Southern California's No. 1 Golf Source
SITE
SEARCH
GOLF RESOURCE GUIDE:
INSTRUCTION
|
||||
 It was 12 months ago when Dang Nguyen decided to tackle the monumental task of learning a game that fluctuates between delight and debacle. As a young man at a stage in his professional career where golf outings were becoming an increasing part of his business life, it was time to get in the game. “At the beginning of this whole thing, I thought about golf being a necessity,” he said. “It was going to be a business tool. I wasn’t too excited about the idea of having to take time to learn how to play. I had visions of endless drills and technical talk.” Nguyen and his instructor, Jason Taylor of Jurupa Hills Country Club in Riverside, meshed well from the start. Taylor’s casual style eased Nguyen’s apprehension about instruction, and his excitement level and enthusiasm for learning grew each month. “Golf quickly became something I enjoyed,” he said. “The more I practiced, the more I could feel the swing that I was being taught. I could feel the difference between a good shot and a bad one. The whole thing was so new and different.” Nguyen feared that his competitive nature would hurt him if he didn’t pick the game up quickly, but it ended up driving his desire to practice. During the past year he experienced the ups and downs that are typical in the game — for beginners and experienced golfers alike. “I think the game ended up being tougher than he thought it was going to be,” Taylor said. “He had a few times this year where he thought he had it figured out and started to ease up. How many times have we all made that mistake?” Here’s a look at Nguyen’s progress over the past year: The Tee Shot When Nguyen first started, his only thought off the tee was to hit the ball as far as he could while keeping it in play. “I was using a 3-iron and I wasn’t very successful,” he said. “I can remember thinking if I used a wood, I’d just hit it further out of play. Now I’m pretty confident. I’m driving the ball about 240 yards and keeping it in play. It’s also the part of the game that I practice the least.” Irons The mental block that comes for beginning players when they’re told they have to play the ball off the grass as it lies was another challenge. “I had no confidence,” Nguyen recalled. “I had the mentality that I needed a tee to hit the ball. I put a lot of pressure on myself with no results.” While he admits that irons are the weakest part of his game, he’s learned to adapt. “Five-iron is the longest iron I carry,” he said. “If I’m more than 160 yards out, I start putting pressure on myself. With the mid and short irons, I have confidence that I can get the ball around the green and rely on my short game.” Around the Green “With everything I’ve learned, this is my best area and the part I enjoy the most,” said Nguyen, who spends the bulk of his practice time working on his short game. “I was so hesitant at the beginning. The only thing I knew was to use a wedge and make a big or small swing depending on how far I needed to hit it. Jason taught me how to use every club in the bag around the green. Now I can look at a shot and assess the right shot for the situation with an assortment of options.” Putting Nguyen bought a good putter before he started and learned to relax on the greens. “Jason taught me how to rock my shoulders and make a relaxed stroke,” he said. “I three-putted a lot in the beginning, but my confidence has really gone up. I’m very relaxed and look forward to putting. I think that’s why I don’t three-putt very often anymore.” Course Management Nguyen went from no game plan to an understanding of his ability and how much he could expect out of every shot. “I went from zero knowledge to knowing my game pretty well,” he said. “I can look at my lie and know whether I can get the ball to the green or if I should lay up. I can stand on the tee and have a plan how to get the ball from A to B.” Synopsis Nguyen has built a foundation for a solid game. “He can go out and get around most any golf course and enjoy it,” Taylor said of his pupil. “He’s accomplished his goal of being able to go out and have fun with friends and co-workers. I think he originally thought he would be able to practice and play more, but sometimes life gets in the way. He’s at a place where he’s happy and enjoying the game and that’s what it’s all about.” Nguyen met the challenge without quitting, and he’s even passed along some knowledge to his colleagues. “It’s funny, a year ago I knew nothing about golf,” he said. “Now I’ll hit a shot and guys will ask me what I was thinking about or ask questions about what I’ve learned. I’m a golfer just like everyone else. I can share my stories with other golfers. I really feel like I’m part of the game.” Jason Taylor can be reached at Jurupa Hills Country Club at (951) 685-7214. |
||||
RSS Subscribe
