Good teachers never teach anything. What they do is create the conditions under which learning takes place. -- S. I. Hayakawa

Early in my business career I had the good fortune to attend a management training seminar where I learned some great tools and gained invaluable insights that shape my approach to both managing and teaching to this day. One of the most intriguing insights came from two questions posed by our instructor. As you read, you can answer the questions for yourself and see if they impact you as positively.

Our instructor framed the first question in this way: Think back on all the managers you have had in your professional life. Some of you have had 5 or 10 managers. Others have had as many as 30 or 40. As you reflect on your experience with those managers, answer this question: "How many of those past managers would you say were truly excellent managers?" As the instructor polled each of us the results were consistent. Nobody considered more than 1 or 2 of those managers to be truly "excellent." He let us ponder that for a moment.

Then he asked the second question: "How many of the people under your supervision would consider YOU to be a truly excellent manager?" The silence around the table was deafening. It was a profound way to reach new awareness, and I knew in that instant that I had a goal for life. Since that day, I've made a conscious effort to be acutely aware of the needs of those with whom I interacted and I've worked hard to always help them achieve their potential.

Now substitute the word "teacher" for the word "manager" and you will understand my goal with golf students. My goal is to be one of the best teachers you have ever had. It's that simple. I will do whatever I can to help you achieve your golf goals and to enhance your enjoyment of the sport. I may not be successful every lesson with every student, but one thing you can count on - you will always get my very best effort.

A good teacher has been defined as one who makes himself progressively unnecessary. anon.

Every golfer's situation and ability is different so there is no one fixed progression. As mentioned in the Teaching Goals and Philosophy sections the lessons are tailored to the goal's articulated by each golfer. That said, however, lessons do tend to follow a pattern.

INITIAL LESSON: The first lesson is usually about swing mechanics and getting to know one another. The first thing you will get from me is a notebook. We use the first few pages to record your goals - goals for the lesson that day, goals for the near future, and goals for the long term. Having you tell me what you would like to accomplish helps to focus the lesson. I also try to check back in with you at the end of the teaching session to see if we did in fact accomplish our goal for that day. Plus, hearing back from you also lets me know how well I've been able to communicate concepts and thoughts to you.

NOTEBOOKS - More on the notebook and how to use it: Writing your goals on the first few pages has a number of benefits. First, having you articulate your goals often clarifies your thoughts for you. Second, having your goals right up front and written also improves the chances that you will actually attain them. Each time you play or practice, pull the notebook out and review your goals. They will serve as a reminder and keep you focused. The notebook is small for a reason - it fits handily in your back pocket or golf bag. Keep it accessible and use it! Your goals will change over time, so leave room to set new goals or refine old ones once you have accomplished what you set out initially to do. For more on GOAL SETTING and to download worksheets from the PEAK PERFORMANCE section of this website, click the links.

NOTEBOOK - SWING THOUGHTS: A few pages after the goals section is a good place to begin recording your swing thoughts. The first lesson usually covers a lot of ground, and writing down the concepts covered is the best way to jog your memory days and weeks afterwards. The preference here is to use your own words. "Right knee inside" will have meaning unique to you, and will often be enough to trigger the entire conversation, position, and swing action. Each time you play or practice, review your swing thoughts. They will provide some good swing keys as well as reminders of how to diagnose swing problems.

NOTEBOOK - DRILLS: A few pages after swing thoughts we record drills. The drills arise from the lesson as we address various parts of the swing. One recommendation to improve your practice sessions - work your drills in 5-ball sets. Hitting 5-ball sets allows you to focus on one aspect of your swing at a time. You will be much more focused. You can establish baselines and a percentage with 5 balls, and then set goals to improve on subsequent sets. It's a great way to make your practice efficient as well as tell you when you are making progress.

NOTEBOOK - GAME AND PRACTICE NOTES: The remainder of the notebook is yours to use as best benefits you. One way to help make your lesson time productive is to keep notes on your game or your practice. When you are done with a round of golf or a practice session, write down a sentence or two about what went well, what didn't work, swing tendencies that may need some correction, where shots are being lost, etc. When you bring the notebook back to a lesson, we'll review it to help focus the lesson. One of the most popular requests I get is for a STATISTICAL GAME TRACKER, an excel program to record and analyze your rounds. You will find it in the PEAK PERFORMANCE section of this website.

SWING FUNDAMENTALS: As the lesson progresses there are a number of things to look for as I watch golfers warm up: Balance, posture, alignment, and consistency in approaching the ball. These are the basics, and they can be significant contributors to swing problems if not correctly executed. Furthermore, they can keep you from making other swing changes even if they are not necessarily directly contributing to the swing challenges.

PRE-SHOT ROUTINE: Next, I'll usually check to see if you have a pre-shot routine, and ask you to walk me through it. It's a great way for you to let me know what is going through your mind as you approach the shot. A pre-shot routine is essential to setting up to the ball the same way each time and preparing you both mentally and physically to hit your shot.

VIDEO ANALYSIS: Once you are warmed up we usually capture your swing on video and record data on the launch monitor. Technology can really help zero in on issues with a great deal of accuracy, and seeing yourself is the quickest way to explain the current challenges and the intended improvements. From there the lesson progresses organically depending on specific needs. Sports psychologist who study the way athletes learn have shown that the best method to learn a new technique and to develop confidence is to physically perform the act, so in general the goal is to have golfers experience what the swing changes should feel like. The next best thing is to see yourself perform. The fastest way to learn is to combine both physical instruction and video, so both are used during your lessons.

SUBSEQUENT LESSONS: Each lesson path is different, and progression will depend upon your abilities and knowledge. Once we feel that we have addressed all the concerns you have about your swing and feel comfortable that we are headed the right direction, we may start to work on the mental side of the game.

THE MENTAL GAME: The mental side of golf, it has been said, is 90% of the Game TM. Why is it, then, that most instruction does not address the mental side of golf? In our lessons the mental and the physical aspects of the game are intertwined - just the way they are on the course. In addition, I have added a complete section on PEAK PERFORMANCE and MENTAL TECHNIQUES where you can read and download information, worksheets, and spreadsheets.

MENTAL ROUTINE: The mental game instruction usually revolves around the pre-shot routine. We'll want to build a complete and repeatable pre-shot routine that feels comfortable to you and brings confidence. It takes time to build a really effective pre-shot routine, so it is often done over the course of several lessons. A good mental routine should include (among other things) a starting cue, an element of relaxation or tension moderation, visualization, strategy, focus and concentration, centering, and positive reinforcement, all in a short time frame with good rhythm. For more on PRE-SHOT ROUTINES, follow the link.