Golf Essentials (for Weekend Warriors)

I’ve heard a few times from my audience that they feel that my stuff is too advanced for them or that they aren’t good enough to benefit. 

The truth is that golf is actually quite simple at a recreational level. People don’t want to believe that because it’s so hard. There’s a difference. 

The stuff you need to do is simple, however proper execution takes time. 

Do what you know if right, without the added stress of worrying about other peoples’ opinions. You’ll have more fun, gain clarity, and play better golf. 

Spent that last couple days running around the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando. I had the chance to test out all the new clubs and equipment on the market.

I found some nice surprises…a few club companies really impressed me. 

If you're not practicing don't complain about not getting better. 

When I was in high school, I used to hit balls in to a net every day, and head to the beach because that was the only place without snow. 

I believe that winter can be a big-time refresher so that you come out with guns blazing in the spring. 

It’s that time of year when lots of people start thinking about building their set for the spring. This episode is about my thoughts on some basics to go with if you’re a relative beginner grabbing some new clubs.

Be sure to subscribe and shoot me any questions or topics you’d like to talk about.

https://www.about-golf.org/podcast

Flashback to a chat I had with videographer Craig Kotilinek last week about his sports injuries and some remedies that have worked well. 

I've been really luck in my career to avoid major injury, but I've weathered some setbacks of my own. Fun chat on recovering and getting back in the action as soon as possible. 

https://www.about-golf.org/podcast

The shanks can come out of nowhere. They’re super scary and often paralyze golfers and suck the enjoyment out of the game.

The big problem is when they get into your head and you feel things spiraling out of control.

Solutions can be super counter intuitive. The way that you logically and naturally react to your first shank is probably the exact opposite of what you really should be doing.

I explain why this is…and how to fix them once and for all.

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Email me or hit me up through Twitter (@caseybourque) or social media and I'll make sure I help you out. Look for live Q&A sessions and call-ins. Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform to get Golf Essentials every day.

Heading to the PGA Show next week. So much to do in preparation for announcing KPI Golf to the world. 

We’re going to be super busy next week meeting with vendors and solidifying contractual relationships. 

Because we’re managing a bunch of golf courses, we represent a much more substantial book of business than stand alone golf courses. Vendors sharpen their pencils and compete for our business, which is super fun. 

I also got out and played some really fun golf at the Ritz Carlton in Orlando today. Surprised myself with some decent golf on a spectacular day. 

https://www.about-golf.org/podcast

Sidechannel conversation with my good friend and master videographer Craig Kotilinek. Craig's day job is running CSK Creative, a videography and design agency here in Orlando. 

On the side, he's an aspiring tennis player (recreationally). 

I learned that he's had troubles in the past with his serve - specifically the toss. 

With an inconsistent toss, basically flinching on important serves, his game was severely limited. With some mental fortitude and some hard work, he's been able to overcome. 

Lots of parallels between golf and tennis in this way...hope you enjoy the banter. 

https://www.about-golf.org/podcast

World Junior Golf Swing Contest

Brendon Elliott, PGA Member shares the details on his global junior golf swing contest. The panel of judges is incredible - Jack Nicklaus, Lauren Thompson, Francesco Molinari to name a few.

Registration is super easy here.

Record a 1-minute video of kids hitting golf balls, and send it in! The best of the bunch will be reviewed by this incredible panel personally! 

John Brown discusses the options that struggling and underperforming golf courses have. The first big misconception is that professional advice and exploratory conversations only come with hard sales pitches for club management contracts. This isn't the case at all.

The logic first step to take is to pick up the phone and call a consulting or golf management company. KPI Golf offers free phone consultations, investing hours in learning about the club's challenges and assessing best fit.

Of course, only so much information can be gathered over the phone. Often an on-site visit is necessary, however this can be done for surprisingly little cash outlay.

For less than the cost of a few covers in the restaurant, John says that he'll pay your club a visit and roll up his sleeves. He'll dig into financials, interview staff and members, conduct basic market research, and gather a clear picture of how the club is positioned.

After just a few days, the club receives an exhaustive presentation about where the club stands, competitive set, and recommended next steps toward improvement.

As a next step in a club's turnaround process, John highly recommends a long term consulting agreement. This is effectively standard consulting on a regular cadence that makes sense for the club - typically quarterly or annually.

This allows KPI Golf to dig deeper into the club's culture and learn more about the inner workings of the facility and marketplace. It also allows for performance reviews, planning sessions, and continuous improvement.

John emphasizes that there is no "set and forget" strategy that works. Long term consulting is a great, and inexpensive way to ensure that your club is continually evaluating performance, prioritizing highest impact activities, and holding everyone accountable for results.

John can be reached best through email: [email protected]