A REVOLUTIONARY SWING CHANGE
Take Advantage
Of Bad Weather
Fortunately the sun never sets on the game ol golf. I hat is certainly
true lor those ol us lucks enough hi live on the \t*th Carolina coast I Ins
tail and earl> w inter has provided us
with unbelievable goll weather. I
don't want to jinx us. but we liave
really hail a great gollmg season this
year.
Although most professional
tournaments are over until January.
wc amateur golfers can continue
witli full steam ahcail. Actually.
most ol i>ur winter weather is
playable. I don't mind playing in a
normal rain shower, ami as long .is I can leel the grips, coltl weather isn t
all that bail it you make adjustments to your game.
W hen u gets cold and wet. ! do tend to abandon ship I hat combina
(Kin ol elements iiist ilivs not compute lor my game. A heavy wind coin
bined w uh cold weather also w ill chase me to the bam on occasion
Learn In Bad Weather
Believe it or not. there are sonic gixnl things that can hapjvn when we
play m adverse weather conditions, \\e may discover a thing or two about
our game that is not always appaietil in pleasant weather. Wc may even al
low the elements to torce us into sonic game tactics which serve us well all
year around.
Wet aiul wind> conditions normally cause us to to be more conscious
of our stance and placement of our feet to gain a better purchase in the turl
and to be aware of our balance: balance when taking our stance and balance
during the sw inc.
I am con\ inced that uh> many golfers nddlc and laddie with all sorts ol
swing mechanics when they should concentrate more on the dynamics of
the suing Pix'r swing mechanics generally manifest themselves in a con
stant shot deviation. That is to say that we consistent!) pull our shots, rou
tinely hit a duck htvk. or we drill a hardwood slice that starts right and
ends up farther to the right.
I know that for the better part of ten years 1 played a ball which ranged
from a fade to a boomerang slice. On most days I was never sure which
version ol ni> slice would dominate my play. I do know that 1 always be
came \cr> familiar with the right side ot what ever course 1 was playing at
the lime.
The Fade Was Easy To Learn
That slice entered m> game easier that any mechanical swing change I
have ever made. I had been plagued with a mad-dog. duck hook lor several
years I never, ever hit a draw. It was always a hook. A friend of mine at
Fort Benning joined me on the driving range one da> w hen I was frothing
at the mouth tr\ing to hit a smooth draw. It was too cold to play even nine
holes, but I was on the range for some practice shots. Slow deliberate
swings produced low screaming hivks and faster swings produce high
iwks which just flew farther to the left.
Finally, mv friend asked why didn't I just tr> to lade the ball. My rcpl>.
as l recall, was something >ou could onh get away with saying to a good
friend. He said. "Shucks, just open up >our stance some, tee the ball a little
higher and move it up an inch or so in your stance." In a mocking voice, I
repeated his instructions as 1 set up for the next shot and then hit the nicest
tide you ever saw right down the middle ol the range.
I became more and more excited as 1 repealed the process w ith the
same results. Every shot was a dandy and better yet it did not roll very tar
to the richi alter it landed. I changed from a driver to my long irons with
the s.unc result ! worked my way down to the seven iron with essentially
the same trajectory on liis ball. Oid_. when i reached back lo; something
extra, did the ball slice wildly to ihe right.
After playing lor a week or so with the fade and occasional slice I
found myself in a position where a hook would be a belter choice of shots. I
thought, no big deal. I will just go back to my old stance and sci up. But,
no. that ball sliced loo. I decided not to aim right and hit it right again thai
day.
While practicing after that round. 1 tried everything I knew to hook the
ball and nothing worked. The best 1 could do was a dead pull to the left or a
push to the right. 1 was totally synchronized to the lade/slice. It did have the
elleci of improving my game by providing an element of control that had
not been there belore. It was also easier to plan my shots by aiming slighth
to the left and it provided a level of confidence not formally found in mv
game. So I stusk to ihe fade for a long lime.
II our weather ever gels loo cold to play, hit a few practice balls and
see what you can leam about your swing. I will keep your golf muscles in
tune and may pro\ ide a surprise or two you had noi counted on.
Ne.xt week: Balance is the key to maneuvering ihe ball.
I WILLGOLF
BY
WILL
COCKRELL
State Changes Commercial
Fish Licenses For Next Year
The N.C. Division of Marine
Fisheries will change the way it sells
commercial fishing licenses starting
next year.
Commercial licenses for 1992
will go on sale Jan. 2 as usual, hut
will only he valid through June .V),
according to a news release.
Starting in July, commercial fish
ermen will purchase annual licenses
that will be valid from July 1
through June 30 of the following
year.
Fishermen who buy new licenses
next month will only pay half of
what they normally pay. Licenses
purchased in July will be the normal
price.
Commercial licenses tor vessel
and dealer operations and shellfish
ing must be purchased by Feb. 1, ac
cording to the news release.
The N.C. General Assembly man
dated the shift in the license period
so it coincides with the state's fiscal
year instead of the calendar year.
Fishermen are expected to bcnellt
in the future because they won't have
to buy licenses during the slow w in
ter months, the news release stales.
The suite is also expected to bene
fit by having license revenues match
the annual budget cycle.
License revenues total about
S7<)<).0<>0 each year and help cover
the cost of law enforcement and
fisheries management.
For more information on ihe li
censes, call the division office in
Moreheatl City at l-X(K)-6S2-2632.
Mfc * Christmas Day Golf Special %^sb
$20
Per Player
Includes green fee
and cart
Dec. 25 only
Call the Pro
Shop for
tee times
579-9120
Old Georgetown Rd.
Calabash
GOLF and COUNTRY CLUB
AT CALABASH
? Best Bent-Grass Greens on the Strand!
Foxy Ladies Compete At Ocean Isle Course
Nancy Houldin It red gross lH) and
Joanna I ang shot net 71 to win the
lirsi High! in the l ow I allies goll
tournament lasi niursday at (Vcan
Isle Beach (iolf Course.
In the second flight. True
Schmaler had Ihe K>\\ gross with a
107. Ginny An/elone and Pierrette
Tompkins tied lor low net with 74.
Thin! flight winners were
Marilyn Athan with gross 115 ami
1)?h1ic N i land with net 75.
Birdies were carded hy Hilda
Hall at the seventh hole and Mis.
Houldin at the llth.
The group's next tonruanient is
scheduled Jan. I<> at 1 ion's Paw
("toll 1 inks
Bricrwood Men
GOLFING ACTION
IV team ol Roy Havenua. (ireg
Boulihn. Al Hut lor arul Harry
Pearson shot I W to win the
HnerwtxKl Moil's Cioll Assixiaiion
two host ball ovont last Thursday.
Boh Tompkins, Ji>hn Martocci,
I >k k An/olono anil Norm Souoio
shot I }7 to tio the loam ol I toward
Hayno, Hill Rose. Don Soil/ and
Charlie Stransky lor second place.
Throe teams tied lor lirst with
rounds ol 3S in the nine-hole mixed
scramble last Wednesday.
Winning teams were Hoh Hoke,
Norm Soucio, Joanna hang and
Pierrette Tompkins: Frank Thomp
son. Joe Tymchak. (linny An/elono
'TVs Not The Season
\ vacant pier awaited visitors to Ocean Isle Beach last Sunday
morning. Sunshine, breezes and pelicans were plentiful, hut there
were no crowds of people as temperatures were a hit too low for
J'tshing in the chilly Atlantic.
ami Marian Rockstroh; anil Bob
Tompkins, Mob Sterner, Dcde
Havengaand Li/ Brucc.
Brick Landing
Martha Cullon won the Brick
landing Ladies Cioll Association
low pints tournament last Thursday
with 30 putts.
Terry Ehlers and Marie Harry tied
on the front nine with 15 putts each.
Ruth Gardner hail low putts on the
hack nine with 14.
Pal Sneyers had a chip-in at tho
third hole, and Mrs. Gardner birilieil
the second hole.
Sea Trail Men
Wayne Tribble I: roil a net 69 to
win the Sea Trail Men's Goll
Association tournament last week.
Dick Matheny was second with
net 70. John Ewart took third place
on a match of cards over Don
I .owensten.
Al Consalvi was closest to the
pin al the third hole, and Lowensten
was closest at the 17th.
Ruth's Renegades
Ruth's Renegades held a
crossover tournament last Thursday,
with some members competing at
Carolina Shores and some al
B Norwood.
Top finishers at Carolina Shores
were Ruth Brown with 28, Laura
Paliwoda with 30.5 and Anna Clute
with 31.
Blanche Johnson had the low
gross of 114 and low net of 75 al
Carolina Shores.
Winners a( Brierwood were
ltiyllis Harding wilh 2K, Edith
Wilkens wilh 30 and lx>t Frey wiiti
30.
Marion Corbin had the low gross
of 107 and low net of 73.
On Dec. 10. Ruth's Renegades
hosted a Texas Scramble with hus
bands and wives playing at Buck
Creek Golf 'Club.
Len and Ruth Brown and Al and
Jackie Storm shot 76 and won the
scramble on a match of cards over
two other teams.
Finishing in second place was the
foursome of Tom ami Jenny Briggs
and Bennett and Anna Clute.
The foursome of Doris Dudley,
Jan Kilgore, Blanche Johnson and
Dick Merrick placed third wilh a
76.
Closest to the pin honors went to
Ruth Brown at the fourth hole and
I larry Caiz/o at the eighth.
Brierwood Ladies
Pal O'Connell fired the low gross
of 97 to win the Brierwood Ladies
Golf Association tournament last
week.
Marie Dolan was second with
gross 98, and she also had low putts
for the day wilh 30.
Molly Hoke and Bcllilou Bayne
tied for low net honors with match
ing scorcs of 7 1 .
Louise Bli/zard had the only
chip-in of the tournament. It came
al the 16th hole.
MORE GOLF FOR LESS GREEN
Presented By:
Carolina Shores
And River Oaks
Both Ranked in
Myrtle Beach's Top Five
18-Hole Golf Specials
To Suit Your Time and Pocket
/4U Include &vUW
Carolina Shores
919-579-2181
803-448-2657
River Onk*
803-236-2222
1-800-762-8813
Carolina Shores
Specials
River Oaks
Specials
$15 Before 8:30 AM
$22 8:30-12:30
$15 After 12:30
$22 till 12:30
$15 After 12:30
9 Holes Early Bird Special
$5.00 (Back Nine Only)
Tee Time Reservations Before 8:00
Not valid for lournaments or groups.
Tee times no more than 3 days in advance.
All Offers Good Only With Coupon
Expires 12/25/91
THE BEACON
This Week's
Tide Table
DECEMBER
HIGH LOW
l)ay Date A.M. P.M. A.M. P.M.
Thursday 19 5:42 6:02 12:10
i-ridav 20 6:38 6:58 12:15 1:03
Saturday 21 7:30 7:52 1:07 1:53
Sunday 22 8:24 8:48 1:59 2:45
Monday 23 9:17 9:44 2:51 3:36
Tuesday 24 10:09 1041 3:46 4:26
Wednesday 25 11:03 11:37 4:39 5:1 7S
ADJUSTMENTS
SHALLOTTE INLET? add 17 min.
high tide, add 32 min. low tide.
LOCKWOOD IOLLY ? subtract 22
min. high tide, subtract 8 min. low tide.
BALD HEAD ISLAND? subtract 10
min. high tide, subtract 7 min. low tide.
SOUTH PORT ? add 7 min. high tide,
add 15 min. low tide.
LITTLE RIVER? add 7 min. high
tide, add 7 min. low tide
GOLF CLUBS
BOUGHT
AND SOLD
IN THE BEACON
CLASSIFIED ADS!
754-6890
...Have you played at Brierwood yet?\
They have unbelievable golf specials')
Yes! The
course is in
great shape
FALL FESTIVAL OF GOLF
ANY MORNING
$20 G-FEE Play All Day
AFTER 12 PM
$1 4 G-FEE
2 PM SPECIAL
$15 Cart & Green Fee
BRIERWQOD
GOLF'CLUB
CHRISTMAS]
SPECIALS
REEBOKS
from $45
DEXTERS
from $31
Jackets
gTunlined $15
lined $1 8
SHIRTS
Mark Scotf
A.M^ Player
$22
Pinnacle
Golf Balls
$18 per doz.
Plus many
more specials
CALL FOR TEE TIMES 754-4660
Hwy. 179, Shallotte City Limits
The 12 Days
of Christmas...
Locals Special
Dec. 20-31
*15??
green fee & cart included
Call 754-4373=/
ext. 311 for tee times
PLANTATION
GOLF CLUB
All non-sale
Pro Shop
merchandise
25% Off
Ocean Isle Beach
754-4373