Coaching Notes

Reed Lotter & Landon Durham's
Performance at the Savannah Golf Championship Qualifier

Reed Lotter
by Joe Plecker
I was honored to be asked to caddy for Reed Lotter in the Savannah Open Qualifier. My last round as a “looper” was long ago, and I had to remember the three “ups” of caddying. Show Up, Keep Up, and Shut Up. Well, maybe not the last “up” was in order for this round, but I had to prepare for rain, wet conditions, and helping a friend reach a goal.

Reed and I have worked together as coach and student for several months since my arrival to the Club, spending time on the coaching tee, but I had not yet seen him play a full competitive round before Tuesday. I considered caddying a great opportunity to spend time together, gain a little more insight into the effectiveness of our time on the practice range and putting green, and enjoy playing in competition. It was. Reed executed a flawless course plan on his way to a six-under-par 66. His natural competitive spirit and well-honed skills from tee to green were on display as well as his gentlemanly composure. He made three birdies in his last four holes, charging to the finish with a crowd watching. Coming up just one shot shy of making the playoff for a spot in this week’s Korn Ferry Tour event, Reed made an excellent effort.

If you see Reed practicing (and you surely will), please take a moment to congratulate him for his incredible attempt this week in the qualifier, and for representing The Landings Club so well.

If you’d like to see a few keys to Reed’s swing, take notice of these specific elements.

His left wrist is flat to the top of the backswing, aligning the clubface to a square position at impact. In the downswing his lower body turns to face the target, creating speed. At the end, a balanced forward finish with pressure over the left foot.

Landon Durham
by Vinny Diroff

Caddying for 16-year-old Landon Durham in the recent Monday qualifier was a fantastic experience. His ball-striking was solid, hitting our targets and missing on the correct side almost all day. Landon hit 14 of 14 fairways so his driver was on! His preferred ball flight is a tight draw and even though at 135 lbs. He was pounding it out there 280-290 yards and was keeping up with the pros he was paired with. Landon is extremely mobile and makes an incredible steep shoulder turn in the backswing which allows him to get his hands high at the top assisting in his ability to create speed. Landon plays with a strong left-hand grip and a right hand that sits more on top of the grip which matches up perfectly with his extremely open hips at impact. Landon didn’t finish the round the way he wanted to but managed 14/14 fairways, 11/18 greens and 35 putts for a score of 80. The experience gained by playing in an event with Tour professionals is invaluable and something he can gain momentum with for his upcoming high school and amateur events. He has a clear idea of what needs to be improved and with his work ethic, I’m sure the improvements will be made in time for next year.