Once again, another tournament for a greater cause awaits us.

Medical City’s 20th Annual Golf Tournament

The Medical City Department of Surgery cordially invites you to attend its 20th annual Golf Tournament taking place on Monday April 4, 2016 at the Ayala Greenfields Golf Course in Laguna with the tee-off at 7am. Proceeds of this tournament will go to the Divine Mercy program.

What is the Divine Mercy Program?

The Divine Mercy Program is the charity organization of the Medical City Hospital. It was formed with the goal of collecting funds in various ways, including golf tournaments, for the benefit of indigent patients that can not afford proper healthcare.

Event Details

Date: Monday April 4, 2016
Location: Ayala Greenfields Golf Course, Laguna
Time: Shotgun Tee-off 7am
Price: P3,000 inclusive of tournament fee, buffet meal, giveaways, and raffle prizes

Get Your Tickets Now!

With an event like this, there’s no thinking twice! Get your tickets now by contacting Dr Eris Cansana at (0927) 610 0330 or Dr Michelle Villegas at (0917) 675 0688.

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Here are the upcoming tournaments this April 2016.

Editors Note: If you know of a tournament that isn’t on here, feel free to contact us at admin@golfph.com and we will be happy to add it to the list. Enjoy!

• The Medical City’s 20th Annual Golf Tournament

Details

Date: Monday April 4, 2016
Location: Ayala Greenfields Golf Course, Laguna
Time: Shotgun Tee-off 7:00 am
Price: P3,000 inclusive of tournament fee, buffet meal, giveaways, and raffle prizes
RSVP: Contact Dr Eris Cansana at (0927) 610 0330 or Dr Michelle Villegas at (0917) 675 0688 to purchase your tickets.

• Anonymous Patriots Golf Tournament

Details

Date: April 19, 2016
Location: Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club
Time:Shotgun tee-off 8:00 am
Price: P5,000
RSVP: Register by contacting April Estinozo at (0942) 063 8328/ (02) 404 5964 or Boy Blue Ocampo at (0943) 912 1265. You can also register and pay directly at the Pro-Shop.

• 30th AmCham Chari-tee Golf Tournament

Details

Date: Friday April 22, 2016
Location: Orchard Golf and Country Club, Dasmarinas, Cavity
Time: Registration 6:00 am
Shotgun tee-off 7:30am
Format: System 36
Price: P4,000 (men)
P3,000 (women)
RSVP: T: 551-8060 F: 834-1192

There is nothing greater than doing what you love, while at the same time helping others. This tournament offers that precious opportunity.

Sagip Buhay’s 18th Annual Golf Classic

For the past 17 years, Sagip Buhay has successfully organized this charity event. They go at it again this 2016 on May 4 at the Villamor Golf Club at 7:00 am for the benefit of a number of indigent patients of the Philippine General Hospital. They encourage all golfers of all levels to come and do precisely what the event is entitled- Swing hard, and Save Lives.

What Is Sagip Buhay?

Sagip Buhay is a medical foundation that gives every effort to save lives by providing medications to those who unfortunately can not provide for themselves or for their sickly loved ones. They offer true hope to those admitted at the Medicine Wards and ICUs of the Philippine General Hospital and give them the opportunity to hold onto life longer.

Event Details

Date: Wednesday May 4, 2016
Location: Villamor Golf Club
Time: Registration- 6am
Shotgun Tee-off– 7am
Price: P2,500 inclusive of a buffet lunch, green fee, caddie fee, and other freebies.

You Can Help Too

This poster shows us how much money we carelessly use in a day. Rather than spending this way, let’s lend a helping hand instead by registering now for a special day promised to be full of fun. Hope to see you there!

To RSVP: For additional details and registration, please contact Dr. Alfonso at 0932-740-3963 or Dr. Uy at 0922-817-4621.

Have you ever spent countless hours on the internet, searching for an answer to your specific golfing queries without any luck? Or perhaps wanted to try new golf equipment, accessories, or tricks, but didn’t know if it was right for you? For some of us, even wishing to learn tips straight from a professional has been a distant wish.

But now here is your chance!

We’re excited to bring you the first of many segments from our new series: Q&A with a Pro. Here is your opportunity to ask all your questions and hear directly from a pro! Stay tuned with us every month to see if your question was featured and answered. Who is this PGA Professional and certified golf instructor we’ll be hearing from? Read on to know more from Dan the man himself.

We at GolfPH have worked with you for the past couple of years, but for those out there who don’t know you… Can you tell us about yourself?

Dan: I’m Daniel Sais and I am from Florida, USA. I’ve been a US PGA golf professional for the last 20 years. During that span I was a on tour for 5 years and I currently live in the Philippines now full time.

What have been your major accomplishments as a golfer?

Dan: As a touring professional, I played regularly on the PGA Tour, nationwide and in the Asian Omega Tours so that was quite the experience. I got to compete with some of the best in the game, travel the world and live out my dream. But my latest accomplishment is founding Esquire Golf Management back in 2008. 

What is Esquire Golf Management?

Dan: Esquire Golf Management is a company that specializes in golf course management operations to help educate golf course owners on how to maintain an effective, cost efficient operation. I have experience with golf course design and construction and have worked as a Director of Golf and General Manager at several private country clubs.

What work did you leave behind in Florida and what brought you to the Philippines?

Dan: In Florida, I was working as a Head Golf Professional and Director of Instruction for several prestigious golf courses and resorts. I began traveling here to the Philippines back in 1990, then I finally moved here with my wife Carmela in 2010. She’s involved with the BPO sector here and is the Vice President for an American company based in BGC.

With all your success and accomplishments, is there anything else you aspire for?

Dan: I would love to work with the local pros who really need coaching on the fundamentals of teaching and helping their own students and players. I feel the need to share my knowledge with other golf pro’s so we can keep this great game of golf alive here in this country. His unselfish style of sharing is uncommon and he claims it’s all about giving back to the game.

Dan recently opened his own golf academy called Esquire Golf Learning Center.  He is focused on teaching and educating players on the golf swing fundamentals and specializes in the mental side of golf, which is untapped territory here in the Philippines.

What do you think is special about your teaching style and what makes it different from others?

Dan: I would have to say that my teaching style is different because it doesn’t just come from years of practice, but from many years of studying and learning from the game’s greatest teachers.

His education from the PGA of America has also helped him understand the golf swing and its effects on ball flight, root cause and effect and how it relates to the individual student. “I work strictly on the fundamentals as should be taught to all players.”

His philosophy is simple, “Get on the same communication level as your student and they will understand and learn far more better and faster.” His style is laid back and low key and exudes a quiet confidence when he is on the teaching tee.

What is the most common mistake that you see players make and what can they do to work on it?

Dan: The most common mistakes players make is they simply do not understand the game and how to play it properly.  What that means is the basic understanding of the game and how to make the fewest amount of strokes. There are actually two reasons why they don’t understand. They are:

• Practicing proficiently
• Warming up properly

Practicing properly means to understand what, how much, and when to practice.  Most players do not follow a basic practice regimen.  They have a tendency to go to the driving range and practice what they are good at and try to groove a swing, in other words they just beat balls and break a sweat. They also do not practice by the percentages of the game.

When I teach on most of the driving ranges I see the majority of the practice of being done with the driver.  Do you know that the driver is only hit a max of 12-13 times in the course of 18 holes?  That is only 8% of the game.  Conversely, the putter is used on every hole, on every green but I hardly see anyone practice putting.  Most amateur players average 36-38 putts per round which makes up for 42% of the game.  This is just poor management of their games.  Follow my advice, practice your putting if you want to score, because the game is ultimately about the final score.

Warming up properly means you should stretch all your muscles that you use to play golf.  Start off slow with your warm up, hit short irons then long irons and then on to the hybrids and fairway woods.  End with the driver and do not hit more than 15 practice shots with the driver.  Once completed move on to the short game practice area and then finish with putting.  A little known stat is –  from 100 yards to the hole makes up for 67% percent of the game.  That is two thirds of the game of golf.  A warm up is just that, a plan to warm up the body in order to play, its not a practice session where you should be working on your swing, or trying to play shots. The goal with warming up is simple, get the body loose and tension free.  I see so many players today that do not follow these principles and have a basic understanding of the game.

Play the game of golf by the percentages and follow these tips to play better golf and lower your scores.

Now that you know all about Dan, take this rare opportunity and ask away!

Have a Question That You Want To Ask Dan? Comment Below or Email us at Admin@GolfPH.com and We’ll Try Our Very Best To Answer Them at Next Months Post.

30th AmCham ChariTee Golf Tournament

Get ready to swing for a cause on April 22nd at the upcoming 30^th AmCham ChariTee Golf Tournament.

The American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines is an association of American businessman that live and work in the Philippines. The purpose of the chamber is to serve the interests of these US businesses through participation, promotion and events that they host.

The tournament will take place on April 22, 2016, Friday and be held at the Orchard Golf and Country Club.

By participating in this event, you will automatically make a contribution to the Scholarship Programs of the underprivileged youth of the American Chamber Foundation.

Event Details

Date: Friday, April 22, 2016
Location: Orchard Golf and Country Club, Aguinaldo Highway, Dasmariñas, Cavity City
Time: Registration- 6:00am, Shotgun Start- 7:00am
Format: System 36
Price: P4,000 which includes green fee, caddie fee, golf cart, buffet breakfast and lunch plus souvenirs and giveaways.
Note: We encourage the ladies to join with a special rate of P3,500.
With this financial support, the Foundation will continue to assist poor but deserving Filipino youth, not only with Scholarship Programs, but with Psychosocial Programs as well.

Register Now!

Don’t miss out on your chance to play your favorite sport and be a part of investing in our next generation!

Call Candy Gabriel at 551-8050 or email candy@amchamphilippines.com

PS: Please make checks payable to the American Chamber Foundation Philippines, Inc.

Learning to play golf can be a frustrating experience. Especially when it comes to hitting it out of the sand. In theory, sand should be one of the easier surfaces to play but many amateur golfers tense up and everything goes wrong.  Here we look at how to improve shots from a bunker.

Hitting hard?

When it comes to hitting out the sand successfully, the technique is at the heart of the process.  Many amateur golfers step up to the ball with an open stance and have a closed wrist.  They hit the ball as hard as possible with a really aggressive swing and what happens?  The ball ends up in the bunker next door.

The first tip to having a great level of success with sand shots starts with something simple – relaxation.  If you talk to PGA professionals, they will all say that the biggest problem golfers have when hitting out of sand is that they swing too hard and too aggressively.  Their mind-set is that they need maximum power to get out of the sand and this causes the mechanics of their swing to fall apart.  Hence the trip straight to the next bunker rather than the green.

Relaxing

What is actually needed is that the golfer needs to relax.  Slow down the speed of the swing back to its normal tempo and make sure the body is aligned correctly to the target.  

Stand a little further from the ball because if you are right on top of the ball, the resulting swing will be too upright.  Open up the clubface so that it is pointing right at the target in an open position, as this adds lift to the shot and gets the ball up and out of the bunker.

Next take the club back low.  Be careful not to touch the sand, as grounding in a bunker will get you a two stroke penalty.  So instead you hover the club behind the ball, focusing on making sure you are close to the surface on the backswing.  The result will shallow out the motion and the path of the club.

As you go through the shot, make sure you turn your body.  This is one of the fundamentals that golfers of all levels forget – turning your body is crucial to finishing the shot.  Pick a spot behind the ball, around two inches away and swing through to the spot, rather than into it.  You should finish with your chest facing the target of the shot while your arms are in front of your body.

Proper technique

The key to improving shots from a bunker for any level of handicap is remembering the basics and the proper techniques you have picked up.  The fact that you hit through sand to hit the ball shouldn’t affect how you play the shot – stick with the swing that works and allow the club to the rest of the work for you.  Relax and swing at your normal speed to see the ball fly in the direction you want it.

A golf tournament is nothing new to the experienced player. You arrive dressed in your golfer’s best, register, chat with a few close friends and meet new ones before you’re hied off to the green where the game begins.

Committee members of the Anvil Business Club who were tasked with planning the organization’s second annual golf competition wanted to kick it up a notch and make theirs an event to remember.  So for this year’s competition, they themed it to the Chinese New Year.

The Prestigious ANVIL Business Club

Formerly known as the Association of Young Filipino Chinese Entrepreneurs (AYFCE), the ANVIL Business club is an organization comprised of thriving business professionals and successful young entrepreneurs that are committed to promoting positive values, excellence and increasing the economic and social progress in the country.

Founded in 1991, the co-ed organization has grown to over 300+ Members and holds regular business events, forums and extracurricular activities such as their annual golf tournament.

For inquiries on membership please call: +63 (2) 726-7029 or email: secretariat@anvil.org.ph.

Getting Ready Before The Tournament

Set at the South Forbes Golf and Country Club last February 5, 2016, registration started at 6AM sharp.

Fresh-brewed locally-grown coffee care of Cafe-Te-Ria and snacks from Ayala Land kept everyone alert as participants continued pouring in. To keep everyone occupied and entertained during registration, the committee prepared a  ‘Guess How Many Tees’ game.

There was plenty of time to network before the pre-assigned flights ducked into their carts one by one and rode off to the first hole!

It Started Off With a Bang!

Literally, a gun shot was used to announce the start of the tournament as everyone awaited.

For those that haven’t been to South Forbes yet, it’s a pretty challenging and unique golf course unlike any other here in the Philippines. The golf course is relatively shorter and narrower than most, but makes up for it with it’s elevated greens, deep ravines and hazards all around.

Every hole is different when you play South Forbes and you can’t always be too aggressive off the tees. That is why it’s very critical that you have a good game plan in mind and sometimes taking the safe shot is the best one.

Ace Olano almost sinking the Hole in One Prize

Overall, the course conditions were very well maintained and the greens were trimmed fast. It was a challenging but enjoyable game for all players. New-found friendships and pleasant play mates made it even more entertaining.

Our Honored Guest and Lovely Host Councilor Daisy Reyes

2016 Anvil President Marcelo Co

Here are a few more action shots from the tournament.

Chateaux De Paris

Meanwhile… the rest of the committee moved to the Chateaux de Paris where the program proper was to take place.

Setting up the Chateaux was an excitable affair as this was another critical part of the program that everyone worked really hard for.

The committee did an excellent job setting things up, making the table arrangements, decorations and getting the food and drinks out on time.  All of the guests and players were able to get their food and seats, just in time for the program that lay ahead.

And just like that… the first set of finished golfers walked in and were given the option of heading to the buffet of Chinese specialties, or to check out the myriad booths that filled the Chateaux.

Refreshments were in abundance with free-flowing drinks courtesy of generous sponsors Glenmorangie, Bear Beer, Cafe-Te-Ria and Izumio Water.

The guests settled themselves into the seats and our host for the event, Councilor (and fellow golfer) Daisy Reyes arrived to start the program.

After the food they had a surprise show for the guests. It wouldn’t be a Chinese New Year event without some traditional entertainment and guests were regaled with a surprise lion dance – just to add a touch of festive flair to the usual program.

After the lion dance was everyone’s favorite part of the the event- The Raffles!

Apart from the custom-made red Anvil golf shirts, more than 120 raffle prizes were given away that day. Prizes included golf balls, stylish travel bags, cases of Bear Beer, bottles of Glenmorangie, a bunch of products from Eureka and tons of Gift certificates from Mizuno, Dr. Kong, Custom Clubmakers and South Forbes.

The Major Prizes included overnight stays at Astoria Boracay, 2 Mizuno Golf Bags, a 32 inch HD TV, a 50 inch HD TV and a Golf Share to South Forbes Golf Club.

The trophies too were a beautifully designed plus. We had them custom made by RizGolf to suit the theme and only the lucky winners got to take home these one-of-a-kind pieces.

Check out this video to see even more of what happened this awesome day.

We’d like to thank everyone who participated in the event, especially to the members of GolfPH.

See you all for the next Anvil’s Annual Golf Cup in 2017.

Have you ever walked into your closet and said…

Whoa! Where did all of this stuff come from. Well we did and that’s how our office currently is right now.

So to free things up and make the place a little bit more tidy (orders from the big boss)… we’re cleaning out our closet and will be liquidating things in batches.

Here’s the first one. Let us know if you are interested in anything on our list.

Sorry about the lack of pictures and description. All of the clubs are at our office and can be demo’ed by appointment only.

Drivers:

1. TaylorMade SLDR 460 S, Fujikara 57 Grams – P9,000 (Brand New Sealed)
2. TaylorMade R7 Limited 10.5 Degrees , Tour AD Stiff – P3,500
3. Nike IGNITE 460 10.5 – P2,500
4. Callaway X460 10° Fujikura R Flex 60g Mid/Low Torque Mid Kick – P3,000
5. TX-2 S-Yard Loft 10° Flex Spec. 2 Flex R1 S

Woods/Hybrid:

1. Adams Golf Super S IDEA 4H 22 Degrees S-Flex –  P4,500 (Brand New)
2. TaylorMade Burner Superfast 2.0 16.5 Degrees, Matrix Ozik S-Flex – P3,500
3. TaylorMade Burner Rescue 22° 65g Flex R – P2,500

Putters:

1. TaylorMade 320K
2. White Ice 340G Odyssey
3. Yes! C-Groove Dianna

Other:

1. Sklz 12 inch Putting Mirror – P2,500 (Brand New)
2. Ogio Cart Bag – P3,000 (Almost New)
3. SKLZ Gold Flex Strength and Tempo Whip – P2,500 (Brand New)
4. Grassroots Par Three Putting Green (3×9 Feet) – P2,000

For more information about the clubs including pictures, please email us at admin@golfph.com.

When thinking of someone who juggles family, career, passion, and public service all while keeping a radiant smile on their face, Councilor Daisy G. Reyes is definitely the first person that comes to mind. With already more than enough on her plate, she is once again hosting the Councilor Daisy G. Reyes 3rd Golf Cup on May 17, 2016 at the Valley Golf and Country Club.

Who is Daisy G. Reyes?

Daisy has a very colorful background and lifestyle. She is a model, an actress, a singer, an endorser, an entrepreneur, a golf enthusiast, and now a public servant as a councilwoman- or shall I say ‘Superwoman’? Above all else, she holds dear to her heart her role as a wife and a mother.

She selflessly takes this grand opportunity once a year to hold a golf cup and raise funds for the benefit of our less fortunate brothers and sisters of our country.

Event Details

Date: Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Location: Valley Golf and Country Club, Antipolo, Rizal
Time: Shotgun tee-off 8am
Price: P3,500 inclusive of caddy fee, buffet lunch, and giveaways

Join Us Today

Sign up now and let’s take part in helping those in need- together! For more information and registration details, please contact the following coordinators:

Karina Escano- 0917 559 5364
Wilmark Tamayo- 0918 888 8116

Looking forward to having you there.

This is it. It’s your opportunity to take a direct flight to Siem Reap. In just 3 short hours, you could be golfing at the award winning Angkor Golf Resort & Club. Leave the rain and stress of the Philippines this July and partake in one of the hottest team based golf tournaments in Cambodia!

Do something new and definitely something different from the typical tournament. You will have the opportunity to play at the award winning Angkor Golf Resort within a very unique format.  For those of you who don’t know, Siem Reap is the home to the largest religious monument in the world aka Angkor Wat. The city holds many wonders and forms of historical beauty.

Itinerary:

June 30^th Thursday – Take the Cebu Pacific at 7:55PM. Arrive at 9:50PM to REP
July 1 – Friday – Registration and Practice Round
July 2 – Saturday – 3 Rounds of 9 Hole Matchplay, buffet lunch and evening welcome gala dinner
July 3 – Sunday – 2 rounds of 9 hole Matchplay, buffet lunch and the Grand Team Final
July 4 – Monday – Angkor Wat Tour with English Speaking Guide
July 5 – Tuesday – Free Day,  Depart REP at 10:50PM. Arrive to Manila on July 6 at 2:45AM.

There are 2 choices of venues for you to stay at. This is assuming that you are signing up with a minimum team of 4 players. It is inclusive of all taxes and fees and it is priced in US Dollars.

June 30 – July 5, 2016

Inclusions:

• All Transfers Based on Private Basis
• Hotel Accommodation (5 nights) with Daily Breakfast
• Player Welcome Pack
• 1 x Practice Round per person (caddy and cart fee included)
• 3 x 9 hole tournament rounds (caddy and cart fee included)
• Grand Final Event for the top 5 teams only (caddy and cart fee included)
• 2 x Buffet Lunch
• 1 x Welcome Dinner
• All Prizes
• Licensed English Speaking Guide (1 Day Angkor Wat Tour)
• Angkor Wat Entrance Fees

Exclusions:

• Flight
• Visa Fees (Filipinos do not need a visa to travel to any Southeast Asian country)
• Tipping for the tour guide and driver
• Drinks and other expenses not mentioned in the itinerary

This is a great opportunity to try something different- to compete in another country that has a direct flight from Manila and that offers a fun, yet challenging aspect for you and your friends. Also please note that you will have access to the driving range for free!

You can also add extra rounds of golf if you want to play for $105USD per person inclusive of the caddy and the sharing cart (Add $10 for a single cart). The organizing committee of the Angkor Golf Resort has set up something you won’t want to miss!

Questions and Inquiries:

For more event and registration details, kindly send an email to admin@golfph.com.

Did you ever think about what just one day would be like without being able to walk? Or how difficult it would be not being able to accomplish your everyday tasks due to a disability? Our fully functioning bodies are a privilege that we take for granted every single day.

Join Wheelmobile, Lift for Life‘s event operated by the Circle of Friends Foundation, Inc.’s Golf Tournament 2016 to benefit those who do not have this advantage.

Save the date for May 24, 2016 at the Canlubang Golf and Country Club at 7:30 am.

What is COFFI?

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS FOUNDATION, INC. (COFFI) was founded in 1998 to provide mobility and dignity in particular for persons in wheelchairs.  Since 2003, through the generous support of individual and corporate sponsors, COFFI has rolled out five WHEELMOBILES, the first transport service for PWDs – persons with disabilities – in the Philippines.

The proceeds of this Golf Tournament provide funding  for their WHEELMOBILE operations and other art and livelihood projects.

Event Details

Date: Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Location: Canlubang Golf and Country Club, Calamba City, Laguna
Time: 7:30 am
Format: System 36 in 3 categories A/B/C and ladies
Price: P3,500 per player including Green Fee, Mulligan, breakfast, and award lunch.

There will also be tens of raffle prizes and giveaways to look forward to!

Here is a location map to help you arrive easily.

Reserve Your Spot Now!

You don’t have to think twice- sign up to play today and help those in need.

Simply contact the organizers at

mobile: +639294235568 / +639178143041
Email: wheelmobilemanila@gmail.com

See you there!

Upcoming Golf Tournaments in May!

Editor’s note: If you know of a tournament that isn’t on here, feel free to contact us at admin@golfph.com and we will be happy to add it to the list. Enjoy!

• Sagip Buhay’s 18th Annual Golf Classic

Details

Date: Wednesday, May 4, 2016
Location: Villamor Golf Club
Time: Registration 6am, Shotgun Tee-Off 7am
Price:  P2,500 inclusive of a buffet lunch, green fee, caddie fee, and other freebies.
RSVP: Contact Dr. Alfonso at 0932-740-3963 or Dr. Uy at 0922-817-4621
Notes: For the benefit of the indigent patients of PGH wards 1 and 3

•  Councilor Daisy G. Reyes 3rd Golf Cup

Details

Date: Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Location: Valley Golf and Country Club, Antipolo, Rizal
Time: Shotgun tee-off 8am
Price: P3,500 inclusive of caddy fee, buffet lunch, and giveaways
RSVP: Contact Karina Escano at 0917-559-5364 or Wilmark Tamayo at 0918-888-8116

• COFFI Golf Tournament Canlubang 2016

Details

Date: Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Location: Canlubang Golf and Country Club, Calamba City, Laguna
Time: 7:30 am
Price: P3,500 per player including Green Fee, Mulligan, breakfast, and award lunch.
RSVP: Contact mobile: 0929 423 5568 / 0917 810 9504
landline: +63 2 833 6453
Email: wheelmobilemanila@gmail.com
Notes: For the benefit of PWDs

Swing Faster, Get More Distance and Gain Extra Yards…

Yea Right! That’s what they all say.

When it comes to golf training aids, I am usually a bit skeptic. I’ve had my fair share of supposed game changing training aids that have pretty much made it to the back of my closet.

That is why, when we were offered the chance to do a product review on the Powerchute Swing Trainer, I was a bit hesitant. We’re normally pretty picky when it comes to reviewing training aids so we had to do our research.

The first thing I did was go online and watched the youtube video that was on their website.

You know, the one that has Jack Nicklaus gaining an increased swing speed of 5 1/2 mph in 5 minutes.

Sounds like a gimmick right.

However, I figured that if Jack, Jason Zuback (world long drive champ), and PGA Pro Jim Sowerwine were willing to put their face and names on the line for this flappy piece of tarp, then I figured it’s worth a shot.

So I agreed to do the product review.

Just to give a full disclosure, we were sent a free sample of the Powerchute. However, this review is unbiased and is based off of my personal experience using the club firsthand.

The Product.

Here is what the product claims.

“If you’re looking to increase your swing speed and driving distance, we know of a training aid just perfect for you!

Powerchute Golf Swing Trainer works literal wonders in your ability to develop the proper golf swing sequencing and in helps you generate a powerful lag, which are both essential for increasing your club head swing.”

Also…

“This training aid isn’t only effective, but it’s extremely easy to use. It’s simply clipped onto the shaft of a driver or fairway wood to act as a sail on a boat. As you swing, it provides no resistance on the backswing but gives full resistance from the forward swing all the way to the finish. Once you remove it and swing again without it, results are immediate.“

A Little Background.

Before I get into the results of the test, I feel as if it’s important for me to give you a little bit of background on how I usually hit my drives.

The driver is actually the weakest part of my game. Even though I am a big guy, my average distance usually falls within the range of 210 yards with a bit of a slice.

According to my pro, I use too much arms and not enough back to give me the right power that I need to launch it. Also, I tend to release the club a bit too early before my hands can even pass my hips resulting in a major power loss during impact.

From reading the description of the product, there were 2 things that I was hoping to improve on.

1. Improve on my lag and forward shaft lean
2. Train my body to rotate and use my back more

Note: Even though the Powerchute promotes an increased swing speed, it wasn’t really my main focus and I didn’t really put too much emphasis on testing it.

First Impression.

The product came in a small box. A very simple piece of equipment with a flag and 2 clips. The flag acts like a parachute, providing resistance every time you swing.

I followed the simple instructions and was able to snap it on with ease. The whole process took about 2 minutes to figure out.

After getting one of my spare drivers setup, I stepped right outside my office and gave it a few swings. I did what everyone else did on the video, which was take a few swings with the Powerchute, then took a swing with my driver.

Like everyone else, I almost fell off balance and probably increased my swing speed by 5 mph in the process.

That would be great, but increasing swing speed wasn’t my main objective. Plus, I’ve achieved similar swing speed results in the past using other tools such as the swing fan and the momentus weighted driver.

What I wanted was more lag on my swing and I wanted to be able to turn my body more instead of relying so much on my arms.

The biggest difference between the powerchute and the swing fan is that instead of just swinging mindlessly, you are going through the swing sequence at slow motion enabling you to picture what you actually want to do.

How I Did The Test.

So because I knew that I was writing this review, I felt like I needed to give this piece of equipment a fair shot. I didn’t want to judge it off a few swings. At the same time… I didn’t want to spend an unrealistic number of hours on the range.

For this review, I decided that I would create a simple practice plan, concentrate on my lag and body rotation and stick with it. The plan was to take 15 swings a day during my office break, 4 days a week, in 2 weeks for a total of 120 swings.

Just enough swings for me to be able to form a general opinion on the product.

Also, with each swing, I made sure to focus on the lag, and properly turn my shoulders and back.

The Results – Gimmick or Game Changer.

First of all, these results are based off of my experience. I didn’t have a trackman. I didn’t have a pro on hand and I didn’t have any scientific data to back up my results. Everything that I am writing about is based off of my opinion from using this training tool sparingly in 2 weeks.

After the 2 weeks was up, I was ready to put my drives to a real test. I hit up my buddies and played 2 rounds of golf with my usual group. The first was at Sherwood Hills Golf and Country Club and the 2^nd was at FA Korea in Clark.

Based off of my experience, 3 things happened.

1. I Hit More Accurate Drives
   My friends think it was luck. I think it’s because I practiced everyday. Who knows… maybe the Powerchute really did give me straighter drives and more accuracy.

2. I Hit An Average of 20 Yards Farther
   This wasn’t because I increased my swing speed. I think it’s because of the conscious effort that I made to turn my body more on drives. By rotating my body more, I was able to generate extra power and get better contact on impact.

3. My Ball Striking Improved With My Irons
   Even though I didn’t practice my irons at all, my ball striking improved and I gained at least 10 yards on each club. This was actually a problem for me on a few holes because my distances were way off. The better striking was probably due to the improved lag.

Last Minute Thoughts

Pros:

• It does increase your swing speed… even almost instantaneously
• Will help you get more lag on your drives
• By swinging in slow motion, it’s easier to see what you are doing wrong
• Can be used as a tempo trainer
• Easy to setup and install

Cons:

• At $139.99, it can be a little bit pricy
• Only works with the driver and the fairwood
• Like all training devices, it will require practice.

One of the big things that the Powerchute helped me do was to slow down my swing, focus on my swing path and add more lag to my swing. By having more lag, I am now getting better contact and hitting the ball farther. My mishits are also straighter and are less of a mishit.

Overall, I had good results with the Powerchute swing trainer. The Powerchute might not be for everyone, but for me it addressed a lot of the flaws that I had in my swing and because of that, I would recommend the Powerchute as a training aid device.

My drives are still not where I want to be, but luckily for me, my office is at a driving range and ill have plenty of time to put in the work.

Anyone else tried using the Powerchute? I would love to hear what type of results you guys have gotten. Feel free to leave your thoughts below.

It was a beautiful Friday morning last April 22 for golf as we drove down to Orchard Golf and Country Club in Dasmarinas, Cavite for the American Chamber ChariTee Golf Tournament- Swing for a Cause!

The American Chamber Foundation Philippines serves as a catalyst in encouraging the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc. member companies to contributing to the civic and economic development of the Philippines. Through ChariTee events, they are able to raise funds and awareness for the young, education hungry, and underprivileged youth of our nation.

At about 6am we reached the Orchard Club gates, and one could not help but be impressed by the grandeur of the grounds. The drive from the entrance gate to Clubhouse was so scenic, with grand sweeping green landscapes with beautiful water elements and buildings.

It was apparent we were just on time as we drove up to the line of various big dark SUVs, popular with AmCham members and guests apparently, waiting patiently to drop off golf clubs. The golf club drop off was so efficient with the head Caddy taking care of the dismount and promptly handing us the claim stub for our golf bags.

From the club drop off, the parking was an easy walk to the main lobby which along the way, the banners of the major sponsors stood proudly on the walls of the clubhouse frontage.

The registration table was setup beautifully and efficiently right upon entering the main lobby and on display were the flights so we could easily meet our new friends for the day.

It only took about 5 minutes to get to the first stop in the registration process, which was to give our names and ID verification along with our golf club stubs.

Once that was verified, we moved quickly along the registration table to the Mulligan purchase station, where we loaded up on the 200 php Mulligans in anticipation for a tough course.

The last station was the raffle purchase where 1000php got you six raffle tickets, which we did avail as well.

On the way out of the registration, they kept our hands full as we were given a goodie bag and umbrella. We then were directed to the locker rooms.

The tournament and club had graciously allocated one of the locker rooms to the tournament, and upon entering, the host provided us with locker keys and we walked into the spacious and well kept locker area. We were able to change into our golf shoes and also go through the goodie bag, which conveniently had Gatorade and vanilla biscuits which we brought along with us.

From there, we headed back to the main lobby for a nice breakfast of sunny side up eggs, grilled spam and bangus fish, various sausages and garlic rice. The fresh hot coffee was a welcome edition and as we started tucking in at about 6:45am.

The program started with welcoming comments from the AmCham organizers who went over the goal of AmCham Charity Golf Tournament.

The speaker encouraged us that we weren’t only playing for our enjoyment, but also for the benefit of those in need. With the financial support raised through the Tournament, the Foundation will continue to assist poor but deserving Filipino youth, not only with Scholarship Programs, but also with Psychosocial Programs.

He then went on to explain the mechanics of the golf tournament using the System 36 Format. From there, we wrapped up breakfast and headed over to our golf carts to meet our caddies and get on our way!

Unfortunately for us, we did not get time to practice, but we did see some early birds getting some putting practice in!

As we walked down the long line of neatly organized golf carts, we got to our 7B golf cart and I met my caddy Dang, who had been with the Orchard Golf Course for about 20 years.

We shared some jokes. I told her that maybe I should drive the cart and let her play the course!

We headed over to Hole 7 to await to ceremonial tee-off complete with a loud gun shot sound, which signaled the start of the tournament at about 7:15am.

It turned out we started with a “Hole in One” game, which we joked was quite tough as the first hole played and us having just met.

Pressure!

Also, we were playing from the Blue markers, so it was a good 180 yards on this Hole 7 to the pin. While any Par 3 is difficult, the distance from the Blue markers is really what made this challenge difficult, especially as our first hole!

But we did our best and carried on to the the next hole, just barely missing par.

Next up was a Par 4 Drive and Pitch hole, where one is to make a solid Drive shot, and follow up with a Pitch to get onto the green. While in theory, this methodology makes sense, the accuracy and contact is critical on that first drive in order to get you in good position to pitch onto the green. Needless to say, we were still warming up so it took us more than 2 strokes to get onto the green!

The next hole had the friendly fellows from Hole Sponsor GNC, the nutritional supplies company. They handed out coupons as well as offered us a multivitamin drink and didn’t miss out on the opportunity to allow the players to purchase items at a special discounted price!

We took the vitamin drink gladly but passed on the vitamins in order to focus on our game.

A welcome sight at the next hole was the massage chairs and complimentary beverages.

While it was a bit early to crack open a San Miguel Pale Pilsen beer, we all decided it would be good for the nerves and also grabbed some water.

The other great treat was the free massage services, to ease tight muscles and maybe just to loosen up our bodies so we could perform better.

We had a blast through the next few holes and came across the Longest Drive. By then, we were all warmed up and ready to take a serious effort with our drivers. Alas, the nerves and over muscling of our drives sent us astray with the mean hook of our swings taking us off the fairways.

The course was about as difficult as we had remembered, with long fairways, multiple sand traps, and menacing water hazards. That being said, our caddies were quite helpful in guiding us along the course with dogleg warnings, accurate guidance and yardage, as well as spot-on club suggestions. We got to the Hole sponsored Avis hole and were treated to a lovely view.

As we wrapped up the 18 holes, we all had a blast together but were glad to finish as it was definitely heating up! We took our final pictures together and headed back to the clubhouse.

After cleaning up in the locker room, we headed up to the nicely designed hall where our delicious lunch was served. We couldn’t help but notice the food in the back and it smelled pretty good. There was a nice spread of rice, chicken, fish and vegetables which went well with the pumpkin soup.

As we were halfway through our meal, the announcements started for the prizes and boy were there a ton!

It was nice that the organizers started with ladies first, awarding the best women’s score which would have put most men to shame with a score of 77!

There were various raffle prizes drawn with a wonderful array of prizes. The raffle tickets were stored in a rotating drum from which the organizer reached into to grab the lucky winners!

From bottles of wine to putters, I could not believe my luck when I got the putter. We were actually quite tired from the early start and hot weather, but when you hear your name at a raffle, that perks you right up!

The grand prize of the event was from the Gold Sponsor of the tournament Delta Airlines. The winner of the Delta grand prize got a free round trip ticket to anywhere in the US! Lucky Guy.

Overall, this was a smoothly run tournament that led to a lovely day on the golf course. Kudos to the American Chamber and the Foundation for putting on this amazing event for the benefit of the Foundation Scholars. The Orchard Golf & Country Club is an absolutely stunning course and I would highly recommend any golfer to give it a swing!

Special thanks to all of the sponsors of this event!

Wouldn’t we all like to know the untold secrets and most effective tips on how to improve our skill at what has been deemed one of the world’s most difficult sports- golf?

Thankfully, Dan doesn’t keep his secrets untold. He wants to share with us all that he can to improve the game of golf as a whole, and even for each individual player to excel in his game and enjoy it even more!

Once a month, we bring you that special privilege exclusively at GolfPH as we give you the chance to ask your own specific questions and have them personally answered by certified golf instructor and US PGA golf professional of 20 years, Dan Sais.

Upcoming Golf Tournaments in June!

Editor’s note: If you know of a tournament that isn’t on here, feel free to contact us at admin@golfph.com and we will be happy to add it to the list. Enjoy!

• Adstratworld Foundation, Inc.’s 2nd Invitational Charity Golf Tournament

Details

Date: Friday July 1, 2016
Location: Villamor Air Base Golf Club
Time: Shotgun tee off 11am
Price: P2,500 inclusive of green fee, snacks, full meal, giveaways, and exciting raffle
RSVP: Please contact Christell Nogar at 0926-432-8000 / 882-5636 or send an e-mail to christell_salesmktg@adstratworld.net

Booking your dream golf vacation has never been easier! Now at GolfPh, we are offering 3 special travel packages put together just for you. Pack your bags and treat yourself to a much deserved golf trip to none other than the famous and most prestigious St. Andrews Links in Scotland. Enjoy an exquisite golf vacation in this land known to many as the Home of Golf, and you’ll never look back to regret it!

By availing of this package, here is what you would be enjoying all throughout your stay in Scotland.

8 Days 7 Nights- 6 Rounds of Golf Package

• Day 1 – Pick up from Edinburgh/Glasgow Airport, transfer to St Andrews
• Day 2 – 18 Holes St Andrews Old Course
• Day 3 – 18 Holes Kingsbarns Links
• Day 4 – 18 Holes Carnoustie Links
  Transfer to Piersland House Hotel, Troon
• Day 5 – 18 Holes Prestwick Links
• Day 6 – 18 Holes Royal Troon Links
• Day 7 – 18 Holes Turnberry Ailsa Links
• Day 8 – Transfer to Edinburgh/Glasgow Airport

Inclusions

• 4 nights accommodation at the Carlton Hotel, Prestwick
• 3 nights accommodation at the Fairmont Hotel & Spa, St. Andrews
• Daily breakfast
• Meet & Greet service at airport of arrival
• 24/7 concierge service
• 6 x complimentary warm up sessions on golf range with PGA Professional
• Golf range fees and balls included
• Accompanied by Scottish PGA Professional with on course guidance
• All travel transfers throughout your stay in Scotland
• All preferred tee times booked
• All restaurant reservations booked in advance
• Whisky experience and private tasting
• Daily supply of water, muesli bars, bananas, apples

Reserve Your Slot Now!

Interested and want to know more? Click here to get more information on what’s included. You can also email us at admin@golfph.com if you have any specific questions or want a specific quote.

The extremely famous and prestigious Masters Golf Tournament brings the most exciting days of golf every year. Only the top 50 golfers from around the world are invited to compete at the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia with hopes of winning the famous Green Jacket and the total purse of $10,000,000! The 4-day tournament never fails to bring suspense and great entertainment for all viewers.

As much as most golfers would want the luxury of simply purchasing tickets at their own convenience and with ease, like with many other tournaments, it is notoriously difficult to secure tickets to this highly coveted event.

US Masters Tickets have been labeled countless times ‘The Most Difficult Ticket in Sports.’ One major reason being the high flow of fans who try to score theirs every year. Unfortunately for the millions of golf fanatics that want to attend, the tickets are limited and usually sell out in advance.

Each year, only the people over at Augusta National know the secret number of how many tickets will be released. They like to keep the event very exclusive and even do not allow attendees to bring cell phones in to keep them from taking pictures.

Not only are they limited, but they can cost you a fortune! The very limited number of Practice Rounds and Daily Rounds Tickets are only capable of being purchased online by random selection. If that’s not your choice, getting tickets will be through secondary markets where prices can sky rocket.

Looking to watch live all 4 tournament days? Nearly $4,000 should get you in. This year tickets were around $1500USD per individual day. If getting tickets seems impossible because of the scarcity and incredible cost of them, we have got good news for you!

Lucky for us, the Augusta National Golf Club has opened their ballot for 2017 tickets now!

Enter the Masters Ballot for your chance to get guaranteed tickets at a much cheaper rate. All you have to do is enter your name and email here and cross your fingers in hopes of being one of the randomly selected winners.

What’s the catch, you ask? Absolutely nothing. Sign up and wait to see if your name is chosen to get your Daily Tournament tickets for only $100, that’s 90% less than the resale price! What are you waiting for? You’ve got nothing to lose and so much to gain!

Don’t miss out on your chance to watch this phenomenal event at just a fraction of the price. But you have to act fast applications are only being taken until May 31. Winners will be notified via email in mid-June. Happy ballot-ing!

The future is bright for the Philippines. Join Management Association of the Philippines’ (M.A.P.) Golf Cup for their CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) programs and you can take part in shaping our future!

What Is M.A.P.?

The Management Association of the Philippines exists as the country’s leading organization committed to promoting management excellence for nation-building. Through this golf cup, all proceeds will benefit the following:

• EMERGE (Educated Marginalized Entrepreneurs Resource Generation) Program- Aims to assist the entrepreneurial poor who would like to go into Agribusiness/ Livestock, Food and Beverage, and Tourism.
• M.A.P. Book “WINNING Management Lessons Outside the Classroom”- A book of inspirational stories on leadership traits and management practices of the awardees of the 38 awardees of the “M.A.P. Management Man of the Year.”
• M.A.P. CSR Case Development Program- Aims to develop case studies to feature the exemplary management-led CSR programs of M.A.P. members and other premiere corporate citizens.
• Children’s Hour- Helps address the education and health needs of our youth.

When you join, you will not only be helping, but you will also take part in a fun round of golf and an exciting opportunity for camaraderie and friendly competition among M.A.P. members and management professionals!

Event Details

Date: Tuesday June 7, 2016
Location: Wack Wack Golf & Country Club
Time: Shotgun tee off 11am
Price: Please refer to flyer above

Register Now!

Please fill out the form below and send to map@map.org.ph or fax via 751-1154

Ask The Pro is an ongoing series where all our readers get to ask US PGA Professional of 20 years and certified golf instructor Dan Sais, all their questions and hear directly from him to help better their skill at golf. Be sure to stay tuned each month to see if your question was answered! Click Here for last Months Post!

JOSEPH M.: After swinging the club, my divot is square at the beginning then veers left. Usually what ends up happening is my ball goes a bit left of my target. What seems to be the problem?

DAN SAIS: Hi Joseph M., this is actually a common flaw and but very difficult to fix.  Most of the time this is caused by starting the downswing with arms and or hands.  We call it “over the top” or “outside to in” downswing path.

All good downswing moves start with the lower body (left hip) and let your arms and hands follow the hips.  A drill for this is to swing the club (on the downswing) on an inside to out swing path and this should help with pulling your shots.

FREDDY C.: I tend to get a lot of back spin on my drives. It literally stops with no roll. 

DAN SAIS: Hi Freddy C., sounds like it could be too much loft on the driver and or the wrong shaft for you.  Start with getting on a launch monitor.  This will be able to tell you exactly the ball flight (launch angle) of your driver as well as the “spin ratio”  of the ball.

A good ball flight should be 12-15 deg of launch angle and spin should be around 2500 rpms.  But with that being said  it really depends on the club head speed   If the launch is too high the ball is ballooning in the air and if the spin is over 2500 its probably spinning too much.  Get properly fitted by a good fitter and you can solve this problem.

CHRIS LIAO: I buy used balls on the course all the time because they are cheaper and I tend to lose them quite often. Am I really at a disadvantage?

DAN SAIS: Hi Chris Liao, I always recommend buying new balls vs.used balls.  Here is why:  New balls are made very well these days and are very durable, and you can play several rounds with them.  They also go about 10% to 15% farther than a used ball.  Remember even though they are cheap, used balls will not fly as far and they could be water logged or even have an unseen crack in them.  I know its tempting but spend a little to have that peace of mind.  If you need help with losing your golf balls please contact me and we can setup a lesson to fix that issue.

HENRY CHAN: Hey Dan, I get the right distance that I want from my drives but I can’t seem to get rid of this slice. Here’s an example of one of my drives at Valley. What am I doing wrong?