Future Talent

Over the years I’ve been very fortunate to play a role in assisting some very talented youngsters to achieve some great quality golf and win countless, club, County, Country and International Championships.

We now live in an instant “get rich quick” world where certain expertise and technologies can be acquired very quickly, unfortunately, golf is not one of them. Like a concert pianist, ballerina or world class snooker player learning to become a champion golfer takes knowledge, technique, patience, resilience, determination, skill, support and a little luck too.

Years of research and the greatest minds have studied what the traits of male and female champions may be, is it nature or nurture? talent or acquired skills? good temperament or in the genes?

The question is often asked of me ‘will so and so make it?’ and my stock answer is ‘well he or she will when they do!’ This may seem like a cop out but history is littered with wonder kids who was supposed to make it and loads of examples of the ‘runt’ of the golf team or lesser talented player rising to the top- hence my reticence to ever guarantee success.

What certainly is true, with good quality coaching, thorough and diligent preparation, a good mental attitude, encouragement and learning to understand the art, science and craft of playing and scoring you increase the probability of success.

As a golf coach I would like to think I’ve been instrumental in building a picture of a sound golf technique and assisted players to fully understand their technique, tendencies, and what is required for them to be a great shotmaker. Ultimately, the parent, guardian or coach golf can’t hit the shot when needed coming down the stretch to win so I feel I have a very big responsibility to help the student have everything in their personal toolbox to perform well independently.

I have an obligation to provide some skills that allow the would be champion take responsibility for their own golf shots, technique, routines and emotions when they are competing at the highest levels.

The reality is there are many different player profiles and like golf swings they sometimes even defy convention to make it the top. It is a human endeavour after all so was Hogan like Nicklaus, Palmer like Player, Ballesteros like Watson, Woods like McIlroy? Each one is different and may use a slightly different formula to achieve their success. This can be driven by location, environment, background, budget, parents, peer groups, competition and of course good guidance and coaching.

The question is often asked of me ‘ will so and so make it?’ and my stock answer is ‘well he or she will when they do!’ This may seem like a cop-out but history is littered with wonderful kids who were supposed to make it and loads of examples of the ‘runt’ of the golf team or lesser talented player rising to the top- hence my reticence to ever guarantee success.

What certainly is true, with good quality coaching, thorough and diligent preparation, a good mental attitude, encouragement and learning to understand the art, science and craft of playing and scoring you increase the probability of success.

As a golf coach, I would like to think I’ve been instrumental in building a picture of a sound golf technique and assisted players to fully understand their technique, tendencies, and what is required for them to be a great shotmaker. Ultimately, the parent, guardian or coach golf can’t hit the shot when needed coming down the stretch to win so I feel I have a very big responsibility to help the student have everything in their personal toolbox to perform well independently.

I have an obligation to provide some skills that allow the would be champion take responsibility for their own golf shots, technique, routines and emotions when they are competing at the highest levels.

For the future champion to become a complete player in my approach I like them to establish and understand the following areas of their game:

What is their natural shot pattern?
Which shots and patterns are the most destructive to their scoring?
Do they understand the big important impact qualities and what they do?
Do they truly understand their golf swing and are they optimising their strike?
Can they ‘weight’ their practice to affect the areas they need to improve?
Do they possess a broad shotmaking ability and aren’t one dimensional?
How good is their short game and how do they know?
What is their temperament like in tournaments?
How robust are their pre-shot routines?
Are they effective and honest practisers?

The list could be endless and ultimately needs to be flexible depending on the individual’s strengths and weaknesses and ever-changing tendencies. Golf is fluid and no golfer ever totally owns the complete game forever but as you edge ever nearer the aim is to retain more and more of each quality.

With a more ‘complete’ game both physically and mentally, the would-be champion is hopefully then more prepared for the pressure and rigours of elite level golf.