It is amazing how many people, especially young children that come to me and tell me that they want to be a Professional. Recently when delivering a talk to a group of 7 to 12 year olds every single hand in the group went up in the air when I asked who wants to be a Professional. their is no doubt that Tiger woods has had an amazing effect on people now wanting to play professionally.
In essence there are a myriad of factors that really go to make up what ultimately is the successful Touring professional, however there are also some very obvious basic themes that run through nearly every successful player and here below I have listed some important steps to think about if you really do want to be a “PRO”
- Have a structured plan in place, have it measurable and time related.
- Find a good coach to work with. Research them and maybe try 3 or 4 different teachers until you are comfortable before you commit to your new coach. Also a coach that has some experience of working with elite players / Professionals can be often beneficial as that is where you are planning to go!
- Interview your Pro. They shouldn’t mind and you can ask them what their plan is for you, why, when and how?
- Make notes on all of your coaching (In your own words) and review them on a regular basis.
- Involve your parents in a constructive way. Keep them informed of your progress and lessons however remember they are not qualified golf coaches and it is the “positive” encouragement that parents offer that can make a huge difference in many ways.
- Learn to play THE GAME. Do not just stand on a practice ground and beat balls. Taking it to the course is all important.
- Ask how to hit all the different shape of shots as soon as possible. Low, High, fade, Draw as you will need all of theses when on the course. Understand many different shots are needed to construct a good round of golf.
- Put at least as much time into your short game as you do your long game. We know its exciting to drive the ball far, however a score is constructed more through your ability from 120 Metres in to the hole.
- Ask questions to your coach and try and understand the reasons they give you. The more you ask the more you learn. A good coach will be impressed that you are asking and not feel offended about being questioned. It’s your game and it is important to you and maybe will be your career so never be scared to ask.
- Try to have your swing monitored on a regular basis on a machine like Trackman. Remember it is the pure FACTS of what is happening when you hit the ball, not an opinion. Impact is EVERYTHING, so having it checked is crucial to your long term progress. No questions, Trackman is the most trusted unit on the Professional Tours worldwide.
- Take one day off per week. Learning that your body needs to rest and recover is very important as many people start to break down with niggling injuries often due to over training with no recovery.
- Describing point 11. ONE HOUR spent doing the CORRECT thing is better than 20 HOURS of repeating the WRONG movement. So do take heed, practice does not make PERFECT, practice actually makes what you are doing more permanent!
- Learn to love the work that Golf involves. It is going to be your career for a long time and involves lots of travel too. If you LOVE it you are far more likely to succeed.
- Understand 128 players are trying to WIN every week. If you do not WIN this week then move forward and believe that the next WEEK will be your week. It is a winning mentality that impresses me with the great players. Develop one as soon as you can.