Lake Country This Month

By Chris Bennett Special to The Freeman BROOKFIELD — Your golf game does not need to turn cold when tempera- tures drop and grass once green freezes to ice now white. The mild fall and early winter in 2015 allowed area golfers more time on the links than in years past. Being cooped up inside for several months during the Wisconsin win- ter might be great for cocoa sales and movie rentals, but it can take a toll on one's golf game. There are simple exer- cises even the duffers in the crowd can try, and hopefully the effort expended in the winter leads to a better experi- ence on the golf course come spring. "Championships are won in the offseason," said PGA professional David Roesch. "Working on your golf game should not just be for during the season. If you want to make some changes, some of them should be done in the off- season. It can be more ben- eficial to work on some changes in the offseason." Roesch splits his time between Stor ms Golf Range in Brookfield and Currie Park Golf Dome in Wauwatosa. He is teach- ing out of the clubhouse at Currie Park while the dome is down due to inclement weather earlier this winter. Roesch also teaches at The Legend at Bristlecone in Hartland, The Legend at Brandybrook in Wales and The Legend at Merrill Hills in Waukesha. Roesch can be contacted for lessons at www.davidroeschgolf.com. Practice at home "The simple thing is just swinging a golf club," Roesch said. "I know we all don't have high ceilings or a net in our basement, but just swinging a golf club gets the body moving and gets the golf muscles moving." Roesch mentioned a sim- ple technique to help prac- tice keeping the club straight and the head square as it moves through the ball. Take two sticks or dow- els and place them on the floor parallel to each other. Place them as far apart as the width of a club head. Practice moving the club through the sticks. Start at waist level on the back swing and stop at waist level on your front swing. Pay attention to where the club face is pointed. The winter is also an excellent time to work on your putting stroke. You can putt regulation golf balls or use plastic golf balls. There is also an assortment of nets and swing aids available for home use that can be set up in the basement or garage. "If you think about that putt counting like just like a 230-yard tee shot, if you can get better at making the three- to five-foot putt, you'll be amazed at how quickly your score will come down," said PGA professional Rob Elliott, the head professional at Western Lakes Golf Club. Elliott said you can prac- tice putting on the carpet in your home, even if it's not the smoothest of sur- faces. Any work with the putter and a ball gives you an idea of gauging the amount speed you can put on the ball. Elliott also advocates a stretching regimen to keep your golf muscles active. Put a golf club over your head and turn your torso and move up and down. "Work the core, just to get the muscles comfort- able with the turn," Elliott said. Stand straight, feet shoulder width apart, and crouch. But as you crouch, be sure to keep your heels planted to the floor. "A lot of people will go down and be up on their toes," Elliott said. "They really have not stretched anything. If you keep your heels on the ground, you a get a better stretch." The winter months are also a good time to work on your club and your head. Clean your clubs, if you did not before sea- son's end. Elliott said the ball will make better and truer contact on a clean club face. Positive visualization is also a good practice for the winter. Mentally going through your game during months when you're cooped inside can reap dividends. Elliott said he can take a group of kids and a group of adults and stand them on a tee box. Adults recite hazards when asked what they see — sand traps, rough, large trees and more. Children see a fair- way, a green and the pin. "It's funny how adults visualize the danger and the kids visualize what you're supposed to," Elliott said. Page 2A • FREEMAN & ENTERPRISE LAKE COUNTRY February 2016 Circulation Dept. To reach the Circulation Department call 542-2501 or go to www.gmtoday.com/wfhelp. MANAGEMENT Bill Yorth - Publisher & Editor-in-Chief..513-2671 byorth@conleynet.com Katherine Michalets - Managing Editor..513-2644 kmichalets@conleynet.com Jim Baumgart - Freeman Group Ad Director 513-2621 jbaumgart@conleynet.com Tim Haffemann - Circulation Director....513-2640 thaffemann@conleynet.com Patricia Scheel - Prepress Manager.....513-2690 pscheel@conleynet.com NEWS DEPARTMENT Local News - Katherine Michalets.........513-2657 kmichalets@conleynet.com Sports - Pat Neumuth............................513-2667 pneumuth@conleynet.com Death Notices - Shana Duffy................513-2618 obits@conleynet.com Newsroom Fax.............................(262) 542-8259 CLASSIFIEDS: 542-2211 Hours: M -F 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. PHOTO REPRINTS Color reprints are $25 each. Call 542-2501 PAGE REPRINTS Go to www.gmtoday.com/freemanreprints 262-542-2500 Hours: M-F 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. 801 N. Barstow St., P.O. Box 7, Waukesha, WI 53187 The FREEMAN How to reach us Lake Country T H I S M O N T H If you have a news tip from the Lake Country area, contact Katherine Michalets at 513-2644 or kmichalets@conleynet.com To advertise in "Lake Country This Month," call the advertising department at (262) 513-2624. 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TRUCKLOAD SALE on Garage Doors & Door Openers Installed Tax Included $ 895 • Lifetime Warranty • Other Sizes Available • 2000 Garage Doors in Stock Special! - Take down and haul away old door for FREE! 16x7 SAVE $ 240 NOW Model 8365 ORDER A LIFTMASTER 1/2 HP GARAGE DOOR OPENER & GET 2 REMOTES & KEYPAD. $ 329 Installed Tax Included • Two-Sided Pre-Finished Galvanized Steel • R-10 Insulated • 5 colors to choose from 12645 W. Townsend (2 blocks N. of Burleigh, enter off 124th St. only) Free Estimate 262-783-4004 Monday - Friday 7am-5pm www.lifetimedoor.net 2 4 8 1 5 7 0 0 2 Full Year Warranty, parts and service on installed operators. FREE Internet Gateway with order 247929004 IN BRIEF Plan months ahead when selling a home By Chris Bennett Special to The Freeman BROOKFIELD — The market for home buyers is going to get hot as tempera- tures rise. It is no secret that the housing market during a Wisconsin winter slows to the speed of ice moving across a parking lot. Most buyers and sellers don't want to deal with Jack Frost when trying to woo the Jacks and Jills. It is best to start prepar- ing now if you want to put your house up for sale in the late winter or spring months, which is when the market typically thaws. "What you should be thinking about is timing," Bonnie Malcore said. "Tim- ing is important, as far as putting houses on the mar- ket." Malcore is an associate vice president and real estate agent at Shorewest Realtors, and has worked out of Shorewest's Brook- field and Waukesha office at 21675 E. Moreland Blvd. in Waukesha for 37 years. "When we start seeing a big increase in action, as far as Web hits, is March," said Malcore. "March and April are our two biggest months. A lot of people are coming to market during that time." Easter is early this year — it falls on March 20 — and Malcore said that date will drive houses to market earlier than usual. "We're going to see peo- ple get spring fever a bit early this year," Malcore said. "You should really try to get your house in order if you want to be out there." Getting started Start by gathering any paperwork relevant to your home if you decide your house is going on the mar- ket. Paperwork includes receipts, service orders, check stubs, invoices and maintenance records — anything. "Many people make the mistake of saying 'It was four years ago' and look at a receipt and it was seven (years ago)," Malcore said. Paperwork can be used to show the age of recent improvements — perhaps you finished the basement. It can verify the age of the furnace and air condition- ing units, and more. Be sure to also locate your title insurance policy and homeowner's associa- tion papers, if applicable. You might also see if you have exterior photos of your home from when there was no snow on the ground. You might also consider getting the furnace and air conditioning units ser- viced, depending on the weather. At this point, find all of your cleaning supplies — it's time to get the place looking immaculate, inside and out. "You want to clean it bet- ter than the normal human being considers clean," said Gerald DeJong, a Shorewest real estate agent based in Oconomowoc. Eliminate smudges, cob- webs, stains — you name it. Dirt is no friends of yours when selling a home. You also need to de-clutter. Buy- ers want to envision their life in your space during the shopping process. "Don't have anything out that's personal," DeJong said. "No photographs, no political or religious sym- bols — little things like that can turn off a buyer." All the attention to detail adds up, and riffs on the idea of if something looks good, it feels good. "It sends a subtle mes- sage to the buyer that if the house is that clean, they've taken care of it to the extent that they've proba- bly maintained the water heater and furnace," DeJong said. Glamour shot You also need to prepare to photograph your house in the best possible light. To that end, make sure all the light bulbs function. "It really needs to be physically ready," Malcore said. "In today's market, the pictures are crucial. The property needs to be physically ready." Think of all of this as convincing someone to go on a date with your house — a long, expensive date. You need to make a strong first impression, both online and in person, and you need to have an answer for any question that might arise during the selling pro- cess. "Your first 30 days on the market are crucial," Mal- core said. "You will get your highest and best offer in the first 30 days. Your first showing is online and your second showing is when they walk through the door." Timing key to hit optimal market Charles Auer/Freeman Staff A house for sale on Cheviot Drive in the City of Pewaukee. Stay on top of your golf game all winter Golf pro: 'Championships are won in the offseason' Charles Auer/Freeman Staff Practicing putting indoors can help keep your golf game in shape over the winter. Butler joins Prader-Willi Homes of Oconomowoc OCONOMOWOC — Prader-Willi Homes of Oconomowoc recently named Barb Butler to its newly cre- ated position of development and outreach director. She will lead new business devel- opment, marketing, public rela- tions and admissions, according to the announcement. Butler joins PWHO following more than three years with Safe Babies Healthy Families. She also has experience in the direct sales and home party industry and is an ambassador with the Waukesha County Busi- ness Alliance. "We are so pleased to have Barb join our leadership team at PWHO. Her experiences and enthusiasm will enhance our current assets within our organization and to remain an industry leader in pro- viding services to individuals diag- nosed with PWS," said Marguerite Rupnow, director of operations, in a statement. Prader-Willi Homes of Oconomowoc is an organization dedicated to supporting those indi- viduals with Prader-Willi syn- drome and has residential facilities throughout the Lake Country region.

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