Beau Ketchum USGTF Level III Member Covington, LA

My grandfather turned me on to the game when I was a child about seven or eight years old, in Mississippi. He was about a 3-handicapper and he played on the local scratch tour. When he retired, he played almost every day, and I learned the game from caddying for him in tournaments. Back in those days, we didn’t have golf carts.

Up until the time I was 12 or 13, I thought everybody played golf like he did. I thought everybody shot in the 70’s all the time. That’s just the way I was exposed to the game. All of his friends on the scratch tour and at the country club played like he did, and I never saw anybody play what I call “bad golf” until my teenage years.

I’m what I consider a “people person,” and I wanted to teach the game. I didn’t really have anything definite in mind, but I really thought I could do it. I play pretty decent golf, not great, but my handicap is a 2, and I love working with kids, and that’s what got me involved in teaching. I was thinking of maybe coaching at a high school, but I haven’t got around to doing that yet. I’m too busy with my current lesson schedule.

In April 2002 I became a USGTF member by attending the certification course in Pensacola, and that June I was hired as the teaching professional at Gemstone Country Club in Franklinton, Louisiana (about 75 miles north of New Orleans). We have about 175 members and I teach 5-6 lessons per day. I’ve also initiated junior golf clinics here at the club, which is a first for the facility. There’s about three or four guys working in the pro shop.

I’m really enjoying teaching, and it makes you feel good when people come up to you and tell you, “Thanks for straightening me out. I’m hitting the ball so good now.” People also drop me notes off the Internet - things like that make you feel good and it’s all worth it.

In the future, I will be returning to attain my Level IV Master Teaching certification.

 

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