trickyric67
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Is "Driven" the book about the Leadbetter academy in Orlando?
Why do South Korean Golfers
- Thread starter Mike Thomas (sunmart)
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Kevin Shields
Super Moderator
Yes, written by Kevin Cook. Great read.
Richie3Jack
New
True, but the fantastic thing about golf is that you don't need to play major college golf or be a top junior in order to be a great PGA Tour professional. Trevino, Knudson, Larry Nelson, etc come to mind.
I don't know about Reece, but Lendl was playing golf quite a bit throughout his tennis career and when he retired, he played and practiced more golf than about 95% of the mini-tour pros and couldn't break 78 in a tournament.
I think golfers tend to want to stick up for PGA Tour players with the entire 'athlete' issue because they love the game and non-golfers tend to come off as thinking that golf is 'easy', which we all know isn't true.
My assertion is that golfers are athletes, but they it takes a different set of skills. It is very dependent on hand-eye coordination and total body flexibility. Even a golfer like Tim Herron is extremely flexible for somebody his size.
3JACK
I don't know if its true but I heard from Futures Tour player that the Korean golfers are subsidized by their government. It makes sense to me that if a mom and pop are sent to another country with their child to become a professional golfer, it becomes their "job" to go out and spend all day every day having their child practice. And at some level you would think the government will want to see payoff to that investment, so there is pressure to succeed.
And slow play...its not talked about but you can see virtual agony on the other players faces having to play in the same group. It probably takes them out of their game. I don't think the Koreans are intentionally slow but they do have the pressure to play well.
Just my take.
And slow play...its not talked about but you can see virtual agony on the other players faces having to play in the same group. It probably takes them out of their game. I don't think the Koreans are intentionally slow but they do have the pressure to play well.
Just my take.
texagjosh
New
They get the fundamentals right at the very beginning. I've been told that at S. Korean golf academies children aren't allowed to strike a ball for weeks, sometimes months, until they develop the proper grip, setup, alignment, takeaway, etc.
Here in the states we do everything backwards. Show up with a 12-pack of swill and carve up the dirt with no clue about fundamentals.
I wish someone had shown me the right way to do things in the very beginning. I've lost 15 years of enjoyment because I didn't have guidance.
Here in the states we do everything backwards. Show up with a 12-pack of swill and carve up the dirt with no clue about fundamentals.
I wish someone had shown me the right way to do things in the very beginning. I've lost 15 years of enjoyment because I didn't have guidance.
The group I saw over several days at Orange County were sponsored by someone. I saw a few male coaches working with the girls and zero parents.
David Madras
New
"Driven" was actually mostly about the Leadbetter junior academy in Bradenton where I work.
I have much to say on this topic but would like to keep my job so Ill keep it to myself.
I will say however I didnt even know Driven was written until the book even came out. Now Ive worked at the jr academy for 10 years and had NO IDEA this guy was writing a book and neither did 10 or so instructors who were there at that time. The guy was hardly ever there and wrote the book mostly on stories he heard from other people....not by being there and observing. Some of my students who had been quoted confirmed this. They had addmitted that most of the stories or quotes were accurate, but he makes it sound like he was there day in and day out...which I can assure you, he was NOT!
I have much to say on this topic but would like to keep my job so Ill keep it to myself.
I will say however I didnt even know Driven was written until the book even came out. Now Ive worked at the jr academy for 10 years and had NO IDEA this guy was writing a book and neither did 10 or so instructors who were there at that time. The guy was hardly ever there and wrote the book mostly on stories he heard from other people....not by being there and observing. Some of my students who had been quoted confirmed this. They had addmitted that most of the stories or quotes were accurate, but he makes it sound like he was there day in and day out...which I can assure you, he was NOT!
Kevin Shields
Super Moderator
Interesting.
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