Young guns want to become a Tour Professional. They say that they are dedicated and really want to become a professional golf player. Most of them say that they dont have enough support locally. They are quite young most of the time and have already a handicap of 5 and lower. What now?
William Guy:
I am 39 now, but when I was 16, I was in their exact position. I wanted to turn pro, but had nobody around me who could help or advise me. The only thing I knew of was to go on some college programme in America. Anyway, I decided to do the PGA apprentice way to becoming a qualified PGA member and have something to fall back on.
I started a serious playing carreer after getting qualified, where I had mixed fortunes. What I learned from those mixed fortunes has taken me to where I am today.
What I am providing in the golf training here in South Africa, is a set up based on what I needed when I was 16. It's easy for me to do this now, after what I have experienced on tour and the 15 years that I committed to a playing carreer. I still compete today with the local PGA club pros and currently leading the order of merit. One of the main things, I include in the programme, is to regularly play golf with the students.
But the technical golf area is not the only area in which your students have to improve to compete to their best level?
William Guy:
Klaus Wiese manages the outside-training (fitness, psychology, nutrition, hand-eye-coordination, physiotherapy, etc.). This part is optional but I would highly recommend it, if a player has not had training in these areas.
Why did you as a Scotsmen move tdown to the Cape Region?
William Guy:
I moved to SA in October '03. My wife is from this part of the world. I got fed up with the golf industry in Scotland because of the season being too short. Here it is 12 months a year.
When we get answers from the parents or even the youngsters, they always mention the security issue in South Africa.
William Guy:
Like everywhere in the world, there are good areas and not so good areas. If you know these areas, you can avoid the problems. Where we are based, Stellenbosch, is a good area. When the last young chap, Joe Bland, was here, he lived alone for 4 months. We helped him find the right accommodation etc.
Is there other young aspiring golfers who train with you, so the "new" guys and girls could join them for training sessions and especially socialise with locals?
Oh yes, definately is that the case. We have got some annual programmers who come from Johannesburg or the Cape Area and they practice daily. So someone is always around. Anyway the days are quite filled with all kind of stuff they have to do. So dont expect it to be a holiday summer camp. If you want to become a Tour Professional and earn money, you must be prepared to work hard. And that means that sometimes you must work hard without the help of others. If you are prepared to do that, then a young dedicated amateur golfer is definately at the right place with us.
Thank you William for the little chat. I guess in the next conversation we could go for some more indepth information about what you work on with your annual programmers.
But the technical golf area is not the only area in which your students have to improve to compete to their best level?
William Guy:
Klaus Wiese manages the outside-training (fitness, psychology, nutrition, hand-eye-coordination, physiotherapy, etc.). This part is optional but I would highly recommend it, if a player has not had training in these areas.
Why did you as a Scotsmen move tdown to the Cape Region?
William Guy:
I moved to SA in October '03. My wife is from this part of the world. I got fed up with the golf industry in Scotland because of the season being too short. Here it is 12 months a year.
When we get answers from the parents or even the youngsters, they always mention the security issue in South Africa.
William Guy:
Like everywhere in the world, there are good areas and not so good areas. If you know these areas, you can avoid the problems. Where we are based, Stellenbosch, is a good area. When the last young chap, Joe Bland, was here, he lived alone for 4 months. We helped him find the right accommodation etc.
Is there other young aspiring golfers who train with you, so the "new" guys and girls could join them for training sessions and especially socialise with locals?
Oh yes, definately is that the case. We have got some annual programmers who come from Johannesburg or the Cape Area and they practice daily. So someone is always around. Anyway the days are quite filled with all kind of stuff they have to do. So dont expect it to be a holiday summer camp. If you want to become a Tour Professional and earn money, you must be prepared to work hard. And that means that sometimes you must work hard without the help of others. If you are prepared to do that, then a young dedicated amateur golfer is definately at the right place with us.
Thank you William for the little chat. I guess in the next conversation we could go for some more indepth information about what you work on with your annual programmers.
