Author: Andrew Podolak

MGM would like to congratulate Andy Podolak on accepting a new position at the River Club of Mequon in Mequon, Wisconsin. This will be his last Pro Page but we are thrilled to feature Andy’s long-time 1st Assistant Pro and now new PGA Head Professional Jason Brindowski within our remaining three 2018 issues. One of the most mysterious elements of a repetitive golf swing is developing a proper swing plane. What makes it so elusive is that many instructors don’t do a good enough job of explaining exactly what swing plane is and why it is vital to a successful…

Within our first three installments this year, Andy has tried to help our readers get over the proverbial hump to play the best golf of their lives. The final and some may say the most important piece of that puzzle is putting. I can’t even begin to count how many 69’s I’ve turned into 74’s because of five makeable putts that all somehow fractionally missed. Hopefully through Andy’s careful instruction, we can all switch those numbers around! Putting is the most misunderstood part of the game by many golfers. It’s simple, if you have the correct speed matched with the…

     You’ve heard the old saying, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall – practice, practice and more practice!” The same can be said for your golf game as the only way to truly get better is through working on your game. But knowing how to practice is just as important as committing to it. It has always troubled me how many golfers I see hitting balls at the range as fast as possible without any purpose. At the end of the day this type of practice will get you lose and that’s about it. If you want to make…

This is a fact of golf – you need to play this game with your brain as well as your body. How many times has a poor decision lead to poorer execution and a needless bogey or worse on your scorecard (too many times for me to count)? Our resident pro, Andy Podolak is like Farmers Insurance as he has seen it all and offers these suggestions for clearer thinking on the course. When I take students out for a playing lesson, an incomplete mental approach is one of the biggest and most common issues I see that impacts…

By Andy Podolak, Head Golf Professional at Fire Ridge GC, Grafton, WI      Lowering your handicap from a mid-single digital to scratch is like erosion on a beach. It takes a long time to notice the subtlest of changes. And if you don’t know what to work on, you’re left with being trapped in old habits that may be holding you back. 2017 is all about turning your good rounds into great rounds and we are pleased to have our resident pro, Andy Podolak, back in the saddle to assist us with this arduous task.  In our first of…

There’s no way around it, winter can be brutal , or at least it does in parts of the Midwest where outdoor golf opportunities are limited. The good news there’s always creative ways to immerse yourself in your golf game even when the fairways are covered in ice. In this article you will see a short list of helpful ways a golf nut should be doing in the off season. So come spring time you will have a more positive mindset and you will be that much sharper to begin your season. Work on Your Putting – A synthetic mat with an actual…

By Andy Podolak, Head Golf Professional at Fire Ridge GC, Grafton, WI Over the past decade, the junior golf industry has become big business. Numerous junior-only clinics, leagues, kid-friendly equipment companies have formed, not to mention the countless number of junior tours and college recruiting/resume services that have exploded onto the golf scene. Undoubtedly, there are countless opportunities out there for juniors playing both recreationally and competitively. With so much out there to choose from, it can be confusing for parents as they start to plan the roadmap for their junior golfer’s development. Here are a few suggestions from my…

Fire Ridge Head Golf Professional Andy Podolak has spent more than two thirds of his life around the game golf; therefore, it’s safe to say he’s just about seen it all when it comes to etiquette or lack thereof on the course. For our second installment of Andy’s Pro Page we thought it might be a good exercise to ask him just exactly how you go about giving and accepting help during a round. We’ve all been on both sides of the coin, either you’re struggling mightily or someone in your group is. It’s a delicate subject, but thank goodness…