Putt Like the Pros

Golf season is finally in (excuse the pun) full swing again in Minnesota. If you haven't been practicing in the off-season, chances are your game is a little rusty. Check out some of our putting tips to take your short game to the next level:

Take Address

Stand so that your eyes are over the ball. Stand in a position that is comfortable for you and ensures correct posture. Your body should maintain a consistent motion with your elbows held to your sides.

Be Flexible

Don’t play with a stiff body, flex your knees and keep your shoulders relaxed. Not only will this make your putt closer to perfection, but it will also keep you more relaxed while on the green. If you have a hard time relaxing your body during your putt, try moving further or closer to the ball and practice putting.

Left, Right, and Center

If you found that you need to move away from the ball, but yet still can’t sink the putt, step sideways. Try moving to your left or right and find your pendulum swing sweet spot. You will only make a perfect putt consistently when you learn to hit the ball dead square.

Take the shot

Remember to relax and keep a slow and controlled movement. Don’t worry about rushing through the putt. If you feel uncomfortable taking your time, don’t – we’ve all started somewhere. In no time, you will be putting like a pro and swinging low scoring games.

One of the best things you can do to improve your game is simple… practice! Get out on the green and take a few shots. For tee times, location, online specials and more, visit our website at Blueberrypinesgolf.com.

Why You Should Spend More Time at the Driving Range

As Minnesotan golfers, we don’t have the luxury of all-year round golfing.  When the warm weather hits, we try to hit the course as much as possible while there is no snow on the ground. Indoor driving ranges are an excellent way to keep loose and maintain your swing during the long winter months. So, if the indoor driving ranges are so crucial to keeping an effective golf game during the off-season, why don’t we utilize the outdoor driving range while the season is in full swing? Here’s a few reasons why we believe it would be beneficial for you to spend more time on the range:

Save Yourself a Few Strokes

Most of us know that usually the first hole is one of the worst of the entire round. Hitting a driver when you are not warmed up (especially if everyone around the proshop watching your group tee off) is a disaster in the making. Instead of showing up 15 minutes before your tee time, show up 40 minutes early and hit a bucket of range balls to shake off the cobwebs and be ready to impress.

Keep Your Game Fresh

Life is busy- there can be times when you cannot make it to the range for weeks at a time, which ultimately may cause your golf game to suffer. The perfect solution is to hit up the driving range. You may not have time in the day for a four-hour round of golf, but you may have the time to hit the range for 20-30 minutes.

“Practice Makes Perfect”

This is a quote we have all heard a few thousand times in our lives, but in regards to golf it is very relevant. Use the range to fix the biggest and smallest flaws in your game. What sounds better- having to aim 70 yards to the left of the hole so you can play your nasty slice, or being able to aim down the middle of the fairway and have a better chance with your putt?

Additional Workout

We golf because we love the sport, but it is a small bonus that we can get exercise from it as well. Take advantage of the range to stay active, help gain more flexibility and athleticism, and burn more calories.

Don’t overlook the driving range because it may hold the key to unlocking your golfing game to new heights. For additional help at the range and with your game, Blueberry Pines offers group and private lessons that can be booked online or by calling the Golf Shop at (800) 652 -4940 or (218)-564-4653.

Learning the Lingo of the Links

Have you ever been out golfing with someone and found yourself struggling to decipher the things they are saying? You may be encountering a fluent speaker of the “Language of Golf”. The terminology can get funky, but to clear a few things up, here are 7 golf-slang words that you may have heard around the course:

Mulligan
A golfer’s BEST FRIEND! It is technically a “do-over” and is not in the official rules, but it just becomes a natural part of the game when golfing casually with friends. Hit in the water? Mulligan. Hit it in that bush next to the tee box? Mulligan. Hit a house out of bounds? Mulligan…

“Nice Putt Alice!”
If you’ve ever contemplated launching your putter into the pond, you have probably heard this one before. The saying actually comes from the 1963 Ryder Cup, when Peter Alliss terribly missed a 3 foot putt and someone from the gallery yelled the now legendary line, “NICE PUTT ALLISS”.

Shank

Hitting a shank, or having the shanks is a term associated with hitting a
very bad shot or hitting several bad shots. A shank is a shot that is struck by the hosel of the club, and not the clubface, producing a shot that goes to the right for a right handed player. Be warned, however; some of the more superstitious golfers consider it very bad luck to even hear the word around the course.

Slice
Sometimes called a banana ball, hitting a slice is when you strike your ball, it starts out on a trajectory left of your goal, but spins far right of the target area (opposite directions if you are left-handed). If you ever hear someone say they hit a “fade”, that is a shot that slightly curves to the right, making it less drastic than a slice. A slice is a more harsh error.

Hook
A hook is the opposite of a slice- starting its trajectory right of your goal and curving far left (again, opposite directions if you are left handed). Rarely used intentionally, hooking your ball usually indicates an error in your swing, but is sometimes used to get out of a tight space or to curve your shot around obstacles. A hook with a smaller curve is called a draw, and is much more commonly used.

“Time to Put On the Sunblock”
You’d never go to the beach without your sunblock, right? Well, if you’re having one of those days where you find yourself in the sand and hitting it in every bunker on the course, then you better have your “sunscreen lotion” handy!

A Danny Devito
You hit an incredible approach shot and you confidently head up to the green for a short-medium length birdie putt! You grab the putter, read the green, line up the putt, and pray it goes in. Right when you make contact you know you made a huge mistake… You completely misread the putt and your second putt is now farther away. You just encountered a mean 5 footer, “A Danny Devito”.


When a sport has an avid following, there are bound to be a few terms thrown around that are only understood by the die-hard fans of the game, and golf is a prime example. Brush up on a few of these golf terms to be prepared for the lingo of the links on your next golf outing at Blueberry Pines.

The Etiquette of Golf

Spring has arrived, and golf season is quickly approaching. If you are interested in playing golf, you may want to know these seven basic etiquette rules before you take on your first 18 holes.

1. Repair the Green and Bunkers
On the green make sure to repair your ball mark, in the bunker make sure you rake the bunker when finished. If you see other marks on the green or notice that the bunker hasn’t been raked, it’s common courtesy to tidy up those areas as well. Leaving these areas unmaintained can be a nuisance to others.

2. Keep Quiet
One of the best things about golf is that it’s a social game, but you should always show consideration for the other golfers around you. Losing your temper or laughing loudly could disturb other golfers’ focus, so make sure you are quiet during another golfer’s swing.

3. Dress to Impress
Sweat pants and T-shirts may be acceptable for other recreational activities, but when golfing, it is common courtesy to dress appropriately. Female golfers should consider wearing longer shorts and a nice shirt. Men should consider wearing a collared shirt and dress pants or shorts. Guys no tank tops or muscle shirts please.

 4. Step Away from Your Cell Phone
There are three main reasons you should put down your cell phone while playing golf: First you may lose your focus- when continuity is interrupted it could affect the result of your game. Secondly, cell phones interrupt other golfers. When you are using your cell phone, your voice level tends to be higher than usual. Lastly, Cell phones slow down play for both you and others around you.

5. Early is On Time, and On Time is Late!
It is important to be early for your tee-time. Then keeping up with the group ahead keeps the pace of your golf game up to par. If the group behind you starts to catch up, let them jump ahead of your group and play through. If it is busy golf course, letting groups through may not be an option if there are solid groups behind the group behind you, this slows the entire golf course down 8 minutes per group let through. Play ready golf and play with undue delay.

6. Stay Inbounds!
Typically white stakes or lines mark the boundary line on a golf course. If you hit the ball out of bounds, the penalty is a stroke-plus-distance, meaning you add one stroke to your score and count all hits. Constantly hitting the ball out of bounds can cause your group to slow down! If you can, check out the course overview before you take on 18 holes.

 7. Golf Cart Driving
No one likes to see a reckless golf cart driver on the course. Taking sharp turns or parking to close to the green can ruin the grass. To help keep the grass well maintained, utilize the cart path as much as possible. If you absolutely have to drive on the grass, make sure you are steering clear of greens and tee boxes and do not drive too close to water hazards, mounds or bunkers.

Now that you know theses 7 etiquette rules, take the day off and head to the course! Check out our membership options membership options or standard rates, and make a plan for the upcoming golf season!

5 Tips to Remember When Choosing Golf Clubs

 
With golf season and summer right around the corner hopefully you are thinking about taking up the game of golf. If you are, you’re probably thinking about which clubs to purchase. If you are a beginner, golf clubs can be expensive, so it is very important to know a little something about the clubs you put in your golf bag before you purchase them. Here are five tips that can help you on your search for the right clubs:

1. When choosing a driver it is important to remember that shorter may be better than longer. Most manufactures today are producing drivers for experienced players that are too long for beginners. With a shorter club you have a better chance of hitting the ball squarely. Also, if you tend to miss the “sweet spot” on your current driver frequently, you should get a driver with a maximum forgiveness rating (many golf club manufacturers provide this information).

2. Consider using your 3-wood as a driver. If you get more distance with your 3-wood off the tee, making this simple change could help you drop a few strokes off of your game.

3. When it comes to choosing the right golf clubs for you, grip size and type, shaft length and type, plus the lie angle of the club-head can all be very important. Golfers come in all shapes and sizes with their own unique swinging techniques. Having a set that is the right fit for your swing will make it easier for you to learn and improve your game.

4. To find the golf clubs that best fit your golfing style your best bet may be getting fitted for golf clubs right here at Blueberry Pines Golf Course. This is a great way to test out which clubs work for you and which ones don’t. For instance, if your club is too long, light, or heavy for your golf swing type, it will limit your ability to properly hit the ball squarely at impact. Having a golf set that is completely wrong for you when you're trying to learn can make it much more difficult or even impossible to get any better.

5. If you struggle with long irons, which most players do, you should consider trying a hybrid. Hybrids can be an easier-to-hit alternative to long irons. Hybrid clubs have a more forgiving club face, and lower center of gravity which gives it easier “swingablilty.”

Now that you are on the right track to finding the right clubs, it’s time to put them to use! Blueberry Pines is a great golf course for any level of golfer. Check out our memberships options here.

If you have any questions call (218) 564-4653 or email bbpgolf@wcta.net

How to Keep your Golf Game in the Winter

When the sun is shining and the thermometer mercury stays around a comfortable 70 degrees, your golf game stays strong, but when the winter rolls around, some of us can fall out of the groove. To keep yourself on your toes and prepared for the spring, take a look at these helpful tips:

 

 

Indoor Driving Range

An indoor golf range would definitely be a great idea to utilize it in the wintertime to take your game back to the basics. Indoor golf training centers also typically include golf simulators to help golfers work on every aspect of their game.

Practice in your Garage

If an indoor driving range isn’t an option in your area, swing a weighted golf club in your garage to improve strength in your arms and wrists. Over time, it will increase your rate of speed when you swing your club.

Get Some Exercise

Whether starting a membership at your local gym, or playing a round of racquetball every Tuesday and Thursday night, the more exercise you get in will help your golf game. Improving your personal condition through strength and flexibility will help you avoid injury and play better once the season begins again.

Grip and Swing

It may sound tedious, but practice your grip and swing, even if you don’t have a ball to hit. These are small improvements that can make a big impact on your golf game come spring.

Lift Weights

Lifting weights regularly can add strength and power to your swing to really increase your drive on the ball.

Look in the Mirror

It is easy to notice when someone else is holding their driver a little funny or taking the club in too far on the backswing, but sometimes when you are holding the club wrong, it is hard to notice. If it is easier, you could even video yourself and see if their are any improvements to be made; you may actually be surprised at what you come across.

Practice Putting

In our opinion, whether it is summer or winter, you can never get enough practice putting! You can practice easily on your living room carpet, or on your own green, if you have one.

Once spring hits, our staff at Blueberry Pines hopes to see you on our course with your new-found winter golf improvements. For more information about Blueberry Pines Golf, Dining or Event center visit our Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn or Google+ pages!