Building a Quality Team Based on Experience
By Harold Patterson
USGTF Member, Chicago, Illinois

There is a growing appreciation for golf around the campus of Prairie State College, a community college located in the south suburb of Chicago Heights, Illinois. Since my appointment as Head Golf Coach, the buzz is all about my creative thinking in working to build the morale of our team. I am presently a member of the US Golf Teachers Federation, and very proud of my accomplishments. I am adamant about putting this college on the map and have the assurance that I can give my team the proper information in order to create golfers of high caliber. I feel confident in accomplishing this goal since receiving my certification.

I became interested in golf in 1959, and felt that I was good enough to become a playing professional. I moved to Florida with this in mind, only to be discouraged by the preparations one must go through, and the expenses it took to enter the professional golf tour. Because of this, I quit playing from 1973 until the spring of 1998, when my fourteen-year-old son became interested in golf. I worked with him until very recently, and have helped him to become a three or four handicapper, and he is currently the captain of his high school golf team.

I received my certification at Balmoral Golf Course in Crete, Illinois. I elected to go to USGTF due to having taught the principles of golf for so many years. I felt that it was not fair to my students that I was not yet certified. During the course, I found the instructors to be thorough in their presentations, cordial in their demeanor, helpful with problem solving, and humble in their authority. My experience with the USGTF will be an everlasting one and beneficial in the area of communicating with others in the golfing world.

After receiving my certification, everything started to fall into place. I feel that my certificate has allowed me to continue to accomplish numerous tasks, which have become most important in teaching and coaching golf. Along with being the Head Golf Coach at Prairie State College, I was offered a position at Glenwoodie Golf Course in Glenwood, Illinois and in addition, I teach at Jackson Park Driving Range in Chicago, Illinois.

My duties as Head Golf Coach include classroom and private instruction, recruiting for the team, and developing and implementing fundraisers. I have also created a Caddy Club, a support group for the golf team, at Prairie State College. This club, made up of students, will be in charge of fund-raising events, which will provide an allowance for additional equipment and traveling expenses. Outside of coaching and teaching, I am also hoping to organize a faculty outing in order to allow the college staff to become better acquainted with one another.

As far as the golf team is concerned, we strive to have fun, along with making progress toward improving each member’s ability to play golf. Playing with the golf team during practice rounds enables me to monitor my team’s progress and critique their abilities, as well as sharpen my own skills. I am very proud of one student in particular, who has improved his golf game from 115 to 92 in just 2-1/2 months time. I stress the importance of education being the most important concern of the students. Our current team has five players, and will be increasing to ten members in the spring and fall.

Thank you USGTF for expanding my knowledge in the science of teaching this great game.