“PRO” FILE – USGTF MEMBER JERRY HEINZ
27 Apr 2023

“PRO” FILE – USGTF MEMBER JERRY HEINZ

By Jerry Heinz

I was certified through the USGTF in 2008 and started teaching at Cottonwood Golf Club in El Cajon, California, that same year. I worked with San Diego Chargers and San Diego Padre players, and also Hollywood celebrities. I worked with my kids camps, which was fabulous, and helped several charity events with the Wounded Warriors and Susan G. Komen (breast cancer) charities, and more.

My last two years teaching in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, I was at The Refuge Golf Club, an Arnold Palmer design. Unfortunately, the course went bankrupt again and now I work towards qualifying for the PGA Tour Champions. My game feels great, and I’ve had the pleasure of being gifted with Sqairz golf shoes. The founder of Sqairz has been very kind to me. He also said currently John Daly, Nick Faldo, Sepp Straka and myself are the only ones currently wearing the newest pair, with the breast cancer pink ones being my favorite.

I finished fifth in the U.S. Golf Teachers Cup a couple years ago in Las Vegas. It was great meeting all the members. I had a blast a few years ago doing a podcast with John Daly and Bob Menery. John is very generous, as he sent me another lion headcover which, yellow being my favorite color, I added two feet of yellow dreadlocks to it. He also sent me his new CD which I enjoy.

I have four children who are adults now: Tyler, Connor, Katie and Cameron. Connor is pursuing his path with the PGA and working at a private country club, still trying to beat Dad (me) on the course.

My teaching does not always involve cash money. I enjoy helping individuals at any given time, even if it’s just a grip change or setup tip which I always share examples through photos and videos. I moved to Arizona six years ago full-time to help my mother, who suffered from dementia. I acquired my job at The Refuge immediately. They brought me into the team in a very short time. They loved my portfolio, and the rest is history.

Read more 0
“PRO” FILE – TOURING PROFESSIONAL JON RAHM
27 Apr 2023

“PRO” FILE – TOURING PROFESSIONAL JON RAHM

You can rearrange the letters of Jon Rahm’s las name to form the word “harm.” And few of his competitors would argue that Rahm is causing great harm to their chances of winning golf tournaments these days.

Rahm captured his second major championship of his career when he won the Masters this past April. Rahm was truly a master at Augusta National as he methodically overtook third-round leader Brooks Koepka and kept plodding his way to victory. For Rahm, this season has been yet another quantum leap in his career. He has now won four tournaments this year and five in the past 12 months. Rahm is part of a new “Big Three” which includes Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler. For a while, it seemed as if these three were all about equal, but with Rahm winning the season’s first official major, combined with his four victories, he has, for the moment, separated himself from the other two.

Read more 0
REGIONAL TOURNAMENT UPDATE
27 Apr 2023

REGIONAL TOURNAMENT UPDATE

 

Southwest – The USGTF Southwest Region Championship, originally scheduled for May 19-21 in Allen, Texas, has been postponed. Region director Bruce Sims is planning to reschedule the event later this year.

Northeast – The USGTF Northeast Region Championship will be played Thursday, June 15, at Mountain View Golf Course in Ewing, New Jersey. This one-round event features tee assignments based on age and gender, and has an entry fee of $185, which includes one round of tournament play, range balls prior to play, and prize money. A dinner is planned after the round. For more information and to enter, please contact region director Bob Corbo at bcgolfcoach@gmail.com.

Read more 0
WGTF NEWS – ANTIGUA & BARBUDA
27 Apr 2023

WGTF NEWS – ANTIGUA & BARBUDA

Golf is a sport that is valued and enjoyed across the world – allowing for continued development and growth of the players, as well as the instructors. At the WGTF, we are all about connecting instructors across the world and improving the quality of instruction provided to new and up-and-coming players. With the continued growth and expansion of our WGTF organization, we are reaching new and untapped locations, recently gaining members hailing from Antigua and Barbuda.

Antigua and Barbuda have three golf courses, Jolly Harbour Golf Club, Cedar Valley Golf Course and a nine-hole course at the Mill Reef Club.

Read more 0
UPCOMING COURSES FOR CERTIFIED & MASTER GOLF TEACHING PROFESSIONALS
27 Apr 2023

UPCOMING COURSES FOR CERTIFIED & MASTER GOLF TEACHING PROFESSIONALS

 

If you are looking to take your teaching to the next level, becoming a USGTF Master Golf Teaching Professional® is the perfect way to do so. It is a great learning experience with the theme of “A Sharing of Ideas.” Courses will be conducted June 12-14 at the Legacy Golf Club in Las Vegas, Nevada, and December 11-13 at the USGTF National Office in Fort Pierce, Florida. For more information and to register, please visit https://www.usgtf.com/master-golf-teaching-professional.

Those wishing to become a Certified Golf Teaching Professional® have nationwide courses that they can attend. All facets of teaching the game will be covered, and successful candidates will be qualified to successfully teach advanced players. Upcoming courses are: May 8-12 in Fresno, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada; May 15-19 in Evansville, Indiana; May 22-26 in Atlanta, Georgia, and June 19-23 in Fort Pierce, Florida. For more information and to register, please visit https://www.usgtf.com/certified-golf-teaching-professional.

Read more 0
CHANGE IN DATE, VENUE FOR U.S. CUP UPDATE
27 Apr 2023

CHANGE IN DATE, VENUE FOR U.S. CUP UPDATE

 

Due to contract negotiations being renewed and favorable terms being reached, the USGTF’s initial choice to host the 2023 United States Golf Teachers Cup, The Revere Golf Club in Las Vegas, Nevada, will now host the 27th annual event on Monday and Tuesday, October 9-10. Both the Lexington and Concord courses will be utilized, as they were in 2021. Play will be contested in three divisions: Open, Senior (50+) and Super Senior (68+). Women competitors will be placed into their respective age divisions and will compete from shorter distances.

The Luxor on the Las Vegas Strip will once again serve as the recommended hotel. Complete entry and practice round information will be made available shortly.

Read more 0
EDITORIAL – RULES CHANGE CONTROVERSY…AGAIN?
31 Mar 2023

EDITORIAL – RULES CHANGE CONTROVERSY…AGAIN?

 

Starting January 1, 2010, a new grooves regulation was enacted by the USGA and R&A because they thought the then-current grooves spun the ball too much. Club manufacturers found a way to actually make better grooves, which meant the rules change was useless but meant many competitive golfers had to buy new irons. In 2016 came the infamous “anchored putting ban,” which is still a sore spot with many today.

 

In 2019 the USGA and R&A completely overhauled the rules, the two most drastic changes being hitting the flagstick with a putt was no longer a penalty, and all drops were taken from knee height. After a long adjustment period, golfers accepted the changes. And now comes the latest controversial rules proposal, a Model Local Rule for “elite” golfers where they would play a distance-restricted golf ball. The rules makers deem this necessary because, in their own words, elite golfers hitting the ball too far “undermines the core principle that a broad and balanced set of playing skills should remain the primary determinant of success in golf.” They are also worried about courses supposedly “having” to increase yardage to handle all of this.

 

People who say, “Why don’t they just make the courses tougher” are not understanding their position. It’s not a matter of score; to them; it’s a matter of angles and what club is being hit into the green. There is also an element who want to return to the days of long irons into par-4s and where going for the green in two on a par-5 was a big deal. But those days are gone.

 

I recently went to the Korn Ferry Tour in Savannah, Georgia, and they played a course that measured just over 7,000 yards, and I did not see anyone making a mockery of the course. There are also practical problems with implementing a shorter ball: When do promising players switch over? In high school? In college? It would also be tempting for less-honest players to cheat by using the longer ball. It’s also not a given the PGA Tour will adopt the new rule, either, so what would be the incentive for ball manufacturers to even make such a ball? If that happened, the new rule couldn’t even be implemented. In short, while the USGA and R&A will almost certainly put the Model Local Rule into place and will follow it for their championships – as likely will the Masters – if the major tours don’t adopt the rule, we will have a big mess on our hands. And even if they do adopt it, there will still be a mess, albeit a smaller one.

Read more 0
LIABILITY INSURANCE PROVIDER UPDATE
31 Mar 2023

LIABILITY INSURANCE PROVIDER UPDATE

After extensive research, we have concluded that the best way to go forward is individual policies. (The previous policy through Bollinger was a group policy.) We compared coverages and rates from multiple companies and determined that F.L. Dean & Associates will best meet your needs without exorbitant costs. The rates below reflect a 15% USGTF discount, accessible when you obtain coverage through our branded link. Each instructor that purchases coverage will have their own policy and their own insurance certificates. They are not shared like a group policy would be, but rather the coverage they buy is the coverage they get.

 

Coverage is General Liability (coverage and rates for $2,000,000 General Aggregate, other options available at differing rates) – $1,000,000 per occurrence, and $2,000,000 aggregate, including an additional $5,000 of medical payment expense for any medical expenses incurred by a guest or spectator.

 

Rates are as follows for the $2,000,000 General Aggregate selection (this is what you’ll pay all inclusive, no additional fees for annual coverage):

 

  • CA, FL, NY – $296.78
  • CT, MS, NV, RI, SC – $285.50
  • All other states – $240.42

 

Please contact Member Services to obtain the application link.

Read more 0
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT – ANGELA LEE
31 Mar 2023

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT – ANGELA LEE

Angela Lee is currently a freshman at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, where she competes on the varsity golf team. Her path to Georgetown was filled with competitive success that any college golf coach would love to see. She is a winner on the prestigious American Junior Golf Association Tour and was invited to many high-level invitationals on that tour. In addition, she was the 2021 North Jersey Player of the Year, was a four-year letter winner on her Immaculate Heart High School team in the Township of Washington, New Jersey, serving as the captain the last to years. She is also academically accomplished as a member of the National Science Honor Society, a four-year honor roll student and earned a 3.9 grade point average.

 

Angela commented, “Golf is a sport that has taught me valuable lessons that are applicable in the real world. One of the most important lessons that I learned from golf is personal responsibility and integrity. Golf is a sport that relies heavily on individual honesty and adherence to the rules. Additionally, golf teaches me valuable problem-solving skills, as I must always analyze the course and make strategic decisions to succeed. Golf also requires mental toughness, with players needing to maintain focus, manage emotions and overcome setbacks.”

 

According to her coach, USGTF Master Golf Teaching Professional Sungmin Baek, “At seven years old, she came to me for lessons after her mother informed me of her interest in the sport. It quickly became apparent that Angela had a natural talent for golf, particularly for someone her age. Watching her progress from how to grip and hold a golf club to becoming a Division I golfer at a highly prestigious university has been an incredible experience for both of us. As her instructor for over 11 years now, I continue to be amazed by Angela’s resilience and hardworking nature.”

Read more 0
“PRO” FILE – TEACHING PROFESSIONAL ANDREW ALLEN
31 Mar 2023

“PRO” FILE – TEACHING PROFESSIONAL ANDREW ALLEN

Andrew Allen

Andrew Allen from Aynor, South Carolina, has an impressive resume that would give anyone pause. In addition to his certification from the USGTF, Allen has received certification from the Titleist Performance Institute; is a certified Kimoodo instructor; received certification as a “Master Mental Game Specialist” from the IGPA, and is a certified personal trainer. Allen is also a proficient player, holding the course record of 60 at The Traces Golf Club in Florence, South Carolina, and is the reigning two-time club champion at The Country Club of South Carolina in Florence.

 

Allen is also a fixture on radio’s South Carolina Sports Talk as a commentator. His teaching facility, Swing and Putt (www.SwingAndPutt.com) has both indoor and outdoor capabilities, and features state-of-the-art technology. Allen believes there is value in paying for information, which is why he always charges something, even if it’s only as little as $1, because people tend not to value something that was given to them for free.

 

He also had some challenges in his younger years. Allen said, “During my junior high years, I grew over a foot in less than five months. I was informed by orthopedic doctors that I had to be very careful, because I would be prone to degenerative conditions of the joints and spinal column due to the hyper growth spurt combined with the lack of nutrition to keep up with my growth. It was so bad it was projected that I could be in a wheelchair as early as my upper 20s. Measures were taken, and I had to wear metal bracing on my legs and use crutches. I committed myself to learning all that I could about what was happening or had happened to me. I did not accept that as my fate, so I set my course learning about my own body through the study of nutrition and fitness. Golf grew as a passion of mine and I organically dumped everything into learning everything I could about the movements required to play golf at a fun to career-winning level. My love for golf and helping others has inspired my 15-year-old daughter Sydney to follow me into golf as a future professional golf coach herself.”

Read more 0