Merry Christmas

     We have a great selection of drivers, fairways, hybrids, iron sets and putters right now. If you're in the market for new or pre-owned equipment please give us a call. We have gift cards available for the golfer on your list and they can be used for lessons, equipment or club repair services.

     The four year anniversary of opening Golf Rx  is almost here, and I’m happy to say the roller coaster ride of entrepreneurship has been an exciting one. It would not have been possible without the support of my friends, customers and family. A heart-felt “Thank You” to you all and best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a prosperous new year. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Golf Rx is your One Stop Golf Shop

      It's been nearly four years since I opened Golf Rx, and I would like to thank all my friends and customers for their continuing support. My concept for Golf Rx was to have an indoor golf facility that would be a "One Stop Golf Shop" offering PGA Instruction, professionally fit equipment and club repair services.
      I have been in the golf business for over 25 years so I realize golfers have lots of choices when it comes to lessons, golf equipment and repair services. For that reason we work very hard to provide the professional knowledge, customer service and products that you'll want to tell your friends about. 
     If you haven't visited Golf Rx please make a point to stop by next time you're in the Mt. Juliet Area. We are conveniently located in the Mid Way Shopping Center on Lebanon Rd. Thank you again to all our friends and customers and Best Wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving

Give them what they want. Gift Cards from Golf Rx

This year give your golfers what they really want: A Gift Card from Golf Rx! As you know golfers are very particular what it comes to their game so a gift card from Golf Rx is the perfect gift.
Your golfer can choose exactly what he or she wants. Instruction, custom fitted equipment or maybe some new grips for their favorite clubs.
We also carry a full line of products from Ping, Callaway, Taylor Made, Adams Golf, Golf Buddy and Bushnell.
Call or stop by to purchase your Golf Rx Gift Cards and make your golfer very happy this year.

Thoughts on Custom Fitted Equipment

     I was introduced to custom fitting in 1987 while serving as Education Chairman of my PGA Section. Twenty five years later I continue to emphasize the importance of properly fitted equipment to my students and customers.

     We have all heard the saying, "It's not the arrow, but the Indian", but I can assure you if you're playing with antiquated or ill-fitted equipment you're at a distinct disadvantage. No two players possess the same physical stature or swing characteristics so why would we assume they should be using the same equipment? It simply makes no sense. You wouldn't buy a suit off the rack without trying it on, nor should you invest in new equipment without being custom fit.

    At Golf Rx I only offer custom fitted golf equipment to my students and customers, and in my opinion this is the only way professional golf equipment should be sold.

Beware of buying clubs on the internet

Recently I have had customers bring clubs in for repair from Ping, Callaway and Taylor Made. After inspecting them and calling the manufacturers to check serial numbers I had to inform my customers they were counterfeit. They were now owners of useless junk with no recourse for getting their money back. Please beware of buying golf clubs on the internet. If it sounds too good to be true, it almost always is.

Ready to invest in new clubs?

If you are considering investing in a new set of clubs make sure to get fitted by a PGA Professional. At Golf Rx we specialize in custom fitted golf equipment. In fact we don't sell off the rack sets. There are a number of reasons why we do this:

1. Custom fitted clubs are the same price as off the rack sets.
2. Custom fitted clubs will help you play better golf.
3. Your set make up can be customized so that you're only purchasing the clubs you really need.
4. You will receive your new custom fitted clubs in one week.
5. All factors including length, shaft type and flex, lie angle, grip size, driver loft and set make up will be customized.
6. All your information is on file so additional or replacement clubs will exactly match your existing set.
7. All major club brands offer custom fitted equipment to the golfing public.

You wouldn't buy a suit off the rack without trying it on. It doesn't make sense to invest in new clubs without being custom fit. Steve Kirkpatrick, owner and PGA Professional has over 25 years experience in custom fitting players. Call Golf Rx today to schedule your fitting. 

How to become a better putter

    Improving your putting is the fastest way to lower your scores.  To become a great putter you need to combine two skills - Distance and Direction. Most weekend players only focus on direction while disregarding the importance of distance.
    All great putters are excellent lag putters so practicing your distance control is imperative. Place tees at 30,40 & 50 feet away on the practice green and lag putt to each. Your goal should be to get within 4 feet of each tee.
    For short putts place 6 balls in a circle three feet from the hole. Later move back to 4 feet. On shorter putts place your weight on the balls of your feet and keep your head steady during the stroke. Resist coming out of your posture early by peeking at the hole.
     Putting is forty percent of your score so allocate your practice time to include more putting. Maintain a good attitude and realize that sometimes good putts don't go in. I will promise you by investing in proper practice your skills will increase, your confidence will build and your putting will improve.

How long should your backswing be?

       One of the most common problems I see with many weekend players is a too long backswing. I say problem because it contributes to so many mis-hits and errant shots. Most of my students don't realize how far they are taking the club back until they see it on video.
       So how long should your backswing be? It depends on a number of factors. Your build and body type have considerable influence. Are you stocky and thick chested or tall and slim? The slimmer person naturally will have a longer swing because he has less body mass for his arms to swing around. Are you young and supple or older with less flexibility? These things are determined based on your body type and flexibility. Besides stretching there isn't a whole lot else you can do about it.

What you can do is determine the correct backswing length for you. Here is the drill I use with my students  and it isn't difficult to do. Simply take your adddress position with a middle iron. Then while maintaining your posture hinge your wrists where your thumbs and forearms join moving the shaft and clubhead upward toward your head. Then turn your shoulders to the right while maintaining your spine angle.
     Your arms and the clubhead will now be at their correct backswing length. Do this facing a full length mirror and you'll be surprised that in almost all cases the shaft will be well short of parallel. 
Practice this until the new position begins to feel more comfortable, then hit some balls starting with short irons. You'll soon be hitting more solid and straighter shots with no loss of distance.

New Adams Tight Lies have arrived

The new Adams Tight Lies Fairway Woods are now available at Golf Rx. Adams Golf has brought back one of the most popular fairway wood designs of all time. These clubs feature a very shallow face and radius sole for extreme forgiveness off tight lies making it very easy to get the ball in the air with a fairway wood.
Adams has implemented their slotline technology in their new design for even faster ball speed and increased distance. Come try one out today at Golf Rx. 

Save on lessons the month of August

    Now is a great time to save money on golf instruction. During the month of August choose to save $20.00 on a four lesson package, or save $40.00 on a six lesson package at Golf Rx. Steve offers both indoor and outdoor instruction with the use of V1 Digital Video for each student.  
     Steve was named the 192 Teacher of the Year in the Georgia PGA Central Chapter, and has over 25 years of experience in working with students of all levels. He has also written three instructional books and has been featured in PGA Magazine, Tee Times Magazine and The Wall Street Journal.
     Steve's teaching methodology is to treat each student as an individual. His teaching sessions are fun and easy to understand and are done in a relaxing atmosphere. Steve is a big supporter of video in his lessons because pictures do not lie. It is much easier for students to see their mistakes on film than to hear about them Steve also uses teaching aids whenever possible to help the student feel the correct movement.
    His number one rule is not to confuse a student with too much information at once. He identifies the biggest fault and corrects that first.
      Call or come by today to schedule your lesson with Steve at Golf Rx.

Great selection of bags at clearance prices

Right now we have a great selection of golf bags from Callaway and Ping at clearance prices. We also have wedges from Callaway and Taylor Made at 40% off retail. Come see our selection of putters from Ping, Taylor Made, Yes, Odyssey and Nike all at sale prices.
Congratulations to John Demonbreum, our Golf Rx Customer of the Month. John is enjoying his new custom fit set of KZG irons.
Remember we offer same day service or re-gripping and loft and lie adjustment, and next day service on re-shafting. Stop by or call today.

Golf Rx is your one stop center for Father's Day

    Father's Day is only two weeks away so now is the time to stop by Golf Rx for some great ideas for Dad. We offer gift certificates that can be used for any of our services including instruction, custom fitted equipment or club repair services. We also have a great selection of golf bags, wedges, putters and gift ideas such as the Golf Buddy Voice GPS.
     Steve is an award winning instructor who can certainly help Dad with his game. We offer both indoor and outdoor instruction for his convenience. If Dad is still using his outdated equipment we offer custom fitted clubs from Ping, KZG, Taylor Made and Adams Golf. If Dad isn't quite ready for a new set yet we offer same day service on re-gripping and loft and lie adjustment.
    Call or come by. We're open Monday through Thursday 9:00AM to 5:00 PM and Friday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. 

Tiger and Sergio need to grow up

I am tired and disgusted after watching the bickering and ranting going on between Tiger and Sergio. Here are the facts: These two grown men have gained fame and fortune because of the game of golf. They play the finest courses in the world and are treated like royalty everywhere they go. Either man could decide to quit golf tomorrow and never have to work another day the rest of their life. How many other people in their 20"s or 30's have this luxury because of a God given talent?
If it weren't for the game of golf Tiger would probably be in the military or working at a fitness club. Sergio would probably be teaching junior high and coaching soccer. Golf has given them everything they could have imagined. Instead of saying thank you and taking responsibility they both let their ego's prevail.
The game has given them so much and they have given nothing back except their unsportsmanlike conduct. It's time for them both to grow up and be accountable. Young people need positive role models and golf may just be the last professional sport to carry that message. 

New products from KZG

     We just received two new models from KZG. The much anticipated GFX Driver and VC-F fairway wood. The GFX Driver is 460 CC and features a classic look. 2 weight ports allow for adjustment of trajectory and alter fade / draw bias. The new VC-F Fairway is a beautiful club in a tradition pear shape design in a black satin finish.  The shallow face and weighted sole provide a high trajectory ball flight for more distance. Both clubs have a an incredibly solid feel. Come by and try them soon.
     Save during the month of May on lesson packages at Golf Rx. We are offering a $20.00 savings on a 4 lesson package and a $40.00 savings on a 6 lesson package when you sign up during the month of May. This is a great opportunity to improve your game and save money at the same time. Call or come by Golf Rx for more information.

Great Masters

     What an exciting Sunday afternoon of golf at Augusta! Congratulations to Adam Scott for his victory and to Angel Cabrera for his incredible shot on 18 to create the playoff. I have a few other thoughts and observations about the week.

       I personally do not think it is good for the game to have viewers calling in about rules situations. It is the responsibility of the players to know the rules, and for the PGA rules officials to administer them. That is what they are paid for. If they are not competent or fail to do their job then they should be replaced. Can you imagine if the same thing was allowed in the NFL, NBA or Major League Baseball?

       I think Tiger should have been disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard. However I don't blame him for playing since the Masters rules committee allowed him to continue.

       I felt sorry for the 14 year old from China for being penalized, but after four warnings I think the committee did the right thing. If he is going to play professional golf he needs to learn to improve his pace of play. My only concern is why isn't this practice carried out more often on the tour? Play has gotten agonizingly slow on both the men's and ladies' tours. It won't change until the players pocketbooks begin to be affected by penalty strokes.

         The Masters tests a players nerves like no other tournament in the world. What a magnificent display of shot making by Scott and Cabrera. Congratulations to them both for their fine play and sportsmanship.  
        

Great Commercial

     I really enjoyed seeing the commercial with Arnold Palmer encouraging players to "swing your swing - not somebody's else's swing".  It features lots of players practicing their swing and hitting shots. Of course the lesson he is teaching here is that we are all different, and it is okay that we don't all swing the same.
     Fuzzy Zoeller was recently on Feherty and talked about growing up competing with his buddies on the golf course. The local pro showed them how to grip the club properly, then set them on their way to learn how to play on their own. They each developed their own swing style and learned to work the ball by trial and error and practice.
    As an instructor I am certainly not saying instruction is a bad thing as long as it is done in a constructive way. When a player comes to me with a problem I diagnose the cause, explain what to do to correct it and leave it at that. I don't try to change a player's swing into some "swing model" or arbitrary "perfect position". I see too many young instructors attempting this and inevitably it results in disaster.
      As Harvey Pennick said in his book, "Take a pill, not the whole bottle". Great advice from a very wise man.  Get out and enjoy playing this Spring and remember to swing your swing.
    

Turn off the tube and turn to your PGA Pro

       Earlier this week I had the TV on here at the golf shop. Sometimes I'll have a news channel on and occasionally the Golf Channel if a tournament is scheduled.  This day I chose the Golf Channel. After the first hour I realized they had discussed no less than six golf tips for the weekend player. I was thinking to myself how confused the average player is going to be on his next trip to the course. Talk about information overload!
       The best thing you can do for your golf game is to put down the magazines, turn off the videos and stop watching the "Helpful Henrys" on television. Instead make an appointment with your PGA Professional. He or she will quickly diagnose the cause of your particular shot problem and explain how to correct it. It's that simple - no six swing tips that overload your brain and lead to meltdown on the course.
        Spring is here so now is the time to get your game and your equipment ready for the season. At Golf Rx we offer award wining instruction, custom fitted equipment and club repair services. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Soon open on Fridays

Golf Rx is growing so to better serve our increasing customer base we will be open Fridays beginning March 22nd. The hours on Friday will be from 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM. Whether it's instruction, custom fitting or club repair our award winning service is available six days a week. We appreciate your business and look forward to seeing you soon at Golf Rx.

This year's new grip styles just arrived

      We just received this year's new grips from Golf Pride, Winn and Lampkin. Lot's of great colors, styles and textures to suit any player's preference and hand size. Come check them out.

      With warmer weather here now is the time to get your clubs ready for the season. Remember we offer same day service on re-gripping and loft and lie adjustment, and next day service on re-shafting.

     Perhaps this is the year you've decided to upgrade your old equipment. If so we proudly custom fit Ping, KZG, Taylor Made and Adams golf equipment. You wouldn't buy a suit off the rack without trying it on, nor should you invest in new clubs without having them custom fit for you. Call or stop by to learn more.

Ineffective Practice

20 Most common shot problems

Lesson 20 of 20

Diagnosis:  Ineffective Practice

Unlike professionals who make a living playing golf most weekend players live busy lives that doesn’t allow for as much practice time as they would like. This fact makes it all that more important that your practice time emphasize quality rather than quantity. Effective practice should include these elements:

1.      Be goal oriented:  Limit yourself to one pre-swing thought and one swing thought. If you are working on swing techniques use a 6 or 7 iron rather than a driver, and choose a target at a closer distance than normal. This creates a slower tempo allowing your mind and body more time to absorb the command they are unfamiliar with. Stay focused on the specific technique or thought until you begin to feel and sense it.  

2.      Be organized: Effective practice helps you to develop the skill you’ll need on the course. Hitting 150 balls with only your long clubs may be fun, but it isn’t sensible considering your short game constitutes nearly two-thirds of your score. Create a schedule to work on different areas of your game. Spend the first half of your allotted time on the full swing and technique. Devote the second half to your short game including pitch shots, chipping, putting and bunker play.  

3.      Create a realistic environment: When hitting full shots visualize you are on the golf course. Always choose a target and make note to the distance to each target. Go through your set up process on every shot so that you’re using the same routine in practice as on the course. Work on specialty shots that you may encounter on the course such as low punch shots, slices or hooks around an imaginary tree, uneven lies, etc. The key is to create a practice environment as realistic as possible making for an easier transition to the golf course.

When you do have the opportunity to practice make the most of it. By having specific goals in mind, organizing your practice regiment and creating a realistic environment you’re using your time more effectively resulting in better performance on the course and lower scores.

    

To schedule an appointment with Steve call Golf Rx at (615) 288-4539

Playing from slopes - Ball above feet or below feet

20 Most common shot problems

Lesson 19 of 20

Diagnosis:  Playing from slopes – ball above feet or below feet

     Players are often faced with shots from sloped lies that make a relatively easy shot suddenly more challenging. By making a few adjustments to your stance, alignment and swing you can successfully hit these shots solid and more accurately. 

Side hill lie – Ball about your feet

When playing a ball that is above your feet you will need to stand more erect at address and stand farther away from the ball. This posture creates a more rotary swing and a flatter swing plane. This swing path often produces hooked shots because of the added rotation of the hands and arms. This action added to the toe up lie angle of your club will cause the ball to go left so aim right of your intended target.

Side hill lie – Ball below your feet.

This type lie requires you to bend over more to reach the ball. Because you’re standing closer to the ball your swing plane will be more upright than usual. This posture somewhat restricts your body turn causing your swing to be predominantly an arm and hand movement. This steeper swing plane combined with the toe down lie angle of your club will cause the ball to go right so aim left of your intended target.

To schedule an appointment with Steve call Golf Rx at (615) 288-4539

Playing from slopes - Uphill and downhill lies

Lesson 18 of 20

Playing from slopes - Uphill and downhill lies

      Players are often faced with shots from sloped lies that make a relatively easy shot suddenly more challenging. By making a few adjustments to your stance, alignment and swing you can successfully hit these shots solid and more accurately.

Uphill lie - hitting up the hill
      When faced with an uphill lie stand perpendicular to the slope which will position your right shoulder lower than normal. This allows you to swing parallel to the slope so you won't hit into the ground after contacting the ball. Swing down the slope on your backswing and up the slope on your forward swing. Your weight will remain on your rear side, and because we tend to hook the ball from this position aim slightly right of your target. This position also creates more loft so you'll generally want to use more club.

Downhill lie - hitting down the hill
      With a downhill lie you will also want to stand perpendicular to the slope. This stance will put more weight on your left side and your hands will be ahead of the club. Pick the club up on your backswing and swing down and through on the forward swing. Feel that you are chasing the ball down the slope with your club head. Downhill shots are easier played with more lofted clubs. Because the ball will fly lower and run farther you will want to use less club than normal.

To schedule a lesson with Steve call Golf Rx at (615) 288-4539.

No confidence on shorter putts

20 Most common shot problems

Lesson 17 of 20

Diagnosis:  General Poor Putting – No confidence on shorter putts

Explanation:    The common thread among good putters is they consistently have the putter face square to their intended line at the moment it impacts the ball.  When we lose confidence in our putting we start trying to “help” the ball in the hole resulting in our head and body moving out of position. This disrupts the alignment of the putter face leading to inconsistent contact with the ball and little control over the direction or speed of the putt.

            Although putting is the most individual component of the game, the better modern day putters use a pendulum type stroke. The player forms a triangle with their arms and shoulders at address which stays intact through the stroke.

Correction:    In general the fewer moving parts in our putting stroke the more consistent we will be. Developing a shoulder stroke pendulum action minimizes those moving parts. To feel this stroke take your stance then place your palms together forming a triangle with your hands, arms and shoulders. With a steady head and lower body rock your shoulders so that you move the triangle back and through. Make sure to keep your chest square to the target line rather than opening your shoulders and body to the hole.

     Your left shoulder should work down on the backstroke and up on the forward stroke. Your shoulders now control the path of the putter head and keep the putter on line through impact. A good habit for shorter putts is to not look at the hole until you hear the ball fall into the cup.

    If you are struggling with your putting spend more time practicing this method and you’ll soon be making more putts and restoring your confidence.

To schedule an appointment with Steve call Golf Rx at (615) 288-4539