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Wake up 6:30. Shower. Eat some Wheaties "Fuel" (it's pretty good - and very dense). Pack up in the car and head off to Grayhawk where, despite arriving at 8:00am for a 9:00am clinic start, some students are already there. Hey, I can't blame 'em - I'd be there early too.

The clinic is a golf school, specifically one organized by Dave Wedzik, with Andy Plummer and Mike Bennett. Thirteen students were signed up, with one observer. Another instructor or two was there, and I was there to take photos (and, when not doing that, to listen, observe, and to help by recording some swings).

First, notwithstanding how great it is to be in the presence of someone (two people) who have done a lot to revolutionize the golf swing swing, several things stood out about the day.

1. One of the golfers was missing both of his legs from the knees down and his right arm from the elbow down. Dave walked up to him, stared down at his legs, and deadpanned. "I can't teach you… you're a lefty." The guy was amazing, inspiring, and humbling in equal doses. Particularly when you realize he can beat 3/4 of golfers in the U.S.
2. One of the student, a kid named Andy, is basically a scratch golfer with a "horrible short game and terrible putting" (in his words). He's been golfing for two years, but seriously for only just over six months. Dave and I talked about how quickly he's able to assimilate things into his swing because it's very easy for him to "clear the machine." Incredible.
3. Every golfer improved. Every golfer probably shaved two strokes off his scores, at least, from the swing with which he came to the school. Wow.
4. The weather couldn't have been better. Well, from a golf perspective, anyway. Obviously as a photographer I'd have taken an overcast day, but I don't think they get many of those in Scottsdale.

Aperture 3's brushes are incredible. I spent about a minute retouching this photo primarily to brighten the golfer (the same Andy as above) and to enhance the sky and ground colors a bit (targeted color adjustments brushed into the proper areas):

Adjustment brushes rock in Aperture 3. Nice job, Apple.

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