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4 Jun 2009 admin

Managing with questions.

The art of golf management often involves asking questions, lots of them. Here are several questions to ask as you manage your facility. If you ask these questions as part of your routine, you’ll teach your staff that their opinions matter. • What caused complaints today? • What was misunderstood today? • What cost too much? • What was wasted? • What was too complicated? • What job involved too many people?

4 Jun 2009 admin

Wisdom of Golf Management

If you gathered 100 experienced golf managers together and asked for their advice, this is what you might hear. “No task is beneath you.” Don’t think you are above anything. Be the good example and pitch in — especially if the job is one that nobody wants to do. “Ask for Help.” If you think you’re in over you’re head, you probably are. Before it gets out of hand, ask someone for help — most people enjoy giving a hand. Besides saving yourself from embarrassment, you’ll make a friend and an ally. “When you don’t like someone, don’t let it show.” Especially if you outrank them. Never burn bridges or offend others as you move ahead. “When you are right, don’t gloat.” The only time you should ever use the phrase “I told you so” is if someone says to you: “You were right. I really could succeed at that project.”

8 May 2009 admin

Slice Solutions

by Bob Wyatt, Jr. USGTF Course Director, Port St. Lucie, Florida   According to a conversation I had with the late great USGTF teacher Babe Bellagamba, there are two foolproof ways to cure an over-the-top swing fault and a resulting pull slice shot. In this article, the first in a two part series, I talk about how swinging like legendary golfers Tommy Armour and Seve Ballesteros did during their heydays can put your student’s faulty swing back on track.   Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to observe the golf swings of thousands of amateur golfers. Wherever I am, without fail, I’ve noticed that the majority of high handicap players hit a pull-slice shot off the tee.   I’ve spoken to numerous USGTF/WGTF members about this common problem and most of you agree that the over-the-top move, along with the faulty cut-across-the-ball action occurring in the impact zone are the culprits. As for cures, two of the most original were explained to me by Babe Bellagamba, a great student of the game.   At Kissimmee Golf Club, in Florida, where Babe was based, he had a main teaching room with mirrors everywhere to “reflect” a student’s problem – even on the ceiling – and sequence photographs of great golfers on the walls of an adjacent room.   When it was a pull slice shot Babe needed to fix, he pointed to the techniques of three great players: Tommy Armour, Seve Ballesteros, and Ben Hogan.   “If you swing back like Seve and down and through like Armour, I guarantee the club will move correctly along an inside-square-inside path and the shot you hit will draw slightly from right to left,” Babe used to tell struggling students. “You will never hit a pull-slice,” Babe added.   It was Babe’s belief that common or traditional left-sided triggers, such as “Guide the club back in one piece with your left arm and shoulder,” together with the tip, “Pull the golf club down and through with your left hand,” actually did more harm than good. In fact, Babe believed these well meaning left-sided tips to be root causes of swinging the club outside the target line on the backswing then directing it across the target line in the hit-zone.   Babe was a big believer in right-sided golf over left-sided golf for right-handed players; feeling that the right-sided way is more natural, player-friendly, and better suited to golfers lacking the time to devote a few hours per week to practice. The next time you interview a new student and determine that his or her pull slice is likely being caused by left-sided triggers, follow this right-sided recipe in the style of the late Babe Bellagamba.   TIP 1: THE BACKSWING Like Seve did during his heyday, when he won three British Open championships (1979, 1984, 1988) and three Masters (1980, 1983), instruct the student to pull the club away from the ball gently with the right hand while, practically simultaneously, turning the right hip clockwise. This tip of Babe’s makes perfect sense when you consider that until Seve started visiting left-sided instructors in America he was a natural, powerfully accurate right-sided golfer who said this in his book Natural Golf.   “Using my strongest hand to start the swing enables me to more naturally and fluidly control the pace of the takeaway and keep the club traveling along the proper plane and arc all the way to the top of the backswing.”   TIP 2: THE DOWNSWING Drum home the following points made by legendary golfer Tommy Armour in his much overlooked book, How To Play Your Best Golf All The Time, an instructional text that was in Babe’s office library and one that stresses right-sided swingcontrol. Armour, known for hitting a high percentage of fairways and greens, won the 1927 U.S. Open, 1930 PGA, and 1931 British Open. So, as Babe used to suggest, have your problematic student listen to Armour’s words of wisdom.   “A swift moving right hand is the source of dynamic power,” said Armour.   “And with Hogan, Snead, and every other star, it is the right sided smash that accounts for masterly execution of the shots. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.   “The more you can get your hands ahead of the clubface in the downswing, the more power you can apply with the right hand.   “The late un-cocking of the wrists, or the delayed hit, causes a decided acceleration of right-hand action at the most effective period.”   “You don’t have to think about the right hand not coming in time to whip the ball terrifically; it will get there spontaneously.   This golf swing, and the varying opinions of what is the best method, and what cures work best for which faults, is fascinating. In fact, as if it were yesterday, I remember vividly the stimulating conversation I had with Babe Bellagamba, after telling him that from my observations of golfers around the world I determined that the majority of high handicap golfers swing over the top at the start of the downswing, cut across the ball in the impact zone, and hit a pull-slice shot.   “Bob, I confront this problem every day, and the first thing I and every other teacher should do is get the student to start swinging the club back along an inside path,” said Babe.   “And one of the best ways to do that is to have him copy the closed stance setup position of Ben Hogan.”   Babe pointed out that when looking at the drawings in Ben Hogan’s classic instructional book, Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf, you can clearly see that Hogan’s right foot is dropped back, slightly farther away from the target line than the left foot. Look at the book and you’ll see Babe’s statement about Hogan’s closed stance is correct. This is even more profound when you consider that Babe told me he had read in a book or magazine that the drawings done by illustrator Anthony Ravielli were rendered from photographs of Hogan setting up and swinging. In short, each and every drawing, particularly the one clearly showing the closed stance setup on page 78 of the hardcover version of this superbly written instructional text, mirror or reflect Hogan’s actual positions. What’s even more profound, other that Hogan depending on what is commonly called a “hooker’s stance” to hit a controlled fade, is that Hogan and the book’s collaborator Herbert Warren Wind never addressed this feature of Hogan’s setup.   All this made sense to me when I recently re-read John Andrisani’s book, The Hogan Way. In this easy-to-follow instruction book, Andrisani says the following:   “This address position (closed) offsets the tendency Hogan had to swing the club back outside the target line during the backswing, owing to his very weak grip. The slightly closed stance position allowed Hogan to swing the club back along the target line, at the earliest stage of the takeaway, then slightly inside as he swung further back.”   So Babe was right. Although Hogan’s biggest fear was hitting a duck-hook, he also did likely fear swinging the club back on an outside path and likely, too, swinging across the target line on the downswing and hitting a pull slice. The closed stance obviously provided Hogan the comfort of knowing the club would not move outside the target line dramatically on the backswing and, instead, would be directed to the inside. This is precisely why Babe recommended pull-slice players set up closed.   “Bob, if there is one good thing the closed stance guarantees, it’s that the club will move to the inside on the backswing,” said Babe before adding this. “Therefore, a teacher who recommends this stance to a pull-slice hitter is halfway home in curing the student’s problem.”   According to Babe, the other shortcut to providing a remedy for the over-the-top pull-slice player involves the lower body. Again, Babe used Hogan as the model.   After reaching the top, Hogan actually moved his hips laterally initially then cleared them. Because he set up closed and swung the club back inside the target line, the lateral shift actually ensured that he start swinging out at the start of the downswing. In fact, I bet Hogan knew that if he felt blocked early in the downswing he was on the right track and could never hit across the ball.   Surely, Hogan also accepted that if, after making a lateral shift action, he failed to clear his hips, he would, indeed, hit a block. But, if he cleared his hips and kept his left wrist bowed, he would likely come into impact with the face ever so slightly open and hit a controlled power-fade. This is the shot Babe hit the best and the shot he successfully got former pull-slice hitters to hit.   All of this came together, and Babe was proved right, when I re-read two key lines in Hogan’s book.   “When the golfer is on this correct (less steeply inclined) downswing plane, he has to hit from the inside out.” When he hits from he inside out, he can get maximum strength into the swing and obtain maximum club-head speed.”   CONCLUSION: Only if you have a pull-slice hitting student set up closed, can he or she swing the club back inside the target line, and only if you have them trigger the downswing with a lateral move, can you be ensured of the student swinging out at the ball instead of across the target line and, too, hitting a super controlled power-fade – Hogan style – rather than a horrible pull-slice.

8 May 2009 admin

Teaching the LOB SHOT

By Bob Wyatt USGTF National Coordinator, Port St. Lucie, Florida   DEFINITION The “lob” shot, sometimes referred to as the flop shot, is a high-flying pitch shot which, upon landing, has very little if any roll. The lob can be used anywhere when this flight characteristic is required.   For example, a player might be just off the green by five or six yards, but a pot bunker stands in his/her way. Running the ball through is not an option due to the severity of the front lip of the bunker, and the pin is tucked only a few feet behind the bunker, giving the player no option but to put the ball into the air with a steep enough angle of flight to ensure a minimum degree of roll.   EXECUTION Opinions vary somewhat from one teacher to another as to what a player should key on when performing a lob pitch. Some say the use of a lot of hands and wrists is best; others suggest keeping the wristiness to a minimum! It’s no wonder so many students become confused and frustrated over this shot. What teachers do agree on almost across the board is the need for a long, unhurried swinging motion. Not a move creating a lot of speed, but one designed to send the ball up at a steep angle to provide the soft, controlled landing desired.   On a personal note, I firmly believe this shot needs to be controlled by the lead hand and arm. The lead arm is in position to create and retain the needed radius of the swing as well as control the speed of the motion. Being in front of the grip, the lead hand is also in position to prevent the club from twisting and turning during the swing. An open stance with the body weight slightly favoring the front foot is what I normally use and what I recommend to my students. One last key point: be aware of maintaining your spine angle as you strike the ball, and, if having trouble getting the ball up quickly, try keeping your spine angle into the finish even to the point of feeling you are leaning forward. This will help prevent the body from trying to tunnel under the ball.   CONCLUSION It’s certainly more advantageous to execute this shot with a lob wedge, however a sand wedge of 56° to 58° will do the job just fine in most cases. Good golfing!

1 May 2009 admin

Golf Course Management – Basic Operations

Club Professional and Club Manager / Resort Manager Certification The following subjects will be taught during the course of the week: Customer Relations In our customer relations training section you will learn how to properly interact with your customers in a professional manner. In golf management, this is very important because the typical golfer has several options as to where they play. A good golf management experience gives the client all the more reason to select your facility for their next outing. Management Expectations In this section you will learn exactly what’s expected of a golf management professional and what tasks are involved in expanding your particular golf course facility. The Common Sense Factor It is not necessary in golf management to have a degree in business, agronomy, accounting or marketing in order to be successful. However, although no one gives out a degree in common sense possessing this valuable attribute will serve you well in this career. Introduction to Agronomy In golf management a basic understanding of creating and maintaining a healthy playing environment allows you to intelligently work with your course superintendent on turf and overall maintenance issues. An Introduction to Golf Course Construction Basic issues such as drainage, bunker construction and new tee construction are challenges faced by many of those in golf management. Employment at Public versus Private Facilities There are definite differences in golf management issues as they relate to public verses private facilities. For example: With private clubs, internal politics is a much greater challenge. By contrast maintaining and creating new revenue is the main focus at a public facility. Managing a Golf Course on a Strict Budget One challenge facing those in golf management is how to do this while providing an enjoyable and properly maintained facility. An Introduction to Food and Beverage One of the great American golf traditions is the food and beverage pit stop at the turn. In golf management it is important to be in tune to your customer’s desires in this area. Furthermore, many golf courses and golf resorts have full-fledged restaurants that serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. This is a specialized field which normally has its own management staff but the golf manager should be familiar with its basic operation as well. Understanding and Working with Various Types of Grasses during Season Changes as well as Varying Geographic Areas Different areas of the country have varying soil and turf conditions. A fundamental understanding of geography and seasonal changes is helpful in your role as a golf course manager. Evolution of the Modern Golf Swing Strictly speaking, a golf club manager may not need to have an in-depth knowledge of swing mechanics and techniques. Your business however is golf, and being able to converse intelligently regarding basic elements of the golf swing is an asset in any golf management setting. An Introduction to Pro Shop Merchandising In an area where off-course retailers tend to dominate, golf courses that provide merchandise have a tremendous challenge in getting their share of the market place. A good golf manager is attuned to the needs and wants of his customer base. Day to Day Golf Course Operations – Inside / Outside All golf courses have two areas of operation – Inside Shop and Outside Shop which must coordinate and work together. Personnel scheduling and hiring is critical to an efficiently run operation. Seemingly simple operations such as running the range and organizing the cart fleet are more complex than they appear as a golf management concern. An Introduction to Payroll, Budgeting and Accounting It is important that those in golf management have a basic understanding of simple payroll, budgeting and accounting principles as you will have a close working relationship with your accountant. Marketing Yourself within the Industry Both traditional and online methods of marketing your facility will be examined. From the golf management prospective differences between public and private facilities will be explored. Effectively Organizing Golf Tournaments Playing in a golf competition is fun and exciting for many golfers. Being a competent tournament organizer is a must in golf course management. The Basics of Today’s Modern Golf Equipment Golf courses that provide equipment sales depend on knowledgeable personnel to help customers make the right choices. A golf manager has the responsibility to make sure that personnel are up to date on the latest equipment. The Passion for Excellence All those who are successful in golf management have one thing in common; a desire to excel. At the end of the day, nothing is more satisfying than going the extra mile, getting things done properly, and providing your customers with the best experience possible.

1 May 2009 admin

UNIQUE RULINGS IN GOLF

Recently, in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, Steward Cink was disqualified for testing a bunker prior to hitting a shot from a bunker, and failing to add the two-stroke penalty to his scorecard. What made this ruling unique is that Cink not only didn’t know initially he violated a Rule, but that the bunker he “tested” was a completely different bunker than the one from which he hit his next shot! His ball was just outside a fairway bunker, but in order to hit the shot, he had to stand in the bunker. He then proceeded to hit the ball into a greenside bunker. Cink’s caddie then raked the fairway bunker. Such a procedure was deemed a violation of Rule 13-4, which states in part that “Except as provided in the Rules, before making a stroke at a ball that is in a hazard (whether a bunker or a water hazard) or that, having been lifted from a hazard, may be dropped or placed in the hazard, the player must not: a. Test the condition of the hazard or any similar hazard.” Since there was no provision in the Rules to allow Cink or his caddie to rake the bunker in that instance, a violation was called. Had Cink’s ball been in the fairway bunker, there would have been no penalty, as the Rules allow the player or his caddie to smooth the bunker after hitting a shot from it, regardless of where the ball winds up. Fortunately, the USGA issued a clarification after this incident, so what happened to Cink is no longer a penalty. Unfortunately, this clarification came too late to help Cink. Another unique ruling occurred several years ago in regards to Duffy Waldorf during a tour event. While waiting to hit his shot from the fairway, he noticed a kicked-up divot several feet in front of him at about a 45° angle from his intended line of play. Waldorf tamped down the divot, which was deemed a violation of Rule 13-2. That Rule prohibits improving the intended line of play. While it may be argued that the intended line of play for a tour professional doesn’t include something 45° away, the line of play is also defined as a reasonable distance on either side of the intended line. What that means is that in this case, some subjective judgment had to be utilized to determine if the divot Waldorf repaired was on his line of play. Two rulings from the European Tour involve similar circumstances to each other. Years ago, Seve Ballesteros discovered a ball he had hit from the rough was out of bounds. Under the Rules, he is of course obligated to drop a ball as near as possible to the spot from which the ball was last struck. Ballesteros went back, picked a spot that, on videotape, was clearly at least 10 yards ahead of the actual spot. He finished play of the hole and the round. Ballesteros, surprisingly, was not disqualified or penalized further. The officials ruled that Ballesteros acted in good faith and that he utilized his best judgment to remember the spot. A couple of years ago, Colin Montgomerie was awkwardly struggling to take his stance in a bunker while his ball was outside the bunker on a steep hill, when the horn sounded, signaling a delay in play. Montie marked his ball, picked it up, and went in. When play was resumed the next day, he noticed his mark was gone. He placed his ball somewhat farther up the hill and no longer had the awkward stance. The officials once again ruled in the player’s favor, saying Montgomerie acted in good faith. The interesting thing about the rulings given to Ballesteros and Montgomerie is that their actions clearly violated the letter of the Rules, and yet the officials refused to penalize them. One thing that seems to differentiate the officials from the US and European Tours is that US officials likely would not have let either Ballesteros or Montgomerie off the hook. European officials seem more lenient when it comes to certain matters of the Rules. In any event, the most interesting rulings involve subjective judgment from the officials. While the Rules are written primarily to take the player’s actions into account, they also take intent into account in some instances, and some rulings require an official to make a judgment call. We normally think of the Rules of Golf as being in black and white, but as we’ve seen with the above examples, this is not always the case.

1 May 2009 admin

The DRIVER and The STUDENT

It is the most glamorous club in the bag. It can send the ball soaring much farther than the longest home run Hank Aaron or Babe Ruth ever hit. Along with the putter, it is the most rewarding, frustrating, fulfilling, and anger-inducing club we use. Of course, we are talking about the 6-iron. Just kidding! Over the past 10 years, the driver has been the most talked-about and scrutinized weapon in a golfer’s arsenal, due to the rapid evolution of the technology of the club. Pro golfers are hitting the ball 30 yards farther, on average, than they did with the old persimmon drivers. It seems no one has a neutral opinion on the longest, yet lightest, club in the bag. Students either love or hate their drivers – there seems to be no in-between. Students who enjoy hitting the driver find that teeing the ball up, along with using a sweeping, free-flowing swing, will propel the ball reasonably well. Those who loathe the driver likely do so because of the somewhat unforgiving nature that low loft on a clubface can produce. It is quite easy to produce sidespin if the driver face isn’t square. A clubface that is open or closed just 5 degrees means a 250-yard drive will be 22 yards off line, enough to find the rough on a typical 40-yard wide fairway. The length of the driver, combined with a sweet spot that is farther away from the shaft than with other clubs, makes the driver harder to hit from that perspective, too. Many students compound their driver woes by not using one with the proper specs for their swing. Too often, they use drivers with shafts that are too stiff and lofts that aren’t high enough. To get our students to make friends with their drivers, we must start with the equipment. Driver heads today come in all sorts of shapes and internal weight profiles. Your student needs to find a driver that is right for their swing. If they fight a slice, an offset driver head or one with heel weighting can help. If they have a smooth transition move or clubhead speed that is less than 100 mph, a regular shaft may be the right call. According to a recent Golf Magazine article, the average male golfer has a clubhead speed of around 90 mph, with an initial ball speed of 135 mph. This player needs to launch the ball around 14 degrees with approximately 2,900 rpm to achieve maximum carry. Driver specs will vary between players, but most golfers in this range won’t go wrong with driver loft of 10° or higher. A regular shaft would probably fit most, with a faster-tempoed player needing a stiffer tip section. Technique-wise, our students need to suppress the urge to continually play the long ball. This urge leads to swings being made out of sequence, usually with the arms and hands playing a dominating role to start the downswing. When teaching driving, it’s best to stick with the basics. Make sure the ball is teed up opposite the inside of the forward heel with a stance slightly wider than shoulder width. One trend today is teeing the top of the ball just slightly higher than the top of the clubface. The normal school of thought is to tee the ball so that half of it is above the top of the clubface, but some teachers feel it’s easier to make solid contact with the ball teed lower. The stance should be square – a big reason for an over-the-top swing is the foot stance being closed. Try to get your students to relate their driver tempo with that of a mid-iron. If they can do that, they should be able to make more consistent, solid contact.

24 Apr 2009 admin

What is the Best Putting Grip?

A Panel of Our Teachers Share Their Views

It seems, since golf began some 600 years ago, players have argued whether the straight back-straight through putting stroke, preferred today by putting expert Dave Pelz, is better than the inside-square-inside stroke recommended these days by another short game guru, Stan Utley. Well, surely these arguments will go on for a long time, yet one thing will stay the same: most USGTF and WGTF members believe the Pelz type stroke works better on short putts while the Utley-type stroke rolls the ball more purely on long putts. Something else that’s been getting a lot of attention lately is the putting grip, probably because there is such a wide range of grips, including the highly unorthodox claw popularized by PGA Tour pro Chris DiMarco, unique cross-hand hold employed by former US Open winner Jim Furyk, and the unconventional split-hand type grip used by LPGA player Natalie Gulbis. Before things get out of hand, Golf Teaching Pro editors thought we better check in with our members and ask them this question: what do you think is the best putting grip to recommend to average golfers, and why? What follows are the answers to this question that you might find fun to compare to your own. Bill Picca: I prefer the reverse overlap grip simply because it is the putting hold that has proven to be the most popular historically among winners of regular PGA tournaments and major championships. Let me make it clear that this is not the opposite grip to the standard Vardon overlap. My grip of choice is the grip called the reverse overlap grip, even though for a right-handed golfer it entails draping the forefinger of the left hand over the fingers of the right. I prefer this grip myself and recommend amateurs try it before any other grip. The reason is it keeps the hands out of the stroke and promotes a coordinated and rhythmic arms and shoulders action. In essence, then, this grip encourages the player to control the movement of the putter with the big muscles rather than the small ones, thereby virtually guaranteeing an on-line stroke rather than an off-line stroke. Yvon Legault: I know I am a minority, believing that the interlock grip is best for putting, so let me explain my thinking. When hitting drives and other standard tee-to-green shots, more and more PGA Tour professionals are following the example set by Tiger Woods, who prefers the interlock grip, as did Jack Nicklaus before him. When putting, slowly but surely, more and more top professionals are switching from the reverse overlap putting grip to a less conventional hold. A few years ago, several top pros started changing to a left-hand-low or cross-handed grip. A couple of years ago, the claw grip started to catch on and now a number of pros are using it. I predict the interlock will be the most popular grip of the future. I say that, knowing that it unifies the hands, but, unlike the overlap grip, it does not take them out of the stroke so much that you lose feel. The interlock grip promotes a very slight hinge in the wrists, too, and that freedom of motion is enough to enhance feel. In turn, your club direction is enhanced, and so is your distance control. A golfer cannot ask for anything more. Most of all, though, to quote essentially what I say in my bestselling book, Become A Putting Machine, which is likely to be published in America after enjoying success in France, Canada, Switzerland, and Belgium particularly: “The goal in putting is to robotize the stroke, make it automatic, and the interlock grip does this because it CONNECTS the hands.” Dave Shaver: Since ModelGolf innovator Ralph Mann bases his instruction on pro models, I believe the average golfer will do himself or herself the most good by adopting the grip of choice by male and female tour pros: the reverse overlap grip, with the left forefinger extended down and over the fingers of the right hand. This leading choice of grip by the world’s best golfers enhances shoulder action and quiets the hands, making for a very repetitive, consistent stroke. John Andrisani: I think weekend golfers should copy Natalie Gulbis and create a six-inch to twelve-inch gap (whichever feels most comfortable) between the hands when holding the putter. In testing out this grip, I determined that it automatically allows the left hand to lead the putter back and through and the right hand to follow and provide the power in the impact zone. In short, the left hand is the guide hand, the right hand the power hand. Because the right hand is not hindered in any way by the left hand, namely, because the hands are separated from one another, the player finds it easier to determine how much oomph he or she should put behind the stroke with the right hand to hit the ball a specific distance. I think more golfers would be trying this grip if a male tour player were using it. In the past, pro Hubert Green putted well using a similar hold. Hubert won many times on tour, yet golfers forget he did this using an unorthodox grip. I suppose that’s because he missed a short putt to tie Gary Player in 1978 Masters. John Wilde: I am not a teacher who believes in one set methodology. However, that does not in any way mean that I allow a student to choose some kind of wild-looking putting grip that, though comfortable, really will never offer him consistency in terms of distance and direction control. To repeat something I say in my book, The Old Man’s Practice Guide, “Putting is very individualized, but there are principles that you need to master. “The preferred grip is the reverse overlap, where the left forefinger overlaps the right pinky, but the crosshanded grip with the left hand low is an alternative.” One more thing I do stress is this: whichever of these two grips you choose to putt with, I like the student to position the putter’s handle a little higher on the left heel pad, and, ideally, use a putter with a reminder grip which positions the hands in a “weaker” grip position. Both of these keys give you an added sense of security in the hands when holding the club, thereby enabling you to make a pure pendulum-like stroke that rolls the ball smoothly across the green.

17 Apr 2009 admin

The Skill of Putting People at Ease

By Mark Harman USGTF Level IV Member and Course Examiner, Ridgeland, South Carolina

One of the biggest reasons a golfer may not take lessons is one that many golf teachers may not have thought of. That reason is intimidation. Yes, many people, especially women, are intimidated at the thought of taking lessons and putting their game in front of someone to judge. Part of the problem is the old stereotype of the grumpy old pro who has little patience for beginners and novices who seemingly (to him) can’t walk and talk at the same time. Unfortunately, there is some ring of truth to this, as golf traditionally has more than its fair share of course employees and “professionals” who are condescending, sour, and ready to rip your head off. Now for the good news: these bad actors can work to your advantage. By contrasting your behavior, attitude, and actions to theirs, it makes you look that much better to the golfing public. It’s not enough to just smile and be friendly. It’s been researched that body language is perhaps the most important means of communication in personal contact. This means using welcoming gestures, such as open arms, instead of standoffish ones like folded arms and hands in the pockets. Do you provide any literature, brochures, or a website for potential students to peruse? If so, you undoubtedly want a picture of yourself on the material. Believe it or not, there are some teachers whose picture on such materials looks like a mug shot. Now, what kind of welcome is that? Not a real good one. You can also find teachers who, while they may be smiling, are wearing dark sunglasses because the picture was taken outside. Again, not a good idea, because it goes back to the old adage, “He must have something to hide.” Once on the lesson tee, take a genuine interest in their games. Ask a lot of questions. Involve the students in the learning process. Ask them if what you’ve asked them to do is uncomfortable or too difficult. If so, you must find something that they can accomplish. If it’s appropriate, self-deprecating humor can be great at putting people at ease. It lets them know you aren’t perfect and that you empathize with them. Don’t hit balls to just show off your superior skills, but only when necessary to legitimately demonstrate a point. A teacher who starts bombing 300-yard drives in front of his female student who can only hit it 120 might get her to start thinking, “What’s the point if I can’t do what he’s doing?” You should also take the personality of your student into account. If they are a quiet type, they will feel ill-at-ease if you are a boisterous backslapper. Say fewer words and talk in a quieter voice to these people. Although it’s hard for a naturally gregarious person to tone it down, it must be done unless you want that person’s first lesson with you to also be the last. Putting people at ease isn’t rocket science. A lot of it is common sense – treat the person with respect, treat them as an equal, and be humble. You can separate yourself from others – not just in golf but in all walks of life – by acting accordingly.

17 Apr 2009 admin

Identifying A Student’s Learning Style

By Dr. Tom Kubisant, CSP USGTF Contibuting Writer

Connecting with each student is the most important thing you can do. If you can develop an individual relationship with each student, you will be more efficient in your teaching. And, students will learn more, better enjoy the experience, and come back to you. Students I talk to say they like to feel like an individual. Even though they may have the same issues as dozens of other golfers, they like to be treated as if their problems and goals are unique. Taking the time to personalize a lesson plan is one of the best things you can do to develop an ongoing relationship. This implies two things: asking questions and listening. I have presented speeches and seminars to teaching pros for over twenty years. Here is a secret: no matter the topic, I always survey the audience as to how many regularly use a pre-teaching questionnaire. Typically, only about 25 percent raise their hands. I believe having new students fill out such a questionnaire establishes both the framework for the lessons as well as develops a relationship. Typically, questionnaires survey students’ backgrounds, golf experiences, and especially physical limitations. Some others might include neurological orientations; meaning dominant hand, foot, and eye. Most forms include space for the golfer to detail specific goals for the lessons. Such a questionnaire is not only an assessment, but also becomes as contract. One key category is having students describe their best learning styles. I still like the Neurolingistic Programming (NLP) model of being predominantly either a visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learner. Such information is valuable in tailoring and communicating lesson content. If the student does not know which they are, have them become aware of the words they say and think. Visuals will say, “Picture this,” or “Imagine that.” Auditories will say, “It sounds right,” or “It rings true for me.” And kinesthetics will say, “My sense is something does not fit,” or “My gut tells me this is correct.” Which style is Johnny Miller? One of the challenges of working with each student is to develop creative ways to connect with the person’s learning style. For example, if the student is a visual learner, the teaching pro should demonstrate positions and motions both in slow motion as well as in real time. Visual learners also benefit from statically seeing their own positions. Full length mirrors can be great aids in having students see their own bodies. Finally, video sessions are valuable in having visual students see their own swings from angles they cannot see on their own. If the student is an auditory learner, the teaching pro should always anchor positive sounds of the desired action. Have the student grasp the club by the hosel and swing the club to hear the swooshing sound of the shaft as it goes through the slot. Have auditory learners listen to the desired click of contact with the ball. This is especially important on putts. Auditories greatly benefit from knowing the sound of a square face at impact. Finally, have them hear the desired thump of the sand on explosion shots. If the student is a kinesthetic learner, the teaching pro should always emphasize how the swing relates to the person’s senses, balance, and tempo. Sensitize them to the feelings of correct posture during setup – feet pressure, hip position, spine angle, shoulder position, grip pressure, and so on. During the swing, have kinesthetics feel extension, rotation, coiling, and release. Dynamic training aids are useful in helping them isolate the correct feeling, such as a ball under the outside of the rear foot, a headcover under the leading arm, swinging on a balance board, or your hand on their head to restrict an improper movement. Most importantly for kinesthetics, emphasize how tempo and timing feel for them. Honoring each student’s predominant learning style not only personalizes the instruction, it makes your content emphases more easily implemented. One of the best comments a student can make about the teaching pro is, “She made it seem so clear.” This is one of the best compliments you can ever receive. This means you have taken the time and effort to customize your content into the student’s learning style. It is also the hallmark of your professionalism. Dr. Tom Kubistant is one of the original golf psychologists. He has written three books and over 300 articles on the mental game of golf. He also maintains “The Complete Bibliography On The Psychology Of Golf.” He loves talking with USGTF members and can be reached directly online at Kubistant@aol.com or in Reno, Nevada, at (775) 345-0340.