WHAT MAKES AN EXCEPTIONAL TEACHER?
I. Golf Knowledge
A. This means a high “Golf IQ”
B. Acquiring Golf Knowledge
1. Books – build your own personal library (see example)
2. Personal Playing – your own game: skill level, passion and improvement
3. Other Teachers
a. Seminars
b. Golf schools
c. Taking lessons
d. Personal conversations
e. Great Players – talk with top players
f. Study swing video and pictures – bring the teacher to you
II. Communication Skills
A. Great Teachers Are Great Communicators
B. Great Teachers Use All Resources / Techniques
1. Good Demonstrations
2. Teaching Aids
3. Visual Aids
4. Books With Good Pictures
5. Ability To Say The Same Thing Several Ways
6. Relate To Other Sports That Students Play
III. Motivation
A. Great Teachers Inspire
1. Make students feel good about their game and chances for improvement
2. Instill within the student the desire to practice
IV. Energy and Enthusiasm
A. Great Teachers Teach A Lot; It takes energy to teach a lot
B. Great Teachers Love The Game of Golf and Are Enthusiastic: They want to make golfers better
V. Credibility
A. The “Believability Factor” – Does the teacher have it?
B. Credibility Must Be Earned Through The Years:
1. Through continued teaching success
2. It helps to be a competent performer / player
C. Teacher Credibility Influences The Student Success
1. Students will listen more
2. Students will have a higher level of commitment
AMBITION: To be the very best
ARTICULATE: Can verbalize clearly and precisely
BUSINESSMAN: Advertises and promotes lessons
COMMUNICATOR: Transmits information in a simple manner
COMPASSION: Is kind and understanding
DISCIPLINE: Gives pupils needed discipline to stick to teaching/learning plan
DEMONSTRATOR: Has the skill to show correction
ENTHUSIASTIC: Always projects enthusiasm
ENVIRONMENT: Establishes a comfortable atmosphere
EYE: Able to pick up flaws quickly
EXPERIENCE: Possesses a knowledge of golf that is not in the books
IMAGE: A role model, especially for young people
INNOVATOR: Invents drills that fit the problem
KNOWLEDGE: Is the master of the mechanics
MOTIVATOR: Able to inspire, stimulate and influence the student
ORGANIZED: Organized in schedule, method and procedure
PASSION: Has a passion for teaching
PATIENCE: Needs patience in guiding students and urges students to be patient with themselves
PERSONALITY: Demonstrates a style, a smile and individuality
PSYCHOLOGIST: Needs a basic understanding of the way we learn the inner game
SPECIALIST: Focuses on being the best at teaching golf
UNDERSTANDING: Knows what the student is going through and reflects that in the method
WORKER: Knows it takes hard work to be outstanding
What the mind hears can be related to the smell of food before eating. If it smells good, it will wet your appetite and almost surely taste good.
The tone, speed, and inflection of an instructor’s voice can relax and build confidence in the student.
Examples:
TOPIC: VOICE PROJECTION:
Putting Soft and Slow
Chipping Medium and Medium
The High Lob Shot Very Soft and Slow
The Driver Loud and Medium
Success Loud and Emotional
Failure Soft and Slow
End of Lesson Peppy and Upbeat
SWING MECHANICS
A. Keys
- Whatever it takes
- Talented vs. Non-Talented
- Grip Pressure
- Strong Hand Position
- Use Wrists
- Late Wrist Cock
- Feet on Ground
- Hands Lead Club Throughout
- Inside Out Before Down The Line
- Back For Backswing
- Little Knee Flex
- Hips Rotary
- Balance to Determine Style
- Right Writ Bent at Impact
- Right Elbow in Front of Right Hip on Downswing
- Spine Angle Constant
- Balanced Finish
- Club Low To Shoulder at Finish
B. Human Variables
- Strength
- Flexibility
- Swing Style
- Learning Tools Available
- Athletic Coordination
C. The Five Key Positions
- Parallel at Horizontal – face angle matches spine angle to avert over-rotation
- Create the “L” – shaft to lead arm angle
- Right Elbow to/in front of Right Hip – club is ‘in front of” – good plane
- Finish and Hold Five Seconds
- Parallel at Horizontal at Top of Swing
D. Create Pulling Motion
E. Grip – Contact with club – Position a Top to Match
- Finger Placement
- Thumb Placement – Influence of Flexibility of Wrists
- Position of Hands – Arms Hang, Hands Turn Inward
- Pressure – Feel, What Parts of Hands
- Overlap – Interlock, Ten Finger, Picard
- Relationship to Clubface
- Palms face Each Other
- Teaching Aids:Ruler; Broom; Small Club;Yardstick;Training Grip
F. Set Up
- Posture
- Ball Position – Club Position Center – Distance From Ball: hands inside nose line
- Foot Position – Stance: width of your step
- Weight Pressure
- Arm Hang
- Head Position
- Set Up Lines
- Alignment Routine
- Teaching Aids: Alignment Board; Paint; Mirror
II. THE SCORING SHOTS
A. Putting Methods and Practice
- Conventional
- Cross Handed
- Long & Belly Putter
- Long Putts vs. Short Putts – Distance First
- Practice or Not
- Consistency
- Feel, Confidence & Reading Greens
- Wind Factor
- Skid Factor
- Peripheral Vision – Eye line inside
- Set Up – Weight on heels & left with square shoulders, open stance
- Start motion with putter off ground
- Teaching Aids: String; Chalk Line;Ball Putter; Cross Hairs; Rulers
B. Putting Fundamentals
- Comfort
- Direction
- Alignment
- Body Position
- Leg Flex – Weight on heels< Eyes inside line
- Ball Position
- Solid Hit – Club Face On Target Line
- Grip – Shaft, clubhead in line
- Grip End Movement vs. Club Movement
- Consistency of Motion
- Grip – Channels of Hands
- Touch – Finger Tips
- Backswing Equals Follow Through
- Long Putter – LH tales it back; RH hits it through
- DRILLS:Hit TOP of cup; Hit LINER of cup; Hit BOTTOM of cup.Roll ball back to me
- TEACHING
Putter off ground teaches grip pressure and allows the feel of the weight of the club head
Cross Hand: Right wrist is set; shoulders level out; LH back, RH through
Fingertips on grip – split grip for touch
VISION – PERIPHERAL: Left eye on cup or a spot; right eye on ball;
Concentrate on target line – no mechanics
- Constant motion
- Good putters hit up on ball – less skid
C. The Shots and Club Selection for Lower Scores
- The Factors That Determine What Club To Chip With Are:
– distance from ball to edge of green
– distance from flagstick to edge of green
– green speed
– green slope up, down &/or side hill
– lie
– truest first bounce is on the green
D. Chipping
- Alignment
- Clubface at Target
- Open Stance
- Grip
- Top Hand in Channel – takes wrist motion out
- Bottom Hand Conventional
- Body Position
- Arms Hang From Shoulders
- Slight Knee Flex
- Head in Front of Ball – Suspension point
- Weight on Forward Foot
- Ball Position
- Off back Foot
- Close To Body
- Ball At Toe of Club
- Grip End in Center of Body
- Motion
– Arms move up in air
– Lower body moves forward
– Club drops on ball
– No follow-through or wrist action
– Club selection
– Get ball on green as soon as possible
– Comfortable landing area
– Maximum ground time
– Ball height variance
– Lie of ball variables
– Maximum distance for chipping
E. Pitching
- Alignment
- Clubface at Target
- Open Stance
- Grip
- Conventional
- Body Position
- Weight Forward
- Slight Knee Flex
- Hands in Center of Body
- Ball Position – Slightly back of center
- Motion
– Body stays in constant motion
– Lower Body Moves forward initiating backswing
– Arms follow lower body
– Arms move up – Upper body must turn away
– Clubface rotates to square
– Wrists Hinge
– Hips rotate for Forward Swing
– Back goes backward for pulling motion
– Impact Angle Determines trajectory
F. Bunker Play
- Sand Club
- Bounce
- Effective Bounce
- Alignment
- Clubface in Effective Bounce Position
- Body at Target
- Foot Line and Ball Line
- Grip – Open face by turning hands
- Conventional
- Body Position
- Face Target
- Nose in front; ball back
- Front of Foot Line
- Long Bunker Shot – Aim right, out-to-in pull
- Motion
– Lower body moves first
– Right hip rotates
– Arms follow lower body
– Arms move up
– Clubface rotates naturally
– Wrists hinge
– Shaft almost perpendicular
– Left hip rotation leads forward swing
– Club enters sand at toe line
– Club splashes sand on the green
III. GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR PLAYERS
A. Communication Skills
- Great Coaches Are Great Communicators
- Great Coaches Use All Resources / Techniques
– Good demonstrations
– Teaching Aids
– Visual Aids
– Books With Good Pictures
– Ability To Say The Same Thing Several Ways
– Relate To Other Sports That Students Play
B. What To Watch
- Grip – Posture – Alignment
- Ball Flight
- Clubface at Impact
- Balance – Lower Body Motion
- Clubface At Top
- Wrist At Top
- Shaft at Top
- Arc Width Extension
C. Golf Swing Principles
- There is very little weight shift. It only appears that there is weight shift because the head moves back.
- The head moves right and then stays perfectly still
- The right arm controls the length of the backswing
- The lower body has very little improvement.
- If the right shoulder stops on the downswing, the swing is cut off.
- The hip socket never goes past the inside of the right leg in the backswing.
- The right elbow should not go outside the right hip on the backswing or the seam of your sweater.
- The right shoulder should go where the right shoulder was.
- The shoulders should not go outside the toe line.
- The hands should not go outside the nose line.
- The right wrist should be bent at impact.
- The left leg should be straight at impact.
- The toe of the club should not be pointed to the ground.
- A slightly closed clubface is square because of the angle of the swing.
- The right leg should be braced.
- The feet should be flat on the ground.
- The club is pulled, not thrown. The back controls the pull.
D. Motivation – Great Coaches Inspire
- Make students feel good about their game and chances for improvement.
- Instill within the student the desire to practice.
- Are always enthusiastic.
DAILY EVALUATION LESSON FORM
- Shots or Concepts Worked On:
- Lesson Points:
- Individual Instruction Tips:
- Greatest Problem With This / These Shot(s):
- Improvement Since Last Session: