How to Stop Hooking

There are literally thousands of articles pertaining to getting rid of slicing or fading the golf ball, yet not much sound information to help golfers overcome hooking (and blocking)!

The video clearly illustrates what the primary causes are...

The dispersion drill will not only get you to improve the club path, but also encourage you to get the clubface pointing to the right of the target. Exactly the opposite of what you have been struggling with! With the feel from the dispersion drill you will no longer have the:

• club path traveling too far from in to out
• clubface closed to the path
• have to rely on perfect timing to quality golf shots

Give this simple drill a try if you tend to struggle with blocks and hooks. If you enjoyed this video and article please share it with a friend who you feel might benefit from it.

Thanks for tuning in!

Coach Camp Europe

Wow! What a fantastic ten days. Terri and I have just returned from Coach Camp Europe and we could not have been more pleased with the outcome of each event. After the success of the inaugural Coach Camp in South Carolina in February earlier this year we had received numerous requests from coaches in Europe to put on a similar event over there. We were blessed to have all the original presenters, Dana Dahlquist, Martin Chuck, Joseph Mayo and myself make the trip while managing to add brand guru and content creator extra-ordinaire, Mark Crossfield to the line-up.

On September 20th & 21st we kicked off just outside Brussels at Chateau de la Tournette hosted by teaching professional Alan McLean. There were almost 80 attendees with most of them traveling in from Holland. 

The weather was incredible and the outdoor segments were conducted in warm sunshine on both days. A highlight appeared to be the newly introduced 20-minute quick lessons that each presenter gave to golfers of various handicap levels. Or maybe it was the story Joe Mayo told about a porcupine living inside the head of a driver…

After Belgium we moved on to Dublin, Ireland where, on September 26th & 27th Stephen Ennis hosted us at Roganstown. Here there were 70 attendees with the majority being from the UK and Ireland. We did have two coaches come in from South Africa, a handful from Poland and a return attendee from Russia.

Having had some prior experience with Irish weather I was shocked when the sun came out on the first day. The second day might have been a bit chilly and windy but there was nothing we could complain about.

Each of the presenters was asked to speak on a topic of their choosing:

• Martin Chuck: What I’ve Learned

Martin took us through his approach to giving a lesson and the factors he felt were important in putting the student at ease and developing a relationship

• Dana Dahlquist: Swing Preferences

Dana shared a variety of swing patterns (CP & CF) with the group and spoke about what to look for from certain players

• Joseph Mayo: Trail Shoulder External Rotation

Joe regaled us with the value of trail shoulder rotation in the swing and it’s importance in getting the shaft to lay down correctly.

• Mark Crossfield: Coaching to Your Audience

Mark presented on his business brand and shared a number of valuable points. A highlight was his discussion on ‘exit strategy’ for golf coaches.

• Andrew Rice: What I’ve Learned

My theme explored what can we as coaches can do to make the game easier for all golfers. I presented on the importance of hand path, the face to path relationship and skill development. 

Dahlquist and Mayo

As per usual at these events the lunchtime and evening banter was second to none as this seemed to be the perfect opportunity to dig deeper on certain topics and swing elements.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the sponsors of both events, Foresight Europe and SwingCatalyst.  They provided the most incredible crew at each site and I do not stand alone in saying that each of the presenters was impressed with both the technology and support each company provided. In fact Dana Dahlquist purchased a SwingCatalyst.

Thank you to the sponsors, the presenters, the hosts and most of all the coaches who attended. Our objective is to make Coach Camp the premier coaching event in the world and we sincerely appreciate you joining us. It really was a blast!

I am currently working towards setting up a fresh, world-class list of feature presenters for Coach Camp 2017. The event will be held on January 30th and 31st at the Westin Savannah Harbor Resort in Savannah, Georgia. The line-up of feature presenters will be announced the week of October 24th (or sooner!). We will have 100 available spots for attendees this year, so please block off the Monday and Tuesday after the PGA Merchandise Show if you plan on attending. 

See you in Savannah…

How to Practice: 3. SHOT

In this series on practice I have mapped out a plan to help each golfer take ownership of their technical upgrades (SWING), dedicate a portion of the valuable practice time developing skills by hitting unusual and ‘outside the lines’ type shots (SKILL) and now the time has come to bridge the gap between the practice ground and the course by turning our attention purely towards results (SHOT).

With this mode of practice there should be a constant changing of clubs, targets, lies and intent. Here the golfer should incorporate their pre-shot routine as they hit specific and on-course styled shots.

I’m a big fan of hitting irons to a specific side of a flag or target. Create scenarios in your head as you execute each unique shot.  There’s a deep pot bunker just in front and slightly right of this pin. I’ve got to keep this eight iron about twenty feet left… Drivers should be played down imaginary fairways from Augusta, Pebble Beach and Royal Troon, with trouble invariably looming on one side or both. Get into each shot just like you would on the golf course. Be sure to:

·      Change clubs after no more than two shots

·      Switch targets for every shot

·      Use your pre-shot routine just as you would on the course

·      Be specific with your intent for each shot

Don’t attempt crazy or unusual shots; we’ve already done that in our skill session. It’s time to step back inside the lines and play your go-to ball flight. For an added challenge you could even keep yourself accountable and see how many consecutive shots you can hit to the appropriate side of a target. Everything about this practice mode should simulate real, on-course golf. Play golf!

One final swing and the Open Championship is yours…

Be sure to read my two previous segments on practice:

How to Practice: 1. Swing

How to Practice: 2. Skill

How to Practice: 2. SKILL

Boys are typically much better chippers than girls! And it's not because they're more creative or the fact that they're stronger physically which allows them to hit a broader variety of shots. It's because they love to practice 'dumb' and crazy shots! Boys continually strive to outdo one another and I believe it's via this innate behavior that they learn to hit those amazing and skillful shots around the green. Ever seen a female trick shot artist? Hmmm...

My approach to developing skill is that we take this 'outside the lines' approach to practicing the shortgame and apply it to every element of golf. From driving to putting we can develop our skill and our ability to control the golf ball by spending time purposefully hitting 'abnormal' golf shots. Watch...

When practicing to develop your skill challenge yourself to become better at intentionally controlling the following elements of a golf shots:

• Distance
• Launch direction
• Peak height
• Curvature of the ball flight
• Where you strike the ball on the face

When practicing 'outside the lines' change your intent after every second shot. Use a variety of clubs, targets and lies. Keep in mind it's really easy and fun to practice these elements when you have a TrackMan, but they are entirely doable without any technology. Here are a few ideas:

The 3 Ball Strike Point Challenge

This drill is great fun for golfers of all abilities and ages. All you need is a can of Dr. Scholl's Odor X foot spray. I firmly believe we become better at completing any task when we learn to complete it a variety of different ways. Shot 1 is outside the vertical line, shot 2 inside it and shot 3 is on the line.

The Spin Axis Challenge

When taking on this challenge you want to use a 6 iron and try to hit the biggest hook or slice possible for your opening shot. From there the objective is to progressively reduce the amount of curvature until you get to a straight shot. If you can get 9 shots, as in the example above, you're doing very well.

When practicing to develop skill I cannot encourage you enough be creative, have fun and think outside the box. You can even hit one-handed or one-legged shots! Close your eyes, change your grip, hit it out of divots - anything goes. Come up with your very own, out of the ordinary practice session. Now get out there and start spending some time practicing like a teenage boy...

Here is the first article in my series on how to practice:

How to Practice: 1. SWING — Andrew Rice Golf

How to Practice: 1. SWING

This is the first in a series on how to get the most out of the limited available time you have to work on your game. I'm a big proponent of allocating a portion or your practice time to taking ownership of mechanics and SWING, another portion to SKILL development and finally executing SHOTS to carry the upgrades to an "on-course" styled environment. Each session should be filtered through the swing, skill and shot mantra.

Let's get started with understanding what should be going into the swing segment of your practice. This is block practice and that is a good thing! We need it. Block practice is a necessity as it allows us to get enough technical reps in to start taking full ownership of the upgrades. Block practice only becomes a problem when that's the ONLY way you practice. If you can find a way to incorporate swing, skill and shot into all of your practice sessions I have a sneaky feeling things will start to get better. Check this out...

When in swing mode this is what I'm looking for:

• I use a 7 or 8 iron and practice off preferred lies or even tees
• I'll most often use an alignment aid and hit all shots to one target
• I don't pay much attention to the shot. My focus is primarily on the motion
• I make a number of practice swings and feels between each shot
• This is the only time I'll devote to doing swing drills
• A nice addition to this segment of your practice would be a mirror as it allows you to 'feel' the look you're after

Make sure that to avoid the trap of trying to hit result based shots while you're attending to mechanics - that will come later. Check back next week where I will share my take on how to develop your skills as a golfer.

Trip Update: I have an opening for one more couple to New Zealand in February 2017 and space for a few more couples to South Africa in January 2017. Should you be interested check out www.syncexcursions.com or shoot terri(at)andrewricegolf.com an email. Would love to have you join me!

Predictable Draws

Predictability! A word I use every day on my lesson tee. We don't need perfection, although that would be nice, we simply need to predictably launch and shape the ball and we can play the golf of our dreams.

I have found that when a golfer can get the handle of the club traveling inward through the strike managing the club face becomes less of a challenge. Thankfully this doesn't mean that the clubhead is also traveling inward. Watch....

Obstacles to watch for when working towards getting the handle to travel in while the clubhead travels out:

• The arms drop straight down and in from the top creating a scenario where they are trapped and can only 'exit' outward through impact
• The handle AND the clubhead both move outward at the start of the downswing. Now they must both travel inward though impact
• The hips drive forward too much and the handle has no access to work inward through impact

The following sequence of Graeme McDowell illustrates beautifully how to set up the transition and ensuing downswing for exactly what we are looking for through impact. 

Graeme McDowell

To get started with predictable, controllable draws you simply must work the hands in while the clubhead travels out through the strike.

While this is certainly not the only way to get the job done, for slower swing speed golfers (which is most of us out there!) this is the go to game plan. Start in front of a mirror and go from there....

Thanks for reading and if you have a friend who might be struggling with this please share.

If you're interested in join me on a Golf Safari to South Africa this January with your loved one please contact terri (at) andrewricegolf.com or visit www.syncexcursions.com for more details.

A Better Downswing to Reduce Blocks and Hooks

As we all know most golfers tend to struggle with fading and slicing the ball, but there is a large portion of the golf population, typically lower handicap players, that struggle with hooks and the occasional block. This article is for you!

There's a huge correlation between between a golfer's club speed and their handicap. The higher the speed, typically, the lower the handicap. The key is being able to manage the golf club while generating higher club speeds and that can only happen with a proper pivot and more specifically, a proper downswing pivot. Here's how...

As you begin your downswing you want to feel the following:

• The weight remaining on the trail foot for longer
• Cast your net! More rotational and less lateral
• The legs separating slightly
• The handle of the club working out or in front of you while the clubhead stays behind you

The objective here is to get the clubhead traveling less outward and along a more neutral path through impact. Getting your body to rotate on the way down in more of a 'merry-go-round' fashion and less of a 'ferris wheel' fashion will deter the clubhead from getting too far to the inside.  

Try this feel slowly and with soft shots before working up to full swings. You'll be amazed at how challenging it is to actually stay back and rotate versus driving forward. Stick with it and realize that in order to improve the quality of your shots you're going to have to improve how the clubhead communicates with your golf ball.

Thanks for reading and if you have a friend who you feel might benefit from this information please share! 

South Africa or New Zealand in 2017?

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What's it going to be? Once again Terri and I will be headed to South Africa this coming January for our 11th trip and as per usual we cannot wait to get back. We have changed things up slightly from years gone by in that we now start our trip in Cape Town and close things out at the world renowned Makanyane Safari Lodge.

We will spend five luxurious nights at the Cape Grace Hotel which was recently ranked in the top 100 hotels in the world by Travel & Leisure. Of course there is golf at three of South Africa's best, but so many traveler's overlook the country's incredible food and wine scene. We complement the Cape's stunning scenery with private wine tastings at Hamilton Russell and Fairview and our final dinner at Delaire Graf will definitely be one to remember.

We then head to the northern part of the country for the safari leg of our trip. Here are private air charter lands at the Madikwe Eastern Airstrip and our 5 day bush adventure kicks off. Your life will never be the same again after your time here! The staff, food, accommodations and customer service are all simply world class. And then there's the game viewing! We have often seen the magnificent seven (lion, rhino, elephant, leopard, buffalo, wild dog and cheetah) on our previous trips and almost expect to see all the members of the Big 5.

We currently have space for four additional couples on this incredible life-changing trip. Please contact Terri at terri(at)andrewricegolf.com should you have any questions. Also visit www.syncexcursions.com for a detailed itinerary.

In February we head to the southern hemisphere again - this time to New Zealand! It is kinda nice to trade two weeks of winter for some summer sunshine. We will spend time in all the best spots on both the north and south island visiting Auckland, Queenstown and Millford Sound, Napier and Lake Taupo. You will have the option to play five spectacular rounds of golf at courses that include Cape Kidnapper's and the top-rated Kinloch Club.

For those seeking adventure we have included a charter flight and cruise on the Millford Sound and jetboating on the Shotover river. Everybody loves great food and wine and New Zealand has plenty to offer. We will enjoy private tastings and culinary delights at Amisfield, Craggy Range and Mission and Church Road wineries.

We currently have space for three additional couples on this Kiwi excursion. Please contact Terri at terri(at)andrewricegolf.com should you have any questions. Also visit www.syncexcursions.com for a detailed itinerary.

Thanks for reading and if you cannot join us in 2017 we hope to have you come along in 2018!

Is Your Swing Built on Timing?

We've all played those rounds where we have 14 solid holes and 4 holes where it seems as if we've never held a club before. This is a classic indication that your golf swing is reliant on timing. A situation where the face angle at impact is determined by the golfer "manually" inputing clubface closure through the impact zone. 

Here's Sam Snead taking the handle "around the corner"....

While there is no one method or technique that allows us to position the face correctly through impact on a consistent basis there are certain elements in the golf swing that will allow us to do a better job of managing the clubface. Watch...

If you can work towards making the "motorboat" curve around the corner you'll become much better at getting the "tube" to fling around - this way positioning the clubface appropriately through the strike will start to become more automatic and your swing will be less reliant on timing.

Here's a clip to illustrate what the hands should be doing as they pass through the strike...

Ideally the handpath should be traveling inward and upward. Get to work on the proposed drills and you'll start to see a decreased reliance on timing and improved consistency out on the golf course. Thanks for reading...and watching!

How to Shallow the Attack Angle

I teach far more golfers that hit down on the ball too much more than those that don't hit down enough. If you are one of those golfers that typically takes big divots and hits a low ball flight then stay with me....

I have found this sequence to work nicely with all golfers looking to shallow their attack angle and improve the crispness of the strike. Try the following (with either irons or driver):

• PHASE 1 - 5 drags over the top of the ball
• PHASE 2 - 5 low to high pitch style shots, keeping clubhead low in the backswing
• PHASE 3 - 5 half speed and half size swings sensing an ascending strike (even with irons)

(all shots are struck with the ball on a tee)

Another drill I like to use to help golfers learn to deliver an ascending strike with the driver is what I call the Box Drill pictured below...

Place an empty sleeve box between a teed golf ball and the target as indicated. The box should be approximately a grip length ahead of the ball. On a windy day it might be necessary to use tees to anchor the box in place. This is a costly addition to this drill!

If you can hit shots without running the clubhead into the box then chances are that you're no longer hitting down on the ball and you should see an increase in both distance and the altitude of your tee shots. Keep in mind that as you "upgrade" your attack angle, should you have an adjustable driver, you might need to alter the loft.

Thanks for reading and I hope these ideas are going to help your game. Cheers!

No More Weak Iron Shots

We've all heard the sound. And we've all felt it too. That sense when you literally melt a ball off the clubface and you know instantaneously that you've hit the shot you've been waiting for all day. That feeling is compression! To learn more watch this....

Here is an example lesson where I felt it appropriate to use this drill with a student who was struggling with the quality of his strike and high, weak ball flight in particular. Here is his initial TrackMan data for a typical 7 iron shot...

It's important to be aware that the height of this particular shot was 103 feet! This player's club speed is only a few mph short of PGATour average, yet he is only carrying a 7 iron 145 yards. After working on his compression (spin loft) via the drill illustrated in the video this is what a typical shot looked like in drill mode (note the slower club speed)...

The exact same ball speed with more than 7 mph less club speed! The spin loft, which is not an easy change to make, has gone from 31.1º to a slightly low 24.8º and the height has come down to a more manageable 76 feet. I anticipate that as this golfer works to get comfortable with their new feel they would increase their compression to a more appropriate 26º or 27º.

Before on the left and while doing the Compression Drill on the right

Thanks for reading and for greater understanding on what compression really is please read:

 Compress the Golf Ball — Andrew Rice Golf

Knowledge to Help You Spin Your Wedges

When it comes to wedge shots, spin has always been somewhat mystical. Why will one shot check like crazy while most shots seem to want to scamper well beyond the pin?

This is a little experiment I do in all my Three Day Golf Schools to illustrate a few of the important factors that influence spin rates...

This video clearly illustrates the role of water, grass, a premium golf ball and a clean clubface - the big factors that influence friction between face and ball and ultimately, spin.

As a golfer you are fully responsible for how the sole of the club interacts with the ground while you are only partially responsible for how the face interacts with the golf ball. Understanding factors that serve to decrease friction will only help you from trying to fix a motion that isn't broken.

While it is important to realize that we don't need maximum spin in order to pitch well, we do need ENOUGH spin. To generate more RPM's use a professional grade wedge, replace it as often as needed, keep the face clean and dry and use a premium golf ball. Of course hitting from a tight, dry fairway would be nice too, but we cannot always control that one...

For more on wedge spin and improved wedge play see:

The Wedge Project

Spinning the Wedges - Friction

Coach Camp Presentations

Coach Camp 2016 was a tremendous success and now you have an opportunity to learn from all the presenters as if you were there. From trending #1 on Twitter to all the rave reviews we've received I believe that whether you're a golfer or coach you will benefit from the information shared in seven plus hours of presentations available here.

The videos are broken into segments but unfortunately do not include Scott Fawcett's presentation as he opted to not include his proprietary information. The cost is $150 and is payable once you have registered at www.coachcampvideo.com.

The topics for each presentation are as follows:

Martin Chuck - Developing Your Teaching Style (59 min)

Dana Dahlquist - The Golf Machine and the "P" System (61 min)

Joseph Mayo - Wrist Angles, Hand Path and Sweet Spot Orientation (56 min)

Andrew Rice - Forward! Information and Tools to Help any Coach and Golfer Improve (52 min)

Live Lesson Golfer Evaluation 1 - In this segment each of the four main presenters evaluate a student and share how they would work to help this golfer improve (25 min)

Live Lesson Golfer Evaluation 2 - In this segment each of the four main presenters continue their evaluation and discuss a plan to move forward (28 min)

Dr. Morris Pickens - How to Practice and Improve Short Game (25 min)

Curious Coaches - Matt Wilson and Corey Lundberg discuss the Coaching Spectrum (47 min)

Business Development - Each of the feature presenters shares their ideas on what they are doing to grow their teaching business. (47 min)

On Range Driver and Wedge Session with Feature Presenters - Here the group discusses their favorite drills and ideas to hit drivers and wedges better. (82 min)

Question and Answer Session - numerous interesting questions along with a fabulous Joe Mayo segment on why it's important to keep the center of mass of the club out of line with the hand path. (68 min)

The videos will give you insight into what some of the top coaches and minds in the game of golf are working on to improve their students performance. They include individual presentations from Martin Chuck, Dana Dahlquist, Joe Mayo and Andrew Rice. Our guest presenters, Dr. Morris Pickens and Matt Wilson and Corey Lundberg from Curious Coaches are also featured. Perhaps one of the most insightful segments is the lesson evaluation each feature presenter did with 10 handicap golfer Karl Deblitz. There are also in depth discussions on wedge and driver play.

I am confident that whether you're  a golfer looking to improve your ball striking or coach looking to advance the quality of your information you will find these presentations to be immensely helpful. One veteran attendee echoed the sentiments of many others when he said, "This was the best education experience I have ever attended!" 

To make your purchase go to www.coachcampvideo.com 

NOTICE

It has come to our attention that privacy protected videos will not currently display properly using the iOS 9.3 system or Safari 9.1 on Mac.  This is a known issue with Apple that was caused by their latest update, and they are currently working to fix it.  On your Mac, you may use a different browser or an earlier version of Safari.  Unfortunately, your iOS device running 9.3 will not be able to display these videos properly until Apple releases a new iOS update.  We apologize for any inconvenience to our iOS 9.3 and Safari 9.1 users, Apple is working to correct the problem.

A Drill to Shallow the Shaft

Here is a simple drill that will help any golfer sense what the trail arm needs to be doing in the backswing. I call it the Tray Drill and it will not only improve the backswing, but should also eliminate the need for well-timed compensations on the way down into impact. Take a look...

Here's an image from a recent lesson with a golf professional that has always had a tough time getting his right arm to rotate properly in the backswing and as a result he's had to do so much in order to shallow the shaft. The before is on the left and the tray drill example is on the right. 

It's amazing what this simple drill can convey to any golfer who struggles to get their trail arm in a good spot leading into the downswing. Thanks for reading!

A Drill For Better Compression

There is so much information out there regarding the golf swing that it's nearly impossible for anybody to sift through it all and decide what could be a game-changer for their game. In this article I've done the heavy lifting for you and trust me, improved wrist angles (particularly in the downswing) can make a massive difference in your ball striking.

In the wrist-centric Laser Beam drill I'd like to see the following:

• a tee in your glove pointing away from your the back of your hand
• curl the wrists under, bowing the lead wrist slightly, as you start the swing
• sense a flat or slightly bowed wrist throughout the back and downswing
• save your eyes! Point the tee away from your face all the way through impact

If you do this correctly you will sense an improved ability to hit draws and the additional compression will have the ball jumping off the clubface. Give this one a go!

An explanation of Compression 

New Home for Andrew Rice Golf

The Club at Savannah Harbor

I'm pleased to announce that I have partnered with the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort and Spa and starting on February 15th I will be the new Director of Instruction at the Club at Savannah Harbor.

This is where my Three Day Golf Schools and all individual instruction will be based and I couldn't be more excited to be positioned just minutes from the heart of the Savannah Historic District (voted "Best Small City in the USA" by Conde Nast 2015).

Not only is this a great golf school location, but it's also a fantastic retreat for couples. Whether you're looking to take a lesson, play a world-class golf course, relax in the Heavenly Spa or just explore one of America's most historic cities, the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort and Spa (voted one of "Georgia's Top Golf Resorts" by Golf Week 2015) will meet all your needs.

This is a tremendous opportunity for me and I cannot wait to welcome you to Savannah Harbor - I know you're going to love it. 

For more information on my upcoming golf schools please contact my Managing Director at terri@andrewricegolf.com or to book your next lesson contact me at andrew@andrewricegolf.com. 

This is going to be good....

News and Notes for 2016

Our Group at Arabella Golf Club

There is  so much and use that I have to share I thought a News and Notes article would be the way to go starting the new year. Terri and I have just returned from our 11th amazing trip to South Africa. You've heard the glowing reports from me before and this year certainly was no different. See for yourself...

These trips have gained in popularity over the years and we fully expect our 2017 edition to sell out. For more details please visit www.syncexcursions.com

As far as finding a permanent home I have not had any luck thus far. The management team at Chechessee Creek Club have been very kind in allowing me to teach at their facility on an interim basis through the end of February. I understand that many of you would like to come to a Golf School or come out and take a few lessons - please know that I am working on a daily basis to find an exceptional facility that could benefit from what I have to offer. I will let you all know as soon as I have some worthy news.

I am pleased to share that I will be representing PING golf through 2017 as a consultant to their engineering department. This is an exciting new position they have created and I look forward to sharing our findings with you.

On a final note I also wanted to mention my new Andrew Rice All Access training space on Edufii. Jump on and enjoy a free Three Day Trial so you can get a feel for what I will be offering there. My objective is to be a lot more interactive with you and your game. You will also have the ability to upload your swing and I'll take a look and offer my thoughts on what you can do to improve. It should be a fun environment where you'll be able to learn something new and beneficial every week. Here's the LINK.

Makanyane Safari Lodge

Should you wish to contact me please use my andrew(at)andrewricegolf.com address. Thanks for your support in 2015 and I look forward to a fantastic 2016! I'll leave you with this quote:

“The line between where I am and where I want to be is separated only by my actions.”

— Unknown

This Lesson Tee...

The Lesson Tee at Berkeley Hall

I have worked on this tee for 15 years. Almost one third of my life! This tee didn't exist when I was first approached about being the Director of Instruction at Berkeley Hall in 2000. Little did I know that at the time I was about to embark on the most important and fulfilling professional journey of my life. I arrived as a young and excited teacher who thought he knew all there was to know about teaching and in a few weeks I will leave as an older, wiser and equally as passionate teacher who knows significantly more, yet wouldn't for one second think I know even close to enough.

When you stand outdoors in one place as much as I have you get to see quirky and interesting things that those who work indoors simply never get the opportunity to experience. I have seen deer, rabbits, bald eagles, armadillos and fish. Yes, an osprey once dropped a live fish on the tee! I've even had a lesson interrupted by a long black snake that casually slithered through an ever widening gap between my student and I. There have been birds catching other birds and snakes catching frogs, but my favorite memories are the people. 

I've had the privilege to teach some amazing people on this tee - from youngsters just starting the game, to global business leaders and world-class athletes. I'll never forget the boy who showed up to camp with his golf bag, but he had no clubs. Or how many students tried to help me with my five year battle to get rid of a pesky mirror-tapping cardinal. I'll always remember the wife who cried every lesson because she was trying to learn golf to win her husband back. And the young lady who I happened to record hitting a golf ball backwards - every time her family was in town they would stop by the Learning Center and ask to see the video so they could have a laugh. Those memories stand out, but it's the friendships that were forged on this turf that will stay with me forever. People that have taught me so much more than I could ever teach them. 

This lesson tee and my experiences here have enriched my life immeasurably. I can only hope that the next person who gets to ply their trade here will make as many lifelong friends, learn as much and be as blessed as I was to work here. I will always fondly remember this tee. Thanks for the lifelong memories and friendships Berkeley Hall.

24 Hours to Better Golf this Winter

I am very excited to share the Off-Season Project with you! With the help of my good friend and golf fitness expert Derek Lemire we have created a fantastic challenge for you this off-season. Are you prepared to dedicate 24 hours over the next twelve weeks to better golf? Derek and I have built a program for you that will improve your technique, increase your club speed and better your body and all we ask for 2 hours per week. Take a look...

We are challenging you to invest 24 hours towards better golf this winter. I can assure you this video will change the way you view the off-season. Do you accept the challenge?

Check it out HERE

Developing an Athlete Golfer

This video contrasts Michelle Wie and Lexi Thompson in 2015 on the LPGA Tour. Both played 23 events and one of them earned $1.7 million while the other earned $340,000 (prior to the final event). Michelle grew up playing and practicing "inside the lines" and under the watchful eye of expert coaches and her parents continually striving for perfection while Lexi grew up playing golf and other sports. She mostly tried to keep up with her 2 older brothers.

These two golfers have both been phenoms from a very early age, however the manner in which they were exposed to the game was completely different. Michelle was always trained to be a golfer, while Lexi, with the help of her brothers, ended up becoming an athlete first and a golfer second.

Here is some great stuff from Dr. Martin Toms at www.winningyouthcoaching.com

• Kids who specialize early are 70-90% more likely to get hurt, are more likely to burn out, are more likely to develop psychological issues and don’t develop all-around sports athleticism
• There is a huge difference between specialization and early-engagers: Specialization is adult-driven, organized environment, focused on long-term goals, while engagement is child-driven, play-centered, focused on enjoyment of the game. They have the space to fail, the freedom to be creative without an adult looking over their shoulder telling them what they are doing wrong. They will fall in love with the game and there will be tons of free-play
• What if your 7-year-old says he only wants to play 1 sport? – You are the adult and you need to guide them to branch out and try different things.

So what is the right way to develop an athlete golfer? Start with a "diverse portfolio!" Have the young athlete participate in multiple team and individual sports. Keep them active and develop their skills in a broad variety of fields. Do all you can to avoid early specialization for as long as is feasible. Do all this in an open, play-centered environment that is predominantly child driven. Encourage as much "outside the lines," abnormal (fun) practice as possible.

Just my 2 cents!