Thank you, old school
As modern golf teaching professionals, we may all be inadvertently taking credit for the popularity and present boom to the incredible growth of the game. Taking an objective look into the history of our sport, however, it’s plain to see that the old school really deserves the credit. Here are just a few milestones in the deep history of our precious pastime: ● It is assumed back in medieval times that Scottish shepherds were...
The Changing Face of Golf Instruction Part V
VIDEO AND APPARATUS/ TEACHING AIDS Old teaching methods took place on the golf course, as there were no driving ranges, practice putting greens, and learning centers. Slowly, the driving ranges and practice putting greens were added, and under modern standards, it is extremely rare to build a golf course without the range and practice green. Now the practice areas are not simple hitting areas, but extensive and elaborate learning...
The Plane Truth
Ever since I started writing this column in 2000, I have always kept my eye out for what’s new in golf instruction, and often have been lucky enough to be directly involved with a controversial teacher who actually presents a new theory about golf. This is something extraordinary, considering we know there really is nothing that is truly “new-new.” Recently, while working on a new instruction book, The Plane Truth for Golfers, with...
The Challenge of Teaching Culturally Diverse Societies
Golf is undergoing a tremendous upward trend in Asia. The purpose of this article is to share the experiences of teaching golf in an Asian environment comprising a mix of cultures and nationalities. To maximize success as a golf teaching professional, it is necessary to understand why the client has developed an interest in learning golf. Instructing becomes difficult in a culture where saying “no” or “I can’t” are taboo for fear of a...
The Best are Never Satisfied
Socrates was credited with being one of the smartest men of his time. When he was asked what made him stand out among great men of philosophical wisdom, he replied, “My wisdom lay in this: unlike other men, I know how ignorant I am.” Basketball great Larry Bird followed this philosophy throughout his career. Although Bird was incredibly talented in many areas, he knew he had to keep improving. He said, “If I don’t keep changing, I’m...
Common Sense Teaching
Suppose a husband and wife came to you for lessons. You ask them what they want out of the lessons, and the husband says, “I want to stop slicing.” The wife says, “I just want to get the ball into the air.” You see that they have a myriad of problems which would require many lessons to straighten out. But, you also see that you can give them some quick instruction that would help reach their immediate goals, even though it would leave...
Why Don’t More Women Teach Golf?
When a golfer seeks out lessons from a teaching professional, chances are very strong that the lessons will be given by a man. Even 30 years after the passage of Title IX, which gave girls and young women greater access to athletic opportunities in the United States, the golf teaching business remains primarily a male- dominated arena. Why aren’t more women teaching golf? A look at some cold, hard, statistics gives us some initial...
Almost Heaven… West Virginia and Hickory Golf
“And the champion golfer for the year is Tiger Woods.” That’s what was said at the completion of this year’s Open Championship at St. Andrews. The wordswere repeated again on August 6th, only the name Mike Stevens was inserted at the appropriate time. It was the closing ceremony of the eighth National Hickory Championship at Oakhurst Links in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. Playing in the day’s final pairing, I and five...
Advice: To Give or Not to Give
If you’re like me, you’ve probably played in a Pro-Am or two in your lifetime. One of the more delicate issues that comes up is whether to help our amateur partners with their golf games. Of course, this can be dangerous territory. Our amateur partner hacks a few shots, and the inevitable “What am I doing wrong?” is uttered. We try to help, but often our “help” makes things worse. The amateur finishes the 18 holes much more frustrated...
Knowing when to refrain
If you’re like me, you’ve probably played in a Pro-Am or two in your lifetime. One of the more delicate issues that comes up is whether to help our amateur partners with their golf games. Of course, this can be dangerous territory. Our amateur partner hacks a few shots, and the inevitable “What am I doing wrong?” is uttered. We try to help, but often our “help” makes things worse. The amateur finishes the 18 holes much more frustrated...
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