KEVIN WEEKS HANDS ON APPROACH WITH STUDENTS OF ALL AGES HAS
HELPED HIM BECOME THE ILLINOIS PGA INSTRUCTOR OF THE YEAR 3 TIMES.

Thousands of golfers have to come to Cog Hill in Lemont to play golf, watch
 the BMW Championship or in past years The Western Open. What many of
them don't know is what's happening on the back end of range, out by that
red barn and big silo.

Inspite of how busy that area is, it's still one of the best kept secrets in
Chicago area golf. It's where three time Illinois PGA Instructors of the
year Kevin Weeks and Dr. Jim Suttie make their home. The PGA Tour
players and LPGA Tour players know about the barn, now it's time you
do too.

The Gog Blog caught up with Weeks recently while enjoying the award
winning Dubsburger in the renovated Cog Hill Clubhouse, it's where
we unlocked the secret of what's happening in that red barn on the back
of the Cog Hill driving range.

GOG BLOG..Kevin start by talking about being a teaching pro at a facility
like Cog Hill.

WEEKS.."Cog Hill gives us great latitude in what we do. The back area
is a great learning area, we have grass tees, three greens, different types
of bunkers, rough conditions and fairway conditions. I can teach anyone
any certain shot back there."

GOG BLOG..Kevin as busy as you have been, your facility out back
seems to be a secret to many of Chicago's golfers. Whats out in the
red barn and silo.

WEEKS.."I have put a putting lab in the barn that has a 550 square foot
green. I have a putting area where I can use up to 14 cameras, I use
the SAM putt lab that uses ultrasound to track your putter. SAM balance
that shows where your weight is in real time during your swing or your
stroke. There is a high speed camera that goes up to a 1,000 frames
per second to capture the ball off the clubface. I have equipment that I
have a patent on that shows the where the putter is at address and
impact. It's called a lab because it's a research center for putting. I
have been running the lab for seven years now."

GOG BLOG..You say SAM, explain to the common golfer what SAM is.

WEEKS.."The SAM putt lab is a diagnostic tool that uses ultrasound
to track your putter. It gives you 28 peramitters on what goes on while
your putting. Most important are things you can't see with a camera,
like how much the putter face rotates, the rate it rotates and when it
rotates. It's been a great piece of machinery to research the putting
stroke."

GOG BLOG..Talking about working with all the different type of putters
that exsist today. Long, short, belly, and the amount of different style
faces.

WEEKS.."That's a great question. I have found through my research
that even with a traditional putter, there are five different types of
putting strokes. The long putter has 3 or 4 different ways to swing
it. I like to work with what a student does, and not do a total redo
unless I have no choice."

GOG BLOG..your putting lab has become popular a place, take us
through what that experience for a student is like.

WEEKS..."First thing I do is interview them. I find out how they practice,
and if they have a certain philosophy. Straight back, straight through,
inside outside, inside down the line, inside the putting arc. I have to
get in their head and see what they are doing. I also check the loft
(4 degrees is most common) and lie on their putter, to see where we
are starting.Then I try to indentify what they do naturally and try and take
pieces in or add add pieces that it will make it work more consistent.
Let them roll the ball down the line at the speed they want to roll it,
which is what putting is. Some people need a lesson, some people
need to get on the couch and have a psychology session. Some need
to know they have a good stroke, they just have to work on speed." 

 
SIX OF WEEKS JUNIOR GOLF STUDENTS ARE HEADED OFF TO COLLEGE
THIS FALL, ON GOLF SCHOLARSHIPS TO PLAY AT THE NCAA DIVISION 1 LEVEL.

TO HEAR RORYS INTERVIEW WITH KEVIN WEEKS, PLEASE CLICK HERE:

Download | Duration: 00:13:30

GOG BLOG..you have worked with some PGA touring pros, can you talk
about them.

WEEKS.."It's been fun. Some PGA Tour players have mentioned that I
have worked with them. Mark Wilson, George McNeil and Michael Bradley
have worked with me. Since they have made that known through the
media I can talk about them."

GOG BLOG..what's it like when Mark Wilson wins two of the first four PGA
Tour events this year. (Sony in Hawaii and Waste Management in Phoenix)

WEEKS.." It's great because I know how hard Mark has worked, I haven't
seen him this year and right now he is on his own. He's on autopilot, he
doesn't need to be around anyone right now. What's really fun is seeing
Michael Bradley win twice on tour in the last three years and he's in his
40's. I look at that and it's like, wow.

PGA TOUR PLAYER MARK WILSON...on Kevin Weeks,"I saw Kevin the
week before I won at Mayakoba, there was two feet of snow on the ground
but we were in Kevins putting studio in the barn on the back of the range
at Cog Hill. He has a great setup there, right when I think he has it all he
adds a new camera or something from another angle. He helped me
recently and I feel I was opening the blade on the backstroke, ultimately
it's me that has to fix the problem. Teachers can tell you what to do, and
how it looks on camera. But if it doesn't feel right I am not going to be
able to perform under the gun. So I take his information and go figure
out the best way to combat the problem, for me the putting at Memorial
improved just by putting my hands ahead about an inch. That keep me
from not open the blade up as much going back. Which was solution I
came to after getting the information from Kevin."

GOG BLOG..The putting lab is getting more known, but you are more
than a putting guru when it comes to teaching.

WEEKS.."There are guys I have worked with on full swing, short game
and putting."

GOG BLOG..You work with seniors students, juniors and all ages. But
I hear you have junior golfers starting to do well.

WEEKS.."Six players I work with will be off to college next fall to play golf
at the NCAA division one level. Four students signed last November,
two more are deciding among the choices they have."

GOG BLOG..what do you tell parents about starting their kids on golf
and golf lessons.

WEEKS.."The kids will tell you when they want to. When they are asking
take me to the course, then you know it's time to get them help. Some
just want to go play with friends and not be competitive. Some kids at age
7 or 8 can take lessons. The kids that perform the best is when the parents 
are supportive, but stay out of it. Butch Harmon interviewed Earl Woods
before working with Tiger, and told Earl remember I'm the teacher. Earl
said I like that, just remember I'm the father. It's when the two roles get
crossed that bad things happen."

GOG BLOG..how much does having the right equipment, set up the
right way make a difference.

WEEKS.."It's tremendous. That's why the PGA Tour guys drive it so
long, because players can dial in the equipment through the driver
fitting. The shaft flex, the kickpoint, the clubhead loft, where the weight
is in the clubhead to maximize the distance and accuracy for that golfer.
Any golf club from driver to a putter should be fit. Just because your old
driver had a stiff shaft, your new one might not need it."

GOG BLOG..You have seen your students accomplish things, talk
about your accomplishments, three IPGA instructor of the year awards.

WEEKS.."It's numbing. The guy I look up to in teaching is Dr. Jim Suttie,
and he and I are the only ones that have won this award three times in
Illinois. I can't put it into words two years after that I got that third award,
you pinch yourself and say, is this happening to me."

GOG BLOG..how do people find you and learn more about the Cog Hill
range.

WEEKS.."Coghillgolf.com there is area for just instruction, what we
have. To find me the best way is Kevinweeks.com. It has all the info,
bio's, philosophy and hopefully soon some video. I would also like to
add that there are two good times like November or spring to add or
change equipment, because there is an adjustment period. Especially 
in driver technology the upgrades by Taylor Made and Titleist, where
you can adjust the heads and the weight in the club, the lie and loft.
Both of those companies make wonderful clubs and if you are not
using that technology, you are behind. On junior clubs please don't
cut down adult clubs for kids. Kids clubs are lighter and the heads
are smaller, because kids are little people. It's to hard for them to
swing ill fitting clubs."