Home About Us The Instructors Clinics Private Lessons Junior Golf Instructional Tips Oak Marsh Golf Club Phone: 651-730-8886 Fax: 651-730-6711 institute@wpgolf.com PGA Teacher Of The Year/Cold weather choices - November 2003 By David La Pour Before I talk about the tip of the month the WP Golf Institute would like to congratulate our own Steve Whillock for receiving the 2003 Minnesota PGA Teacher Of The Year award this past month. For more on this check out the interview with Steve. In living in the state of Minnesota I can see how you have to be creative during the cold weather in order to keep your game intact. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but golf is too difficult to put your clubs away for 6 months, pick them back up in April and expect to start back up where you left off. It's a little bit like the leaf situation here up north. I kept hearing people complain about the leafs in the yard and having to pick them up. So of course my reply was to just leave them. "Oh no!" I would hear. "If you did that, next spring your yard would be a mess. Better to do a little work now than a lot of work later." Hmm. Ok, I'll go with that. But what about your golf game? Same thing. Any kind of correct maintenance you can do during the winter on your golf game will give you a definite head start next spring. The WP Golf Institute is big on practicing correctly and what a great time to focus on what you should be doing. As instructors we like the fact that we have your undivided attention and the student won't be so "result orientated". The 3 main stages of change are understanding (intellectual, visual), feeling how (kinesthetic, drills), and application (putting, driving range, golf course). Like snow, winter is when learning and change can really stick. Below are some suggestions on how to "keep you foot in the door" with your golf game this winter:  • WP Golf Institute Winter Series (see home page)  • Lessons with your WP instructor*  • Golf domes  • Hitting net/mat in garage  • Escape to warm climate I'd rather be ahead of the curve (no leafs) than behind the curve (a lot of leafs) when the ice breaks next spring. Good luck with your winter practice and I'll see you at the club! * Life Time Fitness of Woodbury has partnered with WP Golf Institute and now has a hitting station for lesson availability. Call Oak Marsh for scheduling at 651-730-8886. MORE TIPS Home / Putting / Short Game / Full Swing / Mental / Health / Other "I'd rather be ahead of the curve (no leafs) than behind the curve (a lot of leafs)"