The PGA’s Coaching and Fitness Conference presented by Liberty Life was held at the Southern Sun OR Tambo International Airport Hotel last week, with some of the world’s leading experts in their fields giving in-depth talks.

Some 70 South African PGA professionals and apprentices attended the conference, which exposed them to many new and exciting ideas and different approaches to a wide variety of coaching and fitness ideas, as well as equipment and marketing.

After a weekend dedicated to fitness and getting their club members and pupils to optimum strength and agility for better swings, the PGA pros were given a different, yet practical look at the mental side of golf by world-renowned golf mind-game expert, Dr Karl Morris.

Dr Morris’ presentation emphasised the need to train the brain for golf using practical and logical steps, rather than the esoteric, difficult-to-grasp concepts espoused by so many so-called mind gurus. Golf is a game of consequence, where every single shot counts equally and pros should be helping their golfers to understand how best to practise so that playing becomes easier, not more difficult. He pointed out that golf is one of the only sports where one practises in an arena which is substantially less intimidating than the actual playing field.

He also shared some of what has been successful in his work with some of the leading European golfers, as well as England’s cricketers and premiership footballers.

Don’t be surprised then if your PGA pro suggests different ways to practise at your next lesson, or explains to you how important positive body language is to your overall game and instructs you always to direct you gaze at flag level and above as you walk between shots.

The conference culminated with a presentation by Frank Thomas, who was for 26 years the Technical Director of the USGA. Credited with inventing the graphite shaft and developing the Stimp meter, Thomas had plenty to share, demystifying such complicated techno-speak as COR, MOI and the like.

His message was simple: technology has had a profoundly positive effect on the game, but that it is now the job of the PGA pro to break through all the marketing speak and advise golfers on the right equipment for their games, to ensure that they are using equipment best suited to them and not to elite few who play on the Tours around the world. His mission is to get golfers to go out there and “just hit it”. The successful conference is part of the PGA of South Africa’s objective of ensuring that its members are the experts in the game and, with access to leaders in their respective fields, the PGA is helping the PGA professional to be just that.