Coaches Corner: What’s Going On

By: Bob Madsen, PGA

What’s Going On

An article by Bob Madsen, PGA

 

Here is some of what’s going on with students at the Singing Hills Golf Resort.

We are continually getting tremendous benefit when we put certain golfers into softer shafts. Students are getting extra distance and their golf swings are moving in the direction of effortless power.

I am still getting grand results having students play with fewer clubs. Almost without exception scores, indecision, doubt, and fear come down while good things like confidence, cheerfulness, decisiveness, instinct, and imagination are relied upon more often.

Here is another kicker. I am spending nearly 100 percent of my time on three things: commitment, emotion, and the golfer’s urge to swing “right”.

  1. Without commitment (elicited by YOU) on the part of your students to study and work hard, your instruction will fail in the long run. Get better at asking for a specific quantity of practice: a number of hours, or buckets, or shag bags.
  2. Next, emotion is a constant battle as upset and frustration get in the way of the learning. Hint: safeguard the student and yourself in this regard by having the lesson filled with success. For example, lots of well struck half-shots.
  3. And getting students to be LESS concerned with swing mechanics almost always leads to lower scores. Interestingly, quite often less concern helps free up the swing and actually makes it more correct!

I would love to get your feedback. What are you noticing on the lesson tee? What are you learning? Are you just cranking bodies through or are you seeking to become a better craftsman.

Let’s shoot for the latter.