STUDENT SPOTLIGHT – TJ ELBERTY

By Bob Fahy

I’ve been playing golf for over 60 years and teaching for the past 15. I’ve come to realize that it is quite common for golfers to find renewed energy for golf once retired. Having the time to devote to working on your game and finally focusing on real improvements often includes lessons, and that’s how I came to meet T.J. Elberty.

T.J. came to me in August 2024. He had played occasionally in his 20s with friends, using borrowed clubs and had little or no instruction. He didn’t play very well but he enjoyed it. However, his career and his family obligations resulted in a 40-year layoff. At 65 years old and with a history of shooting rounds of 105+, he was now ready to focus on playing better.

It’s very common for people to be introduced to the game by a friend or a relative and, while well intended, it usually begins by putting a ball on the tee and making full swings with the driver. And so the frustration begins. T.J.’s swing did not produce solid contact or the desired direction, so my initial focus was to improve impact and face control.

Most new or returning players know very little about how the golf swing actually works and without that basic understanding, productive practice is difficult, and the only thing that they’re getting good at is doing it badly. The long swing is way too complicated for a new or struggling player to learn correctly. However, if you begin at impact and work back from the ball, it becomes easier to explain and so much easier to understand. And, once a golfer understands what he is doing and why, he can practice and improve.

T.J. started with a basic chip shot with a target. He spent hours hitting chips with different lofts and different distances. It wasn’t long before he moved to half swings utilizing that same practice routine before attempting a full swing. Slow-motion videos helped in understanding the sequencing in the longer swings. Developing an understanding of the mechanics enabled T.J. to self-diagnose and kept his progress on track with productive practice sessions. And he did exactly that. In just one year, he went from shooting 105+ to his best round of 82. That’s an impressive accomplishment. Equally impressive was his commitment to the repetitions needed to ingrain the correct mechanics into his swing. And, at 65 years old, T.J. had some issues with his flexibility which required daily attention, as well. However, he’s very disciplined and will continue to tighten his shot cone, which will help him in attaining his desired goal of breaking 80.