Get to Know Your Pro…
This series of articles will allow you to
gain an insight into the Landings Golf Professional Staff’s teaching styles,
training preferences and tips.
PAUL
KRUGER, PGA Assistant Professional at
Plantation
What is your
favorite part of the game to practice?
My favorite part of the game to practice is mental focus,
especially as it relates to putting and chipping. Improved focus
increases one’s commitment to the desired stroke at hand and leads to improved
distance control, which is the key to the short game.
What is the
part of your game that needs the most attention?
The part of my game that needs the most practice is bunker play,
and for two reasons. First, bunker practice is not as high a priority
because I do not expect to be in bunkers in the first place. Second, the
variations in sand moisture, type of sand, and depth of sand demand extra
practice time to master.
What is the
one way a student can practice better?
The way any student can practice better is to always practice to a
specific target utilizing an alignment rod or golf club to ensure that the
student is properly aligned to the target. If one practices shots to a
target without being aligned correctly, the student may start making
undesirable swing changes when no such changes are necessary.
List your
top 3 teaching specialties or favorite skills to teach:
My top three favorite teaching areas are putting, chipping and
pitching, i.e., the short game. Putting alone accounts for about 43% of
one’s score for 18 holes; throwing in chipping and pitching takes increases
that percentage to over half your shots!
What are
your preferred training tools or technology?
My preferred training tools are my patent-pending putting cubicle
for increasing mental focus and a metronome for consistent tempo.
What
percentage are you teaching a new concept to a student and what percentage are
you coaching that student?
30% teaching a new concept; 70% coaching a student.
What are
your goals as a teacher and coach?
My goal is simply to help my students reach their goals, primarily by
having more fun on the golf course by playing better.
