July-August 2025 Newsletter

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Extreme Indoor Golf Why Tee Height Matters MoreThan You Think Most weekend golfers treat tee height like an afterthought, but I've noticed something crucial during my 19 years of instruction: the profound difference that strategic tee placement makes on every shot. "It's just a tee," Mark shrugged during our lesson last Wednesday, jabbing a broken

tee stub into the ground. His 3-wood barely got airborne, skittering along the fairway for 180 yards when it should have carried 220. The evidence is overwhelming. Professional golfers carry multiple tee lengths and use them deliberately. Weekend players? They grab whatever's in their pocket, often using the same worn-

down tee for drivers, irons, and everything in between. During Friday's beginner clinic, I watched eight students struggle with par-3 tee shots. Every single one used a driver tee for their 7-iron, creating inconsistent contact and unpredictable ball flight. The solution was embarrassingly simple. EDITION 6 July/AugustNEWSLETTER

Tee height affects launch angle more than most golfers realize. That 6-iron from an elevated tee behaves completely differently than the same club from a standard tee. I've seen players add 10 yards to their carry distance just by understanding this relationship. Kevin Walton The weather changes everything too. On firm fairways, a lower tee promotes better

roll. In soft conditions, higher tees help achieve optimal carry distance to clear trouble. Here's what really matters: your swing dictates your ideal tee height. Steep swingers need higher tees to avoid hitting down too aggressively. Shallow swingers benefit from lower tees to ensure clean contact. Last Thursday, three students hit identical

4-iron shots with different tee heights. The results varied by 15 yards and two club lengths in accuracy. Yet most golfers never experiment with this simple variable. Your tee selection reveals your attention to detail. Beginners use whatever they find. Advanced players choose tees as carefully as they select clubs, understanding that small adjustments

create significant improvements.

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Extreme Indoor Golf The Overlooked Secret of PerfectLag Putting Weather changes everything too. Those 40-footers that rolled perfect in the morning? They're lightning fast by afternoon when the greens dry out. Temperature swings of just 15 degrees can change rolling distance by 20%. The most effective practice? Forget the

hole entirely. Set up three different lag distances and focus solely on rolling each putt the exact right speed. Your make percentage will skyrocket once you master pace control. Here's the reality: amateurs aim for the hole and pray. Good players aim for the right speed and let physics handle the rest. That mindset shift alone will save you four

strokes per round. Most weekend golfers think lag putting is just "hit it close and hope." But I've discovered something fascinating during my 15 years of instruction: the biggest factor in three-putting has nothing to do with reading greens. "I just try to get it somewhere near the hole," Janet told me during our lesson last

Thursday. She'd just left a 45-footer eight feet short, then missed the comebacker. Same story, different day. 2 The math is brutal. Tour pros leave their first putts within three feet of the hole 85% of the time from 40+ feet. Weekend golfers? They're lucky to get within six feet, turning routine two-putts into card- wrecking disasters.

During Tuesday's putting clinic, I had nine students hit five 50-footers each. Only two putts finished within four feet of the cup. The common thread? Everyone focused on line instead of speed. Here's what really matters: distance control beats green reading every time on long putts. That massive break you're worried about? It's meaningless if you

leave the putt 10 feet short. I've watched players agonize over a two-foot break while completely misjudging pace. Gordon L. Kier

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Extreme Indoor Golf II used to skull chip shots across greens like hockey pucks. Every delicate pitch around the green turned into a disaster. That changed last fall when I played with a club champion who never seemed to miss. Watching him feather shot after shot close to the pin, I had to ask: What's the secret? His answer was simple but profound.

"It's not about technique or club selection," he said. "It's about tempo." Most amateurs (myself included) rush their short game, huge mistake. The champion showed me his method: 1.Make the same smooth tempo for every chip (regardless of distance) 2.Control distance with backswing length, not speed 3.Never decelerate through impact

The transformation was immediate. By maintaining putting tempo on chips, I started making consistent contact. My shots began landing softly with predictable roll. The Sand Shot Secret ILearned from a Tour Pro Here's why it works: When you rush, you tense up and lose feel. But smooth tempo keeps your hands soft and the clubface

stable. That consistent rhythm trains your body to make the same motion every time. Try this next practice session: Count "one-two" for every chip shot Vary backswing length, never tempo Finish with clubface pointing at target 3 You'll be amazed how much your short game improves. I went from chunking and skulling to consistently getting up and

down, all from slowing down. What's remarkable is how this tempo principle applies to every short shot. Whether you're using a sand wedge from thick rough or a 9-iron from tight lies, the same smooth rhythm works. The technique requires no special talent or hours of practice, just the patience to trust a consistent tempo. I've watched high

handicappers and low handicappers alike transform their scoring simply by embracing this methodical approach. It's one of those fundamental concepts that immediately improves results without requiring major swing changes. Just slow down, stay smooth, and watch your chips start finishing close to the hole consistently. Rob Gibbons

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Is Your Range Practice MakingYou Worse? Extreme Indoor Golf YYou've been striping balls all afternoon on the range, hitting target after target. Then you get to the first tee, and suddenly, you can't find the fairway. Sound familiar? The truth is, most driving ranges, especially those with perfect lies and unlimited balls, don't prepare you for real

course conditions. The forgiving mats and endless do-overs create habits that crumble under pressure. Here's how to make range time count: 1.Simulate Course Conditions Stop hitting off mats exclusively. Find grass tees when possible, or practice from uneven lies. Real golf isn't played from perfect surfaces. 2.Practice Like You Play Go through your

full pre-shot routine for every ball. Don't rapid-fire shots, wait between swings like you would on the course. 3.Smart Practice Drills Hit only one ball per target (builds commitment) Practice with different clubs to same yardage (develops feel) End sessions with pressure putts (transfers to course) 4.Mental Preparation Visualize actual

holes from your home course. Practice the shots you'll actually face, not just the ones that feel good. Don't let the range fool you, train for reality and watch your scores drop. 4 The One Golf SkillThat Separates RealPlayers There's a defining moment when golfers realize Mother Nature controls the game more than they do. I learned this watching

a scratch player thrive in 25-mph winds while I struggled to keep balls on the planet. His advantage? Wind management – golf's most underrated skill ignored by most weekend warriors. This isn't rocket science. It's accepting conditions instead of fighting them. The approach: club up, ball back, swing easy. What you lose in distance, you gain in

control and consistency. When I embraced this philosophy, the difference was dramatic. Those forced carries became calculated layups. Wind became a strategic element rather than a round-ruining nemesis. Smart players use gusts to their advantage. Without fighting crosswinds, you start aiming into them. That's why seasoned golfers look comfortable in breezy

conditions while high handicappers curse every gust. Next windy round, try this: take one extra club, choke down an inch, and swing at 80% effort. Watch how often you hit greens compared to swinging out of your shoes. The most controlled shots often produce the best scores. Gordon L. Kier Howie Bernt