The U.S. Open is over, and Lucas Glover is the new national champion. Congratulations to Lucas.
To me, The Open ended with not much drama. The only drama was if Lucas was going to hit a 5-iron or 6-iron off the tee? I can’t imagine that on the 72nd hole of a major that you could hit a 6-iron, which is what Glover decided on, and then hit a 9-iron on the green and win the U.S. Open.
Other good stories emerged from the Open such as David Duval’s return to form and his bid to win the Open. Then you have the go-for-broke play of Ricky Barnes.
But without a doubt, the play of Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods down the stretch will be talked about. In Tiger’s case, I think it was the putter. He made no putts and missed more putts inside 10 feet than he has in his whole career. Phil was definitely charged by the New York fans, and he obviously feeds off that. His preparation for this event was more casual than usual. His wife’s health is his main concern and the golf has become secondary, so the theory of trying to hard sometimes is definitely in play. We wish the best to Amy and Phil.
Tragedy also has struck here on the Indiana golf scene as Beth Smith, wife of PGA Tour player Chris Smith, was killed last Sunday in a car accident. Their two children also were in the car and are hospitalized. The Smith’s are one of Indiana’s best-known golfing families, residing up in Peru. They own Rock Hollow Golf Club. Our thoughts and prayers are with Chris and the entire Smith family.
This Tuesday, June 30, is a big day for me as I attempt to qualify for the U.S. Senior Open. The good news is the qualifier is here at the Brickyard. The bad news there are 101 players attempting to qualify for three spots.
The U.S. Senior Open is being played at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Ind. It would be special for me to qualify as I was an assistant at Crooked Stick under Jim Ferriell back in 1985. I think a 4-under 68 will get the job done.
After the qualifier, the Indiana State Open begins July 6 with a Pro-Am and then the actual tournament will be July 7-10, all at Brickyard Crossing.
Remember the Brickyard is one of America’s best public courses you can play, so book your tee time and come out and play the Brickyard.
Jeff Schroeder
PGA Head Professional
Brickyard Crossing
The U.S. Open has started and now has stopped. Play has been suspended for the day, and it will resume at 7:30 Friday morning. So it is going to be boring day here, with no golf to watch.
I watched a few holes Thursday morning, which was Tiger’s group as it teed off at 8:06 a.m. In his group were Angel Cabrera and Padraig Harrington. They completed six holes and will start on #7 Friday morning. The conditions were really rough, with gusty winds and a constant rain that eventually turned Bethpage Black’s fairways and greens into streams.
The scores were about what everyone thought they would be – somewhere around 1-under or even par. Scores probably will not go low due to the conditions and the length of the course. Throw the rain and the wet rough in the mix, and the course is probably playing two to three shots harder.
I would like to welcome fellow professional and Hoosier Craig Bowden to our blogging team. Craig has been on Tour quite a few years, and if you recall, he came to the Indy 500 this year. Check out his blog as he is playing in the Open and blogging from there all this week. Indiana University player David Erdy, who is from Evansville, also got in the Open as alternate. Good luck to both players this week.
It is less than two weeks until the Brickyard hosts the U.S. Senior Open qualifier, and the field here is strong. One Tour player is entered, left-hander Russ Cochran, and also a few former Tour players such as Ralph Landrum, who led the U.S. Open at Oakmont. There are quite a few fellow Indiana professionals, along with some other club professionals from the surrounding states. There are 101 entries, with only three advancing to the championship at Crooked Stick Golf Course in Carmel, Ind. It will probably take 4-under to secure a spot and maybe 2- or 3-under for the last spots. It all depends on the weather. The course is going to be setup from the back tees with difficult hole locations. If the course is soft, it will play longer, but the greens will be more receptive for approach shots. Spectators are welcome, and there is no admission charge.
After the qualifier, we go right into the Fourth of July week and then the Indiana State Open on July 7-10. Here in Indianapolis, we have had some type of rain nine of the last 11 days. We could use a break from the rain and let things dry out a bit so we can keep up with our mowing.
With no U.S. Open action going on Thursday, the rain has stopped and the sun is out in Indiana. This would be a good time to get some practice in to get ready for the qualifier and State Open. My knee is feeling a lot better but is still sore when I walk up and down hills.
Check out our Web site soon as we are going to be announcing a new promotion and an event in conjunction with the State Open.
Jeff Schroeder
PGA Head Professional
Brickyard Crossing
After my last blog, I got back into doing some practicing and also went down to French Lick to play Pete Dye’s new monster course. But before that happened, I had a little injury problem that had to be taken care of in the last week, so here is what happened after the last blog.
On the last Saturday in May, my friend from bowling and ESPN commentator Randy Petersen was in town, so we played that day. I was playing pretty good, and then I hit a shot on the 16th hole and felt something in my left knee give like it was buckling. The pain went away, and I finished the round.
But on Sunday, my knee was really sore. I didn’t think I was going to be able to go to French Lick on Monday. I put a brace on it and went to French Lick to play the Pete Dye Course and then play the Ross course on Tuesday morning. I got to the range on Monday and tried to hit a few balls, and it just wasn’t working. So I improvised and came up with an arm swing to play that day.
The problem was every time I shifted my weight to the left leg on the follow-through, a sharp pain and what felt like my knee buckling occurred. I finished the day and headed home to get it looked at by a doctor.
I went to Ortho Indy on Thursday and saw Dr. Kollias and got some X-rays. He then sent me Friday morning to get an MRI to see if I had actually torn my meniscus or some ligaments. On Tuesday, I got the call from Dr. Kollias with good news, bad news.
The good news is there are no tears or damages to the ligaments or meniscus. The bad news is I had a bad bruise on the outside of my left knee that was causing some swelling and pain, and the big issue is a cyst in my tibia bone in which my knee sits atop and where all my weight is placed. So that was some relief, but I will have to address the cyst at some point in the future. There is still some discomfort there, especially when walking up hills and side slopes. I have been released to start playing again and will do so in the coming days.
Meanwhile back at French Lick, the new Dye course is very good and very hard depending on the tees you choose to play. We chose to play the course at 6,700 yards and found it very challenging. Pete found the 36 high and low spots and put a tee and green on those spots, so about every hole is either uphill or downhill.
The views are spectacular. The clubhouse sits atop the highest point and is an old, colonial-looking farm house from which you can see all around the course.
After we finished our first round, we decided to play a scramble from the back edge of every tee which equates to over 8,000 yards. We had two groups, so the first hole was a 519-yard par 4 downhill into the wind, and no one got it on the green in two. The course from the back tees has six par 4’s that are over 500 yards and has a 300-yard par 3 with junk left, a lake right and a layup area about the size of a small bathroom. To play your own ball from all the way back might take all day.
Rumor has it that the lowest score shot from the back tees is reportedly 86. We want to thank Jan Tellstrom, the professional, for taking good care of us on our visit and also to Dave Harner, the director of golf, for his hospitality. The fee to play the course is little salty at $350 per player, but your foursome does get a nice wooden box set with a bottle of whiskey, four shot glasses and four premium cigars.
My advice is to take the shot of whiskey before you pay the fee and then another shot before you tee off. It is definitely worth the trip to play – and don’t forget there is a casino there, too!
Last week on the Tour, Tiger showed that he still is the player to beat as he won the Memorial Tournament hosted by Jack Nicklaus. If you notice a trend here, Tiger seems to bring his best game to all the majors, obviously, but he really turns it on when he plays at Arnie’s Bay Hill tournament and at Jack’s Memorial tournament.
By the way, did you see the skins’ game they had at the Memorial? They had a chip-off to determine a winner between Jack, Tiger, Kenny Perry and Stewart Cink. Of course, Tiger chipped it in to win the most skins.
It has been one year since Tiger won a major and then had surgery, so I am going to go out on a limb and pick Tiger for the U.S. Open again as it is being played at Bethpage Black, which is extremely long and difficult, just how Tiger likes them.
Phil Mickelson also made his return this week at Memphis in preparation for the Open. Phil has been off tour since his wife, Amy, had been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Congratulations also go to Bedford native Craig Bowden, who qualified for the Open this week at Columbus, Ohio. If you recall, Craig came to the Indy 500 this year and has been friend of ours for a while. Craig made the cut at Bethpage the last time the Open was played there.
Back here at the Brickyard, the course conditions are awesome. Our superintendent, Jeff Stuart, and his staff have done an outstanding job of keeping the course in what I call tournament condition. We have the U.S. Senior Open qualifying at the end of this month and then the Indiana State Open the second week of July.
Remember, Brickyard Crossing is open to the public, and we have Twilight Golf with reduced greens fees daily beginning at 4 p.m. Check our Web site for upcoming specials.
The Brickyard Senior Series returns on June 18, hosted by our Pro Emeritus, Rollie Schroeder. Visit www.brickyardseniorgolfseries.com for more information. Don’t forget Father’s Day is coming up, and a great gift would be a round of golf for your father. Better yet: Book a tee time for you and your father and play on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 21!
Jeff Schroeder
PGA Head Professional
Brickyard Crossing
The Indy 500 is in the books, and congrats to Helio and Team Penske. It is back to golf here at the Brickyard, with a few events here in the next week or so.
A new event here at the Brickyard was completed this week, the Brickyard Crossing Senior Series hosted by Rollie Schroeder, our pro emeritus. This will be a monthly tournament for seniors to compete for prizes. More information on these events can be found at the Web site, www.brickyardseniorgolfseries.com.
The PGA Tour this week is in Texas at the Colonial, the Nationwide is in Raleigh, N.C., where we have couple of players with Brickyard ties competing. Chad Collins is back out on the road as you know if you have read his blog this week, and our old friend Jim Gallagher Jr. also is playing this week. Jim usually comes up for the race but called and said he was playing this week and wanted to stay home and practice. Another Hoosier professional on the Nationwide Tour, Craig Bowden from Bedford, stopped by last week to watch the Indy 500.
Our men’s and ladies’ clubs here at the Brickyard are in full swing with their seasons. The ladies played Wednesday, May 27, and the men have an event Saturday, May 30. If you would like more information on our clubs, visit our Web site at www.brickyardcrossing.com or give us a call at (317) 492-6572, and we will answer any of your questions.
This Monday, I will have the pleasure of playing the new Pete Dye course at French Lick, Ind. I have heard it is amazingly difficult and long. Rumor has it that the course record from the back tees (8,000 yards) is 86. Obviously, I will not be playing the back tees but hope to get a few photos of the views from the back tees.
The U.S. Senior Open qualifier is a month away and I need to find some game. So I need to get out do some practicing and especially do some stretching and walking. So don’t forget to get out hit some balls and play a round here at the Brickyard. Stay tuned for upcoming events and programs here at the Brickyard.
Jeff Schroeder
PGA Head Professional
Brickyard Crossing
Another The Rollie golf tournament is in the books. We had a full field of over 150 players on a beautiful 80-degree afternoon May 20 at the Brickyard Crossing.
Our friends at IZOD provided a great gift bag for all the celebrities, and players and Jug’s Catering provided us with the traditional fried chicken and biscuits dinner.
I want to thank all the drivers for playing. We had about six current drivers, such as Graham Rahal, A.J. Foyt IV, Tomas Scheckter, Darren Manning and Ryan Hunter-Reay. We also had two former Indy 500 winners in Al Unser Jr. and Bobby Rahal, plus Jerry Sneva, a former Indy Rookie of the Year. I also want to thank our friends from NHRA, drivers Brandon Bernstein, Morgan Lucas, Shawn Langdon, Tommy Johnson Jr. and Melanie Troxel. Thanks to all the drivers for making The Rollie the golf happening of the month.
One big thanks goes to all the players for supporting the tournament every year. Check out the photos here on our Web site.
The biggest thanks goes out to the Hulman-George family for naming the tournament after my father, Rollie Schroeder, for his years of service here at the Speedway as their golf professional. Thank you Mari, Tony, Nancy, Josie and Kathi.
This Memorial day weekend is big here at the Brickyard. Friday was Miller Lite Carb Day, and the course is closed except for our Pace Car driver this year, Josh Duhamel. He is getting in a little golf before he goes back to practicing for the race Sunday.
Come Monday, it is back to usual business here at the Brickyard with golf starting at about 11:30 a.m. So after the weekend is over the course reopens for regular play, and I have to say our golf course is in the best shape ever. Thanks to Jeff Stuart, our course superintendent.
Remember the Brickyard is open for play starting Monday, and we will be coming up with some new promotions besides our daily Twilight Golf after 4 p.m. Lots of cool events scheduled here this summer, so stay tuned.
Jeff Schroeder
PGA Head Professional
Brickyard Crossing
May is in full swing here at the Brickyard. The first weekend of qualifying is over, and congrats to the Penske organization for winning the prestigious pole for the Indianapolis 500 set to run May 24.
The Players Championship finished last week. Pretty shocking that Tiger did not win. As a matter of fact, Tiger never threatened as he got off to a bad start and never recovered.
Tiger was interviewed after the round and explained how he was hitting these “high right spinners,” which means there is something new in the swing that isn’t working. Some people are saying the bulking up of his upper body is hurting him. I think maybe a new swing will be brought out at the U.S. Open next month. You can’t play the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black with a high slice and ankle-deep rough.
Here at the Brickyard, we have enjoyed some good golf activity although the weather has not been the greatest. But we have been getting by.
Next week is a big week leading up to the race. The big event of the week for us is the annual The Rollie golf tournament. This tournament is in honor of my father, who was the professional here for 39 years. He just rolled into town last weekend and will spend the summer here and then head south when the weather turns cool around October.
We are pleased to announce that this year’s tournament is being sponsored by IZOD. There are also a few associate sponsors that help out with food and beverage, such as Jug’s Catering and IMS Food and Beverage. The tournament couldn’t be a success without them, and a big thank you goes out to all of them.
A sad part of this month is that two of the biggest supporters and participants of The Rollie, and also when it was known as the annual Race Drivers tournament, are not with us anymore. Those two gentlemen are Jug Eckert and Lloyd Ruby.
Jug always supplied the food and drink for the after golf party and awards. Lloyd always worked behind the scenes getting other drivers to play, getting the accessory companies to donate items and basically made sure that everyone had as good as time as he did. Those two will be sadly missed.
Until next week, keep it down the middle and don’t forget the Brickyard is open during qualifications this weekend.
Jeff Schroeder
PGA Head Professional
Brickyard Crossing
May is here, and the racetrack is officially open for practice for the Indianapolis 500.
Of course, we have had some rain the first part of the month. The MAC Championship finished Saturday, May 2, and Kent State won the conference in a convincing manner. The tournament started out with 36 holes on Thursday May 1 but was delayed due to rain. They finally got started around 10:30 a.m. with a shotgun start, and believe it or not, they got 36 holes in before dark.
In the second round, Kent State blew the field away by shooting a school record 17-under-par as a team. Their scores were 66, 68, 68, 69 and 74. They count the best four out of five scores. This was an impressive score from our back gold tees in wet, soft, breezy conditions. My Ball State Cards got off to a slow start and picked up in the third round but faltered to a sixth-place finish.
I ventured down to Fuzzy Zoeller’s new course, Champions Pointe, in Henryville, Ind. This is a good course that has a good variety of holes with trees and then some open holes and some water that definitely comes into play on the closing holes.
I actually hit the ball OK, but I missed a few fairways, and the rough was just brutal. It was long and wet, as they had rain almost all last weekend, and we played on Monday so the rough was not cut. Every time I missed the fairway it led to a bogey or even a double-bogey like I had on the eighth hole. I ended up with a 78 but just chipped it horrible all day.
So after a couple of competitive rounds, I know I have to take my own advice and start working on my short game. During May it is tough to get any practice time in with all the events going on, but a few minutes around the putting green should be doable. I keep telling everyone to work on their short game and here I am ignoring my own advice. So it is back to what my father made me do when I was a junior: Work on my short game or he would not let me play a round.
This past weekend, the May festivities of our Centennial Era kicked off with the Centennial Era Balloon Festival presented by AT&T Real Yellow Pages and a Saturday evening concert by Josh Kelley and Ryan Cabrera.
Josh and Ryan rolled in about 6 a.m. in their bus from a show in Cleveland the night before and wanted to play some golf that day. So we teed it up at about 10 a.m. Saturday behind the last round of the MAC.
Josh played college golf at Ole Miss for a year before embarking on his musical career. Josh is a 4 handicap and obviously doesn’t get to practice much, but he definitely can play and could be a scratch player with a little practice. He hits it high and long.
He gets to play in all the cool events. He just got through playing in the Hootie and the Blowfish tournament and played in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Ryan, on the other hand, is not so good, but he has fun playing and after about three or four holes he started hitting some good shots. He and their manager, Gabe, had a little game going. It was stroke play, and Ryan beat him pretty good the front side. They kept the match going on the back nine, but I have to admit they have their own set of rules and scoring system.
All and all, we had a great time with them. They were really into the Speedway and the golf course and were amazed at the size of the facility. Plus I was a big hit with my 16-year-old daughter, Lauren, as she got to meet them and get her picture taken with them. Thanks, Josh and Ryan.
The PGA Tour this week is at the famed TPC at Sawgrass. I played this course about two years ago, and it is tough. A few bad swings, and you are on your way to a high score.
Not sure what is going on with Tiger’s game. He has had some uncharacteristic bad finishes to rounds that I thought would not happen. Maybe it’s the layoff or he might be working on something new since The Masters. Time will tell, and the old saying is the cream always rising to the top.
As I sit here, I can hear the IndyCars practicing over at the Speedway. Remember, you can come out here during this month and play while the cars are practicing. We even have golf available during qualifications. The exception is that the golf course will not be open on Pole Day this Saturday but will be available the other three qualifying days.
Good luck to all the drivers this month as they prepare for the greatest race in the world, the Indianapolis 500. Check out our Web site at www.brickyardcrossing.com for other news and events going on here at The Brickyard.
Jeff Schroeder
PGA Head Professional
Brickyard Crossing
Getting caught up. Sorry for the delay in writing, but I will recap the last few weeks.
The Masters. Tiger did not win, but what a performance he and Phil put on that last round together. I did, though, give Kenny Perry a little notice in my last blog. He had that one in the bag, I thought, but it is The Masters. Chad Campbell also suffered the same fate. As for Tiger, I admire his honesty in saying that his swing was not there. He had to Band-Aid it to compete, unlike Sergio, who did apologize after saying the course was not prepared properly and that he did not care for The Masters.
Weather has been an issue here in Indy again. We get about two or three good days in a row, and then it either rains or turns cold with rain. The NAIA Classic experienced that here in April, but there were some really good scores shot in the cold and the rain. Berry College from Georgia won the two-day event, and Dusty Drenth of St. Ambrose University in Iowa was medalist with an outstanding 36-hole score of 4-under 140. Conditions were not that conducive to low scores, so congrats to the winners. Oh, to be young again and in college!
I competed in my first tournament here in Indiana this year at Broadmoor Country Club, which is a Donald Ross design. The weather was terrible. It was about 45 degrees, windy and rainy. I did not play that bad, just had no short game, including putting very poorly. My next section event will be Monday, May 4 at Fuzzy Zoeller’s new course called Champions Pointe. It is in southern Indiana, down around New Albany, and, of course, the weather forecast is calling for rain. I will report back on the course, as I have heard it is very good.
As I am writing this, the Mid-American Conference Championship is going on here at Brickyard Crossing the next three days. Of course, we have had a two-hour weather delay, and the forecast calls for rain the next three days. Please, can we get a break with this rain so some golf can be played? Oh, well: Cannot control the weather. We just want some good weather for May. My alma mater, Ball State, needs to win the conference to move on to the NCAA regionals. GO CARDS!
The racing season is here, and three races in the Indy Car Series are in the books. Everyone’s attention has turned to the Indy 500. We have numerous days the course is open while the cars are practicing, and this is a really unique experience. Give us a call and book a tee time. We even have tee times available on three qualification days.
There always are numerous events that take place during May. Check out our Web site for our Speed of Play promotion, which includes a Mother’s Day special. That special allows a mother who is accompanied by an immediate family member to play a complimentary round as a guest of the Brickyard. This is thanks to all those moms out there who enjoy the game of golf.
I think that pretty much catches up on the golf happenings here at the Brickyard. Remember, if your game needs a tune-up, give us a call here at the Brickyard and visit us online at www.brickyardcrossing.com.
Jeff Schroeder
PGA Head Professional
Brickyard Crossing
It’s Masters week! Most feel this is the start of spring and the golf season across the Midwest.
I’m going to start by making some picks and observations about the tournament and the players in the field. First, the field is somewhat limited with about 70 players. Of course, my pick to win this year is Tiger – bold pick, huh? – for a few reasons.
First, Tiger is coming off a dramatic victory at Bay Hill in which he birdied the last hole for a one-shot victory. He also still has the passion for the game, and by his expressions after making the winning putt he still shows his emotions for the win. His mental game is such that it almost gives him a two-shot advantage every round over the field. He loves Augusta and the atmosphere.
Now let’s talk about who will contend this week with Tiger. Phil Mickelson has been touted by the media to be his rival. Well, remember there are 70-plus players this week, and 140 players other weeks, who want to beat Tiger. You have to beat the best to become the best.
So let’s move on to a host of players that are ready to win their first major. The foreign contingent is led by last week’s winner, Paul Casey. Then you have Retief Goosen, Sergio Garcia, Nick Watney, Justin Rose, Luke Donald and the list goes on. And let’s not forget the defending champion, Trevor Immelman.
Now we can move to some of the older players. We have a crowd favorite in Fred Couples. At age 49, Freddie is playing some very good golf this season with a couple of top-five finishes, including last week when he bogeyed his last three holes for a third-place finish. Also playing this week is 48-year-old Kenny Perry, who has been one of the hottest players over the last year and could challenge this week for his first green jacket.
We also have Greg Norman returning to Augusta, a place where the green jacket has eluded him numerous times with a meltdown in 1996 in which he lost a six-shot lead over eventual winner Nick Faldo. And last but not least, the lone Hoosier to win The Masters, Fuzzy Zoeller. Fuzzy won his green jacket in 1979, his first start at Augusta, in a playoff over Ed Sneed and Tom Watson. This is the 30th anniversary of his victory, and he has decided it will be his last Masters as a competitor. Thanks, Fuzzy, for all the memories, and good luck in your final appearance as a player.
Here are some interesting notes about Augusta. It limits the amount of spectators. You must either already have tickets, or badges, as they call them, to attend the tournament Thursday through Sunday. They have a lottery for practice tickets, in which they also limit the amount of spectators. They also have a waiting list for volunteers. You never see any debris laying around the course. The prices at the concession stands are considered among the least expensive of all major sporting events, and they limit the amount of TV time along with the amount of commercials during the broadcast.
I have been fortunate enough to go to The Masters twice and can tell you that it is well worth the trip if you ever get the chance. It is most likely on every sports-minded person’s bucket list, along with the Indianapolis 500.
With The Masters this week and tax day next week, we hope that we get some good weather here and see lots of golfers. We go into a full schedule starting this weekend with a NAIA college tournament here hosted by Indiana Wesleyan. There are teams from all over the country coming to play the Brickyard. There are some very good players on these teams, and I will report back on the results next week.
Jeff Schroeder
PGA Head Professional
Brickyard Crossing
The Brickyard Crossing and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway lost a good friend this week. Lloyd Ruby passed away this week at the age of 81.
Lloyd was a good friend of my father and our family, and he would come back every May to play some golf and attend the Indy 500. Lloyd was one of the drivers who helped keep the Race Driver’s Tournament going every year with my father, Stan Benge, Parnelli Jones and Jug Eckert. The tournament is now known as “The Rollie.”
The format is a scramble, and every year it was a well-known fact that USGA rules did not apply. The rules of the tournament were known as “Ruby Rules.” Strict golf rules were not followed; it was all about having fun.
If you ever got the chance to play with Rube, it was a golfing experience you would never forget. Mulligans were abundant, and the adult beverages were a must. The tournament always was held the day after Bump Day, and the drivers who participated came to have fun after a long month of working to get into the world’s greatest race, the Indianapolis 500.
There are many stories to tell about those golf tournaments, and I am sure at this year’s tournament a lot of Lloyd Ruby stories will be told. Lloyd was a true friend of the Brickyard Crossing and an even bigger supporter of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He will be sadly missed this May by everyone here at the Brickyard.
The weather here in Indy has been good for March; we are still running our “Pay the Temp” special and are seeing a lot of new golfers here at the Brickyard. The NCAA Midwest Regional is in town this weekend, and we should pick up a few players from that. Other than basketball, right now the golf talk centers on Tiger playing this week at Bay Hill. I think he will have a good showing as he always has played well at Arnie’s tournament. After Bay Hill, everything will focus on The Masters, and will it be Phil or Tiger?
I got out last Saturday, March 21 and played here at the Brickyard with a few members, Gary Martin and Fred Hash, and Sam Foley, one of our teaching professionals. The course was in really good shape for March. Jeff Stuart and his staff did an outstanding job of getting the course ready for play.
If you have not read Jeff’s blog yet, do so and you will find out a lot of interesting facts about the maintenance of Brickyard Crossing and golf courses, in general.
I didn’t hit the ball too bad for the first time out since my disappointing play in Florida back in January. One of my goals this year is to try and practice more and play a round or two each week to keep in competitive shape as I near the 50 mark.
Remember, get out and practice a little before that first round of the year. This also is a good time to go see your local PGA Professional for a lesson. Getting a lesson early in the year can break some bad habits that you might have or even create that first time out.
Here at the Brickyard, we offer an array of programs and packages for lessons. Keep in mind that swing flaws cannot be fixed with just one lesson, so think about doing a series of lessons or – like we offer here – unlimited lessons for the season.
Jeff Schroeder
PGA Head Professional
Brickyard Crossing