Summer is here and all of a sudden we have mid-August conditions in the beginning of July.

Fairways are playing fast, and greens are holding due to the tremendous efforts of course superintendents and their crews throughout the area.

That is why it is a good idea to pay strict attention to areas where you cannot drive your cart, such as roped off areas and areas where signs, lines, or posts prohibit driving as these are usually sensitive grass areas where cart traffic may cause damage to the turf.

An effort in this direction helps keep course conditions at the great level we have now.

Scores have also been great this season. Every day your hear a few golfers relate tales of their best scores ever.

A soft touch with short irons and the putter are a great complement to the fast fairways.

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With all the golf swing philosophies currently inflating golf's knowledge bank, it is amazing that teachers are still delving into the technique of Ben Hogan, Bobby Jones, Sam Snead and all the other greats.

It is true that they all possessed talent above and beyond many of their peers, and they also had great instincts in playing the game.

Tiger Woods however it can be argued is probably the greatest talent who has ever played.

Somewhere down the road his swing will be dissected like the swings of greats of the past. Golfers in that time will be privileged to the technically advanced things that Woods does when he swings the club.

It is really an amazing thing to sit in front of a computer monitor and watch Woods in slow motion. You can draw angles and lines and planes and see after constant repetition what it is he is actually doing.

While his fundamentals are as good as anyone who has ever played, his power source, his key to his consistency and instinctive understanding of how he swings the club go against much popular thinking.

Much of Woods greatness, aside from his adaptivity, intelligence, and work ethic, is that he has always known what his strengths are and has never abandoned the core principals that have become the basis of the swing he has today.

For one, I never get tired of watching him play. Like one announcer on a telecast said, “We should pay attention when he plays because someday he won't be out there anymore for us to watch.”

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Hybrid clubs have really taken the golf world by storm. If you are having trouble hitting your long or mid irons, think about getting a hybrid to help you fill the gaps in yardage that you used to be able to reach with a 3-, 4- or even 5-iron.

The clubhead-shaft combinations have created clubs that put solid mass behind the ball at impact. Hybrids are worth the money and the time to find the right one that fits your game.

Visit your local pro shop and go out to play with, or hit a demo club or two on the range. You may be surprised with the results.

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The Cayuga County Men's and Ladies District golf tournaments are coming up fast. The Men's District will be contested Friday, August 3 through Sunday, August 5 at Dutch Hollow, Lakeview and Highland respectively.

Get an entry at any local pro shop and treat yourself to three days of competitive golf.

The tournament is flighted so everybody has a chance at some prize money no matter what your skill level.

See you on the links!