“PRO” FILE – USGTF PROFESSIONAL CHRIS WARNER

By Chris Warner

The first golf club I remember having in my hands was in 1965, when I was given a four-piece set of iron beginner clubs for Christmas. I remember playing with them in the back yard and hitting balls around. However, I have no idea what happened to them.

In March 1970, I was introduced to the game of golf on a real course. It was a par-3 18-hole course where the holes ranged from 75 to 150 yards, but it was my real start in stroke play and actually keeping score. I borrowed my father’s clubs and would play with my grandfather and his group of retirees from the railroad every Tuesday. In 1974, Jack Nicklaus released his book Golf My Way, which covered the entire game and was very instrumental in advancing my skill level. It was then that I started playing on full-size regulation courses, which changed everything for me.

Although I never had any formal lessons, I was gathering any instructional material I could find to learn from. Like most youngsters, I ventured into other sports and when they didn’t really intrigue me, I found myself back into golf. My father spent time with his 8mm video camera in the back yard filming my swing and together, we would look at them. I played every chance I could and even played on the high school golf team. I was limited by using my father’s Kroydon golf clubs, which were already 20+ years old, but it was what I had to work with. This included the 1 through 4 persimmon woods.

Although I pursued the game for many years, playing in any sanctioned events I could, it seemed rather expensive and difficult to completely commit to because of my responsibilities at the time. I did, however, introduce the game to as many people as I could with the idea of having interested friends and co-workers to play with. I didn’t realize at the time that I was developing a skill that would one day be my passion, teaching golf. After competing at a very high level, I discovered the true difference between competition and teaching others. This is when things changed in my direction.

Pursuing my newly found passion, I became a PGA apprentice and was able to eventually achieve my Class A card. I pursued every teaching avenue and gathered any material that was available and became certified in as many organizations as I could. I taught night classes at a junior college, and volunteered as a marshal in PGA Tour events, mainly the TPC in Sawgrass, Florida.

I have since amassed numerous full certifications and still teach golfers of all levels and walks of life. This would include special needs students, autistic children, military veterans, collegiate students, pro-am, school, coaches, etc. I have volunteered with The First Tee organization including the Ben Hogan training center in Fort Worth, Texas. I also acquired my Global Pass, allowing me to work with high school golf teams in multiple counties. This has opened the door to many opportunities in helping young players advance in their future aspirations, resulting in a multitude of them achieving full-ride college scholarships.

In 2014, I was blessed to be the recipient of the Harvey Pennick award in Las Vegas, which was featured on the internet. I soon received a call from a gentleman in Cuernavaca, Mexico, asking if I would be interested in traveling internationally to teach golf clinics. It wasn’t until I accepted the offer and traveled there that this would be an event happening three times every year, working with the American Express Centurion’s Elite members at different locations. I have had the privilege of traveling to numerous locations ever since.

I continuously study the physics involved in the swing, seeking the most efficient process using science and physics to accomplish that as well as validate advice given, offering simple explanations to individuals learning the game. After all, as with any subject, there is an unlimited number of opinions based on people’s understanding and interpretations, I find that when explained correctly and backed by logic, the student is more likely to understand the directions and commit to the effort of learning.

EDITORIAL – WHY DOESN’T IT FEEL STRANGE THAT WE MEET SO MANY TOUR PLAYERS IN THE GYM?

Long before Tiger Woods made working out mandatory for today’s tour players, and even before Gary Player hit the scene with his endless pushups and sit ups, an amateur golfer named Frank Stranahan made waves with his powerlifting routines. Ranked number one in powerlifting in his weight class from 1945 through 1954, Stranahan also competed in golf at a high level, finishing runner-up in both the Masters and British Open.

Both Player and Stranahan were considered anomalies, that is, until Woods came on the scene. Other pros quickly saw that part of Woods’ success was in his incredible fitness, and soon pros everywhere followed suit. College programs even got in on the act, requiring players to participate in early-morning workout sessions before class.

Before Woods, it was thought that lifting heavy weights was bad for golfers, but he quickly proved that idea wrong. Brooks Koepka is said to be able to bench press well over 300 lbs., for example. And the reason why we see so many players in the gym today is that the game at the professional level requires so much power off the tee that more than a few mph of ball speed can be attained through working out. In fact, Bryson DeChambeau took it to such a level that he finished second in the 2022 World Long Drive Championship.

As time goes on and science advances, we will likely see swing speeds continue to increase and players refine their workout routines. Where the limit is, who knows?

HAVE A STUDENT YOU’RE PROUD OF?

USGTF members who have students notable for their achievements, accomplishments, or even notable progress, are invited to submit their stories for consideration in the monthly e-newsletter. A picture of the USGTF member along with their student will also be featured in the item

Such submissions are important to highlight the success of USGTF members. Not only does the student spotlight showcase the teaching professional in addition to the student, but putting out success stories by USGTF members continues to show the strength of the certification process and the qualifications of all USGTF members. As the old saying goes, a rising tide lifts all boats! Submissions may be made at info@usgtf.com.

USGTF MEMBER PERK – INTERNATIONAL PGA MEMBERSHIP

The International PGA was conceived on the notion of welcoming and providing membership for every golf professional, regardless of race, religion or national origin. It offers both PGA and WGTF members the opportunity to belong to a global body of professional golfers. The International PGA promotes career development and acts as one voice for individual professionals from every golfing nation. International PGA members are recognized and respected worldwide by both the public and golf management within the industry.

Current IPGA members can now pay annual dues of $195 at http://www.InternationalPGA.org/renew. WGTF members wishing to join the organization may visit http://www.InternationalPGA.org/become-a-new-member.

REGION UPDATE

Southwest – Ron Cox from Nashville, Tennessee, has done it again. Cox won yet another USGTF region championship when he captured the Southwest title at Twin Creeks Golf Club in McAllen, Texas, with a two-round total of 141 to run away from the field. Jeff Kennedy and Yuan Li finished as co-runners-up at 158. Region director Bruce Sims rounded out the top four with a 159 total.

Cox has won region titles in the Southwest, Southeast and Central regions. This concludes USGTF regional action for the year. Stay tuned for the 2025 schedule, which is slated to kick off with the Southeast Region Championship to be played February in Florida.

CANARY ISLANDS AND WGTF

By John Carr

With its year-round sunshine and average daily temperatures of 25°C, the Canary Islands is a perfect place for us to help people become golf coaches! With 23 courses spread over the seven islands, it greets in excess of 16 million visitors and over 150,000 golfers per year. It’s the second-most visited Spanish territory and is unique in that the universal spoken language across the islands is English.

The islands have become a European mecca for golf, with facilities and courses being presented in such a way to ensure the players have a first-class experience and keep coming back. Many of the courses are ranked as some of the best in Europe and some have and do host DP World Tour events. Whilst the playing facilities on the islands are very advanced, the coaching environment is not as mature, and as such provides us with a great opportunity to expand the game and help more and more people become a golf coach in a perfect golfing environment.

Our new Canary Island coach, John Carr, will be delivering our onsite training content for our new coaches. John is currently a WGTF coach from the U.K. and will be relocating to the Canary Islands to help us get more coaches teaching our great game. John has been in and around golf for over 30 years and has been working in his local community (in association with Kent Golf) growing the game with younger golfers across the county. He also organises golf trips with tuition to the Canary Islands.

John’s holistic approach to the modern game includes how to incorporate strength, flexibility, nutrition, mindset and a positive mental approach to the comprehensive WGTF teaching techniques we apply for the ultimate positive experience of golfers.

Our coaching product will be offered to both male and female coaches to ensure we are capturing the opportunities to coach men, women and young golfers across all age ranges and abilities.

We will keep you updated on our progress in the area and the timeline for when the launch dates are determined.

“PRO” FILE – WINNING PRESIDENTS CUP TEAM, THE USA

On the heels of Team USA recapturing the Solheim Cup in the women’s version of team golf, the Americans once again took down the International squad in the Presidents Cup played at Royal Montreal (Canada) in late September. Team USA raced out to a 5-0 lead on day one in the fourball competition, only for the Internationals to return the favor on day two, winning all five foursome matches. This gave hope that this year’s competition would be competitive.

However, the superior American depth showed itself on the weekend with the USA eventually winning, 18 1/2 – 11 1/2. Many keen observers bemoan the fact that the USA has been so dominant in this competition as the International squad has only won one time in 30 years. Short of saying that the Americans must sit out their 12 best players, it looks like the competition will be one-sided for quite some time, unfortunately.  

“PRO” FILE – USGTF MEMBER DAVE HWANG

By Dave Hwang  

In 1995 I moved to the United States from South Korea as a representative member of Asiana Airlines. This was where I first encountered golf. Initially, golf was just a pastime hobby, an activity that I picked up because of work, but as I continued, it slowly became one of my life’s passions. I found it fascinating and challenging, and I found myself delving deeper into the study of golf in both theory and practice.

Over the years, I realized I wanted to share this passion for golf with others, especially in the larger Korean community. In 2004 I received USGTF education from Master Golf Teaching Professional Mark Harman and obtained the title of Certified Golf Teaching Professional. I began teaching golf in the Korean community.

From young children who have barely mastered their fine motor skills to the middle-aged parents seeking new hobbies, I had the privilege of teaching golf to a wide spectrum of people. In many ways, teaching has been a learning curve. As I crafted and tailored lesson after lesson, I realized that GPS + ABC is crucial for anyone learning golf. GPS (GRIP / POSTURE / STANCE) + ABC (ALIGNMENT / BALANCE / CONCENTRATION) are, in my opinion, the most important aspects for all golfers.

I also emphasize the importance of putting, considering it as another game in golf. For Korean golfers, I highlight the saying, “putting is money” and “putting is rice,” underlining the significance of putting and emphasizing square impact in putting. Especially on flat ground, the ball must go straight, requiring the putter to hit square during impact. I regularly practice stroking with two balls to ensure they roll at a similar speed.

I obtained the master certification in 2014, and in efforts to make golf more linguistically accessible to the Korean community in the United States, I wrote and distributed several golf manuals in Korean. With information so readily available nowadays, I do caution against self-teaching for beginner golfers. Often, I found that this could lead to poor form that is difficult to correct.

As of now, I am currently working as a foreign language master professional examiner in Georgia and Chicago. Georgia has one of the fastest-growing Korean communities in the United States. Here, I aim to initiate regular meetings and competitions among USGTF professionals to discuss and research teaching methods, and work towards stabilizing lesson prices.  

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT – SAL MARTINEZ

By Scott Henry

I am a USGTF golf teaching professional and the head golf coach at Sharyland Pioneer High School in Mission, Texas. The student I wish to highlight is Salvador Martinez, Jr. Sal will be a sophomore during the 2024-2025 school year. Originally from Edinburg, Texas, Sal became interested in the game of golf when his dad, Salvador, Sr., a military veteran, played golf at the military bases. Sal’s curiosity sparked him to join the golf team in junior high school.

As he learned more about the game, Sal became more and more involved. As his golf game improved, he decided to split his time with his first love, baseball. Sal earned several accolades during his freshman year, including qualifying for regionals with his top-5 finish at our district tournament, which is considered the toughest golfing district in the Rio Grande Valley. Additionally, Sal earned an honorable mention for his first year’s campaign.

Fueled by this success, Sal created a summer golf schedule balanced with practice and golf tournaments, which will allow him to improve his proficiency in the game. The plan is to continue working on his golf swing mechanics, golf course management and proficiency. After high school, Sal wants to play golf on the collegiate level. His goal is to play for one of his favorite schools, either Notre Dame or the University of Oklahoma. His dream is to become a golf professional and qualify in the most prestigious tournaments in the world, such as the Masters and the U.S. Open. With Sal’s drive, passion and love for the game, I look forward to being with him every step of the way and seeing where the game of golf takes him. Birdies and eagles!