There's been quite a lot going on since returning home from being on the road. When I wasn't practicing, I've been spending the majority of my time trying to figure out where to go for help with my game. I feel like I know every teacher within a 500 mile radius of New Orleans and what they're all about. Something that I never thought I'd need to know, but now I'm glad that I've added this information to the memory bank in case I'm ever in this situation again in the future. After 10 days of doing research, sending out emails and talking with family & friends I've decided to seek the help of Tom Ness. Here's a quick description of his background:
Tom Ness is ranked as one of the Top 50 Greatest Golf Teachers in the United States by Golf Digest, and One of the top 100 Golf Teachers by GOLFMagazine. He has authored numerous articles for Golf Digest including cover stories How to Upgrade Your Impact and Slam the Door on Your Slice. He is also featured in selected titles of the Golf Digest Learning Library video series, such as Putting for Profit, How to Hit It Longer, and Straighter and Getting Started Right. An exceptional golf teacher, Tom began his golf career under the tutelage of Davis Love, Jr., and Bob Toski. He has taught numerous players from each of golf’s major tours and has participated in golf schools all over the world.
One of the biggest factors in making this decision was the fact that he came highly recommended by Brian Manzella (my current teacher). When I approached Brian about this situation, he was very understanding and was all for the thought of seeking a second opinion about my swing. He was confident that Tom would be a good fit. The idea was trying to find someone different enough to hopefully be able to pick up on things in my swing that may have been overlooked in the past, but yet not someone who would potentially try and drastically change my swing. As we approach September, the beginning of PGA Tour Q-School, I think it's best to try and find a solution to my swinging woes by changing as little as possible. I'm hopeful that Tom will provide that solution.
The other deciding factors were proximity and availability. Atlanta is relatively easy to get to considering there are approximately 8-10 direct flights from N.O. to ATL everyday, and Tom was available right away. So, tomorrow Erika and I are flying to Atlanta in the morning because my first lesson is tentatively scheduled for 2:00 Friday afternoon. From there, we're going to discuss a time for a follow-up lesson on Saturday and then Erika and I will be flying back Sunday morning.
There is also a high-tech fitting center at the same location that Tom teaches at, so I'm going to try and fit that in as well. My driver has been absolutely killing me lately so it might be time to try something new. That's it for now. I'll have another update when I get back from Atlanta. Hopefully nothing but good news.
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