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Hosted by Brent Davis, Jason Helman, Frank Guastella, and Mike Fay.
Tonight’s Line Up was sponsored by Tifosi Optics. Join the chat about New Year’s Resolutions, Fix My Swing powered by Coach Now, Pebble Beach, Helman’s Hot 5, MFG University, Playing By The Rules, and Victorian Open. Check it out. #MFGShow
GRAA TOP 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professional
We are truly honored to announce that Mike Fay has been named a Top 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professional from the Golf Range Association of America and PGA Magazine. This is the 4th time in Mike’s career receiving this national award. We want to thank the GRAA and PGA Magazine for this honor which encompasses the work we do at the academy including all levels of play. Thank you members of Walnut Creek Country Club for supporting such programs as the POD Program, FORE Ladies Only, various clinics, and taking advantage of private coaching programs. Your support of social media to keep you engaged in the game as well. Without your support, this would not be possible. Thank you!
The Golf Grip And Closing The Club FaceIn the following video Mike explains that holding this grip really strong in the trail hand aids in holding the club face too open. Unfortunately this causes this player to aim...
The Center Of Your Pelvis And Short Game The center of the pelvis plays a big role in your short game shots. In this video, Mike shows how the pelvis and ball position interact with each other.With over 25 years...
Goals. We all have them. Whether it be at work or play, we are inherently built for autonomy, mastery and learning. I"m physically fit enough to strike a golf ball within reason. But last summer and the summer...
Body Weakness & Swing Faults The topic of my latest blog is something that has caught my interest for a while now. As a coach, I see a lot of swing faults that are caused by the golfer’s body inability to move in a...
How To Regrip A Golf Club In this video, Mike spends some time with Steve Heuston owner of Precision Fit Golf teaching us the finer points of how to regrip a golf club. Most people do not really think too much...
Winter Golf Tip: The 52 Degree Rule Winter golf can be challenging to say the least. The layers of clothes, lack of distance, cold and wet playing conditions make things difficult. Here is general rule of...
Get Your Knuckles Down One common problem I see with beginning golfers is topping golf shots. Here’s why…. When a golf ball is topped one of three things happened: You have come out of your posture through the...
Fairway Bunker Shots In this video, Mike discusses the finer points of hitting fairway bunker shots. Mike's Rules For Hitting Fairway Bunker Shots Use a club with enough loft to get the ball out of the bunker....
Better Impact Equals Better Golf Shots How good does it feel to be in a great impact position? I say it feels like hitting ice cream. Soft but heavy, very sweet! In this video Mike describes what it feels...
Sand Green GolfI grew up in regional Australia and I was visiting my home town over Christmas and I took a drive around all the golf courses I had played as a junior and amateur golfer around my home town. In Australia...
Consistency and Accountability in Your Training To improve in anything that you attempt, whether that be sport, music, fitness or any other activity you are undertaking, you need to be consistent in your effort over a...
In this Virtual Coach session we work on not tilting so much in the downswing, transferring weight better, and being able to hit a fade better. Please leave your comments below!With over 25 years of teaching...
Play Faster Golf A movement across America in the last several years has been finding ways to play faster golf. One of the main reasons why golf has been on the decline lately is because people don't feel they...
Just Push, Don't Slide Getting foot pressure to the lead side is so important. Lead side foot pressure starts with a push and not a slide. Please leave your comments below.With over 30 years of teaching experience,...
The History Of The Golf Tee The history of the golf tee dates back to the 1500's. The practice of getting sand wet with a towel and mounding up earth to get the ball off the ground a little went on for some 300...
A current fad in golf is to mark one’s golf ball with a poker chip or a poker chip sized ball marker. This brought up an interesting question with regards to “size” or “type” of object used to mark one’s golf ball. The Note to Rule 20 – 1 (Lifting and Marking) states that “the position of a ball to be lifted should be marked by placing a ball – marker, a small coin or other similar object immediately behind the ball.” A player asked me if they would be penalized for using a poker chip as a ball marker because it did not seem to fit by size under the “small coin or other similar object” outlined in the Note. My answer to player was no, you would not be penalized for using a poker chip as a marker.
The provision in the Note to Rule 20 – 1 is a recommendation of best practice, but there is no penalty for failing to act in accordance with the Note. Examples of methods of marking the position of a ball that are not recommended, but are permissible are as follows: *placing the toe of a club at the side of or behind, the ball; *using a tee; *using a loose impediment; *scratching a line, provided the putting green is not tested (Rule 16 – 1d) and a line for putting is not indicated (Rule 8 – 2b). As this practice may cause damage to the putting green, it is discouraged.
However, under Rule 20 -1 it is necessary to physically mark the position of the ball. Reference to an existing mark on the ground does not constitute marking the position of the ball. For example, it is not permissible to mark the position with reference to a blemish on the putting green.
Frank Guastella
PGA Rules Official | PGA Master Professional
Frank Guastella has over 35 years of golf management experience focused on planning, marketing, operations and administration at leading golf facilities. Currently, Frank serves as a PGA Teaching Professional at St. Clair Golf Club in St. Clair, Michigan
Club Replacement and Normal Course of Play During the second round of play of the 2015 WGC - Cadillac Championship a frustrated Rory McIlroy hurled a golf club into the water in anger, playing the remainder of the round without his three iron. According to the Rules...
How To Take Relief From Immovable Obstructions In the Rules of Golf an obstruction is a movable obstruction if it can be moved without unreasonable effort, without unduly delaying play and without causing damage. Otherwise it is an immovable obstruction and the...
The Use Of A Provisional Ball This is the next in the Playing By The Rules Video Series. Mike and Frank discuss the proper way of using a provisional ball. We discuss what the rule states and how to go about it properly, because it matters to your score!...
We are truly honored to announce that Mike Fay has been named a Top 100 Growth of the Game Teaching Professional from the Golf Range Association of America and PGA Magazine. This is the 4th time in Mike's career receiving this national award. Thank you GRAA and PGA...
Working on the hooks working both the low point and the path. A former slicer that went a little too far. Looking much better! Please leave your comments below.With over 30 years of teaching experience, it's easy to see why Mike has become a leader in the world of...
Let Your Shoulder Hit Your Chin On Your Backswing Staying centered in your backswing swing is important. Allowing your left shoulder to hit your chin helps you stay centered and to not sway your chest too much off the golf ball. Please leave your comments below.With...
Just Push, Don't Slide Getting foot pressure to the lead side is so important. Lead side foot pressure starts with a push and not a slide. Please leave your comments below.With over 30 years of teaching experience, it's easy to see why Mike has become a leader in the...
Feel That Pressure On Your Thumb Keeping your hands together on the club is super important. If they seperate you lose control. Here we use trail hand thumb pressure to improve impact. Please leave your comments below.With over 30 years of teaching experience, it's...
Move The Handle On The Takeaway It's no good when the hands go out and the club goes in on the takeaway. Here we get the feeling of moving the handle without moving the club head so much. #golf #Detroit #golfswing #takeaway Please leave your comments below.With over...
For those using the anchored putting stroke, it is getting to the end of the line for you to use this type of stroke. As you may remember, when golf’s ruling bodies, the USGA and R&A, announced the ban on anchored putting in 2013, the date of January 1, 2016 was declared the implementation date for the change. For those golfers who have used sticking a club against your chest, mid section or any other body part you are on the clock to find an alternative. So after January 1, 2016 if you continue to anchor you will incur a two shot penalty in stroke play or loss of hole in match play.
The USGA and R&A felt that anchoring ran counter to the spirit of what a stroke consists of, which is the club swinging freely. There was the perception that anchoring gave golfers an unfair advantage. If you want to use a long or belly putter you still can. If you are going to use a belly putter the shaft the shaft has to be held so the club swings freely. Resting the but tend of the club against your stomach is an anchor point, which is against the rules. Using the long putter is permissible, just remember that the shaft contacts on the hands and lower part of the arm. USGA Executive Director, Mike Davis said in 2013: “We’re not trying to take away your long putter. All you need to do is hold the club away from your body, where you control the whole club with your hands.”
