About
Gord Workum:

Gord is the Head Golf Professional at the Pine Ridge Golf Club, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
His qualifications include:
TPI Level 1 Certified

YFG Certified Instructor

K-Vest Level 1 Certified
Instructor

Golf Professional for 21 years

gworkum@
pineridegolfclub.com

204-222-1573

• First Tee Stretches -Fitness Tip - Katherine Roberts
• Introducing Judy Sener -YFG Director of Education
• The Ultimate Golf Tip -video J. C. Anderson
• Mental Tip -Meditate to Concentrate
• Golf Tip -3 Soles of the Sand Wedge- Gord Workum
• Recipe -Grilled Chicken with Blueberry and Basil Salsa
• Upcoming Events

In a Nutshell:

First Tee Stretches: on the Golf Course
by Katherine Roberts

The Ultimate Golf Tip : Video Thankyou to J.C.Anderson (for your good sense of humor !)

May 9, 2007- PHILADELPHIA -  Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania say that practicing even small doses of daily meditation may improve focus and performance.

Meditation, according to Penn neuroscientist Amishi Jha and Michael Baime, director of Penn’s Stress Management Program, is an active and effortful process that literally changes the way the brain works.  Their study is the first to examine how meditation may modify the three subcomponents of attention, including the ability to prioritize and manage tasks and goals, the ability to voluntarily focus on specific information and the ability to stay alert to the environment.

In the Penn study, subjects were split into two categories.  Those new to meditation, or “mindfulness training,” took part in an eight-week course that included up to 30 minutes of daily meditation.  The second group was more experienced with meditation and attended an intensive full-time, one-month retreat.

Researchers found that even for those new to the practice, meditation enhanced performance and the ability to focus attention.  Performance-based measures of cognitive function demonstrated improvements in a matter of weeks.  The study, to be published in the journal Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience, suggests a new, non-medical means for improving focus and cognitive ability among disparate populations and has implications for workplace performance and learning.

Participants performed tasks at a computer that measured response speeds and accuracy.  At the outset, retreat participants who were experienced in meditation demonstrated better executive functioning skills, the cognitive ability to voluntarily focus, manage tasks and prioritize goals.  Upon completion of the eight-week training, participants new to meditation had greater improvement in their ability to quickly and accurately move and focus attention, a process known as “orienting.”  After the one-month intensive retreat, participants also improved their ability to keep attention “at the ready.”

The results suggest that meditation, even as little as 30 minutes daily, may improve attention and focus for those with heavy demands on their time.  While practicing meditation may itself may not be relaxing or restful, the attention-performance improvements that come with practice may paradoxically allow us to be more relaxed.

The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health and the Penn Stress Management Program.

Golf Tip : The Theee Soles of the Sand Wedge: Gord Workum - Guest Contributor

There are three different points of contact with the sole of your sand wedge and the ground depending on the type of shot that you require.

Heel of the Sole – Is used when hitting a bunker shot.  This enables us to open the club face up and use the trailing edge of the sole to bounce the club off the sand and execute a proper explosion shot form a bunker. The ball position for this shot is off your leading foot’s arch.

Middle of the Sole – When you use the sand wedge on the turf you need to have the leading edge of the wedge square to the target in order to hit the shot without it squirting off to the right.  The ball position of this shot is in the middle of your stance.

Toe of the Sole – If you have a small pitch to a tight pin then play the sand wedge toward your trailing foot and stand closer to the ball and play it like a chip but using a sand wedge.  This shot will have good spin and it is easy to play out of tall rough.

tonyrobertsphotography.com

Recipe: Great Chicken Dish for Summer !
Grilled Chicken with Blueberry and Basil Salsa

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 jalapeno chiles (or more)
24 scallions (green onions)
3 cups blueberries (about 1 lb) rinsed and cleaned
½ small red onion finely chopped
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
½ cup loosely packed basil leaves thinly sliced plus whole leaves for garnish
½  cup loosely packed cilantro leaves plus whole leaves for garnish
2 pounds chicken breasts

Heat the grill to medium-high, lightly oil the grill.  Slightly grill the jalapenos until blistered. Pull off stems and remove the skin. Roughly chop the flesh and seeds. Grill the scallions, turning often, until soft and charred in spots.  This process takes approximately 3 – 4 minutes. Set jalapenos and scallions aside.

Place 2 cups blueberries in food processor, pulse until coarsely chopped.  Transfer to a medium bowl and combine the onion, jalapenos, lime juice and salt.

Sprinkle chicken with salt and grill until cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Place 4 grilled scallions on each plate, top with chicken and immediately top with generous spoonful of blueberry salsa. Garnish with basil and cilantro leaves.

Per serving: 237 calories,3 grams of fat, 16 grams of carbs, 36 grams of protein ... Serves 6

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