Blog from Tavira Golf and Coaching – 9 April 2016

Another very enjoyable week at Quinta da Ria, Robinson Club, Tavira. As always, an extremely efficiently run venue throughout, consistent high standards with the friendliest of vibrant young staff. The food is exceptional and future visits will be on an all inclusive basis. Although the 36 holes of golf and practice facilities are a separate operation they run together with the hotel seamlessly and one would never know.

This weeks group were a mixture of long standing clientele and some new. I find it fascinating seeing “old “clients look to the sky with a knowing “back to my old habits” look, or during an opening clinic, “I’d forgotten that,” and occasionally a “light coming on” as they discover something new!

We should never feel bad about these old faults. It is as though we are born with our way of swinging a club and unless we are going to practice for hours on end those traits will return time and again. The trick is to learn good basics, especially in grip and stance, live with movements that repeat but do little harm and try and eliminate those that create the poorer shots far to often. We need to recognise that certain shots are caused by certain faults and have a good idea what causes that personally. As teachers we often hear, “you’ve told me that before.” A few written notes of your own following coaching and you may well find you can look back and find the “anti-dote.”

As for the first time pupils, I always feel my most important job is to get them to understand how it all works and then, most importantly, prioritise the salient points for each person. They need to see the long term picture and then understand its a building blocks thing and concentrate on the foundations and not try and build the whole house at once!

I am back in Portugal in May with a G&C at Penina amongst other things, my next Robinson Club visit is October, a great time to take away a few ideas to work at through the winter months, both in the home and at the range.

Look forward to seeing you soon.
David