Trim Golf

2012 is almost here! What will be your new year’s resolution?

With the Trim Golf attitude, You can shave strokes off your game in 2012.

Dropping strokes on your game is a lot like losing weight.   It’s not always easy but if you can take off a little here and a little there you will eventually notice a difference over time.

My college golf coach, created a goal for us by coming up with a group called “The One Shot Club”  it was our mission to be a part of it.   The concept is, if each player could drop one stroke, as a team we would drop 5 strokes and that could be the difference between winning and losing.   There are many different areas where you can drop this stroke.   However, if you could drop one stroke in each area,  you would maximize your improvement.   What if you improved your putting by one stroke this year?  What if you improved your mental game by one stroke,  your  fitness ability by one stroke, your short game by one stroke, What if you saved one less drive from flying out of bounds?   Instead of trying to drastically improve one area of your game focus on how you can get just one stroke better.  

This year, I want you to take a look at what you want in your game, set a goal and make it happen!  Take out a piece of paper, write it down, and plan all the areas that you can trim one stroke.  We know that you can do it!

Megan Padua is a Coutour Certified Putter Fitting Professional, a PGA Certified Instructor, LPGA Member, TPI Level 2 Junior Certified and a Staff Teaching Professional with JRG/TSGA programs at the Raven Golf Club Phoenix

The Five Pillars

This past spring I was fortunate enough to coach the boy’s golf team at Eau Claire Memorial High School in Eau Claire, WI.  I truly enjoyed being around the players and their families and hope they got as much out of the experience as I did.  Around the mid-season point, I started to notice that many of our players looked tired, easily frustrated, and were becoming very hard on themselves on the golf course.  I decided to give them an evaluation form using 5 elements I had read about in a book by Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott from Vision 54 golf.  I had each player rate themselves from 1-5 in these areas:

1.  Physical – Fitness, Posture, Nutrition, Rest, Warm-up

2.  Technical – Golf Swing, Fundamentals, Contact

3.  Mental – Focus, Motivation, Decision making, Self-talk, Course Management

4.  Emotional – Are you nervous, fearful, angry, anxious?

5.  Social – Interaction with playing partners, coaches, teammates, family

I think filling out this form helped some of my players realize that they were being too hard on themselves, worrying about things that were out of their control, and most of all not having enough fun playing this great GAME of golf.  It’s important for young players to realize that their families and friends don’t like them any less if they 3-putt, or miss a layup, or strikeout on the baseball field.

Rating yourself in these five areas can benefit anyone as it relates to their lives, not just teenage golfers.  At the JRG/TSGA we have put together programs that integrate fitness, nutrition, golf psychology, and instruction to not only improve your golf game but also your well being.  Many of these programs are set to launch in January, and we are excited to offer them to everyone from beginning juniors to professional golfers.

Aaron Olson is Staff Teaching Professional with JRG/TSGA programs at the Raven Golf Club Phoenix. In addition, he is Assistant Director of Nike Junior Golf Camps hosted at the Pebble Beach Resorts on the Monterey Peninsula.  Click Here for more information on private and group coaching with Aaron and the entire JRG/TSGA Staff.

So You Wanna Be A Tour Pro?

Nothing is more fun than dreaming about your future, especially as it relates to achieving peak performance in sports! As a kid, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve stood on the putting green of my home club pretending I had to hammer down a 10 footer to win the Masters. I believe that is a fun mental drill that most players who have the hopes of one day making it big put themselves through! If playing on the Tour is what your dreams are made of, I want you to dig a little deeper and ask yourself the question, “What’s it going to take to be champion?” Click here for the full story as seen in this month’s Golf Infuzion Magazine!

Jeff Ritter is National Director of Instruction for Nike Golf Schools and Junior Camps as well as site Director for Nike Junior Golf Monterey Peninsula. Join Jeff in Monterey this summer for the world’s premier Junior Golf Experience! Click here for details!

Are YOU Addicted to Sugar?

Myth: Sugar is Harmless

Truth: Sugar is at the root of most diseases

Sugar is the culprit in many diseases such as obesity, cancer, high blood pressure, dental decay, depression, diabetes, and elevated cholesterol. Consuming sugar causes weight gain, fluctuations in blood sugar, fatigue, anxiety, accelerates aging and suppresses your immune system. For better health and sustainable weight loss, keep your sugar consumption to a minimum.

How much sugar should I eat?
The USDA reported that Americans consume over 42 teaspoons of sugar per person daily! You should only have 1 teaspoon or 4 grams of sugar in your blood at any point in time. It’s best to aim for less than 4 teaspoons daily.

Actual: > 42 TSP daily
Ideal: < 4 TSP daily

How to Minimize Sugar Consumption
– Avoid processed drinks & foods
– Always check the label
– Avoid low-fat foods
– Choose a better breakfast
– Use Stevia to sweeten your beverages
– Switch to Zevia instead of soda
– Eat more protein, fat and vegetables
– Choose one day a week to indulge

Are YOU addicted to sugar? Click Here to take the CNK Sugar Addiction Quiz!

Cate Munroe is resident nutritionist for JRG/TSGA programs at the Raven Golf Club – Phoenix. The “go to” girl for many of the world’s top publications for nutritional advice, she has been seen in Golf Digest Magazine, Golf Tips Magazine, Golfpunk Magazine, Golf Infuzion Magazine, Yahoo Reader Content, The Arizona Republic and ABC TV!

Click Here for more information on working one on one towards your personal health and wellness goals with Cate!

CNK Healthy Eating Guide

Throughout the day you’re most likely bombarded with clever and convincing, digitally enhanced “food” product advertisements. You’re also given endless choices when you order coffee, shop at a market or dine out for dinner. To make matters worse, you’ve got your coworker telling you about this HCG diet they’re on, you’ve got Dr. Oz telling you something different every day and you keep reading the newest “research” about how a once thought of “healthy” food is now evil and should be avoided like the plague.

What’s the solution? The CNK Healthy Eating Guide is designed to help you choose the good foods from the bad and avoid those ugly processed products! Cate has it all for you in one lovely, simple handout. Learn to filter what you hear from outside sources and start paying attention to how each food makes you feel!

View Cate’s Healthy Eating Guide!

Cate Munroe is Resident Nutritionist for JRG/TSGA Programs. Visit her website Catesnutrition.com to learn about her health and weight loss programs and one on one coaching sessions available at the Raven Golf Club Phoenix!

 

Snacking Success!

WHICH BARS STACK UP?

You can stand in a grocery aisle for 20 minutes and stare at the dizzying variety of nutrition bars before buying one, or you can consider the suggestions of four nutritionists we contacted to help narrow your choice. Amanda Carlson-Phillips, a certified sports dietitian, says nuts or raw fruit are healthier snacks, but if you want a nutrition bar to get through your round, make sure it has a mix of carbohydrates, protein, fat and fiber.

WHY EAT ONE? 

Not only is it a convenient source of quick nutrition, but “when playing golf, the goal is to keep blood sugar stable, because when blood sugar drops, mental acuity and energy levels are affected,” says Amy Goodson, a certified sports dietitian for the Texas Health Ben Hogan Sports Medicine clinic.

WHEN TO EAT ONE?

These bars don’t replace a meal, but if your choice is between skipping breakfast or eating an energy bar, go with the bar, says Robert Yang, a certified nutritionist and advisor for the Titleist Performance Institute. The best time to eat one is at the turn or on the back nine to maintain energy levels.

WHAT KIND TO EAT?

“Choose the least amount of sugar, and look for whole-food ingredients,” says nutritionist Cate Munroe. “If you can’t pronounce an ingredient, don’t eat it.” Says Carlson-Phillips, of Athletes’ Performance: “You want your bar to have no less than four or five grams of protein, and 10 to 15 is ideal.”

Images and content originally seen in Golf Digest Magazine. Click Here for the full story!  JRG/TSGA Resident Nutritionist, Cate Munroe, is a contributor to Golf Digest, Golf Tips Magazine, Golfpunk Magazine in the United Kindom, Golf Infuzion Magazine and the Arizona Republic. Click Here for more information on working with Cate personally to achieve your health and wellness goals!

Vitamin D: Solar Power Performance

Vitamin D is one of the most powerful, yet underrated nutrients in the world. With many health experts following outdated studies and misinformation, it’s no wonder that over 80% of Americans suffer from D deficiency. Although we refer to the big D as a vitamin, it’s actually a hormone our body can make from sunlight. This stellar nutrient is essential for maintaining proper bone health, immunity and nervous system functioning. Adequate levels of vitamin D help prevent and reduce many diseases and illnesses. In addition, it can greatly improve athletic performance.

Read the full article in Golf Infuzion Magazine. The subscription is FREE!

Cate Munroe is Resident Nutritionist for JRG/TSGA programs. Her valuable insights on weight loss, overall health and athletic performance have been seen in Golf Digest, Golf Tips Magazine, Golf Infuzion Magazine, Golfpunk Magazine in the United Kingdom and countless other media outlets. Visit her website catesnutrition.com to learn more about incorporating nutritional counseling into your game and life enhancement efforts!