GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY
School of Recreation, Health, and Tourism
PHED140 – 201 —Golf (1)
Fall 2015
DAY/TIME:
/MW 1:30 – 2:45 p.m.
/ /LOCATION:
/Fairfax campus and Oak Marr
Golf Complex, Oakton, VA
PROFESSOR:
/Joseph A. La Marca,, M.A., M.B.A.
/ /EMAIL ADDRESS:
/OFFICE LOCATION:
/As arranged on campus or at Oak Marr golf complex
/ /PHONE NUMBER:
/703-475-6962 (cell)
OFFICE HOURS:
/By appointment
/ /FAX NUMBER:
/866-269-0389
PREREQUISITES/COREQUISITES
None
COURSE DESCRIPTION
A practical course designed for students with little or no golf knowledge. The course involves activities to teach students basic golf terms, rules, and techniques for the full swing, putting, chipping, and pitching, as well as playing on a golf course
COURSE OBJECTIVES
1. Explain the relationship between stance and posture in maintaining stability and generating power in executing a golf swing.
2. Explain basic golf rules and demonstrate an understanding of these rules by playing at least 9 holes with no errors during application of these rules.
3. Demonstrate proper golf course etiquette.
4. Develop the level of playing fitness and mental focus necessary to play a round (9 holes) of golf.
COURSE OVERVIEW
Although the emphasis of this curriculum is on skill building, PHED 140 is about more than learning to hit golf balls far and straight. The course is a mixture of theory and practice. The written exam review class is a lecture/discussion of swing principles, scoring rules, etiquette, strategy, trouble shots, club selection, key professionals in the industry, and more. You will also walk the golf course with the instructor to bring the learning points to life and to prepare for playing at least nine holes of golf as the final course requirement. PHED 140 begins with an overview of the sport, then builds swing skills by gradually increasing the length of clubs, the length of swings, and the complexity of strokes. Specifically, here are some of the intended learning outcomes of this class:
1. Comprehension of swing fundamentals and principles that demonstrate novice-level skill in putting, chipping, pitching, sand shots, and full swings.
2. Knowledge of the sport’s objective, history, current issues, necessary equipment, terminology, and the availability of literary and electronic sources of information about the sport.
3. Knowledge of the benefits and unique nature of the sport.
4. Knowledge of the names and contributions of past and current notable persons in the sport, such as prominent players, coaches, course designers, and authors.
5. Comprehension of the purpose and general application of the golf handicap feature.
6. Knowledge of the names and location of notable golf courses and tournaments.
7. Knowledge of some techniques for scoring well, such as selecting optimal targets, clubs, and swing types, avoiding hazards, controlling distance, and making trouble shots.
8. Knowledge of score keeping and playing by the most common USGA rules and etiquette conventions.
9. Ability to play the game with realistic expectations of scoring success, and to report experiences, outcomes, and impressions, from playing at least nine holes of golf.
NATURE OF COURSE DELIVERY
Face to face.
REQUIRED READINGS
Various required readings which are not widely available free on the internet are provided by the instructor at no charge.
EVALUATION
This course will be graded on a point system, with a total of 100 possible points.
RequirementsAttendance – As a practical consideration, a single absence will not count against your attendance score. However, to receive credit for classes after September 9 you must pay the $34 one-time golf school fee by then or the first class you attend, if it is after that date. Because of the distances from campus classrooms to parking spaces and travel time to our off-campus class location, tardiness is tolerable. Therefore, you may arrive late from a previous on-campus class or leave early to insure your timely arrival at the next one without affecting your attendance score. Drive carefully to and from the golf facility!
Written Exam – Exam questions are almost exclusively short answer or essay types and are subjectively graded. Typical topics include swing principles, scoring rules, etiquette, strategy, club selection, names of famous players, coaches, courses, authors, and information sources. You can earn bonus points toward this exam according to the number of times you practice your skills at a driving range or short-game practice area on days between classes. (Playing golf, itself, does not satisfy this requirement.) Keep a log of your outside-of-class practice sessions; you will not have to turn in the log, but you will need to remember the number of such practice days. The written exam will provide a space to indicate the number of such days.
Swing Skills Assessment – Your score in this category will be subjective, based on evidence of competency or at least significant improvement in putting, chipping, pitching, and full swings.
On-course play – PHED 140 is designed to prepare you to play this wonderful sport on a golf course, not just at a skills learning facility. Thus, you must play at least nine holes following USGA scoring rules and etiquette conventions during the period indicated on the Class Schedule. Email your instructor at least one paragraph of reflections on your experience. PHED 140 students who choose to play this round together must each submit a report of your individual experience. Your comments are not graded, but if you fail to report completion by 9:00 AM, Oct 15, your grade will be reduced by one letter.
Grading Scale
A / = 94 – 100 / B+ / = 88 – 89 / C+ / = 78 – 79 / D / = 60 – 69
A- / = 90 – 93 / B / = 84 – 87 / C / = 74 – 77 / F / = 0 – 59
B- / = 80 – 83 / C- / = 70 – 73
TOTAL / Points
50
40
10
100
TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE
WATCH FOR ANY SCHEDULE CHANGE ANNOUNCEMENTS VIA EMAIL AND CLASS WEB SITE.
DATE / TOPIC / CLUBS / LOCATION / READINGS / COMMENTSMon, Aug 31 / Introduction To PHED 140 and the great game of Golf / None / Fairfax Campus
Aquatic Center,
Room 112 / Please read all materials on the class web site, syllabus, and this schedule, before class. / We will get acquainted, form car pools, answer class member questions about the course, and introduce the sport--its equipment and terminology. Please do not bring any golf equipment to this class. Do bring this syllabus.
Wed, Sep 2 / Putting: Target Selection, Alignment, Swing / Putter, but if hard rain, bring Wedge / Oak Marr
practice putting green. If hard rain, sheltered driving range for Chipping. / Putting notes in Resources section of class web site / Do not bring rental balls to this class; the golf school will furnish them unless we move to the sheltered driving range because of hard rain. If that happens, you can acquire them then. Monday, Sep 7 is a holiday, so no class that day. The last day to drop this class without penalty is Tuesday, Sep 8.
Mon, Sep 7 / Labor Day Holiday
Wed, Sep 9 / Chipping / Any iron shorter than #6 / Oak Marr short game practice area. If rain, sheltered driving range. / Chipping notes in Resource section of class web site / Do not bring rental balls to this class; the golf school will furnish them, unless we move to the sheltered driving range because of hard rain. If that happens, you can acquire them then. Today is the deadline to pay the $34 golf school fee and turn in Photo Release and Syllabus Acknowledgement forms.
Mon, Sep 14 / Pitching / Any Wedge / Oak Marr short game practice area. If hard rain or busy area, sheltered driving range. / Pitching notes in Resource section of class web site / Do not bring rental balls to this class; the golf school will furnish them unless we move to the sheltered driving range. If that happens, you can acquire them then.
Wed, Sep 16 / Sand Shots / Sand Wedge / Oak Marr sand bunker next to driving range / Sand notes in Resource section of class web site / Do not bring rental balls to this class; the golf school will furnish them unless we move to the sheltered driving range because of hard rain. If that happens, you can acquire them then.
Mon, Sep 21 / Full Swings with short and medium clubs / Any
Wedge and any other club shorter than #4 / Oak Marr
driving range / Full Swing notes in Resource section of class web site / Please bring rental balls to class.
Wed, Sep 23 / Full Swings with long clubs and skills assessment preview / Any iron or hybrid longer than #5 and any metal/wood except #1 (“Ringers” may use a driver.) / Oak Marr
driving range / Long Clubs notes in Resource section of class web site / Please bring rental balls to class.
Mon, Sep 28 / Scoring Rules, Etiquette, Club Selection, Strategy, etc., via On-Course Walk / None, but if hard rain, see next class, below / Oak Marr
golf course. If hard rain, see next class, below / Course Walk notes in Resource section of class web site / Quite a few written exam questions come from this class. If you arrive very late for the on-course walk, you may not be able to join the class on the golf course. Remember, no open-toed shoes allowed on the course. Please do not bring clubs onto the course. If light rain, bring rain gear. If hard rain, will follow next class schedule, below.
Wed, Sep 30 / Review and Written Exam Preview / None / Fairfax campus Aquatic Center,
Room 112 / “Review/Pre-Test Handout” in Resource section of class web site / Please bring to class a printed copy of the “Review/Pre-Test Handout” from “Resources” page of the class web site.
During the period
Starting Wed, Sep 30 (after class) and ending Wed, Oct 14 at dark / Play at least one round of nine holes or more and submit report. / At least Putter, Wedge, Medium Iron, and any long club. / Oak Marr golf course or any comparable or more difficult course / On-Course Final Preparation material in Resources section of class web site. Review all previous reading assignments / Make your own tee time. Play with pleasure, skill, courtesy, and speed. Email instructor at least one paragraph of your reflections on the experience. Your comments are not graded, but if you fail to report completion by 9:00 AM, Oct 15, your grade in the course will be reduced by one letter grade.
Mon, Oct 5 / Written Exam / None / Fairfax campus
Aquatic Center,
Room 112 / Review all previous reading assignments. / You will not need Scranton sheets; you will need a pencil or pen.
Wed, Oct 7 / Skills Assessment I / All / Oak Marr driving range / Review all previous swing notes in Resource section of class web site / Please bring rental balls and skills to class.
Since Monday is a holiday; class will meet Tue, Oct 13
Tue, Oct 13 / Skills Assessment II / All / Oak Marr driving range / Review all previous swing notes in Resource section of class web site / Please bring rental balls and skills to class.
Since Monday is a holiday; class will meet Tue, Oct 13
Wed, Oct 14 / Written Exam Feedback / None / Fairfax campus
Aquatic Center,
Room 112 / Review all previous reading assignments / Please bring pencil or pen with black ink for Course Evaluation form.
Student Expectations
· Students must adhere to the guidelines of the George Mason University Honor Code [See http://oai.gmu.edu/honor-code/].
· Students with disabilities who seek accommodations in a course must be registered with the George Mason University Office of Disability Services (ODS) and inform their instructor in writing at the beginning of the semester [See http://ods.gmu.edu/].
· Students must follow the university policy for Responsible Use of Computing [See http://universitypolicy.gmu.edu/policies/responible-use-of-computing/].
· Students are responsible for the content of university communications sent to their George Mason University email account and are required to activate their account and check it regularly. All communication from the university, college, school, and program will be sent to students solely through their Mason email account.
· Students must follow the university policy stating that all sound-emitting devices shall be turned off during class unless otherwise authorized by the instructor.
Campus Resources
· The George Mason University Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) staff consists of professional counseling and clinical psychologists, social workers, and counselors who offer a wide range of services (e.g., individual and group counseling, workshops and outreach programs) to enhance students’ personal experience and academic performance [See http://caps.gmu.edu/].
· The George Mason University Writing Center staff provides a variety of resources and services (e.g., tutoring, workshops, writing guides, handbooks) intended to support students as they work to construct and share knowledge through writing [See http://writingcenter.gmu.edu/].
For additional information on the College of Education and Human Development, School of Recreation, Health, and Tourism, please visit our website [See http://rht.gmu.edu].
PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR: Students are expected to exhibit professional behaviors and dispositions at all times.
CORE VALUES COMMITMENT: The College of Education and Human Development is committed to collaboration, ethical leadership, innovation, research-based practice, and social justice. Students are expected to adhere to these principles.