Help! Best Short Game Instructor (on course/grass) on Oahu

[propredicr]

Can anyone refer someone who will teach on grass, inside 100 yards? I don't want to hit off mats. No time to practice and I get one round/week.

 

I've decided to spend my money on some lessons. Usually 60% fairways, 0-1 lost balls, 28-30 putts (might be misleading because my first duff/second close), 5 GIR's and still in the 90's?!?! It really is time to go work on the short game, inside 100 yards where I am losing anywhere from 10-15 strokes/round. Got the HC down to 16 last year...don't know how, with a best round @ 83.

 

Wife is even getting tired of the, "shoulda-woulda-coulda," and told me point blank to get lessons!

 

HELP!

 

Thanks!

[pitbull808]

I don't want to sound like spam..especially since he's a friend of mine and I've recommended him for many things..but Joey Tadeo at Aloha Golf Center and Kaneohe Klipper.

Seriously..and I think Mach 1 and mauiatheart who play with me often can attest..he's really helped my short game grow leaps and bounds in the past month.

I'm pretty ashamed to admit this...but I developed a major problem with what I call chipping yips in the last year. My playing partners started to call me T.C....as in T.C. Chen. I was double hitting on a very regular basis where it got so bad, even when I practiced...I'd be doing it repeatedly to the point of ridiculousness. I probably could have given lessons on how to double hit! I'm only a once a week player also who never practices but I still maintain a single digit...more from playing this game for over thirty years then practice.

In the past two months Joey actually took me off the course/chipping greens and put me on the bare carpet. His theory with me, if I don't accelerate, hands in front the club head...I won't get good contact and I will not be able to hit the ball. Joey proved this too me by throwing the plastic lie board on the ground...and chipping balls from the carpet and making them take one hop off the carpet...bounce and stop on the plastic lie board. This wasn't a special wedge he was using either...just a old Adams Tom Watson model from the demo bag. The stuff he does with a Cally Jaws or Vokey Spin Mill boggle the hell out of me but he's got me advancing to hook/slice spin on my chips now.

What I've learned...as much as I chip off the flat carpet, my contact has grown so much where I used to wish if I missed a green, I'd be in the longer rough and not first cuts because that was definitely yip-ville for me. Now I'm catching the ball much more solid, learned to use my bounce correctly and actually regained my confidence immensely around the greens and my approach shots.


Joey once told me he expects one chip in a round when he plays. I'm not there yet but I have had three in the last six rounds. Mach1 has seen all of them and can attest to it. Joey's teaching method has really helped me from the 100 yards and in shots. mauiatheart has also been taking lessons from him..and he too is learning a lot more spin on his shots..and unlike me, was a whole lot better around the greens to start with.

[propredicr]

Sounds like you're a good...pimp/friend.

I've been "playing" 5.5 years, so I don't have as many wonderful experiences to draw from. Damn, thirty years?

Actually, had two chip-in's the last round from some medium rough...so maybe that's not as much as an issue as the pitch from about 50-90 yards away, right in the middle of the fairway/or some light rough. You know. The one after a big drive and you are salivating, only to shank/skull/chunk your way to the hole. What should be par, at very most, turns out to be bogey or even worse, if frustration creeps in.

I'll try to swing by after work. I know the general area of the shop. Thanks!

[da master 808]

[quote name='propredicr' timestamp='1282208393' post='2648624']
Sounds like you're a good...pimp/friend.

I've been "playing" 5.5 years, so I don't have as many wonderful experiences to draw from. Damn, thirty years?

Actually, had two chip-in's the last round from some medium rough...so maybe that's not as much as an issue as the pitch from about 50-90 yards away, right in the middle of the fairway/or some light rough. You know. The one after a big drive and you are salivating, only to shank/skull/chunk your way to the hole. What should be par, at very most, turns out to be bogey or even worse, if frustration creeps in.

I'll try to swing by after work. I know the general area of the shop. Thanks!
[/quote]

Wow! I'm flabberghasted! Some of the gang stop by to practice and I'm more than happy to offer a tip or two. I occasionally tease the guys with a "trick" shot or two.
The best trick shot hit to date is almost making Mach1's head disappear. LOL

With the short game, there's no magic secret. Once you understand the correct mechanics and how to effectively use bounce, the rest is just practice. I'd be happy to lend an eye and offer a tip or two if you stop by.

I'm usually at AGC by 3 on Thursdays. However, I may have to run some errands today so call first.

[pitbull808]

[quote name='propredicr' timestamp='1282208393' post='2648624']
Sounds like you're a good...pimp/friend.

I've been "playing" 5.5 years, so I don't have as many wonderful experiences to draw from. Damn, thirty years?

Actually, had two chip-in's the last round from some medium rough...so maybe that's not as much as an issue as the pitch from about 50-90 yards away, right in the middle of the fairway/or some light rough. You know. The one after a big drive and you are salivating, only to shank/skull/chunk your way to the hole. What should be par, at very most, turns out to be bogey or even worse, if frustration creeps in.

I'll try to swing by after work. I know the general area of the shop. Thanks!
[/quote]


yeah, I'm 31 years old now.

Those shanks/skulls and chunks...our group has a usual yell after those.."NICE DRIVE!!!".

[rrkman]

[quote name='da master 808' timestamp='1282221360' post='2648727']

Wow! I'm flabberghasted! Some of the gang stop by to practice and I'm more than happy to offer a tip or two. I occasionally tease the guys with a "trick" shot or two.
[/quote]

I've only been lucky enough to meet/golf with him once and saw by far the best left handed, upside wedge shot that I've ever seen. I've chunked a ball out of trouble like that before but this was a shot out of the 'bush' and looked as pretty and landed as soft as any pitch I've ever hit. If I wasn't a 12 hour flight away, I'd spend as much time as I could getting those 'free' tips.

[pitbull808]

[quote name='rrkman' timestamp='1282519267' post='2655381']
[quote name='da master 808' timestamp='1282221360' post='2648727']

Wow! I'm flabberghasted! Some of the gang stop by to practice and I'm more than happy to offer a tip or two. I occasionally tease the guys with a "trick" shot or two.
[/quote]

I've only been lucky enough to meet/golf with him once and saw by far the best left handed, upside wedge shot that I've ever seen. I've chunked a ball out of trouble like that before but this was a shot out of the 'bush' and looked as pretty and landed as soft as any pitch I've ever hit. If I wasn't a 12 hour flight away, I'd spend as much time as I could getting those 'free' tips.
[/quote]


Randy..he is pretty good at those interesting trouble shots. He's got me attempting flop shot 7 irons now. I still haven't had the guts to pull it off on the course...one day.

[rrkman]

 

:cheesy: Randy..he is pretty good at those interesting trouble shots. He's got me attempting flop shot 7 irons now. I still haven't had the guts to pull it off on the course...one day. :D

 

I feel pretty good with my 58* on flops and even sometimes my 54* if it is fluffy but I'm not even down to my PW let alone my 7 iron. All I can say is that you don't want to stand behind the green or even a little right when I give the 7 iron flop a shot.

 

So, with all this knowledge you've gained, feel free to shoot me a message with some pointers.:wave:

[AlohaJim]

Having a good short game (on the grass/greens) practice area is as helpful as finding a good short game coach.

Koolau has a dedicated short game area that includes a large undulating green and bunkers. The "putting" green for just putting is in a different area. They have youth classes later in the day so you have to work around that but most times the area is open. I think KBR is teaching out of Koolau so you'd have to contact them for lessons.

Tasha "Garma" used to teach for KBR and has a wonderful short game touch. No longer teaches there. I think she now works out of Bayview but the short game area there is ratty. You can get lessons on some of the front nine holes at Bayview and that works out well. Tasha's husband Jeff also teaches out of there and can use the course for short game lessons.

New Ewa Beach has the same thing with the addition of a pitching practice area that goes out to 50 yards. The grass is lush and the greens are in great shape. You'd have to check at the front desk for who teaches ot of there.

Coral Creek has a side practice green and short game area thats in a different area than the driving range. The grass and green conditions are great. But the pitches are not too long and greens are tiny. Again, the putting only green is in another area. Have to check with the front desk for who teaches out of there.

[drck1000]

My favorite short game practice area is at New Ewa. But it's so far away and no driving range so when I play there, I just go a little early to chip around for a while before our time.

I've been going to the Navy-Marine range after work about once a week. They have a small short game area to the left of the 10th tee. It's a smaller green and can get crowded. If there's more than three people at the green, I just hit another small bucket and see if someone left. I have a tube of about 15+ balls that I can chip around with, but when there are others on the practice green, I usually just take out three and chip around with those. There have been some pretty inconsiderate people who empty their whole shag bag and start chipping about 30+ balls on the green and sometimes going across the area that others are in. There have been times where I wanted to say something, but I ended up just packing it up and leaving.

I also really like the practice area at Koolina. When I have Friday's off, I will head out there in the late morning, hit balls on the range and then head over to the short game practice area. It's usually pretty empty there.