Six pack punch their weight with new qualification

Coaching is more than just technique as one golfer will testify having rediscovered his passion for the sport with the help of his PGA pro.

A disgruntled five handicapper under the charge of Richard Edwards was on the verge of walking away from golf having fallen out of love with the game.

But he’s now more than smitten with the sport having been inspired by the Oswestry Golf Club pro (above right) – one of the first six PGA Professionals in the UK to have gained a Level 3 Certificate in Coaching Golf.

Edwards, and fellow PGA pros Neil Matthews (Celtic Manor Resort), Darren Griffiths (Carmarthen), Alistair Davies (Forest of Arden), Ben Knight (Chartham Park) and Alex Saary (West London Golf Centre) are the first to come through the joint PGA and University of Birmingham programme which supports long-term coach development.

As part of the qualification, which is aimed at ambitious coaches looking to expand their skills, each of the pros had to work with a nominated pupil over a six month period. It entailed planning, organisation, physical screening and player profiling, all routinely done at elite level, but which can be applied to all levels of player.

Edwards, who had previously coached his pupil a decade ago, identified him as having a unique set of challenges not least that he no longer enjoyed playing the game.

“Coaching is not always about making someone playing better golf but making them enjoy golf more too,” said Edwards.

“In this case my pupil was close to quitting the game because he couldn’t break 80 and he’d had enough.

“He was off five but should have been off 15 but is now back to a solid six handicap.

“His perspective on his game was that it was all about technique so it was hard for me to get him to understand that it was not all about technique. There were other areas where he was not playing to his potential, and it was getting him to understand what he had to change and in the process also inspire him to get his enjoyment of the game back.

“Initially he had come along to the first lesson and said I’ve got a pro-am coming up and I just want to hit the ball and not make a fool of myself.

“He had a quick fix for that and then he came back and we sat down and talked through a long-development plan.

“As a coach you have to find ways of making your lessons better. It’s quality not quantity. It is not always about technique but sometimes, as in this case, getting your player to feel better. You could have a 28 handicapper or a plus three handicapper but if they are not enjoying it what’s the point of doing it?”

Edwards also gained a useful insight into the biomechanics which he has brought into his coaching repertoire.

He added: “I’d done quite a long previously with long term player development, documentation and strategy but found this useful with regards to biomechanics and things like the physical screening side of the game.”

Another successful graduate, Forest of Arden head pro Davies, has previously worked with elite level players on the Ladies European Tour and is looking to become a European Tour coach.

“Sharing time, ideas and thoughts on different techniques with other coaches was the biggest learning curve as was trying to integrate those into your every day coaching,” he said.

“I think doing the course also helps you be more marketable, because you can document what you have done as a coach.”

Welsh national coach Matthews believes the certificate is an ideal stepping stone for coaches looking to progress their careers.

“It is a fantastic course in highlighting how to take players on a journey,” he said. “At the same time, it’s helping coaches to develop their coaching skills and broaden their knowledge base.”

Going forward there are currently 140 PGA pros in the Level 3 system. Details of the Level 3 and Level 4 qualifications can be found at www.rcrprt.co.uk