125 Years of golf in Chicago

WINTER
INSTRUCTION
Mistwood G.C. Staff
Three Hints for Openers
In the last several years, Mistwood Golf
Club in Romeoville has assembled one
of the most impressive professional staffs
in the country. Here are mini-lessons
from three of their professionals, each
designed to improve your game.
Create the Squeaky Heel
John Platt, PGA
One of the most common errors I encounter
with golfers from juniors to seniors
is lifting their left heel off the ground
from the downswing thru impact. Many
factors can cause this problem including,
but not excluded to, being too steep on
the downswing, over swinging, or hanging
back on their trail foot.
I like to do a simple drill that requires
borrowing a toy that squeaks from your
family pet. From the address position, I
have my student move the front heel two
to three inches off the ground (picture 1)
with the squeaky toy you pinched from
Lassie placed under the heel. Then make
your backswing, and immediately on your
downswing make a shift and slam your
heel into the toy (picture 2) to make it
squeak, then try to maintain that foot
on the ground through the finish.
Start this drill at about 50 percent
speed and work your way up to 100
percent based on your success. If you
practice this drill in the winter, you will
have much better weight shift and balance
come golf season.
Get on the Stick
Brian Brodell, PGA
Having control and feel of your club face
is essential to playing your best golf. My
advice is to start small. I believe that
making three-foot putts using only your
trailing hand is beneficial for learning
face angle at impact.
Start by taking a yardstick or piece
of wood that is level and flat, line it up
on your line of putt and place the ball
on the stick.
Line up your forearm and the shaft
of your putter.
When you make a stroke does the
ball stay on the stick the entire length?
If it falls off to the left “for a righthanded
player” your face is closed to
the target line at impact. If it falls off
to the right, your face is open to the
target line. If it travels the entire length
of the stick, welcome to great golf.
As my old boss once said, “patience,
my little grasshopper.”
Go to the Toolbox
Chris Ioriatti, PGA
Now is the time to check your equipment.
Our custom club fitting centers at McQ’s
Golf Dome and Mistwood Golf Club uti-
lize Trackman, the best launch monitor
in the industry. Trackman has a feature
called Optimization that measures several
data points and provides an analysis of
the distance and accuracy generated by
your equipment. That’s right ... it might
not be your fault, the problem might
actually be in your equipment!
We also have club heads and shafts
from every major manufacturer, so we
can easily experiment with different
head and shaft combinations to see if
changing equipment is a wise investment
for you. The proper fix might also
be as simple as adjusting the lie or loft
of the club you are currently using.
We have the tools, knowledge,
equipment, and technology to let you
evaluate your needs. Come visit us at
McQ’s this winter, or at Mistwood Golf
Club this season to get the answers you
need!
Perfect for Your Next Outing
of 300 or Just a Foursome!
2 Premium 18 Hole Courses
Award winning 32-acre Practice Center
boasts 10 heated, sheltered hitting bays &
over 80 grass tees, plus private/group lessons
& professional club fitting
3 Banquet Rooms plus Locker Rooms & On-
Course Concessions/Beverage Carts
J.J.’s Bar & Grill offers casual American fare
& one of the best craft beer selections in the
area
Permanent T-times & Leagues also available
St. Andrews
GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
2241 Route 59
West Chicago, IL 60185
630.231.3100
Outings: ext. 111
T-times: ext. 0
Practice Center:
630.231.3160
www.standrewsgc.com
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