LESSONS, CLINICS, EVENTS AND MORE
Art of Scoring, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 2
Today's class will cover the status of your game and look for improvements made, your strengths and another round of skills tests. Cost is $100 with a class size of three to five. Sign up must be accompanied by a credit card number and you must give 48 hours notice if you will not be attending. The class will include light snacks and beverages.
Ladies' Night Clinics, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 6
This week's class will include instruction on equipment and your physical game. Costs are $25 for 75 minutes of instruction. Weekly sign up is required and class size is limited to 12. The Happy Valley Grill offers $3 glasses of wine to participants following the clinic.
Coors Coaching Hour, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 6
This weekly program is limited to 25 people and includes unlimited range balls, two drink tickets and instruction from the Vail Golf Club professional staff. No sign up is required.
Senior Clinics, 11 to noon, Thursday, Sept. 13
This clinic will include instruction on speed control and reading greens when you putt. Senior Clinics offer those ages 50 and older bi-monthly instruction. Cost is $20 per person. Happy Valley Grill offers lunch entrees at 30 percent off to participants following the clinic and the Vail Golf Club pro shop offers 20 percent off of all merchandise to participants the day of the clinic.
League play, including senior, men's and ladies' is underway and takes place Wednesdays throughout the summer.
VAIL, EAGLE VAIL GOLF CLUB TRANSFERABLE PUNCH CARDS AVAILABLE
The Vail and Eagle Vail Golf Clubs are continuing to offer transferable ten punch cards at an incredible value of only $575. The punch card includes five rounds at each course with no restricted days, which allows the card holder greater flexibility to experience more than one course. Passes may be purchased in either golf shop. Call 970-479-2260 for details.
WEEKLY TIP FROM THE VAIL GOLF CLUB PROFESSIONALS
This week's tip is from Vail Golf Club Professional Jeanne Sutherland
Club Choice
When I play golf these days, I usually have at least one person in my foursome with a range finder. However, I've noticed that the range finder alone doesn't help many players with choosing a club for the shot. There are many factors that determine the club choice for a shot and we will talk about them in the order of importance to help you choose your clubs more effectively the next time you play.
The first and most important factor in club choice is your lie. Are you on the fairway, in the rough, on hard pan, is it wet, are you in a divot or in trouble? All of these situations may change your choice. From a dry fairway, you may be able to hit to the yardage as expected. If it is wet, you might want one less club. If you are in the rough, you might want one or two more clubs. If the rough is really deep, you might want to stick with a wedge. Off of hardpan, you might need a club with no bounce, such as a 9 iron vs. a sand wedge. If you are in a divot, you might want one more club so you can take a shorter swing. When you are in trouble and need to put side spin on the ball, you will want a club with very little loft to assure that you get the spin desired.
The next factor to consider is the slope of the hole. Is your ball on a slope? If the ball is on an up slope or below your feet, you will get more loft and therefore should add a club. If the ball is above your feet or on a down slope, you might be able to take one less club. Are you hitting to an elevated green? If so, you might want to take more club, especially if you are using a club longer than an 8 iron. Lofted clubs are less effected by elevated greens because the flight that they produce will generally have the ball dropping onto the green from a higher trajectory. Low lofted clubs, such as a 5 iron, will have a trajectory that will cause them hit into the hill. To clarify this concept, if you were washing your car and wanted to spray water from the hose onto the roof, you would aim the water in the air and allow it to land on the roof. If you sprayed the water from the hose harder at a lower trajectory, it wouldn't necessarily get past the side windows.
Now, think about what nature is doing to the ball. Is it windy? Is it rainy? Is it cold? The club choice is very effected by these influences on the ball and even more so if you spin your shots. If you hit a cut shot (spin the ball away from you) a left to right wind will add distance to that shot. That same wind will make a draw (spin the ball to the left if you're right handed) go a shorter distance. Downwind shots will be aided, but only if you hit them up into the wind. Into the wind shots will need one or two extra clubs. The pros who play Pebble Beach will tell you that the 7th hole can be anything from a sand wedge to a 3 iron depending on the winds. If the pros can hit a 3 iron 120 yards, than you should be willing to make big adjustments based on weather also.
Finally, how are you feeling? Is it a day when you should gear down and swing an extra club smoothly or are you pumped up and killing it? Do you know how and when to knock the ball down out of the wind or do you always send it sky high? It seems as though range finders should be a lot of help for most players, but in my experience, I have found that real players can hit any club from any yardage and when you get that understanding of the game, your game will improve. Keep the range finder, but make sure you pull a club based on more than the number you see.
For a better understanding of club choice and how it can affect your swing, we suggest a lesson with one of our PGA Professionals at the Vail Golf Club. Additionally, lessons are available with use of the golf club's golf swing analysis program. Set up outside, the swing analysis program utilizes multiple cameras, plus sound and light to capture a golfer's swing in real-time and slow motion, and then records it digitally.
For details, click here or book a lesson by calling 479-2260.
GOLF COURSE MAINTENANCE UPDATE
Vail Golf Club maintenance crews continue to learn about the course's new irrigation system and are making adjustments as needed. Golf maintenance crews are also gearing up for the end of the growing season and work taking place includes spiking aerifying, topdressing and cutting natives and willows throughout the course. Following Labor Day weekend, crews will begin aerifying tees and greens throughout September and October. Aerifications of the greens at the end of September will require closure of nine holes for a small duration. Details will be announced soon.
Visit Vail Golf Club Superintendent Steve Sarro's blog about the Vail Golf Club and interesting topics related to maintenance of golf course by clicking here.
FALL RATES BEGIN SEPT. 11
Due to recent cooler morning temperatures, the golf course is now opening at 7:30 a.m. to allow the forst to clear. The driving range is open from 7:30 a.m. to dusk daily, with the exception of Wednesdays when it closes at 6 p.m. Rates are as follows:
Guest golfers can enjoy 18 holes of play for $70 to walk or $89 including cart; or can play 9 holes or after 3:30 p.m. for $40 to walk, or $52 including cart.
Eagle County residents who walk the course will enjoy 18 holes for $55 or 9 holes or after 3:30 p.m. for $35, not including cart.Vail residents who walk the course can play 18 holes for $50 or 9 holes or after 3:30 p.m. for $30, not including cart. Carts cost $19 for 18 holes or $12 for 9 holes per person.
Fall rates begin Sept. 11 and play will be available for $45 for 18 holes, or $30 for 9 holes and after 3:30 p.m. for all players who walk the course.
For more information or to book tee times, call the Vail Golf Club at 479-2260 or click here.
HAPPY VALLEY GRILL WEEKLY SPECIAL
Burger and a Beer for $10.96
$3 Glass of House Wine with a Lesson from Vail Golf Club professionals
Lunch and dinner served daily. Click here, or call 970-479-7321 for details.
ABOUT THE VAIL GOLF CLUB
The Vail Golf Club, which is operated by the Vail Recreation District, is nestled at the base of the Gore Mountain Range and presents golfers with a unique 18-hole, par 71 experience at 8,200 feet elevation. The golf club is open to the public and offers a full service golf shop, group and corporate outings, professional instruction, launch monitor, driving range, practice area, club storage, golf swing analysis, club rentals, demo days and an on-site restaurant, Happy Valley Grill.
Contact Information
Phone: 970-479-2260 Web Site: www.vailgolfclub.net or www.vailrec.com
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