If you are searching for a golf facility that can provide all the tools to help you achieve your golf goals, you have to come visit The Golf Performance Center at Whistle Bear.
The premiere Golf learning facility in the Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo area offers its patrons best in Professional Golf Lessons, Golf Club Fitting with the latest equipment from major manufacturers Adams, Callaway, Cleveland, Cobra, Nike, Mizuno, Ping, Taylor Made and Titleist. The Golf Performance Center is well equipped to maximize your potential.
Our instructional team is lead by Head C.P.G.A. Teaching Professional and Director of Instruction Dave Smallwood, a 26 year veteran Instructor. He is accompanied by 6 other Professional Instructors with a great amount of experience and enthusiasm. Lessons and club fitting are run rain or shine, summer or winter, day or night in our 1500 sq ft Performance Center. Our facility and 15 acre practice driving range is open to the public, has a private lane way and parking lot, along with being flood lit with our building having 4 heated bays where students hit from inside, out through our 12x10 garage doors to the range to allow for full flight viewing.
The GPC also boasts the best short game areas in the Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo with 2 large putting greens, sand traps and pitching greens that allows patrons to enhance their practice sessions. The GPC offers single daily range usage along with frequent user packages and seasonal range memberships.
A wide variety of golf lesson options, junior camps, clinics, ladies clinics, golf/hockey camps, golf schools and corporate clinics are available to suite all needs.
SO IF YOU ARE SERIOUS ABOUT YOUR GAME COME SEE US AT THE GPC.
Amatuer golfers Alex Carrigan from Guelph is hard at work with his Coach, PGA of Canada Professional Dave Smallwood. Alex is making some tremendous strides on some recent swing changes. He has become a regular on the practise tee at the Old Corkscrew GC in beautiful Estero, Florida.
Alex is a recent graduate from the University of Charleston in West Virginia where he spent 4 years on a golf scholarship where he obtained his business degree. "I was so pleased at how fast Alex has picked up on some of the changes we have made" stated Smallwood. "He is achieving a flighting and trajectory he has never been able to achieve before, which is vital to compete at the next level" Alex plans to reside in Florida for the three months of training prior to a busy summer playing schedule.
The Winter Performance Program is now being booked for 2012 contact the GPC. 10 - 45 minute winter golf lessons in heated golf performance center. The student will select a weekly time spot for their full flight lesson where they will hit out of the heated bays on to the snowy range. Lessons will be instructed by the GPC's PGA of Canada Professional of your choice. Each lesson will include video analysis with our state of the art JC Video System and will receive weekly video clips. Lessons will commence the first week of February and students have till the end of April to complete the 10 lesson program. GPC Instructors include Mike Skimson, Mark Wilson, Theresa McDermott, and Mike Martz.
Program Fee: $700 +HST JUNIOR GIRLS PERFORMANCE PROGRAM
The Winter Junior Girls Performance Program is now being booked for 2012 contact the GPC. The Junior Girls Performance Series is a 12-1 hour program that runs every Saturday at 5-6 pm or 6-7 pm, February until April, 2012. The series is a group lesson with a maximum of 6 girls and instructed by the GPC's LPGA Professional Theresa McDermott. Instruction will cover all aspects of the game and include video analysis.
Program Fee: $200 +HST
JUNIOR BOYS PERFORMANCE PROGRAM
The Winter Junior Boys Performance Program is now being booked for 2012 contact the GPC. The Junior Boys Performance Series is a 12-1 hour program that runs every Sunday at 5-6 pm or 6-7 pm, February until April , 2012. The series is a group lesson with a maximum of 6 boys and instructed by the GPC's PGA of Canada Professional Mark Wilson. Instruction will cover all aspects of the game and include video analysis.
PGA of Canada Professional and Whistle Bear Junior Performance Team Head Coach Dave Smallwood are thrilled to announce recent changes to the Performance Team program structure and new team members.
With the incredible successes accumulated by the Junior Team members in the first five years, the popularity and demand of the program has been overwhelming. The team has had a record number of applicants and with 21 of the 24 members of the 2011 team continuing in the program the 2012 team has grown to 45 players. The Coaching staff has also grown to include Professionals Mike Skimson, Mark Wilson, Mike Martz and Carrie Vaughan. They will be joined by Team Sport Psychologist Dr. Rich Ennis and Team Club fitting technician Greg Bullock.
Golf Canada and the Golf association of Ontario have developed a 3 tiered pyramid of development. New Competitors, Developing Competitors and Advanced Competitors are the 3 stages adopted by the Whistle Bear Junior Performance Team. The team is divided into 12 New Competitor Boys/12 Developing Competitor Boys/12 Advanced Competitor Boys/ 4 Developing Competitor Girls/ 5 Advanced Competitor Girls.
The team program includes the following:
Junior golf membership privileges at Whistle Bear GC.
Practice range privileges at the Golf Performance Center @ Whistle Bear.
Yearly (February 1 – November 31) instruction with PGA of Canada Professionals Dave Smallwood, Mike Skimson, Mark Wilson, Mike Martz and Carrie Vaughan.
Opportunity to work with team Sport Psychologist Dr. Rich Ennis.
TPI fitness programs.
Rule seminars
Equipment assessment and club fitting with Certified Fitting Technician Greg Bullock.
Access to state the art JVC video system, Flightscope Launch Monitor and TOMI Putt Lab and Ping putter testing and fitting.
Team clothing package.
Team Golf Bags.
Tournament and scheduling consultation, with fundraising opportunities for tournament funding.
The Whistle Bear Junior Performance Team will start winter training the first week of February.
It's not to late to purchase a Gift Certificate at the Golf Performance Center for lessons, a fitting or to just hit balls. Contact the GPC at 519-650-2327 ext 421 to purchase today. After Friday December 23rd please contact Mike at 519-841-9960 or email mikes@whistlebear.ca.
Have a wonderful Christmas from everyone at the GPC.
On the 1st Day My True Love Gave to Me 1 Hour Individual Lesson with CPGA Professional regular price $100+hst Merry Christmas $80+hst On the 2nd Day Spring/Fall Performance Special regular price $300+hst Merry Christmas $250+hst On the 3rd Day 9 Hole Playing Lesson with CPGA Professional regular price $250+hst Merry Christmas $200+hst On the 4th Day Ladies Spring Performance Clinic(8 sessions) regular price $250+hst Merry Christmas $200+hst On the 5th Day Seniors Tuesday Performance Clinic(3 sessions) regular price $100+hst Merry Christmas $85+hst On the 6th Day Seniors Spring Performance Clinic(6 sessions) regular price $200+hst Merry Christmas $170+hst On the 7th Day Junior Spring Future Links Clinic(6-90 min sessions) regular price $150+hst Merry Christmas $127.50+hst On the8th Day Junior Future Links Clinic(12-90 min sessions) regular price $300+hst Merry Christmas $255+hst On the 9th Day Junior Future Links Full Day Camp(Mon-Fri 9am-3pm) regular price $500+hst Merry Christmas 425+hst On the 10th Day 1 Hour Custom Golf Club Fitting Session regular price $100+hst Merry Christmas $80+hst On the 11th Day Driving Range Membership regular price $550+hst Merry Christmas $450+hst And On the 12th Day Driving Range Frequent User Card(20 large bags) regular price $300+hst Merry Christmas $255+hst
Whistle Bear juniors Keaton Jones and Max Clift dominated their age divisions to bring home top prize at the Maple Leaf Junior Tour National Championships at Champions Gate GC just outside Orlando Florida. Jones who traines at the Golf Performance center with Coach Dave Smallwood was declared the overall champion after posting the tournaments low round of 68 on the second day. His scores of 75-68-143 was good for a 7 shot victory in the 14-16 years old age division and earned him an exemption to an AJGA Tournament in 2012. "This is the culmination to a year of changes and hard work for Keaton. He has had a tremendous year with an amazing collection of wins and top finishes. I couldn't be more proud of his play and am thrilled to be working with such a great young man" stated Smallwood after the win.
In the boys 13and under division Whistle Junior Performance Team member Max Clift made an outstanding 16 pars on his way to a second round 75 after a stellar 1 under 71 in his first round. His 71-75-146 total was good enough to win by an impressive 5 strokes. Team coach Smallwood was thrilled and commented, "I am so pleased to see Max win, his dedication to the game is well rewarded. Max has shown that not only is his physical game is great but his mental approach and composure has made tremendous progress"
Clift joined Jones as well as Brett Gieser and Maddison Easterbrooke to dominate the interprovintial competition and win the 36 hole award for low province.
In the boys 17-19 years old division Whistle Bear Junior Performance Team member Matt Chiasson narrowly missed making it a Whistle Bear boys sweep but had to settle on a second place finish posting scores of 74-78-152 to finish 3 shots behind Ontario's Brett Gieser.
The 72 juniors are selected to compete through the national order os merit were treated to some great advice at the opening reception with guest speakers Dr. Bruce Fleming of Play Collegiate Golf and Dr. Bob Winters sports Performance Consultant for the Davis Leadbetter Golf Academy.
Team Canada National Squad member Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont., shot a final-round 6-over 77 on Sunday to finish tied for ninth in the Individual Competition at the 2011 Juan Carlos Tailhade Cup at the Los Lagartos Country Club in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
With a four-day tally of 7-over 291, Rank, who entered the day five shots off the lead, finished the tournament sixteen shots back of champion, Daniel Huizing of Holland, who earned a nine-shot victory.
In International Team play, Rank and Mark Hoffman of Thornhill, Ont., posted a combined final-round score of 7-over 149 to lead Canada to an eighth place finish amongst the field of fifteen countries.
The Canadians carded a tournament total of 26-over 594 to finish twenty-one shots back of the champions from Holland – Huizing and partner Robin Kind.
Team Canada National Squad members Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., and Garrett Rank of Elmira, Ont., posted a combined four-day tally of 16-under par (272) to finish tied for second with Team Mexico, winning a silver medal in the men’s division at The 2011 Spirit International Amateur Golf Championship at Whispering Pines Golf Club in Trinity, Texas.
Hughes and Rank, who entered the final day of competition with a four-shot divisional lead, carded a combined final-round score of 1-under par (71) that saw Hughes convert one birdie and Rank post a pair as the Canadians finished two strokes behind the duo of Kelly Kraft and Nathan Smith of the United States. Team Japan took bronze, finishing at 15-under par (273).
Hughes earned gold in the individual men’s portion of the championship that awarded medals to the top three players who had the most strokes under par for the competition. The 2011 Canadian Men’s Amateur winner made 11 birdies and an eagle in the event. Rank, meanwhile, was awarded a bronze medal for his 11 total birdies.
The Development Squad duo of Taylor Kim of Surrey, B.C., and Mackenzie Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., placed 15th in the women’s division after producing a four-day tally of 5-over par (293). Korea took the women’s division title at 15-under par (273), while Argentina and the United States placed second and third respectively.
Canada tied for ninth on the International Leaderboard as Hughes, Rank, Kim and Henderson shot a combined 11-under par (565) over the course of the championship. Team USA earned their second consecutive Spirit International team title, finishing at 31-under par (545). Mexico and Argentina tied for second at 21-under par (555) to earn silver, while Korea took bronze with a score of 20-under par (556).
Played in opposite years of the World Amateur Championship, countries earned entry into the 72-hole best-ball stroke play event through their performance at last year’s World Amateur in Argentina, with a field of twenty countries earning invitations.
What did I do on a rainy evening last week? I drove 25 minutes to the Golf Performance Centre at Whistle Bear GC in Cambridge, Ont., a fully engaged complete service academy back-dropped by one of the more impressive practice facilities you’ll ever come across.
Director Dave Smallwood has done an outstanding job implementing his business plan at the course. The vision he and I talked about a few years ago for the Golf Performance Centre at Whistle Bear has gone well beyond his original blueprints. That includes a recently constructed short game practice area and a full complement of technology-based platforms for students to improve their game.
Getting reacquainted with the Performance Centre though was not the primary reason for my visit. Instead I was introduced to Powerchute, a new swing training product that advertises increased swing speed but is so much more than that. Used consistently or as part of a training program, Powerchute claims to improve a player’s lag, forward shaft lean, sequencing and body rotation while strengthening the core. If you are an inconsistent hands player and want to be a body-turner it can help you get there, and faster.
The product is simple enough. It clips onto the shaft of a driver or fairway wood then effectively acts like a sail on a boat providing no resistance on the backswing but full resistance through the forward swing to the finish. That makes it much different than the theory behind some of the weighted teaching clubs on the market today.
First developed then re-engineered by PGA of America pro Jim Sowerwine, it takes little time for the product to impress. For Jack Nicklaus it was just three or four swings. Watch an unscripted, unpaid 90-second testimonial for Powerchute from the Golden Bear here.
The greatest golfer of all time isn’t the only high-profile player singing Powerchute’s praises. A number of long-drive competitors, including former world champion Jason Zuback, are also using it. So too are a number of PGA Tour and LPGA Tour regulars, according to the company.
But it’s actually swing instructors such as Smallwood who Powerchute is targeting to be their most vocal proponents. According to part-owner Jason Fairfield who came to meet me at Whistle Bear that night, the product will only be available through swing instructors and online. There will be no retail channel for it.
Smallwood admits he needs more testing with it but is quick to validate its functionality.
“Powerchute does what my mind tells me the golf swing is supposed to do,” Smallwood told me. “Honestly swing speed is the last thing I would ever use it for. The sensation from it creates the ideal push back, pull down motion. It’s about big muscle motion and not small muscle manipulation. It does it too without any thought process for the person using it. I don’t have a lot of products for my students that make them do what I think the swing should do. This one does that.
What did I think? Fairfield and Smallwood put me on a launch monitor for testing. My clubhead speed went up six m.p.h. in five swings. That’s an increase of about 12 to 14 yards. But increased distance isn’t what had me most intrigued. My lag showed significant improvement on Smallwood’s V1 software. That can transcend into much better ball striking through the entire bag.
“When the hands in the golf swing act like a hinge and not a motor you become a better player,” Smallwood said.
So what’s the catch? Powerchute isn’t cheap. The product costs $139.95 but its benefits are tangible, its uses multiple (you can use it anywhere and anytime) and it has the ability to intuitively promote proper sequencing and body rotation. According to Fairfield, the company is also developing the product for junior golfers. Expect that sometime next year.
