Winter 2014 International News
The Canadian Golf Teachers Federation is pleased to announce the appointment of Marc Ray as its new president. Ray, a native of Belleville, Ontario, assumed his duties earlier this August. Ray succeeds longtime president Bob Bryant after his retirement.
To his past students and members, Bryant commented, “I have had the pleasure of directing the Canadian Golf Teachers Federation since its inception in 1994. From our first course in Morrisburg, Ontario, to the present time, it has been my great pleasure to be of service to you in your pursuit of golf teaching excellence.
“I wish all CGTF members continued success in their golf teaching careers. It has been a pleasure meeting so many of you, and I look forward to watching the Federation continue to flourish under its new leadership,” remarked Bryant.
Ray will be performing double-duty as both president of the CGTF and as general manager of The Bay of Quinte Golf and Country Club in Quinte West, Ontario. Ray has worked in the golf industry for the past 23 years. A business administration graduate and Master Teaching Professional with the CGTF, Ray has worked in golf course management across Ontario at various golf clubs since 2005. His experience in golf course management
provides a unique perspective, and will allow for the creation of exciting opportunities for CGTF members.
The CGTF has created a strong membership base that has supported the growth of the golf industry for the past 20 years. Under Ray’s leadership, the CGTF will have new standards of excellence, organizational unity, and training options that will result in CGTF members playing an even greater prominent role in the Canadian golf industry.
“My vision is to have Certified Teaching Professionals available in every city and rural area with a golf facility in Canada,” said Ray. “It’s no secret that golf can be a very difficult and expensive game, but it can also be a very
rewarding and enjoyable experience. The key is proper instruction, and that’s where we (the CGTF) come in.”
Ray welcomes the future and all its possibilities.
New Corporate Headquarters
The CGTF will be based out of The Bay of Quinte Country Club in Quinte West, Ontario. The phone number remains unchanged at (905) 849-7254. The mailing address has changed to P.O. Box 1318, Trenton, Ontario K8V 5R9. We are encouraging all WGTF members to feel free to drop by for a visit or round of golf when in the Quinte Region.
In 2013 we continued to amaze all those who have attended our Level III training courses, creating new, passionate disciples of the philosophies of the WGTF of Great Britain & Ireland. Our one major challenge in 2013 has been allowing attendees enough time to fully understand the ever-increasing amount of information they are asked to learn, essential to their success as a golf teaching professional. This year, we will be dealing with this issue and many others that will continue to create our powerful brand image.
The WGTF of GB & I truly believe in collaboration. This, of course, starts with all of its presidents around the world, the recent USGTF Cup in Memphis, the European Cup in Cologne, Germany, and the World Cup in
Shanghai, China, providing interaction and communication, understanding both the sameness and the differences of our markets, and learning from each other to benefit our own organizations and their members.
Collaboration closer to home also means how members interact with each other to discuss concepts, ideas, innovations, clients, and how our entities are expanding. Collaboration is a massive change of attitude in the
golf industry in general, where we all work for the benefit of the industry and its attractions, whether that be for children, the disabled, women, the less fortunate, our local communities, beginners, or longstanding game improvers and professionals.
The world of sports science continues to evolve new niche markets within the golf industry, and learning from experts is a far more efficient way of dealing with the challenge, leaving our teachers at the centre of a powerful client/teacher relationship that will surely enjoy success and longevity. Further, proactive measures include working with a major organisation in helping the disabled and in deprived areas to realise that golf is a sport for everyone. We are already doing this by working with ‘Bitesize Golf,’ and we will be talking to Sport England and the golf foundation, as well as in our own localities, to increase these opportunities. We have also entered
into partnership with BMSA (Biotechnology, Medicine, Sports and Arts), a group in Cork, Ireland, who are offering the opportunity to learn the English language and gain a handicap certificate catering to families from all
over Europe, the Far East, and China.
The WGTF of GB & I are already looking forward to 2014, and will continue to work together tirelessly with our members to realize their clients’ full potential.
During the past months, the Mexican Golf Teachers Federation has been involved in getting college students of private schools in Mexico into learning golf using the USGTF method. We currently have schools like Tecnologico De Monterrey and Universidad Del Valle participating with us in the program.
The final objective would be to develop golf as a sports option for the students of such private institutions. We are planning to evolve this approach, and engage more universities in the country, as we build the required teachers infrastructure so we have the best possible certified teachers. Some other activities were developed to provide caddies with training and certification, so these young men can perform their caddieing activities
professionally and make golf for their patrons more enjoyable. These certifications are conducted using manuals in collaboration with caddie associations of the USA. So far, we have trained and certified about 650 caddies of different locations in Mexico.
In the coming months, the Mexican GTF will expand our value offer to more golf clubs around the country. I want to make all WGTF members aware that being part of the USGTF is about the best investment I have ever made ….and for that I truly thank Geoff Bryant and all his staff members at headquarters.
By Carlos Santos
President,
WGTF of Portugal
WGTF of Portugal is working with the Portuguese Federation of Golf regarding our curriculum to train and certify golf teachers. The Federation is the governing authority for golf teaching professionals and amateur competitors. As such, it stipulates the expected codes of conduct for the profession, maintains the handicapping system, conducts a full schedule of tournaments (including the Portuguese International Amateur
Championship), and sponsors the Portuguese international amateur golf team. Working hand-in-hand with the Portuguese Federation of Golf is essential to our viability in the Portuguese golf community. I am looking forward to developing a positive and mutually beneficial relationship with the Federation. I am confident that a comprehensive curriculum that is consistent with that of our European chapters of the WGTF will ultimately offer
even more opportunities for Portuguese golf teaching professionals.
We at WGTF of Portugal are very excited for this opportunity, as we firmly believe that we will be developing the very best golf teaching pros as a result of all the knowledge that we have on the subject and our very advanced teaching methods. Not only have we had success in making great golf teachers, but we also provided these same golf teachers with the skills to improve their understanding of the golf swing and swing-fault analysis and methods that have greatly improved their own games. We expect that the WGTF of Portugal will soon be making a tremendous positive impact and will add to the favorable recognition of the WGTF and USGTF organizations.
2013 Featured Portuguese Golfers Professional tour golfer Ricardo Santos earned the European Tour’s Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year award in 2012, and took top-tens in three tournaments early in 2013, earning
him some network TV coverage. As of September 2013, Santos was among the top 50 on the Race to Dubai money list as compiled on au.eurosport.com. Pedro Figueiredo, the highest-ranking Portuguese amateur in the world
in 2012, turned pro in 2013 after his graduation from UCLA, and earned his first title as a professional by winning the PGA of Portugal National Championship. He had twice previously earned the Portuguese Amateur Championship title.
Congratulations to Gonçalo Pinto, this year’s winner of the men’s 83rd Portuguese International Amateur Championship, held in February 2013. Top Portuguese amateurs Ricardo Gouveia and Jose Joia are recognized for their contributions to the University of Central Florida’s consistently high finishes on the United States’ NCAA Division I college golf circuit. Congratulations also to Miguel Gaspar, presently the highest-ranking amateur in the Portuguese national rankings, as compiled by the Portuguese Federation of Golf (www.fpg.pt).
We are proud to announce that this past July, one of our Level III members has satisfied all the Level IV requirements and has been certified as a Master Golf Teaching Professional. Hiroaki
Wada, (pictured to the right), the successful candidate, coaches tour players, is an instructor, and manages a sports equipment marketing company. His thesis was very unique and interesting, titled “Keep the Club on the Left Side of the Axis,” where he focuses his attention on the “gap” between the practice swing most players take and the actual swing they make when hitting the ball. Almost all players swing with a better rhythm, in better
balance, smoother, and with more clubhead speed when they do not hit a ball. Many players know how to make a good swing and have good images in mind, but tend to lose them when they head to the course and
see the ball in front of them. Wada points out that “mental conditioning and preconceptions” can be the main factor in ruining a good golf swing. Even though a positive mental condition and preconceptions play a main role in performing a good swing, our role as golf teachers requires us to also address the negative side of poor mental preparation and bad imagery. Ask yourself:
• Why can golfers successfully hit shots on the range but not on the course?
• Why can they perform well in casual rounds but not in club competitions?
• Why can they perform well in club competitions but not at a national event?
• Why can they perform well at a national event but not at the tour qualifying tournament?
• Why can they perform well at the fi rst stage of tour qualifying but not at the final stage?
Here are some detrimental actions that can happen during the swing:
• Swing gets off-plane
• Casting starts the downswing
• Hips are blocked
• Club crosses the line
• Unbalanced fi nishes
The solution to these problems is to “keep the club on the left side of the axis.”
Imagine you have a 15-foot-long (4.5 meters) club. In order to swing this club with stability and efficiency, you should keep turning around the left side of the body. When you are told to swing fast, you will not change this position. What would happen when you shift your weight to the right side of your body swinging back? Wada plans to write an article on his theory, and we look forward to it with great interest.
The annual European Championship was held at Golf Burg Konradsheim this past fall in Cologne, Germany. This beautiful par-72 is near the monumental castle of Burg Konradsheim. The Dutch Golf Teachers Federation came with 15 participants. On Sunday, September 7, most of the players arrived to play a practice round and to use the excellent practice facilities. The driving range was made of grass, and that is always good for training. Next to the practice green, up to 30 meters of fairway and rough was grown, which is ideal to train for all sorts of short strokes. Ulrich Paetzel, chairman of the German GTF, welcomed everyone, especially Geoff Bryant, founder of the USGTF, and wished everybody
a lot of fun and success during the Texas scramble round the next day. This format was chosen for everyone to get to know one another better, as the GTF members were from four different countries. There were three scores of 62 (10-under par), making the team of Paetzel the winner after using the JBF system. Rene Witteveen (distance of +/- 250 meters) won the longest drive, and Jeroen Dekker (distance of 1.70 meters) won the nearest to the pin. Most of the Dutch participants stayed at the Lin Boa Hotel, situated next to the Fantasyland Park, just a 10-minute drive from the golf course. The food there was delicious. On Tuesday, the day that there was a cloudburst in Holland, we played in a German autumn sun, but with a lot of wind for the 18-hole stroke-play competition. With the professionals, Mischa Steinmetz won with a fantastic 77 strokes, given the conditions. Second was Robin Momsen with 79, and our own DGTF member
Witteveen was third with a round of 80. As for the women, it was a strict Dutch crowd. Els van Hoeckel was third, Janna de Ruiter second, and Kim Kuijsters was first with an 81. With the seniors, Geoff Bryant finally had his trophy. The patriarch of the GTF won with a score of 79, a very nice achievement. Paetzel, who was obviously very happy that “his” Matthias won the first prize did the prize giving. All in all, it was once again a successful event, and for the people who stayed home, maybe we’ll see you next year in Spain.
In many ways it has been challenging this last winter for our members because of the cold and wet weather and economic circumstances, dictating fewer golfers spending their money on golf instruction. However, because the majority of our members have business backgrounds, they can adapt to circumstances and they persevere with their love of the sport, because they want to help others enjoy the game. It is this ethos which attracts people to become members of organisations such as the World Golf Teachers Federation. “Golf is a game, and games are supposed to be fun, but I see so many golfers frustrated with the game and threatening to give the game away because they just haven’t been taught the right fundamentals of the golf swing,” said one of our newest members, Aaron Southern. “So, if I can help people walk off the course with a smile on their face, or get a few kids introduced to this great game, then I think I’m doing my bit to keep the game alive.” The history of each member of the WGTF is unique, and Southern’s passion and goals embody the determination that our Federation stands for. “I took up the game of golf at the age of 12, and my dad was a huge influence on my golf, as he was a low-handicapper himself,” said Southern. “I have been a member at numerous golf clubs due to my dad being a policeman and getting transferred quite often. I have won club championships at every club I have been a member at. I travelled around a lot when I was younger with my wife Julie and competed in various events, of which I managed to win whilst also holding a few course records, some of which still stand today. “In 1994, my wife and I bought our first vineyard, which was a rundown vineyard that needed a lot of love and care,” continued Southern. “We resurrected this patch of vines and started producing very much sought-after grapes, of which we sold to some very well-known wineries in the Barossa Valley (South Australia). In 2004, and after a meal and a few wines with our good friends who were a couple of young-gun winemakers, we decided to give our own wine label a crack. Producing 2,000 cases of Greenock Shiraz and exporting nearly all to the USA, we received a very high score from the most influential wine critic in America, and we were off and running. Since then, we are consistently producing around 3,000 cases of Shiraz, supplying wine to retail outlets and restaurants throughout Australia, and exporting to China, Canada, Quebec, Denmark, France, and Asia, and constantly receiving good scores and value for money ratings for all our wines. “Since buying our vineyard in 1994 and starting our own winery in 2004, I have continued to play golf at a high level, being chosen to play for and captain the south Australian country team for the last 15 years. Currently playing off a +1 handicap, I am looking to really get into the golf coaching side of golf and would love to travel abroad to help get people’s golf heading in the right direction, using the skills I’ve learnt from the Golf Teachers Federation accredited course.” Southern represented Australia at the World Cup in China in October.
USGTF-Korea conducted its annual national tournament for teaching professionals recently at The Players Club outside of Seoul. A full field of 144 members from all parts of Korea participated in the event for the $30,000 in prize money. This is one of many events held by USGTFKorea for its members throughout the year. Master Teaching Professional Yu Hyeok-Joon won the event with a score of 4-under par. Aside from the first place trophy, Yu also took home the coveted national trophy, as well as a new set of Yamaha clubs. USGTFKorea has over 11,000 members and is the largest
organization of golf teaching professionals in all of Asia. It is the gateway for professional golf teachers in Korea. USGTF-Korea also presides over the training of teaching professionals in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Hawaii and Guam. Also present for the event were USGTF president Geoff Bryant and Australian GTF president Gary Cooney. According to Bryant, the golf industry in Korea has experienced remarkable growth since USGTFKorea first started conducting certification courses for teachers here in 1996. Additionally, USGTF-Korea, next to the US, has become the largest of over 40 WGTF member nations. Bryant said that USGTF-Korea owes its significant progress to CEO Kim Yongho and to all of its members. Cooney stated, “Australia joined the WGTF 10 years ago, and I have had the opportunity to learn from USGTF-Korea’s activity.” Both Bryant and Cooney continue to work closely with Kim in order to share
productive ideas that can benefit their members, and to help grow the game of golf worldwide.
From the Eastern Caribbean
Level IV Master Teaching Professional Peter T. David has recently concluded a two-week junior golf camp at the St. Lucia Golf Club on the island of St. Lucia. The program agenda was based on helping the children with the understanding on every aspect of the game of golf, as well as developing positive attitudes and the art of discipline for their own
self-development in the future. He also worked on exercises to help release negative energy and promote a free motion through the golf swing. The golf teachers helping in the program were Tim Mangal, a Level III USGTF member; Chris Taylor, a member of the USGTF and Eastern Caribbean Golf Teachers Federation; Cliff Alcide, an ECGTF member;
several volunteers, and the program directors, Mrs. Colleen Newman and Susan Gulliume. The ECGTF is not only involved in the development of golf teachers, but also in creating opportunities to help improve the general growth of golf in the Caribbean region. In February 2014, the ECGTF will be hosting an Independence Pro-Am, where golf teachers will select their best students to participate in an event to celebrate St. Lucia’s independence from the United Kingdom. The event format will have a golf teacher with a low-handicap student, a mid-handicapper, and a high-handicapper. This will be the first time that there will be such an event like this in St. Lucia, and may be the first time this will happen in the WGTF. The ECGTF has developed a working relationship with the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports on the island of St. Lucia, where golf will be introduced into all schools on the island now that golf has been added to the Olympics. Junior golf has been accepted by the Ministry, so the sky is the limit. The road has been paved by Mrs. Fortuna Belrose, who heads the Olympic committee in St. Lucia and is also the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports. She was introduced to the game by David, and has clearly realized that we need to break the barrier that has prevented locals from playing the game. As a result, the ECGTF and the Ministry have decided to work together to see this venture come to pass.
From India & Great Britain
By Amit Saran
President, Indian GTF
Golf courses across India have been growing in number at a rapid pace, and even states where golf was not popular have seen a rapid growth. Both the private sector and the government have contributed to its growth, with states like Gujarat and Goa promoting the new courses as tourist destinations. Unfortunately, the growth in the number of courses has not been matched with the growth in qualified golf instructors. Though the number of golfers has grown many-fold, we still do not have a supply of good, certified coaches at all levels of play. This is where USGTF/IGTF plays an important role.
For the immediate benefit of golfers in India who wish to make golf teaching as their chosen profession, IGTF has been contributing in a humble way towards the growth and development of the game by feeding the system with teachers, who are in great demand. To keep pace with the requirement of qualified teaching professionals, the IGTF has a full schedule of
courses planned for 2014.
From Spain
Noel Eastwell, president of WGTF-Española, is pleased to announce that WGTF-Española has been approved as a registered trademark and that Spain will become a member nation of the WGTF. Eastwell is a member of the WGTF and teaches at Alicante Golf Club in Alacante, Spain. He remarked, “In times of economic hardship, I feel we can give a number of people the chance to earn a living by teaching and coaching golf in Spain, where we have a massive golf tourist industry that brings people from all over Europe to the country to play and learn golf. I have arrangements with various European golf federations where I take beginners and coach them to become golfers through a six-day intensive
training course with an authentic handicap from their own national golf federations. This is a growing trend,
and means that good coaches can take advantage of the training we can give them. I am optimistic that the
WGTF can promote golf here in Spain and bring new people into the game through our unique approach to
golf and golf coaching. Through our coaching methods and enthusiastic approach, we will raise the standards
of coaching in Spain to levels never seen before. We will make a massive difference to both new and experienced golfers.”
