By Bob De Caro, USGTF Certified Golf Teaching Professional, Wyckoff, New Jersey
I’m upset!
Recently, while listening to some instructional segments on PGA Tour Radio, I heard the pro thoroughly explain the swing sequence. Yet, why are there so many listeners repeatedly asking the same fundamental questions about swinging over the top, slicing the ball and not being able to deliver the club from the inside? I can’t help but visualize the pro tightening his jaw before answering once again. It’s apparent to me that the listeners do not actually realize that the problem lies in understanding how the swing sequence is executed.
I’m upset, not because the pro isn’t doing a good job of explaining the correct swing sequence, but because the player doesn’t seek out what is really required…private instruction. There is so much “free” information available today that it is easy to think it can replace the one-on-one learning experience. It may in some cases, but I don’t believe this is so when explaining the sequence of the golf swing. When dealing with the swing sequence, it is almost impossible to successfully translate audio commentary into the correction required, as it is ultimately driven by a feeling. This can only be achieved through demonstrated drills during private instruction.
Perhaps a good starting point is going back to the simple statement that the sequence of the swing is like throwing a ball. If I were to say, “Picture throwing a ball”, almost everyone could do that. But if I were to say, “Picture making a golf swing and relate that to throwing a ball,” well, that is not easy visualized. The understanding is in the demonstration.
Any object thrown or any swing made must abide by the root fundamental that the lower body must go first. A young player seems to never have an issue with performing this sequence. Why? Because it is a natural motion for them. They are always engaged in it. Whether it be throwing a football, kicking a soccer ball or hitting a baseball, it is an innate motion. As we grow older, we play fewer sports and our lower bodies slow down, becoming lazy to respond to our commands. Ultimately, what was once natural becomes unnatural and requires re-learning.
In my experience, as a pro, I have learned that this correction can only be achieved through a one-on-one demonstration of how to initiate the sequence. During the transition of the backswing to the downswing, the “feeling” of the lower body going forward before the backswing is completed can be elusive. Therefore, just the simple drill of having the student throw golf balls can be a light-the-bulb moment, leading to a better understanding of how to initiate the sequence.
If the student takes the club away correctly and triggers the correct sequence, there is no way that the swing will ever be over-the-top, but will always drop to the inside power position.
I’m all for growing the game through the exchange of information, whether it’s radio, internet or television. But with the average handicap still at 16 and higher, it’s obvious that the availability of “free information” cannot replace the one-on-one teacher/student experience. In many cases, the student is left still scratching his head, asking the same old questions, or worse yet, giving up the game. And what a shame that would be.
There … I feel better now.
Like most people, I spent part of Father’s Day weekend watching this year’s U.S. Open at Erin Hills. While there is much debate on whether it was a successful U.S. Open for the USGA, I clued in on a different feature of the game. Fox Sports’ utilization of the ProTracer technology on a majority of the shots made it easy to watch the shape and trajectory of the player’s golf shots take form.
Brooks Koepka plays a left-to-right ball flight, a fade. Hole after hole, I was impressed to note that he hardly ever went away from it. Even when the hole might have been better suited for a draw, he continued to play his go-to golf shot. While I admit I didn’t watch every shot, of the ones I did witness, I only saw one “miss” where he double-crossed himself but still managed to make par.
This is something to discuss with our students. It is okay to play a go-to shot and not try to hit the perfect shot shape. As better players, we tend to try to play the hole as it was designed, which could ultimately lead to an uncomfortable shot shape. If you understand your shot shape and are able to trust it, you can eliminate half of the golf course. This is something Brooks did extremely well under pressure.
Next time during a playing lesson or a discussion about course management, focus on shot shape and how consistency is key to winning rounds. Your students will have another key bit of information to shoot their best scores. Happy Teaching!
The Zurich Classic was held this past April on the PGA Tour. The event changed its format from a normal stroke-play, individual event to a two-man team. Both four-somes and four-ball formats were put into play. This was a great move by the tournament committee for a number of reasons, the major one being that it increased participation by top-notch golfers, thus boosting viewership and sponsorship.
In the past few years, the overall field had declined for the Zurich. In my opinion, the top players in the world were skipping the event because it didn’t fit their schedule, or they didn’t enjoy the course. The “buzz” was not there, a nightmare for any tournament committee and sponsors. As a result, the committee decided they needed to make a change to highlight this event. While New Orleans is a fun destination for both players and fans, with great food and live music, what could they do to get more top-tier players to participate?
The decision they made was to change the format to a two-man team event. Traditionally, the only time individuals would play in a team atmosphere is if they make the Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup team. It’s been decades since the PGA hosted a team event. Players were excited, and many of the world’s best decided to make the Zurich Classic part of their 2017 tour schedule.
With the revised format, the event channeled the drama and excitement achieved during the Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup. As they came off the course each day, the players spoke highly about how much they enjoyed the event and the fans echoed this sentiment.
Not just as golf teaching professionals, but as business owners, let’s apply this model to our own development strategy. The more fun your students have, from the professional level to the average amateur player, the better. Golf is meant to be an enjoying, fulfilling and exciting game; sometimes this gets overlooked. Explore offering more group lessons, join a group of guys during their regularly scheduled Sunday morning tee time, or add more team-style events to your home course. I guarantee you will enjoy the same success as the Zurich Classic.
As spring begins to present itself to most of the country, golf season is on a lot of people’s minds, from students to teachers alike. It’s important to shake off the cobwebs that might have developed by getting back to the basics and working on fundamentals. As golf teaching professionals, this advice applies to us as well.
As teachers, we might not play as much as we would like; however, our students look to us as good players and examples of how to master the sport. Our golf game doesn’t have to be of tour quality, but it does need to be good enough to demonstrate certain areas of the swing. Too often, golf teachers don’t work on their games as much as they should, and it is visible
to their students.
Now that spring is here, don’t be afraid to spend some time on the range. Work on the basics: alignment, ball position, posture, grip and tempo. If you time it right, your students will arrive to observe your routine, understand the importance and follow along. Another benefit is the quality
time spent as a fellow golfer alongside new and prospective students. Once others witness your dedication to the game, they will have more trust in you for their game knowing that you practice what you preach.
As we prepare for a new golf year, think of ways to do business differently. Write down some goals for your golf teaching business, plus some goals for your own golf game. Figure out what is needed to achieve these goals and then make a plan to attack and conquer them. Here’s to a great 2017 season!
There is a new trend in the world of professional golf: shorter drivers. I’m not referencing the actual driving distance, but rather the length of the actual club. Ricky Fowler and Jimmy Walker are two players who have reduced the length of their driver. If the some of the best players in the world are doing this, should your students do this as well?
As golf teaching professionals, one of the most common requests from a student is the desire to hit the ball farther. From an amateur to members of the PGA Tour, everyone wants the distance. So why is shortening the length of the driver shaft a good thing?
A few things occur when you shorten the driver shaft. It’s easier to hit the ball more solidly; with a shorter shaft, the actual strike should improve. Hitting the golf ball in the middle of the clubface, in the sweet spot, will improve the ball speed, plus give the correct spin rate. However, striking the ball off the toe or heel of the club decreases the ball speed and adds too much side spin. Lastly, one additional benefit for some players is that the arc of their swing shortens and they actually increase their clubhead speed. This isn’t something that happens for everyone, but it will for some players.
If you can help your students strike the ball more solidly, they will gain distance. Hopefully with a more solid strike, their accuracy might improve, hitting more fairways. We all know a drive will roll out further in the fairway than in the rough. Cutting down a driver shaft from a half inch up to two inches will help a majority of your students. If they complain about losing distance, test the differences on a launch monitor. Good luck and happy teaching!
Observing my 11-year old son grow up in the game of golf is such a wonderful gift. As I watch him traverse the golf course, it brings back my own childhood memories. My son is lucky; his poppa plays golf and is a golf professional. I did not have such a luxury as a kid. While my son has been playing golf since he could walk, I started relatively late – the ripe old age of 13.
It started when I found a broken club in a trash bin. A little duct tape and voila, my journey began. I grew up in a large athletic family; however, nobody in my family really played golf. Later, I found out that my grand poppa had been a scratch golfer in the 1920s. He had also played college baseball and once played against Ty Cobb. I never knew him as he died years before I was born. My journey was solo. I learned it on my own.
I first learned to swing a club by hacking old golf balls in the neighborhood. I went to the public library and checked out many golf books, one being by the legendary Tony Jacklin (1969 Open and 1970 U.S. Open champion). I did everything he said to do in that book. Later in life, I had the pleasure to meet T.J., and now I call Mr. Jacklin my friend. I recently had the chance to introduce Mr. Jacklin to my son Gabriel. The torch has been passed!
After I read all the golf books in the library, I decided I was ready. My pop dropped me off at the local muni golf course. I played about 45 holes that day! I was so enthralled that I went to the local private country club and cut a deal with the old pro. If I caddied, picked up balls and worked around the shop, I could hit all the range balls I wanted. Paradise! I shined shoes to make money to gamble with the older boys. I began to beat the older boys. Thus, I was off to my 30+ years of golf obsession.
Like many who spent their youth around a golf course, I have a plethora of golf anecdotes, so many that I have decided to start to write them down before I forget. I think my golf stories have to start with one of my best friends, Bo. His full name will not be revealed to protect the innocent. I have known Bo since birth. I started golf before him, but he soon followed my lead. Before we discovered golf, we were formidable tennis players in the public park. No matter what sport he played, Bo had the uncanny ability to play well when he was angry. He was also good at every sport he played. The madder he got, the better he played. This naturally carried over to golf.
Bo was frequently my teammate and caddie. He was also one of my first students and test subjects. I taught him the flop shot. He learned fast and soon possessed a Seve-like short game, which he exploited too frequently. We often amused ourselves by trying to hit flop shots over a 15-foot tall tennis court fence. We constantly tried to break the “world record” of who could get the closest to the fence and still carry the ball over the top without hitting the chain link fence. I will swear to this day that one night, Bo managed to set a high mark. He placed a ball about two inches away from the fence and somehow hit his old Ping Eye 2 sand wedge right over the 15-foot fence without touching a thing. (I later officially tied the record after many attempts.) Phil Mickelson would have been jealous.
Bo had perfected another feat. He could hit a balata ball with his putter over 260 yards. This was done “baseball” style with a flick of the ball in the air and whack, into the greenskeeper’s shed. He frequently did this when he had a bad hole. Of course, he would then make three birdies in a row. To boot, Bo had probably one of the ugliest golf swings I ever saw. But he was a scratch golfer and fierce competitor. Later in life when I turned pro, he would caddie for me on the European Tour. What a team! So many laughs, so much mischief, so much joy (and a little heartbreak) the game of golf has brought me… and taught me.
So, for my first installment of reminiscing, here’s to you, Mr. Jacklin and Bo! A library book inspired an adventure. Two kids from a small Louisiana town traveled the world golfing, laughing, arguing, crying, and chasing a dream. One kid turned out to be an engineer, the other a professional golfer. Both kids are still best friends. Both still dream of green-grassed fairways with the early morning dew still sparkling in the morning sun. Hey Bo, if we get up early tomorrow, we still might have a chance to make it on the Tour!
(To be continued…)
In school we normally received a progress report every semester. It showed where your grades were and would give you a good idea of where you were doing well or where you needed to improve. In golf, we need to do this also, but it comes in two different forms.
As a player, we need to assess where we are, both good and bad. It can be like a report card with A, B, C, D or F grades. Beyond the grade, we need to add notes that get specific on what needs to be worked on. Once we have our progress report, then we can design our practice routine to help our improvement. This is called self-evaluation, something a lot of us are already doing.
Our students need help in this area, too. While they might perform self-evaluations, their judgment can be biased a bit. If you visit with your students about their progress, it will help their “report card” become better defined and more accurate. Plus, it gives them a great chance to develop their practice routine with their professional golf instructor.
From PGA Tour players to the weekend warriors, everyone needs to assess where their game is, with both strengths and weaknesses. Developing a plan is the only way to get better. Your students are lucky to have someone who is professionally trained to help them with through this process.
From 1977 to 2013, there were six rounds of 59 scored on the PGA tour. That is a span of 36 years. Already this year there have been two rounds under 60. There was even a 58 shot on the Web.com tour. Professional golfers are overpowering courses of late. Justin Thomas just shot 27 under par to win the Sony Open with the lowest 72-hole total in history. At the recent Tournament of Champions, seven golfers hit drives over 400 yards with Dustin Johnson topping the charts at 427. I would need a driver and 3-iron to get where Dustin did in one shot. I guess this is the future of golf.
The question I pose: Is all this good for golf? For the pros, maybe, but for the average guy, it is hard to say. I can’t tell you how many students come to me and ask why they only hit their driver 240 yards. They want me to teach them how to hit it 300. When I ask them why, they say because that’s how far the professionals hit it. Okay I tell them, here’s the plan. First you should lose about 40 pounds and start going to the gym every day. Then you must hit about 300 balls after. And guess what the answer is – “Well, I don’t have time for all of that.” So, my advice to all you tour wannabes is fuhgeddaboudit. You’re not playing to put bread on the table, so play like you have a day job. You’ll have a lot more fun.
As I glance out the window, snow is falling along with the temperature. Playing golf is a ways off in our neck of the woods, just like it is for many of my fellow golf teaching professionals. So, what can we do to bide the time until we can play outdoors? This is the time to plan indoor teaching, maybe even rebrand our teaching business. It is also a chance to take a little trip with some students.
Students are just like us, they get stir crazy this time of year. They want to play golf and enjoy some sunshine. Now is a great time to offer your students a chance to go on a golf vacation with personalized instruction from you. Done properly, you won’t have to pay much for your trip!
Places like southern Florida, California, Arizona, and of course Las Vegas, are great for winter birds this time of year. Plan the trip as an “all-inclusive.” Build in the flight, hotel and golf cost; add in some money for your expenses and fees, and you have a great trip to offer students. For example, the trip could include their flight, hotel, 18-holes per day and two hours of instruction. We typically take our trip in February when the weather is brutal and the sunshine at our destination gives us respite until spring. An easy schedule to follow is fly out Thursday, golf Friday and Saturday, and fly back Sunday.
Most golf course head professionals or directors of golf want your business; a phone call to them will help set up your tee times and request a separate place on the driving range for you. Make sure and ask for any connections the course might have with a local hotel to cut down costs and decrease time in the car.
You will be surprised how many students love these kinds of trips. When I first began offering destination training, I started with three students. This year I have twelve students going, plus spouses! The relationships you build will only strengthen your teaching business. Branch out and give it a try, you won’t be disappointed.
Every so often, the USGA will review and make changes to the rule book. I have been less than impressed with the last few efforts on their part. Since slow play is a major source of complaints about golf these days, maybe they should turn their efforts to changes that would speed up the game. I have three suggestions that would help. First would be to change the search rule from 5 minutes to 1 minute. I know that people hate to lose golf balls, especially Pro-V1s that most people should not even be using. But come on, if you can’t afford to lose one, then play a cheaper ball. If you don’t see it within a minute, then move on with your life.
That brings me to the second rule I would adopt – no more stroke-and-distance penalties. Lost ball, remember the first rule change. After a minute, just drop a ball at the point of entry and play away. One-stroke penalty. Same for out of bounds. Just drop at point of entry, or should I say exit. This would eliminate provisional balls. If the stroke-and-distance penalties are no longer in effect, then there is no need to waste time hitting additional balls. My last suggestion would be a continuous putting rule. You could only mark your ball once. After that, you would have to putt until holed out. What about standing in someone’s line? Well, that would be part of the game. With soft spikes, there is not much effect any longer. Besides, if you can’t fix a spike mark, then why should a foot print be a problem?
