Learn, Analyze, Improve

How I got to today



     I began my journey in golf when my father introduced me to the game at age 13.  I quickly fell in love with the game, the grass, the outdoors and the challenge.  Once I developed a fairly solid and consistent swing I decided to try my skills out with local junior competitions.  It is during this stage of my development that I started to appreciate the importance of the golfers "mind set" during competition. As my play and mental approach improved I started contending in the tournaments that I was playing.  

     One of my most memorable events to this day was winning the biggest local amateur tournament at age 17, The Lehigh Valley Amateur.  A match play event where I suddenly was not just competing against local juniors but also the best amateur players in the region.  I remember a friend and local junior standout also in the tournament saying to me, after I advanced to the semifinals, "go win you are as good as any of these guys".  It was a real boost to my confidence and mind set because up until that point I was just happy being in the tournament.  Suddenly I was in a real position of not only contending but also winning.  Thanks I think to both good putting and a confident mind set I would go on to win the event.  

     After the Lehigh Valley Amateur victory I went on to one year of local community college Northampton Community College where I lead the team in scoring winning the State Championship and bringing Northampton their first state title.  Surprisingly after the victory I was told by my coach that I would not be allowed back the following year.  Shocked I asked the coach why?  He said that I was too talented to waste another year of eligibility at the community college level.  To my never ending appreciation my coach reached out to a friend and fellow coach at Elon college.  

     Playing at Elon, a newly inducted division I college, was a real eyeopening experience where all of a sudden I was just another good player next to a ton of other good players.  Through hard work and dedication I constantly improved and went on to win two division I individual titles and several team titles during my three years at Elon.  

     After Elon I decided to try my hand on the mini tour level which was another eyeopening experience where either you play great or go home. I held my own on the mini tour level but to really make it you have to do more than hold your own, you have to excel.  My play may not have been good enough to tour but my love for the game never wained so my next step was to get involved with the business of golf.  I enjoy all aspects of the game but gravitated toward instruction where my true love is. 

     As far as instruction goes I will copy what Butch Harmon said during the MET PGA educational forum last spring. "Everything I teach I stole from someone before me".  I really appreciate Butch saying that because too often I think that instructors try to reinvent the wheel when true golf improvement has a proven blueprint that already works.  You just need to know where to look and what message the student needs. The key is to convey that blueprint in an easy to understand way.  Improving in golf is not unlike improving in any other sport, there is a process and the time of that process will vary depending on the talent level and dedication level of the player.  I always say fall in love with the process and the results will come. Yeah I stole that too!