Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/309816
There's no hiding in here; both the student and I know immediately if what we are working on is on the right track or not. What I want to do for my students is to give them the ability to measure and help manage their own improvement. I don't want my students to be dependent on me. I want them to be strong on their own. I'm always available to them, but I want them to be able to be independent. Many people observe our students' results and swings on Vimeo, YouTube and Facebook. It took a very long time to develop these techniques, but it is definitely accelerating the learning curve and reducing the time it generally takes to develop a top player. The key difference in how we approach developing the necessary skills is that we have developed simple and effective coordination tests and exercises that reveal what is needed to improve. Every exercise is measureable and we can provide instant feedback with technology as well. The Facebook groups I'm a part of offer some amazing opportunities to share ideas and learn. In these 7 groups, there are 800 to 2,000 members each. Many of them are young teachers looking for help. I'm mostly doing my computer research after a late dinner and teaching for six, seven, or eight hours a day. I'll get on the computer, see what others are discussing and also get back to my students, to check up on how they're doing. My Youtube channel and Facebook page, Rob Houlding Golf, features hundreds of videos of student swings during their development over the past 8 years and notes of what we worked on in the lesson. This is available freely to teachers and students everywhere. In 2011, I created a blog called International Professional Golf Coaches on Facebook. It currently has over 800 members sharing knowledge and is growing daily. I also contribute on a daily basis to articles and debates about a wide variety of topics related to teaching and enjoy learning from others through golf and science related blogs on Facebook. iG: The second-floor gym here is pretty impressive. Talk about how Houlding, who runs the Rob Houlding Golf Academy, a state-of-the-art indoor facility in Surrey and a beautiful outdoor facility in Delta, recently sat down with Inside Golf's Alfie Lau to talk about his approach to teaching, what being recognized means to him and how he unwinds away from the course and the Trackman. Inside Golf: Congratulations on your award. Can you talk a bit about your approach to teaching and strategy for player development? Rob Houlding: At the centre of all my programs is the individual and private coaching. I hold the belief that everyone is very unique in how they process and learn to coordinate golf movement and develop skills. My approach starts with under-standing the player's current experiences and mindset with regard to what they think they are supposed to be doing, both mentally and physically. In other words, what do they really know at the moment that will help them move forward or impede them in reaching their personal goals? Everyone's starting point is unique and requires a unique development plan. Helping them then discover the information they need and how to feel a more efficient coordination pattern rapidly accelerates their development and enables them to understand and perform more consistently. iG: Talk about your beautiful teaching facility here in Surrey. RH: We have created one of the finest indoor learning environments in the world. It is 6,000 square feet and utilizes the most current technology available, including multiple Trackman Performance studios, high speed video, SAM putting and short game studio with an 80-foot long three tiered green, 3D measurement and custom fitting equipment and a fully equipped gym with TPI certified trainers and a physiotherapist. I think there's only three or four places like this in North America and this is the only one out West. We have also partnered with Canada's pre-eminent fitting and club building company Modern Golf. Everything I do is one-on-one coaching. I don't do groups and everything is long-term. My students know that I am committed to them for the long term. Most of my students are pre-teens or teens; I will likely be with them for 5 to ten years and my goal is to fast-track them so they can enjoy competitive golf or earn college scholarships. More than 75 per cent of my students are Asian, more than half of them girls. iG: Talk about how you use technology. RH: I've been using technology for more than 20 years and I'd like to think I've always been ahead of the curve in embracing technology and incorporating that into my teaching. I was exploring 3D motion capture 20 years ago, long before most coaches knew it existed. Everything we do here is measureable and helps me guide the student's learning and their self- discovery. INTERVIEW BY ALFIE LAU IN CONVERSATION ROB HOULDING WITH WIFE BELINDA ACCEPTING THE GEORGE KNUDSON AWARD AS 2013 TEACHER OF THE YEAR FROM THE PGA OF CANADA IMAGE CREDIT / COURTESY PGA OF BC 16 ROB HOULDING: Instructor Extraordinaire For the past 20 years Rob Houlding has followed his passion for helping others enjoy the game of golf. And in recognition for being one of Canada's pre-eminent golf coaches and teachers, Houlding was named the 2013 PGA of Canada George Knudson Teacher of the Year. Continued On Next Page ALL IMAGES CREDIT / COURTESY ROB HOULDING