After watching the finale of the PGA Tour season unfold at the Tour Championship, I reflected on the the season that had passed and thought about who had made an impact this year. That question didn’t take long to answer. It’s obvious that the shining stars of golf in 2015 have been FedEx Cup champion Jordan Spieth and Australian Jason Day.
Spieth and Day have firmly entered themselves in golf’s “Big three” alongside Rory McIlroy. These three players have asserted themselves as leaders for today’s young, success hungry players to chase down in a quest for victory. Each of the three players have their own style and nuances of playing the game but they all work towards the same goal of becoming number 1.
Whilst comparing each player’s qualities to see what really made them into the player that they are, I spotted one common theme amongst them. That is that they all have only ever had one golf coach. Spieth with Cameron McCormick, Rory with Michael Bannon and Day with coach and caddie all in one, Colin Swatton. Each relationship built on years and years of hard work and trust which is definitely a contributor to the success that each player has achieved so far.
[styled_image image=”http://www.johnnyfostergolfacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/jfga1.jpg” w=”230″ h=”173″ link=”” lightbox=”yes” alt=”The Transition” rel=”tour” align=”right”]
This really shows us that the endless years those players and coaches have spent with each other have produced long term results. It is certain that there has been times when the player and coach have not seen eye to eye or have disagreed on some aspect of their game. But each player has been mature and smart enough to realise that in the long and winding journey to success, there are obstacles and problems that will test any player-coach relationship. Often, it is the pair that realise that it is an obstacle and get through it by sticking to the long term process which they laid out originally, are the pair that go on to achieve great things, in any sport.
In today’s “Get Results Fast” lifestyle, Johnny and I constantly see players on tour and elite amateurs float between coaches looking for quick fire solutions. They are part of an endless merry go round of frustration. This often leaves the player stuck in a rut of poor performance. Suddenly they feel lost and unable to play the game the way that got them to their best. They lose sight of the big picture.
It is of our opinion that the 3 coaches mentioned McCormick, Bannon and Swatton have most certainly nurtured the talent of their students and have been a coach in every sense of the word, rather than a teacher. They have helped shape the personality of their students which has aided them to go on to Major Championship victories.
Cameron McCormick often mentions how he prepared Jordan to perform under pressure right from the start. Therefore, from a young age, Spieth was equipped with the skill of maintaining a level headed and mentally quiet mindset in the face of the utmost pressure. His calm and mature persona off the golf course reflects this. A personality trait which has definitely been partly shaped by the coaching of McCormick.
[styled_image image=”http://www.johnnyfostergolfacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/jfga2.jpg” w=”230″ h=”173″ link=”” lightbox=”yes” alt=”The Transition” rel=”tour” align=”left”]
At the JFGA, Myself and Johnny completely believe in this philosophy. The long term nurturing of the talent rather than constant instruction of positions and numbers. Yes these things are important, you must have sound technique to consistently perform at the highest level. But success at this level is really much more than that. It is of our belief that sustained success is built on layers and layers of correct work and process driven decisions, co-engineered by a player and coach, and that takes a very long time!
Thanks for taking the time to read our blog. If you would like to find out anymore information about the JFGA, please visit our website at www.johnnyfostergolfacademy.com or email us at info@johnnyfostergolfacademy.com.
Chris
