Articles

By Mark Harman, USGTF Contributing Writer I teach at a golf retail store when I’m not executing my duties with the USGTF, and one of my side jobs is doing club fitting.  I’m not exaggerating when I say I’ve learned more than I ever really wanted to know about clubs these past three years!  Here’s a little bit of what I’ve learned: Irons – Generally, there are muscleback irons, good-players irons with slight forgiveness, good-players irons with technology, and game-improvement irons.  Clubs geared towards good players tend to have less offset and smaller heads, while game-improvement irons have more offset and bigger heads.  Good players who hit the ball relatively short for their skill level should seek out irons that have some distance technology.  Examples include Ping i500, Titleist T200,…

By Mark Harman, USGTF Contributing Writer Years ago, the only way lessons were given was for a student to show up on the driving range and an instructor would dispense advice after seeing a few balls hit.  This was usually accomplished by fixing, or attempting to fix, the student’s most glaring visual flaw.  Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t. As the video recorder age came about in the 1980s, it allowed teachers to break down the swing frame by frame.  The emphasis became fixing not only the most glaring visual fault, but trying to correct as many as possible during the allotted time.  While instructors knew about the ball flight laws, their knowledge was incorrect, as it was taught that the clubhead path through impact determined the ball’s starting direction. …

By Arlen Bento Jr. USGTF Contributing Writer One of my best golf putting lessons for new players or players that are struggling with distance control in putting is my 1-2-3 putter setup golf lesson. This concept is very simple yet very powerful for players that have a difficult time controlling speed on putts. What you want to do is to get your students to set up with a narrow putting stance on short putts, I call this the #1 setup; I only want enough space between the feet to allow 4-6 inches, or the length of one putter head. I like to actually place a putter between my feet to demonstrate the spacing. Once the spacing is in place, I instruct the player to only take the putter back to…

By Mike Stevens A sane person would never tackle a black slope on their first venture on a snow-packed mountain when skiing, although I have seen several broken appendages proving me otherwise. Remember, I said a sane person. Generally, one starts on the bunny hill to get a feel for the stance and posture and how to turn and stop without crashing. Then, maybe something a little more exciting, but it might be months before attempting a black. Ski slopes are set up to allow a progression, and the industry promotes learning in that manner. Instructors would never take an inexperienced person to an advanced run right off the bat. I wish golf took the same approach. It would be so easy to have a short course within a course and designate a…

By Mike Stevens Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy recently complained that there was not enough time between the major championships to adequately prepare. They were also critical that the season that used to carry into August was now over in July. I guess they forgot about the $15 million that players were chasing in the playoffs that concluded on August 25th. Rory could not understand how football could cause such a dramatic change in scheduling. Quite understandable, since Europeans have no idea how passionate we colonists are about the most popular sport in America. The NFL and NCAA take no back seat once the training camps and practice sessions begin. Is the time between major championships really an issue? I think that depends on whether you consider the Players a…

By Jordan Fuller, USGTF Contributing Writer It’s important to the growth and continued success of golf to introduce children to the game in a way that allows them to enjoy it and succeed quickly. Golf can be a very difficult game to learn at any age, but kids are actually uniquely suited to understand and develop good swing habits. So, it’s incredibly important to make sure they’re having fun while learning the building blocks that will translate into a lifetime of fun and success on the golf course. Here are a few tactics to make sure your junior clinics keep everyone entertained while teaching them important golf lessons! Putting contests The classic putting contest is still one of the best ways to foster friendly competition and teach kids the importance…

By Mike Stevens, USGTF Contributing Writer Watch any YouTube or golf magazine instructor and you’ll hear or see things about shaft lean, spine angle, hip rotation, etc., etc. What I rarely hear is any talk about tension and the ability to relax while swinging the club. Golf is a game that requires you to relax to play well. You don’t play golf to relax. Some of the golfers I learned from were very cognizant of tension. Bill Mehlhorn, Ernest Jones and even Walter Hagen discussed the importance of grip pressure and the ability to have a relaxed golf swing. It seems like today’s instructors are all about power. That’s fine for tour pros or professional athletes, but I find it disastrous for average golfers, especially seniors. I can’t tell you…

By Jordan Fuller, USGTF Contributing Writer Introducing a child to golf through coaching is a tremendous responsibility. In those formative years, a child could either embrace or walk away from golf, potentially, for the rest of their lives. Understanding the power that a coach has for a young golfer is the first step in creating a program that will allow junior golfers to continue their growth in this great game. Here are four fantastic ways to introduce golf to a child that will have them eager to come back to the course again and again. Clean Instruction When we talk about “clean instruction” with a child, it is wise to keep your direction to kids achievable and straightforward. You can’t expect them to understand correct grip, balance, and weight shifting…

By Mark Harman When I was a young teaching pro in 1991, a lady who was a dermatologist was in my golf class.  She observed I wore a visor one day, and no visor the next.  She inquired about this, and I said on the days I didn’t wear a visor I wore sunscreen, but on days I wore a visor, I didn’t think sunscreen was necessary.  She informed me that what I was doing was inadequate and that I needed to be wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunscreen, and to do this every day that I was outside. She made such an impression on me that I went out the very next day and bought a straw hat.  Twenty-eight years later, here in 2019, I still wear a wide-brimmed hat…

By Kenneth Weaver, USGTF Contributing Writer Do you need a website? For most golf teaching professionals that operate independently, the answer is typically a resounding yes, although there are a few exceptions that I will address shortly. On the other side of the coin are the golf teaching professionals who are employees of a golf club or golf school who may or may not have the responsibility of bringing students into the business. As we move forward, I will address the variables of these scenarios. If you are responsible for sourcing your students/customers, you must keep in mind that in this day and age, if a person is looking for goods and/or services, the first place they turn to is the internet. The most common place for them to start…

By Mike Stevens, USGTF Contributing Writer I don’t use Facebook nearly as much as some people do. I especially don’t get on to see political opinions. If and when I post, it is light stuff about things I find interesting, places I visit, or to see what friends or family are up to. Despite that, general topics seem to find their way into my stream whenever I do pull up the site. Mostly I ignore them, but one popped up the other day that caught my attention. It was titled the “Reverse Slice Sequence.” Apparently, one can cure their slice in 15 shots, according to the author. They claim a 99% success rate. It may be entirely true and is probably one of many ways to help fix a slice.…

By Thomas T Wartelle, WGTF Master Golf Teaching Professional and Examiner  Some of today’s golf instructors have gone over the top with the use of technology, terminology, and their claim to science.  To be clear, I am a science guy.  I have a degree in science.  I have always loved mechanics, engineering and science.  However, when you hear or read some of the propaganda that is being promoted by some of the “Top Teachers,” it is almost laughable. The invented terminology about the golf swing would make almost any true scientist or engineer cringe.  This phenomenon continues to perpetuate.  Many of these instructors seem to enjoy listening to themselves expound on their knowledge and their level of scientific expertise. I have witnessed instructors rattling off launch monitor numbers to golfers…

By: Kenneth Weaver When you consider the vast array of Social Media Platforms it can be a daunting task trying to decide exactly where your Social Media presence would be best suited. First you need to take a close look at your reasons for having a social media presence. Here are a few of the primary reasons why you need a social presence. Establish credibility with new clients/prospects Networking with consumers & Industry leaders Increase business leads/sales Boost SEO for your business website Competitive advantage SMM Drives targeted traffic to your website Helps you build relationships with your audience Which Social Platform/s should I use? That can vary depending on the focus of your business as well as the time and energy you have available to maintain your social presence.…

By Mike Stevens, USGTF contributing writer In the movie A league of Their Own, Gina Davis, the star player, tells Tom Hanks, the manager, she is quitting because the game is too hard. He replies, “It’s supposed to be hard; if it was easy, everyone would do it. It’s the hard that makes it great.” The difficulty is often cited as a reason golf’s population has declined in recent years or why people don’t take up the game as readily as some might like. I think it’s nonsense. Like anything that is a challenge, few will embrace the challenge, but most won’t. But in a country of 350 million, a few is still a lot. They say 24 million people play golf. Plenty for a thriving industry. Is it too…

By David Vaught, USGTF Master Teacher and Hall of Fame Member With spring comes the excitement of a new golf season. Helping your students prepare for a fun and great ball striking season is a tremendous opportunity to build loyalty and get referrals. One of my core beliefs about the game and the struggle to improve is how poorly and unstructured the average golfer’s practice is. As an instructor, you can make a difference in how your students prepare for success. Let’s lay out some simple solutions and a sample plan to get the wheels turning in your mind about how this can be a success for you and your student. Most all of us know the difference between block practice and varied practice, but we should do a quick review.…

By Thomas T Wartelle, WGTF Master Professional There are five human performance factors that affect distance and direction: Direction 1) Position of clubface at impact to the Intended Target Line: The initial path, the curve of the ball during its flight, and where the ball will finish are all greatly influenced by the clubhead position at impact. 2) Path of the clubhead at impact to the Intended Target Line: The initial direction of the ball is slightly influenced by the clubhead path at impact. Path and clubface position at impact influence the amount of tilt of the spin axis imparted on the golf ball. Direction/Distance 3) Angle of approach: The angle of approach of the clubface at impact influences ball flight, the initial launch angle, spin rate, and true loft…

By: Kenneth Weaver I’ll cut straight to the point by stating one simple fact: Your business needs a “healthy” social media presence. Having a social media presence has reached the level where it is “expected”. If people search for you or your business and you don’t have a “healthy” presence on social media they often move on to the next business that does. A healthy and viable social media presence should be an essential element of your marketing strategy. There is never a “wrong time” to start building a social media presence. With that being said it is vital that your presence reflects yourself and your business in a professional manner. This is especially important in the golf industry (I’ll address this specific topic in an upcoming article). A consistent…

By Mike Stevens What’s the big whoop about new and simplified rules? I guess it’s human nature to resist change, but anything to speed up play is good, in my opinion. I just wonder why it took so long to get these implemented. The process began back in 2012. Remember the Nike ad – “Just Do It.” Heck, if you’re the so-called ruling body, you should be able to make whatever changes are in the best interest of the game. There were originally 13 basic rules, and except for the one saying you must tee off within one clublength from the hole, they served the game well for hundreds of years. Now, there will be 24, down from 34. They’re going in the right direction. But here is the real rub: 90…

By Ben Bryant In early 2016, I wrote about the advent of virtual reality and its potential impact on the future of the golf industry.  Two and a half years later, virtual reality equipment is becoming more and more ubiquitous.  Some of the top holiday season sales are for VR gear from companies like Oculus and HTC.  One of the top movies last Spring was Ready Player One, a film about how VR will soon consume our society.  With VR becoming more and more popular, it’s time to revisit this trend and see how it’s affecting the entertainment industry generally and golf industry. Getting a top-of-the-line VR setup isn’t cheap. First, you’ll need a pretty powerful computer to operate the software.  Next, you’ll need to buy the VR equipment.  The…

By Mike Stevens, USGTF contributing writer I’m going to bare my soul here. I mean push the door wide open. It might be one of the toughest decisions to make, especially if you are competitive in nature. That is recognizing when your skills are no longer adequate to compete at a high level. I find myself in such a situation. I guess I can blame it on age; after all, I am 68. Or that I play with 100-year-old clubs. Even with them, I was still playing at a high level. Started noticing little things over the past couple of years. My driving distance declined by 10% and I might be fudging that. Reaching par-four holes required more low irons and often a fairway wood. Par-fives, two good woods and I…

By Cole Golden, WGTF Master Golf Teaching Professional More than 20 years ago when I became a certified golf teaching professional, golf was a different game. Multi-layer golf balls weren’t around, launch monitors didn’t exist and high-tech video systems weren’t available. Many players weren’t focused on being a well-rounded player who focused on fitness for one reason or another. The college or mini-tour level golfers I knew could be described as the “partiers.” Tiger Woods altered the trajectory of the game by making an impact on advertising, the purse of golf tournaments, clothing and the cool-factor – especially with attracting athletes form other sports. But the most noticeable change was emphasizing the importance of a golfer being a well-rounded athlete through nutrition, strength and conditioning. If you look at the…

By Cole Golden, WGTF Master Golf Teaching Professional In September, after losing in a playoff at the BMW Championship, Justin Rose gained enough points to take over as the #1 player in the world. Many might remember a young 17-year-old man playing in the 1998 Open Championship as an amateur. Rose holed his last shot from the rough to finish tied for 4th place. It would have been easy for fans to assume that he would be the #1 golfer in the world soon. But it wasn’t. Rose turned pro shortly after the Open Championship, and missed the cut in his first 21 straight professional tournaments. He finally got his European Tour card in 1999 after making it through qualifying school, but lost it a year later and had to…

By Mike Stevens So, the USGA and the R&A have decided to study all aspects concerning the effect of golf ball distance in golf. It includes amateur and professional golfers worldwide, golf course owners and operators, golf equipment manufacturers, golf course architects and golf course superintendents. It wasn’t that long ago that they concluded that distance was not an issue. I wonder what changed. I have no idea how much they are going to spend on this research, but in the end, I’ll bet it comes down to something simple. In fact, I can save them a lot of time and effort. The only issues concerning distance is the added cost of maintenance due to lengthening and toughening up golf courses, plus the hour or so longer it takes to…

By Thomas T Wartelle, WGTF Master Golf Teaching Professional One issue I often see in golfers is the loss of spine angle at impact. This problem is often experienced by high handicappers and tour players alike. The flaw can effect several factors of impact dynamics. One such factor could be the the quality of strike (centeredness of contact) resulting in inconsistent contact. We hear people say that they “picked up their head,” but in reality they changed their spine angle from address to the impact position. When loss of spine angle at impact occurs with better players, often there is a compensation to save the shot. This could be saving the impact with excess hand action or another compensation such as curving the spine. The good player can get away…

By Ben Bryant WGCA contributing writerThe first week of school is an important week for all high school coaches.  For me, it’s not only the first opportunity to meet the students I’ll teach all year, but it’s also the beginning of the golf season, with new players and parents showing up at the golf course.  How first meetings go are vital to laying a foundation for a positive relationship between you (the teacher) and your players.  Using positive body language can be a vital component in that foundation. Columbia University did a recent study where participants were placed in a variety of situations where positive body language techniques were used, but the participants discussed negative and depressing topics.  They also created scenarios where participants used negative body language techniques but discussed…

By Arlen Bento Jr. If you play golf and love the game, at some point you will notice a loss in distance. Usually, this is due to age, just getting older, losing flexibility and strength. Over years, many golfers just don’t realize how much distance they have been losing, because over time, they have been making adjustments to their equipment, changing shafts, finding better club technologies and switching golf balls designs. Ultimately, the loss of distance reaches a point where the golfer gets discouraged and starts to seek answers. For over 20 years I have been helping people with their golf games, and the number one reason people come to see me is that they want more distance. Here is a plan that can help any player that is looking…

Thomas T Wartelle USGTF contributing writer We all have been in the situation of preparing for an important round of golf. Many times, I have seen good golfers poorly prepare for the opening tee shot of the day. Getting off to a good start can set the tone for the whole day. Below are some tips to help a golfer get the day started off on a positive note and a successful round of golf: Before You Tee Off How to Prepare Before the Round: Try to make the time before your tee-off stress free. Feel as if you do everything in slow motion without rushing or stress before an important round of golf. The great player Cary Middlecoff was known for a long, slow swing. His play was deliberate…

Ben Bryant USGTF contributing writer It’s that time of the year again when the school year has finished up and parents need to find something for their kids to do during the long summer days. As a golf coach, my first instinct is to brainstorm all the things necessary to organize a successful summer camp; all the nuts and bolts and logistics that go into keeping 30 grade school-age children entertained. Instead, I’d like to put on a different hat for a minute: that of the parent of an energetic six-year-old boy. From this perspective, what would be the important things to look for in a successful golf camp? Building Friendships One of the groomsmen in my wedding was a friend I made at a summer camp when I was…

By Ben Bryant USGTF contributing writer For those of us in the golf business, the summer season can be a challenge. In Florida, the summer months are so unbearably hot that many people can’t imagine being outside at all, much less playing a round of golf for four hours. As a golf teacher, how do I make the most of one of the slower times of the year? Even if you live up north where the summer might be the only time to play and practice, these tips could still make a difference in growing your clientele: Capitalize on the major tournaments If you check out Google search trends for “golf” on a yearly basis, you can see how interest in the sport spikes right around the beginning of April,…

By Mike Stevens, USGTF contributing writer I love watching the European Tour. They are not afraid to try different things. A few weeks ago, I turned on the Austrian Open on Golf Channel one morning and as I watched a player get ready to hit a shot, a clock was ticking down on the television screen. Oh yeah, I remembered this was the tournament where a shot clock was introduced. Each player had 40 seconds to play a shot or incur a penalty of one shot. Players were also allowed to call a timeout twice per round, giving them twice the allotted time to put the ball in play. It was fantastic, and the action was nonstop. No incessant watching a player spend several minutes preparing to hit a shot…

By Cole Golden, WGTF Master Golf Teaching Professional At this year’s Zurich Championship, the two-man teams started their match by walking out to the first tee accompanied by the music of their choice.  Some players went for old-school rock music, while others selected today’s Top 40 hits.  Most reactions were extremely positive.  Players liked it; fans liked it.  Is this a trend that will continue? About four years ago, I remember hearing music for the first time on the golf course.   A member added speakers to his personal golf cart.  At first I was not a fan at all.  It bothered me for some reason; maybe it was his choice of music!  Now on a Saturday at our club, almost every group has music playing, either through small speakers or…

By, Cole Golden, WGTF Master Golf Teaching Professional Last weekend, I attended the USGTF Southwest Region Championship hosted at Ridgeview Ranch Golf Club in Plano, Texas. The two-day event was held over the weekend. I left Kansas on Thursday afternoon, and prior to packing I looked at the forecast, which called for temperatures in the low 90s and ZERO chance of rain! Saturday’s forecast was spot-on, hot and windy. While at dinner that evening, afternoon showers were added to the weather report; no big deal for our event, since we were teeing off in the morning. Sunday morning, I woke up to the sound of rain outside my hotel window. A few afternoon showers had turned into rain all day. As you can guess, I didn’t come prepared. When I…

By Mike Stevens, USGTF contributing writer The Royal & Ancient Golf Club just unveiled a new Women in Golf Charter as a drive to encourage more women and girls to play the game and work in the industry. Only a couple of centuries too late, but at least they have acknowledged that their behavior toward the fair sex has been woeful over the years. The new executive director of the R&A, Martin Slumbers, has thrown his full support behind the effort, which is nice to see from an organization that didn’t even allow women into their clubhouse. Men have a right to have their own club as do women, I get it. But there have been too many times when men have purposely discouraged females from taking up the game.…

By Mike Stevens, USGTF contributing writer Just ran across a study by a group named ARCCOS, a golf-tracking statistics organization that found over the last three years the average golfer has actually lost distance. Can it be? With all the technology involved in golf these days, from launch monitors to TrackMan to speed slots, the average golfer has lost about three yards. Maybe it is time to refer to that Shakespeare line, “A tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” Or, as Barnum may or may not have said, there’s one born every minute. Now, I don’t know how many drivers have been introduced over the past three years, but I’d guess in the hundreds. Every club was touted as the longest ever assembled. Yet,…

By Cole Golden, WGTF Master Golf Teaching Professional Earlier in April, the Masters golf tournament was contested. For many people in the United States, it symbolizes the official start of the golf season. In the colder parts of the nation – especially those of us in the Midwest or further north – the season is beginning to kick off. With the excitement of a new golf season building, it is time to start planning your calendar for events. First and foremost, you should plan an October trip to the United States Golf Teachers Cup, which will combine with the Canadian Golf Teachers Cup in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Other golfers might also plan on trying to qualify for the U.S. Open, Senior U.S. Open, Monday qualifiers for Web.com events or other…

By Thomas T Wartelle, WGTF Master Golf Teaching Professional I never saw my Pop play a round of golf. I saw him hit a golf ball only once in my life. He hit a left-handed persimmon wood about 250 yards with a draw. Although he followed me while I played, or caddied for me many times, I never saw him hit another golf ball again. Pop still smiles when I tell him about my golf and loves to hear about my son’s (his grandson’s) golfing achievements. When Pop was with me on the golf course, he was always supportive. He knew the difficulties of the game of golf. I think he saw golf as a parallel to life. When I wanted to turn pro, he immediately said, go do it.…

By Mark Harman USGTF Master Golf Teaching Professional In our scientific age where we can measure to the tenth of a degree a golfer’s swing path and clubface angle, it can be addicting to try to reach perfection or near-perfection in results or technique. When you hear gurus on TV break down a top professional’s swing, they often point to most minute details to explain why said golfer is either succeeding or failing. This attention to detail, while on the surface plausible, can actually be detrimental to a golfer, regardless of skill level. One of the truisms of a golf swing is that it is more important to have a repeating swing than a perfect swing. And some of the repeating swings that our students make can often be quite…

By Mike Stevens,USGTF contributing Writer One thing the world will never run out of is golf balls. Wandering the aisles of the PGA show, I found no less than a dozen ball manufacturers. I guess it’s nice to make a product that often gets lost with one swing of the crooked stick. I’m all for competition, but what I find most interesting is how each company makes several kinds of orbs in their repertoire. There are soft balls, spin balls, high flight, low flight, weight-balanced or multi-layered. It is enough to make your head explode. Most golfers I know couldn’t care less. What matters most to the average player is price, because they aren’t good enough to feel a difference from one ball to the next. Unless it’s a Christmas…

By Cole Golden, WGTF Master Golf Teaching Professional By now, everyone has seen or heard what happened at the Farmers Insurance Open in January at Torrey Pines on the 18th hole with J.B. Holmes. For those would like a recap, Holmes was down two shots to the clubhouse leader and needed an eagle to tie. His two playing partners also had a chance to win, one with a birdie and the other with an eagle. J.B. took over four minutes to finally play his lay-up shot (we can discuss this in a later article). J.B. is renowned as a slow player, even though he has worked on speeding up over the course of the past few years. Throughout the day, he would take 5-10 practice swings before each shot. The…

By Thomas T Wartelle, WGTF Master Teaching Professional Great ball strikers all have something in common. They consistently achieve five factors at impact in relation to the intended target line.  I abbreviate “intended target line” as ITL.  The ITL is the benchmark target the golfer is trying reach starting at impact. The five human performance factors at impact are: 1) clubface position to the ITL, 2) club path to the ITL, 3) centeredness of contact, 4) angle of approach, and 5) clubhead speed.  All great ball strikers achieve a high level of each of these components.  However, two really stand out, clubface position and centeredness of contact.   If one does not strike the ball with the center of gravity or sweet spot of the golf club, there can be…

By Cole Golden, USGTF Master Golf Teaching Professional Tiger Woods recently announced that, after three years, he is no longer working with his golf instructor Chris Como.  Of course, with this type of decision, the public is ready to critique both the pros and cons.  Tiger has been playing golf at a high level for a long time.  He has had some of the top teachers in the world like Butch Harmon, Hank Haney, Sean Foley and Como.  His longest lasting coach/student relationship was with Harmon, for almost seven years. Between all of the instruction Tiger has had over the course of his lifetime, one would assume his knowledge and understanding of the golf swing in general – not to mention his golf swing – is very high.  Tiger should be able…

By Cole Golden, WGTF Master Golf Teaching Professional A month ago at the World Golf Teachers Cup at Boulder Creek Golf Club in sunny Las Vegas, a demo day was held before the tournament started.  Different teaching-aid manufacturers were in attendance to share the latest and greatest in technology to make improvements to one’s game.  Like most teaching professionals, we have our go-to training aids.  I spent almost two hours visiting with the reps of these training aids. During my visits with each vendor, I continuously learned new things.  It made me laugh, because I always feel like we need to grow our skill set as teaching professionals, and an opportunity presented itself to help me do just that.  An even bigger benefit was that I noticed I wasn’t the…

By Mike Stevens,USGTF contributing Writer I just got back from the World Golf Teachers Cup gathering in Las Vegas. On the driving range, we were treated to demonstrations of several training aids. Some to increase swing speed, some to improve impact position and some to improve the overall swing motion. Over the years, I have used or recommended certain training aids to students based on their specific needs. I believe there is value in using them if one is committed to getting better. The key word is committed. That takes effort, and effort is not easy because it takes time. No truer words than “Rome was not built in a day” can be applied to learning golf techniques. It takes time and commitment. One of the problems I see when…

By Thomas T Wartelle, USGTF contributing Writer A good backswing sets the body into a coiled position ready to return to the clubhead squarely and powerfully at impact. The backswing is a series of motions that set the club in position for a proper downswing. Golfers do not hit the ball with their backswing, but a good backswing is a simple, repeatable movement that starts the sequence of the swing to the moment of truth – impact. Most good players have a starting “trigger move” that signals the start of the backswing. Common backswing starting trigger moves are: • A gentle waggle movement back and forward with the club, hands and wrists, which can ease any tensions in the set-up, and encourage a smooth, rhythmic beginning of the backswing. •…

By Cole Golden, WGTF Master Golf Teaching Professional Friendship can develop in many different areas of your life: family, church, school, work, hobbies and even competitors. I’d like to focus on the latter. In 2010, I played in the United States Golf Teachers Cup at Primm Valley, just outside of Las Vegas. One of my playing partners in the first round was Matt Smith, who hails from Ohio. To say I had a rough start to my game is an understatement. A cart came flying over a hill to our tee box to see me teeing off, and then proceeded to lock up their brakes, squealing across the cart path. Then my 3-wood went about 40 yards to the left into a pond. That triple bogey, plus another three bogeys…

By Mike Stevens, USGTF Contributing Writer The FedEx Cup is golf’s answer to playoffs, which is supposed to keep up interest after the fourth major is completed. In the past, most people did not care much about golf after the PGA Championship. They even called it the silly season. Enter the FedEx playoffs, a good idea since most people look forward to the playoffs in other sports at the end of their seasonal run. The only problem is that when you get to the finals, there is this Tour Championship which may or may not be won by the playoff champion. It’s all a bit strange. Even the playoff format is a bit weird. You can miss the cut in the first playoff round and still advance. I think you…

By Cole Golden WGTF Master Golf Teaching Professional Recently, after Jordan Spieth’s and Justin Thomas’ major wins, much has been said in regards to their friends being part of the celebration. It just so happens that these “friends” are other players on the Tour and can be found on the 18th green cheering on their buddies to victory. This has been a hot topic within the golf community. Is it good or bad for the game? Some might say this behavior is abnormal. We never saw Tiger waiting around to congratulate Phil, or vice versa. I don’t think we ever will. The media wanted to play a “villain vs. hero” during that era. We don’t know if there was bad blood between them or not; it’s purely speculation. With the…

By Cole Golden, USGTF Master Golf Teaching Professional I recently had a student who was going to play in one of the largest amateur golf tournaments in the state. He had been working on his game and playing really well. He was excited and ready to show off his golf game. This was the biggest tournament and best field he had ever played against. The evening after the first round, I received a phone call from him. He told me how nervous he was and he could barely breathe prior to teeing off. His hands were shaking and sweaty. He had a hard time thinking positive thoughts versus thinking only the worst. His first tee ball? You can guess it: he came over it so bad he barely hit the…

By Cole Golden USGTF Level IV Member I recently had the good fortune to take the golf trip of a lifetime to Ireland (thanks to my lovely bride who surprised me for my birthday).  There were eight of us who made the trip across the pond and spent seven days playing some of the most beautiful courses in the world.  While the trip was planned through a travel agent who specializes in these types of adventures, I want to share some of the tips and tricks I learned along the way.  I highly recommend traveling to Ireland, which I know is on many of your bucket lists. Pre-Trip Preparations       While using a travel agency increases the cost, they handled all logistics:  transportation, lodging, restaurant recommendations, course reservations,…

By Bob De Caro, USGTF Certified Golf Teaching Professional, Wyckoff, New Jersey I’m upset! Recently, while listening to some instructional segments on PGA Tour Radio, I heard the pro thoroughly explain the swing sequence. Yet, why are there so many listeners repeatedly asking the same fundamental questions about swinging over the top, slicing the ball and not being able to deliver the club from the inside? I can’t help but visualize the pro tightening his jaw before answering once again. It’s apparent to me that the listeners do not actually realize that the problem lies in understanding how the swing sequence is executed. I’m upset, not because the pro isn’t doing a good job of explaining the correct swing sequence, but because the player doesn’t seek out what is really…

Like most people, I spent part of Father’s Day weekend watching this year’s U.S. Open at Erin Hills. While there is much debate on whether it was a successful U.S. Open for the USGA, I clued in on a different feature of the game. Fox Sports’ utilization of the ProTracer technology on a majority of the shots made it easy to watch the shape and trajectory of the player’s golf shots take form. Brooks Koepka plays a left-to-right ball flight, a fade. Hole after hole, I was impressed to note that he hardly ever went away from it. Even when the hole might have been better suited for a draw, he continued to play his go-to golf shot. While I admit I didn’t watch every shot, of the ones I…

The Zurich Classic was held this past April on the PGA Tour.  The event changed its format from a normal stroke-play, individual event to a two-man team.  Both four-somes and four-ball formats were put into play.  This was a great move by the tournament committee for a number of reasons, the major one being that it increased participation by top-notch golfers, thus boosting viewership and sponsorship. In the past few years, the overall field had declined for the Zurich.  In my opinion, the top players in the world were skipping the event because it didn’t fit their schedule, or they didn’t enjoy the course.  The “buzz” was not there, a nightmare for any tournament committee and sponsors.  As a result, the committee decided they needed to make a change to…

As spring begins to present itself to most of the country, golf season is on a lot of people’s minds, from students to teachers alike. It’s important to shake off the cobwebs that might have developed by getting back to the basics and working on fundamentals. As golf teaching professionals, this advice applies to us as well. As teachers, we might not play as much as we would like; however, our students look to us as good players and examples of how to master the sport. Our golf game doesn’t have to be of tour quality, but it does need to be good enough to demonstrate certain areas of the swing. Too often, golf teachers don’t work on their games as much as they should, and it is visible to…

There is a new trend in the world of professional golf:  shorter drivers.  I’m not referencing the actual driving distance, but rather the length of the actual club.  Ricky Fowler and Jimmy Walker are two players who have reduced the length of their driver.  If the some of the best players in the world are doing this, should your students do this as well? As golf teaching professionals, one of the most common requests from a student is the desire to hit the ball farther.  From an amateur to members of the PGA Tour, everyone wants the distance.  So why is shortening the length of the driver shaft a good thing? A few things occur when you shorten the driver shaft.  It’s easier to hit the ball more solidly; with…

Observing my 11-year old son grow up in the game of golf is such a wonderful gift. As I watch him traverse the golf course, it brings back my own childhood memories. My son is lucky; his poppa plays golf and is a golf professional. I did not have such a luxury as a kid. While my son has been playing golf since he could walk, I started relatively late – the ripe old age of 13. It started when I found a broken club in a trash bin. A little duct tape and voila, my journey began. I grew up in a large athletic family; however, nobody in my family really played golf. Later, I found out that my grand poppa had been a scratch golfer in the 1920s.…

In school we normally received a progress report every semester. It showed where your grades were and would give you a good idea of where you were doing well or where you needed to improve. In golf, we need to do this also, but it comes in two different forms. As a player, we need to assess where we are, both good and bad. It can be like a report card with A, B, C, D or F grades. Beyond the grade, we need to add notes that get specific on what needs to be worked on. Once we have our progress report, then we can design our practice routine to help our improvement. This is called self-evaluation, something a lot of us are already doing. Our students need help…

From 1977 to 2013, there were six rounds of 59 scored on the PGA tour. That is a span of 36 years. Already this year there have been two rounds under 60. There was even a 58 shot on the Web.com tour. Professional golfers are overpowering courses of late. Justin Thomas just shot 27 under par to win the Sony Open with the lowest 72-hole total in history. At the recent Tournament of Champions, seven golfers hit drives over 400 yards with Dustin Johnson topping the charts at 427. I would need a driver and 3-iron to get where Dustin did in one shot. I guess this is the future of golf. The question I pose: Is all this good for golf? For the pros, maybe, but for the average…

As I glance out the window, snow is falling along with the temperature.  Playing golf is a ways off in our neck of the woods, just like it is for many of my fellow golf teaching professionals. So, what can we do to bide the time until we can play outdoors?  This is the time to plan indoor teaching, maybe even rebrand our teaching business.  It is also a chance to take a little trip with some students. Students are just like us, they get stir crazy this time of year.  They want to play golf and enjoy some sunshine.  Now is a great time to offer your students a chance to go on a golf vacation with personalized instruction from you.  Done properly, you won’t have to pay much for…

Every so often, the USGA will review and make changes to the rule book. I have been less than impressed with the last few efforts on their part. Since slow play is a major source of complaints about golf these days, maybe they should turn their efforts to changes that would speed up the game. I have three suggestions that would help. First would be to change the search rule from 5 minutes to 1 minute. I know that people hate to lose golf balls, especially Pro-V1s that most people should not even be using. But come on, if you can’t afford to lose one, then play a cheaper ball. If you don’t see it within a minute, then move on with your life. That brings me to the second…

The beginning of the year is the perfect time to evaluate your instruction program and find the keys to becoming more successful. Thousands of instructors over the last ten years have utilized technology to gain more students and improve the quality of their lessons. But you may have asked yourself what and how you can do the same? Launch monitors, dynamic balance mats, high-tech swing apparatuses, dynamic putting analysis systems and body position feedback vests have vaulted golf instruction into the 21st century. The two main concerns of these high-tech items for any instructor are the ease of use, and of course, the cost. Looking at ease of use, instructors need to be diligent and do their homework. The first step is finding out from the source of the technology…

This past fall I received a call from a local high school coach about helping their freshman team. While some high school programs have experienced players, most don’t, especially when it comes to girls’ golf. Some of the players have never played or even been on a golf course. This particular golf coach wanted me to teach the players about golf course etiquette, rules and course strategy. The first day we all met in the clubhouse to go over Golf 101. Lots of diagrams and basic information. The girls did a great job asking questions. For the next few practices we walked a couple of holes on the course. We discussed basic concepts: where to stand when someone is hitting, who plays their golf shot first, rules infractions, where to…

When I started teaching golf twenty years ago, there wasn’t very much technology available to the average player.  If you were lucky, you might have had a video camera to film someone’s golf swing.  You would video your student, take the tape out of the camera, and then go inside to find a television to watch and break down their golf swing.  Times have changed! Today, technology is in every part of golf, from fitting clubs and teaching the golf swing to looking at the putting stroke.  While watching the game on TV, you see the ProTracer technology in use.  Launch monitors have changed the way golf is taught, because they provide instantaneous feedback.  No longer do you have to wait to see your golf swing; each shot can be…

As winter enters most areas of the country, now is a great time to brainstorm with your students on things they can do to improve their golf games for the spring.  One area most players want to improve is gaining distance.  One of the quickest ways to improve distance is to increase your flexibility. As people get older, they lose their flexibility and have to make a conscious choice to work on it.  As golf teaching professionals, we can recommend programs to them to help improve in this area.  If they work on their flexibility all winter, come spring they will be ready to jump back into lessons and already be on the right track to improve their game. A few years ago, I partnered with a local fitness instructor…

By Mark Harman USGTF Master Golf Teaching Professional When I first picked up a golf club at the age of 12 in 1974, I immediately dreamed of playing on the Tour and making a living as a professional golfer. I always enjoyed competition, whether it be Little League baseball, golf, or playing in a pickup football or basketball game. That first year I played, I was shooting around 50 for nine holes by the end of summer, so I made double bogey my “par.” I remember playing in “tournaments”as I tooled my way around the course, my imagination running wild as I tried to better my personal par of 54. When I got into high school, I went out for the golf team but wasn’t good enough to crack either the varsity or junior varsity (JV) lineup as a freshman. I kept at it, and as a sophomore I was able to make it as…