1 Sep 2023

“PRO” FILE – USGTF MEMBER JAMES O’NEIL

By Jim O’Neil

My golf story is a long one; I’ll give everyone a break with some highlights. At 10 years old, I had my first golf lesson at Eagle Haven Golf Course with head pro Lefty on Little Creek Amphibious Base in Virginia. Yep, very close to Seal Team Six training quarters.

My journey in golf is actually a very humbling one, so please understand this is my story. I’m not at all bragging about my accomplishments in this wonderful game of golf. In 1980, I made the Kempsville High School golf team, mainly because of head pro Jack Harvey at NAS Oceana in Virginia Beach (Aeropines Golf Course). My father would buy me two lessons a year, and then both my father and Jack told me to practice. I practiced so much I ended up on a college NAIA golf team and won player of the year twice.

In 1986, I took my first PGA apprenticeship job under the then-active president of The Middle Atlantic PGA section, Don Saylor, at River Bend Country Club in Great Falls, Virginia. In 1990, I moved home to Virginia Beach and took a job under, again, an active president of the MAPGA, Gene Mattare.

After three years of soul-searching, wondering if I was a player or a businessman in the PGA, I decided to get away from the game completely and focus on my new love. Mrs. Mia O’Neil entered my life, and we started our family under the wonderful global company Stihl Incorporated in Virginia Beach. Team Stihl allowed us to raise our three children Lashar, Brenden and Tameria for 28 years.

Currently, the United States Golf Teachers Federation has given me a rebirth in golf. I’m currently a Stihl retiree who plays in our company golf league on Thursdays. Now – praise God – I’m the full-time golf instructor at NAS Oceana and I’m in training to win again on what I call the teachers tour.
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1 Sep 2023

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT – COOPER FISCHER

By Sean Moore, USGTF, Alexandria-Virginia

Throughout my career in athletics and golf, I have had the privilege of working with numerous talents of all ages and genders. One of my first students when taking over as director of golf at Rudy’s Golf and Sports Bar in Alexandria, Virginia, was a young man named Cooper Fischer. He was an 11-year-old that was very new to golf but had tremendous experience in soccer. He wanted to give golf a try and was incredibly shy and unsure of what the future held for him in the sport.

We began our journey together once a week and truly started from scratch. We wanted him to eventually gain enough skill sets and confidence that he could play with his uncle and father. Cooper quickly began to show improvement, but more importantly, he started to get that sparkle in his eye when we worked together as you could see he was beginning to love the sport. Cooper was persistent in his pursuit to not only improve his swing, but he thrived on learning about course management, terminology, history and the people that have paved the way for golfers of all ages. With the support of his entire family, Cooper developed a tremendous swing and has built his confidence as a young man. He hits the range two or three times a week, including his structured lessons, and now reports back to me weekly regarding his strengths and weaknesses from his previous sessions.

Cooper and I have built a tremendous friendship as instructor and student. We grind on the range together while sharing a bag of sour gummies or a basket of fries. His post-lesson tradition: to sit with his family and have the famous grilled cheese from Rudy’s Golf. The Fischer family has not only supported their son and his drive to be a better golfer, but they have embraced the lifestyle. Cooper’s dad has also found a new spark as well and is excited about sharing the game again with his son. Cooper and I will continue to work together, and he may choose to try competition at some point.

However, in my eyes he has already won. He discovered the sport we all love so much. He’s improved his swing, his knowledge and his confidence. He is a tremendous example of hard work and commitment. He reminds me every week of why I choose to teach golf for a living, and I can’t wait to see the things Cooper is able to accomplish on and off the course.
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mizuno
1 Sep 2023

INDUSTRY PARTNER SPOTLIGHT – MIZUNO

mizuno
Many people associate Mizuno Golf irons with better players, and they would be correct.  However, to assume that Mizuno makes irons only for better players would be incorrect.  New in the JPX lineup for 2023 is the Hot Metal HL iron, designed to provide a slightly higher launch angle than the regular Hot Metal.

Not only that, but it offers the maximum amount of forgiveness of any iron in the Mizuno line.  It is specifically designed for mid- to high-handicappers, although an argument can be made that players of greater ability would benefit from them, too.  USGTF members enjoy a generous discount from Mizuno Golf.  To take advantage of this program, please contact the USGTF National Office at (772) 88-USGTF.
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1 Sep 2023

EDITORIAL – HOW CAN WE UNDERSTAND “GOLF GAME” FROM THE SCORE OF BRYSON DECHAMBEAU SHOOTS 58 ON 10TH LIV GOLF TOURNAMENT?

   
If you’re only a PGA Tour fan, you may have missed that Bryson DeChambeau shot a 58 at the Greenbrier in West Virginia to win his first title on the LIV Tour. In reviewing his round, it’s evident the skills he’s worked hard to develop paid off.  He famously turned himself into a legitimate long-drive competitor, last year finishing second in the world championship.  Two things stood out when looking at DeChambeau’s 58:  his balance when hitting the driver and how well he putted.
 
His superior balance allowed him to hit long, accurate drives, giving him a lot of short irons and wedges into the greens on the par-70 course. It also helped that the course was softened by rain, as he was able to fire his wedges into the greens like hitting a dartboard. He rolled the putter as well as it could be. DeChambeau remarked how hard he’s been working on his game, and it paid off in perhaps the greatest round of golf that he’ll ever shoot.
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1 Aug 2023

EDITORIAL – WHAT SKILLS ALLOW JIN YOUNG KO TO REMAIN #1 IN THE WORLD?

Seeing Jin Young Ko’s name anywhere on the leaderboard is sure to strike fear into the hearts of her competitors on the LPGA Tour. Why? Because she has been ranked #1 in the world for a record 164 weeks (non-consecutive). She has 15 victories on the LPGA Tour and her future remains bright.

She is in the top half of the pack when it comes to driving distance and in the top third in driving accuracy, and when you put the two together, it makes her one of the best drivers of the ball. She is also in the top 10 in greens in regulation and is also in the top 10 in putts per GIR. When you add all of that together, it makes for a formidable task to best her on any given week.

Her work ethic is also very strong, and it doesn’t hurt to be extremely talented. At 28 years old, she has plenty of time to earn more victories and add to her two major championships, as well.
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1 Aug 2023

INDUSTRY PARTNER SPOTLIGHT – ONCORE GOLF BALLS

OnCore Golf manufactures golf balls for golfers of all skill levels, and its technology is second to none. Five golf balls are in OcCore’s lineup, starting with the Vero X2. This is a new ball for 2023 and is a 4-piece, cast urethane ball with 95 compression, designed for golfers with high swing speeds who want total control around the greens. Next up is the Vero X1. This ball outperformed other tour balls, with 60% less sidespin. It is a 4-piece, cast urethane golf ball coming in at 85 compression.

Next in the tour performance category is the Elixr 2022, a 3-piece urethane blend. It promotes added feel around the green with added distance and more accuracy off the tee. The Elixr ball is for intermediate or advanced players and is a 3-piece urethane blend with slightly lower compression than the Elixer 2022. Finally, there is the Avant 55, perfect for beginner or intermediate players with lower swing speeds. Its construction is a two-piece Surlyn blend and comes in at 55 compression. It is a softer distance ball that won’t break the bank.

For more information on OnCore, please visit the company website at https://www.OnCoreGolf.com.
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1 Aug 2023

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT – CHRISTINA GLADNEY

Dr. Christina Gladney is not your typical golfer. Gladney, a student of USGTF professional John Rosenthall, is a college professor, fitness expert, and higher education administrator with a passion for helping African Americans live healthy lives and excel in their professions. “I am new to the game of golf and see this game as a way of sharing tips for a healthy lifestyle while having fun,” is something Gladney says on a regular basis. She is the director of assessment at Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and a visiting professor at Jackson State University in Mississippi.

Golf is new to Gladney. She has taken a very aggressive approach to learning the game and creating opportunities for her friends and colleagues to be introduced to the game of golf. For those who are already golfers, she loves to create opportunities for them to network while partaking in the sport. As a public health instructor, the very same traits she expects and demands from her students are the ones she brings to her golf lessons. Those traits are to listen carefully, pay close attention to your environment, watch how others perfect their skills, and mimic what you see in others you would like to emulate.

Although new to the game, Gladney has taken her enthusiasm and interest to the next level. While sharpening her skills, she has decided to expand the game by introducing golf to African-American women and girls by combining golf with healthy living aspects and professional development. The new program she is leading is The Essence of Golf. The program supports participants through empowerment initiatives related to holistic wellness and professional networking.

A typical Essence of Golf event includes a weekend of golf lessons, rounds of golf, and facilitated discussions designed to strengthen individuals spiritually, emotionally, physically, financially, socially, and professionally. Professional networking is an essential element of the weekend. Participants leave the weekend with a renewed spirit, new relationships, and new approaches to self-improvement.

 
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1 Aug 2023

“PRO” FILE – USGTF MEMBER JAMES DRAPER III

James Draper III of Martinsville, Virginia, is a USGTF Master Golf Teaching Professional®.  He is currently the director of golf at Beaver Creek Golf Club in Collinsville, Virginia, and golf coach at Patrick & Henry Community College in Martinsville.  He has been around the game of golf for nearly 40 years with playing success on the high school and collegiate levels. He is a past PGA Works national champion and CIAA conference champion. Going back to school at age 35, he won his school’s host event by seven shots.

Draper attended Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina, but finished his education at Winston-Salem State University. Draper was inspired by his grandfather, who played on the Neckbone and Chitterling Tours professionally, and his father, who coached high school and college golf and could break 80 from both sides of the ball.

His teaching philosophy is a simple technique in which resistance, space, and width are the key components of the swing. Draper is US Kids Golf-certified and has been an instructor with The First Tee of Central Carolina for 13 years.  He also finds joy in working with adaptive golfers in his area.
 
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1 Aug 2023

“PRO” FILES – TOURING PROFESSIONALS BRIAN HARMAN AND ALLISEN CORPUZ

July’s major championships produced two surprise winners:  Allisen Corpuz won the U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach and Brian Harman won The Open at Hoylake.  Neither golfer was on the radar of the pundits when they made their predictions about who would win.

Corpuz was a rookie in 2022, and had three top-10 finishes.  Prior to her Open victory, she had two more top-10 finishes in 2023 before her breakthrough win, so she certainly showed plenty of promise.  She’s 25 years old, which would be young in the men’s game but is a bit older by LPGA standards; however, with the game she has shown so far, she will be in the winner’s circle again, and most likely multiple times before her career is done.

Harman grew up in Savannah, Georgia, and was the top-ranked junior player in the country when he signed with the University of Georgia to play golf.  After bouncing around on the mini-tours for a while, he made the PGA Tour in 2012.  He was a solid, if unspectacular, player, until his first victory in 2014 at the John Deere Classic.  He won again in 2017 at the Wells Fargo Championship before winning the Open in July.  Harman has always been a steady player, making most cuts, contending with some frequency and winning every few years.  He dominated The Open field with a complete game, and is in serious contention to be considered for the U.S. Ryder Cup team this fall.

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COX TAKES ANOTHER REGIONAL TITLE
1 Aug 2023

COX TAKES ANOTHER REGIONAL TITLE

Southwest – Ron Cox from Nashville, Tennessee, continued his winning ways when he captured the USGTF Southwest Region Championship held May 19-21 at Twin Creeks Golf Club in Allen, Texas.  Cox fired a two-round total of 142 to run away with the title by eight strokes over region director Bruce Sims.  Jeff Kennedy was another three strokes back in third, followed by Ruben Ramirez in fourth.

Central – The USGTF Central Region Championship will be played Sunday and Monday, September 24-25, at Walden Ponds Golf Course in Hamilton, Ohio, a suburb of Cincinnati.  The entry fee of $250 includes two tournament rounds, range balls, and prize money which includes not only tournament finishes but any side games.  To enter and for more information, please call region director Tony McMullin at (513) 479-6895.
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