Analysis of Tiger Woods’ New Swing
In the past two issues I analyzed Tiger Woods’ new setup and backswing, learned under new coach Hank Haney, and provided you with technical insights you can share with your fellow USGTF instructors and, more importantly, students who show a strong desire to learn how to hit more controlled power-fade tee shots. As you have learned, previously Tiger swung the club back on more of an exaggerated, tilted plane or angle, so that the club...
The Evolution of GOLF EQUIPMENT AND THE TEACHER
Ah, there’s nothing like the feeling of hitting a golf ball a long, long way, watching it soar seemingly forever. It doesn’t get much better than that, as they say. As late as the mid 1970s, technology in golf clubs and balls was so primitive that equipment played a very small role in the development and improvement of the average golfer. Most golfers knew the key to improving was to improve their skills. Looking back just 30...
Skiing lessons for golf teachers
Coaching in different sports is very similar to golf in more respects than you might imagine. People who play individual sports such as tennis and bowling face the same challenges golfers do: namely, to get rid of bad habits and develop consistency. In 1935, a book titled The Complete Book of Skiing was written by F. Hallberg and H. Muckenbrunn. In perusing the book, one finds truths applied to ski teachers back then that apply to the...
JOE NORWOOD The Semi-Mysterious Golf Instructor
Joe Norwood became a golf professional in 1910. He was in the era of Harry Vardon, Francis Ouimet, Walter Travis Jr., and other greats. He gained his fame by teaching Horton Smith, Charlie Sifford, Marilynn Smith, Mac O’Grady, and many present and future pros. To the men and women pro golfers of that era, he was very well known. Strange as it may seem though, he was not that famous to the general public. Back then, golf teachers...
My US Open qualifying experience
For some reason, I seem to play some of my best golf of the season during the United States Golf Teachers Cup. In the last issue of Golf Teaching Pro, you read about my good fortune in winning that championship five times. In this article, you’ll read about a competitive failure. Unless you’re Tiger Woods, or lately Phil Mickelson, you spend a lot more time losing than winning as a competitor – if losing is considered not finishing...
Great Teaching Analogies
Using analogies to help teach golf students is commonplace, and it has been for years. Students can learn plenty when you pass along improvement techniques through everyday and non-technical means. Do you use them? If not, you should. Here’s a brief look at some of the most popular analogies of all time. Percy Boomer – Turn in a Barrel One of the earliest golf teaching “gurus” gave the golf world one of its most lasting analogies....