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What: “Playing Lessons From the Pros: Managing Your Game”

Where: The Golf Channel, Mondays, 6 and 9 p.m.

It’s not often one gets to play golf with professionals and learn their secrets of the game. And it is usually costly.

The Golf Channel is not offering free rounds with pros, but it has come up with a show that may be the next best thing.

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“Playing Lessons,” a six-part series that makes its debut Monday, is formatted so that golfers get tips first-hand from pros while they are on the course. In Monday’s show, viewers will get the feeling they are playing a practice round with Tom Lehman.

Featured in upcoming half-hour shows will be Bruce Lietzke, Lee Janzen, John Cook, Billy Andrade and Wendy Ward.

The golfers wear microphones and talk throughout the round. Along the way they stop at times to delve more deeply into topics.

The first show opens with Lehman talking about putting and how he has learned to give himself more leeway with putts. “If I hit a good putt and it doesn’t go in, that’s OK but it was a good putt,” Lehman says.

On the tee box, he talks about good balance and good tempo. “Then just rip it,” he says.

When a tee shot rolls off the back of the green on a par three, Lehman says, “OK, your shot,” giving the viewer the feeling he is right there.

Lehman discusses all types of shots. Facing an approach shot, he decides a bump and run is better than a lob shot. Then he shows the viewer why.

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Golfers should love this series. The Golf Channel is already planning a second set, which will be shown later this year.

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