What makes Pro Tour Golf College Thailand different?

Our sole focus is on YOU shooting lower golf scores.
Remember you get paid on what you score, not on how good your technique looks!

How will we help YOU to shot lower golf scores in 2013 and achieve the success you deserve?

In conjunction with SMG and Singha Corporation, we are launching our 
Tournament Player Program (TPP).

From our experience most tournament golfers' only have a general idea about what they want to achieve. 
Their plan to get there? Drift from tournament to tournament working on their swing as they go.

The Tournament Player Program will define, plan and work towards achieving the success you want and deserve!

• Registration week: Together we will - Define your goals for 2013; Understand what you need to do to achieve those goals; Create a playing and training schedule designed to take you there.
• Monthly 5 day camps: Each month there will be a 5 day camp for you to attend (we recommend a minimum of two camps every 6 months). Work full-time with our coaches to make sure you are staying on track and improving the areas needed to shoot lower scores.
• Support: We will follow your performances recording all of your scores, whilst you send in other details allowing us to assess your true strengths and weaknesses. We are also available to answer your questions and will be at occasional tournaments to watch your performances.

Registration at Thana City Golf and Sports 4th - 8th February.
Register and practice - your 2013 season starts here!
Camp dates and venues to be announced.

NB. This program can work in conjunction with any current coaching you maybe having. We have successfully worked with several players who have another technical coach.

In 2012 we ran a series of short camps introducing our college to Thailand's elite golfers. More than 30 tour professionals and elite amateurs joined us and no one was left disappointed!

Read what they said:

"ผมกล้าเล่น และมีความมั่นใจในการเล่นมากยิ่งขึ้น รวมทั้งรู้หลักและเทคนิคการฝึกซ้อมที่ถูกทาง"
Thammanoon Sriroj

"ถ้าใครมองหาการซ้อมแบบครบวงจร เพื่อการพัฒนาแบบมืออาชีพ  คอลลเลจน์นี่แหละ ที่จะตอบโจทย์คุณได้"
Wisut Artjanawat

2013 Launch introductory offer
We are keeping the costs low with special discounts for 'All Thailand Golf Tour Members'

• Registration: 12,000 baht; All Thailand Golf Tour Members 10,000 baht
• 5 Day Camps: 20,000 baht; All Thailand Golf Tour Members 17,000 baht

NB. Camp cost includes all training, range balls, green fees and caddie fees (not tip). the location of camps will vary, so there maybe an additional cost for accommodation and food, dependent on location.

The Tournament Players Program is ONLY open to a maximum of 25 players and each monthly camp will run with a maximum of 10 players.

For more information and to reserve your place contact:
Andrew Knott
andrew@protourgolfcollege-thailand.com or 089 913 5392
Kem Rintranurak
Charupol@smgsport.com 

ผลการแข่งขัน กอล์ฟเอเชียนทัวร์รายการ “คิงส์คัพ” ชิงถ้วยพระราชทานพระบาทสมเด็จพระเจ้าอยู่หัว  (Asian Tour’s Kings Cup) ซึ่งให้การสนับสนุนโดยบริษัท สิงห์ คอร์เปอเรชั่นและการแข่งรายการฮีโร่ วีเมนส์ อินเดียน โอเพ่น รายการร่วมของเลดี้ส์ ยูโรเปี้ยน ทัวร์ ที่เพิ่งผ่านมานี้ ดูเหมือนว่าจะเป็นสิ่งตอกย้ำถึงความสำเร็จของ Pro Tour Golf College หลังจากที่เข้ามาเปิดตัวในประเทศไทยได้เพียง 1 ปี

ปี 2012 Pro Tour Golf College ประเทศไทยได้เปิดตัวอย่างไม่เป็นทางการ โดยร่วมมือกับบริษัท สปอร์ตแมนเนจเม้นท์ กรุ๊ป (SMG) และ บริษัท สิงห์ คอร์เปอเรชั่น จำกัด PTGC ได้จัดกอล์ฟคลินิกและแคมป์อย่างต่อเนื่องในช่วงเดือนเมษายนจนถึงธันวาคม โดยมีนักกอล์ฟเข้าร่วมฝึกเพื่อลองสัมผัสประสบการณ์การฝึกที่แตกต่างกับ PTGC จำนวน 36 ท่าน และมีนักกอล์ฟไม่น้อยกว่า 10 ท่านที่เข้าร่วมฝึกในอีกหลาย ๆ ครั้ง ในแคมป์นี้มีทั้งนักกอล์ฟอาชีพมากประสบการณ์ นักกอล์ฟสมัครเล่น แคดดี้ และนักแสดง แต่ทั้งนี้แล้ว สิ่งที่เราประสบความสำเร็จไปนั้นเป็นสิ่งที่น่าประทับใจที่สุด

คนแรกที่แสดงถึงพัฒนาการที่ดี คือ โปรเชอรรี่ (ธิรนันท์ อยู่ปาน) ตามมาตรฐานของเธอ ปี 2011 เป็นปีที่ไม่ดีนักและยังคงเริ่มได้ไม่ดีเช่นกันในช่วงต้นของปี 2012 แต่ไม่นานหลังจากเข้าร่วมการฝึกกับ Pro Tour Golf College เธอกลับเข้ามาอยู่ในกลุ่มแชมป์ของรายการสิงห์ พัทยา โอเพ่น เดือนพฤษภาคม  และตามด้วยชัยชนะครั้งใหญ่ที่สุดในสายอาชีพของเธอจากการแข่งขันกอล์ฟเอเชี่ยนทัวร์ Technology Cup ที่ไต้หวัน LPGA โดยมีคะแนนเฉลี่ยในช่วงนี้ (แข่งมากกว่า 20 รอบ)  คือ 73.84  ซึ่งลดลงจาก 75.96 ในปี 2011 –ว้าว! ถึงแม้อาการบาดเจ็บและตารางการแข่งขันที่แน่นมาก ทำให้มีคะแนนลดลงเพียงเล็กน้อยตอนปลายปี แต่เธอก็ได้เรียนรู้ถึงความสำคัญของการจัดตารางที่ดี ซึ่งช่วยให้ผ่านเข้ารอบเลดี้ส์ยูโรเปี้ยนทัวร์รายการ ฮีโร่ วีเมนส์ โอเพ่น เมื่อจบฤดูกาลด้วยความสำเร็จ

ในเดือนสิงหาคม คุณวิสุทธิ์  อรรจนาวัฒน์ ได้อันดับ 3 จากรายการไทยแลนด์ โอเพ่น โดยพลาดรางวัลที่ทุกคนปรารถนาไปเพียงนิดเดียว นั่นคือ การได้เป็นแชมป์ในรายการโอเพ่นของประเทศตัวเอง คุณวิสุทธิ์ ได้เรียนรู้เกี่ยวกับจุดอ่อนของเขาคือ การเล่น wedge จากการเข้าฝึกอบรมกับ PTGC เป็นผลให้ฝีมือของเขาพัฒนาขึ้นเป็นอย่างมาก เขาพลาดรายการคิงส์คัพในสัปดาห์นี้ไปเนื่องจากได้รับการคัดเลือกให้เป็นตัวแทนของภูมิภาคเอเชีย-แปซิฟิก ในการแข่งขัน OneAsia’sDonfeng Nissan Cup ซึ่งเขาทำได้ 2 ใน 3 ครั้งด้วยคะแนน 14.5 ต่อ 9.5 ทุกคนที่ PTGC จะคอยติดตามผลงานของเขาในสัปดาห์หน้าในการแข่งขันรายการไทยแลนด์ กอล์ฟ แชมเปี้ยนชิพ!

อีกคนหนึ่งที่กำลังเป็นที่จับตามองจากการแข่งขันในรายการใหญ่ๆ  เพียง 2 สัปดาห์หลังจากเข้าร่วมฝึกกับ Pro Tour Golf College (PTGC) คือ โปรแท๊ป (จารุพร ปาลกวงษ์ ณ อยุธยา) ที่ไต่อันดับมารั้งอันดับที่ 13 ในการแข่งขันรายการฮีโร่ วีเมนส์ อินเดียน โอเพ่น รายการร่วมของเลดีส์ ยูโรเปี้ยน ทัวร์ที่เพิ่งผ่านมานี้้ โปรจัสมิน (ธิดาภา สุวรรณปุระ) ก็เป็นอีกคนที่มีผลงานเป็นที่น่าประทับใจ เธอสามารถรั้งอันดับ 4 ของ Symetra Tour  สามารถคว้าทัวร์การ์ด ปี 2013 แอลพีจีเอ (LPGA) ทัวร์ฤดูกาลหน้าได้อย่างสมศักดิ์ศรี จากความพยายามอย่างเปี่ยมล้นของเธอ ทำให้มีนักกอล์ฟคนไทยถึง 4 คนได้เข้าร่วมแข่งในเวทีระดับโลกที่ใหญ่ที่สุดในปี 2013 

หนึ่งในนักกอล์ฟที่เราภูมิใจในปี 2012 นั่นคือ คุณธรรมนูญ ศรีโรจน์ ซึ่งเป็นแชมป์รายการเอเชียนทัวร์ถึง 5 สมัย อย่างไรก็ตามในช่วง 2-3 ปีที่ผ่านมา ผลงานของธรรมนูญยังไม่ดีที่สุดและด้านล่างเป็นคะแนนที่จะแสดงให้เห็นว่าทำไม:

ในปี 2011 สกอร์เฉลี่ยในเอเชียนทัวร์คือ 73.74 ใน 16 รายการ เขาสามารถทำสกอร์ต่ำกว่า 70 ได้เพียง 3 ครั้งเท่านั้น โดยได้สกอร์ 69 เป็นสกอร์ต่ำสุด และไม่เคยทำสกอร์ต่ำกว่า 70 ได้ถึง2 ครั้งติดต่อกันในการแข่งขันรายการเดียวกัน เขารั้งอันดับที่ 14 ซึ่งเป็นอันดับสูงสุดของธรรมนูญในรายการฟิลิปปินส์ โอเพ่น และสถิติการผ่านการตัดตัวของเขาอยู่ที่ 50% พอดี แต่เขาก็ชนะเพียงครั้งเดียวในการแข่งทั้งหมด 6 รายการล่าสุด

ในปี 2012 เขาก็ยังเริ่มได้ไม่ดีนัก ใน 9 รายการแรกของฤดูกาล (ก่อนที่จะเข้ารับการฝึกที่ Pro Tour Golf College ประเทศไทย) สกอร์เฉลี่ยในการแข่งเอเชียนทัวร์ คือ 74.85 ทำสกอร์ต่ำกว่า 70 ได้เพียงครั้งเดียว (68) เขาผ่านการตัดตัวเพียง 2 ครั้ง โดยรั้งอันดับที่ 29 ซึ่งเป็นอันดับดีสุดที่ทำได้ในฟิลิปปินส์ โอเพ่น อีกครั้ง

เขาร่วมฝึกที่ Pro Tour Golf College เป็นครั้งแรกเมื่อเดือนสิงหาคมและมีพัฒนาการดีขึ้นอย่างมากตั้งแต่นั้นเป็นต้นมา โดยลงแข่ง 8 รายการ และ สามารถผ่านการตัดตัว 5 รายการ ด้วยสกอร์เฉลี่ยอยู่ที่ 71.88 และต่ำกว่า 70 คะแนนได้ถึง 5 รายการ แต่ที่สำคัญที่สุดคือ เขาทำคะแนนเหล่านี้ได้ติด ๆ กัน โดย 2 ครั้งที่มาเก๊าท์ และอีก 3 ครั้งถัดมาในรายการ “คิงส์คัพ”  (66, 68, 65) ซึ่งทำให้เขาติดอันดับ 1 ใน 10 เป็นครั้งแรกตั้งแต่ปี 2009 เป็นต้นมา

แล้วความเป็นจริงที่สิ่งเหล่านี้สะท้อนคืออะไร - รายได้!

• ในปี 2011 รายได้ของธรรมนูญ คือ $21,721  
• ในปี 2012 ก่อนเข้าฝึกกับ Pro Tour Golf College ประเทศไทย รายได้ของเขาคือ $3,550
• เมื่อเข้าฝึกกับ Pro Tour Golf College ประเทศไทย ธรรมนูญมีรายได้ $36,103

คิดในอีกแง่หนึ่งคือ เขามีรายได้เพิ่มขึ้น  42% จากการแข่ง 8 รายการล่าสุด ซึ่งมากกว่ารายได้ที่เคยทำก่อนหน้านี้ในการแข่ง 25 ครั้ง!


ธรรมนูญเป็นหนึ่งในนักกอล์ฟที่เป็นที่นิยมคนหนึ่งในการแข่งขัน สิ่งที่ดีคือได้เห็นเขากลับเข้าฟอร์มและแข่งขันเพื่อคว้าแชมป์เพิ่มจากที่ได้มาแล้ว 5 รายการก็คงไม่เป็นการถ่อมตัวเกินไป หวังว่าเขาสามารถรักษาฟอร์มการเล่นใน 8 รายการล่าสุดนี้ไว้ได้ ถ้าเป็นเช่นนั้นแล้วการคว้าชัยในรายการที่ 6 ก็เป็นความคิดที่เป็นไปได้ทีเดียว – อีกหนึ่งรายการที่พวกเราจะตามดูคือ รายการไทยแลนด์ กอล์ฟ แชมเปี้ยนชิพ ในสัปดาห์นี้

แน่นอน มันเป็นไปไม่ได้ที่จะกล่าวถึงทุกคนที่เราได้ทำงานร่วมกันได้ แต่เมื่อมองมาในกลุ่มผู้นำในรายการ “คิงส์คัพ”  แสดงให้เห็นว่า PTGC ประเทศไทย ทำหน้าที่ได้เป็นอย่างดี   ดุณปิยะ สว่างอรุณพร ได้แสดงผลงานที่ยอดเยี่ยม ถึงแม้ว่าเขาต้องเข้ารับการรักษาในโรงพยาบาลเนื่องจากอาหารเป็นพิษในเย็นวันอังคารก่อนการแข่งขัน แต่เขายังคงสามารถติดท็อป 10  เข้ากลุ่มเดียวกับคุณธรรมนูญ โดยมี คุณภวินท์ อิงคะประดิษฐ์ ผู้ซึ่งเข้าร่วมการฝีกในรุ่นแรก ๆ ตามมาในอันดับ 11 คุณภาณุวัฒน์ หมื่นเหล็กที่สามารถไต่อันดับอย่างสม่ำเสมอขึ้นมารั้งอันดับที่ 26 ในขณะที่ คุณรฐนน วรรณศรีจันทร์และคุณวิทวัส แซ่อึ้ง ทั้งคู่สามารถสร้างผลงานติดท็อป 40

นอกเหนือจากการแข่งขันรายการใหญ่ ๆ แล้ว ยังคงมีนักกอล์ฟฝีมือดีจากรายการไทย พีจีเอ ทัวร์ และรายการแข่งขันอื่น ๆ ในไทย คุณสัตยา ทรัพย์อัประไมย ชนะการแข่งขันที่รอยัลฮิลล์ (Royal Hills) และ 
ภาสเมธ โพธิ์กำเนิดและคุณปวิธ ตั้งกมลประเสริฐ ทั่งคู่สามารถคว้าทัวร์การ์ดเข้าแข่งขันที่ประเทศญี่ปุ่นในปี 2013 ไว้ได้ เราได้เห็นนักกอล์ฟที่มีพรสวรรค์จากรายการการแข่งขันในระดับจูเนียร์ โดยเฉพาะในรายการประเภทหญิงซึ่งมีชื่อพวกเขาคว้าชัยชนะในหลาย ๆ ครั้ง

จากทั้งหมดนี้ ทำให้เห็นว่านักกอล์ฟของไทยได้รับการดูแลที่ดี แต่คงไม่ถูกต้องนัก หากไม่กล่าวถึงแรงบันดาลใจของนักกอล์ฟไทยเหล่านั้นที่ทำให้ปี 2012 เป็นฤดูกาลที่ดีที่สุดที่ประเทศไทยเคยมีมา

จากการแข่งขันกอล์ฟประเภทหญิง คุณพรอนงค์ เพชรล้ำได้แสดงให้เห็นความเป็นเลิศที่นักกอล์ฟต้องการ ชัยชนะของเธอในต้นปีที่ HSBC Brazil Cup (การแข่งขัน LPGA อย่างไม่เป็นทางการ) ที่สามารถสร้างกระแสฮือฮา เธอได้พิสูจน์ให้เห็นว่า ไม่มีลูกฟลุ๊คสำหรับชัยชนะทั้ง 3 ครั้งในรายการรายการฮีโร่ วีเมนส์ อินเดียน โอเพ่น รายการร่วมของเลดี้ส์ ยูโรเปี้ยนทัวร์ ซึ่งเป็นรายการที่เธอเคยคว้าชัยชนะมาแล้วถึง 2 ครั้งก่อนหน้านี้ อย่างไรก็ตามชัยชนะเหล่านั้นเกิดขึ้นก่อนหน้าทื่จะได้รับการสนับสนุนจากทางเลดี้ส์ยูโรเปี้ยนทัวร์ (LET) ตามที่เคยกล่าวมาแล้วว่า ปีหน้าเราน่าจะเห็นกลุ่มนักกอล์ฟ 4 คนที่สามารถเข้าแข่งขันใน LPGA ได้และด้วยคุณพรอนงค์ เชื่อว่าจะนำไปสู่ชัยชนะได้อย่างแน่นอน

สำหรับการแข่งขันกอล์ฟชาย เป็นปกติที่ได้รับเกียรติจากคุณธงชัย ใจดี และ คุณถาวร วิรัตน์จันทร์ โดยที่คุณถาวรได้อันดับ 2 ในการแข่งขันรายการเอเชียนทัวร์ Asian Tour อีกทั้งชัยชนะของเขาที่ได้รับการบันทึกในการแข่งขัน 13 14 และ 15 จัดได้ว่าคุณถาวร เป็นนักกอล์ฟที่สร้างสีสันให้ในประวัติศาสตร์การแข่งขันกอล์ฟมืออาชีพ ในขณะที่คุณธงชัย คว้าแชมป์ในการแข่งขัน นยูโรเปียทัวร์ ในดินแดนยุโรป นี่เป็นชัยชนะครั้งสำคัญที่สามารถสร้างแรงบันดาลใจและความเชื่อมั่นให้กับนักกอล์ฟได้ก้าวตาม เชื่อเถอะว่า นักกอล์ฟไทยสามารถคว้าแชมป์ได้อย่างไม่ต้องสงสัย

เข้ามาเลยปี 2013!

PTGC จะเพิ่มโปรแกรมการฝึกในปี  2013 โปรดรีบสมัครเนื่องจากรับจำนวนจำกัด 
ติดต่อ คุณ Andrew Knott ที่ +66 (0) 89 913 5392

Have you been watching Branden Grace this season and did you see him at St. Andrews at the beginning of October? What a fairytale. Whilst most Q school graduates are looking over their shoulder to see where they will play next year, Branden is looking at challenging up at the other end - competing to finish the season as the No.1 player in Europe! 

It’s time to make your fairytale and it all starts here!

As an elite golfer October and November brings the start of the most important time of the year. You will be approaching the end of season on most professional tours and as a player you want to ensure your ranking is high enough to secure your playing rights for 2013. If you are not already on a tour, the time is fast approaching for the business end of Q schools.

The ladies see Japan move into the later qualifying stages at the end of October and through November, along with the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA stage III in December.

The men also have Japan moving into stage 3, whilst the European tour moves into the final two stages throughout November and finally the PGA Tour gets it done in the last week of November and first week of December.

However for the men in this region most eyes will be focused on Hua Hin throughout January as Q school 2013 takes places for the Asian Tour. OneAsia is yet to announce its dates but looking at the history January is also the most likely.

This key time will determine your golfing schedule for 2013, so you want to make sure that you are playing at your peak.

Branden Grace is living proof. Having got to the European Tour in 2009 he was unable to hold onto his tour card finishing well outside the top 115 at 148th. This left him with a mixed playing schedule for 2010 and 2011 – between invites on the Full Tour and the Challenge Tour. This mixed schedule made it impossible for him to get full playing rights through his ranking so it was back to Q school in 2011.

He finished 11th and the dream was to begin. The first Sunday in October saw him pick up his 4th and largest victory of the season at no less than St. Andrews! It took his season earnings to €2,028,216 when his career earnings on ET (inc. this win) are just €2,314,626. He has now moved up into 3rd in the Race to Dubai and by his own admission has his sights set on chasing down world No.1 Rory McIlroy.

This isn’t luck and it isn’t talent. This is hard work, planning, belief and inspiration from a succession of winning golfers on a seemingly endless production line coming out of South Africa over the past decade or two.

Don’t leave your future to chance, don’t keep doing the same things and expect a different result, if you truly want to create your own fairytale and be the one to start the production line of great Thai golf champions you must start to understand how to schedule your practice and your season to play your best at the most important times. You must start to understand your golf game, working on improving the critical skills you need to reduce your scores and make the difference. 



It’s no good standing on the practice tee working on your swing technique or chipping 100’s of balls from the same spot in the perfect lie, that isn’t going to cut it at the top level. Neither is continually hitting 100’s of putts looking at your putting technique without applying pressure.

If you want to understand and you want to prepare we have the answers for you.

This month we move onto our 3rd camp, giving you a glimpse of how to train and how to understand your game, whilst providing a one off chance to work hard on polishing your critical skills leading into this highly important phase of the year.

Monday 19th – Wednesday 21st November at Singha Park Khon Kaen

As Pro Tour Golf College Thailand strengthens it work with Singha and SMG we have the chance to use the wondeful purpose built practice facilities to take our training to a new level 
The cost again being subsidised by Singha and SMG at just 13,500 baht for the 3 days.

If you are serious about playing successfully on tour can you really afford to miss this opportunity? 

Contact me today to book one of just 12 spots available.

We are open to elite golfers of all levels from tour professional to 12 handicap, if it is your goal to compete successfully on tour then sign up now for this life changing experience.

Camp itinerary

Day One

• 30-minute introduction to PTGC systems and understanding your golf game.
  
• Long and short game training – a series of designated shots to designated targets, recording the result of every shot.

       Training time approximately 6 hours.

Day Two

• 18 holes of golf under tournament condition 
  
• Record statistics on the round – with short de-brief
  
• 30 minute seminar
  

       Training time approximately 5 hours

Day Three

• Long and short game skills testing – a series of designated shots to designated targets recording the proximity to target 
  
• Long and short game challenges – a series of challenges in putting; short game skills right through to full long game where you will be competiting against your peers, using innovative ways to simulate playing conditions.
  
• 45 minute closing seminar including feedback from all the data collected.

       Training time approximately 6 hours

What to expect:

• Your training will be constantly monitored by one of our coaches, with one to one feedback on your results and performance
  
• A deep level of deliberate practice, which you may have never experienced before – each shot requires a full routine and complete engagement.
  
• Enlightenment to where you are with your game and training right now.
  
• An understanding of what you have to do to get where you want to go
  
• A rewarding and fun environment to train your golf skills
  
• A seminar to help you understand the importance of outside factors including mind training
  
• Results of the tournament round will be posted online
  

What not to expect:

• A complete overhaul of your technique and critique of how you swing the club
  
• A relaxed easy couple of days of hitting balls and chatting with your friends
  
• A relaxed walk around a golf course with your friends
  
• Turn up on the first tee unprepared 5 minutes before tee off time
  
• Retake/Practice miss-hit shots or miss putts after the event
  

Learning outcomes:

• The level of intensity required to train your game for elite performance
  
• A base to start understanding your golf game along with the strengths and weaknesses that are truly affecting your golf scores – you will leave knowing what areas to work hardest on
  
• A high level of motivation and desire to take your game to a new level and successes as a tournament professional
  
• The desire to shoot a good golf score whenever you walk on the golf course no matter how you are playing that day
  
• Treating practice golf with the same level of seriousness and intensity as tournament golf and how this will help you in pressure situations in tournaments
  

Wow what a Ryder cup Sunday that was or should I say Monday morning for most of us in Asia. Much will be written about the performances and quite rightly so. The loved and despised (in equal measure, and not just by the American’s!) Ian Poulter, will take much of the praise for the European turn around. But what of how he got there. Today I want to look at working your schedule and prioritising your season.

It was clear for all to see that IJP was pumped up for the Ryder Cup, right from the first shot, it was obvious he was going to leave everything he had out on the golf course over the 3 days whenever he was asked to play. Two great foursomes victories, with his great friend Justin Rose, were followed by what many will say was the defining moment of the 39th Ryder Cup. It came late on Saturday evening as IJP birdie his last 5 holes leaving his partner, no less than world #1 Rory McIlroy as a mar spectator, on their way to victory and salvaging a point from what looked like an impossible position.

And so I pondered how did a player –who has openly, and privately, expressed that the Ryder Cup means more to him than winning a major, a guy who displays such passion and desire when he is out there – leave his participation down to a captains wildcard selection? Remember he finished in the top 10 in 3 of the 4 majors this year which equals big Ryder Cup points.

This is not the first time it has happened either. Ian has now been part of 4 Ryder cup teams of which two he has qualified for and two in which he has been a captains pick – the previous time being selected by Sir Nick Faldo in 2008, a much more controversial decision (proved to be a good one despite overall defeat). It all comes down to scheduling and more importantly prioritising.

The European team is picked from two separate lists, the European Tour and a World points list. Ian has long been settled in the US and plays virtually all of his golf on the PGA Tour, this restricts his automatic qualification chances to the 5 world points lists spots available. Both this time and in 2008, through majors and his odd appearance in Europe he had an outside chance of qualifying on the European list but choose on both occasions not to change his schedule in a final push but leave his participation in the hands of the captains picks.

This is somewhat surprising, when you see the passion and desire he shows to play in the Ryder Cup, but having followed him on Twitter for a long time it is also clear that he has another passion. He is a proud and loving family man and with 4 children that he misses when away playing this is what I am sure forms that decision. That coupled with his self-confidence, which overflows into his belief that he will get the pick – who wouldn’t on a percentage ratio he has the best Ryder cup record of all time I believe 12 points from 15 matches 80% win to loss ratio (he has never had a half).

What is important here is to understand as an elite golfer you cannot have everything, you cannot play in every tournament or achieve everything; you have to make decisions. The many golfers I have seen and worked with don’t understand this level of planning and more importantly the priortising. If you want to be able to perform your best when it matters, it is key to have a plan, ensuring the things that you hold the most dear in your life are prioritised and taken care of, yes you will have to make sacrifices as you can’t fit everything in, but that is the nature of life.


IJP, clearly prioritises his family, with the Ryder Cup running very close in those priorities, he then builds his playing schedule around this. Yes he will make a schedule that gives him the best chance of qualifying but once the plan is set he sticks to it. He is confident as long as he gets close to the team he will get the pick – who after this latest performance is going to deny him that same privilege in 2014.

As Andy Murray won an epic battle against Novak Djokovic, to crown a glorious few months for British sport, I instantly thought what could we learn from this?

This isn’t unusual; I am always looking at what sportsmen – in all fields – do to reach such high levels of performance under such pressure and scrutiny, followed by an assesment of how this will fit into the golfing arena – but what Andy Murray achieved created a chain of events in my mind.

But before I talk about Andy’s achievemnets and what we can learn from this, I want to begin by going to the end of my trail of thoughts and what will surely be known as the great British summer. The Olympics was an unpresidented success – every new one is! But why?
A simple one word answer “Inspiration”, I have longed believed this is the starting point for all successes in life and was confirmed with the research found by Dan Coyle in his book “The Talent Code”. Without some form of inspiration to lite the fuse there is no motivation, drive or burning ambition to reach the top. We have seen in sport that inspiration takes several forms, however the two most common are the financial rewards that come with success, which work well for players from a less than privaliged background or more commonly the image of success, seeing someone else achieving and imagining yourself being in that position.

This, I believe, was the instigator for the British atheletes, the image of standing on a podeium collecting the gold medal in front of a home crowd. If you want evidence of this look no further than Australia. In 2000 at the Sydney Olypmics they won 16 golds and a total of 56 medals (joint 3rd with China), in 2012 the count was down to 7 golds and 35 medals in total (8th if looking at total medals).

So the first simple message is; if you want to make it as a successful golfer you need to get inspired, what is driving you? What image do you have of yourself at the peak of your career? 

Back to Andy Murray and where this all started. I first really saw Andy when he came to Thailand in 2006 for the PTT Thailand Open; he had already come to a certain level of prominence in Thailand the previous year beating local favourite Paradorn Srichaphan in the semi’s before losing to a certain Roger Federer in the final. However this was still early in his career having only turned professional in 2005.

By 2008 he reached his first Grand Slam final – The US Open, he was well beaten again by that man Federer, as tough as that loss was, he assessed where he needed to make improvements, did so, and came back stronger and better. He then rached the 2010 and 2011 Australian Open finals losing to yet again Federer and Djokovic but he was improving, he was fitter, stronger and getting mentally tougher. Again I have no doubt these were bitter pills each time but he didn’t seem to dwell over them to long instead he continued to work on improving every area of his game.

As well as these supposed set backs (some misgudied indivisuals would have called failures), he had to deal with two extra issues:

1.     The added pressure and continual questions about a British player not having won a grandslam event since 1936

2.     His public persona was not great for one reason or another, Brits have this pre dipostion to love or hate sportsmen in equal meassure!


One of the keys to the gradual improvement Andy made was his ability to put a team of trainers and advisors around him, a team that he trusted and who worked in the same direction. As he saw gradual improvement he made no knee jerk reactions to changing the team, they just kept improving as a team. In 2012 rather than making changes he added to the team, with Ivan Lendl complementing what he already had in place. Another Grand Slam final came at Wimbledon, another defeat to Federer – he may have been forgiven in asking where this would end, but no. Again he focused, improved gradually and finally a break through as he beat Federer in the final of the Olympics back at Wimbledon.

And so we came to the end of the 2012 majors and Andy was in the mix again for his 5th tilt at a grandslam title, it was Djokovic who stood in his way this time, but with the gradual mental improvements taking affect the story was to be different this time – victory was his.

So what can we learn? Well people, especially the media, will be looking for the answer to why. They all want to believe that there is one golden moment, one defining piece to the puzzle that changed Andy’s fortunes, but unfortunately no. Yes brining in Lendl was a very good move and has played a big part, but the simple truth is this was the product of more than 5 years gradual and steady improvement in every area. He never lost faith in the face of adversity, he never lost patience with the road he was taking, he stuck to the plans, he assessed, he accepted his defeats – drawing on the positives, with improvements and understanding where he needed to make further improvements. Most importantly he TOOK ACTION got his head down and worked hard on them.

His interviews in the wake of his victory gave us a great insight into some of the things it takes to win

"I spoke to (coach) Ivan (Lendl) a couple of times during the year and he asked me, 'What worries you?'

"And I said that I worry what might happen if I win a major, how my life might change, because I want it to be the same.

Have you ever asked what worries you have in your pursuit of victory, it is amazing what we find sometimes standing in our way.

"I have worked hard all the time, even after the tough losses. I have had a fairly solid team around me as well for a long time." "Having Ivan Lendl around has definitely helped, not just me but the rest of the team as well, having someone of his experience, especially in these situations,"

"I want to keep improving," "I know how it feels to win a Grand Slam and winning the Olympics. "I think I'll get a better feel when I get back on the court and start practising again, I'll feel what it's like to have a bit more belief in myself and my shots.

 

So with a new found belief, if Andy can keep to the same basics and foundation that got him to this point – gradual improvement – more grand slam title are sure to be his including the illusive Wimbledon title.

Make sure that you are working towards your goal in an objective manner; take the defeats as learning experiences not failures and success can be yours.

It would be a miss of me to not mention Rory McIlroy’s victory(s) at the USPGA especially as part of Britian’s special few months – again Rory has shown his real qualities lie away from the golf course. After a baron spell and some playing with his schedule to find his best approach, he has come flying back with a storming victory at the USPGA and two more voctories in the play-offs.

The messages are clear for all to see if you are prepared to look beyond the hype and emotion, you too can learn what you need to do to become a champion!

Have you seen the videos from our first camp yet? It was a great event; 14 players attended and had a big three days working on their games; learning to understand their games and finding out how to lower their golf scores.

There was a great mix from Asian Tour veterans and winners right through to young amateurs and champion caddies. In total seven of the 14 players went on to compete the following week in events on the Asian Tour and OneAsia.

The marquee name at the camp was the 5 times Asian Tour winner Thammanoon Siroj… and we are pleased to report that in Malaysia this week he recorded his highest finish of 2012 and first top 25. 


In 2012 his Asian Tour scoring average was 74.85 and he managed to record a score average of 71.0 over the 4 rounds this week. Well done Thammanoon, keep up the good work and we look forward to seeing you back in both the winners circle and at PTGC!

In light of the level of success of the camp, along with great feedback from both the players and SMG we have decided to continue this program of camps, clinics and seminars for the remainder of 2012, starting next week (18-20th September)…Make sure you get your chance to lower your scores!

Next weeks camp goes ahead as scheduled. It will again be at Burapha Golf and Resort, run in conjunction with SMG and supported by Singha, with thanks to them the cost of the camp remains at just 13,500 baht per person, which is a fully inclusive price – training; green/caddie fee; range balls; accommodation; breakfast/lunch/dinner.

Future dates are to be confirmed and will be posted out to you as soon as we have them. The camp originally posted for the 2-4th October has been postponed as there is now a Singha Challenge event at Khon Kean that week, but the date will be replaced and we will also be at the tournament running seminars and clinics.




Don’t miss your chance…sign up now for 18th – 20th Spetmeber, places are limited to 14 golfers and they are going quickly!

andrew@protourgolfcollege-thailand.com; +66 (0) 89 913 5392

ATTENTION LADIES: we are fully aware that the dates so far have clashed with tournaments, your tournament schedule for August, September and beginning of October (with the new Singha Challenge event being added) have made it impossible to find a week, but we are working on finding a date both in October and November that fits around your playing schedules.

Camp itinerary

Day One:

• 30-minute introduction to PTGC systems and understanding your golf game.
  
• Long and short game training – a series of designated shots to designated targets, recording the result of every shot.
  
• 30 minute seminar on preparation – game plan and warm up
  

        Training time approximately 6 hours.

Day Two:

• 18 holes of golf under tournament condition 
  
• Record statistics on the round – with short de-brief
  
• 30 minute seminar on periodisation training
  

       Training time approximately 6 hours

Day Three:

• Long and short game skills testing – a series of designated shots to designated targets recording the proximity to target. 
  
• Long and short game challenges – a series of challenges in putting; short game skills right through to long game where you will be competiting against your peers, using innovative ways to simulate playing conditions.
  
• 45 minute closing seminar including feedback from all the data collected.
  

       Training time approximately 6 hours

What to expect:

• Your training will be constantly monitored by one of our coaches, with one to one feedback on your results and performance
  
• A deep level of deliberate practice, which you may have never experienced before – each shot requires a full routine and complete engagement.
  
• An elightenment to where you are with your game and training right now.
  
• An understanding of what you have to do to get where you want to go
  
• A rewarding and fun enviroment to train your golf skills
  
• In day ones seminar we will talk about the importance of a game plan and warm up – we will get you to write up details and we expect this to be followed
  
• Results of the tournament round will be posted online
  

What to NOT expect:

• A complete overhaul of your technique and critique of how you swing the club
  
• A relaxed easy couple of days of hitting balls and chatting with your friends
  
• A relaxed walk around a golf course with your friends
  
• Turn up on the first tee unprepared 5 minutes before tee off time
  
• Retake/Practice miss-hit shots or missed putts after the event
  

Learning outcomes:

• The level of intensity required to train your game for elite performance
  
• A base to start understanding your golf game along with the strengths and weaknesses that are truly affecting your golf scores – you will leave knowing what areas to work hardest on
  
• A high level of motivation and desire to take your game to a new level and successed as a tournament professional
  
• The desire to shoot a good golf score whenever you walk on the golf course no matter how you are playing that day
  
• Treating practice golf with the same level of seriousness and intensity as tournament golf and how this will help you in pressure situations in tournaments

As you have discovered Pro Tour Golf College is different from other golf coaching, why?  Because we are simply about lowering your golf score and your scoring average to get you to achieve your goals and golfing dreams.

We now have the special opportunity for you to join us for 3 days of training – where YOU get the chance to experience what YOU need to understand and how you need to train to reach the success you desire as a tour professional.

The camps in conjunction and supported by Singha, SMG and All Thailand Golf Tour are on the following dates with limited spaces available:

Camp One: 28th, 29th and 30th August (Burapha Golf and Resort)

Camp Two: 18th, 19th and 20th September 
(Venue to be confirmed)

Camp Three: 2nd, 3rd and 4th October
(Venue to be confirmed)

In line with the way we want you to plan your golf training, these dates have been carefully choosen to give all elite golfers in every category the chance to attend around the busy tournament schedule.

NB. we take golfers from current tour professionals up to a maximum of 12 handicap.

Camp itinerary

Day One:

• 30-minute introduction to PTGC systems and understanding your golf game.
  
• Long and short game training – a series of designated shots to designated targets, recording the result of every shot.
  
• 30 minute seminar on preparation – game plan and warm up
  

        Training time approximately 6 hours.




Day Two:

• 18 holes of golf under tournament condition 
  
• Record statistics on the round – with short de-brief
  
• 30 minute seminar on periodisation training
  

       Training time approximately 6 hours






Day Three:

• Long and short game skills testing – a series of designated shots to designated targets recording the proximity to target. 
  
• Long and short game challenges – a series of challenges in putting; short game skills right through to long game where you will be competiting against your peers, using innovative ways to simulate playing conditions.
  
• 45 minute closing seminar including feedback from all the data collected.
  

       Training time approximately 6 hours

What to expect:

• Your training will be constantly monitored by one of our coaches, with one to one feedback on your results and performance
  
• A deep level of deliberate practice, which you may have never experienced before – each shot requires a full routine and complete engagement.
  
• An elightenment to where you are with your game and training right now.
  
• An understanding of what you have to do to get where you want to go
  
• A rewarding and fun enviroment to train your golf skills
  
• In day ones seminar we will talk about the importance of a game plan and warm up – we will get you to write up details and we expect this to be followed
  
• Results of the tournament round will be posted online
  

What to NOT expect:

• A complete overhaul of your technique and critique of how you swing the club
  
• A relaxed easy couple of days of hitting balls and chatting with your friends
  
• A relaxed walk around a golf course with your friends
  
• Turn up on the first tee unprepared 5 minutes before tee off time
  
• Retake/Practice miss-hit shots or missed putts after the event
  

Learning outcomes:

• The level of intensity required to train your game for elite performance
  
• A base to start understanding your golf game along with the strengths and weaknesses that are truly affecting your golf scores – you will leave knowing what areas to work hardest on
  
• A high level of motivation and desire to take your game to a new level and successed as a tournament professional
  
• The desire to shoot a good golf score whenever you walk on the golf course no matter how you are playing that day
  
• Treating practice golf with the same level of seriousness and intensity as tournament golf and how this will help you in pressure situations in tournaments
  

This is a unique opportunity to experience our training systems before our official launch in Thailand on October 8th. PLACES ARE VERY LIMITED so if you are serious about competing successfully on tour click here and sign up now! - just send me your name and the camp you want to attend
  
Our coaches speak both Thai and English

NB. This event is sponsored by SMG and Singha for further details on the cost please contact them directly but you have my personal guarantee that this event is heavily discounted for you.
charupol@smgsport.com

Costs will include: All training including balls; green fee and caddie fee; accommodation for 2 nights

After the second round of the Ladies US Open an article on Golf Digest’s website particularly caught my eye. It referred to Swede Suzann Pettersen making the error of setting her alarm at 6.45 rather than 5.45 and being in some what of a rush to make her tee time. She went onto birdie four of her first seven holes and finished the day at -5, leading the tournament!

How was this possible? By her own observation at the end of the round, “sometimes oversleeping is a good thing, you don’t have time to think about stuff.” This is a great observation.

I have always considered the warm up and YOUR pre round preparation as a vital in giving yourself a chance to perform on any given day. Understanding what YOU need to do to play your best and managing your time to do it, is key if you want to get a fast start.

The preparation put in before a round is without doubt one of the most under utilised skills available to a player. I have spent many years observing the habits of players in warm up and the major problem is the warm up procedure is never practiced; therefore there’s no routine or time management to it.

On any normal day when a player goes to the course playing with friends, they will turn up 15 minutes before their tee time, do a few stretches have a chat and head to the first tee – here in Thailand that usually includes having breakfast in hand on the way! However the same player arrives at a tournament and goes to the practice range a full 2 hours before their tee time, proceeding to hit vast quantities of balls or ends up trying to kill time.

Let’s focus our attention on time management at tournaments rather than the lack of warm up on other days for now.

It is my belief that most players arrive 2 hours before to be careful – on lookers, sponsors and parents can’t blame you for not putting in the effort now! – Rather than truly understanding what they need to do to get into the correct ‘frame of mind’.  

The warm up should be a simple process that leads you into the correct mental state, knowing what you want to do on every shot to access your peak performance state (being in the zone), for that day, in every area of your game. It is not about the physicality of the warm up, the stretching, but preparing the mind.

Now don’t get me wrong stretching is important but only in as much as it will serve to prevent long-term injuries. Most professionals are supply enough to walk down to the first tee and hit their tee shot fine without stretching – in fact that is what they do when they are practicing or playing with their friends!

So if the warm up is such a simple process, will that really take you 2 hours to perform? Of course it doesn’t and this kind of ‘non-routine’ and lack of time management leads to tension, poor mental preparation and as Suzann identified “having too much time to think about stuff.”

If we don’t occupy the brain with a set pattern of thoughts that have been practiced and we have too much time on our hands, it will start to think about ‘stuff’.

If you are serious about competing in elite level golf tournaments, you need to start practicing your warm up. Understand know how long it takes, when arriving at a new venue assess the logistics of the practice layout and make slight adjustments to your time frame. Keep it short and sweet, you are not here to keep people happy or make them think you work hard but to get yourself into the right place to win golf tournaments!

I am very excited to announce that Pro Tour Golf College Thailand has come to an initial agreement with SMG and Singha Corporation to promote the college to elite golfers in Thailand via their media channels and at all of their events.

The partnership is taking immediate effect, as we will be running seminars and clinics at the next four SMG run and Singha sponsored events, which come up thick and fast throughout July and August.

It is especially pleasing to make this agreement, as it was essentially ‘player’ lead. 

After initial discussions we agreed to put on a two-day training camp for 10 of Singha’s brightest prospects – the mandate was to see how the players reacted to our training methods, philosophy and style of coaching.

We started with presentations, as it is essential to understand the concept and the PTGC ‘difference’ before training. As expected there was some doubt to start with, but as we got into the training and daily schedule, split into two groups, the players began to get more interactive with what was happening. 

A brief rain delay couldn’t dampen the spirits as we took an early lunch before carrying on with what would be considered a 50% training day.

The players went through a normal schedule of full swings to 5 distances, wedge shots to 5 distances, various short game shots and short and long putts at 50% of daily volume. As always at PTGC everything was recorded and the results were handed in for analysis and feedback.

The players were now fully into the swing of things and as we moved into the games and challenges of day two everyone was seeing the benefit. As expected the head to head challenge of our tests and games brought some steely competition and good-natured banter out of the players. Lawrie took one group aside and showed them some simple changes in set up to help playing in a wet bunker – which brought fantastic results – before it was time for the range and our final challenge.

I have to say we saved this for last as it is one of our favourites at PTGC – The Australian rules running challenge I blogged on back in February, where the players have to take a run between each shot lasting for up to 20 minutes. Tired and warm at the end the feedback was fantastic and every player saw the reasons behind the training and its benefits – whilst being fun there’s never any gimmick training at PTGC!







It would be amiss of me not to mention our special guest Khun Amarin Nitibhon who went on to feature in the Singha Pattaya Open, no slouch as a player Amarin really got into the training and we were lucky that he recorded the whole two days for his program on the Golf Channel ‘Oh My Golf’ – the program aired back in May but don’t worry if you missed it as I have now managed to get a full length copy and will post it to the website and our YouTube page shortly. Thanks Amarin hope to see you soon.

In the weeks that followed the feedback was fantastic. Two players have gone on to win big events here in Thailand and we are now ready to open the doors to the wider circle of elite golfers in Thailand.

With all the above said the program speaks for itself ultimately it was the players who have got us into this position and there is no better advocate than that when you are starting up a new project with the difference that Pro Tour Golf College has.



Now it is your turn to find out what PTGC is all about, we will be at the following events:

Laem Chabang – Singha All Thailand Open: 

Tuesday 17th July (practice day) – seminar 11am and 2pm in the clubhouse

Thursday 19th July (round one) – open clinic 7am to 4pm on range and short game area

Royal Hills – Singha Challenge:

Tuesday 24th July (qualifying two) – seminar 11am and 2pm in the clubhouse

Wednesday 25th July (round one) – open clinic 7am to 4pm on range and short game area

Narai Hills – Singha Challenge:

Monday 30th July (qualifying one) - seminar 11am and 2pm in the clubhouse

Tuesday 31st July (qualifying two) – open clinic 7am to 4pm

Singha Park Khon Kaen – Singha E-san Open:

Wednesday 15th August (Pro-Am day) – seminar 11am and 2pm in the clubhouse

Thursday 16th August (round one) – open clinic 7am to 4pm on range and short game.

Don’t miss this opportunity, I will be around on all days to answer any questions you may have some come and have a chat with me.


NB. Some dates or time may change follow us on Facebook to stay up to date with the latest news

I suppose it was always a question of when rather than if but either way the question “when China would join the worlds golfing stage?” was answered as Feng Shanshan won the LPGA championship – the second major of the year in ladies golf and becoming in the process the first Chinese player to win a major.

Asian players have dominated Ladies golf in the past few years with 11 out of the last 18 major tournaments having been won by Asian players, and whilst Korea remains the dominant force other nations are now muscling in. If Feng Shanshan’s win can create the same level of interest and more importantly belief that Se Ri Pak did for Korea around the turn of the Millennium then the ladies golfing world needs to watch out!

There is no doubt that there would be huge expectation on her shoulders going into the final round but her post tournament interview revealed two or three major keys that we can all learn about success and winning.

Goal setting…first and foremost she had set goals for her 2012 season – to win on the LPGA tour and to have a top 10 finish at a major. Very specific, measurable, agreed (I presume), realistic (obviously!) and timed – have you set yourself goals this clear for this year, for many I very much doubt it and you are therefore steering a vehicle into nowhere particular and that is where you will end up!

Keep your focus in the present, not the future…”I was focusing on every shot, if I win I win, if I don’t I don’t, it just worked out”. Winning or losing was out of her control and is always out of our control, she therefore focused on what she could control, hitting the best shots she could and giving herself the best chance she could of winning and that is all you can ever do.

Now many will be saying that is all well and good but it is easier said than done - true, but I will make a strong assumption and say she has a very good routine, one that she has not only created but worked on in practice over and over. Focusing on every shot meant simply meant focusing on her routine. How many players actually practice their full routine? (Both in practice rounds and on the practice ground.) I watch a lot of professionals practicing and from my experience the answer to the question is zero! No wonder in the heat of battle staying in the present is easier said than done.

With players like Feng Shanshan and Tseng Yani driving the Asian Juggernaut I don’t see any let up in the Asian dominance of ladies golf, but as someone who calls Thailand home I wait with anticipation to see the Thailand ladies join the party.

P.S. Come on guys when are you going to catch up with the girls, the golfing world is waiting for you!