Day 1 - Traveling to Scotland

It's been a long time in the making but here is the first video from my trip to Scotland which I took in October 2010. With the golf season quickly approaching I thought that this would be a great way to kick it off! I posted this video a while back but wanted to share it again.

I was very fortunate to win this trip through a Callaway sales contest held at Haggin Oaks. Callaway sponsored, planned and executed a trip of a life time! Future videos will include Carnoustie, St. Andrews, Royal Dornoch, and much more. This was hands down the best trip I have ever been on! Hope you enjoy this video and stay tuned for the videos still to come!

Don't Get Caught Without Your Rain Gear

Hey Everyone... Don't be a turkey and get caught out in the rain without the proper rain equipment. Sadly, with the unpredictable weather and the forecast not looking great for golf for at least a few more days it's still a great time to stock up with the best rain gear. Having the right equipment is going to be key to your game and your comfort.

Zero Restriction makes the best rain gear on the market. You can go with the lightweight packable two year waterproof jacket and pant. Or you can upgrade to a little heavier Gore-Tex which offers a lifetime waterproof guarantee. We also have the Zero Gore-Tex bucket hat and rain gloves.

Don't be miserable this week, come in to the Super Shop to find me and I'll show you how to prepare.

Jenny Koplin

New Diablo Tour Golf Ball... It's FAST!

Check out the NEWEST golf ball from Callaway, the HX DIABLO TOUR . It's new design makes it one of the fastest balls available with tour like distance, precise control and excellent feel! You don't have to break the bank for a dozen of these either. Pick some up at the Haggin Oaks Super Shop for under $30, or 2 for $50. If you have any questions about the right ball for you don't hesitate to ask me. Playing the right ball for your game and swing really does help.

Taking Your Game From The Range To The Course

Are you having trouble transferring your swing from the range to the course? You are not alone. This is a common issue for many golfers. In my teaching experience I have had many students come tell me, “I can hit ball after ball on the driving range with good distance and control but as soon as I step onto the first tee it’s a different story.” Here are a few pointers that may help you understand how to take your driving range game onto the course.

- Practice Your Pre Shot Routine: On the driving range it is easier to get into a groove hitting one ball after another with the same club and you never have to step off the range mat. Next time you practice, take your time and step off the mat in between each shot. Go through your pre shot routine before each ball at a slower tempo than what you would on the course. I like to stand behind the ball and visualize the shot I want to hit. Then I take a practice swing to feel the swing I want to execute. Finally, I address the ball with a clear mind and swing away.

- Change Clubs After Each Ball: On the golf course you rarely use the same club for back to back shots. So instead of hitting 10 to 20 balls with the same club try switching clubs after each ball. It’s ok to warm up and hit a few balls with the same club but once you are warm start to switch it up. Each time you switch clubs, pick a new target. Mix it up as well. Hit an iron and then go to a wood. Hit a full shot, then try a pitch shot.

- Play A Hole On The Range: The range is wide open with only a hand full of targets and it’s very easy to swing away and not be concerned about where the ball is going. Try to play a hole or the entire round on the range. Make up your own hole or imagine the course that you are preparing for. Hit each shot from tee to green. If you miss the green or hit a bad shot, play it as if you were on the course. You might have to hit a punch shot from under the trees or a pitch shot to get on the green.

- Focus On One Shot At A Time: We are all capable of hitting an errant shot on the range or the golf course. On the course it is a lot easier to let your last shot affect the next shot, hole or even the entire round. Whether you are on the range or the golf course it is important to put the last shot behind you. It is easy to over analyze what went wrong. Once we do that it opens the door for numerous swing thoughts and corrections to your swing. After you hit a bad shot, try to think of what you did right and how you can do that again.

I hope that you find these tips to be helpful. If you are still having trouble bringing your range game to the course, an on course lesson with me or your golf pro is another great way make the transition. Feel free to come see me at the Haggin Oaks Super Shop to ask more questions or schedule a lesson.

Jenny Koplin and the new Ladies Puma line at Haggin Oaks

Hello Ladies. Come check out the new PUMA ladies group that just arrived. We're very excited about the new brand. It's functional and very technologically driven apparel to help you play your best golf. We have sizes small through large tops and zero through size 12 in bottoms. You'll love it's beautiful array of black, white and fuscia colors. Men's PUMA is on the way but not quite here yet! Come see me today! - Jenny Koplin

What do you DRIVE??

When you look for a new car do you make your decision based on color? Or whats under the hood? It is very easy to make something look flashy from the outside, but what really counts in golf is how will this club improve my performance!

When I think of Lamborghini I think of FAST! But not many people, including myself, can say that they own or have driven a Lamborghini. At an early age I dreamed of owning 4 Lamborghini's (seriously... I still have that 4th grade assignment somewhere). They are one of the fastest cars on the road and they look stylish. What if you could have a driver that not only looks great, but feels good and gives you the performance you want out of a high end sports car? Well I have it at Haggin Oaks and it's going in my bag ASAP. It's the New Callaway RAZR Hawk Driver.

Callaway recently partnered with Lamborghini to develop a new Forged Compostie material used in the new RAZR Hawk. This driver consist of nearly 70% of the new Forged Composite material that is also used in the body of the new Lamborghini. This revolutionary material makes the club lighter, faster, and stronger than all the competitors.

Early tests have shown that the RAZR Hawk is longer and straighter than other drivers on the market and has already proven to be successful for some of the best in the world. Early in the golf season the RAZR Hawk has already produced 2 consecutive wins on the European Tour in Qatar and Dubai. Thomas Bjorn, winner of the Qatar Masters, has seen an increase of 10 yards with his new RAZR Hawk. Alvaro Quiros won this past weekend in Dubai using the RAZR Hawk and he is averaging 12 more yards than last year. It was also featured in the Golf Digest Hot List receiving a Gold Star rating and considered by many to be the driver of the year!

If you want the best in class and the best players in the world are seeing an increase in distance and winning, you should give the new RAZR Hawk Driver a try too! I think that once you try it you will like it. I know I did! Come see me at Haggin Oaks and be the first to take this hot new club out for a test drive!

Who Packs Your Parachute?

Today I am not really sharing a golf story with you but more of a life story. Last month I attended a meeting at work for customer service training. By the end of the meeting I walked away learning about more than just customer service but came away with a new view on life and the things that we sometimes take for granted everyday. Ken Morton Sr. led the training and shared this eye opening story that talks about being thankful and not only recognizing the people around us who make us who we are, but the people behind the scenes who impact our lives without us even knowing. With the holidays and New Year upon us take the time to share a smile, thank you, or even just a hello. If we all did this you may just make someone else's day!

Here's the story...

Charles Plumb was a US Navy jet pilot in Vietnam. After 75 combat missions, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy hands. He was captured and spent 6 years in a communist Vietnamese prison. He survived the ordeal and now lectures on lessons learned from that experience!

One day, when Plumb and his wife were sitting in a restaurant, a man at another table came up and said, "You're Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!"

"How in the world did you know that?" asked Plumb.

"I packed your parachute," the man replied. Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude. The man pumped his hand and said, "I guess it worked!" Plumb assured him, "It sure did. If your chute hadn't worked, I wouldn't be here today."

Plumb couldn't sleep that night, thinking about that man. Plumb says, "I kept wondering what he had looked like in a Navy uniform: a white hat; a bib in the back; and bell-bottom trousers. I wonder how many times I might have seen him and not even said 'Good morning, how are you?' or anything because, you see, I was a fighter pilot and he was just a sailor." Plumb thought of the many hours the sailor had spent at a long wooden table in the bowels of the ship, carefully weaving the shrouds and folding the silks of each chute, holding in his hands each time the fate of someone he didn't know.

Now, Plumb asks his audience, "Who's packing your parachute?" Everyone has someone who provides what they need to make it through the day. He also points out that he needed many kinds of parachutes when his plane was shot down over enemy territory - he needed his physical parachute, his mental parachute, his emotional parachute, and his spiritual parachute. He called on all these supports before reaching safety.

Sometimes in the daily challenges that life gives us, we miss what is really important. We may fail to say hello, please, or thank you, congratulate someone on something wonderful that has happened to them, give a compliment, or just do something nice for no reason. As you go through this week, this month, this year, recognize people who pack your parachutes.