Jim Burns, the owner and PGA Head Professional at Stafford (Virginia) Golf Academy discusses how he incorporates uneven lies in his instruction programs.
“Obviously at a range, I can’t do the on-course components of Get Golf Ready, but I’ve developed a way to teach skill development in every session,” says Burns, who has owned Stafford Golf Academy for three years. “Instead of spending the end of each session going out on the course like we would at an oncourse facility, we spend 15-20 minutes testing the skills they’ve learned during that session.”
What Burns does is create a series of shots that a player must attempt based on that day’s instruction. For example, after working on chipping and pitching, Burns will set up targets on the range. Points are awarded for accuracy, and the points from all five sessions are tallied at the end of the Get Started schedule. Participants who beat a given score – based on their beginning skill level – are invited back for a free sixth session on how to play from uneven lies. “My students love that little twist – it really gets them focused during the skills sessions, because everybody wants that sixth session for free where they’ll learn what to do if they have an awkward stance,” Burns says. “If they don’t do well on a certain skill session, I’ll let them try it again later until they get a better score. They keep close track of their scores, and they love being able to see where they’ve improved.”
For the full article visit PGA Magazine, July 2012: http://www.pgamagazinedigital.com/i/71620-jul-2012/77