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Volume 2 Issue 2 March 2012

Gateway PGA

17269 Wild Horse

Creek Rd.

Suite 110

Chesterfield,

MO 63005

Phone: 636-532-3355

Alex Anderson

Junior Golf Director

Page Content

2-3 Spring/Summer

Schedule

4 Rules Seminar

Schedule

4 Policy Change

5 Fitness Tips

6 Origins of Golf

Dear Parents and Juniors,

I hope everyone has had a chance to take advantage of this beautiful weather! With

our first spring event coming up March 25th things have been busy at the Gateway

PGA. We already have over 300 members and 1,200 rounds booked for the year! I

look forward to seeing you all out on the course. Also, there are still seven spring

events with openings so be sure to sign up if you have not already done so.

I would like to thank all who attended the College Golf seminar. I hope that it was

informative and beneficial. I know that the coaches enjoyed sharing their

knowledge and insight with our juniors and parents. As mentioned at the seminar,

the Gateway PGA will be hosting its first College Golf Combine. This awesome op-

portunity will be held at WingHaven Country Club on Saturday, June 16th from

8 a.m. to 12 p.m. A golf combine is a day of golf skill and performance testing de-

signed to help juniors evaluate the state of their game, give them opportunities for

improvement, and provide statistics and information for juniors wanting to play

college golf. Benefits to participating in the Combine will be golf skills evaluation,

fitness/human performance evaluations, comparisons to current college players,

and a Gateway PGA approved Combine Results book. Details for registration will be

announced soon.

Another exciting element the Gateway Junior program will be implementing this

year is engaging EVERYONE attending the tournaments. Placing an emphasis on

family golf, Ali Wells, our Director of Foundation Programs, will have fun activities

set up at the Spencer T. Olin tournament on April 1st. Available to juniors, parents,

siblings, and anyone attending, bring the whole family out for a fun day on the

course!

Finally, if fun, family golf with lots of games and activities sounds like a great time,

you are not going to want to miss our First Annual Junior Play Golf America Event!

The event will be held at Mid Rivers Golf Links on Saturday, April 28th from

9:00 am- 12:00 pm. A morning full of golf-related games, activities, contests, and

art is a one-of-a-kind opportunity not to be missed! Plus, it’s FREE! Bring your

family, bring your friends, and get ready to have a good time!

Registration for the summer is still underway so if you have not registered for your

membership, be sure to sign up soon!

Sincerely,

Alex Anderson

Director of Junior Golf

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Summer Series Continued on page 3

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Click HERE for the Rules Quiz

DATE SEMINAR TIME LOCATION

April 21 The Orchards Rules Seminar #001 2:00 PM The Orchards GC

April 21 The Orchards Rules Seminar #002 3:50 PM The Orchards GC

April 28 Mid Rivers Rules Seminar 9:00 AM Mid Rivers GC

April 28 Mid Rivers Rules Seminar 10:30 AM Mid Rivers GC

May 5 Stone Wolf Rules Seminar #003 12:00 PM Stone Wolf GC

May 5 Stone Wolf Rules Seminar #004 1:50 PM Stone Wolf GC

May 12 Paradise Valley Rules Seminar #005 10:00 AM Paradise Valley GC

Golf Games for Kids

By Kaite Rosehill, Demand Media golftips,golfsmith.com

Overview Kids consider golf to be like any other game: fun, exercise and play. They haven't fallen into the trap that golf is difficult, challenging and frustrating. Although getting the kids out on the course is preferable, sometimes the weather is bad or there just isn't time for even nine holes of golf much less 18.

Pitching Lay out hula hoops of varying sizes and distances. Cut the hoops and re-tape together with duct tape to make them smaller. Set various sized hoops at different distances and angles. For example: The small hoops should be set close, mid-distance and far and to the right and left. The large hoops should be scattered the same way. The object of the game is to pitch the ball into the hoops. Small hoops are worth 10 points, medium-size hoops 5 points and large hoops 3 points. Each player hits a ball to each one of the hoops. The winner is the player with the most points. The game rewards accuracy and patience.

Hockey Putts The children form teams of two. Begin the game with each team member standing 1 foot apart. The first team member putts the ball to the other team member. It has to hit the other team member's putter. The second team member returns the putt. If the ball misses the putter it has to be played again. When they're both successful in putting the ball, the children take a small step apart and continue the back-and-forth putting. The winner is the team who gets the farthest apart within a 15-minute time limit. This game develops eye-hand coordination.

Club Hopping Lay out old golf clubs on the ground like railroad tracks, 1 foot apart. The tracks should be at least 10 feet long. Lay out two tracks for a group of 10 children. The children divide into teams of five. The children hop over the clubs with two feet. Each child has to hop up and back and tag the next child in line to start. The winner is the team to finish first. This builds up leg strength, which is important for a strong drive.

Golf Bag Lift Upper body strength is important in golf. Children often have developed leg strength but lack strength in their arms and chest. Empty out the child's golf bag. Have each child lift the bag five times. Add a golf club to the bag. The child lifts the bag another five times. Add another club and so forth. The bag has to be lifted at a slight angle so the clubs don't fall out. The winner is the child who can lift the most clubs.

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Prepare for Golf Season: Proper Tune-Up Tips

With golf season just around the bend, it’s time to prepare for the rigors and challenges that lie ahead on the greens. Physical conditioning is important, but you’ll also need to do equipment checks and jump-start your men-tal fitness. Following are some tips to help you utilize this spring weather and put the welcome mat out for golf season: Start by dusting off your clubs and cleaning last season’s grass stains off your shoes – this will help put you in

“golf” frame of mind. While you’re at it, fill your bag pockets with tees and fresh golf balls, tossing out last year’s broken tees, loose snack wrappers and torn scorecards.

As a daily routine – or as often as possible – warm up by taking some swings and stretching with a golf club in hand. Start at 40 or 50 percent and increase the swing as you loosen up. The warm up helps so that when you start playing with a full swing you don’t pull anything or have muscles tighten up.

Visualize playing golf … and playing it well. Make a point to “see” the ball as it finds the sweet spot. You can practice this throughout the day – at your desk, during lunch break or while you’re walking the dog.

Begin a mini-conditioning program by walking three times a week. Fit in some daily flexibility. Strengthen your legs with squats and your tor-so by doing planks on your elbows a couple of times a week. Now is good time to get a friend to help coach you and keep you motivated.

Get into the game mentally by reading Extraordinary Golf: The Art of the Possible, by Fred Shoemaker, a book that addresses focus and in-spires self-improvement or The Legend of Bagger Vance, by Stephen Pressfield which has great insight into golf. Also, have a warm-up talk with your golf professional or other golfers you respect and try out their suggestions.

Pace yourself in the beginning of the season. You don’t need to play 18 holes to start: play nine, or even three holes. Work your way gently in-to this new golf season.

With a little spring preparation and forethought about the upcoming golf season, you’ll be swinging your clubs like a pro! Contact Optimal Life-styles, Inc., 314-984-0592, for help in getting your body and mind in shape for golf.

Barb Michaels Optimal Lifestyles, Inc

barb@optimallifestylesinc.com

Optimal Lifestyles, Inc. provides personal training, golf fitness and yoga for golfers. The owner, Barb Michael is the fitness education sponsor for the Gate-way PGA. The information provided by Optimal Lifestyles is for education purposes and should not replace care or advice from your physician. Please con-sult with your physician before beginning an exercise program or suspect you are ill.

Brought to You By Optimal Lifestyles, Inc. wwwoptimallifestylesinc.com 314-494-9533

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Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots; you get good breaks from bad shots - but you have to play the ball where it lies.

~ Bobby Jones

How to Get your Child Started in Golf By Frank Mantua, Director of Golf, US Golf Camps golf.about.com The game of golf is experiencing a boom, with more and more youngsters discovering the excitement of a day at the golf course. New facilities that offer children affordable access to play the game are being constructed through-out the country and the world.

But is there a best way for parents to introduce their children to golf? Here are some tips for parents on how to attract their youngsters to play this "game for a lifetime."

Ideally, your son or daughter will approach you one day and express an interest in learning to play golf. You may have to cultivate that interest in them, because you appreciate the qualities that golf embodies and want your chil-dren to share those experiences. You, the parent, are the person who must provide access and offer encourage-ment to your children.

One of the keys to getting your child interested in golf is finding a program that they enjoy participating in. Select a program that nurtures their interest and stresses having fun. A visit to www.juniorlinks.com is one way to find programs that are available in your area. Other information sources may be your local recreation department or your local PGA Professional. Many schools also have golf programs and these are a great way for the serious junior golfer to develop his or her interest. (Editor's Note: The About.com Junior Golf section also includes sources of information.)

Ultimately, parents are the catalyst to the growth of their child's interest in golf. A visit to the driving range where you and your child can spend time together is an excellent way to get started. Invite some of your child's friends along so that they associate golf with fun. Unless you are qualified to teach, don't worry too much about instruct-ing your child. Just make sure that he or she gets an opportunity to hit some balls and enjoy the exercise.

Once a strong foundation has been developed, a visit to your local course or Par 3 course is warranted. Try to play in non-peak hours so that your child is not subject to the pressures of pace of play requirements of a busy facility.

Children learn by imitation, so encourage watching a PGA or LPGA event on TV. If you should have a tour event in your local area, go to the course. The crowds and excitement of big time golf are great magnets for a young per-son's imagination.

Many recreation departments and most public golf facilities offer junior programs (usually in the summer months). One advantage of utilizing these programs is the social interaction that your child experiences with the other children participating. Kids learn that golf is a social game played by rules of conduct and proper etiquette.

For advanced juniors who show an interest, junior tournaments are a great way to test their skills. It is important that participation in tournaments is the child's idea. Access and encouragement are two important things that parents can provide to their children to help them learn and enjoy golf.