KMGA Newsletter – Apr. 5th, 2005

Included in this issue:

SIGN UP FOR THE SPRING FESTIVAL
ACTIVE HANDICAP POSTING SEASON
WELCOME CEDRIC
FREE PERSONALIZION ON TITLEIST GOLF BALLS
PGA PRO-AMS
DOES YOU SET COMPOSITION CHANGE?
PRO SHOP SALES

SIGN UP FOR THE SPRING FESTIVAL Saturday & Sunday, April 16^th & 17^th at Eastern Hills & Milham Park! This 2-day 2-person team event is a popular beginning to our tournament season. Saturday’s round at Eastern Hills will consist of 9 holes best ball and 9 holes scramble. Teams are broken into flights based on the first round score and then compete at Milham Park on Sunday by playing 9 holes Pinehurst and 9 holes alternate shot. Entry fee is $15 for members and $45 for non-members (includes greens fees). Entries are available online at www.kalamazoogolf.org or by calling the pro shop at Milham Park to sign up. 344-7639

The ACTIVE HANDICAP POSTING SEASON for Michigan started April 1^st. The first revision date will be April 12^th. Be sure to post all of your winter scores before then. If you haven’t activated your handicap yet, stop by the pro shop at Milham to get set up. Handicap service is free for course members. Non-members pay $15 for handicap service.

WELCOME CEDRIC
We would like to welcome a new golf professional to our KMGA family. His name is Cedric Russell and he will be the Assistant Professional at Eastern Hills this summer. Though from this area, Cedric has spent the last five years in Southern California working at Encinitas Ranch and the PGA of Southern California Golf Club.
Say hello to Cedric the next time you are at Eastern. I am positive he will offer a lot to our organization and a lot to Eastern Hills.

FREE PERSONALIZION ON TITLEIST AND PINNACLE GOLF BALLS:
Looking for a Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or Graduation gift? This spring, order a minimum 1 dozen Titleist or Pinnacle golf balls through the golf shop and receive up to 3 lines of personalization printed on the golf balls at no charge! Choose from red, blue, green or black ink colors. Orders must be placed between April 1^st and May 10^th, 2005. Please ask the golf shop staff for complete details.

PGA PRO-AMS – Have you ever wanted to play with one of our professionals at a nice country club for a reasonable price? Jim, Dean, Jeff and Paul are all members of the Western Chapter of the PGA of Michigan, and play in many Monday Pro-Ams. All you need is a USGA handicap to be eligible to play. Some of the upcoming events include: Kalamazoo CC May 2^nd, Wuskowhan Players Club May 9^th, Walnut Hills CC May 16^th, Country Club of Jackson May 23^rd, Thousand Oaks GC June 13^th, Battle Creek CC June 20^th, Spring Lake CC June 27^th, Stonehenge July 11^th, Thoroughbred GC July 18^th, Eagle Eye July 25^th, Gull Lake CC August 1^st and The Moors CC August 20^th. Cost is $75.00 and includes your golf with cart, a sit down lunch and a chance to win prizes and gift certificates.

DOES YOUR SET COMPOSITION CHANGE?
Set composition can be described as “What’s in your bag.” Traditionally, your set makeup was 1-3-4 woods and 2-pw irons and a sand wedge and a putter. This 14 club combination is a thing of the past and the best players today generally rotate 15-17 clubs based on the course they are playing and the weather conditions of the day.

Traditionally your pitching wedge had 50 degrees of loft on it. Most pitching wedges today are 45 or 46 degrees. If you have a newer set with a 45 degree pitching wedge and your sand wedge is 56 degrees, you have a 11 degree span between the two clubs. Every other iron in your bag is set-up in 3-4 degree intervals. If there is an eleven degree gap between the two irons you use the most, you may have a short game problem.

Think about it. Should you be playing the same set make-up at Eastern Hills as Milham Park. Eastern has flat green complexes and long par threes. Milham has push-up greens, with a lot of bunkers adjacent to them. The par threes are shorter but many of the holes are tighter than Eastern. Why should this affect your set make-up?

Wedges will play a more dominant role at Milham than at Eastern. Lets say you hit your tee shot to the right of the par three number 7. You have the bunker to go over and you have to have the ball settle quickly. This is a perfect opportunity for the 60 degree wedge. The sixty degree wedge also makes a great sand club for the tight pins and deep bunkers. If you look into the bags of some of the better Milham players don’t be surprised to see a pitching wedge (46) a gap wedge (50) and sand wedge (55-56) and a sixty degree wedge.

At Eastern the fairway woods are more prominent along with the new hybrid irons. The long par threes dictates for some a five, seven, or nine wood or maybe a 3 or 4 rescue type club. The new hybrids are shorter in length than your long irons, but have a low center of gravity and can get the ball airborne much easier. An eighteen degree hybrid (equivalent to your three iron) will be easier to hit and fly much higher than your iron.

If you are interested in talking about your set composition, bring them in and ask anyone of the professional staff (Jim, Dean, Jeff, Paul, Cedric) about it. We can measure the loft of your pitching wedge and make some recommendations. With a few questions about your game we will be able to recommend some adjustments that just might lower that handicap a couple of strokes this summer.

PRO SHOP SALES
All 2004 bags, shoes and clothing continue at 50% off retail

We accept trade-ins! Visit http://valueguide.pga.com/ to see what your old golf clubs are worth.

NEW For 2005:
Ping G2 Titanium Driver
New colors of Sun Mountain Speed Carts & matching Speed Cart bags
New Scotty Cameron Putters
MacGregor Mac Tec Titanium Driver
Hybrid clubs from Nike, Taylor Made, Cobra, Callaway, Titleist, Mizuno & More!
#1 Hybrid on tour coming soon from Nickent Golf
New Maxfli Black Max golf ball
New product arriving daily!

Milham Park Pro Shop – Quality Merchandise, Professional Service, Discount Prices! Open 8am - 8pm daily.

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