Five Weeks until the Nationwide Tour Championship!

The excitement on the island is building as the staff at the Daniel Island Club and organizers of the Nationwide Tour Championship work hard to get things ready for what is sure to be an exciting week of competitive golf! In just five weeks, the 2009 Nationwide Tour Championship will make its debut on the Ralston Creek course at the Daniel Island Club.

The top 60 money winners from this year’s Tour will head to Charleston October 19 – 25 to compete in this season-ending event, but only 25 will earn their PGA Tour cards for the 2010 season.

Event organizers recently met with local media and golf insiders — including Matt Bettencourt, the 2008 Nationwide Tour Champion — to discuss plans for this year’s event.

Besides the main tournament, other plans for the week include Pro-Am competitions, afternoon and evening music performances and special events, a junior’s golf event and an area where spectators can watch the tournament while keeping up with the weekend’s football games.

Watch the video below for a brief look at what 2008 Nationwide Tour Champion and current PGA Tour player Matt Bettencourt had to say to the media this week about this year’s venue and the Nationwide Tour Championship experience:

The event’s “Tickets FORE Charity” program is ensuring that 100% of proceeds from ticket sales go to over 40 local non profit organizations. Tickets can be purchased by calling (800) 677-2293 between 9:00 am – 5:00pm, Monday through Friday. For further ticket details, click here.

For questions or more information about the event, please contact Margaret Shaw at (843) 849-3154 or e-mail at Margaret.shaw@familycirclecup.com.

Daniel Island Club’s Ron Cerrudo Ranked Among Top Ten Golf Instructors in SC

Golf Digest magazine’s most recent ranking of the country’s best golf instructors by state is out, and the Daniel Island Club’s Director of Instruction has landed in the top ten for South Carolina. Ballots were distributed to more than 1,000 instructors throughout the state, asking them to rank their peers on a grade-point scale from 1 to 10. This year, Ron Cerrudo is number five on the list.

 Ron has been helping members and guests at the Daniel Island Club’s expansive practice facility improve their game since 2003. A two-time winner on the PGA Tour, he settled on Hilton Head Island, where he developed a successful following as a golf instructor, before coming to Daniel Island.

 

You can check out some of Ron’s tips and pointers right here on My Island Town, where we periodically post his insights in a series called “The Practice Range.” The latest tip – “How to Play in Wet Conditions” – was just posted today.

Congratulations, Ron!

THE PRACTICE RANGE: How to Play in Wet Conditions

We have had more than our fair share of rain this year and as a result, we often find ourselves playing golf on soggy courses. There are some compensations that must be made when playing in these conditions:

• When playing out of the fairway,never try to hit the ball hard. Instead, choak down on the club grip and pick the ball up off the turf. If you try to hit the ball too hard, your feet can slip causing you to hit the ball fat, which does your clothes no good at all.

• Pitching can be very difficult in these conditions, too. Instead of using the lob wedge or even the sand club, try the pitching wedge. You are less likely to stick the club in the ground.

• When playing bunker shots, use the lob wedge. It has less bounce, therefore it makes it easier to get the club under the ball.

• After a good rainfall, the sand becomes compacted. Take the club steeper on backswing and downswing, which will get the club under the ball instead of bouncing into the ball and blading it over the green.

• Lastly, play the course from the tees that allow you to hit the greens in regulations. In this year’s U.S.Open, the U.S.G.A. moved the tees up so the contestants could reach the greens with a reasonable club. If it is a good enough for the U.S.Open, it should be good enough for you!

Good Luck!

THE PRACTICE RANGE: Every Possible Putt

By Daniel Island Club Head Teaching Professional, Ron Cerrudo

Recently, I had the privilege of playing with my old tour roommate, Tom Watson. Yes, that Tom Watson! The first thing I noticed was how pure his putting stroke was from short distances. As you probably know, in recent years Tom has had trouble with short putts ranging from three to five feet. I finally couldn’t contain myself so I asked him what he did to smooth out his stroke on the most crucial putts. His answer really surprised me. Tom starts by feeling the ball (what I mean is concentrating intensely on the ball) then looks at his hands as he takes the putter back. By doing this, he focuses on making a smooth stroke instead of worrying if he is going to make the putt.

If you are having trouble with short distance putts, try Tom’s approach – but make sure you practice before taking it out on the course. Tom practices these types of putts by placing the balls around the hole like a clock, three feet away from each other, making sure the area has some slope. He does this so he faces every possible putt: uphill, downhill, right to left and left to right. When you try this, make sure you give each putt your full attention. It was great playing with Tom again. He made eight birdies and two bogies – not bad for a 58 year old!

P.s. He beat me!

Tom Fazio’s Beresford Creek Course

Named one of the top 50 real estate courses in the country by GolfWeek, this Tom Fazio-designed course overlooks pristine marsh, creeks and waterways. The Beresford Creek Course is a par 72 that plays 7,293 yards through massive trees and open marshes along the fairways.

Ralston Creek Course – Golfer’s Paradise

Rees Jones got it right when he designed the Ralston Creek Course at the Daniel Island Club! The Ralston Creek Course has received tons of accolades and awards, including being ranked as one of the contry’s top ten Best New Private courses by Golf Digest. Set against an incredible backdrop of natural saltwater marsh and tidal creeks, this 72 par course plays 7446 yards from the championship tees.

THE PRACTICE RANGE: Righty or Lefty?

By Daniel Island Club Head Teaching Professional, Ron Cerrudo

Are you a right hand or left hand putter? What I mean is which hand do you use to control your putting stroke?  The best way to discover which category you fall into is to place five balls approximately five feet from the hole. Grip your putter with just your right hand and then putt the five balls. Do the same thing with your left hand. You will soon discover which hand is best for you.This is important because there are different fundamentals for different hands.

If you are a person that feels control with the right hand you might need a putter that is a little longer than your present one. You will stand taller with a longer putter, which will cause your elbows to point slightly out. This in turn will create a crook in your right wrist with the palm facing the target. When you stroke the putt be sure the crook remains throughout the stroke and the palm swings lower than your target.

When you control the putter with the left hand your fundamentals are different. You want your arms to hang almost straight and this is why a shorter putter might be better. When stroking the putt pull the putter through the stroke with the back of the left hand toward the target. If you use the wrong fundamentals for these methods you are in trouble as far as being consistent in your putting. If your putting is good, stick to what you are doing. If you are having trouble, try these suggestions – what do you have to loose!

2009 Nationwide Tour Season Now Underway

The 2009 season of the PGA TOUR’S Nationwide Tour has begun. Celebrating its 20th-anniversary this year, the Nationwide Tour is the official proving ground of the PGA TOUR. Throughout the season’s 29 events, players compete for the chance to earn one of 25 PGA TOUR cards for the following season. And starting this year, the final winners will be determined on Daniel Island at the season-ending “Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island.” Now is the time to start following the players as they make their way towards Daniel Island this fall. These are golf’s up-and-coming stars, who will compete here at the Daniel Island Club’s Ralston Creek course October 22-25 this year.

The following video provides a good overview of what we have to look forward to this fall. Check it out, and visit PGATour.com for more video and Nationwide Tour coverage!

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THE PRACTICE RANGE: Consistency on the Course

By Daniel Island Club Head Teaching Professional, Ron Cerrudo

When I ask my golf students what their major problems are, the most common answer is lack of consistency. First and foremost, consistency comes from good basic fundamentals. Players should know why they hit a god shot as well as why they hit a poor shot. If you are a person that stays on the driving range hitting ball after ball with no clue why your shot is good or poor, you’re simply wasting time and energy.

Practice your weakness. Golfers are constantly practicing things they do well because it’s fun. None of us enjoy doing something badly; however, golf is a game of many facets. If one part of your game is weak it can creep into the entire process.

A good way to find weakness is to chart your game. Each time you play, keep a separate card and track the entire process.

1.    Number of fairways hit (greens in regulation)
2.    Putts per round (not only the total, but what is your percentage on putts from inside five feet)
3.    Number of putts taken from outside 20 feet
4.    Your average score within 20 yards of the green
5.    Number of times you get up and down out of the bunkers, or if you are a high handicapper, how many strokes do you average just getting out of bunkers

By tracking these, you can find where your greatest weakness occurs. If you can’t figure out how to improve these parts of your game, maybe it’s time to get some outside help.

Remember the old saying “Practice doesn’t make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect!”