This month's golf news and features

CHAIRMAN ON THE MEND
Latest reports from visitors to Martin Furzer in a Bangkok hospital are very encouraging. He has rediscovered his appetite and has also been out to dinner in Sukhumvit (not Nana Plaza or Soi Cowboy yet), he thinks he will probably be fit to return to Hua Hin in about a month's time, he needs extensive physiotherapy to get the muscles working again in his legs.
Congratulations to Han Hakvoort who had a 'hole in one' on the no 8 hole at Milford, not in a society game but it was witnessed, pitching wedge was his club selection and it happened on 5th Feb 2002.
Celebrations were held by Fred Kroll who not only had a 'hole in one' but two of them, both at Lake View on the Desert course during the last 30 days, outside of tournaments. Holes nos 3 and 7 were easy meat for Fred and his 5 iron over 150 yeards, witnessed by our treasurer Wolfgang.
RECENT RESULTS:
19th Feb at Royal Ratchaburi, 24 players one group, 1st Doug East 37 pts, 18 hcp, 2nd Robert Baker, 34 pts, 18 hcp, 3rd David Hoy 31 pts, 35 hcp.
22nd Feb at Milford 37 players A grp 1st Ossie 43 pts, 13 hcp, 2nd Fritz 36 pts, 12 hcp, B grp 1st Morgan W 36 pts, 25 hcp, Peter Newman 35 pts 40 hcp.
27th Feb at Sawang 19 players one group 1st Jim Lynch 41 pts, 21 hcp, 2nd Jim Fletcher 39 pts, 7 hcp.
1st March at Palm Hills A grp 1st Jim Kennedy 71 net 16 hcp, 2nd Johnnie 74 net 11 hcp, B grp 1st Vivienne Barber 40 pts, 29 hcp, 2nd Luciano 38 pts, 26 hcp.
5th March at Dragon Hills 23 players one grp, 1st Per 37 pts, 8 hcp, 2nd Peter Gouldby 36 pts 9 hcp, 3rd Johnnie 35 pts 10 hcp.
8th March at Majestic Creek 17 players one grp 1st Anders (guest) 38 pts, 7 hcp, 2nd John McMorris 38pts 24 hcp.
12th March 35 players A grp 1st Jim Kennedy 73 net 16 hcp, 2nd Johnnie 74 net 11 hcp. B grp 1st Bill Evans 40 pts 40 hcp, 2nd Fred Kroll 35 pts 35 hcp.
15th March at Springfield 26 players, A grp 1st Robert Baker 43 pts, 18 hcp, 2nd Ulf 36 pts, 6 hcp, B grp 1st Hans Fitzl 38 pts, 36 hcp, 2nd Ross McWilliams 38 pts, 24 hcp.
19th March Sawang 25 players A grp 1st Larry English 66 net 11 hcp, 2nd David Winfield 71 net 13 hcp. B grp 1st Alex Singh 37 pts 29 hcp, 2nd Luciano 35 pts 26 hcp.
GOLF SOCIETY FIXTURES FOR APRIL
Tues 2nd Majestic Tee off 9.04
Fri 5th Palm Hills Tee off 9.00
Tues 9th Springfield Tee off 10.00
Fri 12th TBA
Tues 16th TBA
Fri 19th Lake View Tee off 9.00
Tues 23rd Milford Tee off 9.00
Fri 26th Sawang Bus 8.00 Bazaar
Tues 30th Hua Hin

Pro Tips - Grip Pressure

This month we talk about grip pressure. It is not often talked about in golf books, but it's a critical factor in the execution of a successful golf swing. For it is here, and only here, that the golfer comes into contact with the club during the swing. And it is the pressure your fingers exert on the club that determines your pace, coordination, motor skills, everything. Let's take a look at some ideas about grip pressure.
REMEMBER THAT GOLF IS MORE OF A FINESSE GAME THAN A POWER GAME.
You have to understand that the most effective way to strike a golf ball is to swing through the the ball, as opposed to "hitting at it." And that the grip on the club is the means to achieving that end. And that the best grip is one where you the golfer are in control of it from the beginning of the swing to the end of that swing.
THE GRIP PRESSURE SHOULD BE AS LIGHT ON THE CLUB AS IS POSSIBLE AND YET STILL BE IN CONTROL.
Because of centrifugal force, the clubhead, which, at rest, begins at zero miles an hour, actually gets up to speeds upwards of 100 MPH at impact. You have to have a firm enough grip to handle a clubhead travelling that fast, and yet, have a smooth enough grip pressure to deliver the clubhead accurately and squarely into the ball. You have to grip it light enough to be able to control a swing that is causing a clubhead to travel tremendously fast.
KEEP THE GRIP PRESSURE AT A CONSTANT (LIGHT, BUT IN CONTROL) THROUGHOUT THE SWING.
The centrifugal force of a fast moving clubhead will automatically force you to have to have a firm grip. And too fast of a swing will cause you to have to increase the grip pressure to control that club even more. This is why a smooth, evenly paced backswing is considered so important. But a smooth, even grip on the club throughout the swing -- with a pressure that tries to remain constant throughout -- translates into a swing that can remain in control, and yet builds up enough power to hit the ball the distance you require. The same tip you've heard before about swinging the same pace on both the backswing and the downswing also applies to grip pressure. Grip it the same through the entire swing back and through.
GRIP PRESSURE FROM THE LAST THREE FINGERS OF THE LEFT HAND CONTROLS THE GOLF SWING DURING THE TRANSITION FROM BACKSWING TO DOWNSWING.
It's the primary controlling part of the grip for pretty much the entire swing, and these three fingers are gripping the club slightly more firmly than the rest of the fingers. There is a natural tendency for the right side to try to hit the ball harder than the left side is capable of controlling. That's why you can't let the right overpower those three fingers on the left hand. If you control the swing properly with the correct pace, and keep control with the correct three fingers, you will probably strike the ball pretty well.
WHEN IN A CRISIS SITUATION, GRIP IT AS LIGHTLY AS POSSIBLE.
Forget the possibility your swing won't have enough grip behind it. The natural tendency is to grip it too tight. Concentrating on gripping it extra lightly will allow you to strike the ball more cleanly and efficiently. It will serve to discourage you from gripping the club too tightly, which is the cause of many of the golfer's mis-hits. Watch pro golfers like Ernie Els, David Duval and Mark O'Meara during a critical point in a round some time. They grip it as lightly as possible, swing as smoothly as imaginable, and hit the ball a long, long way.
The bottom line about grip pressure is to grip it as lightly as you can, while maintaining control of the swing. I've heard the term "grip it like you are gripping a bird by the neck," or "grip it like you're gripping an egg." No matter how smoothly you grip the club, the natural forces of the unfolding swing will provide all the clubhead speed you need. Your goal, as always, is to strike the ball as squarely and efficiently as possible. Your grip pressure should be as light on the club as you can get away with, and should be ONLY AS FIRMLY ON THE CLUB AS IT NEEDS TO BE.

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