By Brian Hann
CPGA Teaching Professional
Henry-Griffitts Master Clubfitter

Do you have any relatives under the age of 12 who you hope will develop an interest in golf? They might be under your roof, or perhaps they are grandchildren, nieces or nephews. I have some free advice for you: Get them involved!

This will take time on your part, but if golf has given to you then you owe it to the kids to give them the same opportunity that you were afforded. It's simply about exposure. Get them a lightweight, short club for the driving range and a putter before the age of 12, and take them to the nearest range that has a putting green. Any facility will do. The kids will not be judgmental! And go there with a goal.

The goal is simple, too. Help the kids believe that they are golfers. That might mean you will need to buy them a bag of tees, and perhaps a ball marker or a ball of their own. You don't need to go overboard early on. If they develop the interest through exposure to the game, they will ask about golf bags and hybrids, titanium drivers and gloves later on. Prepare for your outing by telling them how much fun it is when the ball goes in the hole as planned, or when it sails in the air as planned.

Once you arrive at the facility, go to the putting green before you go to the range if at all possible. Here, you can show them which hand goes near the top of the handle, and which goes below. Don't bore them with the details on the grip. Just try to get their hands close together on the club, as opposed to spaced well apart. At the putting green, the kids will learn how to aim the clubface, and how to make a ‘mini-swing’ for a small distance. A little longer swing will create a wee bit more distance. Stop all instruction at this point and re-focus on your goal, which is to help the children believe they are golfers.

Remember, youngsters have great imaginations, and will consider themselves rather competent with any celebration of even the most basic success. Place their ball close to the hole and let them putt it in. Celebrate with them! High-fives all around for anything resembling a ‘good one.’ This is not the time to display your perfectionist side to the kids, which is bound to deflate them and spoil the fun.

After putting, you should go to the range. Again, kids are not like adults. Across the board, when adults come to us for their very first golf lesson, they imagine that the lesson will take place on the range. Kids know that putting is as much a part of golf as the full swings is. That's usually about all they know. Adults think that putting is too simple for them. Those of you with experience know that it turns out the adults are all wrong. I cannot think of one member of our men’s or ladies' clubs who would not benefit from a putting lesson from one of our staff professionals if they were to book one for tomorrow.

Back on topic, celebrate again and again at the range when a ball goes in the air or moves in the general direction of the nearest flagstick or target. Be sure to help set the standard for the children as to what a successful shot looks like. Pretend you are a beginner and think about what that standard should be. Forward is great, airborne is a bonus. You are now building toward the goal. Help the kids believe that they are golfers.

In our junior instructional programs, we have a rather simple philosophy for the children, and we specialize in the 8-12-year-old age bracket. FUN FIRST - LEARNING A CLOSE SECOND.

We want to show the kids that they can play and, with practice, they will improve. We sneak some etiquette in there early, and touch on some basic rules. One of the things in the back of our minds is that we would like the keen ones to have the tools and knowledge to be able to go out on the Ridge Course with a friend by the age of 12 or so without adult supervision. We think this is very empowering for the youngsters, as the adults can watch things from the clubhouse patio. This point in time may be the ultimate validation for the kids that they are indeed golfers. And the numbers on the scorecard will take a back seat to the pride they feel in being able to grow and take on the responsibility of playing golf with a peer, on a real golf course.

Don't be left out in the cold!

We're in no hurry to get rid of summer and bring on Ol' Man Winter, folks, but the 2006-07 Winter League is looming.

Winter League will commence this year on Monday, Oct. 16, and wrap up on Friday, March 16. The cost is the same as last year, $40, and that qualifies you for reduced green fees of $33 for Cordova Bay members and $38 for public players Monday through Friday. And let's not forget the other Winter League benefits: official Winter League handicap, a daily prize competition and a season-long competition. You can sign up in the pro shop.

Trying to be unseen and unheard

It is starting to feel a lot like fall with the evening and morning dampness in the air and, with this change in weather, maintenance crews begin to change gear and focus on cultural practices that will prepare their golf courses for winter.

Even at the best of times, the day-to-day maintenance activities performed by our staff can be distracting to many of our customers, so, needless to say, we dread the inconvenience that fall aeration and topdressing programs can cause to the enjoyment of a persons round.

Our challenge is often to strike a balance between being courteous to the golfers and our surrounding residences while attempting to be as effective as possible to complete the task at hand. Completing these tasks are further complicated with several factors, including seasonal challenges and weather patterns. Of course, the dominant critical factor in all of this, unlike any other sport I can think of, is maintenance practices occur during the daylight hours when play is also occurring. With this in mind, I often wonder when the concept of silence during the execution of a golf shot became the norm.

The reason for my curiosity on the subject is that most other sports I follow include cheering and background noise as part of the excitement in spurring on the athlete. For example, picture this scenario: It is the World Series in the ninth inning, two out and bases loaded with the score tied. You can imagine the pressure both the pitcher and batter must endure under the circumstances, but I am almost certain that the background noise is the least of their concern when facing the task at hand. For myself, I endure the greatest pressure when houses line a fairway because my tee shots tend to be attracted to them.

However, I do understand that it is important to many golfers to have silence while they are hitting their shot, so I hope that I can shed a little light on the challenges we face while maintaining the golf course, and why many of these tasks must occur during play.

For starters, throughout most of the day, the golf course is full with people during their round. It is very difficult to move 20 to 30 maintenance staff -- and their respective pieces of equipment -- throughout the 120 acres of the golf course while performing their chores without being noticed. Most courses open their first tee approximately 45 minutes after first light and, once opened, it is not uncommon for groups to be teeing off every eight-nine minutes right through the day until approximately two hours before dark.

We do try to complete as much of the maintenance ahead of play as possible. If we are mowing an area where collection of the clippings is possible, we try and complete these areas at first light ahead of the first tee time. But, in some instances, residences that are close to the course make this difficult to attempt. The areas where clippings are not collected are generally left until about four hours into the day after the turf has had a chance to dry. This will allow the mower to achieve a better cut and the clippings are dispersed more evenly rather than the clumping that occurs when conditions are wet.

Areas around tees and greens are most difficult to avoid noise infractions, although we try to stop mowing and all activities around a green when people are putting. It is sometimes difficult, because as soon as they walk off the green there is another group hitting into the green. Therefore, inevitably, someone is bothered by the maintenance being performed around these areas. Of course, add to this the fact that grass grows fairly rapidly when you treat it as well as we do, and you have the constant challenge of mowing it often enough to produce favourable conditions.

• Fifteen days/seven rounds of golf
• Five courses: Palm Hills Golf Resort; Royal Hua Hin Golf Club; Majestic Creek Country Club; Springfield Royal Country Club; Imperial Lake View Golf Club
• Green and caddy fees included at all five courses
• Three nights in Bangkok and 10 nights at the seaside Regent Cha-Am Beach Resort and Spa
• 10 nights superior sea-view accommodation
• Full breakfast daily
• Pro tips with published golf writer and Class A teach professional Jody Jackson of Cordova Bay Golf Course

Cost: $2,625 (plus tax)

Not sure if the Thailand Adventure is for you? Have concerns or questions? Then join us for an information and slide show Oct. 2 from 7-7:45 p.m. at The Ridge.

Contact Jody Jackson
Cordova Bay Golf Course
(250) 658-4444/889-8004; fax (250) 658-4951

Sayward Hill is one of Victoria’s premier condominium developments, featuring stunning panoramic views of Cordova Bay Golf Course, Haro Strait, the Gulf and San Juan Islands and Mount Baker. 738 Sayward Hill Terrace, the most recent addition to Sayward Hill, is now under construction with anticipated completion in March 2007. Typical units are 1,850 square feet, featuring quality concrete and steel construction and high-end finishing packages, including gourmet kitchens, stainless steel KitchenAid architect series appliances, granite and marble counter tops, spa-inspired baths, high-tech wiring, open floor plans, entertainment-sized decks and secure parking. The three penthouse units feature a Viking designer series appliance package, skylights, air conditioning, two parking stalls and many extras.

The amazing West Coast lifestyle, natural beauty and shear luxury of Sayward Hill make it an ideal location for a year-round, seasonal or vacation home. Sayward Hill is packed with lifestyle amenities and offers buyers a new outlook on life. Acting as a front yard for the development are two golf courses, Cordova Bay Golf Course, an 18-hole championship course named one of the “Five Great Golf Destinations” by Golf Canada Magazine, and the Ridge Course, a nine-hole par three, both open 365 days a year. Next door is Mattick’s Farm, featuring unique shops and many conveniences, including a market offering local and organic produce. Residents have numerous walking and biking trails to choose from and beach access is less than 1 km away. For the boating enthusiast, world-class marinas are just a short drive away. Sayward Hill is located 20 minutes from Victoria International Airport and 25 minutes from the ferry terminal.

Named the best city in the Americas twice since the year 2000, Victoria boasts the mildest climate in Canada and has well earned its reputation as the Garden City. The historical capital city features extraordinary cuisine, beautiful beaches, outdoor adventures, museums, galleries and a host of cultural experiences all set against the backdrop of the Pacific West Coast.

Pre-completion prices at Sayward Hill start at $800,000. For more information on Sayward Hill, please visit www.saywardhill.com or call the Sayward Hill Sales Office at (250) 658-4700 and prepare to change your outlook on life.