SARASOTA —As the sunlight was fading, and just minutes after competing against the field as teammates in the Class 2A-5 regional championship at Misty Creek Country Club, Barron Collier’s Phil Boljanovich and Nik Susnjara faced off in a playoff to determine which Cougar would head to the state tournament.

On the third playoff hole, Boljanovich capitalized on a Susnjara error, sending the senior to his second consecutive state tournament, and second in a row needing a playoff to do it.

The duo tied the first two playoff holes, and after good tee shots by both on the third, Susnjara put his second shot just left of the cart path about 50 yards from the green, while Boljanovich hit his shot from 190 yards out to just 10 feet from the pin.

“I just thought to myself ‘Take a slow swing and make sure you get it on the green,’” Boljanovich said. “I put myself in position to have a chance to go to states, and I am happy I pulled it off.”

Two putts later, Boljanovich capped off his day from two feet out, sending him for a chance to win a state title, which has a new home this year at Juliet Falls Golf Resort in Dunnellon on Nov. 2 and 3.

As a team, the Cougars were in position to take second place, posting a 297, highlighted by Boljanovich’s and Susnjara’s round of 73. That put them second at the time to Riverview’s 294, but as Lakewood Ranch’s Danny Walker sank a 12-foot putt on the 18th hole, the scores came in, and the Mustangs had knocked Barron Collier out of team contention, finishing with a score of 292.

It was the end of the road as a team for the Cougars, who start four seniors — Boljanovich, Susnjara, Matt Taylor and Jake Delaney. Barron was 12th at state last year, when Boljanovich tied for 20th, and was sixth in 2007, when Susnjara and Taylor were freshmen.

“The boys played as hard as they could. We had a few hiccups out there, but when you shoot the total round that we shot, I still think that’s very good,” Cougars coach John Carroll said. “It just wasn’t good enough to be in top two this time around, but I feel good with what our guys did. They should be proud of themselves.”

Class 2A-Region 5 Tournament

at Misty Creek Country Club, Sarasota

Team scores

Top 2 advance

1. Lakewood Ranch 292, 2. Riverview 294, 3. Barron Collier 297, 4. Seminole 309, 5. Ida Baker 312, 6. St. Petersburg 321, 7. Venice 323, 8. Fort Myers 328, 9. Osceola 384.

Individual Scores

1. John Maguire (SP) 68, 2. Mason Fox (RIV) 72, 3. Ryan Lort (RIV) 72, 4. Phil Boljanovich (BC) 73*, 4. Nik Susnjara (BC) 73, 5. Tyler Doyle (IB) 74, 5. Eric Innes (SEM) 74, 5. Mike Visacki (RIV) 74.

*won playoff on third hole

Individual qualifiers

Top 2 not on advancing team

1. Maguire (SP) 68; 2. Boljanovich (BC) 73.

Local team results

Barron Collier (297): Boljanovich 73, Susnjara 73, Matt Taylor 75, Jake Delaney 76

Local individual results

Matt Leiti, Gulf Coast, 77; Cody Olson, Naples, 79; Tommy Jewell, Naples, 86.

Prep golf: Barron’s Boljanovich advances to state; Cougars come up just short in 2A-5 regional

(1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5) Loading …

If you’re looking for an in-home virtual golf system, Dancin’ Dogg Golf – maker of the OptiShot Infrared Simulator, could be your choice. They’ve recently started running a long form infomercial that stars Roger Maltbie and airs frequently on Golf Channel.

The OptiShot Infrared Simulator, includes a simple, plug-and-play interface, crystal clear graphics, precise replicas of world-renowned courses and incredibly accurate shot feedback. in contrast to many simulator systems, OptiShot is more reasonably priced ($399.95) and easy to use. Ideal for golfers of all ages and abilities, it connects with Windows computers and requires only 8-½ feet of swing space. with their own clubs, up to four players per round can compete by hitting real balls, foam balls (provided) or no ball at all. Infrared sensors on a durable swing pad accurately record club-head speed, face angle, swing path, distance, tempo, face contact and ball flight.

In addition to the driving range option, OptiShot’s expanding library of pre-packaged courses features eight, internationally-acclaimed layouts, including former Major championship sites. A wide range of premium offerings – including the 2010 Grand Slam Collection of Georgia Peach, Old Scot, Monterey Classic and Whispering Dunes – are also available for purchase at $49.95 each.

OptiShot is available at leading retailers nationwide and via www.dancindogg.com.

Affordable OptiShot Simulator Could Be Your Winter Golf Solution

Golf involves both physical and mental skills, and you need to get the two of them working smoothly together. if you spend some time improving the way you think about golf, then you’ll notice that your game starts to improve and your score drops. Attitude is extremely important in golf, so you need to work at making sure your attitude is right. you can take golf instruction lessons at driving ranges and golf clubs. you don’t have to join a golf club to get a lesson from their golf pro. you can find lots of beginner golf instruction materials online. there are some excellent golf books, DVD’s, and videos on the market that will help you to establish the fundamentals of the simple golf swing: grip, stance and posture. Here’s an important beginner golf tip – stick to the basics and don’t get blinded by too much technical information. getting totally confused won’t help your golf game or your enjoyment of the sport, either. Golf is a fantastic game. Take some time easing into it. you will find it a rewarding pass time, sometimes totally frustrating, and always challenging. Like many others, you may find it downright addictive! It’s good to spend some time practicing your putting. you don’t need to be at a golf course to practice putting, you can do it in your spare time at home. Practice will help you develop confidence in your ability to control the putter, and in return you’ll have better control over the ball. Remember, too, that golf can be fickle, so don’t get too cocky. you may have had a brilliant day on the golf course yesterday, but that’s no guarantee that you’ll play well today. It’s okay to proud and excited when you play well, but keep your ego in check. Otherwise you might find that you end up playing alone. Visit here,you will find expert golf swing instruction,golf swing tips and top selling golf ebooks that will help improve your Golf Tips.

Simple Golf Tips Swing Speed

Golfers use various training aids to improve their golf swing. most of these can be purchased from the sporting good store but did you know that there is something you can use at home? Yes there is and this is the cardboard box where your golf clubs came in.

No matter how keen you are to get started with your swings on a driving range, using a 5 or 7 iron to hit a few ball first will help you to warm up, and that in turns helps to reduce the risk of injury.

Once your body is warmed up, set it up. to do that, put the cardboard box lengthwise towards the target because the objective of this aid is to let you hit the ball without hitting the box. This should be 5 to 6 inches away from the ball. If you don’t know how to do it, ask someone from the range to help.

To start, make a few practice swings and let the club brush softly against the ground without hitting the box. When you are ready put a ball and then fire away. Each time you hit the ball, try not to hit the box. If you do, just reset the box to its original position and try not to hit it again.

If you are able to hit a few balls without hitting the box consecutively, move the ball at least half an inch closer to the box. Once the distance between the club and box is about 1 to 2 inches, increase your swing speed to what you do usually.

If your swing is within the zone, you’ll manage this without any problems at all, but if do having a problem with this, then it means your swing is on the outside. the chances are you’re either not holding your club properly, or else your club face is is badly aimed. While you can continue trying, it’s advisable to consult a professional who is capable of analyzing you swing for you.

Should you be able to hit the ball without coming into contact with the box then it is time to remove it and then practice swinging without the aid. If your shots are going outside again, put it back so you can recall how this is done.

There are other golf swings aids aside from the box to help you improve your golf swing and you will have to shell out more than $10 just to use it.

The great thing about an empty box is that it won’t cost you anything because if it gets damaged, you can throw it away and find another box with similar dimensions so that you can continue perfecting your golf swings. For example, you could also use one of those soft, long and circular foam pool toys.

Hand positioning and speed are paramount to having a good golf swing, and to prevent you from going on the outside. Remember, the perfect golf swing is neither inside nor outside, and neither is it a straight path. It’s a moment from inside to inside, and once you get it, you’ll have a far more rewarding game to play.

Many people who enjoy golf dream about taking a golf vacation, and one great spot is Bermuda. to learn more about a Bermuda golf vacation, Bermuda golf courses or other golf vactions visit our site at BermudaGlogTrips dot com.

Improving Your Golf Swing Using An Empty Cardboard Box

I've had trouble with an outside in path so im consciously trying to make sure i go inside out…everyone says try to make your swing out towards first base if your a righty…what i find tho is that my arms get too ahead of my body and this in turn is causing my club face to be open…any tips? is it that my hips are turning too quickly?

I would make sure your head stays down till after initial impact with the ball.

Club Grip: on a scale from 1 – 10 for grip strength generally the grip should be somewhere around a 5. also take your club in your left hand and have your thumb pointing straight down the center of the shaft. Rotate your whole hand so that your thumb points to a 1 o'clock position. do the same with your right hand but your thumb should be pointing more toward the 11 o'clock position.

Keep your arms relaxed, head down, slow your back swing down, and try to imagine yourself as if you were standing inside of a barrel. by imagining this you can minimize the "sway" of your body and focus more on "twist".

I saw a tip on www.mycallaway.ca where the golfer got into his stance and then actually put his right leg back behind his left a little bit. This helped his get the feel for the twist of the body during his swing. Apparently he does this a few times and then steps in and makes his normal swing. according to him by doing this it helps him become more familiar to the feeling of the twist in his body during his swing so he can eliminate the sway.

Anyway I know this is alot but I hope it helps.

I actually think the problem is the opposite – you need to clear you left side earlier – think about it – the only way your hands can get in front is if your turning your shoulders before clearing your left side. A drill to use is to try starting your downswing (all in slow motion) by clearing your left side or turning your hips, then your hands are having to play catch-up so they aren't in front of you. This makes it easier to swing inside-out or away from you, making sure that you keep your extension well through impact.

Good Luck, and I hope this is not too confusing.

First off the best thing to do is seek the advice of a professional. However, I know that can be expensive. there are numerous professional tips available online as well. With that in mind, there are a few things that can cause this outside-in swing path. It could be that your backswing is too vertical and needs to be flattened out to promote swing more around the body. the thing I most commonly see however is that people tend to cast their club on the down swing, also known as coming over the top. This happens from swinging the club head before the body is swinging. Some things to remember are to start your swing from the ground up and use your body as a hinge. also, your arms should be driving through the swing before the clubhead begins to come around. A good way to imagine this is to think about pulling the butt of the club towards the ball creating clubhead lag and then releasing the clubhead as you reach the bottom of the swing. Hope this helps.

When you practice, start your swing from the top (no backswing), then consiously tuck your right elbow into your side on the downswing. This will prevent a flying elbow which may cause the outside-in 'casting' motion. As you feel more comfortable, only take a 1/2 backswing for a few, then a 3/4 for a few more then a full backswing. you should also slow your tempo to aid in control. to keep your hips from flying, take a wider stance (outside shoulder width). This will prevent you from over-rotating on the backswing. Lastly, to prevent your club from opening, at address, close the face of the club so it points to the left of target. when you strike the ball it should go pretty straight, or even draw a bit. I'm certainly no pro, but all of these suggestions were told to me by a pro, and they have helped my game a great deal. I hope they help you, too. if all else fails, spend an hour with a local pro. It is well worth it. Keep yours in the short grass. good Luck.

I take it your problem is slicing the ball. if it's a fade and not a slice then my suggestion is just play with it. try this, it really does work. Address the ball as if you were going to hit it, then grab a head cover, place it about 3 inches outside of the ball (away from you), let it run length wise with the top of the head cover parallel with the ball and the rest of the cover laid out behind it. So now when you are ready to hit the ball you are also looking at a head cover that is going to get in your way of your swing if you continue with the outside to in swing. just this visual will help you make an inside to out swing. you can actually hit the ball with the cover there, if you strike the cover when attempting to hit the ball then you haven't fixed it yet. good luck. I'm a horrible writer, sorry. BUT IT DOES WORK

If you're slicing, don't even read this. But if you are just pushing the ball to the right, I have a feeling you are releasing your hands late on the downswing. the problem there is, you shouldn't really consciously try to roll over your hands on the downswing. Whenever I'm having trouble with my release I make practice swings hitting an old tire (not with full power of course), this helps my body get the feeling of the timing of the release. I do this in my backyard hitting balls in a net, it's hard to find something to hit like that at the range. or, the ball may be a little too far back in your stance, try moving the ball a couple more inches toward the target. I don't think your hips are turning too quickly.

this tip has worked for me and everyone i have told it to. take a towl or the club head cover and put it under your right arm pit. (if your right hand. if your left than do the opposite) put it under your arm and swing. the key is to squeeze the towl or head cover so that it does not fall out on the back swing. once you get past the ball and at the release point. release the item under your arm. this will train you to keep you right (or left) arm from frailing out and causing your outside in swing. try this but don't get upset if it feels odd. when you have been doing something for a while it is hard to change. good luck hope it works.

Probably the opposite. you should start your downsing by turning the left hip to the left. This will change your swing plane to a lower flatter plane (this is a two plane swing by the way) and force you to come inside out. Most over the top swingers start their downswing with their hands and/or arms resulting in the outside in path.

look down at the ball at address. put on X on it with a marker or a pen. make it look like a cross. +. aim to hit the lower right quadrant.(if your a right handed golfer.)
if you hit it right, it's a push, move the ball farther up in your stance. if it slices, your still hitting out to in.

find out where your wrists "turn over", that is, at what point of the swing does the clubface start to close? Inner left foot? left toe?
put the ball there.

try to keep your head down a little more during your follow through, I used to be in such a hurry to see where my ball was going, my head and hips were turning too early and everything would go righht. I think you might be doing something similar. Hope this helps

Just make sure the first move from the top is dropping your right elbow to your waist so it touches and you will swing on the right path
and the head cover drill is a good one in conjunction with with dropping the elbow

Good Luck

the problem is the clubface is open upon contact.

2 solutions are to tighten the grip, as mentioned, or place the ball farther up in your stance until contact meets up with the wrist turn.

Hello,
take a few lessons from the local golf pro where you practice hitting balls. I!m sure he or she will help your swing problem.
good luck
j z

During the downswing in my golf swing…?

change position of hands.
put the other one on top and vise versa.
helped with my ex's.

Picture in your mind that your hitting a baseball to right field. You will stop coming over the top.

at the practice range, hit a bucket of balls with a head cover or a towel under (your right armpit if you are golf right handed, left armpit if left handed). this will help you get the feeling of the correct swing path then just try to replicate

when the club geos up stop when your arm is parrelle with the ground and the club pionting strait into the air. the power is all in the downswing so dont go back too far!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ah, the slicers plague.

I'll tell you what I believe to be an excellent way to rid yourself of this. It's called the pump drill, and I believe that Arnold Palmer used this one.

Bring your club to the top of your swing. now, instead of just swinging away, start the downswing and get the club into the position it should be at about halfway down, but slowly.

Bring the club back up to the top, and repeat that move, only a little faster this time.

Bring the club back up to the top and repeat the move at about 3/4 speed.

Finally bring it to the top and swing. the three previous practice moves should ingrain some muscle memory, and the swing path should be where it needs to be.

Try hitting about 10 balls this way, and then 10 balls full swing. Alternate between that 2 or three times each practice sessions, and you should be able to train your way out of the over the top move in a couple of weeks.

I do these 2 things: I keep my right elbow in close to my right side. I pick a spot slightly to the inside of the ball as a target rather than the back center.

Get a training aid or a lesson.

How can I get rid of my over the top golf swing and get a in to out swing path?

I have been on a swing camera many times, and I noticed the biggest thing I do wrong is release the club too early (flip) instead of dragging the head through. My typical miss is left and I hit the ball too high with too much spin.

I have noticed that when I play the ball further back in my stance, I hit the ball longer and straighter, with a better trajectory.

Why is this?

Could I be playing the ball too far up?

The other thing is, when I normally swing, I come over the top,

but when I play it further back, I come inside out, on a better path

I could be way off on this ball position thing, but could this be the cause of my loss of distance and accuracy?

thanks

Go get a bucket of balls and hit them like you usually do BUT…

don't think about ANYTHING except keeping your hands in front of the clubface at CONTACT.

I had the same problem and after about 15 balls I was striking the ball better then I ever had.

Rather than asking us to guess what your swing flaws are……why not go get a lesson or 2 to find out what they actually are and get professional correction for them? You'll be a lot less frustrated with your game if you do.

well the problem mite be that you don't accelerate threw the swing witch will cause them to release prematurely. You can also try pulling the but of the club towards the ground this helped me get better lag so i wouldn't release early mainly because i had so much it was hard to release it all before the ball. and the reason you can hit the ball better when its back in your stance is just the way you swing and nothing else.

It could be a number of things, but when my golf swing goes bad I always go back to the basics and work on my tempo. In my opinion, the best tempo drill is hitting a bucket of ball with your feet together. Try it and see.

Why does this happen in my golf swing?

I purchased some new irons about two months ago. I have played golf for a while now and decided I would be better off with custom fit clubs because I am 6'1. I ordered a set of cobra cb irons w/ .5 inch longer shaft, 2 degree upright, stiff flex sensicore saft and 1/64 bigger grip. every since the first time I hit these clubs they have any where from a slight draw to a hook. I dont feel like my swing path has changed from before and I never hooked. any ideas

Probably you. Because they are stiff, you are probably forcing your swing. I mean your probably rushing it.

Its not the clubs. Its your swing.

Did you happen to buy the Cobra irons with offset shafts? if so, the clubhead is striking the ball having already passed the centerline. if not, you'll need to be more specific (what were your old clubs, previous shaft flex and type, how did you hit before) for any advice to be more targeted.

Maybe you just suck.

Why are my new golf clubs causing such a Draw/Hook?

Would posting a score in the 70’s give you legitimate bragging rights?

Some players do that all the time, while others could never come close. so what’s the deal? in my teaching, I always emphasize four things, and if you want to have a realistic chance at your dream write these down and memorize them.

The shot is controlled by 1) the path of the club in the down swing, therefore it must be swung toward your target. it cannot finish right or left of your line. 2) The clubface must point at your target at impact, not right or left which would cause a curved shot. 3) you must control the speed of the club; not too fast, not too slow-think Goldilocks. 4) plan your shot.

Where do you want the ball to end up and what club will get it there, be specific. look at the area you want your ball to land, and then work backwards in your mind to what will get it there. I know this sounds oversimplified, but there are no shortcuts to accurate shot making.

Pick up a club and take some swings. Does your swing path take you toward or away from your target line? If the clubface had eye balls, would they be looking directly at your target at impact, or some other direction? Does your swing speed resemble an act of murder, or are you half asleep in the swing?

And if you don’t have a plan, then any shot will do. If after attempting these things you don’t see real improvement, then please talk to one of the pro’s at the range. we are here to help because that’s what we love to do. just ask. we want to hear you shouting about that 79.

Robert Nelson is a Professional Golf Instructor at Blue Rock Springs and can be reached at (707) 553 2125.

How to break 80…. finally

It is absolutely true fact that in majority of cases neglecting some important putting drills will make your golf game quite bad, especially in the event you are facing considerable lowering of your score on the course. in fact, most club golfers waste and lose a really amazing possibility to do strokes due to fact that they are in a habit of hitting the putting green. But the good news is that by means of working on some basic putting drills you are able to learn how to make more putts and perform more shots to make your score perfect. believe me it is quite simple to do. It is true that practicing will make big improvements!

It goes without any sayings the major part of golfers will come to the conclusion that putting is 50% of the golf game, the vast majority of golf players will also agree that if having a really bad day on the putting greens, it will most definitely increase your gross score on the whole of the course. the fact is that quite great deals of club golfers make the great mistake of making 3 putting, 4 putting or in some cases even worse. Unfortunately, this is rather common occasion. Fortunately, the good news is that there are some quite good golfing tips and drills which are designed especially to help you reduce the amount of wasted shots on the green.

The all totally imperative basics will most surely make a great putt. so, if you want to make your golf game better it is strongly recommended to take note of the following points.

Square clubface at impact

It goes without any sayings that if you strike the golf ball with either a closed type clubface or an open type clubface you are to try working on such solution:

Just lay a ball on a putting green. Then place a golf ball marker in front of the ball somewhere approximately 6 inches to it. put it quite firmly into the ground. Remember that it must be parallel to the golf ball. After that just behind your golf ball push a tee peg approximately 10 inches, but no more. It is totally imperative that you should try putting along that line that is why in this way you will be sure that your club will knocks the tee peg while you are making the back stroke. in this way your club will go directly over your ball marker. It is true that you may also want to put some string down being a guiding line. I am perfectly sure that this will considerably improve your swing path. Practice this easy drill as often as you can and I am sure that you will play golf better.

Golf is one of the most popular games in the world. Do you watch golf games holding your breath? Imagine yourself playing golf? Then you need to know about beginners golf guide. You are welcomed to visit this golf rules for beginner site – the right spot where you can find out golf swing tips and other relevant issues.

And remember that our world is the world of modern Internet technologies. It wouldn’t be smart not to make use of the online network to find anything at the best prices available on the market. Search engines, social networks, blogs and forums – all this will help you solve many issues.

Share and enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Some Tips To Improve The Golf Path