Owen McClain, Golf Instructor
The Links at Moses Pointe (www.owenmcclaingolf.com)
Being quite pleased with myself for taking advantage of November’s mild, windless days with more fall golf than I’ve played in years, farewell has been bid to the 2009 golf season. Welcome to the tundra. To be sure, there will be the occasional mild day when golf is certain to be on the agenda, but the greens will likely be frozen until March. It will also be fairly difficult to lose a golf ball in a water hazard for awhile. All of which is merely an introduction to the topic of this week’s blog: What to buy a golfer for Christmas. Yes, I know for some of you, a new flask and a fifth of Knob Creek come to mind, but you needn’t consult this article about that.
If you’re like me, you’re not even thinking about Christmas yet. But in this region if you want selection, travel or internet shopping are required, both of which take a bit of foresight.
Books are always an easy pick, but the new titles at the bookstore, other than the lushly illustrated coffee table books, are hopelessly redundant, capable of boring even the most avid golfer on quadruple-shot espresso buzz. Now the relics, that’s another matter, and I have a few suggestions that a quick search on the internet should be able to turn up….
· "A Golfer's Life", by Arnold Palmer
· "The Education of a Golfer", by Sam Snead
· "The Life of Tom Morris", by W.W. Tullock
· "My Partner, Ben Hogan", by Jimmy Demaret"
· “Bobby Jones on Golf", by Robert Tyre Jones, Jr.
The first four of those titles are biographies which provide fascinating details about the game during other eras, particularly as it relates to the greats of the game. Granted, Palmer’s autobiography isn’t exactly a relic, but its inclusion in this list is merited.
The following are newer titles, but are worth considering:
· "Munie—The Jitterbug Collection", by Bobby Steiner
· "Sam", by Al Barkow
· "In His Grip", by Jim Sheard and Wally Armstrong (inpirational/devotional)
Bobby Steiner’s book is a gem about the development of a young professional’s game under the tutelage of a cast of characters at the local muni in Ashville. Old-timers, whose opportunities were severely hampered by their minority status, possess talent and wisdom about the game they pass on to Steiner through their own homespun words and means. It is a completely fascinating read. “Sam” is a well written, blunt, yet fair biography of Sam Snead. The third title, “In His Grip”, is a much better than the norm devotional for golfers in their faith walk.
Practice Aids: Good reads aren’t always what a golfer is looking for, as alluded to in the intro to this column. Sometimes a driver, putter, dozen balls, shirt….well, boring. How about something that will really improve their game?
· Tempo trainer: PerfectSwingTempo
· Balance Discs: Izzo
· TourSticks: search on line
· Practice netting and mats: Izzo
I have a couple of the PST tempo trainers available, and $129 includes a lesson. Or they can be found on-line at ProGolfTools.com. Balance discs are a great training device for gaining control of your balance, and developing core strength. Tour sticks are a simple tool for working on alignment and swing plane, chipping, putting, and more…google them to find (or just go to Lowes and pick up fiberglass dowels). Nets and mats allow your golfer to get in a few shots when time prohibits a trip to the course.
Golf lesson gift certificates can be a nice gift. As an instructor I can help you with that (see my website: contact if interested), but there are also instructors at Lakeview in Ephrata, Moses Lake Country Club, Othello Golf Club, and at Moses Pointe, where I teach (plus Colockum Ridge and Crescent Bar, whose shops are closed but courses remain open).
So that should get your brains warmed up. For those with more good ideas, share them below: Some of our readers are stumped and need the help!
Happy shopping!
