Getting back in the groove

On top of not necessarily being a golfer, I am completely self-taught. Through trial and error on the driving range, the use of the book “Golfing for Dummies” by Gary McCord, a former touring pro and longtime television analyst, “upgrading” my equipment to now-24-year-old Callaway Big Bertha irons (the originals) and seeking out tips and advice online, I’ve managed to cobble together a swing good enough to get me on the course and at least look like I know what I’m doing.

But this was going to be the year. 2020 was going to be the year that I really started hitting the course and playing rounds, instead of just plugging away on the driving range. The pandemic put those plans on hold, obviously, but now I’m trying to make up for lost time.

In fact, I was ready to play last week and decided to really find out how good my game is. I had done a story about the Toptracer system at Mariners Point Golf Center, equipment that tracks all the information about your shot, including distance and flight path.

Talk about humbling. That huge slice that I thought I had cured? It came back with a vengeance. That new Ping driver certainly added distance, but was way off target and bending like a banana.

I decided I could not take this swing to the course and decided to take my first-ever golf lesson. I put a call into local pro Gary Monisteri, who I’ve used as golf source for stories for nearly 20 years. Very gracious and accommodating, Monisteri reintroduced me to the proper club grip and, with a few more tips and pointers, has really straightened out my swing.

(As an aside, if you’re a fan of golf history or are looking to take a lesson or brush up on your game, I recommend a lesson with Monisteri. In addition to his coaching tips, he has a lot of stories about pro golfers from the 1970s and 1980s. Ask him about his conversation with Gary Player. That’s a good one).

I immediately bought another bucket of balls and went to one of the Toptracer stalls on the driving to check out my newfound swing. While the distance wasn’t where I wanted it to, the shot shape and direction were leaps and bounds better than just two days prior.

There is a saying in golf that says you should invest in a lesson before dropping a grand on a new set of irons. The thinking being, no matter how good the equipment, if you don’t know how to use it properly, you’ll never take advantage of the equipment’s benefits. So while it’s fun to dream about that new driver (which I did get anyway) or upgrading from equipment from 1996 to even 2016, the best thing I did with my golf game was this one lesson. I’ll probably get another to help me find more distance but, in the meantime, I just have to get out on the course, of course. If anyone needs a fourth on any given Friday for the foreseeable future, drop me a line.

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Menlo School announced Wednesday that lacrosse coaches, Blake and Cort Kim, head and assistant coach, respectively, are part of the 2019 U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame-NorCal chapter class.

According the organization’s website, the NorCal Chapter Hall of Fame “Since 2005, has been honoring those who have made an impact on NorCal lacrosse.”

The twin brothers have led the Menlo boys’ lacrosse team for the last four years and has developed the Knights into one of the best programs in Northern California. They previously both coached at Sacred Heart Prep, where in 2011, Blake Kim was named a U.S. Lacrosse Regional High School Head Coach of the Year.

The brothers are graduates of University of Albany in upstate New York. Blake Kim graduated as the school’s all-time assist leader (he is now fourth on the list), while Cort earned All-American honors. Both served as team captains, were inducted into the university’s athletic hall of fame in 2002 and were named to the 50th anniversary team in 2018.

Nathan Mollat can be reached by email: nathan@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: 344-5200 ext. 117.