It’s
awfully tempting to get out on the course this time of year. And whether you’re
an old “pro” or a beginner, it’s always a more enjoyable game when you know as
much as you can about it.
That’s why this month we turned to
John Berges for help. Here, he answers some of the questions you might have about one of the greatest
sports on earth.
GT: What's your experience with
golf? Who turned you on to it and when/how did you become an instructor?
JB: Tom Wargo, Senior PGA Tour
Player and former Senior PGA champion, was the first person to turn me onto
golf. I remember as a youth catching pitch shots for Tom. He would hit and I
would catch them on the range with a baseball mitt. It was an easy job, he hit
it very accurately. I quickly became hooked on the game. Now I am a PGA Class A
Member, a PGTCA Master Golf Coach (Professional Golf Teachers and Coaches of
America). To date I have spent over twenty years traveling around the world
teaching & coaching the game of golf to players of all abilities and given
between 30,000 and 40,000 lessons. I love teaching and coaching. It is
especially satisfying to see a player improve and achieve their goals.
You have in front of you a
person who has never even swung a club: What's the first thing you show them?
I teach them the hold on the club.
This is an obvious place to start as it is the only connection we have to the
club itself. Moreover than the grip, I try to convey the concept of hitting the
ball with momentum vs. force. The golf club and golf ball are both fairly
light. The best players in the world control their swings by allowing momentum
to do most of the work. If a player uses excessive force or tension.... well,
there will be random outcomes. You simply cannot jerk the club around the same
way twice.
Once some of your student's
basic mechanics are in place, what will you move on to from there?
Short Game. All those little shots
around the green can add up pretty quick on your scorecard. Any experienced
player will tell you this. However, most everyone likes to work on full swing.
I'll tell you this, if you improve your short-game, you will also improve your
long game. One affects the other.
What do you consider to be an
intermediate player/student?
Probably someone that can shoot
from 90 to 100 on 18 holes of golf.
Can a player fully enjoy the
game without instruction?
Yes and No. A player can only
fully enjoy this game when they get proper instruction. I see beginning golfers
all the time come to the range and get advice from a spouse or relative. They
mean well, but sometimes I cringe to hear the tips they give out. Often the
player walks away frustrated and confused. This is not an easy game, after
doing this for years, I can tell you there is art for focusing a player on the
right stuff to get better.
What's more important - putting
money into instruction or equipment?
Is it the Indian or the arrow?
Most of the time, it is the arrow. Granted having a good arrow is important,
but you still need the Indian to aim and shoot it. Everyone wants to buy a
game. It’s more fun to buy a driver than to take a lesson. Technology helps. I
would take the lesson, then perhaps talk to my pro in the lesson about my
equipment needs...
What's your ultimate goal with
instruction in general?
My main goal is to make golf more
fun. In my opinion, golf is only fun when you hit the ball far and straight at
your target while thinking about something else. It certainly isn’t fun when
you’re thinking a lot about it, and it doesn’t go where you like. A good
instructor will work with a student on a particular move so much, until that
player can do it without thought. Then it becomes second nature.
What's your personal best score
for 18 holes? Where was it? Do you remember a particular shot that day?
65 at Norton Air Force Base in Southern California. However, probably the most memorable
round was when I shot a 68 at PGA West in La Quinhta, California from the back
tees.
Know a coach, instructor or team leader you’d
like to see featured on Coaches Corner? Send an email to editor@goteammagazine.com.
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Photo Credit | Courtesy of John Berges