Sue Westwood Golf Academy
Hwy 93 L9M 1M5 Midland, ON, Canada

Saying farewell to the 2020 golf season. Grateful we could still golf in these unprecedented times.

Having one of our final lessons of the season together Spencer (12 yrs old) and I have been working on building his swing. Today we really focused on alignment and I set up goal posts. Objective strike the ball and go between the goal posts. The better you get the farther away I place them and distance between goal posts get smaller. Spencer is using his 3 wood here. I positioned Spencer closer than the distance he can hit his 3 wood so he wouldn’t feel like like has to ki...ll the ball Which means his tension would be lighter and tempo would have better time. Result = consistant ball striking. As part of this drill I have Spencer feeling like he’s striking the ball towards the yellow alignment stick. This helps him extend out so he doesn’t get trapped on the way through impact it also helps rotate his shoulders properly on the follow through. See more

Absolutely beautiful day today. Here are my young juniors 5-7 years old having fun on one of their last junior lessons of the summer. One problem that the majority of amateur golfers have is trying to lift the ball by scooping to get the ball up in the air. Scooping the ball means as you are striking the ball your wrists break. The goal though is to hit on a downward angle of attack into the ball with irons. Many of you know I have a new puppy. Named Wally. I got a Weimar...aner headcover that looks exactly like Wally. So I place Wally (headcover) on the green and ask students to roll the ball into Wally with their Pitching Wedge. All of a sudden their ball will bump in the air. It’s a little reverse psychology. By switching the purpose to roll the ball instead popping it up in the air, students physical action will immediately change and their their thinking transfers to the target. Remember everything is opposite to what you would think in golf. We even have the lower numbers of the clubs go further than the higher number (does that really make sense???) See more

We are getting near the end of the season. I extended the junior program a few weeks longer than past years. It’s important to keep the juniors active and engaged in one of the only sports available for them at this time. Looks like we have another week of good weather so let’s see juniors on the course after school!!! Juniors were invited to bring a friend today.

I have fond memories watching Payne Stewart on the tour growing up. Payne had a large impact on me. He represented NFL teams and wore knickers. Unmistakable Payne. At the beginning of my career as an Assistant Golf Professional I had the privilege of learning coaching techniques from Chuck Cook, Payne’s coach when I assisted him in his clinics. Missing Payne Stewart

Due to excess of rain last night we need to reschedule today’s Junior program. Extending it to another week. Next week is a BRING A FRIEND week.

Had a new golfer cross the fairway today @orrlakegolfclub I think he knew I took the camera out to take his photo. He did a little stop & pose. #blueheron #blueheronsofinstagram

Next time you go into the clubhouse at Orr Lake GC take a moment to look at the new junior wall. In 2018, two juniors Matthew and Ethan got to walk - a -hole with a Pro at Glenn Abbey during the practice round at the Canadian Open. Last season we took a trip to the CP Women’s open. I caught a Emery getting some autographs and selfies.

Ordered a little gift for myself but I think it’s confused Wally. It’s like looking in the mirror isn’t it Wally? My new Weimaraner headcover by Daphnes headcovers.

This past Thursday our junior team attended their final interclub event of the year at Innisbrook Golf Club. Congratulations to Matthew Erskine for scoring a 45 for 9 holes (age 10) placing 3rd Congratulations to Spencer Shropshire for scoring a 75 for 18holes age 12 placing 3rd. It may not have been the way the season was originally planned for tournaments but we made the best out of the situation. Very grateful to Shelburne G&CC, Innisbrook GC and Orr Lake GC for hostin...g two events per club this season for the juniors to still enjoy competition. These clubs all gave up 2 hours worth of tee times to keep costs low to encourage juniors to learn to play competitive golf. After this past Interclub event I must have been asked by each junior on the team IS THERE ANOTHER EVENT WE CAN PLAY IN? Yeah!!! They want more!!! I’m very happy to say that our junior program has never been stronger. So much so I decided to extend the junior program till the end of September. They show up every Sunday for their lesson & practice session. They are eager to show me they’ve been practicing their homework. They arrive to each lesson asking lots of questions on how they can improve their game. I also have to mention a group of 11-13 year old juniors who were new to golf (but very experienced in hockey) made it a priority to get out each weekday morning to play 9 or 18 holes. I was so impressed Great job Carter, Ethan P, Grayson & Chase. Thank you to Orr Lake GC and their members for being kind and supportive of all the juniors. It’s so important as these juniors learn one of the best sports there is. #growthegame #futureofgolf See more

It’s 2020 and it’s nice to see that most clubs have moved away from calling the forward tees the ladies tees. Orr Lake GC has done a good job of this and refer to them as just their colour just like the rest of the tee blocks. There’s a sign for distance no reference to being forward or the ladies tees. A friend of mine posted earlier about a club still referring to the tee blocks as ladies tees. We need to encourage ALL golfers to play from the correct tee box, based on ha...ndicap or distance hit. By calling the first set of tees the "Ladies Tees" it discourages and embarrasses male beginner golfers, male Junior golfers or men who do not hit a long ball, to play from a set of tees that does not match their skill level. This will be discouraging for the golfer, they won't have as much fun and it will have a negative impact on the pace of play. Also, for stronger female golfers, it does not encourage them to hit from the proper set of tees to challenge their skill level. This needs to change at courses that have not adapted.