Inspirational Golf Teachers
Inspiration takes many forms. Singular as a snowflake, it can float languidly into one’s consciousness, delight suddenly with its originality, or be as simple as a word of encouragement. For golf instructors, sources of inspiration often arise from remembered encounters with their own teachers, sometimes decades earlier – with impressions that can last a lifetime.
To golf’s finest and most successful teachers, demonstrating proper alignment or correcting a swing flaw pales in importance to the larger task: Helping players learn that the game offers never-ending opportunities for enjoyment, self-knowledge and personal advancement. Many USGTF instructors, leaders in the field, can pinpoint without hesitation one or
more golf teachers who influenced their own methods and philosophy.
Michael Wolf recalls his first foray into golf as a caddie at Evansville Country Club in Evansville, Indiana, at age 13, where Chuck Cook was the head golf professional. While no one
in Wolf’s family played golf, he took quickly to the game, worked hard and loved it from the start. Cook recognized this.
“One day I sliced the ball and asked Mr. Cook if he could help me,” said Wolf. “He put me in a cart, took me to the range and taught me how to hook the ball; it took ten minutes, and
it worked.
“I’ve always remembered the wonderful satisfaction it gave me. I admired his expertise and professionalism, his knowing the difference between a kid and an adult, but understanding that we all have a chronological age and a golf age.” Cook charged Wolf nothing for the lesson, which Wolf never forgot. Now, as Wolf teaches all kinds of people from sunrise to sunset as an experienced paid professional, something lingers from his early experience all those years ago.
“I always make sure I give some instruction away,” said Wolf, “certainly because of the time Chuck Cook spent with me.”
For Bill Rice, inspiration came in the form of reading and research. He sees his golf teaching as a natural extension of his prior experience as an artist and a public-school educator. Among his students now are youngsters involved in The First Tee of Southern Nevada.
“I never had a golf instructor; I was self-taught,” said Rice. “I am a teacher, so I was able to look at the greats, including Byron Nelson and Ken Venturi, to study their swings and techniques. I eliminated all but Byron Nelson, who made the most sense. Ken Venturi was a protégé of Nelson, so he made sense, too.”
Rice studied what Nelson and Venturi offered as practical instructional advice, and used what he learned as a foundation for his own golf teaching program, focusing on the natural use of the body to produce an athletic swing.
“I was not a natural athlete as a young man, although my brothers were,” Rice said. “I didn’t have aptitude. I learned to golf quite well, though. In one year, 1975, I went from beginner to scratch player, studying Jack Nicklaus, Jimmy Ballard, all of them – anyone who had a book or video. When I found Ken Venturi, I said to myself, ‘This is it.’”
Rice’s lifelong teaching experience led him to pursue the process of eliminating those things that weren’t sound, in his view. There is a difference, he says, between what is feel and what is real.
“I decided to go with what is real – what I know is real, rather than what I feel.”
Bill Baldes did a lot of reading, too. He was introduced to golf in 1964, when at age 21 he played at Van Cortland Park in the Bronx, New York, the fi rst public golf course in the U.S.
“Back then,” said Baldes, “most people who lived in the Bronx couldn’t afford lessons. A bunch of us started out at the same time; it was like a neighborhood thing.”
Baldes remembers being entranced by the honor and individuality of the game, respect for the rules, and the way golfers treated one another. The fi rst instructor who caught his attention was Harvey Penick, whose Little Red Book, written with Bud Shrake, left a lasting impression.
“I admired Penick’s character,” Baldes remarked. “Something about him struck a chord in me.”
What Baldes took from Penick’s approach was to teach individuals, rather than the golf swing. This involved getting to know students; teach them, let them practice what they’ve learned, and then question them; use imagery and other effective methods. Baldes, who also liked what Penick had to say about giving back, donates lessons as prizes to charity events.
In addition, Baldes admires Hank Haney, whom he met about fi ve years ago. What he learned from Haney is not to try to change a student’s grip right away. Rather, examine a golfer’s basic setup and correct whatever is causing the biggest swing problem. Later, that player will have a better chance of remembering grip instruction. This teaching order holds true, Baldes says, unless a player “…shows up with an awful grip. Then, of course, you have to change it.”
A multi-sport athlete in high school, Larry Clee learned to play golf when a coach showed him how. There was no golf team at his school, just a club team. Clee liked hitting the golf ball and everything about the game.
“I wish I had known then what I know now…I’d be on the Senior Tour,” Clee said.
The instructor who made a lasting impression on Clee was Mike Bender. They played golf together and Clee took some lessons.
“Mike was a very good teacher,” said Clee. “He had no favorites, putting us all at ease. And, he did a lot of work with video, which is how I got interested in it.
“He had a great personality,” Clee remarked, “even when he would get a little bit tough on you at times. He made sure you did it right until you had it right, a method I incorporated into my own teaching style.”
Sometimes a serendipitous meeting can help with physical problems, too. A few years ago, USGTF member Patrick J. Montana, Ph.D., had the chance to meet instructor Dr. Jim Suttie, the result of which was to help ameliorate Montana’s back problem.
“I was impressed with Jim’s low-key, soft-spoken demeanor,” said Montana, “and the way he identified what I could change in my swing to take tension off my back. He brought me into his studio to show me video of my swing, then brought me out to the range for some individualized practice points, which helped me a lot.”
It was the personal attention from Suttie that Montana found most impressive, a philosophy he himself employs when teaching his university classes on time management, business management, and golfprogram organization.
The single most effective teaching technique is good communication, according to Dave Shaver, who believes instructor Fred Griffin exemplifies that skill superbly. Griffin has had a significant influence on Shaver’s own teaching style.
“Fred is knowledgeable and explains technical things simply and succinctly,” Shaver said. “He is a great communicator – very laid back, doesn’t get excited.” Shaver, who learned to play golf at age 12 from his father, a high school teacher and golf coach, first met Griffin in 1989 when he attended Griffin’s golf school at Grand Cypress Golf Academy in Orlando, Florida, where what then was known as ModelGolf (now SwingModel) was in use.
“What I liked about it was that it is more of a scientific approach rather than an opinion-based approach,” said Shaver, who still uses the system. “Fred made the learning experience clear and accelerated it tremendously with his communication skills. Everything I do I learned from Fred.”
For John Savage, a moment of inspiration came in 1985 while dining with his friend Bill Kelly at Rancocas Golf Club in Willingboro Township, New Jersey, where Savage had been invited to play. He was introduced to Colleen Walker (now deceased), then the number two-ranked LPGA Tour player, who was there with her boyfriend (later her husband), Ron Bakich, the club’s golf instructor.
“When I met Colleen, I didn’t know who she was,” Savage said. “Bill and I were teeing off on the 10th hole when I asked him if he took lessons from Ron. Bill answered no, he didn’t, because Ron was oldfashioned.”
Savage’s fork-stopping moment of realization later that day proved propitious. “Ron can help me,” Savage says he thought to himself. “I wanted to take lessons from someone who could teach the pros.”
Savage, a one-handicapper at the time, recalls that at first, Bakich declined to give him lessons, saying he didn’t teach beginners. Upon learning Savage’s skill level, Bakich offered him a program of weekly lessons for the entire ummer at $20 per week. At the conclusion of the first lesson, he told Savage to buy a notebook in which to write down what he had learned that day, and then bring the notebook to the next class.
“I showed up for my next lesson without a notebook,” said Savage. “Ron said, ‘Lesson’s over. See you next week.’ Then he walked away. There was no instruction that day.” Savage purchased a notebook, took the lessons, and went on to win five straight club championships at three different venues.
“Ron made me study and think more about the correct things to do,” said Savage, 75, who still actively teaches golf. “I became more conscious of tempo, spin, and control. Ron’s lessons had a lasting effect on me.”
It seems that while nothing prepares us for moments of inspiration, on or off the golf course, when they do arrive, we need only recognize their power. For, ultimately, they become part of the stories of our lives!
