Issue link: https://digital.insidegolfmedia.com/i/832524
l THE COURSE Jones said the project, which began in May, will re-shape the upper section of the fairway, creating a shelf on the left side close to the green that will become a grass bunker where there is currently long native grass. "the hope is that this new area will catch a few more balls and allow people to chip up onto the green and make par, or at least bogey," Jones said. additionally, a large area of fescue grass along the right side of the fairway will be taken out and replaced with blue- grass, giving players a significantly better chance of saving their score if they happen to hit into that area. "What was happening was with the false front on the green, and with the elevation of the green, people would hit their approach shots just a little bit short," Jones explained. "the ball would roll back all the way into the rough, and it was so thick that sometimes you couldn't even find your ball. We wanted to make it a lot more player-friendly, so you at least have a chance to get up and down." until construction is complete, a temporary green will be cut in the fairway, and the hole will play as a par-3 from 120- 160 yards. For a few weeks after that, the sections of the hole with new turf will be marked as ground under repair, with a drop area designated by the green. Once the renovations are complete, golfers should find the hole eminently more enjoyable. "We just wanted to make the hole play a little more fair," Jones said. ................................................................................................................ ›› LEARN MORE about The Course at Wente Vineyards. 1) Focus on the short game "A lot of players tend to focus on their full swing. But where you actually give up strokes is in the short game because touch and feel are things you lose if you're not playing regularly. There's a big difference between chipping on and being 2- 3 feet from the hole versus 6-8 feet. When you get the putter in your hands, spend some time working on pace – that's one of the hardest things to control if you haven't played for a while." 2) Use your range time wisely "Don't just hit 7-iron after 7-iron. Take out three or four different clubs and choose some targets to take aim at. Work on some different ball flights so you can get a feel for how you have to manipulate your swing to make those shots. Then when you're on the course and you hit it in the trees, you'll be ready to hit that cut shot out of trouble. Not every shot on the course is going to be straight." 3) Alignment is key "Between grip and alignment, if you work on those two areas, you're going to fix a lot of issues. At the range, stand behind the ball and go through your pre-shot routine so you start getting used to setting up to the ball properly. Don't be afraid to put an alignment rod down when you're at the driving range." > CLICK HERE to learn about Club Wente Golf Memberships. 3 KEYS TO HELP GET YOUR GAME BACK IN SHAPE FOR SUMMER ADVICE FROM THE PRO WENTE FAMILY ESTATES GRAPEVINE x SPRING/SUMMER 2017 Director of Golf Cabe Jones offers some advice for golfers who may have left their clubs in the garage most of the long, wet winter… continued from the previous page…