From the floor - day 3 at Harrogate

Dave Pelz helped cap another successful Golf Show at Harrogate with the Teaching & Coaching Conference again proving popular.

PGA.info brings some snippets from day three including a guest appearance by England soccer legend David Platt.

If there is one abiding memory from the Dave Pelz seminar at the Teaching and Coaching Conference it might well be images of his back garden in Austin, Texas (pictured above).

Pelz delivered a well-received presentation, entitled ‘The amazing truth about putting’ to a packed audience of 300 PGA pros in Harrogate.

But it was the sight of several replica greens from Augusta, TPC Sawgrass and Pebble Beach in Pelz’s backyard that wowed many in the auditorium. He even has a 150ft long tee so he can tee off to any of the five or six greens he has dotted across his garden.

It’s that dedication and passion to the short game that no doubt attracted Phil Mickelson who Pelz in turn describes as his best pupil – ‘he just wants more, more, more’ said Pelz.

If there was one overwhelmingly positive message from Pelz, for both ordinary golfers and PGA coaches, it was his statement that putting is the easiest thing to do yet the hardest.

It therefore stands to reason that it shouldn’t be too hard for ordinary golfers to make great strides in their putting, particularly with the help of some expert PGA coaching (you can find one here with our Find Your Pro search).

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Among the exhibitors at Harrogate were promotional gift company YOB Golf who hit the headlines recently with their Morph costumes at the Ryder Cup.

But it was strictly business at the Golf Show and why not with PGA Professional and joint founder Tom Armitage revealing the promotional gift industry is worth £5billion a year.

Formed in 2005 by Tom and fellow PGA pro Rob Woolhouse, the company supplies bespoke golf products to both the retail and promotional sectors.

It’s growing in popularity and a recent convert is BBC presenter Dan Walker who was so grateful for the work they did for his golf day at The Hallamshire that he filmed a special video for the boys.

“We offered to help him with his golf day and wanted to showcase what a golf day can look like and in return he did this video for us,” said Tom (you can see Dan’s video here).

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Ex-England star David Platt (below) was a visitor to the Golf Show. ‘Do I not like that,’ quipped one exhibitor in reference to the famous line from Graham Taylor in the documentary of England’s doomed 1994 World Cup bid.

The self-confessed golf nut however is a legitimate member of the golf industry having indulged his passion for the sport by setting up Major Golf Events to host tournaments at some of the best golf courses.

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Royal St David’s head PGA pro Gareth Lewis was a visitor to the Golf Show on Thursday eager to lap up the Teaching and Coaching Conference speakers.

And he will have the chance to implement some of what he’s learned at a new academy being built at the links courtesy of a substantial grant from Sports Wales.

The new eight metre by eight metre teaching studio will be housed on the existing range with a shutter roll opening out on to the range. There will also be gym equipment.

“We’ve got great practice facilities but struggle when the bad weather comes so this will be a fantastic addition,” said Gareth.

The famous links (below) has also been accepted as a Golf Union of Wales coaching centre of excellence.

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Among the happiest people on day three was Alex White from Romiley Golf Club who was named Foremost PGA Professional of the Year in the buying group's annual awards. Well done Alex who was one of the coaches who helped this year's Open Championship go with a swing by giving thousands of free lessons.

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The PGA Benevolent Fund was a big winner as the Golf Show's chosen charity with Foremost Golf and TGI Golf Partnership donating £5,000 to help PGA pros who have falled on difficult and hard times. The Benevolent Fund does a lot of work behind the scenes and helps PGA members of all ages.                                         

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And finally ...

Dave Pelz is clearly a man in demand. According to a well-placed source the short game maestro has clocked up 4.5million air miles.

At the rate he is accruing air miles the former NASA scientist will be able to tap up Richard Branson and bag a free return trip into space with Virgin Galactic. Not sure what the greens are like on Mars though Dave!

** You can read the round up from days one and two at Harrogate here and here.