You see, what I do for a living isn’t work. I still play professionally now and again, but my main focus is to become as
proficient at coaching as my golf game. My wife and I now have the dream academy with all year round coaching in what is Europe’s number one destination for golf. I can promise you that life is good.
I am typing this on a flight to East Midlands, where I will be collecting a car and heading south to work with a tournament professional, who is in the first qualifying stage of the Open Championship. The fairest and most exciting Championship in the World. If you can put a great eighteen holes together, followed by a further thirty-six holes a week later anybody could be playing at St Andrews in July amongst the world’s best players. A scratch handicap is all you need and then some serious game. The season never stands still, whilst Jordan Speith, Dustin Johnson et al are competing at Chambers Bay; the field for the Open Championship is being settled.
However how yesterday started is the real reason ‘variety’ is the topic of this article. Here’s how it started. The academy phone rings and it’s a gentleman who wants to book a lesson. He says he wants to pick his game up as he is concerned that he may not win a tournament this year. When asked what does he play off, he is a little embarrassed and replies 26. He has played off three but things have been regressing and he would like to put things right. When he arrives he says that his back has been in a bad place due to being rear ended (in a car) eighteen months ago. Physiotherapy is helping and he hopes that things will right themselves in time. His next birthday will be his eighty-third.
You did read that correctly by the way, he is soon to turn eighty three. At this stage he has already pre-booked three hours of coaching. Two of which will be taken in quick succession before he goes back to the North of England to play his summer’s competitive schedule. Where he would like to put his name on a trophy.
I ask what’s in the bag, and he then shows me his favourite golf book, I recognise it immediately as Ray Floyd’s brilliant book on how to score. I’m now thinking he is an absolute star. My guy doesn’t know it yet, my aspiration for his next year is that he is going to shoot his age. The most precious of golf’s achievement; to play a competitive round of golf and beat your age.
Within fifteen minutes I see a smile and ask what that was in aid of, “I didn’t think I would ever feel like this again, I remember this movement, I can do this.” His smile was quickly matched by mine.
By the end of the lesson we had increased his club head by three miles an hour which equates to approximately an extra ten yards in the air. His rotation has improved by 20% and most importantly his optimism is now at 100%. Great golf can be played when you are buoyed by optimism.
His putting lesson is booked for next week and as he walks down the stairs my next lesson walks into the academy reception. It’s a taster session for an ex-hooker with bad legs... Now now! He’s not that kind of hooker, since his knee operation, rugby has had to be binned and the golfing bug has bitten him hard. Strength is not an issue for my five o’clock, but posture is, so we go through the correct positions which will create a more consistent movement, which in turn will create increased consistency for the ball.
It’s probably worth mentioning that as a coach, my primary objective is to improve you in an effective way which sets you on course for better scores. My secondary objective is give you an understanding of how to maintain that level for as long as possible. Effectively getting you to play better quickly and play better for longer.
Coaching should be fun, self discovery alongside progress will always be exciting. Why stand still when improving is so much fun?
As you can see we are open to any age or level of player. We have had five-year-olds to a ninety one year old lady through our doors. Tournament professionals to total beginners and anybody in between are welcome. Give us a call on 912 263 555 and become part of the improvement movement, we have packages for every budget starting from as little as €12.50 an hour.
What’s the worst that could happen?