CONGRATULATIONS!!!
USGTF Level III Member, Ben Bryant took his Tampa, Florida Alonso High School Boy’s golf team to its first winning season in its 7th year history. The Ravens finished with an 8 in 5 record. Ben is also a history teacher at Alonso High School. He has his Master’s degree in Education from the University of Florida. Congratulations Ben!

USGTF’s SUAREZ COMPETES IN WORLD CUP IN CHINA
USGTF professional Miguel Suarez, who participated in the recent United States and World Golf Teachers Cups in Boulder City, Nevada, represented Puerto Rico in the World Cup of Golf team event held in China November 22-25. The World Cup of Golf is part of the World Golf Championships series, featuring the top players from various professional tours around the world.

Partnering with fellow countryman Wilfredo Morales, Suarez competed against the likes of Colin Montgomerie, Justin Rose, Retief Goosen, Trevor Immelman, Mike Weir, and the USA’s own Boo Weekley and Heath Slocum. Our congratulations go out to Suarez and Morales for qualifying for and competing in such a prestigious event.

GOLF COURSE OWNERS’ CHALLENGE IS MADE
Anew website has been created to promote current USGTF members. The site encourages owners of golf facilities to interview USGTF professionals for open positions, citing not only their talent as great teaching professionals but also their tendencies toward a wealth of experience and success outside of the golf industry.

The site promotes the fact that USGTF members “are employed in all facets of the golf teaching industry, and thousands of golf course owners are now realizing their unique value.” For complete wording, please click onto the website www.golfcourseownerschallenge.com.

MASTER THE MENTAL GAME INSTRUCTIONAL SERIES - By Gregg Steinberg
Come join USGTF Golf Psychologist, Dr. Gregg Steinberg in the Master the Mental Game Instructional Series. For students to be truly successful and play their best, we as teachers should know how to teach the mental game. Master the Mental Game Instructional series illustrates hands on teaching tools so that you may become proficient at teaching the mental game to your students. The more tools you have the better instructor you will be.

The following dates for the Master the Mental Game Instructional Series:

All classes are from 9am to 4pm. Fee for the class is $249.00 which includes green fees & lunch. Please contact Dr. Gregg Steinberg at mentalrules24@msn.com for further information.

GOLF TEACHING PRO UPGRADES APPEARANCE
You may have noticed, beginning with this issue of Golf Teaching Pro, that the magazine has switched to the spine-bound format as opposed to the previous saddle-stitched format. In keeping with continual improvement with content and appearance of our magazine, this change will make the magazine more attractive to the reader.

USGTF MEMBER SCORES ACE
Making an eagle on a par-5 and making an eagle on a par-3 might have the same effect on the scorecard, but making an ace definitely has a greater effect psychologically and emotionally.

USGTF Level III Professional Wayne Galese achieved the ultimate low score in golf, a hole-in-one, at the TPC Jasna Polana in Princeton, New Jersey, on October 11, 2007. Wayne holed out on the 11th hole, a 140-yard par-3, using an 8-iron.

Adding to the thrill, it was his first hole-in-one. Congratulations!

14th HOLE-IN-ONE!
CGTF member Alishan Hassan of Delta, British Columbia, recorded his 14th hole-in-one. Incredibly, Alishan was in  his 30’s before he ever played the game of golf.

Alishan was born and raised in Cyprus, an island in the Mediterranean Sea, and at the age of 23 he moved to England. He lived in London for three years, and then moved to Sweden, where he met his wife. He started playing golf just before he and his family immigrated to Canada.

Today, Alishan and his wife continue to live in British Columbia. He has been a CGTF member since 1997.

USGTF TO PROMOTE NATIONAL SENIOR MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
The USGTF has recently acquired the name “United States Senior Match Play Championship,” and is planning the inaugural event for 2009. This annual tournament will feature 128 professionals, including non-USGTF professionals, in an 18-hole knockout format. The tournament’s inaugural format will have a $2500 entry fee and a 1st place prize of $100,000, based on a full field. Dates and location will be announced in 2008.

2009 WORLD GOLF TEACHERS CUP LOCATION ANNOUNCED
Australia, the famed “land down under,” has been awarded the 9th biennial World Golf Teachers Cup in 2009. “We are pleased and honored to be named as the host country for this most prestigious event,” stated Gary Cooney, AGTF President. “Golf in Australia is certainly a passion as it is with all of our AGTF members. We are certain everyone who attends will feel most welcome.”

Negotiations for the event are currently being initiated with several Queensland Gold Coast locations. Golf Teaching Pro will have the dates and location when negotiations are completed.

USGTF MEMBER INPUT
In keeping with the continual upgrades to our magazine, we realize our members have a wealth of knowledge that may not be being shared with their peers from around the world. We invite all members to submit teaching or technical articles and letters to the magazine.

Not sure if you can write? Don’t worry! Our editorial staff can work wonders with any submission. Please also know that members whose articles (but not letters) are approved for publication will receive monetary compensation.

GOLFEMPLOYMENT.COM
The USGTF has acquired the very pertinent domain name, www.GolfEmployment.com. We have partnered with www.USGolfJobs.com, where the domain name is currently linked. USGolfJobs.com provides industry
professionals with the largest database of golf jobs and golf employers available on the web.

A USGTF banner ad may also be found on the USGolfJobs.com website linking back to the USGTF.

SOUTHEAST REGION CHAMPIONSHIP ANNOUNCED
The USGTF will be holding its first annual Southeast Region championship Saturday and Sunday, August 23-24, 2008, at the Wildwood Country Club & Inn in Crawfordville, Florida, just south of Tallahassee. The region championship will be held in conjunction with the Wildwood Open, a long-time staple of the Tallahassee tournament scene. The event is open to all USGTF members and all levels of certification.

Divisions will be Professional, Senior Professional (50+), and amateur divisions, which means USGTF members who have not relinquished their amateur standing may play. USGTF members will be competing for Wildwood Open tournament honors and in the prize pool along with non-USGTF members, but the low USGTF member will be crowned USGTF Southeast Region champion. The Southeast Regional meeting is tentatively scheduled after the first round’s play.

The entry fee will be $175 for those competing in the professional divisions and $125 for those in the amateur divisions. Entries and fees will be made payable directly to the club, and information will be in the next edition of Golf Teaching Pro. For more information on the golf course and inn, please visit the websites www.wildwoodforgolf.com and www.innatwildwood.com.

FIRST OF A KIND BOOK NOW AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS
Continuing our role as the leader in the field of golf instruction, the USGTF Technical Committee has written a unique, first-of-its-kind book for golf teaching professionals. Appropriately titled 100 Tips for Golf Teaching Professionals, the book is available by contacting the USGTF National office at 1-888-346-3290, or by going online to www.usgtf.com and logging on to the USGTF Pro Shop link.

TOUR EDGE GOLF NEW USGTF INDUSTRY PARTNER
We are pleased that Tour Edge Golf has recently become a USGTF industry partner. They have several great products to choose from, and you can view these by logging on to www.touredge.com. The professional discount program that they offer has been established well below the wholesale rate. Please contact Robert Kleabir at the USGTF national office at 1-888-346-3290 for further information.

2008 UNITED STATES GOLF TEACHERS CUP LOCATION ANNOUNCED
The 13th annual United States Golf Teachers Cup will be held at Sandia Golf Club in Albequerque, New Mexico. This facilityis part of the Sandia Resort and Casino complex, the premier resort in the state of New Mexico. More information will be forthcoming at www.USGTF.com and in the next issue of Golf Teaching Pro® Magazine. Please check the website for updates. For more information regarding the golf course, please go to www.SandiaGolf.com.

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