All Things Golf in West Salem

By Tim Banick, For the West Side Newspaper

Happy Spring 2026. It is that time of year when the sun begs us to come out and play some golf. I met recently with the Golf Committee at Salemtowne in West Salem. Salemtowne is marketing their non-resident membership drive. The 2026 golf fee (January through December) for a non-resident member is $725, a second member of the same household is $400. Salemtowne is located on 2900 Oakcrest Drive NW, in Salem, off Wallace Rd. To be a non-resident member you must be 50 or older. This is an excellent nine hole executive course and is meticulously maintained all year around. If you have questions, contact Howie Long at 503-791-2862. As a side note, it costs $25 to join the men’s or women’s club, if you want to participate in tournaments and events. You must be a course member to join men’s and women’s clubs. Home Page can be located at https://www.salemtowne55.com/non-resident-memberships

For this quarter’s golf tip: The golf club takeaway is one of the core physical disciplines that sets you up for success in the golf process. When I start with a new student we work on taking the club away from the ball per the picture below: This picture is a drill to help encourage taking the club away with a shorter amount of space, just to get used to the feeling. The feeling of taking the club out and away is the idea. Obviously, when you get ready to take a full swing you hold the club on the grip as normal.

Analyzing the picture below, notice the posture, stance, and ball placement. His shoulders are square to the target. His back is not hunched over, and his chin and chest are up, rather than slouched. Even though it is hard to detect, his grip is not too tight. His feet are aligned well, along with his hips and knees. It is recommended to practice this takeaway in your round of golf as part of a pre-shot process. Have a great spring and enjoy the outdoors!

If you want more detail information or have questions, feel free to respond to the email address on my Youtube channel. Go to www.youtube.com and search for Tim Banick. Or use the QR code in this article. Another option is click this link to take you to my site https://www.youtube.com/@timbanick4681/playlists. Another option is to email me at tbanicks@comcast.net.