THE BOOK (Issue 4, Fall 2023) SCPGA CA Teaching & Coaching Summit by Southern California PGA

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The Book | Issue Four, Fall 2023

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THE BOOK Publisher Southern California PGA Contributing Editor Bill Hulbert, PGA, SCPGA Past President SCPGA Editorial Staff Bryce Seiver, SCPGA Section Staff Danny Cross, SCPGA Section Staff

Special Thanks to: Jamie Mulligan, PGA, of Virginia Country Club California Teaching & Coaching Summit Originator Randy Chang, PGA, of Journey at Pechanga SCPGA Teaching Committee Chairman The SCPGA Teaching & Coaching Committee ...and all of our partners and article contributors

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BRAND AMBASSADOR J ON RA HM

WWW.TRAVISMATHEW.COM

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LETTER FROM THE SCPGA PRESIDENT

Eric Lohman

PGA Members and Associates,

FORE!!!! We would all be hearing a lot more of that if it wasn’t for each of you. The SCPGA’s PGA and Associate Golf Coaches and Instructors introduce the masses to the game of golf and help those already hooked improve so that they can compete and enjoy our wonderful facilities. Without your help and guidance, could you imagine what the golfing landscape would look like? More broken windows and clubs, for sure. It is my pleasure to serve on your behalf as President of the SCPGA Section, and I look forward to being with you these next couple days. The California Coaching and Teaching Summit, now in its 7th year under the same leadership, guidance, and current structure, is the finest event of its kind in the United States. The heavy lifting can be attributed to Jamie Mulligan, PGA, CEO of Virginia CC, 2021 PGA National Coach of the Year, two-time SCPGA Teacher of the Year and SCPGA Teaching Committee Chair Randy Chang, PGA, our entire SCPGA Teaching Committee, along with our wonderful Section Staff. We also must thank the hospitable staff and generous members of Virginia Country Club for hosting us again this year. Finally, let us give thanks to Mr. Bill Hulbert, PGA and the Teaching Committee’s efforts to produce “The Book.” This keepsake is exceptionally valuable and can live on your coffee table for future reference, as the learnings captured within are vast and timeless. The speaker line-up is amazing again this year with a wide variety of top presenters that are guaranteed to augment your coaching acumen and experience. Along with learning from the game’s best instructors, I hope you enjoy interacting with your peers, our Section Staff, and valued sponsors, especially our title sponsor, TravisMathew. If you’re able to grow and improve as a coach this week by 1%, and you share that expanded expertise with your students, you will see more smiles on the lesson tee, and we all will hear fewer four-letter words yelled across the golfing landscape. Welcome to 2023 TravisMathew California Teaching and Coaching Summit and enjoy the warm hospitality and beautiful surroundings of Virginia Country Club. Eric Lohman, PGA General Manager Monarch Beach Golf Links / Troon Southern California PGA, President Eric “Eloh” Lohman

A PGA Member since 2000, Eric is the General Manager of Monarch Beach Golf Links in Dana Point, CA, and has been working in hospitality for over 30 years. Mostly working in the public/resort golf sector, Eric has worked for numerous management companies including his current employer Troon which is based out of Scottsdale. Eric was an accomplished junior, amateur (Washington State Amateur Champion), and collegian golfer at UCLA. Now an active and sometimes successful participant in the Southern California PGA, Eric has qualified twice for PGA National Club Professional Championships in 2014 & 2015. Eric, along with his wife Lauren and their two young daughters Harper and Sutton, reside in Newport Beach, CA.

Photo Courtesy of Golf Digest

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Message From The Southern California PGA Executive Director 8

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“Welcome to the 7th California Teaching & Coaching Summit! This event has become a “must attend” for not only our Southern California Section Members, but for our colleagues around the country.”

A special thank you to Jamie Mulligan, PGA, Randy Chang, PGA, and the entire SCPGA Teaching Committee for their efforts and commitment to this special event. At the SCPGA, we pride ourselves in offering our members the best possible opportunities, whether that be in competition, education, or growth of the game activities. The California Teaching & Coaching Summit (CTCS) is our marquee education event, melding our Section professionals with some of the finest and well respected teachers in the game, all coming together to better ourselves as PGA Professionals. We couldn’t deliver an event of this magnitude without the incredible support of our sponsors and partners. Leading the way is TravisMathew, our presenting sponsor for the past seven years. A huge thank you to Ryan Ellis and his entire team for not only their support of the CTCS, but their longtime support of the Southern California Section. We appreciate how they have always supported the section in which

they founded their amazingly successful company. And to all of our supporting sponsors of this event: Foresight, Shot Scope, Clippd, deWiz, Golf Forever, OnForm, Therabody, XXIO, Kavooa Golf, Golf Live and Garmany Golf, THANK YOU! It is because of all of you we are able to produce and provide this wonderful opportunity for our attendees. I hope each of you enjoy your time at the CTCS and leave this event with increased knowledge, passion and excitement for what you do as a PGA Professional! Best Regards, Nikki Gatch, PGA SCPGA Executive Director / CEO

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MESSAGE FROM

RYAN ELLIS TravisMathew CEO

Golf has always been an integral element of the TravisMathew identity. The brand was started by golf professionals from the PGA Tour and from the Southern California PGA Section. Over the past two years, we have continued to cultivate our golf roots. We began with a renewed investment in our PGA Tour team, highlighted by the signing of Jon Rahm and Sam Burns as TravisMathew ambassadors. Additionally, we created a golf specific product line with our Heater Series and continually collaborate with Callaway, our parent company, to develop innovative products and relationships through golf.

About TravisMathew Founded in 2007, TravisMathew draws its inspiration from the culture and lifestyle of Southern California’s surf, sand, and sun. As a premier lifestyle brand, TravisMathew has created versatile, everyday apparel that seamlessly transitions from work to play. With a smart blend of performance and innovative design, each product is crafted to achieve a perfect balance between functional comfort and superior style. In other words, we make the clothes you can actually live in.

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We’re excited to continue our relationship with the PGA and support the Southern California PGA Section, just as we have for the past 14 years. It’s our goal to give back to the sport and to the people that have given us so much. We believe that through our partnership with the SCPGA we can be directly involved in growing the game, but more importantly, in addressing topics like sustainability, diversity, and inclusion. As an aspirational brand, TravisMathew prides itself on being approachable. Anyone and everyone can look great—and feel great—in TravisMathew.

QUARTERBACK JIMMY GAROPPOLO THE BOOK

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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Monday, October 16 7:30 - 8:45am Registration & Breakfast 8:45 - 9am Welcome & Introductions 9 - 10:30am Boyd Summerhays 10:45am - 12:15pm Todd Anderson, PGA 12:15 - 1:30pm Lunch & Hall of Fame Induction 1:45 - 3:15pm Overview of the Vintage Collection of the late Carl Welty, PGA Presented by Jim McLean, Derek Uyeda, and Craig Welty 3:30 - 4:45pm Urban Golf Performance Presented by Leo Rooney 5 - 6pm Michael Block, PGA Keynote Presentation w/ Jamie Mulligan, PGA 12

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Contents Issue No. 4, Fall 2023

Introduction Grand Days Ahead Jeff Johnson, PGA The Best Golf Teachers in the World Michael Block, PGA Section 1 Excellence in Coaching The Road Map Jamie Mulligan, PGA Flow Training Principles Rick Sessinghaus, PsyD, PGA Development of Rose Zhang From Junior Golf to the LPGA George Pinnell, PGA Coaching How to Manage Automatic Thoughts Alison Curdt, PsyD, PGA, LPGA Kickstart Geoff Dean, PGA Building A Foundation For Success Ross Fisher, PGA

Section 2 Teaching The Game

Section 3 Business Success

Words Matter Randy Chang, PGA

B.E.S.T. Practices for Programming Tasha Bohlig, PGA

Modern or Classic? Tom Sargent, PGA

How to Grow a Successful Coaching Program Jordan King-Thomas, PGA & Brandon Bittner, PGA

Experience is the Best Teacher Jim Petralia, PGA Student Evaluation, Part I - Observation Bill Hulbert, PGA Student Evaluation, Part II - The Swing Bill Hulbert, PGA How I Use Alignment Sticks For Start Lines and Shot Shape Alan Ochiai, PGA Gravity Travis Nelson, PGA Watch For That Base Premise! Roger Gunn, PGA Golfers With Low Back Pain Dr. John R. Thomas, PT, DPT, OCS

Process - Leading a Student to Success Blake Jirges, PGA

Exaggerate Fixing Overly Steep and Flat Swings Petra Cole-Lempa, PGA

Is it Really a Technique Problem? Will Robins, PGA

Finding A Players Optimal Swing Speed Jim Hartnett, PGA

18 Lesson Tee Scenarios Bob Madsen, PGA The Zone, MJ & Finding Flow Josh Alpert, PGA Growing the Game With PGA Hope Amberlynn Dorsey, PGA My Story of Unconventional Success Steve Adamiak, PGA The Gateway to Golf: Growing the Game And Your Business Player Development Emphasis on Jackie Riegle, PGA High School Players Vincent Bertagna, PGA PGA Jr. League: Make Money and Let Dollars do the Talking Junko Harkins, PGA

Becoming a Top-Notch Instructor: A Guide for Aspiring PGA Associates Ed Winiecki, PGA, CCM The Business of Golf Instruction Vinnie Bertagna, PGA Why Guess When You Can Measure? Dan Davies

On the cover: (Front & Back) Virginia Country Club Photo courtesy of VCC

Taking Control and Finding Your Own Path Hide Yoshinaga, PGA

Grand Days Ahead SCPGA Past President, Jeff Johnson, PGA

Our friend and Chairman Randy Chang, PGA, was kind enough to ask me to share a few words regarding my 53-year experience as a Member of the Southern California Section and the evolution I have been fortunate to witness and experience personally. To frame this properly I believe I shall begin at the end. Section Staff and our leaders, Nikki Gatch, PGA, and Tom Addis III, PGA, and 20 others that are single minded in their dedication, care and commitment to your success are the seminal elements. 50 others manage our prolific Junior Golf Program conducting nearly 300 events annually. Worthy of mention as well, when I began as an assistant professional in 1970 our Section had one employee, Marylyn O’Pace, sharing an office with the SCGA on Cahuenga Boulevard, where the SCGA remains today. As my career fades away, there is a picture of extraordinary advancement and growth I was fortunate to witness. Your Officers, Board of Directors, Chapters, and committees are the vanguard and all that is wonderful about the Southern California Section of the PGA of America. I remain in their debt. Those PGA Professionals that mentored me and led by such strong example remain vivid. It pleases me a great deal to know that a program to collectively educate and mentor our younger section members and future PGA Professionals exists, and it is a tribute to Robin Shelton, PGA, John Kulow, PGA, Tom Son, PGA, and all those who 14

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have committed to making us all look better by being smarter and more prepared. In as much as “The Book” is a tribute to our teachers and coaches may I add that without our fine players and coaches committed to helping those interested in the game, while providing programs and care, we’d be relegated to very little as an Association. We are relevant because of our great teachers, players, our caring staff, and our board of directors guiding us all to fulfill our promise as the true experts in the game and business of golf. I am personally so very proud to have shared the board room for over 30 years and most proud that we get to share it going forward with President Lohman, Kimberly Falcone, PGA, Petra Cole-Lempa, PGA, Dr. Alison Curdt, PGA, Nikki Prichard, PGA, and of course Nikki Gatch, PGA. Fresh diverse views that represent ideals for our growth and progress…. It has been an extraordinary ride. From cleaning golf cars and fixing pull carts, to working at fine private clubs, opening new wonderful facilities, and helping manage the very nature of our Association and our wonderful section staff has been a gift. The years of history, extraordinary memories, countless friends and treasures, and again to end with not the beginning, but the future. I’ve never been more encouraged by the quality of people, their compassion, and love, and especially care, for what and who we are as an Association, so I will say, “Grand Days Ahead!”

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Clientele includes Tony Finau (4-time PGA TOUR winner, Ryder Cup, Ryder), Talor Gooch (leading money winner in LIV), and Wyndham Clark (recent TOUR winner) Developed and mentored world-class amateurs inclusive of two of his sons and daughter Former PGA TOUR player

BOYD SUMMERHAYS PGA MEMBER

TODD ANDERSON PGA MEMBER • •

Director of Instruction, TPC Sawgrass 2010 National PGA Teacher of the Year Students have combined 50+wins on the PGA and Korn Ferry TOURs His marquee students include Billy Horschel, Brandt Snedeker, Davis Love III, and Justin Leonard, of which 2 have been FedEx Cup Champions, 1 World Golf Hall of Famer and 2 Major Champions

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LEO ROONEY • •

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Presented by COO of Urban Golf Performance (UGP) State-of-the-art, complete physio to enhance golf performance – started in Southern California Performance Council: Major Winner Collin Morikawa, Co-Founder of TPI Dave Phillips, Lance Gill, Founders of VISION 54 Lynn Marriott and Pia Nilsson, and SCPGA TOY Rick Sessinghaus

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Lead Golf Instructor at The Fairmont Grand Del Mar Named top 35 instructors in California in Golf Digest’s “Best Teachers in Your State” Named Southern California PGA Teacher of the Year in 2019 FCG Top 50 Elite Junior Coach Founder of Putting Plates Notable current and past students: Xander Schauffele, Phil Michelson, Charley Hoffman, Emiliano Grillo, Max Homa, and Doug Ghim

DEREK UYEDA JIM MCLEAN

CRAIG WELTY

PGA MEMBER

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Jim McLean Golf School Director of Golf at Trump National Doral Top 3 ranked teacher in America for 25 years Graduated from the University of Houston Member of the Miami Sports Hall of Fame Member of the World Golf Teachers Hall of Fame Taught eight juniors who got to #1 ranking in America Notable players under Jim: Gary Woodland, Curtis Strange, Cristie Kerr, Keegan Bradley, Lexi Thompson, and Ben Crenshaw.

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Head Professional at Skagit Golf and Country Club Graduated from Western Washington University Hall of Fame member at WWU Member of WWU All-Century Team WWU Male co-Athlete of the Year (1999-2000) Notable players under Craig: Stewart Cink

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Keynote Speaker

MICHAEL BLOCK, PGA 18

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The Best Golf Teachers In The World

Michael Block, PGA, Head Professional at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club The best golf teachers in the world have given lessons that don’t involve one ounce of instruction and conversely the worst teachers in the world give instruction to their student after every shot. Which one are you? Do you overload your student with information? Do you forget the direction you are even taking your student? This has happened to most of us, especially early in our career. But I believe that most instructors overload their students with thoughts and positions, rather than figuring out the one change that would benefit the student the most if it was improved. It’s tough right?

has practiced enough to make it happen on the golf course no matter what happens on the range. That’s a completely different sport in my mind. How often do you hear, “I hit it so good in front of you, but when I’m by myself it doesn’t seem to work.” Personally, I now only care how I hit it on the golf course and not the range, because I used to care so much about the results on the range that I would overthink and get in my own way and never transfer it to tournaments. Your warmup session prior to a round means nothing, outside of possibly warming up your body. How many times have you had a terrible warm up session and then played great or vice versa? It happens all the time! The two times in my life that I broke 60, I didn’t hit a single ball prior to my round.

As we know, students are very impatient during a lesson and want to see immediate feedback, but what do you do when they are getting frustrated just two swings after your adjustment? Do you start to freak out and see if there is something else wrong, or do you let them know that this isn’t a Band-Aid or quick fix?

Don’t let your student get too caught up in how they are hitting it during a lesson, let’s focus more on the end goal of that change. You need to be very honest with your student and let them know the process it will take to see improvements in their game and hopefully their score. Better communication without overloading the student with swing thoughts will make you a more effective instructor.

This is something that will take some time and practice, but once this adjustment has become a natural movement with very little thought, that is when it will start to work.

An instructor that is confident with their teaching tends to do this much better than someone that is tentative about their knowledge of the swing. If that is you, I’m glad you are attending this summit, because this is a huge step towards becoming a better instructor!

A successful lesson is when your student

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A Week To Remember For A Lifetime

Michael Block, PGA, Low Professional at PGA Championship

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SECTION 1 Excellence in Coaching

The Road Map words by Jamie Mulligan, PGA Virginia Country Club CEO 2017 California Teaching & Coaching Hall of Fame Member California Teaching & Coaching Summit Co-Chair

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Photo Courtesy of PGA of America

We have been able to work with LPGA and PGA TOUR players for over three decades. We have watched people become golfers, successful tournament players, great junior golfers, effective collegiate golfers, and work their way to the highest TOUR level. It is often the fundamentals of the mind, body, and spirit that make them great. Being able to spend time with the top-10 in the world on a weekly basis has given us a lot of introspective knowledge. The level of players and practice habits are more quality driven and more comprehensive than ever (not to criticize anything of the great players of the past). Arguably, Nelly has the most potential of all female golfers and that isn’t anything against Annika or Mikey Wright. In the men’s game, there are more that have the potential to be top in the game and performances are showing that. More interestingly, we are seeing college, high school, and junior players being more competitive than ever. This includes those amateurs that played at a high level and did not go in the direction of professionals. For example, we have an amateur, Torey Edwards, at Virginia CC that has shot 58 twice and is our current Club Champion but we have many players that are competitive with him during their rounds. Hopefully, that makes our point about golf reaching another level. With that being said, if we could come up with a blueprint for a junior player that wanted to make it to the highest level, it would include the following:

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1. A warmup session for the mind and body to get ready to play before a golf club is touched. This would include stretching, workouts, and meditation/breathing. We are seeing more players doing all of these. 2. Having nutrition and hydration as part of the process. A constant diet of only putting positive things in your body and understanding that it is a ‘temple’ (not to sound too corny). Nutrition and hydration are important parts of making the body run effectively. 3. Being organized and having a life away from the course. This could be leisure or other interests besides golf. Keeping a fresh mind is important to become great. 4. Having a healthy relationship with coaches, trainers, or anyone that is part of the player’s team. We must add that this does not mean you can’t have your parent as a coach. But, when people ask me what the best thing a mom or dad can do to make their child better, I always respond that they should be the best mom or dad they can. Somebody else can probably teach the golf portion; obviously, there are exceptions. 5. Calibrate putting. Do a calibration drill to make sure that every day the player is square to the target, path is correct, and they have a system. Our recommendation would be to do this with a straight, short putt of 3-5 feet. You can make sure all elements are perfect. The rhythm, routine, and flow can be worked around the green with speed, break, and comfort. 6. Work on the short game, inclusive of bump shots, flop shots, standard pitches, and bunker play. The key would be to understand shaft angle on the bump and flop shots. The standard pitch technique would be like the full swing on the course. This should be worked on daily to establish touch and should be practiced from various grass types and lengths.

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Photo Courtesy of PGA of America

7. Come up with a warmup routine that focuses on a couple mechanical and rhythm items to get the swing tuned. Warmup from shortest clubs to the driver. Halfway through, have the player hit ‘shots to spots’; this might include fading or drawing the ball with various trajectories. Basically, the goal is to learn how to move the ball around the course while performing technically and rhythmically. 8. Understand what is going to happen on the course: wind, weather, course conditions, etc. The most important thing to figure out is what the course architect is asking of a player to achieve the optimal score. 9. Every time golf is being played, it should be fun, but competitive. Pretending you are playing in the biggest tournament every time helps when that time comes – the player can do it. I assure you that winning is a skill. Working through processes and letting that dictate the bottom line regardless of state, time zone, etc. makes the best players the best. Scoring is always a priority. For example, if a player is on a tight hole and drives the ball in the rough there are probably a few options. The best option would probably be to layup to a favorite yardage, try to hit it close and putt for par. Trying to make something work out of an unfavorable lie can compound errors and may result in a bigger score. Please read this point twice. 10. Lastly, an honest review on a regular basis (could be daily, weekly, monthly, etc.) with coaches on what is going on. The player needs to understand it in order to adjust and keep getting better. This includes an honest review of the overall mind, body, and spirit as well. Listed above is what we have referenced before as a Player’s Wheel. The above ten elements are the spokes.

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Photo Courtesy of PGA of America

Flow Training Principles

Words by Rick Sessinghaus, PsyD, PGA 2021 SCPGA Teacher of the Year 2022 California Teaching & Coaching Hall of Fame Member Photo Courtesy of PGA of America

I have been obsessed with golf performance for over 30 years. I am intrigued, why one day you have it and the next you don’t. What I have found is that performance is “state” dependent- mental, emotional, and physical state will determine the behavior of the golfer. This state will affect decision making, focus, and the motor pattern. The state of flow is a state of peak performance & optimal perception. It is the mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity. Being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. Time flies, the ego falls away. Your whole being is involved, and you’re performing your skill to its uttermost. FlowCode is a system that decodes & maps the principles of flow and serves as the ultimate roadmap for creating and maintaining the state of flow for the individual. Optimal flow, enjoyment & meaningful immersion can only happen if internal and external conditions are met. Internal strategies draw our attention into the deep now and keep us there. External surrounding conditions physically trigger us and drive us deeper into the zone. At FlowCode we train using Flow triggers such as breathing, visualization, mindset shifts, routines, and sensory awareness to shift state from Fear to Flow. In the “Fear” state, the golfer is distracted, sees the current situation as a threat, and gets triggered intro a stress response. This stress response, fight or flight, will affect the golfer’s tension, tempo, and sequence of the swing.

T H E B OofOPGA K of2America 9 Photos Courtesy

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In Flow: The golfer is fully focused on the relevant cues for the present moment. They see the situation as a challenge and look forward to applying their skills to match the challenge. Some of the key interventions I have used have been integrated with the partnership I have with FocusCalm, an EEG device. This headband measures brainwave activity and helps me as the coach give real-time feedback for the golfer using FlowCode strategies. This feedback empowers golfers to experience in the moment how proper breathing, enhanced visualization, and embodiment triggers affects their state, thus their performance. We can show feedback of brainwaves being affected by the flow triggers. Once practiced they can be used before a round of golf, in a pre-shot routine, and in a post-shot routine to manage state throughout a round of golf. I am so excited that the mental skills of golf are being more accepted as a key puzzle piece for learning and performing this great game.

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Development of Rose Zhang from Junior Golf to the LPGA

Words by George Pinnell, PGA George Pinnell Golf Academy It is a privilege and humbling experience to be Rose’s coach for the past 8 ½ years. I’ve witnessed her growth (and mine) through this amazing journey of arguably the most decorated amateur career in the history of collegiate golf. Rose didn’t stop there. As a professional, she won her first LPGA event and finished in the top 10 in her first three majors. She has earned in excess of one million dollars in her first four professional events and is 13th on the LPGA official money list.

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Photo Courtesy of PGA of America

Yes, Rose is special. What makes her special is her commitment to the process that we established when we began to work together when she was 11 years old. Rose already possessed the determination and focus that goes into becoming a successful player. Her father, along with her mind set, established a goal for being successful in the game of golf. My job then and now is to help her develop the fundamentals that allow her to repeat the same swing every time. I believe in a very structured and tight swing without any slack. We use the kinematic sequence to ensure consistency throughout the swing so that her arms and shoulders get to the top at the same time. First, parallel positioning is extremely important to keep the club head outside the hands. From first parallel, Rose will stand the club up vertically and lift and turn at the same time as her hands move up her hand path line. The club will set nicely in the slot just outside of her hands at the top, with the club face square to her left arm angle. A correct upswing is vitally important to get her in a proper position to develop the club head on plane in her downswing. A word on how we view the arms in the swing. We always want her to use her lead side (left) in the forward swing. The right hand stays behind the left and the left is the radius of the swing, promoting more consistency through impact. The left arm is a PULLER and a ROTATOR. That ensures radius and eliminates compensations. Most players will want to use their trail side rather than their lead side until they learn to initiate the left side. When they do so, they immediately understand the ease and efficiency of using the lead side in the downswing. If you know Rose’s swing, her stock shot will end in a nice tight finish without the elbows flying carelessly with over rotation. We like structured swings in our camp. Related to distance and club speed, I feel like I am in the minority. I believe that we are all born with ‘x’ amount of speed in our body. ‘X’ varies from person to person. I build the swing with the speed the player has and introduce tempo at an early age. A reason players struggle is because they continually try to increase club head and ball speed. This increase in speed causes extreme path, face

and swing directional control issues. I will never understand why an 11-year-old wants to hit the ball like a 13-year-old. Be patient with this and players will grow into more speed as they get older. Every 15/16-year-old laughs at themselves when they look back at how short they hit the ball when they were 11. Be patient. At every tournament that I attend with Rose, I am repeatedly asked about the great tempo of her swing which is a fan favorite and a major reason that she is so consistent with her ball striking. The secret in the sauce is how Rose thinks. She is very chill and cerebral. She understands how her body moves. When we were building her swing, we were being very deliberate to get the fundamentals correct because she understood how important they are to her golf swing. I can’t tell you how many times she had a glitch, but would always correct it, figuring out how her body was working and then making the correction. Rose knew there were players in the AJGA and NCAA who were better than her. When other players questioned her about this, her response was that she makes fewer mistakes. Ah, a novel approach! We go into events with NO EXPECTATIONS on how she will play on any given day. NO ONE HAS ANY IDEA HOW THEY WILL PLAY WHEN THEY WAKE UP IN THE MORNING. We only want Rose to take care of her ball and focus on the shot in front of her. If she does this, birdie opportunities will come to her as they have for the past 8 ½ years. The expectations we have are in her long-term goals. It should be mentioned that Josh Loyo has played an important role in Rose’s physical conditioning that has prevented injury and that has allowed her to play at the highest level. Should any professionals or associates have questions, please feel free to contact me. Thank you to the SCPGA teaching committee for asking me to contribute to the teaching summit. It is an honor. Like each of you, I am a proud PGA Professional. On a personal note, special thanks to Steve Seals for his mentorship and guidance. THE BOOK

Coaching How to Manage Automatic Thoughts Words by Alison Curdt, PsyD, PGA, LPGA PGA Master Professional Wood Ranch Golf Club 2017 California Teaching & Coaching Hall of Fame Member 34

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Our brains react very quickly after a shot is struck. Instantly the brain starts to analyze the outcome of the shot, emotions are created and experienced, and thoughts and commentary arise that can help our confidence or start to chip away at our self-esteem. Automatic thoughts are the instantaneous reaction to one’s performance and we often see our student’s fall victim to them in lessons. They are termed “automatic” because they happen so suddenly, the student may not realize where the thought is stemming from. Often, golfers struggle with negative statements such as “I knew I was going to hit it left,” “I’m such a poor putter,” “I’ll never get this game.” Those kinds of automatic statements start to play into the belief system and begin to take the mental game on a selfsabotaging journey. The automatic thoughts can stem from experiences in a student’s past and may resemble a theme throughout life. We may have always felt we aren’t “good enough” and that thought becomes triggered when standing over the first drive to begin a round. If those negative thoughts and reactions continue, we create associations and phobias with certain clubs (“The 5 iron never goes where I want it to, but all the other irons are fine”) that makes doubt easier to invade our confidence. The first step to managing automatic thoughts is to help your student notice them. Are you listening? Do you hear what those thoughts are telling you? You could ask your student if they realize what goes in their mind, or to ask them to verbalize to you what is happening. In their next round, have your student jot down in a notebook or on the scorecard each time they have a reaction to a shot that includes negative commentary. Perhaps they missed a short 3-foot putt and responded mentally with “I’m such a horrible putter.” Have them note this so you can examine it later with them. After the round count how many times they responded with automatic, self-deprecating statements. They might be surprised at how

actively the brain is tearing them down and limiting their success on the course. Once you have an awareness of the frequency of your student’s automatic thoughts then you can start to help them combat those statements with replacements. Avoid RE-ACTING and reframe that to ACTING! The student is in control of how they respond to a shot, the shot does not control them. Help them choose a statement that may be helpful, versus hurtful. During this process they still may have automatic thoughts pop up, but you can help them recognize the thoughts earlier and replace them with suitable, helpful thoughts. Some replacements might include, “I know I can hit the next shot better,” “I can calibrate my distances to get it closer for the next hole,” or “I can recover from this shot.” These types of statements keep the golfer moving forward in the game, versus overly focusing on emotions and thoughts in the past. You can train your brain to begin to respond more positively in an automatic sense, rather than negatively. It will certainly take repetition and awareness but can absolutely be mastered. Help your student build up a reservoir of replacement phrases. Bring them out on the course and begin practicing (verbalizing to you as the coach) their thoughts that appear. If they hit a shot they don’t like, they may notice that automatic thought occurring: “Oh, there you go again!” Once the thought is complete, remind them to replace it with a more optimistic or neutral thought such as, “I know I am capable of hitting quality shots, and I’m determined to make a good swing on the next attempt.” You’ll start to see a change in their game as they begin to control how they “react” to shots and manage the automatic commentary that arises. This is extremely powerful in controlling the mental game. If you let automatic thoughts run you over, your physical game will suffer, and you may lose enjoyment in playing. If your students use the suggested tactics to manage their mind, they will become empowered to take control when errant shots arise. Confidence increases and overcoming obstacles won’t be a problem. And they won’t be beating themselves up so much!

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KICKSTART Targeting New Associates In Their Quest To Become Better Instructors Geoff Dean, PGA Director of Player Development, PGA WEST Private

As the Director of Player Development at PGA WEST Private, my primary focus is on the progress and well-being of our students. A lot of effort goes into setting up and facilitating customized private instruction, specific group training programs and special instruction events for our members and guests. Equally important as providing great instruction opportunities for our students is the ongoing training of our golf instructors. Training the next generation of instructors is vital to the longevity of our club and plays a big role in the growth of the game. I have structured a large part of our Player Development Program to include the training of our golf instructors, especially new PGA associates. Our Teacher Development & Performance Program is built on 5 distinct pillars: Education, Communication, Technical/ 36

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Mechanical Training, Skills Training and Simulation-Role Playing. In addition, all instructors participate in an on-going development project. Education Every golf instructor receives a teacher’s manual. In that manual they receive the PDP program overview and standards, guidelines and curriculum for all golf instruction. Teachers are shown how to set up and facilitate each clinic and are given guidelines on junior golf clinics, special instruction events and oncourse lessons. They are also given guidelines on how to communicate with members and guests before and after a lesson, or when running a clinic. This manual provides each instructor with detailed resource materials for their day-to-day lesson journey. Their formal education comes from the PGM and special training days such as the SCPGA Teaching Summit. Instructors also have opportunities to work with Tech and Manufacturer reps as they visit our club. Examples are with Trackman and all major golf club vendors. Communication Great teachers are great listeners and the only way to become great is to learn practical listening and communication skills and apply them on a regular basis. Our instructors participate in on-going communication training and role playing. Technical/ Mechanical Training Great teachers have a keen awareness of the technical and mechanical aspects of human movement in relation to the golf swing and how to implement strategies for every student for maximum performance. Each instructor is trained to identify swing characteristics of each student and to implement simple solutions for long term improvement. Skills Training Great teachers can teach specific golfing skills

necessary for any golfer to score their best on course. Each teacher works to develop their ability to identify what scoring skills are necessary and when to use them for each student. Simulation - Role Playing Our Philosophy is to improve by “doing’” and receive feedback from peer groups. Each instructor engages in instruction role playing for the purpose of developing their teaching skills. Teacher Performance: Our teacher performance is built on two ongoing projects. Every month, each instructor shares a brief summary of one instruction highlight and one instruction challenge and how they approached capitalizing on the highlights and overcoming the challenges. Instructors are actively involved in private coaching sessions, group clinics and junior golf. These projects allow each instructor to take a monthly inventory of actual lesson experiences and to learn from both successful results and challenging situations from students. This has been one of the most effective learning tools since it allows each instructor to truly assess his or her teaching decisions as positive or negative…and how they can make improvements going forward. Tying it all together At the end of each year, each instructor receives an evaluation of his or her overall performance as a golf instructor. This review offers each instructor an opportunity to receive positive feedback about his or her performance, to see strengths and weaknesses, and how to improve. During this process, each instructor offers their vision for improvement and how to grow our teaching programs. Our professionals take ownership of their own development, and we encourage them to participate in shaping what the program looks like for the future…a great recipe for developing the next generation of instructors. Photos Courtesy of PGA of America THE BOOK 37

BUILDING A FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS Ross Fisher, PGA General Manager, Goose Creek Golf Club

I first met Rico and the Hoey family over 20 years ago. He and his two older sisters (Kay and Simone) would practice and participate in our weekend junior clinics. Both Kay and Simone turned into award-winning golfers at Long Beach State. The biggest thing that stood out to me about Rico was he was a fun-loving and gifted golfer. The entire Goose Creek family watched as Rico became a Junior World Champion in high school and then an All-American at USC. If you knew him, he was just an easy person to root for. Our professional career began a little over three years ago. His long-time instructor, Jim Follingstad, recommended that he work with me. Jim was an instructor for us at Goose Creek and became ill and couldn’t continue coaching Rico on his journey. Jim was also Brendan Steele’s coach during his amateur career and the first few years of his professional career. 38

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Rico is naturally a world-class ball striker. After assessing his strengths and deficiencies, we formulated a road map on how to achieve his goals. This was done jointly (he and I together) by reviewing statistical data, technique deficiencies, and his stated desire for areas of improvement. This joint approach was and is the key to allowing him to “Buy-In” to the technique and process changes. Our success has been built on open and honest analysis. The short game was our initial focus and will continue to be. Putting, chipping/pitching, and distance (finesse) wedges. Rico wanted and needed to improve putting to be able to take advantage of his ball striking. Through technique changes and implementing a practice and tournament process, Rico’s incredibly hard work started to pay off. In all facets of the game, he and I have created a process/routine that allows him to re-balance after each round and prior to each event. This process creates confidence that he is ready to compete each week. It is important for any golfer to “own” their swing/ technique and have a full understanding of why it works and know what your tendencies are when it does not work.

This is what we worked on when it came to putting. Putting improvements: consistent address position, green reading, and speed control. This has led to a better tempo in the stroke. The new tempo is much faster than the old. Speed is stability. Statistically, Rico has improved nearly 100 spots in total putting on the Korn Ferry Tour. This is what we worked on when it came to his wedges. A large part of our practice is based on distance wedges. This allows him to hit more balls with a stated focus, while reducing wear and tear on his body while improving his scoring. Rico has had some back and shoulder injuries that we continue to monitor. We’ve created techniques and practice routines to strengthen and protect his body. Rico is a phenomenal driver of the golf ball, and as a result, he has numerous wedge shots during a round. He can now attack any hole location with the ability to get close to the hole by using spin control and trajectory. One of Rico’s own complaints was not being able to get close to back hole locations or left

hole locations since he naturally cuts the ball and hits it hard. These strengths in the long game can make it difficult when finesse is required. Another great attribute of Rico’s is his ability to be coached and implement new processes and techniques. Now, no flag can hide from him! Rico’s creativity in distance wedges has carried over into his full swing. He has worked very hard and we’ve been able to use these new feels and techniques to controll trajectory and shot shape. He can now “own” his swing and make adjustments as required. Rico’s dedication and commitment to the Process we developed for him has been the catalyst for his success. His practice started to become our focus as well. Here’s what we did when it came to focusing on practice. Multi-faceted Process: Practice: Maintenance practice. This practice is focused on baseline numbers and shot shapes to ensure he is ready to compete in a tournament. Deliberate Practice: This practice is used during off weeks and off season. THE BOOK

All sessions are very random and very competitive. The goal is to create something that is so difficult he cannot do it on the first try. Example: if we are working on distance wedges no longer is it just hit the ball a certain yardage, 54 yards. We added other variables. It needs to land 54, launch under 30 degrees and spin over 7000 with a one- or two-yard draw. Sounds extremely difficult but by day two Rico will master it. He is an amazing talent and extremely coachable. 40

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Tournament week process: Each day of the week has a requirement. Monday: Travel, no golf Tuesday: Baseline work on all aspects of the game and play nine holes. Wednesday: Warm up and pro-am. Post round range and short game work. Thu-Sun: Tournament rounds and post round cool down and swing work. It has been extremely impressive to see how Rico has grown as a professional. Another SCPGA Junior Tour alum on his way to much more success.

We create these types of drills for all aspects of the game. On course process: Mainly course management and mental side. Belief in his competence, meaning your ability equals the task at hand- this is how you get in the Zone. Working on acceptance of every outcome. Preparing for success, it comes at you fast you need to be ready for it and have a plan. Rico does. THE BOOK

California Teaching & Coaching Hall of Fame 2017 Inaugural Induction Bob Harrison Sr., Alan Ochiai, Jamie Mulligan, Tim Miskell, Randy Chang, Eddie Merrins, Dr. Alison Curdt, Carrie Jena, Eric Horve, Brady Riggs, Zach Allen, Glenn Deck, Gregg McHatton, Marc Minier, Kip Puterbaugh, John Mason, Don Parsons, Roger Gunn, Larry Brotherton, Jim Petralia, Derek Hardy

2018 Induction Bob Madsen, Kevin Hanssen 2019 Induction Billy McKinney, Ross Kroeker 2020 Induction Tasha Bohlig 2021 Induction Matt Flenniken

2022 Induction Rick Sessinghaus & Keith Lyford 42

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WELCOME THE 2023 INDUCTEES

Will Robins, PGA

Blake Jirges, PGA

Coto de Caza Golf & Racquet Club Will Robins Golf & RGX - CEO Director of Instruction 2022 NCPGA Teacher & Coach 2022 SCPGA Teacher & Coach of the Year of the Year 2015 NCPGA Player Development Award Top 100 GRAA Teacher in America 2019-20 Golf Digest’s Best In State Top 50 U.S. Kids Master Teacher Teachers SCPGA Player Development Chairman First Tee Certified U.S. Kids Certified Coach SCPGA Board Member

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PROCESS - LEADING A STUDENT TO SUCCESS words by Blake Jirges, PGA Director of Player Development at Coto de Caza Golf and Racquet Club 2023 California Teaching & Coaching Hall of Fame Inductee 44

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What is your Coaching process? Do you follow the same process for every student? How do you get your new student into your coaching program? I believe the best coaches follow a process from when the student first reaches out to them and through each lesson they provide. I see so many coaches who don’t follow a protocol and lose out on many business opportunities because of the inconsistencies and lack of communication. Back to the first question I asked, what is your Coaching process? When I first got into coaching, my process was this: I would get contacted by a student for golf lessons, I asked when they were available, and I would do my best to work with their schedule. This process wasn’t successful because I would have the students lead me and I was the servant. The PGA Professional has such a heart of service that it can lead to the student controlling the lessons in order to make them happy. As great as it sounds to make the student happy, the PGA Professional is the expert in knowing how to get a player to accomplish their goals. Your process must be well laid out, so the student knows how they are going to go from A-Z in their golf game. COTO DE CAZA GOLF ACADEMY PROCESS FOR A NEW STUDENT 1. The student reaches out to a coach for a golf lesson. The coach spends about 5 minutes discussing next steps, which includes a preassessment questionnaire. 2. The student fills out the questionnaire that provides the coach with information about the student’s game. 3. The coach reviews the questionnaire and books a 15-minute discovery call to discuss what was filled out.

4. The coach asks specific questions around their current golf game and dives deeper into their goals. The coach then will book an on-course game assessment. ‘ 5. The student gets booked online for the assessment and receives reminder emails prior to the session. 6. The student attends an on-course game assessment usually with 2 or 3 others. This way, I can see how the player performs in a regular round of golf in a group setting. 7. The coach and students sit down after the assessment and review what went well, what needs work, and the game plan moving forward. 8. The coach sends an email within 24 hours after the session with the recommended next steps and a game plan that would fit their goals. 9. The coach books a phone call with the student to make sure the plan works for their time and resources. 10. The coach schedules the sessions on an online calendar in a monthly program or a 3–6-month program. This 10-step process has worked for the Academy to ensure long term clients and it shows professionalism through and through. Be the leader for your student’s golf game and find the process that works best for you. It can be simple or more detailed, but it is important to write your process out. So my challenge for you is- can you truly identify your processes for all areas of your business? If so, congrats and continue updating and fine tuning your process. If not, it’s not too late to add or change your process for leading your students to success. This will ultimately improve your bottom line and create a quality experience for your students.

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Is It Really a Technique Problem?

words by Will Robins, PGA 2023 California Teaching & Coaching Hall of Fame Inductee Over many years of coaching golf, I’ve found that new students come to me thinking they already know the cure for their problem. Imagine telling a lawyer how to win a case or an accountant how they should file your taxes. If we knew what was needed, we wouldn’t look for expert advice in the first place. For golf pros, that’s not usually the case. Our 23-handicappers come to us, tell us what they need to work on, and offer specific ideas on how to fix their problems. As we know, they’re often quite off-base. It’s more likely the case that they haven’t even identified the problem correctly. I can choose 46

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to give them what they want and offer them the solution they think they need, but it won’t solve their real problem. As PGA Professionals, our greatest pitfall as coaches is giving people what they ask for rather than what they need. In years past, I’ve learned that while a student might not know how to diagnose their problem properly, it’s vital that I don’t point them in the wrong direction. Mike came in one day, asking me to get rid of his slice and get him a nice draw with his driver. In his first playing lesson, I watched him power slice

three drives into trouble on the right, and I agreed that poor technique was the issue. Mike was a 6 handicap and if he wanted to break par, he needed better ball flight. We went back to the range and started to make the necessary changes to perfect his technique. In a few minutes on the range with some minor adjustments, Mike hit a tight power fade with about 15 yards of cut. He had a ball flight that would play all day for his desired goals, but he was desperate to play a draw, which he believed he needed to break par. We kept going until we got the ball turned over, and we were both very pleased with our session. I was proud of myself and our success, so I sent him on his way and reminded him to text me after the round on Saturday. I waited anxiously to hear how his game went. Then the text came in… “87…I scored 87, Will…” it read. “What happened?! You normally shoot 78!!” I replied in shock. My pride bubble quickly popped. We arranged to meet up for another lesson as soon as possible. We headed to the range for a warmup session before our playing lesson, and Mike hit five perfect soft draw drives. He turned to me and said, “It’s gone! This was not what it was like on Saturday! It must be because you’re here?” I laughed and said, “Well, great! If that’s the case, Mike, then I’ll just play or caddy for you every time you golf.” We caught up with our group to continue playing. We teed off the back, and his first swing snaphooked into the junk. It was a whole different Mike! He was rushed and looked super tight. That’s when it hit me. All that time I thought it was a technique problem, but it was built-up tension. I gave my player the wrong solution. His technique was fine if there was no added pressure, like a scorecard, other people watching, or trying to hit a draw that felt uncomfortable and unnatural to him. All of this brought massive tension, and his ability to execute any shot was gone.

With that discovery, it became my role as a coach to help him identify and reduce his tension. I looked at him and said, “Okay, Mike. Let’s forget the draw for now and just show me a big slice from the middle of the hazard back into the fairway.” With a big grin, he said, “Oh, I can do that!” And he did—a 40-yard slice from the center of the hazard to the middle of the fairway. His swing was fluid and confident, and I don’t think he could have missed it if he tried. We went to the next hole, and I told Mike to do the same thing—aim in the hazard, down on the left. Hit a power fade, this time back into the middle of the fairway. Without any questions or fear, he did exactly that. I witnessed a player go from tight and tense to free and flowing. In the remaining holes, Mike was free of thoughts and tension, and he never missed a fairway. He had a huge smile on his face, and I asked him, “Would you be willing to trust me?” He agreed. I said “Let’s THE BOOK

just forget the draw and own the power fade next round. Play it all day and see how freed-up you can be. But you must text me after the round to tell me how it goes.” The text never came. Instead, my phone rang, and it was Mike calling to tell me that he had shot 69! “Will,” he said excitedly. “I have never broken par, and I just shot 69.” It’s important to note that Mike was a local pastor, so I trusted this score was honest. I knew then and there that I needed to start looking for problems of tension over technique with all my players. I am not a good enough coach to take someone from 78 to 69 that quickly, but Mike is that good a golfer that once we removed the problem of tension and took the hand-break off, he was able to unlock his golfing potential. This is now the bedrock of what I teach, to ensure that all my players learn how to identify and manage tension when they play and practice golf. If you see success in a lesson that never transfers to the course, you have yourself a tension problem. If you work with a player who hits great on the range but then loses their first tee shot, it’s a build-up of tension. When you have a player who has a terrible front nine and gives up on the score, then comes in with a career low on the back nine—you see the result of adjusted tension. Their expectations dropped, so tension dropped, and their technique came back in full force. You might also see the player who shoots their career low on the front nine, then blows up on the back nine. Their expectations increased as they saw a low score coming together, so tension increased, and talent disappeared. Both players will tell you that if they just could be more consistent with their swing technique, they believe they could play well on both nines. It’s a lie that better technique will lead to a better game. Was Rory McIlroy’s technique good enough to close out the back nine holes when he was in the

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Whatever their answers are, that’s how they play their best golf. They all know their greatest technique, so I ask my players to write it down. The challenge then is to follow their new recipe—not to play great golf, but to position themselves to take actions that lead ultimately to their best game. After they recognize where it creeps in, we must help them set realistic expectations for themselves to lower the tension. While sports psychologists will tell us that positive thinking is crucial—and I agree to an extent— realistic thinking carries a greater weight. Rather than have positive thoughts over a driver, I suggest to my players that they accept reality: they haven’t played golf in three weeks, their back is tight, and the first fairway has a water hazard on the right, matching perfectly with their slice miss. The thought of pulling out a driver and hoping it’s going to hit the fairway is not positive thinking—it’s delusional.

lead at the Masters? When he shot 42 on the back nine and lost that day, was it technique or did the expectation of winning the Masters and fulfilling a lifelong dream increase his tension and lead to a decreased ability to execute the needed shots? The greatest players in the world can have all the technique, but they, like us, still crumble under pressure if they are not managing the tension. When tension increases, we tighten up and struggle to follow through on the technique we know we’re capable of. As coaches, we must help players reduce tension. We must first teach them to recognize it and then to lower the tension when it arrives—and we know it will arrive. What changed for your player when they shot 50 on the front nine, then miraculously shot 37 on the back nine? Did they try less? Play quicker or slower? Did they think less or think more? Talk more to their playing partners or focus more? Let go of bad shots easier? Did they commit to shots without fearing the result?

When you accept your competence in the game rather than wishing for miracle shots, your lower expectations release the tension physically and mentally, so you can play to your fullest potential. The best players in the world only hit approximately 55% of fairways and 70% of greens, but they do it with a nine-iron. Our students, at 160 yards, are hitting low five-hybrids that are screaming ten feet off the ground with a powerfade. It’s not about hitting the green; it’s more about keeping the ball in play to make an easy bogey and take away a blow-up hole. Suddenly, they experience the joy of golfing again. What are we doing as coaches to ensure that we’re teaching our players the real game of golf? The real game is getting the ball in the hole in as few shots as possible. To do that, we have to offer realistic expectations. Our goal is to educate the expectations and competence necessary for our players to reach their own goal, not reach the PGA tour. When we help our players identify and reduce their tension, they begin to reach their full potential. THE BOOK

SECTION 2 Teaching The Game

Words Matter words by Randy Chang, PGA Journey at Pechanga & Randy Chang Golf Schools California Teaching & Coaching Summit Co-Chair 2017 California Teaching & Coaching Hall of Fame Member As teachers and coaches, we need to pay close attention to the words and phrases we use to describe the physical actions we are trying to get our students to perform. There are a few phrases and words that we have eliminated from our school’s terminology. “Keep your head down” is probably the most common phrase used in our game since the beginning of time. Not a wrong statement, but probably the most detrimental swing thought when it comes to injuries and students not being able to physically do what you want them to do. 52

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Students consciously trying to keep their head down until after they hear or feel the hit of the golf ball, will end in the positions shown in the pictures below. This starts a common chain of events that creates the swing problems and physical injuries we have seen in golf for decades. When students over-emphasize keeping their head down, it ends up restricting the lower body movement. When the lower body stops moving, the arms take over through momentum, leading to a breakdown into the beloved “chicken wing” formation through impact.

Players that have a lot of flexibility (predominantly juniors) who focused on maintaining their spine angles for too long, keeping their head down and swinging heavy golf clubs, have had back and shoulder injuries. Tiger Woods and Natalie Gulbis are just two examples.

As PGA Golf Professionals and experts in the field of golf, we have a responsibility to educate our students and parents on the ramifications of swinging a golf club like the players displayed in the before pictures. Even though they may be hitting the ball with distance and some success, it will cause injuries and bad habits in the future. Utilizing today’s technology to convey to your students the difference between what they feel and what is real, has been critical in the acceleration of learning and change.

Allowing your head and eyes to follow the ball to its target frees the body to move properly during the swing. Watch the swings of some of the best ball strikers in the game such as Annika Sorenstam, David Duval and current players like Dustin Johnson, Michael Block and Inbee Park. Their eyes and head are rotating to the target before the club is even at the ball!

We have replaced other words such as “accelerate” with swing, “hit” with sweep, and “explode” with splash. Each word gives your mind a different picture with a different physical reaction and most importantly, you can’t overdo the feel of these actions. So, words do matter and choosing the right ones will help with conveying “feels” to your players.

BEFORE

AFTER

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MODERN OR CLASSIC? Words by Tom Sargent, PGA PGA Life Member I don’t like the terms “modern swing” or “classic swing.” At some point in the continuum of golf instruction every style is modern but over time becomes classic. What is classic today was yesterday’s modern. The true classic golf swing started a long time ago and has seen what we might call different eras of instructional change. Like art, which has seen many different periods or eras of style, so has the teaching of our game. The question of how that has affected those of us who learned and taught the game during one of these earlier epochs is “Have we had to change our approach?” That’s an interesting question. But I find it fascinating many of the methods which are thought of as new age golf are frequently old school stuff that is being marketed under a new name or simply explained in a new (and sometimes better) manner. I think it would be difficult to cover all the changes so I’ll highlight a few of the more obvious ones I’ve seen over 50 plus years of teaching and even take a shot at some of the instruction before my time. Most obvious is the teaching of distance today versus yesterday. While one might think that it’s a relatively new phenomenon, it isn’t to me. How often when we ask a new client what his or her goal 54

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is does the answer come back, “I’d like to get more distance.” Pretty frequently I would say. Once I read “The Search for the Perfect Swing” (written in 1968) one of the things that jumped out at me was the importance of distance. I read that book in the 1970’s and it made quite an impact on me. It noted that 20 yards extra off the tee reduced scores by one to two shots. That is a lot, especially extrapolated over four days. However, it was not the center of focus then that we see now. While I did teach it then, it wasn’t a main topic (it still isn’t). Distance really started to become more of a focus around the early 1990’s with the arrival of titanium-headed drivers and light weight shafts and has continued to this day while taking the occasional quantum leap along the way, such as around 2000 when the threepiece ball first came out. So how did we teach it “back in the day?” Some players teed it quite a bit higher – sound familiar – to the extent that frequently a golf pencil was used. Personally, I used a vintage 1950’s persimmon George Bayer MacGregor driver, with a steel extra stiff shaft, that had the deepest face around. I teed it up high and tried to hit what we called knuckle balls. I often used it as my go-to driver for long drive contests. Backswings were longer, left heels were off the ground and swings were slower in tempo. There were no launch monitors around then so it was up to the naked eye. The ball flight was higher and tumbled just as it does today. All those things worked well. What we didn’t really do was leave our feet like you see some players do today (although there were a few, especially in the women’s game). It’s not that players didn’t use ground force, as it’s called today. Back then it was referred to as hitting against a firm left side (posted left leg for a right hander). I would attribute that extra thrust off the ground to modern equipment which lets players get away with more. One thing about that George Bayer driver was that you needed to hit it pretty much on the screws which translates into the middle of the clubface. The MOI and COR companies proudly preach today were pretty much nonexistent. Today’s drivers let you get away with some big misses. Thus a player can swing much harder and the focus on control isn’t as great because the ball flies much straighter.

We taught players to play a more controlled game. Somewhere around the mid 1990’s to the turn of the century (that’s the 21st century for those of you who might want to stick the needle in a bit), as the prize money increased, a player could make his year with two or three good weeks on the Tour. So it quickly became a game of trying to shoot as low as possible and never mind an errant shot here and there. Interestingly Nicklaus had a philosophy way back which said, “Better a wedge from the rough than a five iron from the fairway.” That carried over into the instruction business especially for those teaching aspiring young players. Those young guys didn’t see any reason not to get after it. I had a young, talented player around that time who was very long and uber aggressive. He made a lot of birdies – as in 19 birdies and two eagles in the State Junior Championship one year, a threeday tournament, and didn’t win. He did throw in a double or triple from time to time. I posed a hypothetical scenario to him once, asking what he would do on a 240-yard par three with the flag stuck behind a bunker, lake to the left and OB behind the green. The obvious play was to aim right of the flag. His answer was to aim at the flag. When I asked why, he said he tried to birdie every hole. I found that many aspiring young players took that approach. If we go back a little further one of the other obvious changes is in the release. This probably dates to hickory-shafted clubs when swings were very around with the trail arm tucked in close to the trail side. The release was the product of active hands and forearms. Today the hands are more passive with an emphasis on body rotation. The passive-hands release has led to a change in conventional gripping of the club. You see more “strong” grips today. There are more shut-faced players out there. That is not to say that there were not any shut-faced players then, but certainly not as many today. In that type of swing you frequently see a takeaway with the club face in a more closed position at about hip high. With more body rotation the clubface doesn’t need to be squared through a hands and forearms release. What those who favor

the anatomical terms would refer to as pronation and supination. In the late 1960’s and 1970’s, Jim Flick along with Dick Aultman wrote a book called “The Square to Square Golf Swing.” It promoted a club face which pointed to the ball on the takeaway and through the swing much as we see today in many players. Interestingly, Jim Flick himself later pronounced it as the “worst golf instruction book ever written.” While there are some differences between what is being taught today and what Flick and Aultman set forth, the similarities are strikingly close. Maybe Jim and Dick were ahead of their time. Speaking of books, the grand daddy of them all was, and still is to quite a few, Ben Hogan’s “Five Lessons – the Modern Fundamentals of Golf.” It’s still a must read for anyone interested in teaching the game. Take note in its title the term “Modern.” To many of today’s golfers and instructors that might be considered “Classic.” When it comes to teaching length these days, one of the things that players are encouraged to do is let the lead heel come off the ground and thus promote a longer turn on the back swing. Some players get up on their toes. Go Google some swings of Bobby Jones, or Jack Nicklaus, or Nancy Lopez, or Arnie Palmer, or Sam Snead - the list goes on. So it would seem that “modern” really is a relative term and frequently “what was” is now “what is.” Much of this has been brought on by changes to the golf ball, equipment, agronomics, physical conditioning, bigger humans and more. There is an old adage which states that “Those who dare to teach must never cease to learn.” I would encourage those who do dare to teach to learn not only “what is” but “what was.” I often think of a conversation I had a number of years ago with Frank Beard. Frank, for you young’uns, was a leading money winner on tour and a knowledgeable and articulate fellow. Frank told me something I have never forgotten. He said there are three types of swings: One is the swing that everyone is teaching today, the second is the one that instructors will be teaching 20 years from now and the third one is……the one that works! Golf Your Ball! THE BOOK

EXPERIENCE IS THE BEST TEACHER words by Jim Petralia, PGA PGA Life Member 2017 California Teaching & Coaching Hall of Fame Member

When I first started teaching golf in the late seventies, my credibility was based on my playing ability. I was a relatively good player, having won the California State Open and a few strong field 72-hole minitour events. I also made the European Order of Merit. It was my failures as a player that motivated me to gain a better understanding of the game. THE SEARCH FOR THE PERFECT SWING, by Alastair Cochran and John Stobbs, was an outstanding reference book to begin the process. Today there is so much information available online, in print, and on television. Much of it is accurate and useful. Some of it is incorrect and harmful. And it can be overwhelming to sort the good from the bad.

them to hit balls. Yes, I make suggestions, but the emphasis is on them. What do they want? How much work are they willing to do? If the student is motivated, they will do the work. If they are skillful, they may succeed. If I could make a lasting and significant improvement in just one lesson, I would charge $10,000 an hour. Young students can be developed into players mimicking model swings. When working with older or less athletic players you must consider their physical limitations and capabilities. Then build an improvement program accordingly. Good impact has and always will be the primary goal. The player must control the club shaft, the clubface, and the club head. Those are imperatives. Rhythm and balance significantly enhance the probability of achieving the imperatives.

The game is significantly different today from my early playing days. The equipment is better, technology quantifies everything, and the players are better conditioned. Add pristine course conditions and a more lenient rule book and one could argue that the game is easier now. As a coach I place greater emphasis on conditioning than I used to. My development as a teacher has come mostly from experience. I started out making suggestions to students based on what feels and thoughts work for me. It probably wasn’t helpful. Then as my knowledge grew, I became a purveyor of information, lecturing the student. It wasn’t fun or helpful to the students. Now I want

picture and the ball flight.

I have used video since the 1980’s. It can be helpful to myself and the student. The true usefulness of video is determined by effectively causing a change in the

I’ve done teaching presentations in the United States, Canada, and Europe, to hundreds of golf instructors. Those were easy tasks compared to helping one student improve. That’s my primary goal.

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STUDENT EVALUATION: PART 1 - OBSERVATION

words by Bill Hulbert, PGA SCPGA Past President 2017 SCPGA Hall of Fame Observation and information gathering begins immediately from the moment you introduce yourself and shake hands. The better you know the person in front of you the more effective you will be teaching them. It is vitally important to conduct a quality pre-lesson interview with all new students. Allow time at the beginning of that first lesson to ask pertinent questions. Some people are uncomfortable sharing everything, but over time they will relax and be grateful for your interest. Pay attention and look for cues. Consider the following categories and questions, and add or subtract as you see fit.

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Photo Courtesy of PGA of America

1-PLAYING BACKGROUND How long have you been playing? How often do you play? Current index or average score? Do you play competitively? At what level? What is your predominant miss? Do you have constant swing thoughts? What is your preferred ball flight? Do you have a self-diagnosis of what’s wrong? 2- PRACTICE HABITS Do you practice? How often? For how long? How do you practice? How will you practice to make swing changes? Can you commit the time necessary? What about short game and putting? What have you been working on lately? 3- LESSON HISTORY Have you taken lessons before? When? What changes were recommended? Did you improve? What brings you here? 4- ATHLETIC BACKGROUND What sports did you play growing up, competitively or recreationally? What sports do you still play? Did you play left or right-handed? In baseball, did you throw and bat the same? In hockey, did you play with your right or left hand on top of the stick? Ask multiple questions to be specific. It’s amazing how many lefties are playing right-handed and vice-versa. Very often people will not volunteer the information. The more you know the easier it will be to relate the golf swing to a familiar athletic motion. Consider adding a tennis racket and hockey stick to your teaching bag.

6- PERSONAL PROFILE It’s equally important to know what’s in their head? Occupation, learning styles, pre-conceived notions and misconceptions all play a part in how someone will try to swing a club or influence their capacity to make changes. Are you technical or more a feel player? Do you watch golf on TV? Do you watch instruction videos? Are you searching YouTube for the Secret? What are your short and long-term goals? What are your expectations? Do you have time to commit to practicing? What can I do to help you reach your goals? 7-EQUIPMENT EVALUATION This can be done now or during the lesson. Are these custom-fit or off the rack? What is your favorite and least favorite club? Why? Wear marks and sky marks will tell you a lot. Look at shaft flexes and weights, set composition, and driver lofts. Look at their glove! The primary goal is to teach but obviously misfit clubs can affect motion and impact. What else might you ask? What will you do with the information given? Should you record it? Be a strong communicator, but LISTEN! Be precise, be patient, pay attention. You have information that should help you evaluate the person, which will make it easier to effectively help them get better. Step 2 is evaluating their swing and coming up with a plan for improvement.

5- PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS Be careful and considerate when you ask these questions. Do you have any disc or joint problems, or have you had any surgeries that may affect your swing? Back, knee, hip, wrist, etc. Do you experience any pain during a round? Is your vision corrected? Which eye is dominant? Is there anything else I should know about as we work on your swing? Age is a factor. If you have some physical screens that you like to do, now is the time. This information will provide insight for your approach. THE BOOK

STUDENT EVALUATION: PART 2 - THE SWING

words by Bill Hulbert, PGA SCPGA Past President - 2017 SCPGA Hall of Fame You’ve spent some time communicating with a new student and collected data about their golf and athletic background, their personality, and how their body is able to move. Maybe they were warming up as you questioned them. Now it’s time to get a club in their hands and begin the process. The process that good instructors use to identify setup issues that hinder the swing. Path and plane issues that require significant compensation. Misconceptions that create incorrect motion. What’s cause and what is effect in that golf swing? Every instructor should have a framework that they use to evaluate swing components and come up with a plan to create fixes and build proper motor patterns. Experienced teachers can often see the whole picture in a few swings, and move on from there. Less experienced teachers may take longer and need to use their own checklist. Here is some information that you may use already, or it may provide some insight into evaluating your process. Again, add or subtract as you see fit.

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Photo Courtesy of PGA of America

P1-SETUP Posture. Hip tilt with knee flex? S-curve in the back? Weight on toes or heels? Neck alignment? Grip. Do the hands match? Neutral, strong, or weak? Remember what their preferred ball flight is. Alignment of feet, body, and clubface. Compensating? Do they even know where they are aiming? Tension. Are the hands, arms, shoulders or wrists tight? Is the arm structure correct? Any hyperextension? Again, for a better player, ball flight will influence arm structure and alignment. Pre-shot routine. All the above can influence the routine, and vice-versa. P2-TAKEAWAY Is it inside, outside, or on plane? What is the clubface doing? Is it initiated by the hands, wrists, arms, shoulders, legs, or center? Too fast, too slow, in synch? Is the setup creating an issue? P3-BACKSWING, LEAD ARM PARALLEL Is the shaft on plane? Wrists set or hinged back? Does the clubface match? Should it? Is the trail hip rotating back or moving laterally away from the target? P4-TOP OF BACKSWING Is there proper width and depth? Is there shoulder tilt with side bend? Is there load in the glute, the thigh, or the ground? Is there stability with a centered pivot? Or is there sway or reverse pivot? P5-TRANSITION, LEAD ARM PARALLEL ON DOWNSWING Did the lower body or pelvis initiate? Is the club slotted or shallowed? Trail elbow moving down and forward? Does the shaft match the trail arm? Or is everything over the top and steep? P6- DELIVERY POSITION, SHAFT PARALLEL Lead elbow at target? Is the trail arm still bent? Hands forward and low? Shaft online? Clubface? Or are the hands high and away, with the body early extending?

P7-IMPACT Shaft lean? Lead hip over lead heel? Chest down and pointing at or in front of ball? Lead side lat opening? Is the clubface squared up? Still some trail arm bend? P8- POST IMPACT Both arms extended? Lead side still opening? Trail knee, leg and hip pivoting? P9-TRAIL ARM PARALLEL ON THROUGH SWING Is the trail arm extended? Is the lead arm rotating and folding? Wrists releasing or re-hinging? Head releasing? Lead leg posting up? Continuing to pivot the lower body? P10-FINISH POSITION In balance? Fully rotated? Head released fully? 95% of weight on front foot? Trail foot vertical and on the toes? As you watch a new student warm up, you’ll observe ball flight, low point, and how the body and club are moving. And while you are evaluating P1 to P10 positions, it’s still a motion. Pace, tempo, rhythm and sequencing should be noted. You are already beginning the process of evaluating and planning how best to address the changes that need to be made. Sometimes it’s obvious, like the overly inside takeaway that creates an over-the-top downswing. Then if the setup is ok, fixing the takeaway may become priority one. With a better player it will probably be more subtle, and going through P1 to P8 or beyond may be necessary. The point is that you have now or should have in the future a “process” that gives you the information needed to decide the best approach with the swing in front of you. And the communication factor to the student, addressing the why and how the changes need to work, is critical. But as Claude Harmon said, “Change one thing that affects ten, not ten to affect one. Fix impact!” THE BOOK

HOW I USE ALIGNMENT STICKS FOR START LINES AND SHOT SHAPE words by Alan Ochiai, PGA Oak Creek Golf Club PGA Master Professional 2017 California Teaching & Coaching Hall of Fame Member FIRST STICK: Place the stick on the target line, safely past the divot. While many players position the stick close to or parallel to the target line, I prefer placing one directly on the target line and hitting over it. This aligns with the common practice of using an intermediate target a few feet in front of the ball, aiding in consistent aiming without needing to locate a new intermediate target for every swing. SECOND STICK: Position it parallel to the target line. I prefer having the body lines parallel or slightly open to prevent aiming too far to the right. I’ve observed that the average golfer often aims right and comes over the top, while more advanced players might also aim right and then execute a flip hook back to the left. THIRD STICK: For the standard soft draw pattern, vertically place stick 3 into the ground on the target line, just beyond stick one. This ensures, or at least highlights, that the starting line should be slightly to the right of the target. Stick two serves as a reminder to keep the stance or body line from closing. For a power fade player, once again position stick three on the target line to establish a slightly left starting line. In either pattern, the goal is to start the ball slightly off the target line and move the ball towards but not past the target line. 62

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BRAND AMBASSADOR REGGIE BUSH

OPEN

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G R A V I T Y words by Travis Nelson, PGA Teaching Professional at Big Canyon Country Club and LOR Golf Lab

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Having a few young kids around the house these days, I get to watch many children’s movies. It never ceases to amaze me what I learn from these silly movies. Two Disney gems come to mind, Moana and Luca. They are two of my personal favorites because they make us laugh, and who doesn’t like a little humor. They both provide insight on gravity. When we allow gravity to be present, particularly in the short game, things become so much easier, especially for an instructor. In the movie Moana, “I am still falling” comes screaming out of Maui’s mouth as he jumps in and through to the underworld. This moment represents what I teach all my students in the short game. I am always encouraging them to “let it fall.” The character Maui tucks into a cannonball shape and blasts through what seems like miles of unchartered territory of the underworld. Nothing is holding him back from picking up massive speed. Gravity is exerting him. The golf club can be finessed the same way. When we allow gravity to take over in the swing, especially in transition, the club has a chance to be on plane, shallow, and “fall” through impact. “Take me Gravity” is mentioned several times throughout the movie Luca because the characters, Luca and Alberto, are Sea Monsters. Luca has never been on land so his friend Alberto helps him figure out how to walk, ride a bike, and even jump off buildings. The particular scene that comes to mind is when Luca jumps off the light tower yelling “take me gravity!” as he collides with several tree branches and crashes into the land below. I use these kid movies as references when teaching my juniors because that’s how I connect with them. One of the 10-year-old female students keeps reminding me of gravity when she’s practicing or even playing. When she catches one thin or even blades one across the green, she turns to me and says, “I didn’t let gravity take over.”

When gravity isn’t present one or more of these swing flaws can occur: casting, over the top, lack of shaft lean, chunks, blades, toe strikes, heal strikes, sequencing and rotation issues, the list goes on. As teachers and coaches, we love seeing the best athletes in motion because they are powerful, yet silky smooth. That secret sauce is in gravity; when gravity takes over, the club falls and when the club falls that’s where the best players play from. We see it, hear it, feel it. It’s poetry in motion. Next time you have a club in your hand, grip it and lift it out in front of you and when you allow it to fall to the ground, close your eyes. After trying it a few times, turn these muscles off and see what happens: shoulders, traps, lats, biceps, triceps, wrists, and grip pressure. If you struggle with figuring out grip pressure, try taking your thumbs and thumb pads off the club and only grip it in your fingers. This is a great one to feel gravity at its best. Once gravity has been evaluated, try swinging this way, particularly around the short game. Once gravity is felt, assessed, and performed, the student and coach have the tools to make serious improvements in the swing, especially the short game.

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WATCH FOR THAT BASE PREMISE! Words by Roger Gunn, PGA 2017 California Teaching & Coaching Hall of Fame It can be a wonderful relationship between coach and student in the quest for more proficiency in this difficult game. There’s nothing like experiencing the improvement that goes along with great information. As the coach, it’s fun to provide that information! This is the essence of a win/win relationship.

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Photo Courtesy of PGA of America

But what if there’s something standing in the way of this improvement, literally short circuiting the whole process? Believe it or not, this might be happening daily in your teaching. What is this strange and hidden saboteur? It’s the student’s perception or preconceived notion of what’s SUPPOSED to happen in the golf swing. What if all the while you are showing that beautiful turn or that new way to use the hips, the student is working off the idea that the club is supposed to swing straight at the target for as long as possible, or that the club is supposed to lift the ball in the air? Do you think this might influence your student’s, and therefore your performance? You bet it can! If your student is actually trying to do something wrong through the ball, it’s going to be tough on both of you. This is why I started many years ago making sure that I wasn’t fighting an incorrect premise behind the scenes. Almost all my golfers, from rank beginners to the very proficient players, are treated to a brief overview of what’s supposed to be happening so I’m sure we’re all on the same page. I have an extremely high-speed video of Tiger Woods hitting an eight iron off the ground to make this concept clear. You can’t imagine what this does for our time together. The first thing I show them is how the golf swing is a circle that goes around us…. A gentle arc if you will. This is clear in the footage. I then show them how the ball is struck first, and then it continues into the dirt after that. Finally, I show them that the club is closing “like a gate.” I then discuss what this is showing us. Namely, that the club is swinging at the target for only a moment, and that the club is descending through the hitting area. This is very eye-opening when they learn that you don’t always swing in the direction you want the ball to go. This is why I tell newer golfers that I want them to focus more on what they want their swing to do, and not so much about what they want the ball to do. This clip also helps to explain why I want the club coming from a proper place in the downswing: Then it can deliver the way Tiger’s club does. If the club is coming from too steep, then the same closing action on an arc would hit the ground too hard. Too shallow and there would be nothing to bring the club toward the ground. I can’t convey how important it is for not only you but your students to be clear on how to achieve the end goal of hitting the ball powerfully and consistently. When both of you know what that looks like, the job is much easier!

Photo Courtesy of PGA of America

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GOLFERS WITH LOW BACK PAIN

Dr. John R. Thomas, PT, DPT, OCS Doctor of Physical Therapy Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist Owner of LOR Physical Therapy and LOR Golf Lab TPI Certified Level 3 Medical Professional

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As a medical professional I’ve been treating golfers since 1999. I’m a lifelong student of the game looking to learn as much as possible to help treat the injured golfer. My goal is to make sure their body is moving in a safe way to prevent injury from happening. Many things need to happen so the golf swing occurs in a way which will not place stress on the body. I wanted to discuss low back pain in the golfer and offer some pearls of wisdom that I’ve learned over the years. Hopefully, it will help equip you with some tools to enable the golfer you work with to continue playing this great game we all love. There are three common faults that can cause low back pain during the swing and some common issues that could be resulting in these postures and poor movement patterns. I also want to offer you some ways to help prevent these things from happening. Positions and movements that can lead to stress on the low back: 1. Set up position: “S Posture”. If the golfer’s set up exhibits an increased curve in the low back this could place stress to the spine during the backswing. 2. Back swing position: “Reverse Spine Angle”. If the golfer is shifting their torso towards the target this can place stress to the spine. 3 Impact/Follow through position: “Hanging Back”. The lumbar spine is made for stability. I often talk with a golfer who says, “I can hold a plank for 3 minutes”, or “I always work out my core”, but they still have low back pain when they golf. A mistake I made early in my career was to focus on the pain region, in this case the low back, which was a “symptom” approach, versus an approach that addressed the cause of the symptoms. A “cause” approach addresses areas that may result in poor postures or movement patterns that end up resulting in stress to the body. I’ve learned that the body has an alternating pattern of stability and mobility that begins at the foot and ends at the neck. If an area of the body made for mobility is stiff, then the body will move in the “path of least resistance” and cause an area that is made for stability to move “too much”. For example, the area above the lumbar spine is the thoracic spine (torso), and the area below the lumbar spine is the hips. If the hips or torso are limited in mobility, then the body can

move too much at the lumbar spine (the area that needs to be stable). No matter how much strength or stability you have throughout the low back you will lose it if the regions of the body above and below that region are stiff. I’ve had many golfers say to me “why are you working on my upper back and hips, when my pain is in the low back”. I then must educate them on the importance of hip and torso mobility that are required with all rotational sports (especially with golf ). Below are some physical imbalances that can be addressed in the golfer with low back pain. Physical imbalances to improve that help prevent stress to the low back: 1. Improve thoracic spine (torso) mobility in rotation and side-bending. 2. Improve hip mobility in internal rotation, external rotation and extension. 3. Improve abdominal strength to maintain neutral pelvis at set up and back-swing, as well as strength to control the pelvis at impact and follow through positions. Gluteal strength in all three planes of motion. I remember first picking up a club and my buddy telling me to “keep my head down” and he would watch to see where the ball goes. This commonly used phrase can prevent the golfer from transitioning to the lead side, resulting in the hanging back swing fault. Remember the “Hanging Back” swing fault is one of the movements that places stress to the low back. Below are some swing set up recommendations and drills that can help prevent the hanging back swing fault from happening. 1. Set up in a neutral pelvis position (avoid excessive arching or flatting your back) 2. Follow the ball after you hit it (let your head rotate and release up) 3. Incorporate the “L to L” swing drill. These are a few things to look at when working with a golfer who tells you they feel low back pain during or after playing golf. I also recommend partnering with a medical professional who has gone through the TPI certification training and has completed the Level 3 Medical program. I hope this helps equip you with some tools and things to think about and recommend when working with a golfer who has low back pain. Photo Courtesy of PGA of America THE BOOK

EXAGGERATE FIXING OVERLY STEEP AND FLAT SWINGS words by Petra Cole-Lempa, PGA Golf Instructor, Coronado Golf Course SCPGA Board of Directors Member 70

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Students often have a hard time receiving and applying verbal instructions. They need to feel and see change. As instructors we can usually take a small piece of information and change our own swing. But most students want and need a feeling of how to properly work on their swing plane. Change can be small, but I like to really exaggerate it when teaching. Students want a repetitive motion they can take to the course with limited swing thoughts. Every individual has a different way of learning, so I see what works best for that student. Let’s start with a slice. If a student is struggling slicing a ball, just telling them they need to be more inside out won’t create change. I look at their grip and check path and face angles like most of us do. If it isn’t clicking yet, I dive deeper. I want that feeling to be exaggerated. To the hills we go! I always start with a demonstration of what I am looking for, so they understand. Next, I take them to a slope and have them practice hitting with the ball well above their feet. This will encourage a hook or carousel swing around their body. Have them set up closed, soften their hands and strengthen the grip if needed. I want them to feel as though they are playing t-ball. I even have them start with a few practice swings to get used to the adjustment and see where the club bottoms out. Have them understand the feeling and physically see the ball hook, a shot they aren’t used to. The more they can hook it, the better. Use different senses, not just eyesight, to acquire the results. The same is true for someone with a very flat swing. I have them practice with a ball way below their feet to feel a Ferris wheel swing and the club working in a steeper position both on the backswing and downswing. I want the fade and then the slice to come out. Of course, the best way to work on swing plane is to get your students on the course and have them hit a few shots so they can see the ball work in the opposite direction. Take them behind trees and work on the desired shot they wish to hit. To me this is a win-win; they will have an optimized swing plane and they are working on shot making in real conditions.

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Finding a Player’s Optimal Swing Speed words by Jim Hartnett, PGA Teaching Professional at myhome4golf.com and at the LOR Golf Lab Timing in golf is important if a player wants to be consistent. Most players are unaware of how beneficial it is to practice with a metronome. The average golf swing takes between .97 to 1.14 seconds. Each player has a perfect speed for them. People with a fast resting heart rate typically have a quick swing and those with a slow resting heart rate normally have a slower swing. This is timed from when the club leaves the ball until it returns.

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What really surprises some students is that the time it takes from when the club leaves the ball until impact should be the same for every club, and almost every shot. This is true from the putter to the driver. When putting a 3-footer and a 50-footer the strokes should take the same amount of total time. If your speed is 57 or 71 beats per minute this is the same total time with the driver, pitch shot, chip, and iron swings. Often, when you start using a metronome with good players, their swings change for the better. I have had good players struggling with their swing and by simply teaching them what their swing number is and hitting shots with the metronome on, their swing issues disappear. Have your player start on 60 bps, have the club leave the ball on the beep, and then make contact on the next beep. This may be too slow for some or too fast for others. It normally takes about five swings for a player to learn their number. Once the player knows his or her number you can use that to practice with woods, irons, chipping, and putting. As good as this works for the full swing it is especially helpful in putting. Have the player place a ball every five feet away from the hole, out to 40 feet. Use the metronome and have the player take the putter away from the ball on the beep and make contact on the next beep. You and your student will be amazed by how much this helps with speed control, and it will automatically modify the length of the stroke. Then have them practice shorter putts using the metronome and watch the stroke improve. This is one of those swing aids that will help a player at any level, especially good players. Have your students download a metronome app for free on their phones and they are on the way to finding their optimal swing speed.

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SECTION 3 Business Success

Our goal is to run memorable programs that are impactful to each attendee regardless of their skill level. Here are our “B-E-S-T” keys to running successful programs: B: BOOKEND EVERY PROGRAM

B.E.S.T.

Practices for Programming Words by Tasha Bohlig, PGA Director of Instruction El Caballero Country Club 2020 California Teaching & Coaching Hall of Fame Group programming is a critical part of any successful teaching business and well-rounded golf facility. You bring tremendous value to participants, to yourself, and to your facility by creating targeted events and ongoing group curriculum. The best programmers grow the game, create an important source of revenue for all involved, and provide a memorable experience to participants. This brings more people to your facility and makes you an invaluable member of the team. A great golf Programmer combines their knowledge with the attention to detail of a party planner. For those looking to add to existing programs or begin some of your own, read through some of the keys that we implement at El Caballero CC to make our programs such an impactful part of what we do.

A goal of every program should be to create a memorable experience for all attendees. One of the best ways to create memories is to bookend the beginning and ending of each experience with something special. Just like an individual lesson where the introduction and wrap-up are key, the first and last parts of the program can make or break the experience. Here are some examples of key “bookends”: Before & After: There is no better way to show value than demonstrating clear improvement. Every school or program that we teach begins with “before photos/videos”. We juxtapose these images with the ones at the end so we can clearly delineate improvement. Homework: People also get tremendous value by getting “homework.” Close every program with future material and drills for home use. Bookend emotions: When people come to a golf school or a more intensive learning experience, there can be a wide range of emotions ranging from fear to excitement. People will often begin with feeling anxious and be super encouraged when everything is said and done. Acknowledge this at the beginning of each program during introductions and then celebrate the change in emotion at the end. E: ENGINEER AND MARKET FOR EVERY GOLFER At the start of every year, make a list of the golfers you wish to target. New golfers, femalefocused, juniors, golfers with back problems… the list is endless. Engineer programs and topics geared toward people that would enjoy

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group learning and then begin your plan. Here are some guides to use during your planning phase: Groups that like group learning: We find that golfers with injuries, those new to the game, and executives (male or female) tend to gravitate toward group learning. Also, many golfers who are dealing with anxiety would prefer to learn in an environment that does not draw too much individual attention and creates a built-in community. Knowing who you target will help you with your lesson plan, pricing, frequency, and more. Market the special: People want value, and they are not afraid to spend when they know they are getting something special. Market the special! Use flyers and social media posts to feature the curriculum, food and beverage perks, and any gifts or custom items that are included. Highlight the coaches and their experience, provide a schedule, and add any special access to the course or other club amenities. Coordinate with tournament calendars and facility teams: Create a feeder program for club events and teams. We have an “afterschool golf program” that is designed to create interest in the PGA Junior League team. We do the same for other junior programs that create interest in our summer camps. This is a simple way to increase participation and show tremendous value to your facility. Build in gift items or materials: If possible, include a custom wedge or wedge fitting in a short game school. Give golf balls with alignment aids for putting programs. Provide notebooks in beginner clinics. These are just a few examples of ways to engineer a clinic for every type of golfer, have them feel the value, and give you additional marketing material. S: SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE At each program, one of the goals should be for each person to take away something valuable and customized if possible. Here are simple ways to make sure this happens:

every opportunity to talk to this person, repeat their distance goal, and then show them how they are meeting it. They will feel the value in getting customized instruction. Group Carefully: Just like sitting at the “right table” at a wedding, the way you group your golfers can make or break their experience and yours. People will learn more when they are comfortable. Consider grouping individuals by age, gender, skill level, common goals, friends or family, potential playing partners, club type, or injury limitations. T: TEST SESSIONS AND/OR NEW MATERIAL When possible, test your group programs. This is especially important when rolling out new material to ensure that the material is appropriate for the desired level. Use these test sessions as a “free demonstration” or as a part of the initial package. Here are some reasons we want to test our new programs. • • • • • •

Gauge interest Market future programs Engage new teachers and give valuable group instruction experience. Test out new drills to confirm effectiveness. Confirm curriculum is appropriate for the targeted age and skill level. Test timing

When you begin to plan for your 2024 programs and beyond, remember to bookend every experience, engineer programs for every golfer, market the special sauce of your schools, have something for everyone, and test out your material. These keys along with your coaching will bring huge value to your facility, the golfers involved, and to your teaching business. Please don’t hesitate to reach out on any questions about your programs and if there is anything I can do to help you grow this part of your business. Happy Programming!

Take Notes: At the start of every session, we go around to each participant for introductions and to understand their goals. Take note of this information and use this throughout the day. If a student wants to hit it farther, use THE BOOK

HOW TO GROW A SUCCESSFUL COACHING PROGRAM: THE FOUR CORNERSTONES OF COACHING words by Brandon Bittner, PGA & Jordan King Thomas, PGA A solid golf swing, the ability to post a great score, an understanding of swing fundamentals, and the skill to spot flaws and recommend fixes – that’s enough to become a golf instructor, right? It’s a common misconception that having strong golf knowledge and skills is sufficient. They can certainly put you on the path to becoming a golf instructor, but they’ll only get you so far. Running a successful golf academy or getting the most out of your instruction time requires business and organization skills that go beyond the game itself. Collectively, we have 24 years of experience as golf instructors, and we’ve trained under some of the best in the field, including Jim McLean, Henry Brunton, Rick Smith and Golf Made Simple. We remember how it felt to get into the profession for the love of the game, and then how overwhelming it felt to figure out what else went into being successful and how to do those things well. Through that experience, we’ve identified four principles that are the foundation to growing a successful teaching business, which we call “The Cornerstones of Coaching.” No matter what stage of your career you’re in, continuous learning and development across these cornerstones will set you up for success. The cornerstones are: 1. Relationship Building 2. Knowledge 3. Process 4. Execution CORNERSTONE #1: RELATIONSHIP BUILDING Building relationships is rooted in trust and mutual respect. Neither trust nor respect are given. 78

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They’re earned through your actions, which begins with active & empathetic listening skills. Start by understanding “why” your students come to you for golf lessons. Because, we as coaches, are so invested in the game of golf, it’s easy to forget that, for many, golf is just a small part of their life. Some of your clients may be looking for more confidence so they can hit some good shots and have more fun playing with their friends and family. It may be their weekly activity that allows them to spend time outside, away from a desk or other demands. Other clients might be more results-driven, looking to achieve a certain score or to play competitively. Motivating your clients and helping them reach their goals begins with taking a genuine interest in them, their experience, and their expectations. Next, listen for what they’re not telling you. Where are they guarded or holding back? Many people are worried about being judged by a Professional. This means you’ll want to find the right open-ended questions to ask that are targeted at the core of your clients’ hesitations or concerns, to get them to open up. Showing empathy and understanding in your responses can make them feel more comfortable with you, building a stronger and longer-lasting relationship. Finding ways to connect with your client that are not related to golf is a great way to earn trust and build the bridge to a relationship. It’s important for the instructor to know what they’re doing – and it’s equally important for the client to trust that the instructor knows what they are doing. Having an opportunity to sit down for a 15-20-minute interview when you first meet will help this process.

This is why we always offer a complimentary swing assessment for all new students. As coaches, we’re paid to provide results, and we take our job seriously. But we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that golf should be fun for our clients. What makes golf fun may be highly individual, but one common thread is having a strong relationship with their coach that keeps them coming back week after week. CORNERSTONE #2: KNOWLEDGE This Cornerstone may seem like the obvious one, especially after we told you that a strong knowledge of the game isn’t enough to be successful. When we talk about knowledge, we mean more than swing basics. It includes everything from new swing drills to communication to technology to business and marketing. Growing your knowledge base across these areas will help you become a more complete instructor and coach. When it comes to the golf swing, we like to think about “peeling back the layers of the onion.” It’s not too difficult to look at a client’s golf swing and find numerous faults. But are those flaws the cause of the problem or merely a symptom? Learning to identify the cause and then incorporating drills and exercises that get to the root cause of the swing fault will make you a more effective instructor. For every action there is an equal or greater reaction. We want to identify the “master key”, or the root flaw that’s causing many other issues. If you start with other issues first, it will take longer and be more difficult to improve your clients’ swings. Fixing the master key first is a more efficient and effective way to create better players. Developing systems that can be tailored to golfers

of any skill level is another sign of a proficient coach. We like to teach a system called “From the Green Back and the Ground Up.” This allows a student to start building their game through small swings. That enables them to better understand how to make contact in a more controlled way. Making solid contact is the goal in any golf shot. By starting with small, controlled swings, we’re able to show what proper contact feels like, while building confidence in the golfer. From here, we can start moving the student into bigger, fuller swings, while maintaining a feeling of solid contact. It’s been proven to help introduce students to the game and improve seasoned golfers’ scoring, as well as ball striking. The system itself is a way to simplify the learning process for your clients. Your ability to gauge your client’s skill level and tailor the system to them is what makes it possible for your clients to understand and apply it. Golf, like every other industry today, is benefitting from advancements in technology. Having the ability to film your student’s swing at 120fps in the palm of your hand is a serious game changer. Jim McLean would tell stories about how he and Carl Welty used to draw lines on a TV with markers. Now we have apps that do it for us. Every instructor needs to take advantage of the tech era that we live in to identify the Master Key. Launch monitors can take the guesswork out of things, and when you combine face-on and down the line video with the TrackMan or another launch monitor, you’re able to understand cause and effect. You not only see the flaws, but you also have the data to back up what you’re seeing. This is a very powerful piece of technology. Club fitting is another tool you should have in your toolbox to improve your clients’ game and grow THE BOOK

your business. Proper club fitting is an integral part of improvement. When you’re the coach and the fitter, you become a one-stop shop for golfers. It’s much easier to fit a client that you’ve worked with. You will be able to identify when they are striping it and when they just put a bad swing on the ball. You should be aware of when the student is ready to be fit. If you are working on fundamental foundations or a big swing change, these are not the right times to change their equipment.

If your clients can sense that it’s easy to work with you before showing up to a lesson, this will provide confidence to the client that you are the right choice.

At first glance, knowledge may seem like it’s restricted to the golf swing. But there are many golf instructors that fail to reach their full potential because they limit the diversity of the knowledge they seek. We can’t recommend enough that you broaden your mind and grow the intangibles of your golf instruction business. As Socrates said, “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” This is a great mindset to help you commit to having an open mind and learning from every situation and experience.

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CORNERSTONE #3: PROCESS A question we ask our clients on the golf course to check their course management and strategy is, “What’s your plan?” We ask ourselves the same question when it comes to managing clients – and we take it one step further: what’s our plan, and do we have a documented process in place to make it a reality? Having a process in place – starting with your first communication with a client – allows you to confidently sell, stay flexible as details change, and create a great lesson experience.

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The benefits of having a plan are that it’s easier to communicate with your client, manage their expectations, and personalize the lesson experience. If the lesson gets off track, you’re able to get back on track sooner because you can quickly look back to your plan and identify where the process got off track. This leads to your clients seeing results, achieving their goals, and staying engaged with the game. CORNERSTONE #4: EXECUTION Execution is how you put the plans for your business and your clients into action. It involves the decisions you make to manage your time and resources, which can make or break your success. Your time is money. Mismanage it, and your business will quickly suffer. One place we see this most often is lessons running long, which means the next thing on your schedule starts late. When this happens, you lose in a few ways:

One of the simplest things that can be overlooked is having a consistent sales funnel set up for communicating and engaging with potential clients. With so much business being done on our phones, you want to have a process in place to:

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Show the client the value of your lessons and programs in your pitch. File emails and text messages Schedule assessments and lessons Set reminders to re-engage with the client after they’ve been unresponsive for a set period of time.

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After the first assessment, a consistent, structured lesson plan includes a few elements: Time spent at the beginning to check in with the client and gather feedback. Faults, fixes, and drills that you progress through. Time at the end to review, take notes, and answer any final questions. Scheduling

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You must cut scheduling a next lesson or selling a next package short, directly impacting your revenue. You start the next lesson late, signaling to your next client that you don’t respect their time, leaving a bad impression. You shortchange time you need to get business tasks done, leaving you stressed and anxious, which your next clients will feel, impacting their experience.

You may also be in a situation where you’re running a pro shop and your teaching time is limited, so you must figure out how to maximize the time you do have. This is where group coaching and pods would make sense. Being able to maximize your time on the course or in group coaching is a win-win for the student and the instructor. If you charge an hourly rate, you can find a group of four like-minded and skilled clients to come out for two hours either on the range or course. However, you only charge each client for one hour, doubling your hourly revenue and providing the client with an extra hour of coaching. Keeping it to four will ensure that each student still receives plenty of personalized attention. COMMUNICATION You may have noticed a common theme throughout the four Cornerstones: Communication. Communication makes up the rest of the foundation for coaching success. Without it, the cornerstones fall apart. As you improve your communication, notice how it makes you more efficient in all facets of your teaching and coaching business. Pay attention to where your communication is weak and spend time focusing on that area. One exercise we recommend for improving your communication is the Coaches Challenge. It will help you build relationships, improve skills explanations, and develop a consistent process to grow your communication skills. Coaches Challenge: Try this fun exercise with a fellow coach or client: Goal: Improve the quality of your questions and listening skills. Exercise: Start by asking your client an openended question: For example, “What do you notice about your swing as you do this drill?” When the person responds, you must listen to their answer, then must respond to them by asking another question to keep the person describing

what they are feeling. Your goal is to see how long you can keep the communication going by only asking questions. Once you make a statement or can’t think of a follow up question, document the time taken, and try again. Sometimes as a coach it’s easy to fall into the trap of just telling the client what to do to help their swing. This has a place in coaching, though sometimes it can rob the client of very valuable learning opportunities. We believe there’s a difference between being taught and learning, and this exercise is a cheat code in coaching because as the session evolves, the client begins to truly learn and understand the cause and effect of their golf swing. This starts the process of the client becoming their own coach and having the tools to self-correct where it matters most – on the golf course. CONNECT WITH YOUR COACHING COMMUNITY One of the best ways to grow as an individual instructor and to grow the game is to connect with other instructors. Community and mentorship have been scarce in the past. As the golf industry booms and more people take up the game, the old, competitive mindset is going by the wayside. The role of the PGA professional is going to continue to evolve, and we want to encourage a community and culture that aids PGA Members and Associates in achieving their teaching, coaching, and career goals. To do that, we’ve taken the Cornerstones of Coaching and turned them into events throughout the year to create an educational and networking series. You can find upcoming events on the SCPGA calendar, and we welcome ideas and suggestions for future events. Our goal is to create the community and culture that we wish we had when we started our careers. We hope you’ll join us to exchange ideas, ask questions, and develop innovative coaching techniques.

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18 LESSON TEE SCENARIOS words by Bob Madsen, PGA Teaching Professional, Singing Hills Golf Resort at Sycuan 2018 California Teaching & Coaching Hall of Fame

I am sharing some possible teaching and coaching scenarios with you. Ask yourself how you would handle them knowing all students, unless otherwise mentioned, are able-bodied with NO disabling physical challenges. Contact me if you want to talk about any or all of them. I am at your service. bmadsen@singinghillsgolfresort.com 1. The player tops the ball into the lake every time he or she plays a particular hole. Otherwise, they never top a single shot. 2. A young person you have just started teaching says she has played a lot of softball. She has played only four rounds in her life and complains of swinging too much with her arms. Additionally, she has been told to keep her head down and her eye on the ball.

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Photo Courtesy of PGA of America

3. Another player is slicing and finishing with all their weight on their back leg. 4. On the range, you notice your next client going through a bucket of balls too quickly and their swing is getting more and more rushed. He or she then complains to you about bad tempo and wants it handled. 5. A stroke victim has just returned to the game after months of rehab. They used to be a single digit handicap player and could drive it pretty far. Now, they can only hit the ball about 100 yards, if they make solid contact. They say they must have more distance, uses flexible enough shafts, and is exercising every day to recover lost strength in their left side. They get tired easily when practicing. Even though playing the most forward set of tees on their home course, this person can’t get over the river on two holes and wants help. 6. Suddenly, your scratch shooter is pull hooking every mid-iron on the course and on the range. 7. This person has never broken 100. He goes out on your advice and practices short game religiously for a month and then reverts to the same old lack of commitment. His scores came down for a while, then went back up. He is telling his buddies that you were no help. 8. A Junior golfer (pick an age) has been getting advice from his dad and uncle and is all screwed up. He has never had a lesson from you or any other Professional. 9. Another person has “custom” clubs made by their buddy down the street. They are knock-offs of some sort. They are too heavy, too long, and too stiff. You talk to him about going with quality high-end stuff that actually fits. The problem is, he doesn’t have any money to spend. And he tells you he wants to take ten strokes off his average score. 10. One of your players truly hits it fine on the range but falls apart on the course.

11. The student complains of sore wrists and elbows after a practice session(s) on the range. Your choice: matts or grass, or a combination. 12. A person comes to you and tells you they are going to Scotland in a few months. They hit a weak fade with every club (not good for windy conditions) and use the lob wedge for everything around the green. 13. This golfer isn’t listening. He or she is arguing with you and contradicting everything you say. They want to run the lesson. 14. A potential student wants playing lessons on the golf course, but you work at a range. 15. A family comes for a group lesson…Mom is a novice and athletic, Dad is a single digit who’s been playing all his life. The kids play a lot of other sports, but don’t like golf. They all have their own clubs. 16. A client of yours wants to know what Harvey Penick meant by “take dead aim”. 17. A 27-year-old lady comes and has read Golf in the Kingdom, The Inner Game of Golf, Golf is Not a Game of Perfect, and The Legend of Baggar Vance. She has been to Tibet multiple times on retreat and summited Mt. Everest. She shoots around par and has won the club championship four years in a row. She wants coaching in order to win the US Women’s Amateur three years from now. She has never had a lesson. Her dad, a tennis professional, has taught her to play golf largely off of instinct and imagination. 18. Bunker play is a problem for our next student. He can’t get out. He has been to multiple golf schools. So, he has video of himself in the sand. He “knows what he is doing wrong.” He does not own a shag bag and none of his four wedges show any wear. You will face scenarios like these as a teacher and coach. I hope this exercise is fun for you and helps make you better at what you do. THE BOOK

THE ZONE, MJ AND FINDING FLOW words by Josh Alpert, PGA FlowCode Golf Academy, Junior Golf Director Good Swings Happen, Founder My love of throwing, kicking and hitting all things round (or mostly round) began when I was twothree years old. Although I was too young to remember, my parents recall stories of me in my “diaper only” uniform, smashing whiffle balls over our backyard fence. As I got older, my brother and I engaged in a wide variety of sports playing outdoors until dark and often continuing indoors as well, much to my mom’s dismay. We were always playing something, and we weren’t particular. Nerf football, nerf basketball, whiffle this, whiffle that. Life was a continuum of games to be played with a stick and a ball and a hole or a goal. 84

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I experienced “the zone” long before I had any idea what “the zone” was. Making 20 consecutive nerf bank shots off the side wall while laying on my back shooting at the rim that hung from my bedroom door. My brother tossed them back to me in perfect rhythm as the assist man for my streak. Mindlessly, effortlessly, I tossed them in the exact same spot as if looped in a replay that I was experiencing live. Once, at the age of 12, I remember making 50 consecutive free throws in our driveway before mom called me in for dinner. It wasn’t just that they all went in (mostly swishes), it was the mental state I was in while shooting. Super calm… Super focused… I lost track of time, nothing about the experience was hurried. The feel of the ball under my fingers was distinct, as was the sound of the ball bouncing up off the pavement, like an echo. It seemed like the ball fell through the net in slow motion as it ricocheted off the piece of wood I set up against the garage door, bouncing back to my feet where I calmly waited for the next shot. I had a few games in my high school baseball career where I couldn’t have made an out if I tried. The baseball moving 80 mph toward me appeared as though it was a cantaloupe moving 40 mph. I took full advantage of this seemingly superpower gift and hit the ball hard every time. It was awesome. Why was this happening? How did I do that? As a child, those weren’t questions to be asked. Time was better spent enjoying the fruits of my labor. My favorite number is and always has been 23. Perhaps my February 3 birthdate has something to do with it, but not everything. In 1992 during the first half of game 1 of the NBA Finals vs. the Portland Trailblazers, Michael Jordan was in the zone. He scored 35 points with six 3’s and a dizzying display of ballet-like midrange fallaway jumpers and athletic layups and ridiculous dunks. Although air pods hadn’t been invented yet, one could argue that Jordan had them in and was listening to a master symphony while he played. It was as if he was conducting the very game he was playing in. “The Shrug” after his final 3 of the half was the signature moment for me as it was for

millions of other MJ fans. As if to say, “man I don’t even know how I’m doing this, it’s just me”. I have watched the replay of this performance more than I care to admit. It has always stayed with me as a mental image of what is possible. How did he do that? And then there is the matter of Stephen Curry. If I am going to wear his jersey while presenting at a section youth summit, I’ve got to give him some love here. Please watch the YouTube video I have attached of him warming up before a game several years ago. (rb.gy/ur74i) Steph demonstrates the same thing that Dr. Rick Sessinghaus has been leading me (and many others) toward for the better part of the past decade. That place where excellence in performance happens, where athletic magic occurs, where you are so dialed in that you look at that 20-foot putt and “knew you were going to make it” before you knocked it straight in the middle of the hole. That place where belief and preparation meet a moment. It is all trainable. These past few years becoming a FlowCode Master Trainer and ultimately the Junior Golf Director for FlowCode Golf Academy has been a true game changer with respect to how I coach junior golfers to become better players and better people at the same time. Excellence in athletic endeavor has a recipe involved with it: Sport specific skill development (technique and training) Physical training (strengthening muscle groups and increasing flexibility and stability) Equipment (does it fit, is it optimal) Sleep, diet and hydration (what you put in determines what comes out) The mental game (the most valuable of ingredients that transforms food into a meal)

A player’s mental state and mindset is a critical element toward achieving elite levels of performance. Personally, I play my best golf when I am in a “Playful Mindset”, looking forward to each shot as a new game and simply doing my best while having fun. When I immerse myself into this state as a reality, I allow my best golf to happen. There are a variety of mindsets that can set the stage for optimal performance, and each is unique to the individual. It’s a matter of discovering your own personal FlowCode. The “Anatomy of a Golf Shot” is a map we use at FlowCode and one I now use to compliment all aspects of my coaching process. The moments before we pull the club from the bag and the moments after we put the club back into the bag are as important as the actual shot itself. Understanding and applying the “Anatomy of a Golf Shot” process, going through a pre-shot, shot and post-shot routine, is powerful. Ultimately, a player’s ability to develop habits around these processes so that they become repeatable will lead toward optimal performance and play in a Flowlike state. We all know that the mental game is important, the hands all go up the same every time the question is asked. Historically speaking, the access to train mental game performance has been limited as compared to the training available to build a golf swing or train your body. That companies like FlowCode now exist to actively help train mental game skills and frameworks is great for the game of golf, for those who coach it and especially for those who play. I am grateful for the chance to contribute to this forum and look forward toward greater opportunities to share and support in the future.

The following are a few key points about playing golf in a Flow State: THE BOOK

Growing the Game with PGA HOPE words by Amberlynn Dorsey, PGA Southern California PGA, Section Partner Relations Manager PGA HOPE Section Lead PGA HOPE is one of the few Player Development Programs that not only generates revenue for PGA Members and the club, but also provides us the opportunity to serve our military communities through the game we so deeply cherish. PGA HOPE is a 6-week golf development program, once a week for two hours, where veterans and active-duty service members of all skill levels either learn the game for the first time or fall back in love after several years away. The main mission of PGA HOPE is to reduce the number of suicides in our military community, which averages 22 per day. It provides a shared community and increases their mental wellbeing with golf and its many healthy attributes.

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67% of current PGA HOPE participants are beginner golfers or somewhat familiar with the game. This is a large pool to find new clients, get more families involved at the course, and increase equipment sales with special opportunities for HOPE club fittings. “I am inspired, and I spent time this week to purchase a set of clubs… I never thought I’d pick up a golf club again after leaving the sport 50+ years ago! This could fit well into my old age.” -Rick, Navy Veteran & PGA HOPE Graduate Beyond growing the game, PGA HOPE is a developmental program that aims to decrease the financial burden and stress on clubs and PGA Professionals. It provides instructors with an hourly wage and reimbursements on certain applicable expenses, such as range and F&B fees. PGA HOPE Certified Professionals receive $100 per instruction hour at a PGA HOPE clinic and the Lead Pro will receive an additional stipend of $500, if the program is hosted on weekdays, or $1,000 if hosted on weekends. Overall, a Lead Professional can look to make $2,200 if they host a 6-week session for 2-hours a day on a weekend. Further, PGA HOPE is a deferred compensation eligible activity, which can supply the Lead Pro with up to 200 points, and an instructor with up to 50 points, determined by various participation levels. Although PGA HOPE is only a 6-week program, we ensure our participants stay involved and connected with monthly PGA HOPE Play Days, through quarterly newsletters, and meet-ups at local PGA/LPGA Tour Events. In one year, PGA HOPE has expanded from four to over twenty facilities, including Journey at Pechanga with Lead Professional Randy Chang, PGA- “PGA HOPE is one of the best programs our organization has adopted since PGA Junior League. Everyone benefits through this program, including me, as I have already created lasting relationships with this special group of people.” To get involved, visit www. scpga.com/pga-hope to learn more.

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A little over 25 years ago, I was living on Amelia Island in Florida as an assistant golf professional and was given the chance to start helping with classes for all skill levels. Like many of us I instantly fell in love with teaching the game. I knew immediately this was meant for me as I got more enjoyment from my students playing well than when I played well. I would take time off and try to shadow instructors that were well known, looking for commonalities that made them successful coaches. It was also during this time that I began my studies and completed my goal of becoming a PGA member.

My Story Of Unconventional Success words by Steve Adamiak, PGA Temecula Creek Golf Club We all have a story about how we got into golf and eventually wanted to make a living doing it. We fell in love with playing the game, eventually getting into the business, and having mentors that helped shape us into the professionals we are today. Along the way, we started getting an opportunity to teach others. You spend countless hours honing your craft by understanding such topics as biomechanics, psychology, swing mechanics, and nutrition. Information that you convey to your students so they can create a better version of themselves playing the game. And here’s my story…

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In the summer of 2002, I was given an incredible opportunity to relocate and really test my desire to make a career of teaching. My wife and I packed up and moved to Long Island, NY, where I worked at Fresh Meadow Country Club. It was here that I absorbed and watched firsthand how to work the range and make connections with the members. I’ll always be thankful for the Head Golf Professional who pushed me to become the coach I am today. After realizing that living in Long Island was tough on my wife and our marriage, I once again took a chance and relocated to Southern California. I worked at the Jim McLean Golf Academy from the end of 2003-2004, and then at an indoor golf facility from the end of 2004-2006. In 2007, I made the right decision to start my teaching business at Redhawk Golf Club, “Steve Adamiak Golf Instruction,” and I’ve never looked back. I never thought I’d have my own teaching business but here I am 16 years later. I have not gone about growing my business in a conventional way by any means. I don’t advertise, I don’t use social media and my video technology is certainly not the latest and greatest. How did I grow a successful business then? I worked the range tirelessly, talking with players and parents, relying on word of mouth, and looking for ways to get my name out that didn’t cost much money.

In 2008, I reached out to the Parks & Recreation Department, as I heard through the grapevine, they were looking for a golf instructor to teach clinics. I taught clinics for juniors, seniors, and women, and this jump started getting my name out in the community. Working with a local city was a great first step as they do all the advertising and handle all the registrations, so you’re not chasing down payments. These juniors eventually develop and move on to private lessons and some of the women in my clinics had kids and spouses looking for private lessons. Eventually I started coaching PGA Junior League to keep those kids interested and teach them how to play on the course. As my coaching business steadily grew, I continued to diversify as an instructor by becoming Head Coach for a high school boys’ team, and teaching classes at a golf

college. I’m so pleased with all the different avenues my coaching career has taken and feel good for never settling but pushing myself outside my comfort zone. Private and small group lessons have been most of my income the past few years and I’m as busy as ever. Hard work, dedication, hours on the range in the heat, countless phone calls in the evening with parents, tracking down payments, are all part of the job and what has made me successful. My path hasn’t been the most forward thinking, but looking back, I realize it didn’t need to be. What it was, was simple. I do the little things like responding to phone calls, emails, or text messages as soon as possible to let people know I appreciate them and care about their business. Looking back, I simply turned my passion into a business, and that’s my story. Photo Courtesy of PGA of America THE BOOK 89

The Gateway to Golf: Growing the Game and Your Business Words by Jackie Riegle, PGA Director of Player Development & Marketing, Monarch Beach Golf Links

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As avid lovers of the game of golf, we understand the immense joy and satisfaction it brings to our lives. As professionals in this industry, it is our duty to share this passion with others and introduce new people to the wonderful world of golf. Not only does this contribute to the growth of the game, but it also presents an incredible opportunity to expand our businesses and enhance our revenue streams. Hosting a Golf Class for Beginners has proven to be an excellent gateway to introduce newcomers to the game. Month after month our classes have consistently sold out, attracting six enthusiastic guests each time. At $250 per guest the income generated amounts to an impressive $18,000 annually. But beyond the financial gains, the impact reaches far beyond the balance sheet. Creating a gateway for beginners fosters several benefits, and I would like to highlight a few key points:

Growing the Game:

Golf has a unique charm that captures the hearts of those who give it a try. By offering a welcoming and supportive environment for newcomers we encourage them to become lifelong enthusiasts. The more people we introduce to golf, the more the game flourishes.

Developing Future Clients:

Every beginner who participates in our classes represents a potential long-term client. As they progress in their golf journey, they are more likely to explore other classes and opportunities we offer. From intermediate to advanced lessons, golfers tend to remain loyal to the professional who introduced them to the game.

Positive Impact on Facilities:

A growing number of golfers translates to increased usage of facilities and amenities, benefiting the entire golfing community. As beginners convert to frequent players, they contribute to the financial health of the golf course and club.

Community and Networking:

Hosting beginner classes fosters a sense of camaraderie among participants. The positive experiences shared within our classes create strong bonds and a welcoming atmosphere at the facility. This friendly environment helps attract even more newcomers, further fueling the cycle of growth.

Contribution to the Sport:

As golf professionals we have a unique opportunity to give back to the sport that has given us so much. By introducing new players to the game, we play a vital role in securing its future and maintaining its legacy. In conclusion, hosting Golf Classes for Beginners not only provides a steady source of income but also plays a crucial role in expanding the game of golf and fostering a thriving golfing community. It is heartening to witness our students evolve from curious beginners to passionate players, making lifelong memories on the golf course. So, let us continue to open wide the gates of the golfing world and encourage more people to experience the beauty of this game. By doing so, we not only strengthen our businesses but also uphold the spirit of golf and the joy it brings to so many lives. THE BOOK

PGA Jr. League: Make More Money and Let Dollars Do the Talking words by Junko Harkins, PGA Player Engagement Consultant, PGA of America Why did you become a golf professional? There are many reasons, but I can confidently say that most of you became golf professionals, or started working in the golf industry, because you love playing and competing. This holds true for me, and I also love introducing new individuals to the game. As a PGA of America Player Engagement Consultant, I help hundreds of PGA Professionals introduce the game to their communities through PGA Player Engagement Programs. PGA Jr. League is one of the programs I witness our professionals using to impact many families’ lives However, the positive impact on families and junior golfers is just one of the many bonuses of PGA Jr. League. The added benefits that the PGA Professional brings to their facility, their owners or members, and to themselves, is unparalleled. In 2022, nearly 500 of our PGA Jr. League Coaches tracked their value utilizing our reporting tool. On average, PGA professionals tracked just over $27,000 in revenue to the professional and facility through PGA Jr. League alone. This includes things like coaching fees, cart and spectator charges, player and family members engaging in other programs, and players joining or upgrading their membership at the facility. PGA Jr. League directly created this additional incremental revenue. 92

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PGA Jr. League brings families to the facility together, which has impacted courses in many ways. This could be through additional food and beverage sales, driving range revenue, merchandise sales, scheduling of more tee times, increase in lesson demands from other family members, engagement in other programming, and the biggest one of them all - memberships or new customers! It is imperative for professionals to track their value, especially when it comes to their programming. We hear all the time how management or ownership does not see the impact of player engagement programs, and in particular, how PGA Jr. League is a ‘golf course clog.’ However, many are blind to the impacts that take place in the background, and the perception of the course being too busy with juniors is a negative for some. As golf professionals, we notice and can track the actual financial values - whether you have a reporting system or track ‘in your head’. However, what most golf professionals do not realize is the value having all this down on paper can actually bring to them. And I don’t mean the actual dollar amounts but when it comes to negotiating a new contract, or perhaps asking for a raise, or even finding a new job opportunity. For a golf professional to be able to show a portfolio of the impacts he or she has brought to a club through programs like PGA Jr. League can speak volumes when proving the professional’s worth. As a result, professionals not only make revenue through their programming, but they can increase their pay from the facility as well. Additionally, offering PGA of America Player Engagement Products makes PGA Members eligible to receive points towards the Deferred Compensation Plan. Again, this means more money for individuals later when he or she is ready to retire. Note: There are no contributions that need to be made from the individual for the Deferred Compensation Plan. All contributions are made by the PGA. So, consider offering PGA Jr. League and experience the opportunities that will lead you to more money, and let that do the talking for your future.

Photo Courtesy of PGA of America

Introduction Becoming a skilled and respected golf instructor or coach is an ambition shared by many PGA associates. Guiding players to reach their full potential on the course requires a unique blend of technical knowledge, communication skills, and a genuine passion for the game. Whether you’re a new PGA associate or a seasoned golfer looking to transition into coaching, this article will outline the key steps to becoming a better instructor and coach, fostering a successful career in the golf industry. Master Your Own Game Before aspiring to coach others, PGA associates must focus on honing their own golfing skills. Becoming a proficient player is essential to gaining credibility and building trust with future clients. Regular practice, seeking guidance from experienced golfers, and participating in tournaments are some ways to enhance your game.

Becoming a Top Notch Golf Instructor:

A Guide for Aspiring PGA Associates words by Ed Winiecki, PGA, CCM Business & Career Consultant ExecuSearch Consultant Serving Southern California PGA of America

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Acquire Professional Training and Certifications To be a competent golf instructor, formal training and certifications are essential. The PGA of America offers various education programs, such as the PGA Professional Golf Management (PGA PGM) Program. Completing these programs provides a comprehensive understanding of teaching techniques, swing mechanics, rules of golf, and other crucial aspects of coaching. Moreover, there are learning opportunities to become Specialized, Certified and then a Master Professional in Teaching and Coaching! Build a Strong Foundation in Golf Science Understanding the science behind the golf swing and the biomechanics of the human body can elevate your coaching abilities. Enroll in courses related to sports science, kinesiology, and biomechanics to improve your knowledge and add an evidence-based approach to your teaching methods.

Develop Effective Communication Skills Being a great golfer doesn’t automatically translate to being a great instructor. Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful coaching. Learn how to explain complex concepts in a simple manner, listen attentively to your students’ concerns, and provide constructive feedback that motivates them to improve.

Be Patient and Passionate Becoming a top-notch golf instructor is a journey that requires dedication and patience. The road to success may be challenging, but with a genuine passion for the game and a commitment to continuous improvement, you can achieve your goals and become a sought-after coach.

Gain Practical Experience Practical experience is crucial for any aspiring golf instructor. Offer your coaching services to local golf clubs, junior programs, or amateur golfers to gain hands-on experience. This will help you understand the diverse needs of different players and refine your teaching methods accordingly.

Conclusion Becoming a better golf instructor or coach is a continuous process that demands a combination of technical expertise, communication skills, and a genuine love for the game. By mastering your own golfing abilities, acquiring professional training, and continuously updating your knowledge, you can stand out as a PGA associate and make a significant impact in the lives of your students. Embrace the challenges, be patient with yourself, and remain passionate about guiding golfers towards excellence.

Embrace Technology and Video Analysis Incorporate technology into your coaching to enhance your students’ learning experience. Video analysis tools can provide valuable insights into a golfer’s swing mechanics and enable you to pinpoint areas for improvement accurately. Embrace simulators, launch monitors, and swing analysis apps to take your coaching to the next level.

“A final message to all of our current PGA Teachers and Coaches: Pass this information Continuously Update Your Knowledge along to future The world of golf is constantly evolving, with new techniques and training methods emerging generations of aspiring regularly. Stay up to date with the latest trends in golf instruction by attending workshops, seminars, and conferences. Subscribing to industry publications Teachers and Coaches, and joining online forums can also provide valuable insights from fellow professionals. so they can have a great Cultivate Professional Relationships Career like you and Networking within the golf community can open doors to various opportunities. Attend golf events, make a difference in the engage with other instructors, and build relationships with club managers, golf pros, and players. Networking can lead to referrals and collaborations, lives of golfers forever!” further establishing your reputation as a credible Develop Personalized Instruction Plans No two golfers are alike, and each player has unique strengths and weaknesses. Tailor your coaching strategies to the individual needs of your students. Creating personalized instruction plans will not only improve their skills but also demonstrate your commitment to their progress.

instructor.

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THE BUSINESS OF GOLF INSTRUCTION words by Vinnie Bertagna, PGA Los Serranos CC and Bahama Golf I have been teaching and coaching golf for over a decade. It was early 2012 when I ran my very first junior clinic of 14 kids at Los Serranos Country Club for the Chino Hills City Rec Center. I was only 25 years old and surprisingly very nervous to deal with the parents and the 14 different personalities. I knew I was going to have to somehow control. I can’t say that clinic went as smoothly as it should have, but I survived, all 14 kids survived, and all the parents were happy with how it turned out. I also found out that day how much money there was to be made from group instruction. Especially at a facility like the one I was at that allows the coaches to keep a majority of their lesson income.

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For the next ten years, I was fully dedicated to learning the craft of becoming a great golf coach. From full swing mechanics to short game technique, the mental game, course management, building a Junior golf academy, clinics and tournaments, golf fitness, club fitting, you name it, I wanted to embrace as much of it as possible so I could help my current and future clients in all aspects of the game. Over the past ten years, I have learned so much from the experiences I put myself through, and from mentors in the section. Most importantly I realized you can’t do everything by yourself. Success requires building a solid team around you and maintaining their happiness and loyalty. In April of 2022, once the COVID issues started to phase out, I realized how important technology and social media were going to be for the success and future of golf and golf coaching. I have now shifted my focus on becoming more in touch with that aspect of coaching. It has not been easy and I’m still learning something new every day and working on building a bigger and better presence. It’s challenging and requires a lot of maintenance and consistency. One way I have made this easier to achieve was by partnering up with a local indoor golf facility. We collaborated with them to build some good content and eventually become an integral factor in growing their business as well as mine.

facility with four public bays and one private lesson/fitting bay, a full club repair build shop, and a complete membership structure with four different tiers of pricing. We are in the process of building a tournament series and league night. We have upgraded all our launch monitors to the new UNEEKOR EYEXO series, with GSPRO aftermarket software and 4K graphics for the driving range, skills challenges, and over 150,000 different golf courses members and guests can choose from Pebble Beach to Augusta. We are open from 8 AM to 10 PM for members and guests offering PGA lessons, fittings and repair. This past year has been very stressful, trying to learn how to put all these different pieces together like a puzzle. But seeing it all come together has been one of the most fun and rewarding times of my career as well.

My presence at the store and the knowledge I have built as a PGA Member has given the facility more credibility and helped build their reputation as a trustworthy spot to go for lessons, fittings, custom clubs and repair. This was something the facility was lacking since the owner knew little about golf and the industry. We now have a great team of PGA Associates working with me to continue to grow and maintain a high level of service, consistency and professionalism, while still being able to have a good time and not seem like stuffy old pros. Over the past year, I have helped transition the facility from your boring basic golf shop with just one practice hitting bay to a state-of-the-art THE BOOK

WHY GUESS WHEN YOU CAN MEASURE? words by Dan Davies Head of Content for Clippd

These coaches believe that best practice begins with data collection. “I don’t want to waste any time,” says Richard Sheridan, the Head of Player Development at The Olympic Club in San Francisco. “I don’t want to be spending 20 minutes at the start of a one-hour lesson trying to capture data and trying to get a picture of what’s been happening. I want to home in on the player and work with them more as a team.” Sheridan is taking a data-driven approach with a group of clients at the club’s impressive academy. He asks them to collect their round and practice data and uses the insights to structure his sessions with them. “It’s so helpful for my coaching. It really does help me get to know the person in a way and in a depth I’ve never had before. I can see everything they do during a round.” Brian Jacobs is a motivational speaker, Top 100 coach, and Lead Instructor at the Golf Channel Academy. He is based in Rochester, New York, close to his beloved Buffalo Bills. Having played football in college, Brian has a keen appreciation of how the sport has harnessed data to drive performance gains. He operates a “no data, no lesson” mantra in his extensive teaching practice, which includes several current and ex-NFL players. 98

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He believes that golf currently trails behind other sports, which can be attributed in part to conditioning: “There’s a sense that golf is leisure so why would I put anything into it? And then you’re fighting tradition vs. progression.” Hugh Marr is one of the most respected highperformance coaches in Great Britain He has worked with Ryder Cup players, tour winners and national teams, and is the founder of the Coach Mastery Programme, which is designed to “better golf worldwide through the development of expert coaches”. In 2021 Hugh joined a very exclusive club when he was awarded the PGA Master Coach certification. His philosophy is built on “high-quality, objective feedback”, which, he maintains, is fundamental if you want to become a better player. “Without that feedback loop, the player is guessing,” he says. “And if we can measure it, why guess?” Like Sheridan and Jacobs, Marr maintains that coaches are not getting the maximum benefit from the performance data that currently exists in golf. “The data is available now but in terms of the interpretation of data, we are light years behind. Why? Because no one is asking questions,” he says. “This industry is very trend-driven; people are after the next big thing, the next big secret. The same thing is happening from a data perspective.”

Mo Gesualdi is the Director of Instruction at the St Johns Golf & Country Club Academy in St Augustine, Florida. After an outstanding junior career, she played college golf under Coach Mic Potter at Furman before turning to coaching in her mid-twenties. She now specializes in developing junior players. “We’re not able to go out and watch every tournament,” she says. “The kids are traveling all over the region and the state competing, so we’re having to rely on the information they give us on what went poorly or what was good. Having the right data makes it indisputable.” Replacing the feel with the real in decision-making is one area where all agree data can help. “You need to know your superpower,” says Marr. “That’s the core of your golf game. On top of that, you need to start building the areas for relevant improvement. Where do you get what I call the painless gains? Where do you get the biggest bang for the least buck? If you embrace that principle on day one of your career, you’ll do alright because you’ll always be able to find a painless gain somewhere.” “If you’re not accumulating data, you can’t show progression,” Jacobs insists. “I need to look at somebody and say, ‘Look, here’s where you were on October 1st. Here’s where you were on December 1st. And here’s where you are on April 1st.’ When they say they’re not progressing, you can show them that their putts per rounds have dropped by four, their handicap has gone down by three. I must be able to show that.” “Then, it’s on us to figure out the why of what’s happening,” adds Gesualdi. “That’s our job as coaches.”

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Taking Control and Finding Your Own Path words by Hide Yoshinaga, PGA LOR Golf Lab- Laguna Niguel Precision Golf Centers- Torrance Los Posas CC- Camarillo

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I recently made a significant change in my career, pursuing the path I had in mind my when I first graduated from Pepperdine University with a major in Sports Medicine. That was to understand the golf swing from a biomechanics perspective and then apply that knowledge to help people with their game. I have since completed the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) golf level 3 program which has further connected my understanding of human body movements to the golf swing. It was not easy leaving a respectable club position, but the course was closing for renovations. I felt that it was the right time to leave and take the opportunity to pursue my passion. I will now use the business skills that I learned over the last 15 years that I was in management positions at several clubs to guide me through this process. I believe proper process is the key. Here is where I am today, this is where I want to be, and these are the steps in between to get there. It’s the same as when we are working with a student to improve their golf game. We all have our own story about the career path that we took. Be flexible and adjustable. Get out and meet other golf professionals. You have already accomplished the first step by being here at the Coaching Summit. It is the smart people you meet along the way that can help you, as it has for me. THE BOOK

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CA Summit Through the Years

2017

Virginia Country Club

Virginia Country Club Long Beach, California Established 1909

The inaugural California Teaching & Coaching Summit hosted on October 2324, 2017, was born out of the SCPGA Fall Teaching Summit. The revitalized CA Summit was hosted by Virginia Country Club in Long Beach and has raised the bar on teaching and instruction for golf professionals.

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The Lineup EDDIE MERRINS, PGA SEAN FOLEY MARK BLACKBURN, PGA JAMIE MULLIGAN, PGA AMY ALCOTT JOHN COOK DR. TIM BROWN JAMES SICKMAN THE BOOK

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2018 The Fairmont Grand

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The Lineup HANK HANEY, PGA PHIL MICKELSON MIKE BENDER, PGA GREG ROSE SCOTT HAMILTON DAVID PHILLIPS, PGA STAN UTLEY, PGA DEREK UYEDA, PGA THE BOOK

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2019

JOURNEY AT PECHANGA

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The Lineup KEVIN DUFFY DR. ALISON CURDT, PGA BRAD FAXON JOSH GREGORY SETH WAUGH CHRIS COMO FRED COUPLES JAMIE MULLIGAN, PGA

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2020 VIRTUAL

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the originally slated CA Summit at Riviera Country Club needed to adapt to the current guidelines and protocols. The 2020 Summit moved virtual and was a resounding success as it informed 300 attendees on the golf industry’s current teaching techniques and practices.

The Lineup MARK BLACKBURN, PGA KEVIN KIRK, PGA JAMIE MULLIGAN, PGA JUSTIN PARSONS DR. BHRETT MCCABE NEALE SMITH, M.S. TASHA BOHLIG, PGA BOB MADSEN, PGA RICK SESSINGHAUS, PGA RANDY CHANG, PGA

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2021

JOURNEY AT PECHANGA

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The Lineup JAMIE MULLIGAN, PGA JIM MCLEAN MARCUS POTTER MICHAEL BREED, PGA CHRIS MAYSON DR. BHRETT MCCABE, PH. D MELISSA “MO” MARTIN BRANDEL CHAMBLEE

2022

Virginia Country Club

Virginia Country Club Long Beach, California Established 1909

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The Lineup JAMIE MULLIGAN, PGA MARK BLACKBURN, PGA STEPHEN SWEENEY DAVID PHILLIPS, PGA JONAH OLIVER SUZY WHALEY, PGA RANDY SMITH, PGA JIM RICHERSON, PGA MARK O’MEARA

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REVOLUTIONIZE YOUR COACHING WITH INSTANT VIDEO ANALYSIS

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Jack Nicklaus- “It’s impossible to release the club too early in the downswing- as long as you move to the left side and swing the club from inside the target line.”

Eddie Merrins- “A good backswing is high, wide and deep. Tiger Woods had all three separately with three different instructors.”

Bill Harmon- “The more I teach, the more I try to minimize what I tell people.” Mark Blackburn- 1: Keys to great ball striking: good kinematic sequence, good segmental stabilization, and a square, centered face. 2: Your summary and conclusion is the most important part of a lesson.”

Jim Flick- “Listen to your students. Let them know you care!” Mike Malaska- “The left arm is not a puller, it’s a rotator. It rotates down from the top immediately despite how it looks on video. If not, the hands will work out. A bowed left

change your entire career.”

Bill Mc Kinney- “Get as much information as possible---One nugget of knowledge can

Ben Hogan, on muscle memory“I tell my muscles what to do.”

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Dick Harmon- “You can’t teach talent, but you can screw it up.”

Words of Wisdom

wrist at impact is an effect, not a cause.”

Payne Stewart- “But in the end, it’s still a game of golf, and if at the end of the day you can’t shake hands with your opponents and still be friends, then you’ve missed the point.”

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John Wooden- “Sports do not build character. They reveal it.”

going back and usually snatch the putter to the inside.”

Jack Nicklaus- “Most good players set up with the clubface slightly open.”

Don Parsons- “Swing mechanics always reflect a person’s rotational capability. The swing will follow the path of least resistance and will alter to protect from pain or injury.”

Claude Harmon- “Change one thing that affects 10, not 10 to affect one. Get better impact!”

Greg Parry, physical trainer- “Students will go from teacher to teacher until they find a method that suits their body.”

Dr. Craig Farnsworth- “Watch for too light a grip with the putter, as it will tighten

Michael Breed- “Successful teachers are passionate, creative, open-minded, and patient. Figure out what you believe and WHY but know and accept other ways.”

Randy Smith- “1- The body knows where the hands are going. 2- The more I throw, the more I load.” Sean Foley- “Set up with 55% of weight on the left side and keep it there on the

backswing. Move more left on the downswing, 80% at impact. There is not enough time to move to the left side if weight shifts right on the backswing.”

Tom Watson on chip shots- “Open the face of a wedge, take it back outside the target line and up, then slice across the ball, hard. The ball will pop in the air, go a shorter distance and land softly.” Think of #17 at Pebble, 1982. Jim Hardy- “Angle of approach is everything. All mistakes are either too narrow and steep or too wide and shallow.”

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Bill Harmon- “If you do not know how to use your hands and wrists, you will overwork the body.”

Your Dermatologist- “Sunscreen only lasts two hours. Re-apply, re-apply, re-apply!”

James Leitz- “Don’t forget about the impact point on the clubhead when diagnosing your students!” He uses spray-on-foot powder to highlight it.

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Dr. David Wright- “Anything you place in your hands goes to your core. Too tight a grip pressure in either the right or left hand creates tension in the left or right side of the core.” Johnny Miller- “I did not try to wind up, but try to stay loose at the top, so I could let it rip. Those who wind up the most choke the most.”

Craig Harmon- “Beginners get two messages from their eyes. 1- the ball is on the ground so you have to lift it. 2- to hit straight you have to swing straight.”

Words of Wisdom

Ben Hogan #2- “On the downswing I think of only two things: starting the hips back and then hitting just as hard as I can with the upper part of my body, my arms and my hands, in that order.”

Rick Smith- “Let your left “lat” start the downswing. Coil the lat (which runs from the shoulder blade to the hip) and then let it release and pull your upper body to the target.” Pete Cowen, on swing changes- “Some people copy, some people feel it, and some pick it up visually.”

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will tighten going back and usually snatch the putter to the inside.”

Jack Nicklaus- “Most good players set up with the clubface slightly open.”

Steve Stricker- “Focus on your left arm to make a solid stroke through the ball. The left arm is the left side of the triangle (shoulders and arms). To keep the triangle intact I move the whole unit with my left arm.”

Claude Harmon- “Change one thing that affects 10, not 10 to affect one. Get better impact!”

Greg Parry, physical trainer- “Students will go from teacher to teacher until they find a method that suits their body.”

Dr. Craig Farnsworth- “Watch for too light a grip with the putter, as it

Michael Breed- “Successful teachers are passionate, creative, open-minded, and patient. Figure out what you believe and WHY but know and accept other ways.”

Sean Foley- “Set up with 55% of weight on the left side and keep it there on the

backswing. Move more left on the downswing, 80% at impact. There is not enough time to move to the left side if weight shifts right on the backswing.”

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