The USGA and The R&A have announced proposals for significant changes to the Rules of Amateur Status that govern the game worldwide.

These proposals result from a modernization initiative that has identified a clear need to bring the Rules up to date to reflect today’s global amateur game and ensure that the Rules are easier to understand and apply.

The proposed Rules, along with explanations to key changes, have been posted on usga.org and randa.org and the organizations are now inviting feedback from golfers and stakeholders. Comments will be accepted through Friday, March 26, with the new Rules scheduled to be adopted on January 1, 2022.

A comprehensive review of the Rules of Amateur Status began in late 2017, focusing on three main goals: to ensure the Rules are in the best interests of the game, reflect the modern game, and are easily understood and applied.

This review reaffirmed amateur golf’s important position in the game and the value in maintaining amateur status Rules to safeguard all the ways golf is played and enjoyed.

The result is a set of Rules that redefine the distinction between amateur and professional golf and provide a condition of eligibility – amateur status – for amateurs who compete in golf competitions.

As part of the modernization effort, it is proposed that the new Rules will identify only three acts that will result in a golfer losing their amateur status:

• Accepting a prize in excess of the prize limit
• Accepting payment for giving instruction
• Accepting employment as a golf club professional or membership of an association of professional golfers

To achieve this simplified approach, the following key changes are proposed:

• Eliminating the distinction between cash prizes and other prizes.
• Using the prize limit as the only way an amateur can lose amateur status through their play (meaning that entering or playing a competition as a professional would not, of itself, result in the loss of amateur status).
• Removing restrictions from the Rules surrounding competitions such as long-drive events, putting competitions and skills competitions that are not played as part of a tee-to-hole competition; and
• Eliminating all sponsorship restrictions.

“Golf is unique in its broad appeal to both recreational and competitive golfers,” said Craig Winter, USGA Senior Director, Rules of Golf and Amateur Status. “We understand and value how important amateur status is, not only to those who compete at the highest level of the amateur game, but for the millions of golfers at every age and skill level who enjoy competitive events at their home courses. These updates should help simplify these Rules and ensure the health of the amateur game.”

Grant Moir, Director of Rules at The R&A, said, “The Rules of Amateur Status play an important role in protecting the integrity of our self-regulating sport but the code must continue to evolve. This is particularly so in relation to the modern elite amateur game, where many of the players need financial support to compete and develop to their full potential, and the proposed new Rules will give much greater scope for this.”

“Today marks another important step in the process to modernize the Rules of Amateur Status,” said Akash Patel, Rules and Competitions Manager at Golf Canada. “A great amount of work has gone into making the Rules easier to understand and apply for both the recreational and competitive golfer. We are confident that the proposed changes reflect the modern game and will help with our continued efforts to grow the game.”

The proposed new Rules are accompanied by an overview document and explanations that detail the rationale for why changes are being proposed and, in some instances, why they have stayed the same.

FREDERICTON, NB.

Audi Moncton and Golf New Brunswick (Golf NB) are pleased to announce a new one-year partnership. The luxury car dealership will serve as the Presenting Sponsor at four of Golf NB’s Championship Events in 2021; The NB Ladies Provincials, Driven by Audi Moncton, the NB Family Classic & Adult Junior, Driven by Audi Moncton, the Past Presidents’ Cup, Driven by Audi Moncton, and the Estabrooks Cup, Driven by Audi Moncton

After partnering with Golf NB on various levels over the past three years, Scott Killen, General Manager, Audi Moncton calls the new agreement the ultimate partnership at the perfect time. “As a company, we are strong supporters of golf and proud to help grow the game in New Brunswick. Audi already has a National level partnership with Golf Canada, and we are very excited to extend our support to a provincial level with Golf NB. All of us at Audi Moncton are looking forward to this new partnership and are excited to see the growth possibilities.”

Golf NB Executive Director Tyson Flinn said the association is grateful for the support shown by Audi Moncton. “We are thrilled to again be working with Mr. Killen and his team at Audi Moncton as they rejoin our growing group of partners. Adding a prestige brand to the Golf NB family will assist us in providing the ultimate value and experiences at our championship events”, said Flinn.

This year’s New Brunswick Ladies Provincials, Driven by Audi Moncton will be played July 4th-6th at Royal Oaks Golf Club in Moncton. The NB Family Classic & Adult Junior, Driven by Audi Moncton is scheduled for August 9th at the Country Meadows Golf Club in Indian Mountain. The Past Presidents’ Cup, Driven by Audi Moncton will take place at the Lakeside Golf & Country Club in Lakeville on September 18th-19th with the season being capped off at the Club de Golf Memramcook Golf Club during October 2nd-3rd for the 24th Playing of the Estabrooks Cup, Driven by Audi Moncton.

? ?? WELCOME, AUDI MONCTON TO THE GOLF NB TEAM.

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CONTACT: Luke Lacey, Director of Promotion & Member Services, Golf NB

(506) 451-1324 ext. 4

Audi Moncton is the Audi dealer in Moncton and serves the Greater Moncton area including New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island making luxury cars available to all.

Golf New Brunswick (Golf NB), is the official governing body for amateur golf in New Brunswick and is comprised of forty-five (45) member clubs, and over 6,600 individual members.  Through its programs and services, Golf NB strives to preserve the integrity of the game of golf and to make the game more enjoyable for all.

LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. (Feb. 17, 2021) – The USGA announced today that Mike Whan will join the organization this summer as CEO, and will become the eighth top executive in USGA history.

Last month, Whan announced his intention to step down as LPGA Commissioner in 2021, after his organization completes a search for the next Commissioner. His transition follows an impressive 11 years at the helm of the LPGA, during which the organization experienced historic growth in virtually every aspect of the business.

As USGA CEO, Whan will be responsible for leading all aspects of the association’s operations, including its core functions, essential programs, and human and financial resources. He will also represent the USGA on a variety of national and international boards.

“Mike Whan is a proven, successful and transformative leader, not only in the golf industry but throughout his entire career,” said USGA President Stu Francis, who oversaw the CEO search process. “He has shown a unique ability to understand how the environment is changing in global golf and how to quickly and thoughtfully adapt an organization to meet those changes. Importantly, Mike is already a trusted peer for so many key stakeholders in the industry, and his existing relationships will not only help the USGA, but will also help advance the game.”

Whan started his career at the Procter & Gamble Company in 1987, where he rose to Director of Marketing for Oral Care before leaving to pursue a passion for sports. Whan’s sports business career began at Wilson Sporting Goods as a Vice President and General Manager in the golf division. He joined the TaylorMade Golf Company as Vice President of Marketing in 1995 and later served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing and Executive Vice President/General Manager for Taylormade-adidas Golf. In 2002, Whan became the President and CEO of Mission Hockey, a hockey equipment company.

Since joining the Ladies Professional Golf Association in 2010, Whan increased the number of tournaments on the LPGA Tour’s schedule to 34 from 24, increased purses from $41.4 million to $76.5 million, and grew television hours from 125 hours per season, to over 500 hours. Under his leadership, the LPGA became a truly global business – with players, tournaments, sponsors and fans coming from all over the world. Currently, the LPGA Tour is televised in over 170 countries each week. Whan’s leadership resulted in the expansion of the LPGA to now include both the Symetra Tour, the recently announced joint venture with the Ladies European Tour, as well as a nearly 50% increase in LPGA’s teaching division. Whan’s focus on growing the game for junior girls has led to a significant expansion of the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf Program, which had 5,000 members when he joined the organization to 90,000 girls now engaged in the program.

Laurence Applebaum and Mike Whan at 2019 CP Women’s Open

“As someone who grew up loving this game, I have always had huge respect for the USGA and its role in leading our sport,” said Whan. “The game has given me so much throughout my life, both personally and professionally. I know I have a lot to learn, but I’m truly excited about this role, as it gives me the opportunity to not only give back to the game, but to also work hard to leave it stronger.”

Current USGA CEO Mike Davis, who joined the USGA in 1990 and became the Association’s seventh executive director in 2011 and first CEO in 2016, will depart later this year to team with Tom Fazio II in a new course design venture, Fazio & Davis Golf Design.

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Mike Whan for many years and I view him as a trusted, strategic leader who has a proven track record of building collaborative partnerships,” said Davis. “I know the USGA will be in great hands, and I look forward to partnering with Mike to ensure a smooth and successful transition for the USGA.”

On the occasion of Valentine’s Day, let’s get all the bad, frequently offensive, jokes out of the way first.

To speed up the process, I will provide just the punch lines to a couple of the hoariest groaners.

“No way! The last time I tried that shot, I made double bogey!”

“But you don’t understand. It’s my wife’s funeral.”

On a related note this February 14, let’s officially bury the term “golf widow.”

With that out of the way, let’s move on.

Golf, and I speak from personal experience, can strengthen romantic relationships.

Even the dating web site eHarmony recognizes that, listing “15 reasons to date a golfer.” Among them, “golfers strive for emotional balance,” “they know how to make conversation,” “golfers understand they must forget mistakes and move on,” and “committed golfers are in it for the long haul.” Finally, these relationship experts point out, “you’ll be spending countless hours together in pristine park-like settings. Not a bad way to nurture romance.”

They might have mentioned etiquette, balance, equity and all those other fundamental values in the game. As well, the rules would be worth mentioning.

Not the new Modernized Rules of Golf, although those certainly have their place in the actual playing of the game.

If you want golf to help forge and strengthen a romantic bond, you would be well advised to follow these guidelines which I have learned (often the hard way, particularly No. 1) over three decades of golfing with my beloved.

1. If you’re not asked, then shut the hell up. If your partner is having an off day, fight the misguided impulse to offer your well-intentioned but worthless opinion. First, you most likely don’t have the foggiest idea of how to rectify the situation. Second, even though they love you, they now are so frustrated that you are only exacerbating the eventual meltdown. And they have easy access to a selection of deadly metal implements. If you are going to follow only one rule, make it this one.
2. Take a golf vacation together. Sitting on the beach is all fine and good, but getting out on the course and sharing some conversation and laughs is far better.
3. Nine and dine. Whether it’s an organized weekly couples’ league or just an impromptu outing for just the two of you, nine holes followed by a leisurely dinner and drinks is a wonderful way to unwind and catch up.
4. Don’t take it too seriously. Sure, you want to play your best but the object of the exercise is to enjoy each other’s company.
5. Include family. If you’re lucky enough to have kids or grandkids, invite them to play a few holes with you. Or maybe it’s your brother and sister-in-law or other relatives you love but don’t get to see often enough. Golf is a great excuse to reinforce those family ties.

I speak from experience, as I mentioned earlier. My wife took up golf after I did and fell for it as hard, or maybe harder, than she fell for me. We’ve done all things listed above, from golf vacations to couples’ nights to including family.

And while the pure meaning of Valentine’s Day is focussed on your one and only, and my wife and I have spent many delightful hours golfing together, I can tell you that one of my everlasting memories is the sight of our son and his grandfather golfing together.

That’s something else I truly love.

FREDERICTON, NB.

Golf New Brunswick (Golf NB) and Four Rivers Brewing Co. are pleased to announce the signing of a one-year partnership that will see the Independently Owned and Operated Family Brewery, serve as a hole sponsor at Golf NB’s adult events and championships as well as the Presenting Sponsor of the 2021 NB Ladies Four Ball.

Hosted by the Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club in Bathurst on June 13, the NB Ladies Four Ball will feature the local brewery as its presenting sponsor for the 2021 event, adding value to players while promoting quality and craftsmanship of the local independent family owned and operated brewery.

Stephen Legacy, Four Rivers Brewing Co, calls it a perfect partnership. “As a family run company, that is very passionate about growing and supporting our local community, Four Rivers is excited to see how this unique partnership with Golf New Brunswick could grow in the future.”

Golf NB Executive Director Tyson Flinn agreed with the unique partnership. “We are very excited to welcome such a well-respected local company to our stable of partners and look forward to working with the Four Rivers family to help grow the game of golf in New Brunswick”, said Flinn.

A homage to the region’s coastal beauty, the name Four Rivers Brewing Co. was inspired by the rivers that flow into the Bathurst harbour – Nepisiguit, Tetagouche, Little, and Middle. True to the spirit of the craft brewing community, Four Rivers Brewing Co. is an independent family-owned and operated brewery. If you enjoy riddles, ownership is made up of a father, an uncle, two sons, two nephews, two brothers, and two brothers in law – but there’s only four of us.

? ?? Welcome, Four Rivers Brewing Co. to the Golf NB team.

CONTACT: Luke Lacey, Director of Promotion & Member Services, Golf NB – (506) 451-1324 ext. 4

Golf New Brunswick (Golf NB), is the official governing body for amateur golf in New Brunswick and is comprised of forty-five (45) member clubs, and over 6,600 individual members.  Through its programs and services, Golf NB strives to preserve the integrity of the game of golf and to make the game more enjoyable for all.

Like all other sports leagues, the PGA TOUR keeps on rolling in the face of COVID-19 as they head to Monterey Peninsula for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am with a twist, no amateurs. 

With the tournament feeling slightly more traditional, players will be logging regular rounds over the first two at Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Club before wrapping the weekend at Pebble Beach.

The biggest news of the week is Dustin Johnson’s withdrawal from the tournament as he opts to rest and spend time with his family coming off a victory at the Saudi International.

His absence leaves Pebble Beach with zero top-10 players as the tournament shapes up to have its weakest field in decades. Patrick Cantlay comes in as the betting favourite who’s currently ranked 11^th in the world. 

COURSE EXPECTATIONS

The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am will be played on two courses – three rounds on Pebble Beach Golf Links and one round at Spyglass Hill Golf Club.

Both courses play as Par-72s and are on the shorter end on tour. Pebble Beach is listed at 7,051 yards this week while Spyglass Hill is 6,858 yards.

The two holes to watch will be the 7^th and the 18^th. The 106-yard par 3 is as picturesque as they come with wind and club selection really being the key. With 18, you get one of the most famous finishing holes of any course on tour – a demanding tee shot that goes over the coastline with only the longest hitters being able to reach in two. It’s the ultimate risk-reward finishing hole.

Key Stat

Considering how short both courses are, the key will be avoiding trouble when attacking the greens. Driving distance is once again less of an advantage this weekend so expect golfers with strong approach games to be in contention. The last three winners have all finished within the top-20 in strokes gained: approach-the-green.

CANADIANS IN CONTENTION

Nick Taylor

What’s Working – Taylor heads to Monterey Peninsula as the defending champ after an impressive performance last year. He was the first wire-to-wire winner at this tournament since Phil Mickelson in 2005 and was four strokes ahead of runner-up, Kevin Streelman. How did he do it? He was T3 in GIRs and 2^nd in strokes gained: putting. That’s a winning formula at any course on tour.

Best of luck to our boy @ntaylorgolf59 who looks to become the first player to successfully defend his title at the @attproam since DJ in 2010 pic.twitter.com/QWfygGEag8

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) February 10, 2021

What He’ll Need – Last season he came into this tournament with similar momentum; he made 5-of-8 cuts with a T10 finish as his season-best up to that point. This year, he’s made 6-of-10 cuts with a T11 finish at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Putting seems to have the biggest correlation to his success of late. In his last three made cuts, the Winnipeg native ranked 50^th, 5^th and 11^th in strokes gained: putting. At the Waste Management Open, he was 103^rd before missing the cut by one shot.

Roger Sloan

What’s Working – The Calgarian is having his best season ever off the tee (41^st on tour) anchored by his irons. With Pebble Beach’s well-protected greens, his precision will be necessary to stay out of trouble and keep bogey-free.

What He’ll Need – This can be said for any tournament, but Sloan will need to get hot with his putter. So far this season, he’s trailing tour average in putting stats but if he can find his form at Pebble Beach, he should be in the mix. In three of his last five cuts made, his ended up carding his lowest round on day one. His best opening round this season is 67 so if he could post a similar score, that success could snowball into his other rounds over the weekend.

David Hearn

What’s Working – After missing the cut by a stroke in Hawaii and finishing T64 at The American Express, Hearn’s putter couldn’t save him in his last appearance at the Farmers Insurance Open. On the year, Hearn’s putting is 12^th best on tour and he’ll need that form to return at Pebble Beach. Even though he’s never profiled as a bomber off the tee, his accuracy is amongst the very best as he’s ranks 24^th this season in driving accuracy.

What He’ll Need – The 19-year pro will need to capitalize on all those fairways he hits and translate those lies into GIRs. As Jordan Spieth demonstrated this past week, if your putter is on, you’ll be in contention. With both courses this weekend registering on the shorter side, this could be a great bounce back spot for Hearn.

Michael Gligic

What’s Working – Gligic continues to profile as one of the better drivers on tour as he ranks 23^rd in the PGA for strokes gained: off-the-tee. He’s hit 69 percent of his GIRs over 28 rounds, which would be a career-best if the season ended today.

What He’ll Need – His putting will dictate his success this week. Looking at his scorecard from the Farmers Insurance Open, it’s easy to see how the tourney got away from him. Through his first six holes of the tourney, he was four over after three-putting the first three and four-putting hole 15 (he started on the back).

Notables in the Field

Patrick Cantlay – The top ranked player in the field, Cantlay comes into Pebble Beach in top form. He’s already logged a win this year at The ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP back in October and finished second in his most recent PGA event – The American Express. His game currently has no weakness as he ranks 11^th on tour in strokes gained: total. He’s fifth in strokes gained: around-the-green which will be in play at Pebble Beach more so than other stops on tour.

Phil Mickelson – A five-time winner of this event, in his age-50 season, Mickelson still profiles as a legitimate threat to take home the trophy. Sure, he hasn’t been his best in 2020-21, but on a course that requires such a variety of shots, no one would be shocked to see him take home the top prize. He’s finished top-3 in four of the last five tourneys.

Jordan Spieth – The most compelling story from last weekend prior to Brooks Koepka stealing the show, Spieth will hope to continue his resurgence after finishing T4 in the final grouping. While he made several highlight worthy putts, it was his approach game that kept him in contention finishing number one in strokes gained: approach to the green.

OAKVILLE, Ont. (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada is pleased to announce the 10 athletes who have been selected to represent the 2021 Team Canada Young Pro Squad.

Comprising the 2021 Women’s Young Pro Squad will be returnees Brittany Marchand (Orangeville, Ont.), Jaclyn Lee (Calgary, Alta.), and Maddie Szeryk (London, Ont.). After becoming a first-time mom in July, Golf Canada is also pleased to welcome back Anne-Catherine Tanguay (Quebec City, Que.) to the Young Pro Squad as she makes her return to the LPGA Tour.

The 2021 Men’s Young Pro Squad features a six-pack of familiar athletes led by Taylor Pendrith (Richmond Hill, Ont.). Other members of the Men’s Young Pro Squad for 2021 include Jared du Toit (Kimberley, B.C.), Chris Crisologo (Richmond, B.C.), Stuart Macdonald (Vancouver, B.C.), Joey Savoie (La Prairie, Que.), and Hugo Bernard (Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que.).

For the bulk of the athletes returning to the Young Pro Squad, 2021 is an opportunity to build of off the adversity of 2020 and take a next step in their developing careers.

“This is a very exciting time for young professional golfers in Canada, and we are really looking forward to seeing their continued success in 2021,” said Golf Canada Chief Sport Officer Kevin Blue. “For most of the athletes returning to the Squad, the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on scheduling, training, and competition in 2020. With the support of our key partners and the drive these athletes have to overcome adversity and succeed, I’m positive we’ll see even more great results from this talented group of athletes.”

Men’s and Women’s National Team coaches Derek Ingram and Tristan Mullally – both award-winning PGA of Canada members – will continue as head coaches for the Young Pro Squad.

Now in its eighth year, the Team Canada Young Pro Squad helps to bridge the gap for top-performing amateurs transitioning into professional golf.

Click here to read Team Canada Young Pro Squad player bios.

Emerging Player of the Year Award

The Golf Canada Foundation has also announced the creation of a new award – the Emerging Professional Player of the Year Award, presented by Andrew Cook. The inaugural recipients of the award are Young Pro athletes Taylor Pendrith and Maddie Szeryk who will each receive $10,000 towards their continued development in professional golf.

Andrew Cook, a proud Trustee of the Golf Canada Foundation and past President with Golf Canada, established a $20,000 fund to annually recognize a top male and female emerging Canadian professional golfer from the Young Pro Squad having success on golf’s developmental.

“I am very pleased to partner with Golf Canada and Golf Canada Foundation to launch the Emerging Pro Player of the Year Award, as an additional incentive to Canadian professionals around the globe,” said Cook. “As a long-time volunteer of the game, I appreciate the power our heroes have in inspiring the next generation of young players, and my wife (Anne) and I are excited to help continue the tremendous success of the Young Pro Program.”

“We are so excited to announce Taylor and Maddie as our first Emerging Professional Players of the Year,” said Martin Barnard, CEO of the Canada Foundation. “Thanks to the continued generosity of Andrew Cook, we are able to reward these two deserving young professionals with additional financial support that will have an important impact as they chase their dreams.”

Pendrith, a long-time part of Golf Canada’s National Team as an amateur and now a professional, had a breakout year on the Korn Ferry Tour. He currently sits second on the Korn Ferry Tour’s Season Long Points List thanks to five top-3 finishes in 2020. Pendrith also finished T23 at the U.S. Open (finishing as Low Canadian) and jumped from 399th to 128th in the Official World Golf Ranking – all of this just one year after he played on the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada.

Szeryk notched her second win as a professional in 2020 in her second year as a pro. In 2020, she also recorded her career-low Symetra Tour finish (T11, FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship) and ended the year as Top Canadian on the Symetra Tour. There were only 10 events on the Symetra Tour last year and the gap between men’s and women’s professional golf opportunities widened during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Current and former team members of the Young Pro Squad, which was established in 2014, have accounted for 43 wins across various professional golf tours including a record nine LPGA Tour wins by Brooke Henderson along with PGA TOUR wins from Mackenzie Hughes and Corey Conners.

Funding for this program, in large part, comes from the Golf Canada Foundation with generous contributions from founding partners RBC and Canadian Pacific, as well as supporting partners Citi Canada and Bear Mountain Resort – the Official Training Centre of Golf Canada’s National Team program.

“RBC is proud to support the next generation of Canadian golfers through the Young Pro program” said David Agnew, CEO, RBC Wealth Management Canada, “It’s exciting for us to watch golfers we supported as amateurs, like Corey Conners, Brooke Henderson and Mackenzie Hughes, succeed as professionals.”

“From the CP Women’s Open and our deep involvement with Team Canada to ambassador partnerships with Brooke Henderson and Lorie Kane, CP is proud to support these talented athletes representing Canada on the world stage,” added James Clements, Canadian Pacific. “As the best team in the railroading business knows, precision and excellence require a strong team. We are extremely proud to be part of the great team supporting these young professionals in their golf journey.”

Like most of us, Ann Holmes is at home in Prince George, B.C., looking at a snow-covered landscape and wistfully thinking of the coming golf season.

Unlike most of us, she’s preparing daily for that first swing of the year. And, thanks to YouTube, she can make a virtual house call to help the rest of us do the same thing.

Early in the pandemic, in partnership with BC Golf, Holmes created a series of 11 Facebook Live videos intended to improve flexibility, mobility, strength and range of motion, all with a golf focus.

There’s no question she’s qualified. A PGA of Canada professional, she’s the golf coach at Prince George Golf and Curling Club and the former coach at the University of British Columbia. She’s got a Masters in Human Kinetics and is a certified personal trainer, among numerous other credentials. She, along with Tracie Albisser, also a certified exercise physiologist, operates the Active Health Solutions facility (www.activehealthsolutions.ca ) in Prince George.

“There are lots of online fitness resources but they are mostly for the elite golfer,” says Holmes. “These videos are aimed at the average golfer.”

A large proportion of those “average golfers” this winter are snowbirds and other seniors who, because of travel restrictions necessitated by the pandemic, are stuck north of the border. Holmes suggests they see this not as a disappointment but as an opportunity.

“Off-season training will help maintain the flexibility, endurance and strength you gained in your golf swing over the summer,” she explains. “Instead of taking the winter off, work on all of these fitness essentials for the sport you enjoy.

“The golf swing is a single-action, single-sided, ballistic movement and the goal is to create rotational power for distance. This can be hard on the body, especially the back and shoulders.  And when the golf swing is repeated over and over, injuries and issues can crop up.  Compounding the concern is that, as we age, we lose muscle mass, flexibility and endurance, which are all fundamental to the golf swing.”
Holmes says one of the most common issues for older golfers is that their posture becomes hunched, with a rounded lower back and an inability to rotate the pelvis into a proper spine angle at address. Her translation: “You need to stick out your behind instead of tucking it under.”

What all of that means, she says, “is that the rotation for the backswing is compromised and people swing with their arms instead of turning their shoulders. Ultimately,this causes a reduction in clubhead speed and weak shots that fade. This position also means that people tend to generate more shearing forces on their lumbar vertebrae (equaling pain in their lower back).

“And, finally, the rounded shoulders will reduce the space for the upper arm bone (the humerus) to move within the joint and people will start to complain of rotator cuff problems and injuries.”

One of her favourite catchphrases is “pre-hab.” Pre-hab is mobility and strength work done on an ongoing basis to address common weaknesses or muscle tension. “The body parts that are meant to be mobile, like your neck, hips, shoulders or thoracic vertebrae, should move with ease,” she says. “When these are tight, other parts will move to compensate during the swing.

“If you can prevent injuries or minor deficits before they become a problem, you will enjoy playing good golf and not lose any distance.”

Holmes’s folksy, friendly, cheerful and chatty “golf coach next door” approach requires no special equipment. A towel, key lanyard, wooden spoon, a thick book and a chair will do for starters. A golf club or similar is handy but not for swinging—just to help with extension. Each video is 30 to 40 minutes but, as she points out, “you can do these at your own pace and your own comfort level.”

Take it from me. The “pause” button comes in handy.