Tournament Central
New USGTF Podcast Set to Begin Production
Longtime USGTF and WGTF professional Thomas T Wartelle will host a new podcast titled “The 10th Tee.” The podcast will feature guests from the world of teaching and playing, and will focus on current happenings and topics in golf. Wartelle plans to make the podcast fun and informative, and with his extensive background in the game and overall knowledge, it is sure to be an intelligent listen. The podcast is currently under development, and more information about it will be coming shortly.
WGTF Launches New Website
Founded in the United States in 1989, USGTF (United States Golf Teachers Federation), as its name suggests, created an organization only for golf instructors, and the golf education profession is a tour pro who strives to improve their performance to win the tour game. We realized that should be a separate entity. The research and establishment of this new golf field made a leap forward, and 4 years later, in 1993, the WGTF (World Golf Teachers Federation) was established. We are firmly established and our current WGTF members are active in 85 countries around the world.
The WGTF has been setting international standards for training and certification for professional golf instructors through innovative and effective swing mechanisms and training methodologies. WGTF is proud to launch a new website in an effort to support all international federations and bring a better sense of unity. Please visit www.WGTF.com to view this new website today!
Editorial – What it Takes to Win a Grand Slam
There are only two people in the history of golf to accomplish a remarkable feat, and that is winning the Grand Slam on both the PGA and the Champions (formerly Senior) Tours. Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus both accomplished the remarkable feat.
The majors on the regular men’s circuit are well known: Masters, U.S. Open, The Open (formerly called the British Open) and the PGA Championship. On the PGA Tour Champions, there are now five, but when Player and Nicklaus played, there were four, and winning all four constituted a Grand Slam. They are the U.S. Senior Open, PGA Senior Championship, the Tradition and the Senior Players’ Championship. Today the Senior Open (formerly the British Senior Open) has been added to the rotation, making five senior men’s majors altogether. But Player’s and Nicklaus’ feat are still considered a completion of the senior Grand Slam. USGTF president Brandon Lee recently had the pleasure of teeing it up with Player for a round.
What does it take to win the Grand Slam? Many great legends of the game came short such as Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson and Phil Mickelson. So it’s not just being a great player. There may be some luck involved, but as Player once famously said, “The more I practice the luckier I get.” There’s just something special about being a career Grand Slam champion, and it can certainly be said Nicklaus and Player stand alone in that regard.
Product Spotlight – Bushnell Range Finders
Bushnell Golf is offering great discounts on its rangefinders and to all USGTF members in good standing.
For example, the new Pro XE is just $275 (retails at $549.99). Contact Candice Wood for all USGTF members’ pricing and ordering information at Candice.Wood@VistaOutdoor.com. Limit two units per year.
Student Spotlight – Hunter Housa
By Bo Harris, USGTF Professional
Hunter Mousa is an 11-year-old who just started playing competitive golf last fall. He started out with a maximum handicap of 30. His initial goal was to be able to gauge how his game compared to other kids his age. He quickly found that in order to improve, he needed to focus on putting. After a few lessons using a SeeMore putter, he started to see a major improvement. He then started working on his swing and understanding the numbers on the TrackMan.
Since he played baseball for many years, his focus was to improve his golf swing from inside to out. He has since lowered his handicap to 15 and shoots in the mid to low 80s. Some of his accomplishments this past year include making the varsity middle school golf team as a 5th grader, placing in the top three in his last seven tournaments, and getting his first win by shooting even par. He has a strong desire to continuously improve his game. He is now working on his distance and club speed. You can follow his golf journey on Instagram @ridamousa40.
As a teaching professional I have come across numerous students of all ages that tell me how they want to get better but seem to only swing a golf club when we are together. Hunt could not be more different. He loves this game and he loves the grind. If he’s not doing his schoolwork, he has a golf club in his hands and is rigorously taking notes on what he’s doing to get better. Keep in mind, he’s only in 5th grade! To conclude, I have worked with hundreds of juniors from all aspects of talent and age, and this kid inspires me every time I see him on my lesson tee.
Teaching “Pro” File – Bill Rice
Bill Rice of Las Vegas, Nevada, is one of the USGTF’s most respected and skilled teachers. He conducts approximately six certification courses per year for the organization, including the annual Master Golf Teaching Professional class. He comes to the golf teaching industry after a career in public education, serving as a public school teacher and principal. But his start in golf is an interesting story.
Rice attended school in Michigan, and when the school system became integrated, he was invited to play golf. Thinking it was nothing more than hitting a ball and putting it into the hole, when asked what he shot for nine holes, he answered, “55.” Told he would never shoot that, the first time out he did right on the nose, and the next year he was down to a scratch. He read every book he could get his hands on in an effort to make himself a good golfer, and the efforts paid off.
Rice currently also teaches at the Legacy Golf Club in Las Vegas, and said he receives his greatest joy when his students learn and improve.
Tour “Pro” Update – Jon Rahm
WGTF Prepares to Launch New Site!
In our efforts to upgrade and improve every aspect of the USGTF and WGTF, the WGTF will launch a new website soon. The WGTF is a vital organization that brings many national teaching federations under one umbrella, developing a synergy that is crucial to the growth and strength of each individual federation.