Recap: Titleist Learning Experience at The Ridge Club

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By Rick V., Team Titleist Staff

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  1. Rick V., Team Titleist Staff

    Rick V., Team Titleist Staff
    Duxbury, MA

    Team Titleist Staff

    Hey, Team Titleist.

    At Titleist, it's our mission to help you play better and enjoy the game more. Every day, we try to accomplish this through the products we manufacture, through precision golf ball and golf club fitting, through product education and through growing and supporting the Team Titleist community.

    Most recently, we've also committed ourselves to helping golfers through instruction, partnering with world-class teachers on the Titleist staff to develop the Titleist Instruction Center.

    A couple of weeks ago, we took our instructional initiative a step further and organized an in-person Learning Experience on Cape Cod. We approached this effort as a proof-of-concept exercise. We wanted to see how challenging it would be to stage a live event and we wanted to see how effective and valuable a full day of instruction would be for the golfers who participated.

    Scroll through the gallery below for some highlights from the morning sessions:

    The Titleist Learning Experience at The Ridge Club...
    The Titleist Learning Experience at The Ridge Club began with a chipping and pitching clinic from Skip...1/21
    ... while Mark covered iron game fundamentals.
    ... while Mark covered iron game fundamentals.2/21
    Learning Experience students benefitted from more...
    Learning Experience students benefitted from more than 70 years of combined golf instruction experience from Titleist staff members Skip Guss (left) and Mark Heartfield (right).3/21
    An important point of emphasis for Skip when it...
    An important point of emphasis for Skip when it comes to chipping and pitching - the toe of the club never passes the heel and the club head never passes the hands.4/21
    Gold star for TT member Andrew F., on this chip.
    Gold star for TT member Andrew F., on this chip.5/21
    In pitching, Skip wants you to have the same...
    In pitching, Skip wants you to have the same feeling as an underhand toss.6/21
    In the iron game, Mark explains that ball position...
    In the iron game, Mark explains that ball position influences the starting direction of shots...7/21
    ... as well as ground contact. Ball position...
    ... as well as ground contact. Ball position changes with club selection. This helps you to flight the ball lower with wedges, make ball-first contact with the irons and catch the ball on the upswing for high-launching shots with the driver.8/21
    Mark makes a small adjustment to Andrew F.'s...
    Mark makes a small adjustment to Andrew F.'s grip...9/21
    ... that delivers immediate results!
    ... that delivers immediate results!10/21
    Mark shares some tour player footage to illustrate...
    Mark shares some tour player footage to illustrate how the world's best swing without tension.11/21
    By swinging alignment rods, students discovered...
    By swinging alignment rods, students discovered that we all have a faster gear if we need it. Mark's drill showed that the trick is learning when to pour on the speed – through impact, not from the top of the the swing.12/21
    A quick break after two morning sessions gave...
    A quick break after two morning sessions gave players a chance to recharge and compare notes.13/21
    Next up, students learned some finer points of...
    Next up, students learned some finer points of putting from Skip...14/21
    ... and bunker play from Mark.
    ... and bunker play from Mark.15/21
    Skip shows Mike S. that proper alignment in...
    Skip shows Mike S. that proper alignment in putting begins from the eyes down.16/21
    "What's more important in putting?"...
    "What's more important in putting?" Skip asked the group. "Face or path?" As he demonstrated with this putt that missed ten feet wide of the cup, the answer is a square face, hands-down.17/21
    The first fundamental in bunker play is...
    The first fundamental in bunker play is understanding how to use the tool designed for the job, and here, Mark shows how the leading edge of the sand wedge digs down into the sand (left), while the trailing edge of the sole provides bounce (right), acting like a rudder that allows the wedge to glide through the sand and splash the ball out without digging.18/21
    Another important fundamental of bunker play is...
    Another important fundamental of bunker play is the release. As Mark showed the group, in a normal iron shot the club should rotate through impact, with the toe passing the heel (left). In a proper bunker shot, though, the club releases up. The wrists don't roll and the face of the wedge points to the sky after splashing the sand.19/21
    Time to put the principles to the test. A textbook...
    Time to put the principles to the test. A textbook out from Ken A. (far left)!20/21
    During the last ten minutes of his bunker clinic,...
    During the last ten minutes of his bunker clinic, Mark showed how bunker technique works just as well for a high flop shot out of the rough, pine straw or even flower beds!21/21

    Fortunately, we had some of the best professionals in the business to lean on, led by our two instructors, Titleist staff members Skip Guss and Mark Heartfield. Both are valuable partners and both are highly regarded as top instructors in the New England area.

    Skip is the owner of GolfRite in Southborough, MA and you've probably seen some of his great instructional content on the Instruction Center.

    Mark, who had served as the Head Golf Professional at Sankaty Head Golf Club on Nantucket for 33 years, has recently moved back to the mainland and now serves as the Director of Instruction for The Ridge Club in Sandwich, MA.

    We also had the privilege of working with Matt Baran, the Head Professional at The Ridge Club. Matt is an accomplished player and teacher in his own right and he and his staff made sure that our guests received VIP treatment throughout the experience.

    On two consecutive days, Skip and Mark hosted a group of eight golfers. In the morning sessions, players were split into groups of four. While Skip taught four players chipping and pitching, Mark covered full swing fundamentals with the other group of four. After 45 minutes, the groups switched stations. Once every player had gone through full swing and chipping/pitching instruction, they split again, visiting Skip for putting and Mark for bunker play.

    These early breakout sessions were followed by lunch, during which Mark and Skip answered questions and reviewed the concepts covered throughout the morning. We also held an informal discussion about golf ball performance, detailing each model in the Titleist Premium Performance line and explaining how they differ from each other in terms of Flight, Feel and Spin. Each player was provided with one two-ball sleeve each of Pro V1, Pro V1x, AVX and Pro V1x Left Dash, which they'd put to the test in the afternoon session.

    Scroll through the gallery below for some highlights from the afternoon sessions:

    After lunch, players returned to the practice...
    After lunch, players returned to the practice tee, where everyone received some one-on-one attention from our instructors. Mathieu B. worked on his driving with Mark...1/16
    ...while Palmer C. developed a better feel for a...
    ...while Palmer C. developed a better feel for a powerful turn with Skip.2/16
    For the final session of the day, the players...
    For the final session of the day, the players split into groups of four for a nine-hole playing lesson. Here, Mark provides some course strategy on the first tee.3/16
    Mike S. is all smiles after a great putt on the...
    Mike S. is all smiles after a great putt on the first green.4/16
    Mark rehearsed his approach to playing the par-3...
    Mark rehearsed his approach to playing the par-3 2nd hole at The Ridge Club...5/16
    ... and then Eileen K. carried the plan out to...
    ... and then Eileen K. carried the plan out to perfection.6/16
    On the tee at No. 3, Skip gave a simple swing...
    On the tee at No. 3, Skip gave a simple swing thought to Paolo C. to reinforce good sequencing – Shift, Turn, Swing - in that order. 7/16
    Brien C. put this advice to good use, piping a...
    Brien C. put this advice to good use, piping a great drive on the narrow par-5.8/16
    Hills, moguls and uneven lies are a characteristic...
    Hills, moguls and uneven lies are a characteristic challenge at The Ridge Club, and Mark took an opportunity presented by Steve L.'s drive to talk about lies where the ball is below your feet.9/16
    As Mark demonstrated, creating a wider stance,...
    As Mark demonstrated, creating a wider stance, flexing the knees more and bending more from the hips goes a long way towards leveling the playing field on this difficult shot. 10/16
    The water fronting the green at the par-4 6th hole...
    The water fronting the green at the par-4 6th hole gave Eileen K. some trouble, but Skip put it all in proper perspective, telling her, "Golf is 250 acres of error. Don't beat yourself up over the errors. Learn from them and enjoy the next opportunity you have to play that same shot better!"11/16
    To score well you have to putt well and Mark...
    To score well you have to putt well and Mark shared a great routine he uses to read greens and putt assertively.12/16
    A quick pitching refresher by Skip helped Ken A....
    A quick pitching refresher by Skip helped Ken A. wedge this shot to tap-in distance on No. 6.13/16
    You have to enjoy the good ones, as Skip and...
    You have to enjoy the good ones, as Skip and Joanne M. showed after she made a great par-save on No. 5. 14/16
    The playing lesson culminated with the full group...
    The playing lesson culminated with the full group playing the ninth hole together. Steve L. showed the ten-some the way with this solid drive.15/16
    Thanks to The Ridge Club, thanks to Skip and Mark...
    Thanks to The Ridge Club, thanks to Skip and Mark and thanks to all the great TT members who helped to make this unique event such a fun and memorable experience!16/16

    Right after lunch, the group moved to the Ridge Cub practice tee, where our teachers opened the floor for "student choice". This gave participants a chance to work one-on-on with Skip and Mark, focusing on areas of their particular games that needed the most attention, from putting to driving.

    Once each golfer had been attended to, the group headed to the first tee, where Skip and Mark accompanied a group of four golfers each for a nine-hole playing lesson. The Ridge Club is a unique course with a good degree of elevation change. It's hard to find a flat lie, as the rolling fairways are peppered with many moguls and hillocks. This challenge gave Mark and Skip a great opportunity to cover uneven lies, specialty shots and course strategy as our participants often found themselves in challenging situations.

    Skip and Mark rotated between the groups, offering the equivalent of medical second opinions throughout the lesson. Their individual perspectives were definitely beneficial for the players, as multiple TT members commented that two viewpoints vs. one from a single instructor was a big plus for them.

    Mark and Skip wrapped up the playing lesson by having all players (themselves included) tee off together on the final hole. The ten-some made identifying golf balls in the fairway a bit more challenging, but the camaraderie it added put a nice bow on two enjoyable days and a great experience.

    Our sincere thanks to everyone who participated and made this special event possible!

    Rick

  2. Fred L

    Fred L
    Centerport,NY

    What an awesome experience his must have been!!! All the more why Titleist is the best in the business and care for the everyday golfers such as us!!!
  3. Frank P

    Frank P
    Port St. Lucie, FL

    Military
    Any chance of doing this in Florida this winter? PGA Golf Club with our newly renovated practice facility, would be a great place to hold a Titleist Learning Experience.
  4. Dwayne N

    Dwayne N
    Island, KY

    Great opportunity would love seeing something like this around my area. I attended a TT event at Pinehurst in 2019 and it was great met Bob Vokey and got some wedge advise that has changed my game. I love learning more about golf.
  5. Felipe P

    Felipe P
    Melbourne, VIC

    What a wonderful opportunity to share invaluable time with like-minded golfers. I wish we had similar TT experiences in Australia.
  6. Darryl M

    Darryl M
    Wichita, KS

    Sounds like another great event put on by Titleist.

    Great Job to everyone involved in this.

    DM
  7. Brian H

    Brian H

    The Titleist Instruction Center is a welcomed addition to learning from and engaging with the Team Titleist group.
    More opportunities beyond the Team Titleist Invitationals, (which remain on my to do list), would offer greater regional exposure for all of TT.
  8. BDuarte

    BDuarte

    Great Job Titleist!
  9. DAdkison

    DAdkison

    Thank you for sharing!
  10. DAdkison

    DAdkison

    Thank you for sharing!
  11. Ron T

    Ron T
    Grapevine, TX

    I would absolutely love something like this! I think it's one thing to learn virtually, and then trying to put it into play. It's something much more valuable when I can do it with the instructor right there and ready to help me correct things I didn't get entirely. How can we help encourage Titleist to do more of these?
  12. A S

    A S

    As someone who needs a lot of instruction, I'd give serious consideration to attending an event like this. The obvious main factors would be location and pricing but I think value would outweigh the cost, so that leaves only location as a factor.

    I'd be very likely to sign up for such an event if it were nearby.
  13. CMcCarn

    CMcCarn
    West Kentucky

    This looks super beneficial for all involved. More of these opportunities would be awesome!

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