Tuesday, May 12, 2009

A Stroke of Genius - the Putting Green

Golf...putting...the greens beneath our feet. Golf should be a fun, enjoyable sport for most. However, as humans, we strive to be the best at all that we do, and we tend to over-think the steps necessary for a great short game. The fundamentals - weight on the left leg, feet square to the target line, hips and shoulders square to the feet, can get obscured by our line-of-sight (relax, breathe, and I need to make a hole-in-one!).

The terrain and weather conditions are important, and factor into our play; however, the skilled golfer knows that in times of doubt and rougher greens, always fall back onto your core training: shoulders level; dominant eye directly over the ball; left elbow pointed to target; thumbs on top of shaft; etc. Since many golfers are not good at judging what effect variations in grass, terrain, and moisture will have on a putted ball, a fear of missing the shot will overtake them and even paralyze a great short game. This is not the time to experiment with a varied technique. Variations are fine as long as the motive is sound - wet grass on the course does not necessarily indicate a time for drastic change.

Changes to technique are tempting, but faith and confidence in your well-developed training are best. The chances of unproven, minor adjustments working are slim at best. Nobody makes all the shots. The best way to become a better putter is by simply sticking to a single style until you're comfortable with it. Should you experience a slump in your putting, head to the practice green for the purpose of reestablishing confidence in your stroke, rather than changing it. The practice green is the best environment to test the "new" ideas and tweaks. Consequently, you'll have a better chance to produce the proper speed, and direction, necessary for each specific shot. By keeping your smaller swings as similar as possible to your full ones you'll be trying to produce basically the same motion for every single swing. The only true variations then become the precise amount of energy necessary for that specific shot, and the swing size through which you can most efficiently both generate and direct that energy.

Thanks to Peter Anderson; adapted from his post on GolfLink

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Google Map for Installations, Happy Customers

We have just completed a new Google Map that visualizes just some of the putting green and synthetic turf installs we have done in the Greater New Jersey Area. I love technology, innovation, and especially golf.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Beauty Ball Huge Success - Great Food, Fun


Last night's Beauty Ball for Women's Cancer was a huge success. Patrick Coston, famous chocolatier on the Food Network, served up some delicious treats. Here he is with Golf Greens Fore U owner Joe Ali. This was a great cause and we saw some tremendous support.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Live Tweeting from NJ Beauty Ball

Golf Greens Fore U will live tweet from the third annual Beauty Ball Foundation benefit bash, this Saturday, April 25, at the Dibsie Estate, Colts Neck, New Jersey.

Join this great cause as an expected 350 guests will come out and join scores of participants and sponsors  to help earn money and awareness for this notable cause.

Golf Greens Fore U will be there with a putting contest on our revolutionary “performance roll” technology to simulate multi-directional elements of natural grass. Follow our tweets on http://twitter.com/golfgreensforeu.

Earlier this year, Golf Greens Fore U donated $7,500 worth of synthetic turf to inner-city youth of New Orleans. Olympia turf, and Golf Greens Fore U product line is distributed to four continents, 15 countries, and with 80 domestic licensees. Golf Greens Fore U turf can be found in premier public and private golf courses, backyards, residential developments, entertainment centers, athletic fields.

Live Tweet with Golf Greens Fore from the Beauty Ball for Women’s Cancer Care, Saturday April 25, Colts Neck, NJ

By Joseph Ali, president, Golf-Greens-Fore-U

Friday, April 24, 2009

Sorenson, Texas, Newest Golf Greens Fore U Licensee

Dale Robert Sorensen, a resident from Longview, TX has become a licensee for Golf Greens Fore U, a premier made in the USA synthetic turf manufacturer. Golf Greens Fore U recently launched a lead-free, 70 percent recycled synthetic athletic turf under its Olympia Athletic Turf name.

In the golf line up, synthetic turf by Golf Greens Fore U improves putting, chipping skills and lowers game scores, it is also soft to touch and is maintenance-free. The “performance roll” technology simulates multi-directional elements of natural greens.

The announcement was made by Joseph Ali, president and owner of Golf Greens Fore U, Red Bank, New Jersey. Mr. Sorenson, a former Longview High School football athlete and passionate golfer, previously worked 14 years as a regional director for a national casual dinning chain, and in the catering business. 

“Having Dale bring the Golf Greens Fore U and Olympia Turf product line to the northeast Texas region is a great addition to our business and his commitment to our benchmark Licensing discovery process will breed great success,” says Ali. Golf Greens Fore U produces and installs high-end, lead-free, environmentally friendly synthetic putting, lawn and athletic greens. 

Olympia turf, and Golf Greens Fore U is distributed to four continents, 15 countries, and with 90 domestic licensees, Golf Greens Fore U turf can be found in premier public and private golf courses, playgrounds, backyards, residential developments, entertainment centers and athletic fields.

For more information, visit www.golfgreensforeu.com, Nancy Della Vechia at 732-933.4653.  Mr. Sorenson may be reached at Rdsorens1006@att.net, or 903-445-8558. Press contact is TinaBradfordpr@aol.com or by calling TinaBradfordpr at 610-248-3460. 

Friday, April 17, 2009

The chip that cost Perry the Masters

Empowered Golf: The chip that cost Perry the Masters

A two-shot lead with two holes to play may seem like a sure bet, but when Kenny Perry's ball ended up over the green on the 71st hole of the Masters on Sunday, a simple chip turned into a nightmarish series of events that led to his loss in the playoff to Angel Cabrera.

The Shot — A downhill chip with the slope of the green going away from you.

The Strategy — any time the slope of the green is going away from you, the key is to land the ball as soft as possible with a higher lofted club. When the ball hits the putting surface, the angle of the slope is going to kick the ball forward. So play a higher-lofted club like a lob or sand wedge. Unfortunately, Perry went with a lower-lofted club and the ball ran too far past the hole to the front of the green, which led to a two-putt bogey.

The Technique — Chipping is nothing more than the extension of a putting stroke. It is very important to maintain the angles that you set up at address throughout the swing. The key to good chipping is to first and foremost lean the shaft toward the target creating a straight line going up the leading arm and then maintaining that angle throughout the swing.

The full story is here.


Perry completes Exelon field

Perry completes Exelon field

Trenton, NJ (Sports Network) - Kenny Perry, who lost a playoff to Angel Cabrera last week at the Masters, was announced on Thursday as the final participant in this year's Exelon Invitational.

Tournament host Jim Furyk, Anthony Kim and Paul Casey were previously announced players in the four-ball tournament at the ACE Club in Lafayette, Pa. on June 8, 2009.

"Kenny is a solid addition to round out another top-quality field," said Furyk. "I am excited that the Philadelphia golf community will have the opportunity to see some of the world's best golfers right in their backyard on June 8."

Perry lost on the second playoff hole to Cabrera in his bid to become golf's oldest major champion Sunday. Perry, 48, has 13 PGA Tour wins, including this year's FBR Open in Phoenix.

Full story here: http://www.seattlepi.com/scorecard/golfnews.asp?articleID=258182