“Freezing, challenging and just totally sensational. I just didn’t want it to end”
Mark, from the Old Course, St. Andrews Scotland
G’day golfer,
This is my 100th blog post and I want to tell you about a success story.
Mark came to me in December frustrated with game. He had been playing for about five years and was not happy with his handicap or his level of play. He had tried everything to improve but nothing seemed to work.
Compounding Mark’s frustration was an upcoming game at St. Andrews in Scotland. They have a handicap limit of 22. Mark’s handicap varied between 26 and 27, so he needed some work if he was going to be able to play at the Old Course.
When I first saw Mark swing the club I was certain he needed NO major technical overhaul. His swing was sound – he needed to free up and stop playing safe.
Since late December Mark has had three lessons. Two in person and one via email. In that time he has scored 38 for nine holes, won a monthly medal and reduced his handicap below 22 (I think he is now at 21). He went off track for a little bit, which is quite normal, but has rediscovered his mojo.
I received an email from Mark yesterday. He had his round at St. Andrews and he had a great day. His email appears below.
Cameron,
I played St Andrews yesterday. Scored 35 stableford points with four wipes so I was really very happy with my game. I even had a birdie which is a pretty rare animal for me.
The course and the experience was totally sublime. It was everything that I had built it up to be and more. We had blue sky, we had wind, we had snow then more blue sky. At times when the wind was up at around 30 knots the temperature was down at around 5 below zero. Freezing, challenging and just totally sensational. I just didn’t want it to end.
Regards,
Mark
I was thrilled to receive his email. Firstly, it was sensational that he was able to play at St. Andrews. If he hadn’t lowered his handicap then that day never would have happened. The second is that he was able to play well on a tough day. The extra pressure of a Championship golf course mixed with poor weather would send many golfers over the edge.
Mark has found the magic of playing golf HIS way. He can follow the automatic process and is rewarded with a consistent and enjoyable golf game. He has opened up the possibility for remarkable golf – something that mainstream instruction makes difficult. Now he has a taste for it I’m sure he will progress further. His next game is at Royal County Down in Northern Ireland. Let’s wish him luck.
Good golfing,
Cameron
Dear golfer,
Dean came in for a lesson on Thursday. He had told me over the phone that he hadn’t been playing long (about 6 months) and was looking for some guidance.
I was assuming that Dean would be a beginner and when he told me that he usually scored between 70 and 80, I thought this would be for nine holes.
As usual, we chatted for a few moments before getting into it. When Dean made his first swing I knew I had wrongly assumed the talent of the man. His swing was powerful, fluid and technically very good. He was so good that I couldn’t believe that he had been playing for such a short time.
It turns out that Dean is a gifted athlete, having played first grade rugby league in Sydney and then later nearly becoming the first person to make the switch from league to AFL. He narrowly missed out, but spent a few years playing AFL in the lower competitions.
I was dealing with a special talent here and it was a privilege to watch a sporting genius at work.
While watching Dean smash shot after shot into the back of the net, I remembered a story I was told by Kendal McWade. While working with Kendal he ask me what I would do if I was a school teacher and had a young Albert Einstein in my class. Kendal wanted to know what I would teach him and how.
I wasn’t sure, (Kendal asked a lot of questions like this. Including what does GURU mean?) so after thinking about it for a while this is what he told me. (I’m paraphrasing because I can’t remember exactly what he said 
)
“Cameron, a poor teacher would jam as many rules, regulations, equations and theories down his neck. A good teacher would pick up on his obvious talent and inspire, motivate and help him grow”.
I was dealing with a modern sporting Einstein here. I didn’t want to bombard Dean with too many instructions. So I was keen to help build his passion for the game and open his mind to playing remarkable golf.
I took him through my automatic process which showed him a method for dealing with pressure and playing his best golf out on the golf course. We then had some fun time hitting weired shots and exploring the possibilities that he may not have experienced before (because he hadn’t been playing long).
I asked him to hit high and low shots and even hit his 6 iron like his wedge. By pushing him to explore different shots and getting him to open his mind further, I think this will help Dean become an exceptional golfer. There is no question of his talent – it is a question of allowing that talent to grow and develop over time.
The lesson was won of the best that I have given. I learned as much as Dean (hopefully) did. I’m glad that I didn’t fill his mind with technical theories, but rather, increased his enthusiasm and potential to learn even more.
I will was also a wake up call for me not to assume anything. I valuable lesson indeed. The human potential is incredible if we allow it to learn naturally and coaches and players shouldn’t assume anything!
Before I forget – Kendal’s definition of GURU is: Gee, You Are You! You ARE the talented one!
Good golfing,
Cameron
Dear Golfer,
I’ve just spent a few days away with family and friends. As usual I took my clubs and manged to get in a game of golf.
I was joined by my brother, a family friend and my girlfriend. Being the only golfer (also known as the ‘golfer guy’) it was expected that I coach and help my lesser experienced partners throughout the day. They probably expected some profound coaching idea that would ensure they play their best golf of their lives. But I don’t offer miracle cures – what I teach and offer is realistic and maximises the chances of playing well, it can’t guarantee it.
I don’t mind helping others (I really enjoy it) but I take an approach that may seem a little different. I don’t say much. I offer virtually no technical instruction and encourage the person to do all of the exploring and learning themselves. The easy approach would be to overload them with three or four technical ideas (like grip, backswing and downswing) and let them go.
Experience tells me this would make me look good (I know so much about the golf swing etc) but it wouldn’t help them. Instead my advice is simple and easy to understand. I’m a big fan of getting comfortable and then hitting the ball. Hardly a revelation in golf instruction, but the process seems to work.
The family friend hadn’t played golf in over two years, so there wasn’t much else I could do. By getting comfortable and hitting the ball his mind and body was relaxed and he made significant progress. He didn’t set the world on fire but he was pleased with how he played. Better still, he felt that he now could improve his play over time and had the enthusiasm to play more. Great!
My brother was a similar story. He struggled early on, trying many tips and techniques he thought were correct. When he relaxed and stop trying so hard he played much better. He finished the round off with a par and a bogey and was delighted to match me on one hole.
The big breakthrough came with my girlfriend. She is a good athlete, having played tennis and hockey at school. She doesn’t like golf that much (living with a golf nut she probably get more golf than she can handle!) and only plays once or twice a year. Clare also understands my learning process well, so doesn’t clutter her mind with needless thoughts about the swing etc. She just plays.
By the end of the round she was hitting the ball nicely. She made par on the 15th, bogeyed the 16th, birdied the 17th and bogeyed the 18th (after hitting two great shots). This is terrific golf for someone that rarely plays. By the end of the round her confidence was sky high and she was letting me know that she was keeping up with me. All great fun!
So while I didn’t offer my golfing partners anything amazing or miraculous, they left the course having a great day and had some good stories to tell. A job well done and much better than the alternative!
Good golfing,
Cameron Strachan
