Episode 37 - How a Lesson With a PGA Pro Improved my Game

The PGA, PGA professionals & Prostate Cancer UK talk golf, health and why they are getting behind a new NHS campaign to save men’s lives

To coincide with the launch of The PGA’s new Find a Golf Lesson platform, we’re back with another special episode of PGA LIVE – The Podcast. Host Alex Perry (National Club Golfer) speaks to three keen golfers - Sinead (36 handicap), Karl (7 handicap) and Hanna (+3 handicap) to talk about their experience of having a golf lesson with a PGA Professional.

We are joined by one of the biggest names in golf instruction - Sean Foley, who coached Tiger Woods for four years between 2010 and 2014. Born and raised outside of Toronto, Foley set out to be a teacher of elite players after watching David Leadbetter work with Nick Faldo on the range at the RBC Canadian Open in 1988. He played college golf at Tennessee State University and went on to begin his teaching career at Glen Abbey GC. Foley boasts a hugely impressive CV and his current stable of stars includes Olympic Champion Justin Rose, fellow Englishman and former Masters winner Danny Willett, and two-time PGA Tour winner Cameron Champ.

To celebrate the launch of The PGA’s Find a Golf Lesson platform, Alex Perry (Editor – National Club Golfer) asks three PGA Professionals why people should invest in a golf lesson. Alex is joined by PGA Captain Elect and Head Teaching Professional at Three Rivers Golf Club, Sarah Bennett, Chris Ryan, who is currently based at the Marriott Forest of Arden, and Joe Feather, Academy Manager at Leeds Golf Centre. All three PGA Members talk through the process of having a golf lesson and explain how PGA Professionals can improve your game, whether you are new to golf or want to improve your game.

In this very special PGA LIVE – The Podcast episode, we are joined by England's Rugby World Cup-winning coach and Team GB's former Director of Sport, Sir Clive Woodward (OBE). As a rugby union player, Woodward won 21 caps for England before going on to coach the national team between 1997 and 2004, the highlight of which was leading England to the Rugby World Cup title in 2003. Woodward also went on to coach the British & Irish Lions on their tour to New Zealand in 2005. More recently, Woodward has acted as Director of Elite Performance and Director of Sport for the British Olympic Association (BOA). As a huge golf fan and keen player, Woodward speaks to PGA LIVE - The Podcast on a number of interesting topics, including: golf at the Olympics, improving female participation, the importance of great coaching and making the game more accessible.

Alex Perry (National Club Golfer) is joined by Richard Barker (PGA Executive Director - Business Development) to talk about the Association's brand new digital platform - Find a Golf Lesson. Designed for novices and seasoned players alike, Find a Golf Lesson enables you to search for and connect with a trusted PGA Professional in just a few clicks. Each Pro has a dedicated profile, outlining their expertise and coaching services, as well as location and contact details. CLICK HERE to find out more about Find a Golf Lesson.

We speak to former LPGA Tour star and six-time Solheim Cup player, Dottie Pepper about her career in golf. Pepper excelled as a golfer as a junior and went on to play on the LPGA Tour for 17 years, winning 17 times and claiming two Major championships. She represented the United States six times in the Solheim Cup matches, compiling a 13-5-2 record, before retiring from competitive golf in 2004. Since then, Pepper covers all levels of televised golf for ESPN, the Golf Channel, NBC, and CBS. She was the recipient of the 2016 William D. Richardson Award, presented by the Golf Writers Association of America, for her consistently outstanding contributions to golf, and in 2018 she was inducted to the New York State Golf Association Hall of Fame.

Ahead of the eagerly anticipated 2020 Ryder Cup, we are joined by high performance coach Stuart Morgan, a PGA Member who works with elite golfers and tour players to improve their performance on the golf course. Stuart is currently coaching Bernd Wiesberger, who will become the first Austrian golfer to represent Austria at the Ryder Cup this week. Stuart talks about his role with eight-time European Tour winner Wiesberger and how he will be supporting the 35-year-old at Whistling Straits.

For this Solheim Cup special episode of PGA LIVE - The Podcast, we are joined by former European Tour and American Tour player Alison Nicholas, who now coaches as a PGA Professional at Redditch Golf Club and The Midlands Indoor Golf Performance Centre in Cannock. Nicholas' playing career in golf spanned from 1980 to 2004 and saw her win 18 professional titles, including the 1997 US Open, establishing herself as one of Europe's most successful players. ​​Alison’s career has been in entwined with the Solheim Cup. She represented Europe in the inaugural Solheim Cup in 1990 and went on to play in six matches, with memorable victories in 1992, 2000 and 2003. Alison has also been heavily involved in role of Vice Captain (2003 & 2005) and Captain (2009 & 2011).

In this podcast, Gareth Shaw (PGA Member Education/Training Coordinator) speaks to Australian PGA Professional and short game expert, Grant Field.  Field is one of the leading golf coaches in the world and is a Director and Head of Coaching at Grant Field Golf, based at Pelican Waters Golf Club. He is also the Head Coach for Golf Queensland, the current Men's State Coach, and is the Head Coach of the Queensland Academy of Sport.  Field is the long-time coach to PGA Tour star Cameron Smith, winner of the 2017 Zurich Classic, the 2020 Sony Open and two time winner of the Australian PGA Championship.  He is one of only a handful of coaches to be accredited with the AimPoint Green Reading Certification in Australia and in 2018 Field was named the Australian Team Coach for the Eisenhower Cup in Ireland.