CARLY FROST  Editor  Ladies Golf Today

Carly's blog - news and views on the world of ladies' golf
November 27 , 2011

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Thanks Lisa!

A big 'thank you' has to go out to out retiring Surrey First Team captain Lisa McGowan (on right hand side of photo) this week. Lisa, a very handy scratch golfer and our current County Champion, has worked tirelessly over the last three years to make sure that the Surrey Ladies get the very best coaching and practice sessions in the country.

She's given up virtually every weekend and dedicated her life to the county golf scene so as a surprise thank you her 'pinkies' gathered for a surprise game of golf at Worplesden Golf Club at the weekend. Great fun was had by all and a wonderful lunch to follow. So this week's blog is dedicated to Lisa and all the other volunteers out there who give up their time and effort for nothing to make sure we all play better golf and have fun. Keep up the good work girls!

Are you searching for better feel and touch on the greens?

I spent a couple of hours with putter and training aid inventor Dave Hicks this week. Dave came to demonstrate his new 'Got the Vibe' training aid and I have to say I was very impressed.

The 'Got the Vibe' is the first device of its kind in the world that actually fits inside the shaft of your putter to alter the performance of any putter. It's a simple weighted device that when positioned ideally close to the balance point improves your putting accuracy by reducing the vibrations in the putter head and dramatically increasing the sweet spot on the putter face. This results in putts hit out of the heel or toe behaving like putts you strike out of the centre of the putter.

Dave is one of these incredibly enthusiast inventors who has been coming up with ingenious ideas for the last 30 years. He actually made his career out of engineering components for F1 cars and aircrafts but he realised many years back that his skills and expertise could be transferred to golf equipment manufacture. I've seen lots of Dave's golf ideas over the years but I really think he's onto a winner with the 'Got the Vibe'.

Why? Because it is so simple to fit to any putter and it really does make a massive difference to the feel. Dave showed me how easily the 'Got the Vibe' is fitted to any putter. It simply slides down inside the shaft of your putter to the balance point (checked with a small gauge). Without going deep into the science behind the benefits (there have been numerous studies and tests done by the putting gurus in this field) balancing the putter basically makes it more forgiving so that you putt with greater accuracy, while it also adds a bit of weight to the putter heightening your awareness of the putter head and improving feel and distance control.

Dave got me to strike putts with a standard putter and then one that had the 'Got the Vibe' fitted inside and the difference was incredible. I knew the moment I had slightly miss-struck a putt as a nasty vibration went up the shaft into my hands, whereas the pure, smooth rolling putts gave fantastic soft feel and I really felt I had complete control over the distance I rolled my putts.

"It is widely acknowledged that approximately 40% of shots in a round of golf are taken with just one club; the putter," explains Dave. "However, to date most attention has been drawn towards technological advancements in drivers. Our device is designed for tour professionals looking to improve performance and find the edge as well as for amateurs looking to reduce their handicap and improve their game and as such we have ensured 'Got The Vibe' complies with the rules of golf as assessed by the R&A, golf's governing body".

'Got The Vibe' is available throughout the UK either as a ready-to-fit standalone device retailing at £55, which takes around five minutes to fit to a standard putter, or by purchasing a bespoke Dave Hicks Putter , which comes with a built in 'Got The Vibe' device for £169.99.

News

Mothers and daughters competition goes online

One of the highlights of the golfing calendar for me and my Mum every year is the opportunity to play in the EGU Mothers & Daughters tournament. This is held every spring at Royal Mid Surrey Golf Club and is a fun competition and a great day out. You play 18 holes Medal Foursomes followed by a delicious three-course lunch. Then there's another 9-holes to work off your lunch before prize-giving. There's always lots of fantastic prizes on the table and they are awarded for the best Scratch and Handicap scores.

For the first time ever Mums and their daughters can enter the competition online via the new website www.mothersanddaughtersgolf.co.uk

There's also a fun section on the website with pictures of past events - we laugh at the old pictures of us every year we go and hope that we're still playing together in twenty years' time!

Fitness update

Week 2: I've been working on my core strength

For those of you who didn't read my blog last week you will have missed the fact that I've signed up to what is effectively 'Boot Camp' for my body! The idea is to spend six weeks working intensively with leading personal trainer and golf biomechanics' expert Scott Bryant so that I become fitter, healthier and most importantly, get a body that is much better conditioned to swing the golf club. After all like most golfers I turn up to play a competition every week with little preparation other than a few quick swings in the grass by the first tee - no wonder I complain of a bad back afterwards.

Scott is one of the leading golf fitness experts in the industry. He has studied at the C.H.E.K Institute and his knowledge of the body is second to none. This week Scott has given me a series of simple exercises that will help strengthen my core - the muscles that run down the centre of your body, just like the core of an apple. For the golfer the core is the vital focal point of your body, it helps to support and stabilise your golf swing. If you have weak core muscles then you will be putting a lot of pressure on your other muscles throughout the golf swing. A strong core gives more support and will help you hit the ball further!

Scott performed a couple of simple tests on me to see what core strength I had. The first is to stand up against a wall and then hold one arm up at shoulder height, bent to 90 degrees so that your fingers point to the ceiling.

Now get a friend to push against your hand and see if you can stay fixed in a stable upright stance. Without my core muscles activated I immediately toppled backwards (see picture 1 above). Then Scott showed me how to activate my core by pulling my muscles in around my belly button. With this strong centre established he repeated the test and hey presto I was still standing firmly upright - and Scott is a strong man! (See picture 2 above)

The second test was to sit on a fitness Swiss ball, tilt back into a sit up position and engage my core muscles with my arms rotated and outstretched at my sides. My body immediately started shaking, a clear indication that my core muscles are weak, and I was only able to hold the position for a few seconds. Scott has given me this exercise to practise along with one final exercise and that's a deep squat. Simply stand upright with the Swiss ball positioned between the middle of your back and the wall. Now slowly bend your knees and squat down, focusing on keeping the core muscles activated and the body in the same upright position that it started in. The deeper the squat you can make the harder the challenge.

Scott also taught me a great way to take this test to the golf course and challenge your core muscles to work on the tee. Address a drive, focusing on engaging your core muscles - you should feel strong. Now get a friend to tie a piece of string around the centre of your body. The goal is to hit the drive keeping your core muscles engaged. To do that the string must stay in place. If your core muscles relax the string will drop down.

Along with these simple exercises I've been following a healthy diet plan and drinking lots of water and I can honestly say I'm feeling a lot fitter already.

For more information about Scott Bryant visit www.activebryantsystems.com or to book a free one hour physical assessment with Scott contact him on: 07841 14478, email: scttbrynt@aol.com

Carly's countdown to Christmas continues (4 weeks to go.)

2012 Calendar for a good cause

Here's a fantastic way to keep a record of your golfing fixtures for 2012, whilst having a giggle and supporting a good cause.

The ladies at my away club Parkstone in Poole have put together a saucy calendar of cleverly shot nude poses on and around the golf course.
All the proceeds go to two fantastic cancer charities - the Youth Cancer Trust and the Jigsaw Appeal and you can buy your copy by contacting the calendar coordinator Vera Mason on: 01202 744481; Email: veraandburt@gmail.com

Functional fashion for the fairways

When it comes to comfort and style on the golf course then few ladies would argue with me that Galvin Green would be at the top of their Christmas list. The Scandinavian golf clothing manufacturer is a leader when it comes to producing highly functional, yet incredibly stylish golf clothing. I was lucky to be sent a couple of new items from the Autumn/Winter collection and straight away they are already the favourites in my golf wardrobe.

They're part of what Galvin Green is calling a 'layering system' - the idea being that you wear two of three layers or Galvin Green clothing to give the ultimate combination of comfort, warmth and waterproof protection.

The Donna Insula pullover pictured is not only snug and warm, it has that slight stretch fit that means it gives you total swing freedom. If you're in need of a new waterproof jacket then take a look at the new Galvin Green Aisha. This performance shell jacket has complete Gore-Tex waterproofing so you know you'll stay completely dry and warm even when caught in some nasty winter weather. Like the jumper the best thing about the jacket is the complete comfort of the fit. The jacket is fully adjustable so that you can swing freely and putt without the jacket bagging or getting in your way.

Galvin Green clothing might be pricey but it's definitely worth the treat, let's hope that you've been good for Santa this year! Give him a hint by putting www.galvingreen.com (contact 01932 503 330) on your Christmas list!

A simple stocking filler

Searching for something a bit different to give a golf nut this Christmas? Then look no further than a Tin Cup ball marker.

Tin Cup, the personalised imprinting system that gives your golf ball its very own identity is the perfect stocking filler for every golf fan. Tin Cup ball markers have been made for world golf superstars on both the PGA and European Tour.  With over 60 designs in their range, it is easy to find your mark as favourites include the Jolly Roger, Union Jack and Paw Print, as well as a Martini Glass and Cigar. Custom designs and corporate logos can also be made on special order.

Prices start from £19.95, which includes the Tin Cup and a marker pen in a gift bag. For more information visit the Tin Cup website: www.tin-cup.co.uk


A money-is-no-object gift that makes you look extra generous!

If you really want to splash out on a loved one this Christmas then a Nikon 350G Laser Rangefinder is a great gift to have wrapped and waiting under the tree.

The 350G is a multi-award winning Laser that features Nikon's unique First Target Priority Technology - that means it picks up the distance to the flag even when there is lots of clutter like trees in the background. It's really simple to use and has an inbuilt stabiliser for those of us with shaky hands! It comes in a handy pouch that attaches to your golf bag making it easily accessible.

The Nikon Laser 350G costs £249 but as an added bonus if you purchase a Laser from now until the end of March 2012 you'll also get a dozen Srixon Z-Star golf balls worth £45, which will make you look extra generous on Christmas day.

The 350G comes with a two-year warranty. For more information about how it can help improve your game visit www.nikongolf.co.uk