Get to Know Your Pro... Vinny Diroff, PGA Assistant Professional at Marshwood

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.

VINNY DIROFF,  PGA Assistant Professional at Marshwood

What is your favorite part of the game to practice?

I love to practice! If you’re on the MW driving range there is a good chance you might see me. My favorite part to practice is making full swings. I’m always looking for ways to make the golf swing easier and more repeatable.

What is the part of your game that needs the most attention?

The part of my game that needs the most work is putting.

What is the one way a student can practice better?

Students can practice better by dividing their range sessions into two parts. In one part, they are learning new ideas or concepts. In part two, it becomes training in which practicing the motion, making it a more automatic skill and learning variations to apply on the course become more important. Practicing in part two will also involve clearing one’s mind and building up repetitions. Not thinking about swing mechanics can be a difficult thing to do, so the more you practice the better you will get at it. A drill I like to do is as follows:  I put 20 balls aside from the rest and for those 20 balls I only focus on seeing the golf ball in my backswing and seeing it in my downswing. The only judgment I give to those 20 swings are if I was able to achieve my one single goal and that was the only thing I was thinking about. Give it a try, it’s harder than it sounds!

List your top 3 teaching specialties or favorite skills to teach:

1. Full swing                        
2. Bunkers/Sand                         
3. Chipping

What are your preferred training tools or technology?

1. Alignment sticks          
2. Medicine ball/soccer ball         
3. Mirror

What percentage are you teaching a new concept to a student and what percentage are you coaching that student? 

80% new concepts; 20% coaching

What are your goals as a teacher and coach?

My goal is to give more confidence to my students that they can hit better shots and shoot lower scores.