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TGGS
Administrator
USA
1896 Posts |
 Posted - 05/15/2006 : 00:50:08
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GRAVES GOLF ACADEMY'S
"Little Moe" SIGNATURE SCHOOL
MAY E-TIP NEWSLETTER UPDATE
ISSUE #53A
Hello Everyone,
Hope everyone got some time to spend with their mothers (or maybe your children's mother...) this weekend.
Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers reading this... definitely deserve some "peace and quite" time (if your household is anything like mine..)
Some of the Topics covered in this Etip:
1. Moe News
2. Delaware / Connecticut here we come....
3. GGA / PGA Free Lesson Month / Specials / Giveaway
4. GGA Alumni Advice to all Future Students
5. Practice Tip - My (Tim) Nationwide Experience - Maybe Can Help You?
6. Moeism
7. Club Talk
8. Much, much more.....
If getting a lot of As or other problems with this email please go to:
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MOE NEWS
Tim Norman, Moe's nephew, contacted us last week and told us Moe's family was recently notified that Moe was being inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. They are unsure of the location and time of ceremony, but think it might be this summer in Toronto.
We will let everyone know more details as they become available.
Thanks for keeping us updated Tim!
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DELAWARE / CONNECTICUT - HERE WE COME!!
Next week, we (the entire GGA staff, Todd, Scott, Brent R. & Brent E. and myself (Tim)) will be leaving for our Dover, DE and East Haddam, CT schools. This is the only time we will be in the NE U.S. this year.
Again - if you are interested in attending one of our schools, whether it be one day (intermediate, advanced or on course/continued advanced), a 3 day school (all three listed) or 2 day alumni school, in DE or CT please give us a a call or email as soon as possible. The DE school has 3 spots remaining and the CT school has 1.
Dates:
Dover, DE - May 20th - 22nd (3 day school - can be broken into individual days) (3 spots remaining)
Dover, DE - May 23rd - 24th (2 day alumni school) (2 spots remaining)
East Haddam, CT - May 26th - 28th (3 day school - can be broken into individual days) (1 spot remaining)
School Agendas: http://swinglikemoe.com/index.php?customernumber=691587845241159&pr=School_Info&=SID
To Register: http://swinglikemoe.com/shopping/start.php?browse=1&cat=5&customernumber=&=SID
We are looking forward to seeing everyone again or for the first time, and for all those who are attending, please let us know if we can do anything else for you before next weeks schools.
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GRAVES GOLF ACADEMY'S (GGA) / PGA FREE LESSON MONTH
May is PGA Free Lesson Month. The PGA in conjunction with Golf Digest, Golf Channel, Nike Golf, and a few other sponsors has asked all PGA members to offer limited 10 minute free lessons to new and experienced golfers to enhance their knowledge of their golf swing and to in general improve interest in the game of golf.
In cooperation with the PGA, the GGA is offering the following for FREE LESSON MONTH:
We know that 99% of our students live too far away to receive a free 10 minute lesson. Therefore we are offering the following for the remainder of May:
1. FREE INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO CLIP - We have put a 5 minute free "instructional video clip" on our home page - www.swinglikemoe.com - It compares Moe's Single Axis Swing to another professional's conventional swing. To see (and hear) the video clip - go to our homepage and click the play button when the video clip box appears.
2. TOTAL GAME OVERVIEW SPECIAL - We are offering our Total Game Overview "What the Moe Norman Swing is All About" Instructional DVD set for $49.95. This is a $15.00 saving off the normal $64.95 price. To see more - please go to: http://swinglikemoe.com/shopping/pgm-more_information.php?id=7&=SID Please enter the CODE: PGA TGOV when it prompts you to enter promotional code.
3. VOLUME #1 OF 7 PRINCIPLES SPECIAL - We are offering our Volume #1 of our 7 Principles series for $49.95. This is $15.00 off the normal $64.95 price. To see more - please go to: http://swinglikemoe.com/shopping/start.php?browse=1 (middle of page). Please enter the CODE: PGA Vol 1 when prompts you to enter promotional code.
4. FREE DRIVER - For all those who purchase any GGA instructional material between now and the end of May - (and for all those who already own the GGA Total Game Overview and/or GGA 7 Principles Series - you will be registered for the drawing) - you will be registered in a drawing for a new driver - a Callaway Fusion Driver or Cobra Speed Series Driver (winner's choice). The drawing will occur on June 1st and winner will be announced in the NEXT GGA etip.
5. CHANCE TO WIN TRIP, NIKE CLUBS, ETC... - In addition, for the first 50 who contact myself at timkgraves@aol.com, they will be entered in a chance (National PGA Contest) to win a Grand Prize sweepstakes package which includes a three-day getaway vacation to Orlando, an appearance on The Golf Channel and a custom-fit set of Nike clubs, footwear, apparel and more. Winners will be announced in July's issue of Golf Digest and on the Golf Channel. To enter in the contest, I need the following: Name, email address and phone number.
We feel this is the best way for us to work with the PGA's Free Lesson Month - as a majority of our students live too far to receive the lesson in person, and the numbers would be absolutely overwhelming... be too hard to choose which would get the free lessons.... we hope this will help those interested in getting a little more help...
If you have any questions about our specials, our give aways or anything else, please feel free to call us anytime at 866-377-2316 or please email myself at timg@swinglikemoe.com or Scott at scottr@swinglikemoe.com
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GGA ALUMNI ADVICE TO ALL FUTURE GGA STUDENTS
This past week we received a great email from one of our alumni. In our past camp, Gary Benore (a past GGA alumni) was taking "furious" notes each day. After the camp, he wrote the following email to us:
Gary Benore (Monroe, MI):
"Tim - I'll post a chat later about what a great time I had in Orlando last week, but first I wanted to send you a note thanking you for your very strong "suggestion" that I keep notes at this year's BYGC [Build Your Game Camp].
At last year's 3 day school, I did what most of us did - Occasionally I scribbled something in the manual you distributed. At best, most of these scribbling were incomplete sentences and short phrases. When I returned home, most of them made no sense. The punch line? You told us all on the first day that would happen if we didn't write stuff down!
This year, at your urging, I did it right. I brought a small yellow pad in a plastic, weatherproof folder to the school. I cared the folder with me at all times, and took copious notes. Pages and pages of notes. When I went back to the motel at night, I transferred my notes into a journal. Whole sentences, paragraphs, even diagrams of body positions went into the journal. I wrote about the drills you showed us, the little routines you told us to use, everything. I ended up with 20 pages in a composition book! I think the simple act of writing about the day's activities really helped drive home everything you told us and demonstrated to us. That's Pay Off #1.
Pay Off #2 happened after I returned home. I left the school on Friday afternoon and returned home to Monroe, Michigan that evening. On Saturday afternoon, (Late afternoon, because the airline lost my clubs on Friday, and I didn't get them back until 5 PM on Saturday!!) I was out in the yard practicing chipping, and I thought "what did Tim say about ball position again?" I went into my golf bag, retrieved my journal, and spent 3 or 4 minutes reviewing EVERYTHING you told us about chipping routine. Fabulous! It was like having you standing next to me, saying all those things again. Priceless information and support! Now, anytime I want, I just need to flip a few pages to review drills, instructions, and advice.
Pay Off #3 happened at the end of that session. Before I put the journal back in my bag, I wrote down what I worked on that day, and what I planned to work on at my next "Practice B" session. I've had at least one "Practice B" session everyday since I returned from Orlando and everything I do goes into my journal, as you suggested. Having a journal really helps in having a plan, and carrying out the plan. Or, as we say in construction - "Plan the work, then work the plan". Or, as a certain Golf Guru so often puts it - "Practice with a Purpose!"
In summary, I can see that having a note-filled journal just might be the best, long-term behavioral change that camp home with me from Orlando!
Thanks again for all of the support - you guys are the best."
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SWING LIKE MOE CHATROOM:
http://www.moenormanforum.com/
Great place to ask swing questions, talk to other Moe Norman Single Axis Golfers or just use as a reference for all your golf game questions..
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PRACTICE TIP
My Nationwide Tour Experience - Maybe Can Help You?
By Tim Graves, PGA
A couple of weeks ago, I (Tim) was given an exemption to play in this past week's Rheem Classic Nationwide Tour Event. It was held at Hardscrabble Country Club in Ft. Smith, AR.
Todd caddied for me, and after I missed the cut by a "few" shots, he suggested I write the next etip about our experience... maybe helping all you with your game and in particular, when you have a "little pressure" put on your game.
First - it was a great experience playing in the tournament. Todd and I saw many friends we used to travel with every week (when we were on the "mini tour" circuit a few years back) and definitely enjoyed catching up with them.
The Nationwide Tour "does it right". I have played on many other tours including the Hooter's Tour, Tight Lies Tour, Dakota Tour, Florida Tours, etc.. , but the Nationwide definitely takes the cake... Yes, I know it is the triple A of golf and a PGA preliminary tour, but that doesn't always mean they take care of their players... I have played in many big events in the past (many USGA National events, etc..) and they didn't treat the players near as good as the Nationwide Tour does. In fact, Todd told me they fed the caddies better than they fed him when he was playing in Canada or Asia....
Now let's talk a little about the experience and maybe a little help for our students...
1. Expect the Unexpected... What do I mean by this?
I was told about 2 weeks before the event I had an exemption. I was given my exemption because of my ranking in the South Central PGA. I was actually teaching a camp at our Orlando Academy when I received the call. Anyway, I returned home, had another camp to teach here in OKC, and only had a couple of days for practice rounds, the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of the tournament week. Monday and Wednesday were out due to pro-ams being held at the course (typical for tournament week). As I had never played Hardscrabble before, I would have definitely wanted more than one practice round - but as fate had it, my one round Tuesday was it.... We actually planned to play at 8am Tuesday - and get a few extra holes in in the afternoon - storms Tuesday morning kept us off the course until just before lunch.. imagine 144 players fighting for the first tee all at once... (we actually "verbally wrestled" Boo Weekly for the first tee... we won...)
Practice round - 75* - light wind out of the south - beautiful day after the rain..
Now - Thursday came around. Tee time - 2:10 (last group of the day). Morning rounds - North wind 10 to 15 mph. About noon - front came through - North wind - 25 - gusting to 35 and cooling off.... So went from a practice round of light south winds (warm) to heavy north winds (very chilly).
Wouldn't be that big an issue, except for a couple of points - Hardscrabble has VERY tight fairways (average about 20 to 25 yards wide) with tall trees lining all sides. It also has many turns in the fairways (doglegs), very small / hard greens that are very undulated (sloped). The course yardage is only 6,800 yards long, but is protected by it's tight fairways and small/sloped greens.
Recommendation - Expect the Unexpected and if possible - make any arrangement and possibly play course in many different conditions. I know this is easier said than done, but the more preparation before the round (about the course) the better.
2. Know How Far You Hit Your Clubs.
This was the 2nd and 3rd competitive round of golf for myself this year. Typically this wouldn't be that big a deal, except for 2 issues, #1 - I hadn't played in any rough yet this year, and #2 - I was playing with a new set of Titleist irons (received late last year). The irons are great, but to be honest, I hadn't experienced using these irons from any significant rough yet...
Remember - rough will cause one of 2 things to a golf shot. It will either absorb the shot and the ball will fly shorter or it will cause a flier... when the grass gets trapped between the club face and ball. A flier is when the ball will fly further than you expect.. many times, significantly further. The ball will come off the club face like a "knuckle ball" and will fly further than normal.
Image the following - #14 - dogleg left par 4 - 445 yards. Just hit the drive through the fairway (downwind and rolled into the rough). Facing a shot of 165 yards downhill - lake to the left and back of the green (green is on railroad ties to the water). To the right of the green is a large bunker and green slopes from the bunker to the water. Pin is in back 1/3 of the green and left 1/3 of the green - about 7 paces to the water left of the pin and behind the pin. You set up over your shot - with a 7 iron not knowing of the ball will fly 150 yards or 180 yards or somewhere in between... NOT a good feeling.... obviously you are "hoping" for the correct distance - but in the game of golf - hoping typically doesn't work...
Recommendation - Know how far you hit your clubs.. to be honest, it doesn't matter if you hit a 7 iron 90 or 190 yards, as long as you know how far you hit them. Know how far you hit them for the fairway, low rough and deep rough. The game of golf is not about how far you hit it, but knowing how far you hit it. I have played hundreds of great golfers who do not hit the ball very far, but know exactly how far they hit their shots. As I play with many different professionals - they will tell you time and time again, accuracy is important, but distance control is as or more important.
3. Have an INCREDIBLE Wedge Game.
When all else fails, the wedge game will save you.... the first day of the tournament I did not hit a green through #4 and was even par - in fact, I almost holed my 3rd shot (45 yard wedge shot) on #3 to go 1 under. The other 2 players I was playing with had hit all the greens but one and were both over par... when all else fails, whether it be bad conditions, uncomfortable with your swing that day, etc.. the wedge game / short game will "save" you.
Recommendation - Continue to work on your short game - in particular your wedge game. Know your wedges, understand how they spin, understand how far you hit them, understand if they are good from tight lies (have the correct bounce or not), are they good from unusual lies (bunkers, rough, etc..). Every practice session - especially those leading up to "important rounds" put extra time in your wedge game / short game. It will "save you" if needed.
4. Don't Be Fooled By What You See On TV.
I always hear from my students - it is amazing how far the pros hit the ball on TV.... Let me give you a couple of experiences from this past week...
Hole #17 - 215 yard par 3 - all carry over water. Some of you may have seen on TV. In fact, the first day, the pin was in the back - was playing 230 yards to the pin.
Now for the facts... was about 30 feet down hill. Was about 30 mph downwind (wind at our back). I hit a 5 iron (which I usually hit about 190) and the other two in my group hit 6 irons... How many were watching on TV - hearing the announcer say... "Professional ________ is now playing the 230 yard #17 and hitting a 6 iron." - if you were there - you wouldn't think it was that big a deal....
Hole #6 - 525 yard par 5 - double dogleg. Cross wind on both days. Was one of the holes the PGA was recording driving distances... The first day I hit a hard cut to far right - hit the right edge of the fairway and plugged about 260 yards. 2nd day, I actually hit the driver a little less solid, but cut it over the trees on the left side... in fact, one of the ball spotters behind the tee (a local marshall) said "perfect line" when I hit the shot. It flew 296 yards and rolled about 2 yards (very wet) - at least what the spotter told me.
Recommendation - Don't be fooled by what you see on TV... Yes, there are a few Pros that hit a a long way... but many don't. The average driving distance for professionals is less than 270 yards. Remember, the average driving distance for a scratch golfer is 242 yards (according to the United Stated Golf Foundation)... that is the average - meaning many hit it shorter and still score even par. The average professional hits his 7 iron 155 to 160 yards.. again - don't try to hit it further - hit it closer and know your distance.
5. When All is Over - Stat Your Round - Let Your Round(s) Teach You Something
When the round(s) / tournament is over - whether good or bad - make sure you have kept statistics on your round. This will allow you to know what to practice before you play again. This is the ultimate in "Practicing with a Purpose". If you don't know what to compare to, please review some of our past etips and 7 principles series - we have discussed this many times - breaking down different parts of the game from % of fairway's hit, % of greens hit, % of chipping up and down, pitching up and down, # of putts, etc..
Recommendation - Whether good or bad, whether you played like you wanted or just the opposite, let the round "teach" you something. This something is what you need to work on. Remember - pressure does amazing things to a golf game. Not just the type of pressure from rounds played in PGA events, but even rounds played with friends in which you felt a little "heat" or pressure during the round. Typically this pressure highlights the weaknesses in your game. It might be your driver, your wedge game, your putter... as long as you can monitor your rounds and determine where you need to focus your practice - you WILL get better next time. Don't let the game beat you - BEAT the game by outsmarting it... this is a start. As our BYGC alumni know - this is exactly what part of our teaching includes - trying to help you deal with the pressure of the "first tee" or that "3 foot putt" (and everything in between)... knowing how to deal with this pressure makes this game a lot of fun!!
Good Luck!!
PLEASE don't hesitate to call or email us anytime!!
Remember - ALWAYS PRACTICE WITH A PURPOSE
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"MOEISMS"
"Every shot I hit I want to hit with no strain or no struggle, just poetry in motion."
Please feel free to comment on this or email any of your favorite "Moeism's" to us if you'd like to share with others....
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TALK ABOUT CLUBS
Make sure you have the right set make up in the bag.
Meaning - many golfers don't carry clubs that maximize their game.
Example - if you hit a 9 iron 100 yards, you SHOULD NOT be carrying a 3 or 4 iron - you should have fairway woods or hybrids in place of these clubs. Reason is not that you can't hit the 3 or 4 irons, but rather the 3 and 4 irons won't go further than the 5 iron. You do not have enough club head speed to create enough spin/pinch on the ball to carry the ball off the 3 or 4 irons further than the 5 iron.
GGA recommendations for set make ups (based of how far you hit your 9 iron):
(hybrids - also know as long iron replacements, bafflers, rescue clubs, etc..)
9 iron - 80 yards: Driver 15*+, 4 wood, 7 wood, 4 hybrid, 5 hybrid, 6 hybrid, 7 - wedges
9 iron - 90 yards: Driver 13*+, 4 wood, 5 or 6 wood, 4 hybrid, 5 hybrid, 6 iron - wedges
9 iron - 100 yards: Driver 12.5*+, 3 wood, 5 wood, 4 hybrid, 5 iron - wedges
9 iron - 110 yards: Driver 12*+, 3 wood, 5 wood, 4 hybrid, 5 iron - wedges
9 iron - 120 yards: Driver 10.5*+, 3 wood, 3 hybrid, 4 hybrid, 5 iron - wedges
9 iron - 130 yards: Driver 10*+, 3 wood, 3 hybrid, 4 hybrid/4 iron, 5 iron - wedges
9 iron - 140 yards: Driver 9*+, 3 wood, 3 hybrid, 3 iron - wedges
9 iron - 150 yards: Driver 8*+, 3 wood, 3 hybrid, 3 iron - wedges
These are only recommendations - for specific individual recommendations please go to: http://swinglikemoe.com/index.php?customernumber=518148787583441&pr=Club_Fitting&=SID
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UPCOMING GGA EVENTS:
Please see our website at http://www.swinglikemoe.com/ for more information on each school, school agendas, and for most recent updated schedule. Updated every few days.
2006
May 20 - 22nd - 3 day School - Jonathan's Landing GC, Dover, DE (3 spaces left)
May 23 - 24th - Alumni 2 Day School - Jonathan's Landing GC, Dover, DE (2 spaces left)
May 26 - 28th - 3 day School - Fox Hopyard Golf Course - East Haddam, CT (1 space left)
Jun 2 - 4th - 3 day School - Coffee Creek Golf Course - GGA (3 spaces left)
Jun 7 - 11th - Build Your Game Camp - Coffee Creek Golf Course - OKC - GGA (2 spaces left)
Jul 7 - 9th - 3 day School - Coffee Creek Golf Course - OKC - GGA (Open)
Jul 14 - 18th - Build Your Game Camp - Coffee Creek Golf Course - GGA (3 spaces left)
Jul 21 - 23rd - 3 day school - Chicago, IL - Prairie Landing Golf Course - (Sold Out)
Aug 9 - 13th - Build Your Game Camp - Coffee Creek Golf Course - GGA Academy (Open)
Aug 25 - 27th - 3 day School - Eagle Creek Golf Course - Orlando, GGA Academy (Open)
Aug 28 - Sep 1st - Build Your Game Camp - Eagle Creek Golf Course - GGA Academy (Open)
Sept 18 - 22nd - Build Your Game Camp - Coffee Creek Golf Course - GGA Academy (3 spaces left)
Oct. 9 - 13th - Build Your Game Camp - Borona Golf Course - San Diego (Sold Out)
Oct 14 - 16th - 3 Day School - Barona Golf Course - San Diego (2 spaces left)
Nov 5 - 9th - Build Your Game Camp - Eagle Creek Golf Course - GGA (Open)
Nov 10 - 12th - 3 Day School - Eagle Creek Golf Course - GGA Academy (4 spaces left)
** 3 Day Schools include Intermediate school the first day, advanced school the 2nd day and On Course/Continued Advanced instruction the 3rd day.
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SPECIALS
We greatly appreciate all those who have contacted us for orders in the past.
All clubs ordered through the GGA are built at the manufacturer to the individual's single axis swing specifications and sent direct from the factory to them.
*** Call for prices on any clubs: Ping, Taylormade, Callaway, Titleist/Cobra, Cleveland and others.. we are able to beat all prices and we can offer (custom build to your single axis specs) all clubs built by these manufacturers.
* 2006 Cobra Irons (3100 series)
Graphite: $499 (set of 8) ($65 per club if less than 8)
Steel: $449 (set of 8) ($60 per club if less than 8)
To see more about these irons, please go to: http://cobragolf.com/irons/details.asp?id=9
* 2006 Callaway Big Bertha Irons:
$599 set of 8 steel ($80 per club if less than 8)
$799 set of 8 graphite ($110 per club if less than 8)
To see more about this irons, please go to:
http://www.callawaygolf.com/en.CLUBS.Irons.BigBerthaIrons.html - men's irons
http://www.callawaygolf.com/en.WOMENS.WomensIrons.WomensBigBerthaIrons.html - women's irons
* New Callaway X Driver - NOW AVAILABLE - $299
http://www.callawaygolf.com/en.CLUBS.Drivers.X460Driver.html
* New Callaway X Fairway woods - NOW AVAILABLE - $199 each (graphite)
http://www.callawaygolf.com/en.CLUBS.FairwayWoods.XFairwayWoods.html
* Cobra Baffler's - $145 (graphite), $125 (steel) - One of the most popular utility clubs on the market
http://cobragolf.com/utility_metals/details.asp?id=1
* Cobra Fairway woods - $179 graphite $159 steel
http://cobragolf.com/ (Select the appropriate "speed" rated fairway wood)
* Callaway Heavenwoods: $150 each graphite
http://www.callawaygolf.com/en.CLUBS.Hybrids.Heavenwood.html
Most Forged Wedges (Titleist Vokey, Callaway Forged +, Cleveland... ) - Between $100 and $110 each
*** No taxes or shipping charges on all custom built name brand clubs (outside of OK and CA).
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** NEW GGA "FEELING OF GREATNESS" GRIP: $129.95
GGA / TGGS INSTRUCTIONAL TAPES:
Please see: http://swinglikemoe.com/shopping/pgm-more_information.php?id=7&=SID
"Little Moe's" Swing for Life $24.95
GGA Short Game: $19.95
Course Management/ "How to Practice": $19.95
Get all three on VHS: $64.95
All three on DVD: $64.95
Volume #1 - #6 - 7 Principles of Golf Improvement - $64.95 each
Entire Series: $299
For more information about our 7 principles:
http://swinglikemoe.com/index.php?customernumber=831366983148715&pr=Seven_Principles&=SID
Leverage bag: $29.95
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* A small shipping charge will be added to all orders.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ANY OF THE ABOVE SPECIALS, PLEASE CALL US AT 866-377-2316 within US or 405-823-9693 outside US, OR EMAIL TIM AT TIMKGRAVES@AOL.COM or TIMG@SWINGLIKEMOE.COM
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We wish everyone continued success with their golf games, and hope to see everyone very soon.
Remember - ALWAYS PRACTICE WITH A PURPOSE!!
Tim Graves, PGA, Graves Golf Academy Owner/Instructor
Todd Graves, Graves Golf Academy Owner/Instructor
Scott Renfrow, GGA Director of Customer Relations
Brent Reid, GGA School Manager
Brent Evans, GGA Apprentice Instructor
Dave Predzin, PGA(a), GGA Instructor
Mick Benson, GGA Instructor
Graves Golf Academy
Timg@swinglikemoe.com - email
TimKGraves@aol.com - email
866-377-2316 - toll free - call anytime
405-823-9693 - outside U.S.
http://moenormanforum.com/ (GGA Golf Instruction Forum)
http://www.swinglikemoe.com/ (GGA home website)
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GGA May Etip Update -
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