As the weather gets nicer, you may find yourself wanting to spend a day at the golf course. Luckily, we have a top-notch golf facility right here at WinStar World Casino and Resort. WinStar Golf Academy has some of the best instructors in the industry waiting to show you the ins and outs of the game and help you play your best. Plus, our state-of-the-art facilities offer the latest in golf technology, giving you an inside look at your golf swing.
One of our newest golf instructors, Mike Maggs, recently joined the WinStar Golf Academy team and we were thrilled to sit down with him to pick his brain.
How long have you worked in the golf industry?
Mike: I’ve worked in the golf industry for about 10 years, and I’ve been a part of the team at WinStar Golf Academy for one month.
What makes WinStar Golf Academy unique?
Mike: WinStar Golf Academy is the perfect blend of expert instruction, technology, world-class facility and fun.
What are your top 3 recommendations for things to do at WinStar Golf Academy?
Mike:
- First is, of course, to take a fun and game-changing lesson from me.
- Take advantage of our cutting edge technology Including TrackMan Launch Monitors, GEARS 3D Full Swing Motion Capture Technology and SAM Putting Lab Putting Analysis System.
- Do a Play with the Pro Session. Not only do you get to play the beautiful WinStar Golf Course, but you also get an expert on-course instruction on areas such as strategy and course management, saving you strokes by playing with a purpose.
What is your favorite thing about WinStar Golf Club?
Mike: The atmosphere at WinStar Golf is easily the most friendly and inviting environment I have encountered is all my years of golfing and instructing.
Do you work with golfers of all skill levels?
Mike: I work with anyone that wants to improve his or her golf game, from beginner to pro.
Do you specialize in any particular area of the game?
Mike: I instruct the complete game, which includes — but is not limited to — the long game, short game, mental game and course management. My instruction focuses on momentum and harnessing those invisible forces that can be felt but not seen, such as gravity and centripetal force. The two most common comments I get from first-time students after and during the lesson is, “I’ve never struck the ball so well,” and, “why has no one ever told me this before?”
What do most golfers do incorrectly?
Mike: Most golfers are fighting against the forces of nature, so I show my students how to create effortless power like their favorite tour players feel. The best example of this is the statistic that the average tour player uses one-third the amount of body energy in the golf swing than the average golfer does and they hit almost twice as far.
What is one tip you would offer?
Mike: Ball position at setup is extremely important and I see so many golfers that play the ball way too far back in their stance. This will cause you to get stuck on your back foot throughout the downswing and not allow you to transfer your weight to your lead foot, leading to all the bad words in golf like thin shots, fat shots, slices and hooks, making it impossible predict where the ball might go. Play your short irons no farther back than middle of your stance and as the irons get longer, very gradually move the ball forward in your stance until you get to the driver, which should be played at the instep of your lead foot. Shifting your weight to the lead foot on the downswing gets you more power and much more consistent ball striking.
Who’s your favorite pro and why?
Mike: My favorite pro is whoever is number one in the world and as I write this. Currently, that’s Jason Day for the men and Lydia Ko for the women. I have the utmost respect for anyone with the skill, focus, drive and fortitude to climb to the top of the golfing world.
Wow, Mike really knows his stuff! To book a lesson with Mike or any of our other talented golf instructors, give us a call at 580-276-1754 or visit us online today.
