Bryson DeChambeau is now the U.S. Open Champion.

He has riveted spectators with his unique golf swing and style. He has introduced the golf world to the Single Plane address position that was promoted by the great Moe Norman and now the Graves Golf Academy.

Interesting, all those skeptics of the single plane swing that said the single plane could not win on tour and was “shorter” than other golf swings.....wonder what they are saying now?

Now that the single plane swing has won a major championship and is one of the longest ball strikers on tour.....let's talk a little about Bryson vs. Moe and their single plane swings.

Bryson's swing is similar to Moe Norman in many ways. Moe's golf swing is definitely easier on the back.

If you are to simplify the golf swing the following must occur.

Todd Graves of the Graves Golf Academy points out that you must: Reduce lateral movement for consistency; Reduce rotational movement and still produce speed; and Reduce stress on the body parts throughout the motion.

One thing that has so many people intrigued about Bryson is his address position. Bryson begins the club shaft to where it runs through the middle of the back ..... also known as the Single Plane.

Moe and Bryson are both in the single plane in their golf swings.

Todd Graves believes the reason Bryson is able to hit the ball so far with accuracy is because of his single plane swing.

Graves noted that Bryon is revolutionizing the game with today's young golfers .....single plane, distance and accuracy.

Ed's Outlook

In these days of social distancing and avoiding large groups, golf in Sullivan County this summer went better than expected.

Golf leagues are wrapping up the finishing touches as most leagues have had their championship rounds.

Our sincere congratulations to all the league champions.

Swan Lake Golf Professional Bob Menges noted, “the season went very well,” and “we had the best weather we have had in at least six years.”

“Golf gave people something to do outside and the weather helped them do that,” Menges added.

During this past golf season safety for players and staff was a priority.

People could only stay in their homes for so long and getting out on the golf course gave people some normalcy in their lives during stressful times.

Even for the external optimist, the first three months of the 2020 golf season produced struggles and golf gave everyone a remarkable capacity for good.

It was a different type of golf season, the golf community pitched in where necessary, most major tournaments were played with no spectators and on the local level many tournaments felt it was best to take the year off.

We thank the golf community for doing their part in adding social distancing and avoiding large groups and for sharing the belief that the game of golf is low risk in terms of contracting or spreading COVID-19.

We thank our golf pros for their weekly tips and league managers for providing standings and stats.

We are wrapping up our 2020 golf column coverage for this season and next week will return with our Bowling Highlights Column. Our Golf Column will return in the spring of 2021.

Golf Tip

By Robert Menges

A Chipping Tip

Not only can chipping save you numerous strokes on your score card, but improvements in this area of the game can be seen much faster than your full swing.

Sure it helps to make your swing better, but those changes take a long time to take effect.

Chipping improvement can be immediate and drastic, which is what makes working on your chipping game so exciting.

The worst advice that gets passed around on golf courses everywhere is that you should chip using a putting motion.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

To chip effectively, you need to engage your hands and let them work for you.

A putting stroke uses no hand movement, and therefore gets no hinge in the wrists.

Hinging your wrists is critical to a good chip shot because it allows the club to get up above the grass and hit down with a descending strike.

Robert Menges is the head golf professional at the Swan Lake Golf & Country Club, Mt. Hope Road, Swan Lake. Call to see if he is available for private lessons and if you have a question or subject you would like covered, he can be reached at 845-292-0323 or 845-866-5567 or via email at bobmenges22@gmail.com

Putting Tip

By Geoff Walsh

Perfect Putt

Begins In Your Brain

The importance of mindfulness gets lost on many golfers who are thinking self destructively and sabotaging their shots before ever swinging the golf club.

Golfers who have the ability to visualize and plan their putts in their mind will almost always execute more efficiently than those who cannot.

Factoring in the geographical conditions concerning the putt will assist in the mental visualization, as an uphill putt's execution will differ from that of a downhill putt.

Consider how much speed may be needed in order to sink the shot and achieve success.

Much of these estimations are drawn from experience on the golf course, but even the newest golfer on the green should be thinking like a seasoned veteran to advance their game and perfect their putting stroke strategy.

Geoff Walsh is a Class A PGA Professional at Tarry Brae Golf Course located at 387 Pleasant Valley Road, South Fallsburg. Call to see if he is available for private lessons and if you have a question or a subject you would like covered, he can be reached by telephone at 845-434-2620.

Ed Townsend is a Public Relations Consultant to the sport of golf and brings over 60-years of sports journalism experience in writing and compiling the information for this column. If you have league or tournament information, shoot a hole-in-one or score your age let Ed know at 845-439-8177, email to bght75@gmail.com or fax to 845-205-4474. View this column at http://bght.blogspot.com We are also on Facebook and Twitter.