Pokémon Golf

I have a 10-year-old student who I have been working with for a few years. He has great instincts for 10 but he is more interested, some of the time, in things that kids his age are into a little more than golf. It can be a challenge working with people who have great potential but haven’t quite caught the golf bug yet. Anyone who has played for a long time will understand what I mean when I say, “catching the golf bug.” Let me tell you a little story about how I helped a young student catch the bug and get excited about the game. 

My goal as a golf coach is to help people get excited to work on their game on their own time. If all they get is 30 minutes or an hour with me and no practice in-between their lessons or rounds, then they aren’t going to improve a whole lot. Golf requires sharpening your skills on your own and isolated from other distractions. Well in today’s world we are all very distracted. We must find things that motivate us to practice. Well, my 10-year-old student came to the lesson a few weeks ago talking about how he was really into Pokémon. I was shocked to find out that Pokémon has made a comeback or maybe never left. When I was a kid Pokémon first came out and everyone was buying and trading cards. At one point I had all the good ones! One day I left my stack of cards on the tailgate of my dad’s truck by accident, and he drove off and scattered my cards all over Lowndes County. We tried to track them down but sadly only found a few. I was crushed and gave up Pokémon. I told this story to my student, and we went on and on about Pokémon and how I used to collect the cards in the 90’s. I have forgotten a lot about it and am re-learning through my student. I noticed that when his mind is distracted by Pokémon, he hits the ball better than ever. The reason for this is that it is something that he enjoys and is excited about. I thought to myself how can I use this to help him get as excited about golf?

So, during our lesson last I picked him up from his parents as usual and after we took off for the lesson tee, he started in about Pokémon again. When we arrived at the lesson tee, I told him we are going to play a game today. I had several targets set up on the range to help him dial in his short game. I told him I was going to need his help to name each target after a Pokémon. His wheels started to turn in his head as he tried to name each target after Pokémon that kind of resembled the different targets I had set up. It was fun to watch him get excited. Then we decided if you hit the target, you catch the Pokémon that the target was named for. His favorite Pokémon is named Lucario, and he put all his effort into trying to catch Lucario by hitting that target. He came very close to hitting the target but was unsuccessful during our lesson. On the way back he looked at me and asked, “How far was Lucario?” I told him he was 30 yards away. He said, “Ok, now I know what to work on so next time I can catch him.” He told me he was going to set up a target at home 30 yards away and practice so that he will be ready for next time! I call this a breakthrough lesson. He was now turned onto practicing golf but in his own way. I looked at him and said, “You can make anything in life into something fun like Pokémon.” All you must do is use your imagination. He was so excited about this “new game” that he was breathing hard because of how jacked he was about it. I think his parents were even a little surprised to see just how excited he was after a golf lesson. I share this because a lot of young golfers give the game up because they don’t really understand the purpose of it yet. If you are struggling getting your kids into golf, then try and make it into something totally different like trying to catch Pokémon by hitting different targets. You may just find that you will turn a switch on inside their head that will never go off! 

Justin Sigmon, PGA

Changing Your Putter Grip

I was recently inspired to write this after a few weeks of struggling to find a putter grip that I liked. I have been putting with the same putter for about 2 years. It is a Sik pro model that is 35 inches, that I got fit for after two sessions with Greg Harrelson of Sik Golf in Orlando, Fl. Greg works with players such as Lanto Griffin, Brendon Todd, Bo Van Pelt, and Bryson DeChambeau to name a few. My putting has tremendously improved and got me to the point of almost winning a professional golf tournament this year. 

I have always been a good ball striker and have had a good short game, but the putter has been the one I have had a hard time figuring out until the past few years after working with Greg. I started off as a kid using a blade style putter and then switched over to the belly putter late in my amateur career. I got so used to the belly putter and I could really roll it well with it. For those of you who do not know about this relic of the past… It was a putting style you used to be able to use where you could anchor the putter into your belly to make it swing on a fixed point. Super easy way to putt and I 100% agree with the USGA outlawing anchoring. I had a hard time going from years of using a belly putter and switching back to a conventional putter. I developed the “yips” or “lightning bolts” as I liked to call them. It was like an electric shock would shoot down my arms and into my hand and I would drastically miss putts. I tried every type of putter and every type of style of gripping the club known. I ended up using the claw grip for a few years and that took the “lightning bolts” away. I was able to go back to conventional, but I continued to struggle under pressure. 

That brings me back to going to see Greg from Sik. I had reached the point of max frustration where I was considering retirement from playing tournament golf. Playing tournament golf is expensive and time consuming. If you cannot make a check to at least break even on your travel, then you leave the tournament a little hot under the collar.  I had reached a point where something had to change. During our first session together, we worked with the arm-lock style putter, and I was convinced this was the putter for me. Greg fit me for one and we did some work on my stroke. What we found out was that my stroke was practically perfect with the arm-lock. What I didn’t find out until I started to play golf with that style, is that the stroke is so good that I must be perfect at lining up. I would perfectly stroke 4 footers right past the hole because I didn’t line it up right. The Arm-lock putter was crucial to me learning what works best for me, but it is not for me. The arm-lock taught me I have a good stroke, but I am not great at lining up perfect every time. So, I traded in my SIK Bad One Arm Lock putter for my current Sik Pro 35-inch model. I determined that I need a little bit of “feel” in my putting stroke in case I mis-align myself. My feel can sometimes take over with where my eyes are looking and correct my mistake lining up. I couldn’t do that with a perfect machine-like stroke with the arm-lock putter. 

So, after all of that I wore the grip out draining putts with my Sik after two seasons of competitive golf. A few weeks ago, I decided to put a new Super-Stroke grip on. I did and I immediately felt a difference in the weight of my putter. I played one round with it and had to change the way I grip the putter to make it work. I also noticed that it made a different sound, and it also made a little more of a vibration at impact. I didn’t like any of it! I cut it off and went another route. Next, I installed a Golf Pride Tour SNSR 104 cc grip trying to get the size back to what I like. I played one round with it and realized I didn’t like it either. The weight was back to what I liked but the grip was too big, and it was also too soft. I cut it off and tried a Golf Pride Traditional putter grip. I put it on and was like boom! I am back! Took it out for a round and I realized it was just a little too small in my hands. I liked the feel and the weight but just slightly too small. My hands felt cramped on the putter. I ended up having to order the same grip that originally came on it from Sik. I should have just done this in the first place, but I am hardheaded and like to try different things in the pursuit to get better which I think a lot of us are guilty of. Sometimes what you get used to is hard to change. So, next time you are considering a major change in your golf game, such as a different style grip., don’t be afraid to ask someone who has been through it all before you do. I have tried everything under the sun when it comes to putting so, I can hopefully save you some time. I use what I learned from Greg in all my putting lessons. I have some cool things that can help you roll in a few more putts and help you lower your scores. Hope this helps! 

Sincerely, 

Justin Sigmon, PGA 

Elite Golf Instruction!

            I have been coaching for a long time and I am aggravated with people who don’t take the game serious. Today’s world is full of people who want instant gratification or don’t care enough about themselves to get better at anything at all! Golf provides very little instant gratification. However, golf can teach you just about any lesson you will learn in life if you are willing to devote to learning. Let me just start by saying that I ONLY WANT TO COACH THE ELITE! What makes you ELITE? You don’t have to be gifted like Dustin Johnson to be ELITE. Being ELITE is a mindset or a mentality. I compare the mindset that I am referring to as the MAMBA MENTALITY. You want to strive to be the best that you can be in all aspects of your life! I am a huge fan of Kobe and was devastated when he passed last year. I was on #17 when I found out and almost couldn’t finish my round. I watched Kobe have the ELITE attitude and mindset his entire life. Everything he did he took seriously and put 100% of his effort into. That is all I am asking for! 

            Are you ready to be ELITE? If you are tired of shooting over 100. If you are tired of not being able to break 90. If you can’t make a 3-footer to save your life. If you struggle being able to close out a big tournament win on the final day. If you can’t seem to allow yourself to go low and make tons of birdies. This may be for you. If you don’t mind all those things, then I assure you it’s not for you. Nick Saban once said, “Average players want to be left alone, good players want to be coached up, and great players want to be told the truth every single day.” Which player are you? Do you want the truth about your game? I can give you the truth, but I want you to be ELITE enough to be able to handle it. I am not here to stand on the lesson tee and tell you good shot for an hour. I am not your cheerleader. I am your COACH! Cheerleading is for your family, friends, and fans. I am going to be honest with you because I want you to be better. I want to push you to be the best you can be! Many cannot handle that type of instruction just as Saban described it above. Only few can allow themselves to be ELITE. 

            I do not own a magic wand. I do not have magic powers that make people better at golf. I do have the ability to light the fire and start a flame that burns inside of the ELITE.  The work will be up to you the player. My job is to tell you the truth. Your job is to be ELITE and be ready to hear it! I already have several who I work with who are ELITE. They know who they are. If you would like to join the team please let me know! We are ready to rack up wins and build a team of ELITE golfers who burry the competition. For more information about becoming ELITE please visit my website www.justinsigmon.com or stop by Stone Creek and chat with me. 

Justin Sigmon, PGA

Putting like a pro

Putting can be one of the hardest areas of the game but with the easiest swing. The putting stroke is something that anyone can pull off and I have seen high handicappers who can putt better than some low handicappers. I have seen PGA Tour players putt horrible and ball strike their ways to wins…Adam Scott. I have seen poor ball strikers putt their way to wins like…Jordan Speith. What makes a good putter or a bad putter? Well, I have a system that I use with my players to help them improve their putting. I start off by seeing how well they can aim their putter. I do this with a high-powered laser. Then I use a mirror to check their eye alignment and position in relation to the golf ball. Little do people know that the eye line has a huge impact on the path that the putter will travel during the stroke. If the eyes are too far over the ball, then the stroke will be more out to in. If the eyes are too far inside, then the stroke will be more in to out. Also, in the eyes are directly over the ball, not only will the stroke be more straight back and straight through, but you will also be looking straight down the line to the target when you turn your head. Once we determine how you line up and show you ways to do so better, then we move onto the actual stroke. I then have the player set up to a putt on the practice green and go through their entire putting routine. I observe what they do that is correct and what they need to improve.  I then draw a line on their golf ball with a template that you can buy on Amazon.com. I then have them aim that line at the spot where they think the putt will break or where they think they need to aim to make the putt. Then they stroke the ball and we see how well they “rolled” the ball. If the line rolls perfectly end over end, then we know that they have a good stroke. If the line rolls crooked, then we know that something is wrong and needs to be addressed. We repeat this several times until we make sure they either have a good stroke or a poor stroke. I can tell you that most people can roll that line good, but they struggle hard with aim and the read. If you are able to roll the line then that means you are striking the putts correctly and that should result in good distance control If you are not rolling the line good then you are mis-hitting your putts and will struggle with speed control or pace. So, if the line rolls bad we work until we can roll it. If the line rolls good, we work on green reading and alignment. If we can do these three things than we can be a really good putter. We have to be able to line up consistently on the course, we have to be able to correctly read the green (having a line helps you to see when you are right and wrong if you roll it good), and we have to be able roll it and strike it solid. Distance control and speed are important as well and go hand in hand with rolling the line and practicing the course you are getting ready to play to get a feel for the speed of the greens. I recommend putting 20 uphill 5 footers where you make the ball hit the back of the cup and 20 downhill 5 footers where you make the ball drip in the cup to learn the speed. Improving your putting is very much a process and if you would like help on your process of becoming a better putter than please come see me and I would love to help!

Justin Sigmon, PGA 

Head Golf Professional 

Stone Creek Golf Club

Technology & Golf

I am always looking for new ways to utilize technology to help the players that I coach and the members here at my club. With technology constantly advancing things that used to cost lots of money are now more affordable. I am able to break down and analyze peoples swings and putting strokes on video with my iPhone 10 or my iPad. The software is already loaded in and it makes giving a lesson more streamlined. I can even give video reviews of the students swings and send them back their swing analysis with my voice telling them what they need to work on. I can essentially give a swing lesson over the phone. If you would like this sort of service, then text me your swing at 229-506-0882. It’s only $5 and you can get better without having to schedule a lesson. Make sure to video your full swing down your hand line when sending in the video. This is a quick way to get better using technology and work on your game during the busy work week. 

There are numerous other ways to utilize technology. One of my favorite ways to help players is to fit them for clubs. Technology is always advancing with golf clubs and putters. I am currently in the works on getting set up to fit people for putters. I think that putter technology has long trailed behind all other equipment and is an area that every Amateur player needs to work on improving. I often tell players that are considering new equipment to look at golf equipment the same way they look at their other technology such as their cell phone. The difference between the new equipment in the golf industry and the old is the same as the difference in your iPhone 10 and your old flip phone. The same people who design that kind of technology are now working in the golf business. 

Take a look at Bryson Dechambeau for example. He has been often scrutinized for his approach to the game. He is referred to as “The Mad Scientist.” He has taken a totally different approach to the game and he uses technology to review empirical data to figure out how to be as consistent as possible with his game. It is working tremendously for him. He has used this data to determine that his swing works best with golf clubs that are all the same length, grips that are all 4 times the size of normal grips, and a putter that has descending loft technology (Sik Golf) and a grip that runs up the length of his left arm. Now, I do not recommend trying to play golf the way Bryson is unless you have an expert instructor lead you in that direction but what we can all learn from Bryson is that you need to utilize technology and play your own game. Technology is a tool that we can all utilize to get better at golf. If you would like some help improving your game please come see me in person for a private lesson or simply text me your swing.

Your Neighborhood PGA Pro, 

Justin Sigmon, PGA

Head Golf Professional 

Stone Creek Golf Club

Seek Professional Help!

I often here people at the club say to me, “I’m gonna get with you about taking a lesson.” This is a great statement and a great thing to say but It’s even better if they follow through and actually take one. I usually follow this statement up with, “When would you like to get together?” I am here to help you and I want to help all golfers to get better and help make the game more fun for them. There is no shame in seeking help with your golf game. No one is going to look down on you for taking lessons. In fact, when you start beating them every week they will probably come sign up for a lesson themselves. 

Let me ask you this…Would you try to put a filling in yourself if you had a cavity? No, you would want a professional to do that for you. Would you perform a self-prostate exam? No, you would have a professional do that for you I would hope! Would you try to install a pool in your backyard by yourself? Probably not! Would you try to build a house for yourself? Some may try but those who have can tell you that it is very difficult! There are many other things that we should not try to take on ourselves. We are blessed with many great professionals in many different areas to help us with these things that we have a difficult time doing on our own. I think you can all see where this is going…Your golf swing and golf game are no different. 

I can think of only 1 player who plays at a professional level who claims he’s never had a lesson and that is Bubba Watson. Unless your name is Bubba Watson, you need to strongly consider coming to see a professional for a lesson. This is the best tip I can give any golfer. The road is much longer when you try to fix it on your own. Myself and my fellow PGA Professionals are trained to diagnose the issue that’s causing you problems and prescribe a fix to help you move in the right direction. So instead of saying, “Pro, I need to get with you about a lesson,” Lets change it to “Pro, I am ready to schedule a lesson.” Make that commitment for your game and come schedule a golf lesson with me today! I am here to help you get better and make the game more fun. Seek out your neighborhood PGA Professional today and unleash your game to the game that you have always dreamed of!

Sincerely,

Justin Sigmon, PGA 

Head Golf Professional 

Stone Creek Golf Club

Respect the game and the course!

Respecting the game and the course that we play on is just as important now as it has ever been! More and more these day’s people are losing the ability to take care of things that aren’t theirs. I see things that frustrate me on a daily basis and it’s not just on the golf course. When I go to the grocery store I often see people who will leave their shopping cart somewhere that it should not be left at (like in the middle of a parking space)! I see people throw trash on the ground with the thought of someone else will pick it up! It requires very little effort to push your buggy back to the buggy return or to carry your trash to the nearest trashcan. What some people don’t realize is that doing some of these simple tasks correctly can make someone else’s day much easier. I’m sure that there are plenty more examples of things like this that I can share, but this article is not meant to be a rant. If these things frustrate you as well than we can easily relate to one another.

 On the golf course I have seen an increase in people not raking bunkers, not fixing ball marks on the green, not filling their divots with sand, littering on the course, and driving their cart too close to the greens. This is not just at my facility…this is something I see everywhere I go play. I even see these sorts of things at golf clubs that cost well over $100,000 a year to join. I want to encourage all golfers to take a stand and do what is right! I want to motivate everyone to help someone out and take care of the golf courses that we play on. Treat it as if it was yours! If you fix more divots and ball marks then the maintenance staff at your facility is freed up to improve the conditions of other things on the course! Also, the playing conditions are improved for you as well. You won’t have to worry about putting through old ball marks or having your ball land in an old divot. The more golfers help to maintain the golf course that they play on the better the conditions will get for everyone. Don’t have the mentality that it’s someone else’s problem. We are all in this world together and it is our responsibility to help each other out.

If you are new to the game and aren’t really sure as to what you should be doing to respect and take care of the course than please seek the help of a PGA Professional. PGA Pros like me are happy to help teach the etiquettes of the game and pass down the history, respect, and honor of those that played the game before us. Lastly, I can tell you from experience that respecting the course and taking care of the place where you play has an effect on your mood and your golf score. There is a sense of pride in doing the right thing that seems to give you more confidence. Also, doing the right thing and taking care of the course has a way to come back to you through good scores. Hopefully, we can all do our part to make this game better and better every day!

New Year = New You!

With the New Year upon us and many New Year’s resolutions already being broken golf could be your answer to all of your problems. Was your New Year’s resolution to lose weight? Was it to hit the gym 7 days a week? Have you already fallen off the wagon? Here are a few reasons why golf is good for not only your body but also your mind! The first health benefit to playing golf in a healthy heart, any type of physical exercise helps to get the blood pumping to the heart! Walking, carrying your bag, and swinging a golf club all help to stimulate blood flow and your heart rate. Your risk of stroke and diabetes is greatly reduced by just playing golf! Playing golf can also help you stimulate your brain. Regular daily walking helps you to stimulate your brain circuits. The Alzheimer’s Society, says: 'Whether it is going for a jog or walking the golf course, keeping physically active is a great way to keep your heart and your brain healthy. By keeping active you make sure your brain has a good, strong blood supply, which is essential to help it function better now and in future.”

You can knock off that #1 New Year’s resolution just by playing the game of golf! Yes, you can lose weight playing golf. The golden number of steps that need to be taken per day to lose weight is 10,000. An 18 hole round of golf easily surpasses this number when walking but you can come really close even when you use a golf cart. Playing golf can reduce stress. Playing in the fresh air, socializing with golf buddies, and a mental challenge can all help you reduce stress that is caused during our work lives. Golf releases endorphins in your brain that make you feel good. Endorphins are the same thing that is released when we eat a bowl of Breyers Ice Cream or do other pleasurable activities. Playing golf can help you sleep better! When you combine exercise and fresh air, you have a deadly combo for a better night’s sleep.  Regular exercise outdoors helps you to fall asleep faster and go into a deep sleep for longer periods of time. Better sleep also helps you muscles rest and repair after a long day.

 For senior citizens, playing golf provides a method of exercise that has a low impact on their bodies. Golf is a great exercise for them because it gives them a very low risk of injury unlike going to the gym and hitting the weights or trying out your local CrossFit. The number one reason you want to take up golf this New Year is to live longer!! A recent study conducted found that people who play golf avidly have a 40% lower death rate than people who do not play the game! This means that if you play golf for a hobby than you will add 5 years onto your life based on recent research on life expectancy in the US. So, after all of this great info about the health benefits of golf and reasons why your New Year’s resolution should be altered to include more rounds of golf, you happen to still need more reasons to try. Than you can reach me anytime at the golf course or visit my website justinsigmon.com and I can help you come up with a few more reasons to try this game out.

Happy New Year!

Justin Sigmon, PGA

Start Small then GO BIG!!

I have been teaching a lot of beginners lately which is a great sign for the future of the game of golf! Whether it is a junior or and adult that is looking to take up the game I am always encouraged. I often times find that an effective method of teaching the full swing in golf for beginners is to really focus on what we are actually trying to accomplish with a golf swing. This method actually works really well for advanced players too! Sometimes advanced players lose sight of what they worked on to get them where they are currently and think that when something goes wrong in their swing that it’s time to jump ship and start over! For advanced players going back to basics can make all the difference in the world. And a lot of times beginners just simply do not know what to do and it is my job or my fellow coaches jobs to train them what we are trying to do when hitting a golf ball. I believe that a lot of coaches fail to realize this and let their students down. However, that is neither here nor there.  I am here to make my students better and I will make them work for it.

So, let’s dive into this a bit. I was recently teaching a student and after a few good lessons he was still looking at me saying…”I practice and I get worse and I still do not know what I am doing wrong.” A coach’s worst nightmare…but it was a huge turning point for us. So, I took a step back and thought to myself that maybe I was approaching this the wrong way.  Everyone that I teach wants to hit full shots and see the ball go very far. That part is a given and hitting a crisp iron or a long drive that you strike in the center of the club is what keeps people coming back to the golf course week after week. So, how do you get to that point where the ball goes where you want and travel very far? Well it doesn’t just happen overnight. There are several different steps that a player has to follow to get there. The first step is to understand the concept of what a golf swing is trying to accomplish and not getting so hung up on what you hear on the golf channel! Then we have to realize that starting small and then going big is the way to go.

We accomplish all of this by some very detailed coaching on the positions we are trying to get the golf club in when we make a golf swing. I always challenge my student’s to start with half shots. If we cannot get the club to the ball with the clubface square relative to the target in a half shot than what on earth happens when we go big?  The misses we have with half shots will only be more dramatic and more penal with a full swing…lost balls, penalty shots, and high scores. Then we move on to some drills to help get us into those positions. After we go through some coaching and drills we do a lot of practice and put in the reps necessary to commit the skill to memory and to be able to pull it out when we make our way to the golf course. I always make sure to prescribe practice routines to my players whenever they leave a lesson. You must practice this or it is never going to get better.

I will leave you with a drill that may help get you back on line if your ball striking starts to break down. First, you can do this drill with any club in the bag. Take whichever club you are practicing with and make controlled half shots (belt high). Make sure that you have a target to hit at. You want to make sure that when you swing the golf club back that the club is parallel to your target line and that the toe is pointing towards the sky when the club gets to belt high. Next on the downswing be sure to start down with the body rotating towards the front foot and not starting down with your hands. Then, swing the club through to the finish at belt high and make sure that the toe of the club is pointing to the sky and the butt end of the grip is pointing to your belly button. Do the toe up to toe up drill 30 times a day to improve your ball striking in a hurry!

Justin Sigmon, PGA

Dog Days of Summer

We have reached the dog days of summer! Do not give up playing golf just because it is hot. I have a few tips that can help you play your best golf even in the hottest of conditions. First of all, you know it’s going to be hot so you have got to start preparing your body to hold up for 18 holes of golf in 90+ degree temperatures. If you are going to play a round make sure to spend the day before and the night before your round drinking as much water as possible. At least 2 16 oz cups of water before bed should get your hydration started. When you wake up you want to immediately start drinking water, another 2 16 oz cups should help you get hydrated before your round. Do not stop there. You ought to drink constantly when you are on the course. Your body is 60% H2O so you need to keep fueling your body when on the course. You will be sweating out a lot of fluids so you need to replenish them while you play and perform or else you will run out of steam on the back 9 and lose a good round. PGA tour players drink 16-24 oz of water every 3-4 holes! That’s 4 large glasses of water during a round of 18 holes. Most courses have place to fill up about every 6 holes. When you stop at a water cooler/fountain fill up you cup and drink some while you are there. If you are properly hydrated it will help keep you cooler on the course and your brain/body will function better. Also, drink plenty of water when you finish you don’t want to get dehydrated after the round either. A few other tips that can help get your body and mind ready for a 4 hour round in the heat are; to make sure you are eating healthy foods. Try to avoid processed foods and fried foods. Fruits and veges are always a plus. Make sure you are eating while on the course. Carry some nuts/dried fruit in your golf bag and munch on something in between holes. Lastly, make sure you are getting plenty of sleep. The average adult needs to get 7 or 8 hours of sleep. To get the most out of your game when the conditions get tough it requires more than just hitting balls on the range. IF you would like some tips on getting yourself in shape to play your best golf of your life please let me know. 

Keep Your Cool!

A lot of times I see people playing golf and the game can get the best of you sometimes. I see people getting frustrated and not having a good time because they may be struggling a lot that day. Well I have news for you. More often than not you are going to have to dig deep and grind it out. Golf is not made to be easy. If it were easy I would not even have a job as a PGA Professional.  No one would need to take lessons and I would probably have a desk job somewhere. A good friend of mine once told me that your golf score is not a reflection of who you are as a person. At the end of the day if I shoot my worst score ever I’m still Justin and people are probably not going to unfriend me on Facebook because of how bad I hit the ball that day. So just relax and play the game. Try to have fun with it. Unless you are hitting 1000 golf balls a day than you have no reason to get upset with hitting a poor shot. Most of us do not play golf for a living and usually the only thing that a bad shot will cost you is your golf ball. You do not want to be known as the guy/girl that is a loose cannon or the one who nobody wants to play with because you always blow a gasket. If you would like some tips on how to keep your cool on the course than come find me. I can promise you that I’ve hit all of the bad shots that all of you have and I’ve learned a lot about how to deal with it.

Don't Be Afraid. Golf Won't Bite!

April is here and that means that a lot of people who want to play golf may give it a try. I would like to give a word of encouragement to those that may be on the fence about taking up the game. First off, don’t be intimidated. I often times have to put myself in the shoes of a beginner. When we first start playing the game it can be pretty intimidating if you aren’t one of the “regulars.” Just remember that everyone had to start playing golf at some point in their lives and that we were all once in your shoes. I can remember a day when I first started playing golf and I went to the driving range after a few weeks without practicing and I couldn’t even hit the ball! I had gotten worse by not practicing like I should have and I whiffed every single shot. I finally hit a few towards the end of my bucket of balls and I felt great about coming back the next day and trying to get better than I was that day. I was so embarrassed though! I felt as if everybody was watching me inside the golf shop just laughing their behinds off at my misery. Well, I have news for you…they weren’t laughing at me. The truth is they probably weren’t even paying attention at all. Other golfers aren’t worried about your game at all because they are too worried about their own game to pay any attention to yours. Even after all of that embarrassment and all of those bad shots I hit I was able to shake it off and it’s truly amazing how much the game of golf has given me. So, I urge you all to be patient and relax. This game will test your patients but I can promise you that it is worth it.  To all of you avid golfers make sure to put yourselves in the shoes of a beginner and think back to when you started. If you see someone who is struggling maybe suggests a lesson with the pro or if they look lost and don’t know a rule/etiquette help them out as it will help grow the great game we all love. To all of the people on the fence about whether to take up the game or not please call me if you have questions or if you need help. I will show you around the golf shop and help you out with the process of getting started in the game. I will help suggest times that are better for you to try and play a round or practice that may help you avoid the busy high traffic days. I hope that all of you will take me up on my offer to help but I do wish everyone the best of luck this golf season!

Sincerely,

Justin Sigmon, PGA
Head Professional

Stone Creek Golf Club

The Short Game & How to Score!

I have recently started doing a lot of video lessons. By video lessons I mean I am in front of the camera giving instructional tips. I was challenged to do this by several top instructors who I seek for information when trying to better my craft. So, if you are seeking help outside of my monthly blogs/articles please check out my YouTube channel at Justin Sigmon, PGA for more help. I can also pencil you in for a lesson whenever you are ready for hands on instruction. With that being said I challenge you to take the time to work on your golf game and find ways to get better even if you have a busy schedule and say, “Justin I have no time to practice!” I want to see you all get better and I would love to help in any way I can.

March is a great month for golf. The Masters is right around the corner and if you have a chance to go do not pass it up. I am very fortunate to get to go for free each year. You may be saying to yourself, “How do you get to do that?” Well my friends as a PGA Professional it is one of the many great perks that Augusta National allows us to attend each year. For this perk I am extremely thankful and I feel very privileged to get to do so. I will take as many pictures as I can and share with all of those who would like to see a little of what it is like. However, if you have ever been or watched the Master’s on TV you know that to play well at Augusta you have to be a great putter and have insanely good touch around the greens. At Augusta each April the greens are probably the hardest to putt that the PGA Tour players have to play each year. It poses a huge challenge for anyone who is struggling with their putting. So, in order to prepare for the Master’s you can see the players practicing hard on their short games leading up to the year’s first Major. What can we all learn from this? Yes, they work on their long game too but in order to vault themselves to the top of the leader board by the back 9 on Sunday at Augusta, they had better spent ample amount of time grooving in their short game! As you prepare for this year’s golf season try spending more time working on your short game than you do on your long game and your scores will drop guaranteed. Test your skills by going out on the golf course and playing 9 holes from 25 yards out and seeing what you shoot. Every hole is a par 2 and to shoot even par you have to shoot 18 on 9 holes. How did you do? Let me know! If you are in the 20-30 scoring range on 9 holes from 25 yards out that should tell you something. Maybe your driver isn’t the club holding you back, maybe it is your wedge. Let me know if you would like for me to help you develop a plan to become a short game master.

Thank You,

Justin Sigmon, PGA

Head Professional

Stone Creek Golf Club

What golf is really about!

I am very fortunate to get to work with a lot of junior players in the area. It is a lot of fun to see them start the game and eventually grow up to become real players! It makes getting older a little easier… I really love trying to help mold and grow a young golfer to where they can really understand the game and how it is supposed to be played to reach a high level. However, it is somewhat of a slow process to reach the elite level (ask me about my program). I would love to tell students and parents that I can make your kid break 70 in a week but golf is just not that easy. The game has so many intricacies that it takes a lifetime to really understand the game. That is what makes the game truly great! You can play for a lifetime and still learn something new each time you tee it up. I have two stories that show how great golf truly is and what the real joy of playing golf is all about. I have news for you golfers out there and it’s that there really isn’t as much joy in the score as you may think. Sure it’s fun to shoot 65 but that exhilaration doesn’t last that long. The day ends fast and all you are left with is a good memory and a scorecard. So what will last a lifetime? Mr. Bill Houck was a member here at Stone Creek who passed away this year in his nineties. We dearly miss Mr. Bill as he was a pleasure to be around. Mr. Bill was a great example of how you can enjoy the game of golf for a lifetime. Mr. Bill would come out and practice and really work hard at his game even in his 90’s. He took lessons from me and he would always say, “Justin one of these days I’m going to figure this game out.” Well I believe Mr. Bill already had it figured out. He was able to work on his game and play up until his last days with us. That is what golf is all about being able to enjoy the game for a lifetime. I will give you one more example; Clay Luke and his son John Klay Luke are members here at Stone Creek. I have been fortunate enough to get to help JK with his golf game and help Clay out a little along the way. They both sort of started playing golf together and they both enjoy coming out and playing whenever they have spare time. JK takes a lot of lessons with me and he aspires to be a really good golfer one day. By the way JK has already competed in the Drive, Chip, and Putt events and has already tested his game out at a higher level. I am very proud of him for that but the game is much bigger than all of that. The beauty of this game is that JK and his dad will be able to play golf one day when they are much older, just like me my dad do, and just like Mr. Bill. We all need to take a step back and truly enjoy the game for what it is. It’s fellowship with the ones you love, a game you can play forever, a game that is hard to master, and a game that is very rewarding when you feel like you have mastered it. If you would like help learning how to play or would like to get your family involved in the game I would love to be able to help get you started.

Justin Sigmon, PGA

Head Professional

Stone Creek Golf Club

A day with Michael Breed

I was fortunate enough to get to spend a day with the host of Golf Channel’s The Golf Fix, Michael Breed. Breed also runs Michael Breed Golf Academy at Donald Trump’s golf course at Ferry Point. Michael Breed has a wealth of knowledge to share with a pro like me. He has been coaching golf for a long time and can provide a lot of insight for someone like me who is always striving to be better. I was fortunate enough to get to see him give a few lessons on the range and picked up some techniques that I will be able to use to make my coaching experience even better. Breed said that the most important thing in the golf swing is the club face. He said that if players have a good feel for where the club face is during their swing than they will be able to hit good shots. If you tend to hit shots to the right than chances are your club face is open somewhere during the back swing. If you are struggling with hitting it to the right or you don’t have a good feel for the club face than I would love to help you out. Please feel free to call me anytime and we can schedule a lesson to help you with this. I would be glad to share my experience with Michael Breed with all of you! 

Thanks,

Justin Sigmon, PGA

Head Professional

Stone Creek Golf Club 

Playing in Tournaments!

I hear it all the time. Tournament golf is just different than a regular round with your buddies. You feel different pressure when playing in tournaments. I feel the same pressure all of my fellow golfers feel when I play in events with the pros. Whether you are trying to close out your flight at the member-guest or trying to hold off the pack to win the Masters there is huge pressure. The only way to get comfortable with playing in tournaments is to play in more tournaments. Experience is invaluable in the game of golf. The longer you play and the more reps you put in the better you will get and the more confident you will be in your game. A lot of times if the tournament pressure gets to you it means you have not put in enough reps. It is your body’s natural way of letting you know that more practice is needed. It’s saying I’m not ready for this!  I got through the same emotions that all of you feel when playing in tournaments and I can promise you Jason Day and Rory feel the same way too. They have just played in so many tournaments that they learn how to use their nerves for good and not evil. We all feel the nerves on the first tee. If you are getting into competitive golf and would like to know more about how to cope with the pressure come see me. I would love to help you build a routine that will hold up under the most intense pressure golf has to offer. Whether you are trying to beat your best friend in a match or trying to win the club championship I can help. 

Justin Sigmon, PGA 

Head Professional 

Stone Creek Golf Club 

What Thanksgiving Means to Me

Thanksgiving Day is not just about going shopping and finding the best deal you can find or eating so much food you have to go up a pants size. To me Thanksgiving is a time where families come together and people fellowship. Each year the world sort of stands still around the dinner table and we are able to feast and reflect back on all the things we are thankful for. I can tell you that the thing I am most thankful for is my family. I am fortunate and very blessed to get to spend time with them around the holidays. I am also thankful for my job if you can even call it that. I am fortunate enough to have the opportunity to get up every morning and chase my dreams. I get to go to the golf course and influence people’s lives each and every day. God has really blessed me and I am truly thankful for that. November starts my favorite time of year and Thanksgiving is sort of the beginning of the holiday season. People start putting out their Christmas lights and start getting into the giving mood. Not to mention that there are always some pretty good football games on. So, this Thanksgiving instead of sitting around the table talking about the presidential election results or what Kanye West is up to, I challenge you all to talk about the things you are thankful for. Is it your family, your job, your dogs, the Cowboys being 8-1, or maybe looking forward to playing golf tomorrow? Whatever it is I challenge you to let people know especially the ones you care most about. That, my friends, is what Thanksgiving means to me! 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Justin Sigmon, PGA

The Routine!

When the going gets rough on the golf course don’t forget to fall back on your routine. Golf is a hard game and it is made even harder when you put too much pressure on yourself to score well. I experience this a lot playing in tournaments in the Georgia Section PGA. There is a lot of pressure to perform well and the pressure is mostly self-made! We as golfers build up the hype in our own minds sometimes to our own detriment. When this sort of thing does happen in a tournament or on the course for a casual round remember to fall back on your pre-shot routine. If you don’t know what your routine is or you don’t have one than I would love to help you discover your very own pre-shot routine. Everyone will be different but it is something that you need to have to play well. Playing golf thinking about your swing or how to putt will never work well. You need to think about your routine and where your target is! I like to use an analogy to hammer this point home. Have you ever been driving down the road with one hand on the wheel and not thinking about a whole lot? There isn’t a whole lot going through your head because you have been driving for years. Well think about the last time a cop pulled behind you. Whether you were speeding or breaking any laws I guarantee your driving habits changed. You probably got tight with your driving mechanics. You probably went from one hand to two hands and you probably started looking at your speedometer. Chances are you may even get so tight that you wind up getting a ticket. Golf is the same way in the sense that you can’t try to steer the ball. You just have to go through your routine and then let it go! Let me know if this help. 

Swing Like a Girl!

Guys may think that this sounds crazy but it actually works. Men put their ego into everything just by our nature and how we are made. God made men to be more aggressive than our opposite sex. If you get a chance watch the LPGA tour ladies swing the club. They are way more graceful than the guys on the PGA Tour. They get the club in all the right spots and get the most out of their swings without exerting too much energy. Women are way more efficient golfers than us men. Us men put our egos into our swing and try to knock the cover off the ball each time we set up. Next time you play golf try to imitate a lady golfer’s rhythm and tempo.  You may just find out that you can hit the ball a lot further that way. If you think I’m crazy try coming out here to Stone Creek Golf Club and find Kelly Henderson one of our shop assistants. If you can hit it by Kelly I will buy you a coke! Kelly can hit her driver past a lot of the men I have played with in my time in the golf business. She does not do it by brute force but by being graceful and elastic in her swing. She knows how to get the club in the right spots to maximize the energy that she transfers into the ball. If you would like some help with your game feel free to let me know. I could even get Kelly to come show us all how to “swing like a girl!”

Putt like you mean it!

Putting is probably the most important area in the game of golf. I really wished I would have spent more time practicing putting when I was a kid. This year I played in my very first Yamaha Atlanta Open against the best PGA Professionals and Amateurs in the state of Georgia. We played at St. Ives in Atlanta which is an extremely well-manicured private club in the Johns Creek area. They had the greens rolling around 13 or 14 on the STIMP meter which is EXTREMELY FAST! I had a rough time getting a feel for that speed. I would have birdie putts and hit what I thought were good putts that would barely miss and roll 5 and 6 feet past the hole. It is no fun having 5 and 6 footers for par all day. It makes your score add up to a high number in a hurry. I am guilty of neglecting my putting practice. The best players in the state and the guys that kick my rear end are really great putters! They make the 5 and 6 footers for par. I want you all to learn from my mistakes. Get out here and practice your putting. To be a good putter you don’t have to have the best stoke or be technically perfect. You have to put in the time and the reps to be a great putter. The best putter I know here at Stone Creek is Rick Bellinger. Rick has won numerous Club Championships here and continues to be a force to be reckoned with each week. Rick is here almost every night after work practicing his putting with his best friend Dr. Greg Beale. Both Dr. Beale and Rick are really good putters because the put in the reps.  If you only have an hour to practice each day spend the majority of that hour putting and the rest hitting balls. I promise you will see a big difference in your scores if you put more time into your putting practice.

Justin Sigmon, PGA