Introduction

The programme grew from a casual conversation. The writers were discussing the teaching of golf and the apparent fact that the average handicap of casual golfers has not improved even with the modern advancements of equipment—clubs, balls, and electronic aides. Perhaps, we surmised, the reason lay with several factors. Players now spend less time playing, practising and taking proper lessons, also the development of the internet has encouraged many golfers to visit the proliferation of golf instruction sites. Although there is much accurate and potentially valuable information online, most golfers do not have the necessary knowledge to sort the correct from the false. Lessons in person with a qualified golf teacher is the only primary means to achieving meaningful understanding and progress.

This prompted a challenge to put on paper the basic principles of teaching alongside the critical components of the golf swing. The handbook is therefore an effort to describe a practical and theoretically based programme to assist golf teachers to be even more effective with their teaching.

The writers bring to the project many years of experience in their respective areas of expertise. Craig turned professional in 1972 and has been coaching for over 40 years. Lewis, for over 40 years, has helped teachers and coaches learn how to teach. He also works in the area of mental skills and strategies to enhance performance

As with all such projects this began as a quest for simplicity; write as few words as will make sense and convey the message. Then the necessity for details and supporting research made its presence known.

The purpose has always been to provide a programme designed to help teacher and would-be teachers of golf to achieve two simple goals:

1. To better understand the various components of the golf swing and how they interact, and
2. To learn and apply the principles of teaching and learning so students will understand their swing and enjoy the game more.

A challenge for the golf teacher is to assist the student to achieve their goals and aspirations while at the same time understanding some of the frustrations and lack of movement awareness many learners experience.

Many topics which are necessary for the teacher to understand are often of no direct concern to the learner. However, they form part of the information which will be used to explain specific instructions and practice drills.

To become an effective teacher involves a wider range of different areas of study and skills than it takes to play golf. Coaching involves teaching as well as assisting the learner/atheletes successful in competitive situations.

Teaching is a set of behaviours designed to bring about learning on the part of the student.

Learning is a reasonably permanent change in behaviour. The main factors which impact on learning are:

1. Feedback

2. Sufficient Successful Practice

3. Optimal on-task activity

4. Instruction

The art of teaching lies in the combination of these factors along with the ability of the teacher to personalise the instruction to meet the individual needs and preferences of each student. For example, it may be necessary for the teacher to give the same instruction in several different ways. The learner, for several reasons, will not understand the first version; they may not have been listening intently enough or they may think the instruction irrelevant. Sometimes, too, an instruction which has been successful with many students just does not work for others.

Experienced teachers can often make one suggestion and the student will immediately show significant improvement. The student looks at the teacher and ask show did that work.

Wow! This is the art of teaching in action and is a culmination of playing and teaching experience.

Learning to teach also necessitates understanding of how the laws of the universe work and in turn how these laws can be of assistance to a golfer.

For example, an often-heard instruction is to keep your head still and watch the ball.

Competent golfers know this is not strictly correct because the head moves throughout the swing and the club head is moving so quickly through the impact zone that watching the ball is virtually impossible. The head position at address and then at impact are important and most often virtually coincide.