December 2017

5 Dec 2017 admin

Seasons Greetings From the USGTF

As we head into the holiday season, the entire staff at the USGTF National Office wish everyone Seasons Greetings! We trust that you had a successful season teaching this great game of ours and hope that 2018 will be even better. As always, the National Office is glad to hear from our members, and if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us at usgtf.com/contact.

5 Dec 2017 admin

2018 Dues Reminder

All USGTF members who wish to remain in good standing may do so by remitting dues for 2018 to the USGTF National Office by December 31, 2017. Being a member in good standing allows you the right to continue to call yourself a USGTF member, as well as being able to take advantage of generous discounts from our industry partners. In addition, liability insurance from Bollinger is available at a group rate that is far less expensive than is generally available to non-USGTF members. The ability to play in our regional and national events is also a benefit that many enjoy on an annual basis. Remittances may be made at www.usgtf.com/renew, or you may contact the USGTF National Office at (888) 346-3290.

5 Dec 2017 admin

Winter 2018 Magazine to Hit Mailboxes Soon

Golf Teaching Pro magazine, the printed voice of golf teaching professionals worldwide, is due to hit your mailbox soon with the Winter 2018 edition. Called a valuable resource by a number of industry experts, the magazine is printed twice a year. The USGTF considers it important to provide members with a hard copy that contains relevant instructional, informational and entertaining content.

If you have moved since the Summer 2018 issue, please contact the USGTF National Office to update your current address.

5 Dec 2017 admin

U.S. Cup Negotiations Underway

A unique venue and format are being considered for the 23rd edition of the United States Golf Teachers Cup for 2018. Negotiations are ongoing with the Canadian Golf Teachers Federation to hold a joint U.S./Canadian Golf Teachers Cup in the Niagara Falls, Ontario, area for September. More information will be made available at a later date, pending the outcome of negotiations.

5 Dec 2017 admin

Certification Schedule for 2018 Now Online

Do you know someone who wants to become a Certified Golf Teaching Professional®? If so, you may point them to www.USGTF.com/schedule, which contains the dates and locations of USGTF certification courses for 2018. Becoming certified gives teachers and prospective teachers the tools and credibility they need in today’s marketplace. If you know of someone who wants to become certified and they have further questions, please have them call the USGTF National Office at (888) 346-3290.

5 Dec 2017 admin

International PGA Affirms Relationship with WGTF

Glen Sorensen, president of the International PGA, has affirmed in a letter to USGTF president Geoff Bryant that the two organizations have had a mutually beneficial relationship over the years, and looks forward to continuing the relationship in the years ahead.

The International PGA is based out of St. Lucia, in the Caribbean, and serves to unite golf teaching professionals from around the world under one umbrella. Recognized organizations include all countries’ PGAs and every WGTF international federation. Members from those organizations are welcome to join the International PGA, which provides members with worldwide recognition and resources to enable them to enhance their professional profiles and their careers. More information can be obtained at www.InternationalPGA.com.

5 Dec 2017 admin

“Pro” Files – Touring Professional Tommy Fleetwood

With long flowing hair and a scruff of a beard, England’s Tommy Fleetwood looks to be more at home on the beach than on the links. But make no mistake – golf is his game and he’s very, very good at it. Fleetwood won the European Tour’s Race to Dubai in 2017 and will likely be a stalwart on the 2018 European Ryder Cup Team. Fleetwood contended strongly at the 2017 U.S. Open before finishing fourth, and had a runner-up finish at the WGC Mexico Golf Championship, playing against the best in the world. His first European Tour win came in 2013 and he added two more in 2017. With a number of high finishes in other tournaments, Fleetwood entered the Race to Dubai as the points leader and he emerged victorious, as a challenge by Justin Rose fell just short. Fleetwood is another 20-something “young gun” at the age of 26, and represents one of Europe’s leading hopes in combating more established peers such as Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas. Most observers think that Fleetwood is now just coming into his own and will be a presence on international leaderboards for years to come.

5 Dec 2017 admin

Editorial – Let’s Celebrate the Return of Tiger

I never got to see Michaelangelo or Da Vinci paint. I never got to see Shakespeare write, or Abraham Lincoln recite the Gettysburg Address. But I did get to see Tiger Woods play golf.

Yes, I put Tiger in the same category as these other historic greats. His genius is every bit the equal of those Renaissance masters, albeit in a competitive arena. And yet, the artistry Tiger displayed at his best was just as exquisite as any artist in history.

Some people don’t like Tiger because of some of his on-course antics (swearing and slamming his club into the ground), and they have a valid point. I don’t have a problem with people who don’t like him because of this. But these same people may be depriving themselves of the joy of watching the greatest golfer of all time perform his craft. Yes, I know Jack Nicklaus has won 18 majors to Tiger’s 14, and that Sam Snead holds the record for number of victories at 82 while Tiger is stuck at 79, but I think context is important. While Nicklaus did have to fend off the likes of Trevino, Watson and Palmer – all of whom won at least six majors – Woods had to contend with multiple major winners in his own right, and he played in an era where literally anyone could win a major if he was on his game (think Rich Beem or Shaun Micheel). And Snead? Outside of Hogan, Nelson and Demaret and perhaps a handful of others, he simply didn’t face nearly the depth of competition. Combine that with Tiger’s utter dominance in so many events such as winning the Masters by 12 and the U.S. Open by 15, and you have someone who played the best golf ever played over a sustained period.

As I write this, Tiger just finished off a 69 in the first round of the Hero World Challenge. He may go on to contend and possibly win, or he might fall back into the pack near last place. But whatever the case, as John Maginnes said on his radio show, Tiger doesn’t move the needle…Tiger is the needle. And golf is better for having him back.

By Mark Harman, USGTF National Course Director