Now that winter is upon us here at Cypresswood. There are many things that you can do to improve your chances of shooting a good score. Try these tips while practicing and you might lower your handicap.

1. Dress in layers. Put rain or wind pants over your shorts or pants. Put a shirt over your undershirt, a light sweater or sweatshirt over your shirt, and a wind breaker or jacket over your sweater or sweatshirt.
2. Keep your hands warm by putting them under your armpits or under your thighs while seated on the golf cart.
3. Take more club than you think; the ball does not fly as far in colder weather.
4. Keep an extra ball in your pocket and change after each hole. Warm balls are a golfer’s best friend.
5. When in doubt keep the ball low instead of picking a high route around the golf course.

If you work with these five tips you will overcome the cold weather and bring the handicap down. If none of these tips work; a nip of brandy from the lounge works just fine a very happy member told me once. Ha! Ha!

This month’s tip will focus your game to putting. There are several drills that you can do very easily to improve your chances at making more putts. Practice these drills and you will increase your ability to roll the ball into the hole.

Drill #1 – Find a vacant area of the green and place a tee in the ground. Move twenty feet away and place another tee. Practice putting from one tee to the other. This drill narrows your focus and allows you to concentrate on distance control and accuracy.

Drill #2 – Place a tee in the ground fifteen feet away from a hole. Place another tee one grip length past the hole. Practice putting the ball between the front edge of the hole and the tee beyond the hole. This will lead to more aggressive putting which will guarantee more made putts.

Drill #3 – Align two clubs towards a hole about ten feet away. Position the clubs apart with enough distance to fit your putter. Practice without a ball, swinging between the two clubs, without hitting the two clubs. Then put a ball between the clubs and try the same drill. You will be amazed at how consistent your stroke will become if you spend a little time with this drill.

This month’s tip will be a refresher on hitting out of our firm, hard, wet bunkers. This is the easiest type of bunker sand to escape and with the proper technique the bunkers should only present a minor problem to overcome. Follow the procedure outlined below and you should have no problem getting out of the sand.

1. Position the ball forward in your stance. It should be opposite your left big toe.
2. Slightly open your clubface. You open your clubface by fanning out the toe of your sand wedge. Try not to move the heel of your club.
3. Adjust your body weight so that 75% of your weight is on your left foot. This helps create the proper angle into the ball.
4. Keeping your weight 75% on your left foot, swing the club back twice as far as you would for a normal pitch shot from the same distance.
5. Aiming at a point approximately 1 inch behind the ball, swing the club through the ball with considerable force. You should displace the sand entirely out of the bunker.
6. Follow through to a relaxed finish.


If you work on this technique on our wonderful short game practice facility by the pool you will improve your bunker play and eventually improve your score.

As we approach the 4th of July holiday many of us are struggling to find some consistency in our games. The reason most of us give is that we lack the time to practice and play. One of the after effects of the summer here in Central Florida is the almost daily rains that can interrupt our attempts at late afternoon or early evening practice. Most of us, me included, decide that we don't want to mess with the potentially wet weather. I think that all of us should try to overcome the urge to stay in our houses and do nothing. Go to the golf course, practice putting, work on your short game, hit some balls on the range, or even play a quick nine holes of golf. All of us must make an effort to overcome the conditions the weather and course brings us this time of the year if we hope to improve or even maintain the skill that we have spent many hours developing. A very dear friend of a lot of us, the late Dick Roderick, was seen practicing every day weather be damned. I had to on numerous occasions "kick" him off the practice areas when dangerous weather was near. Mr. Roderick was in his mid-eighties during this time and was an inspiration to me when I would get lazy and not feel like practicing. All of us can find the time to work on our game, play an extra nine holes, or just swing a club in our backyard. A great summer golf workout is as follows: Spend 15 minutes chipping, 15 minutes putting, 15 minutes hitting full shots, and then head to the golf course. That is a committment of 45 minutes, not much to ask when we waste at least that much time every day.

The golf course is continuing to improve after last fall's devastating hurricanes. The next step is the regrassing of the fairways that were under water for six weeks after the third and final hurricane. This process will start in mid to late July and will hopefully be back to normal in September. During this process expect there to be holes temporarily closed for short period of time. Once the contractor is chosen, I will announce a more accurate schedule of closings. The holes that will be regrassed are #18, #1, #9, and most likely #2. The clubhouse, pool, and tennis areas will be resodded at this time. Obviously we will have to apply water to the regrassed and resodded areas. Please take care to follow any signage and protect the golf course. Thanks for caring about your golf course!

As I have said in past notices through this site, I want and need your input to make this site better. Do you want more golf tips? Do you want more links to sites? Do you want more Cypresswood community information? Let me know by emailing me at bobschade555@bobschade.com.

Thanks for allowing me to inform you and help you become a better golfer, Good luck!!!!

Here is the information regarding my very popular Summer Golf Camp. You may sign up your little darling for any or all of the sessions. Please email me at bobschade555@bobschade.com or call the golf proshop at 324-6174.

2005 CYPRESSWOOD SUMMER
JUNIOR GOLF CAMP
SESSION I JUNE 1st-JUNE 3rd
SESSION II JUNE 8th — JUNE 1 0th
SESSION III JUNE 1 5th — JUNE 1 7th
SESSION IV JUNE 22nd - JUNE 24th
ALL SESSIONS ARE WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, AND FRIDAY

DAILY SCHEDULE
8:30am to 9:00am Check in
9:00am to 9:50am Instruction
9:50am to 10:00am Water Break
10:00am to 11:00am Instruction
11:00am to 11:30pm Lunch
12:00pm to 1:30pm on course activities
1:30pm to 2:00pm Pick up time

AGES: 6 TO 14 YEARS OLD BOYS AND GIRLS WELCOME

COSTS:
$100.00 per week per kid for non-members
$85.00 per week per kid for members
Includes: 2 hours of personalized instruction, 2 hours of on course instruction, lunch each day, and prizes awarded each day.
EA CH SESSION IS LIMITED TO THE FIRST NINE (9) PAID JUNIORS

This month’s tip is a review of sand play techniques. Please review the procedures outlined below.

Sand Play

1. Position the ball opposite your left big toe.
2. Position the handle of the club in front of the golf ball.
3. Position the majority of your weight on your left foot.
4. Swing your arms with out moving your weight.
5. Swing through the ball very firmly. Aim approximately 1 inch behind the golf ball.

This month’s tip is a review of chipping and pitching. Please review the techniques outlined below for each discipline.

Chipping

1. Position the ball opposite your back foot.
2. Position the majority of your body weight on your front foot.
3. Position the shaft of the club ahead of the face of the club.
4. Make your stroke keeping your left arm straight throughout.

Pitching

1. Position the ball opposite your front foot.
2. Position the majority of your body weight on your front foot.
3. Position the shaft of the club ahead of the face of the club.Make your stroke long and slow and when you finish your left arm should still be straight and the club head should be lower than your hands

This month’s tip is a review of chipping and pitching. Please review the techniques outlined below for each discipline.

Chipping

1. Position the ball opposite your back foot.
2. Position the majority of your body weight on your front foot.
3. Position the shaft of the club ahead of the face of the club.
4. Make your stroke keeping your left arm straight throughout.

Pitching

1. Position the ball opposite your front foot.
2. Position the majority of your body weight on your front foot.
3. Position the shaft of the club ahead of the face of the club.
4. Make your stroke long and slow and when you finish your left arm should still be straight and the club head should be lower than your hands.
Practice the tips laid out above and you will master chipping and pitching in no time.