where not to put it. It’s also
important to create a schedule that
allows you to be fresh and make
sure your wedge game is sharp,
because that is where you save the
most shots. Finally, he mentioned
some of the practice techniques he
and Fitzpatrick use, such as playing
an entire round of golf on the
driving range to help narrow focus
and create efficient practice.
All in all, what struck me most
about the seminar was the sheer
attention to detail the top
professionals have to employ.
Tracking and marketing
These two topics were covered in
the final three seminars. Chris Sells
of StrokeAverage.com and Stuart
Archibald of Foresight Europe
discussed the importance of
tracking and understanding your
statistics so you can make smart
decisions. Then Jenahura Tour
Academy director Jamie Elson
spoke about how in the social
media-driven 21st century, players
need to be wary what they put
online while at the same time
trying to create a brand that could
lead to investment.
Applying knowledge
We were then all lucky enough to
play an 18-hole strokeplay medal
around Bearwood Lakes so we
could apply some of the knowledge
we had learned. As a modest
single-figure player I felt totally out
of my depth alongside such
talented young players, but
regardless, I quickly realised how
fair and scoreable yet tough the
course was. It was in sublime
condition and its design provided
some incredibly picturesque views.I have no aspirations of being a
tour professional and yet the
amount of knowledge I gained
from the two days is incalculable.
Obviously some of it was only
applicable to the ten players who
want to make it on tour, but I
thought a lot of it could also be
applied to my golf game too,
without too much effort.
The biggest takeaway for me is
to simply spend a little bit more
time thinking about shots on the
course, rather than just walking up
and hitting the ball. At Bearwood
Lakes and in every round I have
played since, I have saved
countless shots and made smarter
decisions. I now make sure I
take five to ten seconds longer
to absorb every little bit of
detail about the shot I am
presented with and work out
how to approach it.
I have also seen significant
improvements in my practice. I
used to spend hours hitting
balls without realising how
inefficient I was being, whereas
now I look to narrow my focus
on the range and putting green
to make sure I am not wasting“There is nothing else like this that
provides young aspiring golfers
information on what to expect”
my time. Given we all lead busy
lives, that is most definitely a lesson
everybody can learn from.
I wasn’t the only one who saw
the benefit of the academy. MENA
Tour pro Louis Campbell was full of
praise after the experience: “We
had Andrew Coltart yesterday, and
other guys spoke who have been at
the top, so as young golfers there’s
so much knowledge we can take.
My favourite part of the week was
David Kearney. I thought he was
fantastic, talking a lot about how to
practise and the mental side of
things, which I think is a massive
part of the game now.”
Eighteen-year-old Holly was also
impressed: “I really enjoyed the
speakers – I thought they were
excellent,” she said. “Hearing
people’s journeys on tour and their
experiences has definitely been key
and important for me to put into
my journey and my future ahead.”
Speakers Coltart and Foster both
agreed the academy offered
something unique. “There is
nothing else like this that provides
young aspiring golfers information
on what to expect when they finally
make that transition to the grander
stage,” Coltart said. Foster added:
“Any aspiring professionals out
there, or good amateurs who want
to take their game to the next level,
should view the Jenahura Golf
Academy as a great place to come.”
The world of golf has become an
extremely competitive place, so
initiatives like the Jenahura Tour
Academy can only be a good thing
in terms of preparing youngsters
for their lives as professionals. Who
knows, because of this camp,
maybe one of these players could
become the next big thing?JENAHURA TOUR ACADEMY
Understanding the
human body is keyHolly Haslam is an
aspiring professionalStefaan Vossen proved
very enlightening