Get Golf Ready This Summer!

I jumped at the chance to take part in the Get Golf Ready program this summer.  Here's the description I was sent:


"Golf season is here and several facilities in the Southern California area are hosting Get Golf Ready – a program designed to bring adults into the game in a fast, fun, affordable manner. Get Golf Ready is a series of five lessons designed to make beginner golfers more comfortable out on the course, while developing basic skills of the game for a lifetime at prices starting at $99 (varies by facility).  Five 90-minute lessons from PGA Professionals would cost an average of up to $675, so Get Golf Ready programs offer a huge discount.Facilities continue to add dates, so for the most updated list of programs at facilities near you, visit GetGolfReady.com."


Wow, sounds like a great deal to me - $99 for 5 lessons?  Sign me up!  (Full disclosure: I did not actually pay for my lessons in case you were wondering.)


I opted to take lessons at Westchester, near LAX.  If you haven't been there they've recently redone the driving range for the better and it's fantastic!  Anyways, I missed the first class which I really, really need (putting) but I hope to catch it in the next cycle.  My lessons started with chipping.  Perfect!  My short can only be described as utterly atrocious!  


Guess what?  I had an epiphany and figured it out!  Thank goodness.  Now I just need to take that to the course.  Lynn, my instructor, fixed my grip and helped me figure out how not to swing so darn hard.  It's been difficult to try to tone down my swing.  


I've spent years at the driving range with hubby where it's always a driver party.  In addition, a wise man once told me that your short game doesn't have to be great if you get it really close to the pin.  On top of that, surfing almost every morning has made my upper body strength quite good for a lady.  All of that together means that the driver is my best club.  When I play with my girlfriends we always play best ball and we hit from my drive (and 3 wood shot subsequently if it's a par 4 or 5) and then they get us through to the rest.


How to do it?  Choke down on the club.  So simple.  It totally worked.  I had some doozies and even got one in the hole from about 30 feet away.


The following week was pitching.  Yep, I needed that too.  I got to the lesson, got out my pitching wedge, aimed for a flag that was 80 feet away, and went to it.  Lynn came by and said, "That's great Apryl, now how about some 30 to 40 footers."  Busted.  It took a minute but then I figured out the same thing, choke down on the club.


So far, so good!  I can't wait for the rest to get my swing tuned up.  I would highly recommend getting golf ready this summer,"  The group environment is great and there are golfers of all levels trying to improve (although, mostly beginners).  Go here to find a program near you!