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instruction to over 250 clients), he still maintains his passion for playing, winning on the Desert Tour, playing in Alberta PGA events as well as a 2nd place finish at the Canadian PGA National Championship. Spriddle's dedication to teaching has been acknowledged by his industry peers; in 2000 he earned his first of three consecutive Alberta PGA Teaching Professional of the Year Awards, culminating in the 2002 honour he received as the Canadian PGA Teacher of the Year. Inside Golf was able to catch up with the jet-setting Spriddle in late April after a month that saw him in locales as varied as Puerto Rico, Augusta and Bear Mountain Resort on Vancouver Island ... Inside Golf: For you as a teacher of golf, the student is at the top of things in your mind no matter what their current level of golf is. Is that an accurate statement? DS: I tell them straight up front if you do well, I do well. I'm not going to have a great lesson unless you do well. So I'm certainly first and foremost about my students and if awards and nominations and things come to me that's just an added bonus but I've never expected them. My great satisfaction is if my student breaks 100 or breaks 80 or plays a hole that they couldn't play before a little bit better because of some of the things we've been working on, then fantastic. IG: You are coaching a number of junior squads as well as your regular clientele which come to you sporting a wide range of handicap. Where do you derive the most satisfaction when it comes to teaching? DS: I enjoy helping the person in front of me whether it's a tour player and it's a very small word or adjustment, or someone who has never touched a golf club and making the first real impact position of a golf shot. I enjoy those quite equally. My satisfaction is seeing someone's eyes light when they've just hit a great shot. IG: One of your more recent coaching duties has been in Puerto Rico, coaching their young men and women, as well as adult national teams. As a former Canadian National coach, what sort of challenges have you faced with this task? DS: It's like polar opposites working for the Puerto Rican Golf Association and it's not necessarily a bad thing it's just very different in terms of being very organized and very structured from the Golf Canada point of view to a Puerto Rican mentality which is a lot more laid back. Every day is 90 degrees and every day is the same Dean Spriddle was born in England but grew up near the birthplace of golf, St. Andrews, Scotland. His passion for the game started at an early age as Spriddle can distinctly remember making his first shot when he was only 2... Later he would represent Scotland once at a match. In 1989, he moved to Vancouver where he received a Masters in Physical Education while studying at UBC. He spent several years traveling and playing golf competitively, placing 2nd in the World Student Golf Championship, and becoming a Member of the BC Willingdon Cup Team. He joined the Canadian Professional Golfers' Association in 1993opting to become a playing Member on the Canadian Tour. In 1995, weeks before his first daughter was born, Spriddle decided to accept a position at the Lethbridge Community College as program leader for the Professional Golf Management & Recreation Facility and was an assistant for Paul Lowe at Henderson Lake Golf Course. Two years later he would open the Evergreen Golf Centre, also in Lethbridge, where he still is today. Although teaching has kept Spriddle very occupied (each year he provides I enjoy helping the person in front of me whether it's a tour player and it's a very small word or adjustment, or someone who has never touched a golf club and making the first real impact position of a golf shot. I enjoy those quite equally. My satisfaction is seeing someone's eyes light when they've just hit a great shot. INTERVIEW BY JIM CLAGGETT COVER STORY SPRIDDLE RECEIVING THE 2013 AWARD FROM PGA OF ALBERTA PRESIDENT BRETT BURGESON IMAGE CREDIT / COURTESY PGA OF ALBERTA SPRIDDLE IS THE NATIONAL COACH FOR THE PUERTO RICAN GOLF ASSOCIATION IMAGE COURTESY DEAN SPRIDDLE Dean Spriddle may feel fortunate to have won the PGA of Alberta Instructor Of The Year Award for a record fifth time but luck had very little to do with it. Five Times "Lucky" TEAM PUERTO RICO AT THE WORLD AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS IN TURKEY 2012 16 Continued On Next Page