Who will win the Players?

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The Players Championship begins Thursday at TPC Sawgrass, with a wet and windy forecast ahead. The GolfChannel.com writers weigh in with their predictions.

Pick to win and winning score:

Rex Hoggard: Rory McIlroy. Based on his last 36 holes, a horrid run of 8 over to finish a miserable week at Bay Hill, the Northern Irishman isn’t exactly a no-brainer pick. But he does have Mother Nature and history on his side. He won The Players in 2019 with a dominant performance and has always been most comfortable on a soft golf course, which is in the forecast at TPC Sawgrass. McIlroy wins his second Players title with a 13-under total.

Ryan Lavner: Collin Morikawa, 12 under par. Throughout his short but spectacular career he’s proven to be a fast learner, and TPC Sawgrass should accentuate his gifts as one of the game’s premier ball-strikers (take note of his best-of-the-day closing 66 last year). And when the conditions deteriorate over the weekend, he has the perfect temperament and self-belief to handle them.

Brentley Romine: Will Zalatoris. Ball-striking. Ball-striking. Ball-striking. I don’t care that he’s likely going to miss a few putts inside of 5 feet. He’s also going to hit more greens than just about everyone. In red numbers every day here a year ago, Zalatoris shrugs off a closing 79 at the API and gets his first PGA Tour title on the biggest non-major stage. As for the winning score, who knows; things could get crazy with the weather forecast, so I’ll play it safe and go a couple of shots under the over/under: 9 under does the job.

Full-field scores from The Players Championship

Pick to benefit from the wind and rain:

Hoggard: Jon Rahm. The world No. 1’s ball-striking has been sublime this year, but he continues to struggle with his putting. That ball-striking will come in handy when the winds are expected to gust to 30 mph on the weekend and upwards of 4 inches of rain will slow the normally slick greens to more manageable speeds.

Lavner: Matt Fitzpatrick. There are plenty of folks on Tour who can absolutely flush it, a skill that will come in handy when it’s howling 30 and it’s imperative to hit it on the screws. But just as vital will be his scrambling. Fitz enters the week with five straight top-12s, flights it nicely in the wind and is one of the best around the green. A nice sleeper pick this week.

Romine: Corey Conners. Riding the hot hand. Brutal conditions at Bay Hill did not stop the Canadian flusher from going 6 under on the weekend, including posting a final-round 66. It’ll be softer this week, but the wind is still expected to blow. While some may let Mother Nature dictate their mood, Conners is the type of player to put his head down and play on.

Pick to disappoint:

Hoggard: Collin Morikawa. The five-time PGA Tour winner is on many short lists as a potential champion this week, and he certainly has the game to contend on the Stadium Course. Where he disappoints is in his quest to overtake Rahm atop the world ranking. Morikawa needs just a tie for second place to claim the top spot but seems destined to come up short again.

Lavner: Jordan Spieth. For whatever reason, it just hasn’t been a good match, and it wasn’t lost on anyone that Spieth canceled his Wednesday press conference to squeeze in some more prep. Outside of a T-4 in his 2014 debut, he has four missed cuts and two other finishes outside the top 40. Yikes.

Romine: Justin Thomas. No one has ever won back-to-back Players titles. In fact, the past 10 champions who defended have combined for two top-25s, no other finishes better than T-48 and four missed weekends. If there was ever a time for a player to buck the trend, it’s JT – who is currently enjoying a run of 10 straight top-25s – but I’m just saying don’t be surprised if history repeats itself yet again.

 

Pick your favorite Tiger Woods moment:

Hoggard: There are 14 other major victories, and 81 other Tour victories, that could all qualify as a favorite Tiger moment, but the 2019 Masters had it all – redemption, celebration, emotion. With his family watching from the clubhouse, Woods completed a comeback with his 15th major victory that for so long didn’t seem possible.

Lavner: I’ll always have fond (and personal) memories of his 2005 Masters victory. My 18th birthday fell on Masters Sunday, and it was the best possible gift: my mom brought me an endless stream of my favorite snacks as Tiger attempted to hold off the scrappy Chris DiMarco. When Tiger’s chip dropped on 16, I leaped off the couch and – I swear – touched the ceiling. After that iconic fist pump on the final green, my closet soon was stocked with mock-neck polos, in every color.

Romine: It’s so hard to narrow down a singular achievement. The 2019 Masters was pretty special, but for me, it’s Woods’ runner-up finish alongside his son, Charlie, at the PNC Championship last December. After Woods’ horrific car crash the previous February, it was hard to envision when – or if – Woods would ever play again, and if he did, what that would even look like. But seeing Woods compete with his son, trading fist bumps and smiles and laughs, was a memory that will stick with me forever.

Article By: The Golf Channel

5 Stretches You Should Know About

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Here are 5 stretches you should be doing to warm up before your game!

1. Twisting Stretch- Start with your legs wider than your hips. Rest your right hand on your lower back palm facing away from you. Inhale. With an exhale, bend the right knee and reach your left hand outside your right foot. With an exhale, lift your torso up and switch your hands, placing your left hand on your lower back. Twist toward the left reaching your right hand around the corner. Follow your hand with your gaze to exaggerate the twist. Repeat six times and switch sides.

2. Hip Press- Tight hamstrings tend to put a lot of pressure on your lower back. This stretch will loosen up the hips and hamstrings — releasing this pressure, alleviating back pain and increasing the range of motion in your legs.

Step your right foot forward in a short lunge position with both heels on the ground. Place your hands on your hips or hold onto your golf club with one hand to help with balance. Tuck your pelvis in. Engage your left glute and feel the stretch in your left hip flexor and quad. Inhale. With an exhale, bend your back leg and extend your front leg into a hamstring stretch. Lower your torso while keeping the back straight. Think of arching your lower back to intensify the stretch. With an inhale return to your lunge and repeat. Continue this action six times, breathing through it.

3. Scarecrow Twists- Start with your feet slightly wider than your shoulders. Place your golf club behind your neck and onto your shoulders with both arms over the golf club in a scarecrow position. Bend your knees slightly and inhale. With an exhale, twist to the right, pivoting in the left foot. Look around the corner to intensify the stretch. With an inhale, return to center. Repeat on the other side. Continue this twisting action six times on each side, breathing through it.

4. Standing Side Stretch- Standing up straight, plant your golf club into the ground with your right hand. Cross your left leg over the right and reach your left arm up and over toward the club. Then, open your chest and look at the sky. Allow your hips to go slightly to the left and feel the stretch in the left side of your body. Use your club as a balance point. Hold here for 3-5 breaths and switch sides.

5. Shoulder Flossing-Stand with your feet hip-width apart and grab your golf club with each hand. Lift the golf club over your head. With an inhale, begin to floss it behind you until it becomes parallel to the ground. With an exhale, return to your original position. If you want to intensify the stretch, inch your hands closed together; to simplify the stretch, move the hands wider apart. Repeat 6 to 8 times, breathing through it.

AFTER FEATHERS, GOLF BALLS WERE MADE OF WOOD…

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AFTER FEATHERS, GOLF BALLS WERE MADE OF WOOD…

And, other fun golf facts you probably didn’t know.

 

We don’t have to ask if you love nothing more than a day on the golf course…

You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t. 

 

We are curious just how much you know about golf…

Not just how to play with various techniques and strategies, but truly know golf. 

 

If we hosted a night of golf trivia, could you be the winner?

 

GOLF HISTORY:

 

Did you know that at one time, golf was banned?

(Can you imagine??)

 

It wasn’t just banned once, but three times in the VERY place it was invented, Scotland!

Why was it banned?

Because the Scotland government believed that golf interfered with military training. 

 

Add to this that in the early days of golf, players would play publicly, in the streets or on business properties — this was considered annoying & well, we can’t argue that. There is only one place for golf to be played, on the golf course! 

 

SOME OF THE GREATS:

 

Do you know how young Tiger Woods was when he first took interest in golf?

6 months! His father began teaching him all about the sport at just 2 years old! 

 

Tiger made his first hole in one at the young age of eight!!

 

Tiger has won 81 PGA Tournaments, Sam Snead has won 82, Jack Niklaus has won 73 with 18 major wins….Tiger has won 15 majors. 

 

Did you know Phil Mickelson is RIGHT-HANDED??

 

He plays golf left-handed because his father did & he mirrored his father’s golf swing.

 

WOMEN’S GOLF:

 

400 years after the sport was created, the first round of women’s golf was played in Scotland in 1867. 

 

Mary, Queen of Scots is thought to have been the first female golfer. 

The first woman to win the Invitational Pro-Am at Pebble Beach was Juli Inkster in 1990.

 

According to the National Golf Foundation, approximately 5.8 million women play golf.

 

FUN FACTS:

 

The first 18-hole golf course was on a sheep farm.

 

Development of new golf courses has been banned in China.

 

Golf has been played on the moon!

 

Golf balls were originally made of leather & feathers, after that they were made of wood. 

 

The longest putt recorded was an astounding 375 feet!

 

Golf holds the record for the most boring sport. (Rude!)

 

You are more likely to be hit by a car than to score a hole in one in golf.

 

France once established a naked golf course.

 

The chance of hitting two hole-in-ones in a single game of golf is 1 in 67 MILLION.

 

A “condor” is the term given to a hole-in-one on a par 5. It is almost as rare as two hole-in-ones in a single game of golf. 

 

So, tell us…

 

If we hosted a night of golf trivia, could you win??

 

Resources:

Panther Run Blog

Junior Players Golf Academy

Facts .net

Deer Creek Golf Club 

 

Time to Get a Little Spooky!!!

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Sign up today…IF YOU DARE!

Just call the Pro Shop at 217-824-5521

Must register by October 13th!

Prepping the course for next year…

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It’s been an incredible season of golf and it’s not over yet! We experienced an abundance of wonderful golfing weather! We saw many new faces, all the regulars and we’re forever grateful for it after being so closed off the year prior. If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that we don’t take advantage of the great outdoors and what a little fresh air can do for us all. It’s so important, and with a sport like golf — you get to multitask — spend time outdoors, soak up the sun, enjoy the fresh air and relax while playing a sport you thoroughly enjoy! 

 

As we enter into cooler temperatures & begin prepping the golf courses for winter conditions, here is what you can expect to see during your last few rounds of golf this year. 

 

WINTER PREP

 

For the Oaks Golf Course:

 

We’ll begin overseeding the front nine fairways, trimming the trees along the tee boxes to enhance playability, applying a new surface road to the entrance road and upgrading some of the irrigation throughout the course! 

 

For Meadowview Golf Course:

 

We’ll begin overseeding all the fairways and doing some bunker renovations, too! 

 

WHY DO WE OVERSEED?

 

In golf, overseeding is a maintenance process. Grass seed is spread on top of the existing grass to promote new growth or to swap out seasonal turfs, essentially replacing once type of grass with another. 

 

Because various grass types go dormant in the winter, it is essential to overseed with a grass that doesn’t do this so that grass continues to grow throughout the fairways regardless of season. In the Spring, the process will be reversed; we’ll begin overseeding the fairways with the regular season grass so that it can grow throughout the Spring & Summer seasons.

 

This ensures the health of the fairways & overall playability for all.

 

While we’re sad the regular season of golf is coming to an end soon, we’re excited to begin prepping all the golf courses for Winter so that come the Spring, they’re in their BEST shape for yet another beautiful season!! 

 

Our Top 6 Swing Tips for You

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Unless you’re superhuman, you may not have been born with superb golfing skills like the rest of us.

With that being said, getting the hang of properly swinging the golf club may not come as natural to you as you would hope.

Does this sound familiar? Swing. Miss. Swing. Dig up the green. Swing. Flies to the left. Swing. Flies to the right. Swing. Got it! But then the next time you go to hit the steps repeat themselves.

So what do you do?

  1. You can always get lessons. Highly recommended! What better way to learn how to improve your swings than to have someone observing you and teaching you all the fundamentals?
  2. Make sure your clubs fit you! Having clubs which are too short or too long can really impact your body positioning which will impact the direction the ball takes flight when you finally hit it 😉
  3. Speaking of body, remember that the power of your swing comes from your entire body, not just your arms. Focusing on swinging with your body will help you become more consistent and have more control over the depth of your shot.
  4. Even though your body controls the power, don’t forget you have arms and let them bend or “chicken wing” after you make contact. Follow through with your swing. Commit to the end.
  5. Practice, just like we’ve been told since we were younger. If you want to improve your swing, it may take you a few games to catch on, understand your body positioning and start to gain consistency.
  6. Have fun and remember that everyone starts somewhere.

Our Advice To You!

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Have you ever driven by a golf course and thought to yourself, “Wow, I really wish I golfed, but I have no idea where I would even start?”  or reminisced with your friends and thought, “I wish I knew this before I started!”

 

 Well, we decided to poll our golf courses through social media and find out what the golfers wish they knew before they started or what their best advice for new golfers were and here are some of the responses:

 

  1. Stick with it! Be patient and have fun!
  2. Practice and enjoy the game and remember that it is only a game.
  3. Accuracy over distance!
  4. Golf is a game that cannot be beat, remember that and have fun!
  5. After your game, go relax and talk over things you could have done differently to improve your strokes.
  6. The ball is not going to go straight every time you hit it. Don’t get frustrated, and focus on your next swing.
  7. Play your ability and not your ego! So if you need a little bit of assistance, take it. 
  8. Don’t give up too easily, even the professionals have off days.
  9. Tee the ball to the correct height. Tee high for drivers and low for irons.
  10. Take lessons at your local course.
  11. Ask questions! 
  12. And last, but not least, always remember that a bad day of golf is still better than a good day at work. 

 

I guess what we can gather from all the responses is that golf is a game of fun, relaxation and time with friends, family and those we love (even if we want to beat them on that scorecard). Always remember to hold your head up and swing with meaning, because even if you miss the green it’s better than sitting at work.

 

Join us for Men’s League!

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JOIN in the FUN at LAKESHORE!

League starts TUESDAY, May 4th @ 5:30pm!
Play one day or both days!
Match Play
Cart fee- members
Weekday Rate- guests
Contact the Pro Shop for more information and to register!!

217-824-5521

It’s time to purchase your 2021/2022 membership!

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Buy a TWO YEAR MEMBERSHIP for 2021 and 2022 for only $248

$114/yr. – plus a $10/yr. admin. fee

As a bonus, you can play our sister courses… The Oaks in Springfield, Timberlake in Sullivan, & Meadowview in Mattoon.

That’s just $114/yr. – plus a $10/yr. admin. fee

with unlimited green fees Monday thru Sunday — *Cart rental required

PURCAHSE HERE https://golflakeshore.com/product/2021-2022-membership/

Tiger Woods’ TGR Foundation hits notable milestone as it celebrates its 25th anniversary

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PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — As far as golf goes, Riviera Country Club has not been friendly to Tiger Woods. At least, not as friendly as other golf courses—he does have a runner-up and seven other top-20 finishes at this kikuyu-covered gem, but he’s played 13 tournaments here and left without the trophy 13 times. It’s the most starts he’s made in a single PGA Tour event without a victory.

Woods’ relationship with Riv, however, extends much deeper than a scorecard. It’s where he made his first tour start, as a rail-thin 16-year-old in 1992. It’s a traffic-dependent hour away from where Tiger honed his game, at the Navy Golf Course in Cypress. And since 2017 it has hosted his event, the Genesis Invitational, which has coincided with major growth for his TGR Foundation.

 

Founded in 1996, the year Woods turned pro, the foundation’s initial mission was to give disadvantaged youth better access to the game of golf. Woods famously transformed the direction of his foundation shortly after Sept. 11, 2001, when during a 17-hour drive from Missouri to Florida (flights were grounded) he had an epiphany and instructed his father to change the focus to providing educational access to underprivileged kids.

Fast forward 20 years, and Woods’ foundation has now reached more than 2 million children through its in-person and digital programs.

“To have so many first-gens go off to college—then they come back and they’re the leaders of their community,” Woods, who is not playing this week at Riviera as he continues to recover from a back procedure, said before last year’s Genesis. “No one expected anyone in their community to go to college. And these kids go to Harvard and Princeton, Yale, Brown. You start meeting these kids who never ever thought they would go to college. It’s pretty unbelievable.”

 

This is the second year that the Genesis has had elevated status on tour, a change more significant than simply having “Invitational” replace “Open” in the tournament title. The field has been reduced from 144 to 120; the winner receives a three-year exemption, rather than the two for a “normal” PGA Tour event; and the purse increased to $9.3 million, highlighted by a $1.674 winner’s check. Symbolically, Woods’ tournament now stands level with Jack Nicklaus’ Memorial and the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

That, combined with perhaps the finest course on tour in Riviera, has attracted remarkably strong fields each of the past two years. Eight of the world’s top 10 players are teeing it up this week, and all the extra attention a field like this one demands only serves to bring more eyeballs to the TGR foundation and its mission.

“TGR foundation has experienced tremendous growth since Tiger became host of the Genesis in 2017,” TGR foundation President & CEO Gordon McNeill said. “As the benefiting charity, our programs have expanded to reach more students in the L.A. community and around the world.

“As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, we are excited to build on the 2 million students reached through our programs, in person and digitally.”

 

The foundation is particularly excited about Pathways Forward, the initiative it launched in January to enhance its current education programs and expand resources to reach more students on their pathway to college and career success.

Woods has always taken as much pride in his philanthropic endeavors as his athletic ones, and perhaps this week is a preview of what’s to come. Woods knows his days as a world-class golfer will not last forever, and there will be plenty of Genesis Invitationals that he does not play in. This is one of them, but his presence at Riviera is felt through the TGR Foundation, which will continue to impact children long after Woods’ playing days are finished.

Source: Golf Digest