Editorial – What it Takes to Win a Grand Slam

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.
Student Spotlight – Hunter Housa

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

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

Tour “Pro” Update – Jon Rahm

The golf world at large first became aware of Jon Rahm when he played in the 2015 Waste Management Open in Phoenix as an amateur, a member of the Arizona State University golf team. He finished in fifth place, just three shots behind champion Brooks Koepka. After that, he remained an amateur for over a year, capturing the top spot in the World Amateur Golf ranking for a still-record 60 weeks. He turned professional later in 2016 after the U.S. Open to much fanfare. Rahm finished third in his professional debut at the Quicken Loans National Since then, he has achieved the stardom virtually everyone expected, winning 12 times on both the PGA and European Tours and starring in Europe’s victory in the Ryder Cup in 2018. That stardom literally took a major step when he won the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, California, in June. In the process, he regained the world #1 ranking. Given the steady nature of his game, there is no reason to believe Rahm won’t be a major superstar for the next decade and perhaps more.
WGTF Prepares to Launch New Site!

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.
Tournament Central

Tournament Central

Northeast – Congratulations to Jonathan Dorfman, who won the USGTF Northeast Region Championship held at Mountain View Golf Course in Ewing, New Jersey, on June 17. Dorfman earned a first-place check of $700 for his winning play, firing a 74 to defeat runner up Joe Lee by three shots. Lee earned $400 for his efforts, with Jim Grow another stroke back at 78. Grow earned $300. On the Ladies’ side, Haiyan Wang took home top honors. The Northeast Championship regularly features the largest field of all the region championships.

Central – The USGTF Central Region Championship will take place on Sunday and Monday, August 1-2, at Pheasant Run Golf Course in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The entry fee is $215. Entry Deadline is July 18th. To enter or for more information, contact tournament and regional director Brent Davies at btkadavies@comcast.net.   Southwest – September 10-12, Golf Club at Twin Creeks, Allen, Texas. Entry fee $225 (includes Friday night dinner). Contact region director Bruce Sims at bsims@pga.com. Northwest – September 22-23, Northern California, more info to come. Contact region director Nathan Guerrrero at prtime.ng@hotmail.com. Be sure to visit www.USGTF.com in the Stay Informed section for registration details and updates.
USGTF National Office Staying Trendy

USGTF National Office Staying Trendy

 

The USGTF National Office has been making several positive changes to stay on top of technology. New updates to our administrative software and website programming have already been put in place. Continued focus will be put into our educational system as well, in an effort to be a more modern and stronger organization. The golf industry as a whole is rapidly evolving, and as leaders in the field of golf instruction, it is important for the USGTF to stay on top of the trends. We are committed to doing so and look forward to meeting the new challenges of the future.
Luxor Signed as Host Hotel For US Cup

Luxor Signed as Host Hotel For US Cup

The Luxor Las Vegas Hotel & Casino has been signed on as the host hotel for the 25th annual United States Golf Teachers Cup to be held Monday and Tuesday, October 18-19, at Revere Golf Club in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Luxor is one of the most sought-after properties on the Las Vegas strip. Rates of $155 on Saturday night and $55 from Sunday through Thursday are being offered to all participants. Also, practice round rates at the Revere are being offered at 25% off from October 11-17, use Group code (USCUP) when booking tee times online. The two day event will be held October 18-19. For more information or to register, visit www.USGolfTeachersCup.com! See you in Vegas!