The Barclays Golf Academy Presented By Lynn Blake Golf / 2008
 

For Immediate Release

ATLANTA, GEORGIA, June 26 -- Barclays Capital, LLC http://www.barcap.com/sites/v/index....25 81c50aRCRD, the investment banking division of Barclays Bank, PLC, http://www.barclays.com/ and Lynn Blake Golf, LLC www.lynnblakegolf.com are pleased to announce The Barclays Golf Academy to be conducted during the The Barclays, August 21-24, 2008, at Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, New Jersey www.barclaysgolf.com. The Barclays and its predecessor tournaments long have been among the most prestigious -- and richest -- events on the PGA TOUR. Evidencing this importance, The Barclays is the first of four events in the 2008 PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup. http://www.pgatour.com/2006/fedexcup...ide/index.html

The Academy will occupy 2,100 square feet and feature four teaching bays. The facility will be specially constructed contiguous to The Barclays Hospitality Pavilion overlooking the 18th Green at Ridgewood and will operate from 8 a.m to close of play Thursday and Friday and 9 a.m. to close of play Saturday and Sunday. The Academy will feature individual and group instruction, clubfitting and outdoor clinics exclusively for Barclays private clients and guests.

Lynn Blake Golf, LLC has assembled a blue-ribbon team of exceptional instructors for the event. These include:

Lynn Blake, Founder and Director of Instruction, Lynn Blake Golf, LLC

Bill Castner, PGA, Master Professional, New Jersey PGA

Ted Fort, PGA, Teacher of the Year, Georgia PGA / 2006

Jeff Hull, PGA, Player of the Year, Georgia PGA and Georgia Open Champion / 2007

Rob Noel, PGA, Teacher of the Year, Gulf States PGA / 1993, 2000

These professionals will deliver an estimated 400 individual lessons and eight outdoor clinics during the four days. Each client will receive a personalized Golf Stroke Analysis CD as a permanent record of their experience.

For further information, contact Lynn Blake at lynn@lynnblakegolf.com or by telephone at 770-527-3841.

This would be fantastic
 

Now, just how do I get on that Barclay's guest list?

invest a lot of money with them :)
Ridgewood County Club is famous because Lord Byron taught there:

After he became a professional in 1932, Nelson's biggest improvement came in the two years he spent as an assistant professional at the Ridgewood Country Club in New Jersey, beginning in 1935.

It is another beautiful New Jersey golf course- A Tillinghast.

btw- I never knew that Nelson was an hemophilic - the reason he didn't serve in the armed forces during WWII

Mike,Nelson had a mild clotting disorder that has frequently been reported in print as hemophilia. Not true, full-blown hemophilia, though.

This is the first I read about it. I knew he taught in NJ and found the hemophillia reference when I was fact checking. thanks for the "rest of the story"

Almost Live
 

Thanks 6B!

<iframe align="center" src="http://www.flickr.com/slideShow/index.gne?group_id=&user_id=29126868@N07&set_id=&t ags=barclayclassic" frameBorder="0" width="500" height="500" scrolling="no"></iframe><br/><small>Created with <a href="http://www.admarket.se" title="Admarket.se">Admarket's</a> <a href="http://flickrslidr.com" title="flickrSLiDR">flickrSLiDR</a>.</small>

thanks Bagger, I don't know how the other pictures of mine got in the mix. I'll can;t edit since its code. I will try to post another and a video is set to go via You tube too. Keep checking here guys- Lynn and crew are HOT stuff here at the Fed Ex playoffs.

Thanks 6B enjoyed all of your photos---especially the one of the woman greeting her husband as he gets off the military transport plane. Great shot. And now, back to G.O.L.F.

I think its fixed now.

Thanks again for the great shots.

Great pictures.

what´s the name on the training-aid that´s attached to the left arm?

Amen,

it looks like the Cally tool mentioned in another thread recently

Its called a Taly A visual "to do" aid to keep the left wrist flat- not a restrictive aid like the others. WWW.Taly.com. Lynn has a discount prom coupon code "The Barclays" for what its worth.



Here is a video clip of random indoor teaching. It is with my new canon powershot a G9- great camera but not great with sound like my HD is but shows what Hull, Noel, Castner and Lynn is up too, Also Tom Paul of the Smart Stick was there,


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUUI1glL_7s


more later.


6b

Whenever this event is over would like to hear about this device---looks interesting, especially on the website. And where did they get those red dowels they use on the ground?? Or are they even dowels??

ALL

6b
was that you running around with the camera and typing on the pc? sry, we never met I would have introduced myself to you.

was there today, was so early that the girl signing up lessons wasn't even there, by time i got back it was too late 3+ hour wait. unfortunately newborn at home at i had to hightail out of there.
It's too bad as i wanted to show ted(and lynn) my swing. It's gotten much better since the first clinic i took with them and what ted saw me doing last year, it's become very functional, i'm seeing the light in how to control my golf ball. I'l have to video it sometime to have them review.

yes all the men were there changing the golf world for better....and it included Billy Castner, who I took one of my first lessons from a 12-13 years ago. Billy played out of Dyker Beach when I was younger and studied under local legend Tom Strafaci. He was so busy getting one person to stop overswinging and getting on plane I did not want to bother him.
The Group, someone should think of a nickname for these guys, gets stronger every year it seems.
As the Open Champion Paddy would say .......QUALITY.

Yeah that was me. My laptrop is so slow compare to my work set up. I'm going to push out another slide show and video tonight and re-edit the first one to identify Ted and Jeff. You should have stopped by and said Hi, Bill Castner is as much a stand up guy as you will find. Smart Ai and a very fine communicator- everyone in Jersey and NYC should see him.


more 2 come. btw- I have a flickr account mpix123 is my name- all my pictures go there first.


later

6b

hey thanks 6bmike that was great. only thing i didn't like was when the video ended.

how do ya like them BULLETS? who was that first instructor? he has a very easy-going and entertaining delivery style. does everything with conviction too.

2007 Georgia PGA Teacher of the Year
 

The first instructor was 2006 Georgia PGA Teacher of the Year...Ted Fort.

The video is a great example of how Ted teaches every lesson.

Keep up the good work Ted.

Sorting Through the Instructor's Textbook.

B-Ray

That was Ted Fort. I am amending that first video with names but my laptop is very slow. Besides shooting here I have to dump cards into the puter, edit render and upload all this before Bagger gets it. Hang in there.

Big Shot
 

Ted,

I love the "Bullet" analogy. Excellent communication. I am going to steal that one. I will give you credit, however, being such a high "caliber" person.

Nice job Mike. Thanks for bring it to life and thanks to the Jedi Counsel for the presentation :salut: .

Day Two
 

all of this is on my flickr account- mpix123 with captions

sent bagger the code- doesn't load for me. this set is called Barclays #2

I stopped by for a visit on Thursday afternoon. It was great to see Lynn, Ted and the "gang". Ted loves his ice cream. :laughing9
EDZ is a great guy and does his famous "Drills" on cue!!!. 6bMike was there but I didn't spot him until later because he was wearing his Barclay shirt over his "Boston Sucks" tee shirt.
Where was Drewitgolf, I am still waiting for my lesson.:crybaby:

Lynn held court on the green turf, demonstrating the circle and how the hands travel, leading the club shaft and club head. Nice job Lynn!!.

Jeff was showing EDZ on how to get that right shoulder deeper in the backswing to make it easier to attack the ball on the downswing.

Fanning the right forearm is key at start up and probably the hardest thing to do for the average golfer. Watch Brian Gay on how he does it.

On the range I saw Ernie Els, efforless power. I could have watched him for hours. Most of the guys hit there Drivers deep into the trees at the end of the range. The ball kept on going. Amazing.:salut:

Special thanks to Yoda for making my visit a special one.:golf: :salut: :salut:

Riding My Own Wave
 

Flattening Left Wrists at my own club in Massachusetts. However, I will be teaching on the practice Tee Thursday mid morning to afternoon during the PGA Tours next stop The Deutsche Bank Championship at the TPC of Boston.

SNS, you remember Boston. Home of the Defending World Series Champions, NBA Champions, and AFC Champions :happy3: .

More 6B Photos
 

Thanks once again Mike for your tireless efforts.

<iframe align="center" src="http://www.flickr.com/slideShow/index.gne?group_id=&user_id=29126868@N07&set_id=&t ags=tgm" frameBorder="0" width="500" height="500" scrolling="no"></iframe><br/><small>Created with <a href="http://www.admarket.se" title="Admarket.se">Admarket's</a> <a href="http://flickrslidr.com" title="flickrSLiDR">flickrSLiDR</a>.</small>

"Flattening Left Wrists at my own club in Massachusetts".

I hope you take off your golf shoes before you attempt that!!:laughing9

You watching Pavano tonight.......:eyes:

its all over....
 

My laptop couldn't keep up with the load of work- pictures and video I had to dump into it to clear off 'SD' cards for the next day (Love my little G9 canon). I don't think the sideshow works as well as I had hoped. I'm going to post thumbnails with a caption and re-dit the videos.
Everyone worked late into the day teaching about a hundred plus lessons a day indoors and about another hundred attending the outdoor sessions designed for eighteen. Everyone raved about their lesson as they left with a lot of buzz going around the Barclay pavilion. Everyone sent their friends and family to take a lesson the next day. Barclays' CEO was our biggest fan.

And what worked for everyone?- Lynn and crew taught- Flat left wrist/Bent, Level right wrist, straight plane line, lag pressure and a good swivel. Also Impact position of hands that lives way over there; opposite the left thigh with shaft lean. Simply stuff that makes other golf instructors tremble.

Lynn wanted this one posted asap- this guys ARE GOOD The MEN in BLACK. Our favorite team shirt. Johnny Cash anyone?





Masher Ted Fort, "Highbeamer" Jeff Hull, Ernie Els - no wait, thats Ed Z, master Yoda, Deerhunter Rob Noel, Jersey Bill Castner

Hey Mike

Thanks for your hard work with all the photos and vid clips. Listening to Ted teach reminded me of Destin not too many moons ago. Take care.

ARE THERE SALOONS IN DESTIN?:laughing9

My Brush with Greatness
 

I had the great pleasure of visiting the Barclays Academy on Saturday. Wow was it an impressive set up! I first got to meet Mr. Jeff Hull who I felt I already knew from watching his iconic videos on LBG, very cool, very patient guy, who analyzed my swing on video. I was coming OTT (yikes!) so Jeff had me set up at address with my RFA more on plane and I took a practice swing with a Smart Stick tracing the plane line with the laser. Very cool, I had practiced with dowels before per Yoda's instruction on the site but this was something else, Jeff then showed me the "after" video with my new alignments comparing it to the "before" and what a difference! Thank you Jeff! I am studying myself on video for the first time and have my work cut out for me for the range this weekend. Well after my session with Jeff I looked around for Yoda and saw him just outside walking pretty fast (towards me?!!) Now we have never met before so I thought wow this is incredible somehow Yoda recognizes me and is so happy to see me even though I just proved to Jeff Hull I'm swinging OTT! So I got nervous because I am in awe of Mr. Blake and he has an amazing presence, piercing eyes and magical aura. The unmistakable Lynn Blake finally in person! So as I stepped in front of him, "Hello Mr. Blake!!" he slid around me but looked me straight in the eyes kindly and without skipping a beat he said "Yes Hello there give me a few minutes I'll be back I need to talk to this guy..." and he darted off to the lawn to meet with some dude who looked like a CEO. Well that dude turned out to be none other than Mr. Robert Edward "Bob" Diamond, Jr., President & CEO of Barclays PLC!! Heavy! So yeah I took a number...Ok I'm not completely serious but Seriously, Mr. Blake is a true gentleman. It was a real honor. Sorry if this sounds like a fan letter but I am a huge fan of LBG.
Thank You Lynn, Thank You Jeff! I really had a great time and learned alot!
All the best for your next Barclays Academy. Liberty National? I'm in your corner in NYC.

Timothy Elliott
"Birdie Chance"
Bronx, NY

Home Alone
 

In the past four and one-half years, there have been many LBG events spanning several days. The months and weeks before are filled with preparation and anticipation. The event itself is all consuming and bursting with excitement, energy and total engagement. Immediately afterwards is a different story . . .

The staff has gone, the equipment is boxed and our teaching bays stand empty. At that time, I always experience intense feelings of gratitude and appreciation for what has just occurred. At the same time, I feel an overwhelming loss. What had become so close and so special is now gone, and I want it back. But the job is done, and life moves on.

I spent this past week with an incredible team of top-notch professionals performing an important function for the title sponsor of a major PGA TOUR event. It doesn't happen every week, but when it does, it's special, and you do your best to create a resounding success. But when it's over, it's over, and you feel the vacuum.

The good news?

It's time to begin again.

I start tomorrow.

Five lessons are scheduled . . .

And I can hardly wait.

:)

It was truly a pleasure to help out again this year in such a unique setting and I look forward to next year at Liberty National. Great to see all of you guys again, and thanks for all the outstanding pictures and video 6B. Great stuff!

No description of the Barclays would be complete, of course, without taking about the "best shot" of the event.

No, it wasn't hit by VJ to 17, or on the 18th green by him, or Sergio....

It was hit by Lynn Blake - Yoda, the one, and only.


All week we had been hitting shots to the heavily contoured practice green, both in the clinics we gave to nearly 400 people, and after we had finished for the day, and all week it was clear - there was no getting to that back right pin about 40 yards out. Nope. Nothing anyone could do could get it within 6 feet.

That pin was on the top of an upside down bowl. You could hardly even place a ball near it and have it stay.

So during our last clinic, as Lynn once again demonstrated......

"This is how you hit a shot... you keep your left wrist flat, and your right wrist bent.... like this..... "

On the fly. Directly in the cup.

Perfect.

The one and only, Yoda.

Holies and Polies At The Barclays
 

Thanks, Ed, for this recall. Fun!

:toothy1:

And thanks also to Randy Friedman, author of her new book Your Inner Swing http://yourinnerswing.com/. After the close of play on Friday, our Barclays Golf Academy staff was hitting shots to that pin, and I said: "Randy, the only way to get this shot close to the hole is to make it."

So, she said, "See it and jar it."

Two days later and with that thought processed, that's exactly what I did!

Ed, you were an integral part of our team last week and saved our bacon by modifying the computer audio settings at the last minute on the new swing analysis software. We had a problem early Thursday morning that no one on hand could solve, and West Coast tech support was three hours away. You stepped into the breach and got it done. Thank you, my friend.

:salut:

P.S. Regarding the Shot Heard 'Round Ridgewood -- :roll: -- you forgot to tell'em about my Hale Irwin 'run-a-round' high-fiving the gallery of approximately 50 Barclays clients. Alas, 6bMike, our staff photographer, had 'left the building' just an hour before and missed the event. And so, like Sarazen's double eagle in 1935 to win The Masters, that shot and its aftermath lives on in the memory of the few who were there.

Well . . . kinda.

:laughing9

All the videos are produced on a small point and shoot, a canon G9. They are not meant to be pure instructional vids. I shoot that stuff on a canon HD. These smaller vids are edited on a small program and are more like a family video log. Two more to be posted tonight or early morning via You Tube. Hope you like them.

Mike, I'm still only seeing the first video.

When they're done could you provide a link?

Well done to all you guys who gave the lessons and classes. I'd love to be able to experience that - maybe one day!

sorry if that came across as a criticism. all i was saying was i was left wanting more, nothing to do with editing or whatever. i'm grateful for everything on LBG. every bit of it goes above and beyond expectations. great for the game of golf. particularly us weirdos who take it too seriously and think about it too much.

Tee For Drew
 

Congratulations, Drew!

:salut:

Drew, what Irons should I bring??. :laughing9

:golfcart: :salut:

Iron Man
 

The ones that will get the wrinkles out of my clothes after I get up from the ground from rolling with laughter :razz: .

Bring an A-rod, a Jeter iron and a Joba pitching wedge. A Damon putter drops the ball in the hole every time.

"IT'S NOT A DOGGIE DOOR." Nice one!