STRAIGHT
TALK
n DISTANCE IS IMPORTANT,
BUT ACCURACY IS THE KEY
BY joeL Beers
W
ente Vineyards
knows wine.
That's obvious,
given that the
family has run the winery for
five generations. But Wente Vine-
yards also knows golf, as attested
by The Course at Wente Vine-
yards, a serene championship
layout designed by the leg-
endary Greg Norman,
known as one of the
game's all-time great
drivers of the ball.
Not coincidentally, Head
Golf Professional Cabe Jones
says that mastering The Course
relies on your tee shot.
"The key is getting your ball in
the fairway," Jones said. "With
our course, there isn't a lot of lee-
way to the left or right."
And getting it in the fairway
doesn't always mean pulling out
your driver, Jones says.
"A lot of our holes are short
enough you can get the ball in a
great position without one,"
Jones said. "Hole No. 2, for ex-
ample, is a shorter par-4. If you
can poke it out there even 175
yards, then all you need is a nice
little wedge into the green."
While few of us could ever
dream of emulating the driving
power of the golfer Jones cites as
the greatest of all, Jack Nicklaus,
or contemporary big hitters Jason
Day or Dustin Johnson, Jones of-
fers two tips for getting more
distance off the tee.
>> First, create as much dis-
tance between your arms and
the club as possible, which will
create optimal club head speed.
>> Second, relax. "A lot of
golfers want to hit harder so
they tense up. Instead of trying
to hit harder, concentrate on hit-
ting the ball in the center of the
club face. It's all about making
square contact."
Keep the ball in play off the tee on
The Course at Wente Vineyards.
l
THE COURSE
18 / WENTE FAMILY ESTATES GRAPEVINE
x
FALL 2015
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THE PROOf IS
IN THE PUTTING
n PRACTICAL ADVICE FOR
NAVIGATING THE GREENS
W
hile you might be driving for show, if
your flatstick fails you, you don't have
a chance to putt for dough. That's certainly
the case at The Course at Wente Vineyards,
says Head Golf Professional Cabe Jones.
And you don't need the complete package
of confidence and concentration of young
Tiger Woods or current Jordan Spieth to
putt well. There are some tips any golfer can
incorporate, such as having relaxed, soft
hands and putting through the ball.
But at The Course, reading the greens are
just as important as a smooth stroke.
"These greens can be tough to read," said
Jones. "Reading the terrain around the holes
is important. Look for drainage just off the
greens that will help you gauge the slope."
And, remember: Breathe.
"A lot of people forget to breathe," Jones
said. "Try to breathe the tension out."
