Golf News
September is always an exciting time in our region. Football is going full throttle, the weather starts to bounce back and forth with Summer and Fall-like conditions, and the BCC Golf calendar is loaded with activity. We started the month off with the annual Labor Day Scramble, which was another sellout this year. The golf tournament, combined with the final day of pool operations, always makes for a great, all-day, fun-filled send-off to the summer season. We also hosted the member/guest tournaments for both the 9HL and 18HL. Each event saw a record turnout with fabulous weather, food, and competition. The BMGA 3-Man Scramble has always been a fan favorite, and this year was no different. From a hole-in-one to a hole-out on #18, this tournament was filled with tremendous excitement. The League of Champions was set to conclude before the threat of a washout caused us to delay the Finale to early October. Speaking of rain, the end of September turned into monsoon season with the arrival of Hurricane Helene which ultimately caused the Men's Midway Member Member to get postponed until early November. BCC was able to escape from the storm with very minimal impacts to the golf course. Unfortunately, we cannot say the same for our friends in the East. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all affected by the hurricane. Who would've thought that one of the hardest hit areas by a storm like this would be in Appalachia, 100 miles inland. The 8" of rain helped put a dent into our drought status and put the new golf course drainage to the test. The newly redesigned infrastructure performed tremendously well.
As we look towards October, we would like to thank all of you for helping make the 2024 golf season one of the best ever. As the weather starts to cool and leaves begin to fall, remember to stop by the Golf Shop to check out our new, coolseason apparel. We will soon roll out the first batch of pullovers, polos, vests, and jackets with the new, alternative Spearhead logo. Be sure to get out and enjoy the final days of perfect weather and adequate daylight. Old Man Winter will be here before you know it.
Tommy Baxter Head Golf Professional
Coach’s Corner
Before the Shot
Benefits of developing a pre-shot routine!
Watching the President’s Cup a couple weeks ago reminded me of my experience at the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits in 2021. As I walked the course along Lake Michigan watching some of the best players in the world perform their craft, I noticed that the pre-shot routine was a major component of everyone’s game! Unless the player was facing a “trouble” shot, the pre-shot routine did not change In my opinion, commitment to a routine plays a major role in allowing the best players in the world to be the best players in the world!
Further support for the pre-shot routine is the 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. Tiger Woods won this event by a record fifteen (15) shots. His winning score of 12-under par was the first time a U.S. Open winner finished double digits under par, and he was the only player under par Ernie Els and Miguel Angel Jimenez finished in a two way tie for second place at 3-over par. When watching the footage from that incredible victory, Tiger’s pre-shot routine stays as consistent as consistent gets. His average time was 14.1 seconds and did not waiver more than +/- one-tenth of a second (14.0-14.2 second range). Tiger was playing golf sleep walking!
The pre-shot routine is the link between thinking about the shot (yardage, wind direction and speed, where to miss, where not to miss, club selection, shot shape) and execution of the shot. After you have collected all the information and made your decision for the shot, the pre-shot routine allows a player to drown out all extraneous noise and perform the task at hand. This lends to less thinking over the ball, more confident swings, and better results
So how do we create a pre-shot routine and how should it be structured? Studies of the brain, as it pertains to golf, show that there is a certain way the pre-shot routine should be built. See the characteristics of the pre-shot routine below:
Time – the pre-shot routine should be between 12 and 16 seconds long The timer starts after you have selected your club and are ready to play the shot, when you take your first step into the shot Envision – once over the ball, each look at the target helps your mind reset, and we want to “look” in a certain manner. The key is to build the shot backwards in your mind, so your first look is the intended target, the second look is your starting line, and the third look is your intermediate point for alignment. Building the shot backwards helps your mind create the shot shape and ball flight desired
Execute – after your last look at the intermediate target, you have 4-6 seconds to hit the shot before your mind loses the mental picture of the shot. If we do not swing before 6 seconds passes, we need to step off the shot and start over. If we simply take another look and try to execute the shot, the pre-shot routine has been compromised and results will suffer!
Come up with your own initial pre-shot routine Then during practice sessions, have someone time you as you employ the routine in a few shots. If you produce inconsistent times, continue to rehearse and alter your routine as needed. The goal is to create a routine that is individual to you, within the aforementioned parameters, that allows you to immerse yourself in the routine of each shot and produce the most consistent results possible
For help getting started, watch the video below for some pointers! https://www.tiktok.com/@ajgagolf/video/7006444059229244677
For more information on building your pre-shot routine, contact Andrew by e-mail (andrew@bccgolf.org) or by phone (615) 373-2552 Ext 502
Golf Course Maintenance
Dear BCC Members,
This golfing year has flown by and we are entering my favorite time of the year to play golf. The first year of our newly re-designed course has been a great success and I'm very proud of where the course is at this point. The grasses chosen have proven to be excellent throughout the year, and the course has handled weather diversity very well. From droughts, to floods, we've been thrown some curve balls, but this course has held up beautifully. We are heading into the Fall with a very healthy course!
October is a very busy month for us as we will be seeding fescue and native areas, spraying the course with pre-emergent herbicide for Poa Annua and winter weeds, and applying a nice fall fertilizer to compliment our turf health as we prepare for winter dormancy. As we start to seed under trees, please avoid driving in these areas, so we don't hamper seed germination and/or track the seed into the bermudagrass. We will rope off areas with the biggest traffic concerns. There also may be some areas that seem wetter than normal. Thank you for your patience as we strengthen up these areas of the course. We have started to raise mowing heights on greens, tees and fairways to prepare for winter dormancy. These adjustments should be barely noticeable on a daily basis, but it is a very important practice this time of year.
Our team has worked very hard to make BCC a great golf experience every day, and I'm proud of what we've been able to do this year. The course is set up to be really good for a long time! I hope you enjoy the fall golf season as much as I do, and we look forward to seeing you on the course.
Brad Erickson Golf Course Superintendent
