The Open Championship

Originally uploaded by 1ManWithACamera

Graeme Duncan, General Manager of Carnoustie Golf Links in Scotland, recently took a couple minutes to answer a few questions for Skinnymoose Media. Carnoustie Golf Links was the site of this year’s PGA British Open, where Padraig Harrington came from behind to defeat Sergio Garcia in a playoff. This is the seventh time the British Open has been played at Carnoustie. I want to thank Graeme Duncan for taking time to answer a few questions.

1. How long have you been general manager of Carnoustie?

5 Years

2. What are your duties as manager of Carnoustie?

Managing the 3 golf courses at Carnoustie on behalf of Angus Council. We have over 50 full time staff and 40 part time. The golf courses at Carnoustie are public links run by a committee of volunteers. I am responsible for the day to day operation. We have over 16000 visitors a year on the Championship course who need to be looked after,

as well as over 2000 members.

3. What is your role when the British Open comes to town?

Mainly my involvement is for the 3 years previous to the event when we are preparing the golf course to a broad spec laid down by the R&A. We also have to recruit a Championship Committee to run the various activities such as marshalling, litter collection, staff recruitment, scoring and so on. During th wekk of the Championship, there is less for me to do as the R&A take charge.

4. What planning takes place when leading up to the Open?

As I said, it is a 3 year process to prepare the golf course. There are many regular meetings and course walks with the R&A to ensure that the course is set up as fairly and in as true links condition as possible.

The other major area of preparation are the grandstands, marquees, toilets, catering facilities, temporary offices etc. These all have to be fitted into a relatively small area and of course, the footprint for this infrastructure is increasing all the time.

5. Many of the different PGA Majors courses have their own personality. What seperates Carnoustie from some of the other courses?

Carnoustie is long, difficult but very fair. The course tests every aspect of a player’s game, from driving to putting on the large flat greens. The final 4 holes however are what sets Carnoustie apart. They form the toughest and most dramatic finish in world golf.

6. What do you think makes the Britiish Open such a special tournament?

History and tradition. This is the original tournament, and every great player has his name on the trophy from Young Tom Morris to Tiger Woods. No other tournament can say that. Also the R&A do an outstanding job of running the event, which makes it tremendously enjoyable for the players, all of whom love to play.

7. What did you think of the outcome of this year’s open?

Delighted for Padraig who will be a great and tremendously popular champion. Sorry for Sergio who did not deserve to lose and who burned the hole time after time on the final day without getting a putt to drop.

8. What one piece of advice would you give to golfers?

Enjoy the game.

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Originally uploaded by spencebuck

As many of you know, golf schools and academies have popped up across the United States. Florida has become a hub for many of the top name golf schools. Recently, Rick Bradshaw of the World Famous Jim Dent and Rick Bradshaw School of Golf in Florida answered a few questions for Skinnymoose (Rick Bradshaw in the middle, with one of his students, Tim Petrovic, on his left and Jerry foltz on the right on the set of Academy live golf channel).

Rick Bradshaw has been a professional golf instructor since 1979. He was selected by the awards committee for the 2006 National PGA Teacher of the Year and has been ranked by Golf Magazine as one of the top golf instructors in Florida from 2005-2007. You can check out more about the Jim Dent and Rick Bradshaw School of Golf at http://www.tourexperience.com/. Come back tomorrow to read an article Rick recently wrote called “THE SECRET TO EFFORTLESS POWER IS SPIN/TWIST”

I want to begin by thanking Rick for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions.

1-Rick, why did you decided to get into teaching golf rather than playing professionally?

In 1979 I had a chance to open a computerized high tech golf school in West Chester County N.Y. I felt this was an opportunity to truly study and research the golf swing to not only help golfers but give myself the understanding of the golf swing that might propel me into playing the tour. My plan kind of back fired on me as I became very successful at teaching the golf swing to all level golfers and my lesson book filled to the extent of 70 lessons a week. The more people I helped and the notoriety I achieved through television, writing articles and pouring my full emotions into teaching and discovering the true secrets to an efficient and effective golf swing, the less time I had to compete and practice. Becoming a tour professional requires great commitment almost selfish desire to be the best at every aspect of golf. I chose through time to become the best I could be at communicating and teaching the fundamentals and techniques of the golf swing.

2-What’s the allure to you of teaching golf?

The allure of teaching golf is to get an individual to swing a golf club with virtually no effort yet strike the ball with great club head velocity. Teaching someone to achieve and apply the secrets I have discovered about learning the golf swing in virtually one lesson gives me a feeling of an artist creating a sculpture or magician performing a unbelievable trick.

3-What’s a normal day for you? Do you teach golf for a couple hours and then hit the links for the rest of the day?

A normal day for me is teaching golf from 9 am until dark with no lunch, 6 days a week for the last 20 years.

4-How is going to the Jim Dent and Rick Bradshaw School of Golf different from going to your local driving range and getting lessons?

Going to the Jim Dent/Rick Bradshaw School of Golf guarantees you learning the true secrets to effortless power in the golf swing. Participants will receive instruction from Rick Bradshaw, 2 time section PGA Teacher of the Year, first hand not assistants. The true physics and forces responsible for the club head swinging into the ball striking it square in the center of the club face with tremendous velocity will be revealed. Few golf schools or teachers understand the forces involved in the golf swing. The fact that I drive the ball over 300 yards with only one hand on the club is proof of how to create great club head velocity with minimal effort or work being performed. Examine laws of circular motion and apply them to the golf swing and body and the swing very easy to understand and perform.

5-What’s involved in the process of someone enrolling at your school of golf?

Visit my web site at Tourexperience.com and send me an email. I am more than happy to speak with people who want to learn the golf swing.

6- What is the most challenging aspect of golf?

Probably keeping it simple. Knowing the important things to focus on and eliminate the many unimportant thoughts. Once you understand the true secrets to achieving the swing you can begin to perfect. Getting the correct information on how the swing works and is learned is paramount to success. Skill, strength, and talent are very much secondary. Anyone can definitely be successful at golf.

7- What advice would you give to people who are just getting started in golf?

Please study laws of circular motion, read Percy Boomers’ golf Book “On Learning Golf’. Find a teacher that keeps it simple, fun, and cares about your success.

8-Could you comment on your thoughts of the recent headlines of steroids being in professional golf?

The interesting thing about the golf swing is to be successful you need lightness and quickness to transmit velocity from the body to the golf club, not big muscles or bulk. Slight of hand and dexterity is a plus and feel of the club head as well. I don’t see any benefit that steroids could give to a professional golfer. Power is generated through a pivot, not a forced hitting motion. Like a figure skater performing a pirouette. The great golfers in the past have lengthy and quick muscles. Steroids if used by golf professionals could prove more of a detriment than advantage.