Why? golf was for me

If you are a golfer your might gain something from this 

GOLF SECRETS given to Inman High School 2012

Kurt Heaton  former Pratt High School Golf Coach

33 years Boys’ Golf, 22 years Girls’ Golf

192 team top 3 tournament finishes, 54 team tournament wins, 7 league championships,10 team qualifications for the state tournament - Best finish,Boy’s 2nd place, Girls 4th place, 33 individual qualifications for the state tournament, 19 individual state medalists

Grip  

1. Thumb and forefinger v’s toward right shoulder(see 2 or 3 knuckles on your left hand)

2. Grip pressure very light, your grip will tighten under tournament pressure and hitting bad shots - lighten up

  

Stance

1.  Bent at waist like starting to get a drink of water

2.  Arms where gravity takes them

3.  Hands 3-4 inches from thighs

Swing

1.  Body turning inside a tube,  weight on to right foot and then left foot

2.  Weight on inside of right foot - don’t sway

3.  Practice swing looking at your shadow(no head movement)

4.  Annaka Sorrenstam’s (greatest LPGA player of all time) secret - swing 80%

5.  Jack Nicklaus nine iron swing same as driver(tempo)

6. Know how far you hit your clubs(10 mph of wind is one club)

7. Hitting the “big drive” Jack Nicklaus “ When I need to hit a big drive, the only thing I do is take the club back more slowly”(he wanted perfect timing)

add - Jimmy Ballard to Rocco Mediate -widen stance stance - shoulders inside of feet(stand up tall because the closer your feet are, the more you must bend at the waist and the this is tougher on your back)

turn the right toe in - backswing weight to inside of right foot, down swing, weight to left toe  *(note  drive right foot straight down into the ground(CRUSH) on back swing for weight transfer) finish with virtually all weight on your left foot(Ballard says swing is “right foot to left toe”

Chipping

1.  No wrist movement(watch butt end of club, it should not move)

add- Jay Hass on chipping - cock wrists on a longer backswing(let top of grip come back to straight on impact,  don’t flip it through) and drop the club on the ball with no effort

2.  more weight on left foot, hands ahead of the ball

3. 1000 and 1(your head should not move for 1 second) why? to hit the ball perfectly on the sweet spot.  Why? to develop “feel”

Putting(find the sweet spot on your putter-use a quarter)

1.  No wrist movement (watch butt end of club, it should not move)

2.  1000 and 1(your head should not move for 1 second) why? to hit the ball perfectly on the sweet spot.  Why? to develop “feel”

3. rhythm  count evenly 1-2  1 back, 2 through(how fast you count depends on length of putt)

4. accelerate 1%

5. read terrain around green to see break(putts tend to break toward water)

6. Jack Nicklaus - die the putt into the hole

7. NO ONE HAND PUTTS, NO BACK HAND PUTTS, NO GIMMES, TREAT EVERY PUTT WITH RESPECT

Spot Golfing for shot alignment(Jack Nicklaus did this)

Approach your ball from behind, see your shot line and PICK A SPOT 2 OR 3 FEET IN FRONT OF THE BALL  stand up to your ball and use that spot to draw an imaginary line to your ball, use that line to set your feet, hips and shoulders parallel to that line

Attitude

If you play angry, throw clubs and are a general self-centered pain, NO ONE WILL WANT TO PLAY WITH YOU. 

Expectations

1.  Ask any player if they planned or expected to shoot the best round they ever shot and they will all say no(exception Tiger and maybe Rory)

2.  try to hit “good” shots, not “great” shots  A good shot might turn into a great shot, but trying to hit a great shot can result in a really “bad” shot.

Cheating

1.  Any one can miss count  their strokes on a hole, Ask them to recount.  If miss count ok

2. Cheaters will quickly become known by other players and if you are a cheater they will know you and talk about you behind your back.  They may let you cheat and then call you to be disqualified at the end of a tournament.

Swing keys

1.  are thoughts just before you swing examples - “steady head”. “light grip pressure”, “accelerate 1%”

Bobby Jones  “ swing keys don’t last, you have to constantly search for new ones and maybe go back to an old one.”

2. Absolutely no more than 2 or 3 swing keys at once(don’t over think)

Cold, nasty weather

When you go home today, put a stocking cap in your bag

If you don’t there will come a day when you will regret not putting it there.

70% of heat loss is through the head

you can use head covers to keep your hands warm

SAFETY TIPS (LIGHTNING)

SEEK: Large permanent building (clubhouse, maintenance building) or fully enclosed metal vehicle (cars, vans or pick-up trucks). If not available seek low area

AVOID: Tall objects (trees, poles), small rain and sun shelters, large open areas, wet areas (water), elevated ground. Avoid all metal objects including golf clubs, golf carts, maintenance machinery, fences and power lines.

Note: Raising golf clubs or umbrellas above the head increases the risk when lightning is in the area.

If sudden, close-in lightning does not permit immediate evacuation to a safer place, spread out from your group, squat down, tuck your head and cover your ears. Head for the safest place as soon as immediate threat passes.

Discontinuing Play in Competitions: The USGA emphasizes that players should be made aware that they have the right to stop play if they think lightning threatens them, even though the Committee may not have specifically authorized it by signal. (Rules 6-8 & 33-2d)

Tom Watson’ secret  - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6cntSpVbZo

Golf is a lifetime game.  In some ways, it represents the challenges of life itself. 

Why? a Bill Snyder signed football

I submitted this to D Scott Fritchen who is writing an autobiography for coach Bill Snyder, great Kansas State football Coach

I have a Bill Snyder signed football that I treasure. It was purchased by my daughter for me at a fundraising auction for my grandson's youth baseball team. Here is my personal note on the case that encloses the football.

A Note About This Football

I contacted Kansas State Athletic Director John Currie about obtaining a Bill Snyder signed football for the Topeka Capitals youth baseball fundraiser silent auction.  He directed me to Joan Friederich, Coach Synder's long time administrative  assistant.  Arrangements were made and I hand delivered  the ball to Coach Snyder's office on the morning of February 16, 2010. At the time I requested a "letter of Authenticity" from Coach Snyder's Office.  I received a phone call from Joan Friederich that afternoon that the football had been signed.  I asked about the letter of authenticity and here is the direct quote from Coach Snyder relayed to me by Joan.  And by the way this is pure Coach Snyder.   "My signature is good enough and if anyone wants to know they can ask me."  As I am the same age as Coach Snyder I can tell you he was exactly right.  We both come from an era where a "man's word was his bond".  So Bill Snyder's signature is good enough and I provide my signature to authenticate the signing of this football. And also, a big thank you to Coach Snyder for his support

Kurt Heaton, Kansas State Graduate 1964. Football season tickets 1982-2012.  ( my cousin, Darren Gale, was a starting safety for KSU football in 1982)

Why? Ted Cruz do you want to appear on Fox News?

I think all leaders,Right, Left and the Middle have an Idea of becoming the President of the United States of America and they play to their perceived base. Few have the character to have a "Profile In Courage"(John Kennedy).

Why? Censure a Senator?

 Well. I see state GOP parties moving to censure their Republican Senators for voting to convict Trump. In reality the State GOP Parties themselves should be censured for supporting Trump's damage to the fabric of American Democracy. actually removed

 

Why? A Message From a Former Student

 I wouldn't normally post this personal message to me, but it touched me deeply.

Lena Dreher-Heflin

Kurt Heaton

17 hrs  · 

I have been going thru boxes of keepsakes and pictures. I found a letter you wrote to my parents when I was in high school. We had done a unit on economics and I finished all of it before anyone else and with a high grade. You praised my hard work and said I was going to accomplish something in my life. I want you to know how much that letter meant to me. No one had ever told me I was intelligent, nor saw me in that way. Thank you for that letter and giving a student a pat on the back that was needed. I have wanted to tell you this for years. You gave me confidence in myself and I appreciate that you took the time to write that letter. I will never forget your kindness. My parents never really valued education and did not care about my grades or accomplishments. I am glad that you did. I became a Pre K to 9th grade teacher and then went on to get my library science. Graduating Suma Cum Laude. You had a part in this and I wanted you to know. Thanks so much for helping me to see I was more than I ever believed. Amazing teachers are the worlds best resource.

5G Denise Dreher Phipps, Judy Kramer Starrett and 3 others

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• Kurt Heaton

  thank you so much. 

  

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