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GOLF SCHOOL
Story and photography
by Eric Anderson
A lot of golf truths, Bowe points out, are myths.
He feels that aphorisms like "Keep your eye on the ball, hold
your head still" lead to awkward swings and he demonstrates
that by swinging -- with his eyes closed, and the ball, of course,
going true.
 "The
ball doesn't know what to do until you hit it," Bowe says.
"It doesn't know where your head is!" He does feel, however,
that amateur golfers have one basic wrong idea about the swing.
They seem to think they should slow it down for better results.
"They're actually too slow at 80 miles per hour compared to
professionals who hit the ball at about 110 miles per hour. And
the moment of truth in golf is the moment of impact; it has to be
perfect, the club square to the ball and traveling at the right
speed."
This golf school, situated at the Riverwalk Golf Course in Mission
Valley, San Diego, starts with four hours' intensive instruction
each morning, from the full swing on the driving range to chipping,
pitching and putting with work in bunkers and on uphill, downhill
and rough lies. Afternoons, those with stamina can play 9 or 18
holes of golf.
Bowe reminds his students that many successful professional players
are not classic golfers; Jim Furik, for example, and David Duval
and even Jack Nicklaus all had their idiosyncrasies. "We don't
teach you our way," says Bowe. "Instead, we try to improve
on what you've already got."
Golf instruction can be intense. It's repetitive
and consistent and no time is wasted. But Bowe wants his students
to relax so he makes a further point: "We're professionals,"
he says, "and we are unfazed by the specific problems of our
students. We have the answers because we've seen it all before."
Information on the John Jacobs' Golf Schools is available on
the web at www.jacobsgolf.com
or by telephone at 800-472-5007.
The San Diego Golf Guide, available from the San Diego Convention
& Visitors Bureau www.sandiego.org is a
four-color, 20 page magazine-format guide to 50 golf courses, resorts
and golf schools in the area. Featured is the city's newly designed
Riverwalk Golf Club (619-296-4653) which opened in Mission Valley
in 1998 to host the John Jacobs' Golf School. Visitors can get the
golf guide at the International Visitor Information Center, 11 Horton
Plaza at First Avenue and F Street or by writing to the bureau at
401 B street, Suite 1400, Dept 700, San Diego, CA 92101 or calling
619-236-1212.
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