What is your golf background?
I first experienced the joy of hitting the sweetspot at Jackson Park Golf Club in Seattle when I was 14. In 3 years I was a scratch player winning the Seattle City Junior and qualifying for the US Amateur Public Lincs Championship. I went on to play Division 1 golf at the University of Washington. After one attempt to qualify for the PGA Tour in 1996 an opportunity to teach golf schools for Golf Magazines teacher of the decade in the 80’s and one of the best instructors of all time, Jimmy Ballard, presented itself and have been teaching and coaching ever since. I’ve discovered, as a golf instructor, that the greatest joy in life comes by encouraging the growth of other people. My joy in golf is made complete by seeing my students hit the sweetspot more often or maybe for the first time.
What is your teaching style?
Be a student of the game, be a student of your own game and have a game plan for improvement. A) There are principles in setup and swing that all good players adhere to. B) From that foundation you can develop your own unique swing style and golf signature. C) From steps 1 and 2 an assessment is made and a game plan put in place where the goal is for the student to be practicing the right thing.
What makes Reid West Golf Academies a great place for someone to improve their game?
Reid/West Academies supports and puts everything in place for the teacher to do what he or she does best and that’s teach. There is a teamwork approach between facilities and instructors with the common goal of the growth and enjoyment of the game.