1 Jun 2020

USGTF Tournament Update

Central Region Championship – The USGTF Central Region Championship is scheduled for August 2-3 at Pheasant Run Golf Course in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Region director Brent Davies is the host. For more information, please contact him at btkadavies@comcast.net.

Northwest Region Championship – The USGTF Northwest Region Championship is scheduled for September 16-17 at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, California, home of this year’s PGA Championship. Region director Nathan Guerrero is the host. For more information, please contact him at prtime.ng@gmail.com.

United States Golf Teachers Cup® – As of now, the 25th annual United States Golf Teachers Cup is still scheduled to be played at the Revere Golf Club in Las Vegas, Nevada, October 19-20. We are continuing to monitor the situation and will be releasing more updates as decisions are made. We continue to welcome your feedback regarding this year’s event, please email us at info@usgtf.com.

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1 Jun 2020

USGTF Online Courses Finding Value with New Members

There has been an uptick in enrollment in the USGTF online course in recent months. Successful completion of these courses allow candidates to earn an Associate Member certification and are qualified to give competent instruction to average-level players.

The USGTF is continually looking to update these courses and are a great way to enter the golf teaching industry. Having a USGTF certification is recognized worldwide and brings opportunity and pride to those who have earned it. Please refer to our home page of www.usgtf.com for more information.

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1 Jun 2020

New Era of Golf Technology on Display

This past May 25, LPGA Tour champions Inbee Park and So Yeon Ryu entered a GOLFZON simulator in South Korea while Lydia Ko and Pernilla Lindberg did the same in St. Augustine, Florida. The four competed in two 18-hole virtual matches, with each team winning once.

This virtual match signals another step forward for golf technology. “Screen golf” has long been popular in Korea, and it is likely that more virtual matches will take place as the technology improves even more and greater access is made available. The USGTF is committed to staying current with the latest technology, and USGTF members are encouraged to share their knowledge with us so we can continue to grow as an organization and provide more opportunity for everyone.

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1 Jun 2020

Rudy Project and USGTF Continue to Partner

The Rudy Project, a longtime industry partner of the USGTF, specializes in performance eyewear for athletes. Discounts are available for USGTF members. According to The Rudy Project, “All our sunglasses blend wide field of vision, state-of-the-art lenses, superior fit factor and advanced materials to provide maximum eye protection, sharp vision and outstanding comfort.”

Please contact the USGTF National Office for your Rudy Project code, and go to https://www.rudyprojectna.com/pages/vip-login to create your account.

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1 Jun 2020

Golf Is An Essential Business

The past few months have brought trying times for all of us. And as of this writing, all 50 states are now allowing golf to be played, considered an essential business nationwide.

There is more good news to consider: The number of golfers hitting the links has grown significantly as people trek outdoors and seek healthy activities, and golf certainly fits that description. More people are also wanting to learn the game, providing great opportunities for golf teachers and coaches. We should all be proud to be part of an industry that is vital to the well-being of so many people.

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1 Jun 2020

“Pro” File – Touring Professional Tim O’Neal

How hard is it to break into the PGA Tour? Well, at any given time, there might be 200 players worldwide with privileges. Of the 50 million golfers globally, that comes out to .0004% of all golfers who currently play the PGA Tour, one for every 250,000 players. Tim O’Neal of Savannah, Georgia, has been plying his trade for years, having been an exempt member on what is now known as the Korn Ferry Tour for seven seasons. Later playing on PGA Tour Latinoamerica, he won three times. He has also played in several PGA Tour events, including one major, the 2015 U.S. Open at Chambers Bay. He has also won the Georgia Open, one of the nation’s more competitive state opens. O’Neal’s is an extremely talented golfer who can hit all the shots and shoot low scores. But finding that next level of consistency is a rare talent, reserved for only 200 at a time. Currently, he plays where he can, still making a living at the game and biding his time until 2022 when he becomes eligible for PGA Tour Champions. Look for him to make his mark there, much like Scott Parel and Ken Tanigawa, two golfers with similar careers who are currently finding great success out on the senior circuit.
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1 Jun 2020

Editorial: Pro Golf Returns!

On June 11, barring any unforeseen circumstances, we will all witness the return of professional golf at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, when the Charles Schwab Challenge is played on the PGA Tour. Many of the world’s top players, eager to return to action, are scheduled to play. A stellar field is also on tap the following week at Harbour Town in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, at the RBC Heritage.

The latter tournament is a bittersweet moment for me. I live only 45 minutes from the course and caddy in the pro-ams every year, hobnobbing with some of golf’s greats. I have had the privilege of having conversations with Jordan Spieth, Jim Furyk, Brandt Snedeker, Henrik Stenson and Stewart Cink, among others. Boo Weekley is also a friend of mine, both of us competing back in the day on the Emerald Coast Tour in the Florida Panhandle. However, spectators will not be allowed this year, so I’ll have to settle for watching the event on television instead of taking my two boys out to follow the action in person.

But overall, that’s a minor inconvenience. Most people are now seeing we need to return to some semblance of normalcy, and sports indeed provides that. While it will be strange to see tournament golf without fans for a while, the action and drama is sure to be the same.

By Mark Harman, USGTF National Course Director

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1 May 2020

Are You Ready to Return to the Lesson Tee? How to Teach in the Covid-19 Environment

As states are starting to loosen up restrictions that prevented golf courses from being open, many golf teachers who were prevented from giving lessons are going to be able to return to the lesson tee. This is obviously good news for those who have been sidelined for several weeks.

In teaching in the current COVID-19 environment, the instructor must consider the students’ concerns if a golf lesson can be safely given. We believe the answer to that question is a resounding “Yes!” The Centers for Disease control guidelines currently recommend the wearing of masks in indoor settings where “other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission” (CDC website). So, if you’re teaching indoors, students may be more comfortable if you’re wearing a mask, as remaining more than six feet apart while teaching can be difficult. Another measure to be considered, whether teaching inside or outside, is to have hand sanitizer and antiseptic wipes readily available.

There is no telling at this writing when all restrictions may be loosened permanently. Until then, it is best to remain vigilant in our effort to combat the COVID-19 virus. The USGTF headquarters will continue to work together with our members in doing our part to exchange better ideas on how to make golf teaching safer and more efficient in order to get over difficulties during the these times.

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1 May 2020

USGTF Regional Tournaments Update

Southwest – The USGTF Southwest Region Championship, originally postponed from its March date, has been postponed once again from its re-scheduled late May date. No further information is available at this time.

Other USGTF regional championships are still on schedule. The USGTF will wait until the latest feasible moment if one or more of these events needs to be postponed or canceled, taking into consideration travel plans.

Northeast – June 26, Ewing Township, NJ

Central – August 2-3, Canton, MI

Northwest – September 16-17, San Francisco, CA

US Golf Teachers Cup– October 19-20, Revere GC, Las Vegas, NV

Please click here to learn more about these events.

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1 May 2020

USGTF Continues to Offer Online Courses and Continuing Education

With most learning going online, the USGTF continues to offer its online home study course. Golf courses that have remained open the past several weeks have seen a significant increase in play, and that’s good news for those in the teaching business. If you’re an avid golfer who may be looking for a career change or wanting to help golfers improve their games, the Associate Member online course is a perfect option. Please click here to learn how to become part of the nation’s largest and most influential organization of golf teaching professionals.

Current members may also take advantage of continuing education courses offered in the form of earning a Certified Professional Golf Coach® and/or Certified Golf Club Manager® designation. These ongoing certification courses have been very beneficial in the careers of many. Please click here for more information on these courses and to register.

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