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Editors Note: this student is a 4 handicap player who took the fundamental putting lesson, then texted me this message the following day:

Hey Tom, it's Peter Igoe here - thanks for the summary email last night, I put it to the test today.

Played nine holes at my club, shot a boring 38 - 4 out of 7 fairways hit, 3 out of 9 greens in regulation, and 14 putts including 4 one putts (2 over 20 ft.)

Thanks for your help!

Dr. Peter Igoe

Hi Tom,

My daughter said I wowed her and our partners when I sank a 40+ ft. put yesterday at Terry Hills. I am using the putting grip you showed me and it's working well, thank you.

My drives have improved with what you showed me about setting up and finishing my swing, and my chipping is so much more controlled.

I totally enjoyed your lessons and will call you for a refresher lesson before the leagues start next year.

Thanks again,

Gillian Romano

Hi Tom,

I read every issue of your golf tips and this one struck close to home, especially the opening line.

" Does success need to happen before you get complete confidence, or does confidence breed success?"

From personal experience I can say the two go hand in hand. I don't have that natural swagger in my personality so I needed the success to develop the confidence. Those with the natural swagger (not arrogance) already have an level of inner confidence which probably helps them attain success at a faster pace. So, the answer to your question depends on the personality of the individual.

Case in point. The weakest part of my golf game has always been the long fairway shots, both irons and woods. I joined a golf league this year for the first time and my scores reflected the bad shots. I had no confidence in my swing because of all the bad shots, and I became overly cautious in my swing in an attempt to increase the accuracy. It didn't work. So, I went back and read the saved notes from our lessons and one aspect kept standing out -- practice, practice, practice.

For three straight days I went to the driving range, got a large bucket of balls, and hit nothing but the 5/7 woods and irons. The first day I hit a few good shots. The second, even more good shots and my body started to 'feel' the position it needed to be in during the swing (muscle memory). The third day even more good shots and I felt myself getting more confident/aggressive.

For the past 4 weeks in my league my golf partner is amazed at the transformation. My fairway shots are now one of my strongest points and he commented last Tuesday how much more aggressive my swing is and how well I'm hitting the ball. Yes, there's actually a little swagger there now.

Thanks again for the tips and lessons we had, I still refer back to my notes when I'm having problems.

This weekend I'll be working to improve my short game.

Jim Erck

Hi Tom,

Just got done practicing in 88 degree weather. I never would have done that before I took lessons from you.

The knowledge that you gave me now allows me to practice with a purpose. When I hit a good shot I know why it's good and more importantly when I hit a bad one I now know why! This gives me a real chance to improve my game. I already see an improvement in my driving and my chipping. I still have work to do with my irons and my putter.

I plan to continue to review your lesson plans and critiques of our sessions together. I also plan on playing and practicing a ton. I want to have another couple of sessions in September so I can continue to improve.

Thanks again for such great instruction!

Jack McCarthy

Editors Note: This was a spontaneous comment I received in an email from a ball striking lesson student - I didn't ask him for any feedback:

Tom

Great lesson today. I made better contact on iron shots than I have in my entire life. It really felt good to compress the ball properly.... I have been struggling to achieve a good impact position for over ten years ever since I saw a pro in Pennsylvania who told me I needed to work on it. I never experienced it until today.

Thanks

Jim Arthur

Tom...

Chris and I very much enjoyed our lessons with you. They were informative, enlightening and helpful. You are an excellent teacher and make it easy to understand your instructions.

We learned so much and I think that over time it will make a great difference in my game. Chris' game has already shown a huge improvement. His drive swing and resulting shots are very good. He has taken what you told him and incorporated them into his game.

My game needs work..I think I am doing what you instructed me to do, but Chris says I am missing at least one or two steps each time, so I will continue to work on them at the range and home.

Again, we would (and will) recommend you to anyone interested in improving their game. Your approach to teaching and the game of golf are refreshing and make learning fun.

Thanks so much for time. We may actually come back next year for follow up - and so you can see the results of your efforts with us!

Judy and Chris Whiteford

Thanks, Tom, for your patience!

We had so many things to correct. The items to practice and the clarification of our deficiencies are particularly enlightening, and your follow-up e-mails are an added bonus, plus your positive attitude was appreciated.

We would recommend you to anyone from high handicappers to very good golfers who maybe just need a small adjustment. In fact we already have recommended you to a couple of people.

Thanks again.

Pearl & Lee Hyatt

Tom,

the lessons were very helpful and I feel better knowing that I got my money's worth. I have mentioned your help to my friends and suggested if they want some quality golf instruction, that they should see you.

Your golf tips in your newsletter are also very helpful and I look forward to them, so keep them coming.

Thanks

Bob Bechtold

Tom..

Many thanks for the ball striking lesson with Quinn on Saturday, I feel he really came away with a lot of knowledge about the swing.. we played after the lesson, and he hit some great iron shots from the fairway... he now loves those shots around the green and those 100 - 160 yard shots.

Thanks again,

Tim Plesums

Before starting my lessons with Tom Tucker, the best thing about my golf game was my outfit! Now I can add driving & putting to my "bests."

Tom's enthusiasm is contagious. He tailors each lesson to your individual strengths and weakness using repetitive drills and simple tools to help you "feel" the proper swing. He always provides a written summary of your lesson and gives you guidelines for practicing.

So thank you Tom, not only do I look like a golfer, now I play like one too!

Deborah Gillen

Tom,

After playing golf for 10 or 11 years, my game was stagnant, there had been no improvement in a year's time.

In July of 2010, I took my first lesson with Tom Tucker at the Batavia Country Club.

After one year of working with Tom, my handicap is four strokes lower, and I lowered my personal best 18 hole score by 6 shots. This could not have happened without Tom's help.

Despite being 61 years old, I find that I am more motivated as a golfer, and perhaps more importantly, golf is now much more fun.

Thanks for the help Tom, and I am looking forward to more lessons.

Jim Mahoney

Tom:

Good lesson yesterday. In hindsight I can see your logic in the sequencing of activities. Everything was seemingly coming together nicely yesterday. Yes, I thought that I hit some excellent shots, but that is not too unusual. In my introductory remarks I indicated that consistency was my greatest need. Previously, good shots were often a random activity. I didn't know precisely why a shot was excellent and the next one awful. But now I understand the "why" much better based on the many tips you provided.

Here's what I liked about my lessons:

• the sequencing of activities as I mentioned above;
• your use of anecdotal stories and research results (it is too easy to forget the detail, but your interesting stories/quips are what I will remember and they, I think, will help trigger the correct memory response);
• your follow-up comments (emails) and your judicious use of positive reinforcement (spoken from a long time educator);
• your backup information sheets online - excellent resource to complement the training sessions;
• your experience and competence shows which supports the credibility of what you are saying (spoken from a long time golfer);
• your use of training "props" - these were excellent to make a point or stimulate learning through visual feedback;
• you gave me your fullest attention and were always enthusiastic;

Hi Tom,

I just got back today from Lake Placid,where we attended a wedding and I was able to play 18 holes at White face CC. I was excited about playing because of what I had learned from my lessons and I felt now was the time to apply what you had taught me. I had a good round of 80 from the white tees and my only bird came on the first hole, I think the guys I was playing with thought I might be a ringer but I assured them that this doesn't happen to me often and its probably going to be all down hill from here.

What you taught me about the inside out swing and my misses being right worked to my benefit that day,I had very few misses.

Your instructions/lessons were a lot of fun for me and the training aids for hand roll and inside out swing will keep me in form when I'm not playing. I will practice all that you showed me this year and probably see you again in the spring next year.

Thanks again for all your great help.

Bob Vanelli

PS..Feel free to quote me.

Tom,

Thank you very much for the patience you extended me during my lessons. I had developed some bad habits trying to learn on my own,but thanks to you I think I have improved greatly. I had a 37 a few weeks ago. It would not have been possible without your help and instruction.

Again thanks for your help.

Deve Benty

Hey Tom,

I don't have anything but positive remarks to give you. It is easy to tell that you enjoy teaching, and seeing your students do well.

I liked the way you based the instruction on our progress; for example, if I caught on to a task we moved quickly to the next one, but if I was struggling in an area we would go back to the basics until I got it.

You gave plenty of feedback and enough training drills to keep me busy for a while, I will definitely come back to you for future lessons and would recommend you to anyone asking.

Thanks again,

Jason Schug

Hi Tom,

Just want to thank you for your excellent teaching techniques and help in identifying flaws in my golf swing/putting.

I have already seen a 10 stroke improvement in my score.

Again thanks and I would highly recommend you to anyone wanting to improve their golf game.

Keith Thompson

Editors Note:This particular testimonial was unsolicited. It would be hard to believe except for the fact that Keith had played professional baseball, and my experience with athletes that have competed at a high level is that they seem to be able to focus extremely well on instruction. Plus - in the past he had been a pretty good golfer ..... Tom

Tom,

It was nice hearing from you so promptly. Thank you for the feedback. I learned a lot in the few sessions that I had with you. I know I have a long way to go, but if I know my faults, then I can eliminate my faults. There wasn't anything I could tell you to improve on.

Additionally, the chipping and putting lesson changed my game. I cannot tell you how much you have helped me around the green. Such simple changes have yielded drastic results.

Keep up the good work, I will be recommending you whenever anyone asks. I'll be seeing you around, take care.

Jeremy Squire

Good morning Tom,

I haven't been able to get back to you because work has kept me busy and I haven't had the chance to play much golf. I did go to the practice range often and worked on all your lessons. Feel free to quote anything as a testimonial.

Here's the good news. As you know the majority of my golf scores in the past have been in the low 100's range. It was very frustrating to constantly mishit the ball or, when I did make good contact, watch it hook or slice into an unplayable lie. That has now changed.

I played a round at Lake Shore yesterday and had the best round of my life; 42+47=89. This was my first sub 90 round. Every aspect of my game has improved dramatically (tee shots, fairway shots, chipping/pitching and putting) and it was a great feeling to finally not be the worst golfer in the group. I still hit some bad shots but those are now the exception and not the norm.

Your lessons helped me cut 10+ strokes off my game and, with additional practice and playing time, I'm optimistic the scores will go even lower.

What I liked about your lessons:

I'd taken lessons from two different instructors in the past. Their method was to watch me swing a club and make a few adjustments. It may have helped temporarily but long term I went back to my old habits because the foundation of my game was flawed.

What I liked most about your method of instruction was that you taught me, from the ground up, the CORRECT body position and how to swing the clubs. Compared to how I was playing before it feels much more natural and I actually had a few comments yesterday from the other players on what a great golf swing I now have. It's resulted in better accuracy and increased distance with less effort on my part.

What I didn't like about your lessons: There wasn't much I didn't like. I'm an analytical person and you gave me a lot of information to process. At one point I was feeling a little informational overload. But, with your notes (and a lot of practice, practice, practice) I was able to put it all together.

Closing comments: I will highly recommend you to anyone that wants to improve their golf game and would suggest they take the full package of lessons. You provide the foundation to turn anyone into a good golfer.

Thanks again,

Jim Erck

Tom,

Thanks again for the lessons, I learned a lot.

I have been playing golf sporadically since high school but I never had any lessons. This year for Fathers day I asked my family to get me golf lessons. My reason for wanting lessons was I wanted to hit the ball farther than I have been.

On the first lesson I found out I needed more help than just distance. Tom was very patient and showed me the proper grip, stance, ball placement, and the proper pace for the ball. It was very surprising to me that it is not how hard you hit the ball but hitting it in the right place and having a good pace in your swing.

Once Tom showed me how to properly set up to the ball he showed me a very simple swing that I picked up very quickly and I was immediately hitting the ball straight. Tom also sent me e-mails before each lesson to prepare myself and he backed that up with a set of drills that I could take home with me. Tom also showed me what I was doing wrong when I miss hit the ball or if it didn't go straight.

The next surprise was when I was able to take what I learned to the golf course. For the first time since I started golfing I was consistently hitting the ball clean and straight. I still have a problem with distance but I learned that it was more important to me to hit the ball clean and straight. Tom explained to me that after I get more comfortable with what he taught me the easier it will be later on to get better distance by properly turning my body in the backswing and the finish.

Whether you are just getting started or if you are like me and looking to get more serious about your game then Tom is the right person to teach you about golf. In a very short period of time Tom can take you from the basics to applying the swing he teaches to fit your own abilities that results in giving you more confidence on the course.

John Palillo

Hi Tom-

Sorry it took me so long to reply - it's been a crazy week here in the lab (not crazy enough to keep me from practicing, though!). So, I'll start by saying that there wasn't anything that I didn't like about my lessons. I thought the notes beforehand were great - it always makes me feel better knowing what I'm "getting into" beforehand. I also liked the different drills that you showed me.

I think it's great when someone can really help improve your swing without even having to use or hit a ball. That way, when I can't get to the range or somewhere to hit balls, I can still practice and feel like I'm improving.

Most of all, though, I think I liked the fact that you were patient, didn't get frustrated, and didn't let ME get frustrated. I can tell you really enjoy what you do, you're passionate about it, and the information in each lesson conveys well to others because of it.

Thanks a lot for everything!

Dr. Kimberly Prohaska
Post-doctoral Associate
Biochemistry and Biophysics Scientist
OyaGen, Inc.

Hi Tom-

Since completing my series of advanced putting lessons, I have seen steady improvement in all aspects of my putting. I owe you a big thank you for the increased confidence I now have as I approach greens.and for the improvement in my average putts per round. My enhanced ability to read my line, control ball speed and stroke the ball with the pure pendulum swing you teach has already paid dividends in terms of improved performance.

The big bonus I wasn't counting on comes from the practice drills you use during the lessons. Anyone serious about improving can continue to do so after the lessons are over because you very systematically lay out the fundamentals and use practice drills which can be replicated by the student to provide positive, concrete feedback- the gold standard in motor learning!

Since I desire to know "why" as well as "how" when learning something, I found your willingness and ability to communicate exceptional. Am I a satisfied student? Absolutely, and I got more for my money than I ever dreamed I would and had fun to boot! Thank you.

Diane DeBacy

Hi Tom, you can go ahead and use any comments from this email as a testimonial.

Thank you again for the great lessons. My golf game has taken a 180 degree turn and I am playing the best golf ever! Prior to the lesson I was shooting in the high 90s. The last two times out I shot an 87 and an 83!

What's more important is that I am enjoying the game. You have a great teaching style that works well with both of us. The couples lesson was a great thing for us to do together. Janell's swing is coming along nicely as long as she remembers not to take her club back too far.

Thanks again for all of your help and we will keep in touch!

Kory Kitagawa

Tom,

I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed my golf lessons. My ball striking consistency has improved considerably and my putting has shown a huge improvement since taking lessons from you. I really appreciated your ability to explain proper swing positions and dynamics through drills and demonstrations. Your patience and understanding were instrumental to success in correcting my alignment and my change to a more rotary swing. I left each lesson with the tools and motivation needed to work at improving my game.

All drills and technique aside, the best part about taking lessons from you is that the lessons were fun and I had a great time. I would highly recommend your lessons to anyone looking to improve their swing and enjoyment of golf.

A fun time and play better golf,you can't lose.

Thank you,

Brian D. Mongi

Dear Tom,

Thank you so much for being so, so patient!!! Keith and I reallly enjoyed the golf lessons and also your teaching expertise!

We feel your positive approach is your most outstanding attribute!! You always made the lessons fun and made us feel comfortable even when we made mistakes!! We were also impressed with your knowledge and skill of the game of golf. You really make it look too easy!!!

As a former teacher, I liked knowing what you were going to teach, and your objectives for those goals. Using the many props to teach the different techniques was very helpful and allowed us to "feel" and "see" what skill you wanted us to learn. (Use of all modalities!)

Thank you for all the golf notes! We will certainly be using them each time we practice.

To use your quote, "You cannot get what you've never had unless you're willing to do what you've never done"!! We will practice and we will get better at this game!!!

Thank you again for all your help. Feel free to use any part of this letter as a testimonial.

Sincerely,

Keith and Carol Corona-Willey

Thanks Tom for the great lessons! You gave me a much better understanding of my body movements & of the game in general. The drills we did were extremely helpful. The more I practice them, the better my shots get. I now know my biggest problems are not turning my shoulders & keeping my left arm straight. I have improved quite a bit though & feel much more confident!

Brian & I had a lot of fun. Thanks again for all of your help! Feel free to quote me.

Danielle Cook

Hi Tom, thank you for the opportunity to give some feed back. I found your classes to be very helpful and informative. My putting and chipping have greatly improved, meaning that I have started to shave strokes off my game, being a one or two times a week player. I know that with time and persistence I will be playing a mid 90's game, which I look forward to very soon. I believe that anyone no matter how young or old or good you are could benefit form Mr. Tuckers classes.

Andrew B. Fuller

Hi Tom,

I play on a league and carry a high handicap, which frustrates me. After 3 lessons I noticed my drives were straighter and had more distance. The guys on my team asked me what I had done to achieve this. I said I was taking golf lessons. Their comment was, "I was surely getting my money's worth". I hope with practice I can apply this knowledge to the rest of my game. I was very impressed with all the teaching aids Tom had acquired. I would highly recommend anyone taking these classes. Whatever your skill level is, you can always learn something to improve your game. Tom always e-mailed the structure of the lesson ahead of time. This will be a great reference to have in the future. The closing statement of the end of each lesson was "you cannot get what you've never had unless you're willing to do what you've never done". This statement impressed me very much.. It's not only true in golf but true in life.

Thanks again - Dave Aradine

I really picked up several new skills. Several of them are working quite well. My drives are much better and hopefully I can pick up more distance with time. I really am glad I took the classes. Practice make everything better!!

Marie Aradine

(Editors note: Bonnie participated in a couples lesson)

It was a pleasure working with you, Tom. Your patience, knowledge and excitement for the sport shows in every lesson you gave. You were able to coach a very experienced golfer while teaching someone who has never been on a golf course! Thank you for all you gave us!

Bonnie Pusateri

Tom, First of all, thank you very much for an outstanding lesson. This is exactly what I was hoping for and I understand the details you were conveying. I have already been practicing in the basement on my 16' practice green (putting & chipping). I have also been putting in my living room with a training aid being 2 balls connected, trying to putt them straight ( helps with alignment of the putter stroke, rolling to the left if toe hits first, and right if heel hits first ).

I'll try the weakening of the left hand, and firming it per your advice

Appreciate the help as always,

W. C. "Twilly" Lynch

P.S. Thanks for the extra time also

Tom, Sorry my response took a while, it's tough for me to keep on top of my personal e-mails!

In regard to the lesson, I think it was very well executed. I appreciated the fact that it was structured and progressive, each segment of the swing taught and practiced until the end when we could put it all together.

I don't think I can think of a lesson in which the swing was broken down like that for me. I actually think I understand what the heck I've been doing wrong all this time! I can "feel" what my body has to do to execute a good swing and it's nothing fancy or hard to understand.

I think half of my problem is I have very poor body awareness, so when someone tells me to move a certain way I really have a hard time sensing what they want me to do. Pointing out how my arms should feel (passive) and what my shoulders should be doing(rotating )was a first. I think the drills will be most helpful, I appreciate the visuals that go along with them so I can make sure I'm practicing correctly.

It must be tough to have to teach people at various levels all in the same group but you accomplished it!

I'll actually be looking forward to the beginning of golf season for a change! Thanks much and you can certainly use any part of my comments if you'd like!

Beth Rich

Hi Tom,

I enjoyed the lesson very much. As I noted earlier, I've been playing this game for a long time so I have some deeply engrained bad habits that always seem to rear their ugly head (usually toward season end) and in retrospect, it's probably because of the timing required to keep my current swing together. I like the philosophy of your technique,and with steady practice and implementation on the course, I feel that the simplicity of this swing will allow me to lower my score. Now if I could only putt. (That's another lesson)!

Beth and I enjoy your passion for the game and we love playing together, so hopefully, this will help her to enjoy the game more. She get's frustrated while playing and I'm a worse teacher than a golfer.

You covered a lot in an hour so we will follow up with you in the spring with another lesson so you can evaluate our progress and will look forward to a round at your course, (I've never played BCC).

Best regards, Jeff Rich

Hi Tom,

We both wanted to thank you for the great lesson.

Destry and I both learned many new things about the rotary swing and many other key techniques for improving our golf skills. For me, it was so much to think about, because I am a self-taught golfer (I'm sure it shows).

Destry enjoys your instruction greatly. I am hoping we may be able to "swing" a few more lessons this spring/summer.

Thanks again,

Bob and Destry Mullen (Editors note: father and son)

Thomas,

I was very pleased with the lesson. I thought that you did a great job describing the three swings and the differences. I thought the lesson was packed with useful information; especially the drills.

I plan to practice them and hope to gain consistency. I believe that you provided a very sound starting point for that - from knowledge and drills.

I would not hesitate to recommend the indoor lesson to my friends. Thank you for the additional thoughts.

Chad MayerHofer

Tom,

I really liked the class. I like how you're really concerned about our game. The only thing is that it just went by too quickly.....

It was really nice of you to take the extra time to help us. There was so much information that you presented us with in such a short period of time. It's great having someone there to check your swing.

I think what you taught me will help,it certainly is different from my swing. I think that just keeping more weight on my left leg is going to be a major thing. I also feel stronger bending a little more with a wider stance. I was too straight up and I never felt confident that I could hit the ball solid most of the time.

I think I remember all of the drills and how to do them but I was wondering if you could have a brief explanation after each one on how to do them and what they're meant to do. For example, the towel drill,which I really liked, but I don't remember exactly where the towel was suppose to be on my back swing. I know on the follow through it's suppose to be a mirror image of your back swing. I know that the wrists are suppose to be ahead of the club,is there a drill that will help with this?

[ Editors Note: In response to Stephen's feedback, I installed the key drills for this lesson on web pages for review, the student gets the links as part of their notes...Tom ]

..........Thank you for everything and I know your classes will help a lot of golfers.

Stephen Kolbert

Tom, Just a thank you for all of your patience during my golf lessons. Your method of teaching is very easy going, and is just what I needed to get a better feel for what I may be doing wrong. so thanks again,

Dave Larson

Coach Tom,

Elyn and I thought the lessons were great! We learned and had fun at the same time. We liked the way you taught and the use of the training aides. The only problem Elyn had was the technical or theory that was talked about at times. But this was a lot clearer with the notes after the lessons. The drills to prepare for the next lessons were a good way to prepare for the lesson. I particularly liked the post lesson notes. I have put them on 4x6 cards so I can reference them on the course. Feel free to use any quotes we have sent you.

As a couple, this was the most fun we have had in a long time. The atmosphere was structured, yet loose. We not only learned the basics of the game of golf, but had fun in the process. Coach Tom is very knowledgeable and methodical in his teaching of the game. We looked forward to each lesson and took what we learned and applied it to the game. It made playing more fun. With each lesson we both could "feel" that we were getting better and had become "excellent" putters in a few short lessons! If anyone is thinking about getting involved in golf as a couple, then Coach Tuckers' lessons are for you! It is the best investment that we have made in a long time. Thank you Coach!

Henry & Elyn Moscicki

Note: Mr. & Mrs. Moscicki have two sons that participate in the BCC Junior Golf Camp, and since the kids call me coach it kind of stuck...Tom

I told Tom that I'd write a Testimonial for him so others can read and learn what type of an instructor, and person Tom really is, so here goes.

When I first heard of Tom Tucker, I was amazed at the number of people who already knew him or heard of him, and many of those people were folks I already considered to be good golfers, so I knew right away that I made the right choice in selecting him to instruct me.

I knew within 10 minutes of meeting Tom that "this guys knows his stuff", and he CAN & WILL help my game and skill level. One of the best things about Tom is his passion for teaching the game is as great as mine for wanting to learn it, and improve at it! We hit it off very well, and after taking his advice and just learning to settle down, I really started to hit some beautiful "pure golf shots". It's amazing, I bought all those DVD's, and magazines, and until after my lessons started to develop, they never made sense, they sure do now.

Tom takes the time to discuss what your swing flaw is, and corrects it there and then - he does not just tell you what you are doing wrong and send you on your way. He gives you several checkpoints to use to evaluate and correct what went wrong, all the while keeping this with a positive spin. He's a firm believer in teaching the correct way to swing, and not apply a band-aid swing fix.

Tom's level of professionalism is great. Put your trust in him, you will improve, and have so much more fun in the game.

Tom always makes you feel like you're a golfer. He instills confidence in you, so you know that when faced with a shot that you have that shot, and that club, and believe you can achieve it. I now know there are many ways to accomplish a shot I am faced with. I've learned a great deal about myself, and really about the game of golf. It's actually not that complicated once you start putting the pieces together. Trust in what he's telling you, I promise, the game is so much more fun once you understand ball flight, swing methods, and start to hit those pure shots, and best of all, do them when you want to! Anyone serious about the game, or wants to have more fun, or really wanting to get better would benefit from working with Tom.

One thing I realized, I know this is a business for Tom, but I never, ever, once felt like it was. It was more like a mentor teaching someone skills that they could continue to work on and see results. It seemed the more questions I threw at Tom, the more accomplished I grew, the more innovative challenges he'd come up with to help me progress towards my golf goals.

Tom, thanks for all the information, patience, and just listening and understanding. I'm lucky to call you a friend.

Tim Plesums

Hi Tom,

I thoroughly enjoyed each of the 4 lessons on putting, chipping, pitching and full swing. You were quite detailed and specific, first dealing with basic fundamentals, then gearing your teaching skills to my specific swing, mistake, problem or execution.

You gave thoughtful constructive criticism when needed, and positive feedback when warranted. I especially liked the teaching drills, many of them in rapid succession, which helped to make the mind and body memorize the movement. I also appreciated it when you told me to stop when you noticed I was doing something incorrectly, take a step back, practice the move as taught, then resume the activity specific to the skill, whether it be the chip, put pitch or full swing. You used a full array of teaching tools as well, which helped to further your point or aid in my development.

Finally, I like the idea of getting immediate feedback, on the spot and through timely emails with all the teaching instruction, drills and tips reviewed so that I can remind myself right after each lesson and copy them for continued reference.

Thanks for your efforts. I will be playing now with more confidence and am looking forward to improved scores.

I will let you know about seeking further lessons. Please keep me on your mailing list if you decide to do further instruction clinics.

Thanks, and my best,
Carl De Luca

p.s. I do not mind if you quote me.

Tom,

Thanks so much for the golf lessons. We have gotten the chance to play and already see a great improvement in our game. We appreciate the individualized critiques through email and are able to watch each other to correct our problems. We look forward to many more hours of playing and improving our golf.

We have truly enjoyed our lessons!

Thanks again,

Chad and Melissa Maniace

Hi Tom,

Sorry about the delay in getting back to you. I wanted to play a few times before I gave you some feedback.

WOW!

What a big improvement in my putting. I am averaging 1 & 2 putts with a rare 3 putt. I have more confidence when I address the ball, whether it is a tee, fairway or chipping shot. I am hitting the ball farther and straighter from the tee. I know now how each shot should be played and I practice doing it the correct way. I really enjoyed your organization and teaching methods.

Your follow-up notes are very helpful. I have copied key points to work on, onto index cards and carry them with me. I also love learning from someone who has a true passion for what they are doing. The best thing is I am having fun playing with a lot less frustration. The great thing is I parred a hole, beat Dick (Sharon's husband) on the same hole and tied with him on 2 other holes.

Tom, thanks again for your time and patience.

Sharon Hartman

Tom,

I want to thank you again for all of the time you spent teaching me how to chip. I practiced all of last week, and then played nine holes with a friend. I want you to know that I actually shaved TEN STROKES off of my usual score. I can honestly say that at least six of those strokes were due to improved chipping.

THANK YOU AGAIN,

Nancy Hoag

Tom,

Thanks so much for your patience with me. I thought you were very professional but also friendly and helpful. I liked the helpful hints and the practice drills - the lessons moved along nicely without being rushed. Also the email follow ups are very useful for me. Reading over the next day what we did and how to improve really helps it sink in. After a little practice I would like to continue working with you.

Thanks,
Craig Yunker

Hello, Tom

I thought your lessons and follow-up notes were great. I especially appreciate the follow-up notes, because not everything is absorbed during the instruction period. I really liked that you started with putting, because in my opinion, as a first time golfer, it is the least intimidating. It made sense to me to progress from the small ball to the long ball. I also appreciated your advice on etiquette at the golf course.

As a professional instructor, you never made your beginner students feel inadequate, and you took our lesson time very seriously. In one instance, I recall a couple of your acquaintances walked over to the practice area where our lesson was being held, and after you greeted your friends, you told them that you'd really love to chat, but couldn't because you were involved in our lesson. I appreciated that.

In all, your group lesson was beneficial to me and I have already recommended you to another golfer wanna-be.

Sincerely,
Linda Risewick

Hi Tom:

My apologies for not responding to your last e-mail sooner. I just finished a week of vacation, and am pleased to say my husband and I golfed everyday. The money for the golf lessons was well spent, and I wished I would have taken them sooner. I can't believe how much I have improved with just 3 lessons (and neither can my husband - he may be e-mailing you also). It has made golf much more enjoyable for both of us.

What I found most helpful was the way you were able to stop me at any point in my swing and correct whatever I was doing wrong at that time. My full-swing shots have increased dramatically both in distance and accuracy. I also appreciate the e-mail feedback and have used your notes to help reinforce what I learned from your lessons.

Feel free to use any of my comments as testimonial. I am interested in taking more lessons from you, although my schedule varies each week. I deeply appreciate your patience. You're an extremely good teacher.

Mary McCarthy

Hi Tom,

When I signed up for your golf lessons, it was because I really knew next to nothing about what I should be doing on the golf course. I found your lessons extremely helpful for all aspects of the game.

Learning the proper stance for each club from the putter to the drivers and how to swing each club was a terrific help for me. I used to stand stiff legged and try to kill the ball. Naturally, I had no idea why it went where it did. Now, when a ball goes left or right, I know what I did wrong, and I have actually corrected the balls flight on the range! Also, I have hit a couple of balls that just sounded different than any other balls I have ever hit in my life. And they flew far and straight. Now I know why golf is so addictive.

Thank you very much for the help. I can actually say I got more from your lessons than I hoped for. Yes, of course you may use anything I said as a testimonial if you would like to.

Thanks,
Dave Reichert

Hi Tom, Enjoyed all the lessons. My chip shots and putting have improved. Reduced my putting to mostly two strokes after on the green. Chipping is more accurate and better loft getting to the green. You are very knowledgeable and have great teaching tools. I appreciate the review of lessons and tips you have e-mailed me. I enjoyed working with you and will recommend you to others.

Dick Hartman

Hi Tom:

I was very pleased with all aspects of your teaching. You packed a lot of information into 60 minutes and the email reteach was very helpful for reinforcement. I also agreed with your philosophy of teaching from the hole back. Everyone got an equal amount of attention and the class size was just right. The putting aids were very useful. You used terminology everyone could grasp and added personal stories of interest. The whole experience was very worthwhile and well worth the investment of time and money. Thank you. I would like to follow-up with a few lessons to cure my tendency of pushing the ball to the right.

Don Hawkins

Hey Tom,

I am very satisfied with my game right now. I want to thank you for all of your advice and instruction. I would like to say that after going to a number of other instructors, you are my favorite. You showed a lot of interest in my game during our lessons and also through email. I really appreciate it. I liked the 3 lesson combo because it hit every aspect of the game for the most part. Another thing that I liked was the drills and tips on how to correct my swing or stroke. You are very organized and professional at what you do. There is nothing about our 3 lessons that I didn't like. Again I would like to thank you for working with me and I'm sure I will be back for another lesson. As long as my game keeps heading in the right direction I think I will just continue getting reps on the range and practicing what we have gone over.

Thanks for everything

Best Wishes,
Jeremy Kern

Tom,

Thanks so much for the lesson .....we all enjoyed it. This is my 4th season golfing, so it's been difficult this year, because I no longer can blame all of my bad shots on being a beginner.

You certainly have a gift to teach.......I felt 99.9% more confident with my putting after you showed us a good grip, stance, and approach to the pin. Thanks for the email with tips for improving my game.

Thanks again
Jill Klotzbach

Tom -

Sorry I haven't e-mailed you sooner, we were out of town. I'm e-mailing with feedback for the lessons. I am becoming a very good putter since your class. I have gotten to the point where I no longer fear any kind of putt. As for chipping, I am still adjusting to distance in relation to whatever club I happen to choose. I just chipped in yesterday from about 30feet; I much better at that aspect, as well as pitching.

After taking your 3 lessons, I am much more confident, especially from approx. 100yds. and in.

It was a great lesson plan.

Thanks again,
John Lonergan

Thanks again, Tom for introducing and teaching me to golf. It was more enjoyable than I imagined. Your excitement about the game was contagious.

When teaching me a skill, you were very clear. The feedback was so helpful. It is a tremendous help to receive emails with review notes. I print them out and read them a few times in a day (especially on days that I golf on a course). The drills will really improve my strokes and give me the strength that I need.

I am optimistic about improving. I think by August, I should be golfing much better!! I will call you when I need a short brush up lesson but for now I need to practice ALL that you showed me. Enjoy the great summer,

Kathy Bettors

Last year I was walking off the course with 9 holes at 58-65 strokes. This year has been anywhere from 51-56. Almost 10 strokes off my game and still imporoving. I haven't had over an 8 on a hole in awhile and that is a HUGE improvement for me.

I feel like I know what I need to do. Whether I get up there and do it will be something that comes with time but at least I can tell now when I am doing something incorrectly or when I do it correctlly.

Thank you again Tom for all your instruction, patience and good humor during the lessons.

Michelle Scafetta

Note: the day after her Pitching Lesson - summer 2006 - Michelle called me to tell me she had her first ever hole-in-one. I guess she'll have to teach me that shot! Tom

The golf lessens were absolutely money well spent. It is now up to me to make it happen.

I had played in a tournament a couple weeks back and began to apply my new techniques. It was shaky at best, which told me to get back to practicing the skills you taught me. A comment from one of my golf partners was "I can tell what kind of shot you will have on how you approach the ball." He made me aware that when I applied your techniques, my shots were exactly how they should go. My biggest problem at that tournament was that I was too anxious to hit perfect shots all the time.

Here is my assessment: It is going to take me a while to break my old habits. I have proven that your methods work and that I have to break away from my "sins of the past". The only way I can accomplish that is to practice the basics.

I am in it for the long haul so you'll see me again for more lessons or even a "refresher".

Don't change a thing, I liked your approach and appreciate the extra attention you gave me!

Todd Bender