I got a call from Victor, a student of mine who also bring his oldest daughter, Victoria, and son, Keenan, to me for lessons. Keenan is 12 and has been working with me for around 6 years. Victoria is a year or two older and a late comer to the game compared to Keenan. Victoria and I have worked together a few times and she, like her dad and brother, are believers in the PPGS all the way.

Victor called to tell me about an incident he and Victoria had at their club’s driving range during a Demo Day that featured a number of the major club brands. They were practicing off to the side, not interested in testing out clubs, but rather just working on their swings. Victor was standing back watching when one of the club demo pros, an older gentleman, came over to Victoria and began offering swing advice to help her. Victor just stayed back and listened to the advice.

The first point the pro touched on was he said that Victoria needed a bigger shoulder turn for more power. She needed to turn her back to the target. And to help her do that she needed to start moving her left knee more than the inch or two she was doing. He said that she needed to lift her left foot and move her left knee a lot more toward her right knee. Both of the pros tips, the big shoulder turn and lifting of the left foot and moving the knee toward the right knee, are contrary to the principles of the PPGS limited turn, with the quiet knees and outward pressure.

Victor said that Victoria listened, and when the pro was done with his comments, she said nothing and turned to her Dad with a look of, “What do I do or say.” With that, Victor stepped forward and stepped up and said that he appreciated the pro’s interest and help, but they “did not swing that way.” And, He added, “We take lessons from Don Trahan, and he teaches a limited turn ¾ backswing, with the left knee barely moving an inch or two as Victoria is swinging.”

The pro replied that he knew me and that I must have changed my teaching theory because he never knew me to teach a limited turn swing with almost no left knee movement in the backswing. And, he threw in, for good measure, that DJ didn’t even swing that way. The DJ comment pushed the needle too far.

Victor said he immediately and assertively stated that DJ did, in fact, swing that way and he has seen me teaching him exactly the same swing that Victoria is working on. The pro got the message and politely said good-bye and went back to his tent full of demo clubs. Victor also added that since Keenan was not there, when he got home he told Keenan about the lesson tip incident with Victoria and asked him what he would do if it happened to him. Keenan thought a few seconds and said he would say “Thanks, but that’s not the way I was taught to swing.”

I get calls all the time from students with stories like this, especially from junior golfers and young ladies who are often approached at their clubs or on public driving ranges by pros or older gentlemen wanting to offer a helping hand to fix their no turn short backswing to hit the ball farther. It has happened so many times that I tell new students to expect it and to be prepared for it because they are not swinging like the norm. I tell them to politely say that they take lessons from a pro, and even name me if they feel it will help. I tell them to be positive and politely say they like what they are doing and it is working well and they have no interest in changing their swing. Say thank you for their interest, but No Thank You to swing coaching, as Victor did.

The moral of this story is you have to believe in something or you will be open to everything. Listening to every person and every pro giving you swing tips and lessons who approach you on the range or when playing with them, is a certain recipe for disaster and disappointment when your swing falls apart. You have to believe. That’s why I explain in detail the PPGS and the physics and physiology, because knowledge and understanding leads to conviction and commitment. And they lead to success.

The Surge!

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