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Club Website | www.julianshaw.co.za | Tel: 028 312 2271

Saturday, April 20, 2024

I hope this week has been kind to you and that you’ve managed to get in a game or two!

This week was quite an exciting one for myself - after being with TaylorMade for nearly 20 years I have switched over to Callaway! My new sticks arrived this week and I am so thrilled with them.

It’s actually a bit of a sign of the times as I have made a major change in my irons. For the first time ever I am playing graphite shafts! For 35 years I have played stiff steel shafts and have enjoyed every minute of it, until a few months ago when I really started to notice that I just can’t hit the ball the distance I used to. For years I hit a 7 iron at the coast and 8 iron up country on 150m. I never really had to jump on it, I would just hit it! Then a few years ago I dropped to a 6 iron from 150m and I thought it was just at the coast and I left it at that. A few months ago I noticed that my 6 iron wasn’t quite making it either! As a Club Professional I have heard this story many, many times, from both men and ladies - "I can’t hit the ball the distance I used to". As empathetically as possible I would enter into a conversation of perhaps changing the flex on the clubs or going to graphite in the irons... and then it happened to me!

To tell you the truth a little of the enjoyment went out of the game. As once I relished my Saturday game, I actually tried to avoid it, burying myself in the DOG duties, etc. So with a good dollop of humility I tested a graphite iron and all of a sudden the distance is back! With it came the enjoyment, with half the effort, and that old desire to play again!

To anyone who has come through my door with a similar story, you can have a chuckle at my expense. I took the clubs out for their maiden voyage on Friday in the Sundowner and had a fantastic time. I played with Tyron and my son Gordon, both whom I coach, and playing with them gives a great on course picture. I haven’t seen the back of so many greens for a long, long time!

TaylorMade, many thanks for all the years, I always enjoyed your equipment. Callaway, many thanks for coming on board with us here at Hermanus, we have lots in store for our members with Callaway and their distribution company Global Golf.

All I can say is that there are exciting times ahead of us!

I have had a few enquiries about entering a score when playing the front 9.

Holes 1, 2 and 8 are going to be, if not now, much shorter than their rated length. If it was just a little we could have balance the holes elsewhere, but the 1st is a par 3 length, the 2nd a par 4 length and the 8th may also be a par 3 length, which does throw our ratings out. Thus, the decision was made to guide the competitions away from 1 to 9 and when playing this 9 socially, please just enter a ‘no return’.

I hope this won’t take too long and as ever we apologize for the inconvenience, but our drainage will be much improved.

Ladies Tuesday
Last week we had some yucky weather on Tuesday so the ladies took a rain check.

Men’s Wednesday
We played a betterball stableford with 115 players.
Winners - Shaun Bruwer and Jaq Bruwer on 52 points
Runners up - Steyn van Riet and Mike Bryant on 48 points
Ball pool paid to 45
3 two clubs
Best gross - David Romburgh on 7

Altogether Saturday
Individual stableford with 120 players.
Winner - Izak Krige on 44 points C/I
Runner up - Kowie Ganz on 44 points C/O
3rd - Willie Theron on 42 points
Ball pool paid to 38
Best gross - Mike Frost on 75

Saturday's attendance draw was sponsored by Hermanus Glassmen's fellow member Peter Bouwer and was won by Bob Ferguson.

This week we have a lovely one from our regular contributor, Tony Monson. Thanks Tony!

An Arab Sheik was admitted to the Hospital for heart surgery, but prior to the surgery, the doctors needed to have some of his blood type stored in case the need arose. As the gentleman had an extremely rare type of blood that couldn't be found locally, the call went out around the world.

Finally a Scotsman was located who had the same rare blood type. After some coaxing, the Scot donated his blood for the Arab. After the surgery the Arab sent the Scotsman a BMW, a diamond necklace for his wife, and $100,000 US dollars in appreciation for the blood donation.

A few months later, the Arab had to undergo a further corrective surgery procedure. Once again, his doctor telephoned the Scotsman who was more than happy to donate his blood. After the second surgery the Arab sent the Scotsman a thank-you card and a box of Quality Street chocolates. The Scotsman was shocked that the Arab did not reciprocate his kind gesture as he had anticipated.

He phoned the Arab and asked him: "I thought you would be more generous than that. Last time you sent me a BMW, diamonds and money, but this time you only sent me a lousy thank-you card and a crappy box of chocolates?"

To this the Arab replied: "Aye laddie, but I now have Scottish blood in me veins.”

Srixon have developed and evolved a proprietary SpinSkin technology.
The cover of the golf ball has a skin that literally allows the grooves of your club face to grip the ball.
That creates additional friction and MORE SPIN.



Those looking for tour performance with leading spin rates?	Tour performance for moderate swing speeds. The most spin for your money?	A 2-pce ball with SpinSkin has distance AND great greenside performance.

If you haven’t played a Srixon golf ball with SpinSkin technology, then give it a try.
Practice around the greenside. Feel the ball remain on the face for longer.
Notice how much extra spin you can create.

We’re two weeks in to some simple advice on how to improve your
scorecard using the Par 3 holes. They’re an opportunity for everyone.
Removing risk helps.

Simple Tip #3
Where’s the easiest and safest target? Before you even look for the flag,
find the point on the green that gives you the largest room for error.

In this example, even going over the back of the target area marked will leave
you a chip and putt for a 3, so you’re looking at a 4 at worst. Go at the flag and the
consequences of a miss could be much greater. Even if you fly the flag and land in the bunker,
you’re then faced with a bunker shot back towards water. Going at the flag is a 2 or bust!

You’ll be faced with a course management challenge on all approach shots,
not just Par 3’s. Try playing a round where you take a ‘safety first’ approach to every shot.
Check out your score. Is it an improvement if you play within yourself?
Course management is an important part of your game; if you’d be interested
in an accompanied round to help with your course management,

Until next week have a great one.

Cheers,
Julz and the team

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