The LPGA Teaching Division: What Makes It Tick?
by Erin Szekely
It is pretty exciting for me when women and golf get attention at the same time. Yes, the two do go together quite well. Thanks to media outlets giving more and more consideration to the accomplishment of female golfers and the impressive skills that they bring to the course, women’s golf is being taken more seriously than ever. The LGPA is a well-known organization at this point, but I want to tell you more about the LPGA instructors.
The Ladies Professional Golf Association is divided into two divisions: the LPGA Touring Division and the LPGA Teaching and Club Professional Division. The LPGA has a very rich and colorful history. As you can imagine, in the 1950’s little attention was paid to women’s sports, but in 1950 the LPGA was founded through the efforts of thirteen courageous women, including the likes of Babe Zaharias, Patty Berg, Betty Hicks, and Louise Suggs. The teaching division was founded in 1959 by Marilynn Smith, Shirley Spork, Barbara Rotvig, and Betty Hicks. In 1960, the first LPGA National Golf School was held in Ann Arbor Michigan and “teaching teachers to teach” was born. The LPGA is now the oldest women’s sports organization and it is with pride that I am a member.
After extensive training, I earned my place as an LGPA member in 1996. When I began my training to be part of the Teaching and Club Professional Division, I looked on it as an adventure and a privilege. I felt a responsibility to the founding members to honor their efforts by giving students the best chance at success with their golf games.
Certification for the LPGA does not come easily. You must first pass a player ability test which examines your skills as a golfer. Following the ability test, a golfer vying for membership must complete educational schools where you learn how to be a top teacher. Though golf is a sport-a kinesthetic activity-the LPGA Teaching Division curriculum includes tools to teach golf to auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners. Additionally, product merchandising and the art of managing golf facilities is taught to those of us in the program. The way I looked at it was that it was an advanced degree. It generally takes four years to complete all the requirements to become a class A professional. All aspects of being a professional are taught, but the emphasis is on teaching. The instructors that we have in the LPGA are second to none, and when you complete all the requirements, you can feel pretty confident that you have been given the tools to be the best professional.
Just as a teacher in a conventional classroom can plan on being encouraged to exercise their own style and personalizing methods, the LPGA Teaching division encourages its instructors to do the same.
You are encouraged to choose a style that fits you the best and a method that works best for your students. I have found through a lot of research and personal experience that teaching students what to do with the golf club as opposed to what to do with their bodies is the easiest way to teach and learn the golf swing. I learned this from the 12th member of the Teaching Hall of Fame, Manuel de la Torre, who learned it from the 4th member of the Teaching Hall of Fame, Ernest Jones. Since there are only 12 members of the Teaching Hall of Fame, I think I have chosen my method wisely.
With the knowledge that I gained from the LPGA Teaching and Club Professional curriculum and the ongoing educational credits that I am required to obtain, I feel confident that what I and other LPGA teaching pros have to offer is pretty special. So if you are looking for an instructor, take a look at an LPGA teaching pro. Rest assured that your game will improve and your time spent will be rewarding.
Have fun out there and keep swinging.
Erin Szekely is an LPGA teaching professional. For more information, please visit www.golfingwitherin.com or call 425-398-0443.
