Eight years ago, my company laid me off. It was almost as difficult for me and my family as my bout with cancer, but that’s a story for another time. I knew I wanted to do something different. I had learned much about life through the game of golf and wanted to create a place where beginners would be welcome to learn, practice, and play the game. I opened an indoor golf center and hired golf pros to create a curriculum just for beginners. Now I understand that golf is not a simple game and teaching it can be complicated. My pros argued about whether it would be one-plane or two-plane, whether it would teach a draw or a fade, what equipment we should buy, and more. After six months, I gave up.
S
everal years ago, Wally Armstrong dropped by and shared with me an idea that he and Terry Anton, both former PGA Tour Players, developed for basic golf instruction. As he left, Wally gave me with a set of SNAG (Starting New at Golf) TM equipment and I was hooked. Since that summer afternoon in 2010, I have attended SNAG Instructor certification school, developed a 6-lesson class just for beginners, and taught over 100 women, children, and men the basics of the game. Here are just a few reasons why I like SNAG.
Beginner Friendly by Design – The two colorful clubs (Launcher TM and Roller TM) minimize intimidation inherent with traditional equipment. Huge hitting faces minimize worry about hitting the ball like the larger tennis racquets did for that sport years ago. Five sided grips quickly teach the grip. Balls are soft and stick to Velcro targets of all shapes and sizes. Training aids are designed into the package and others can be easily added. In short, SNAG is “built for beginners by design.”- Fun to Play – Teaching the game should be fun. Too often teaching is seen as hours of work on the range. No one has time or inclination for that today; least of all beginners who don’t yet understand the rich benefits of integrating the game into their lives. Playing games like Tic-Tac-Toe in the conference room eliminates the cup, but teaches direction, distance, and strategy. Our motto at Play-a-Round Golf is “Learning works best when fun comes first.”
- For Everyone – “How old do my children have to be to take lessons?” is the wrong question. The better question is “How old do my children have to be to play?”
Or, at the other end of the spectrum we hear “I’m retiring next month, is it too late for me to pick up the game?” Golf is friendly fun for everyone. Hey, all you grandparents out there, why not get your grandchildren and take a beginner class together? It’s never too early nor too late to learn to play. We have plenty of short, medium, and long clubs for left-handed and right-handed people. - Future Growth of the Game – Recently, Jack Nicklaus, owner of more major golf titles than anyone in history, started the Global Outreach for Learning Foundation (G.O.L.F.) to run and operate golf leagues in much the same manner as T-ball does for Little League Baseball. Play-a-Round Golf has applied to form a league in the Great Valley area. Let us know if you’re interested in supporting and/or joining.
In spite of the terrific reasons mentioned above, they are not the primary reason I base our Beginner Golf Schools on SNAG. To play golf well, one must swing the club confidently. Period. The reason we use SNAG is that it works! SNAG plus fun games breeds confident golf swings. Let me explain.
Play: Keeping First Thinks First
One doesn’t think about taking up the game to work harder. No, their first thoughts are about having fun with friends or family around a fun game. They just want to play. SNAG lets you play everywhere. You can play in a gym, on a tennis court, in the back yard, in the park, or, with permission, on school football fields. SNAG requires less space. Because the equipment is so similar to traditional equipment, transitioning to regular clubs is easier. It’s also easy for an experienced golfer to demonstrate a proper golf swing, i.e., play together with the same clubs and balls. Just play, then learn. With SNAG that’s easy to do anywhere.
Learn: Be Ready When the Student Appears
The old Chinese proverb, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear” fits well with our Beginner Golf School. Once beginners play around with the new clubs they thirst to learn how they can make the ball go farther and stop closer to the Flagsticky ™. They want a better swing. Eagerly they listen as the golf instructor unfolds with the students the ancient secrets of the game. SNAG isn’t “real golf,” but it can appear more quickly when and where the student is ready.
Grow: Sticks for the Basics
Young or old, man or woman we all have our limits, but a confident golf swing can help raise the lid of our box. Or, like I always say, “Confident Swings Break Glass Ceilings.” Proper golf swing instruction helps beginners learn quicker, have more fun playing, and more eagerly take their game to the next level. SNAG equipment and instruction provide beginners with proper instruction in a fun setting.
Play-a-Round Golf’s Beginner Golf Schools proudly use SNAG Golf Equipment built for beginners by design. We have plenty of equipment and can help you play together in your park, school, church, or company.
Interested? Give us a call.
