mainly pink and gray snow mold.