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Coaches Travelling With Player


leezer99

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Was just listening to a podcast with Matt Walter and on it he had Colin Bykowski. He's a coach out of Canada for Alexander Zhang that recently won the US Kids Worlds 10 year old division. What surprised me was that the coach and player traveled from Canada to an FCG event in San Diego, then to IMG Worlds, then to FCG Worlds and then over to US Kids Worlds together. Is this complete overkill, insanity or perfectly normal?

There's definitely something more important that I should be doing.
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> @leezer99 said:

> Was just listening to a podcast with Matt Walter and on it he had Colin Bykowski. He's a coach out of Canada for Alexander Zhang that recently won the US Kids Worlds 10 year old division. What surprised me was that the coach and player traveled from Canada to an FCG event in San Diego, then to IMG Worlds, then to FCG Worlds and then over to US Kids Worlds together. Is this complete overkill, insanity or perfectly normal?

 

 

It's good work if you can get it.

It's no fun when the rabbit's got the gun.

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Insanity? overkill? take your pick. NOT normal. The kid is likely to go on to great things in golf but some would argue so what? Yes, money maybe, but some would argue so what?

Guess I'm just not the kind of dad that would push a path like that for my kid. I'd travel with him to the events and encourage in every way possible, but I wouldn't foot the bill for his coach to come along.

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I listened to that pod, too.

 

For some perspective, though, understand the kids father lives in China. Mom is raising him in Canada. If you don’t know golf, but have the resources to commit at that level, why not? He’s got a world championship under his belt.

 

There is a girl from Korea on our local tour, had her coach on the bag for all events. This was 9-10 girls USKG. Parents would follow along in a cart. Now, I’m certain the coach is not world-class, so a different pay structure, but still.

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> @leezer99 said:

> Was just listening to a podcast with Matt Walter and on it he had Colin Bykowski. He's a coach out of Canada for Alexander Zhang that recently won the US Kids Worlds 10 year old division. What surprised me was that the coach and player traveled from Canada to an FCG event in San Diego, then to IMG Worlds, then to FCG Worlds and then over to US Kids Worlds together. Is this complete overkill, insanity or perfectly normal?

 

We played with him at one of the Regionals. Really sweet, nice kid. The coach was very pleasant to play with as well.

The biggest negative I saw was that the coach pretty much did all the work, and the player was like an Avatar. Which at one point, I thought to my self, who is really playing golf here?

 

EDIT: So to give credit to where it's due, and this is in addition to another thread that's floating around. I see too many parents waste money on swing coaches and what not, thinking they will see improvements. I did think that Alex's coach was the real deal, and someone like him will definitely help your kid get better. And Alex does flat out crush the ball, so there is that.

 

To answer Leezer's original question, I see handful of coaches who travel with their players, even in our local tour, so nothing shocks me anymore.

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I wanted my kid’s coach to go to Jr World too, but 1) I’m too poor and 2) I’m not that crazy. It was obvious my kid’s swing got a little outta hand during the week down in San Diego, but I don’t play golf and didn’t know what to tell my kid to adjust. He ended up missing the 5th place trophy by 1 spot and only brought home a piece of paper lol.

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> @leezer99 said:

> Was just listening to a podcast with Matt Walter and on it he had Colin Bykowski. He's a coach out of Canada for Alexander Zhang that recently won the US Kids Worlds 10 year old division. What surprised me was that the coach and player traveled from Canada to an FCG event in San Diego, then to IMG Worlds, then to FCG Worlds and then over to US Kids Worlds together. Is this complete overkill, insanity or perfectly normal?

 

This isn’t uncommon from what I’ve seen, especially if the competitor is the, or one of the, top students the instructor coaches.

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Played with a few kids over the years with coach on the bag. At least a few of them it seemed to just be a good relationship thing - maybe a "if you qualify for worlds I will caddy for you!" kind of deal or otherwise worked into their instruction "package". I flat out asked one coach about it andthey had some kind of plan arrangement worked out - in other words, the parents were not paying him by the hour (x 3 days)...somehow it was worked into the package. I also know another coach who has gone to worlds twice on his own dime to support a few of his students and I think caddied for them each one day. I think if they are within reasonable driving distance it is a good relationship (and business) move for a coach to come to a big tournament to support a few of their pupils....give some encouragement, refine a thing or two if needed, or even carry the bag. This is all obviously different than the OP post where the coach travels internationally multiple weeks throughout the summer. That is certainly a different level.

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> @kekoa said:

> Even if money wasn't an issue, I wouldn't want the coach at these tournaments. I guess it helps that he wouldn't do it regardless. LOL!

I asked my son's coach if he wanted to come out to an event within 10 minutes to him. He said I want him to feel safe out there. He doesn't need the pressure of you watching, other parents watching, and then me watching.

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> @TripleBogeysrbetter said:

> > @kekoa said:

> > Even if money wasn't an issue, I wouldn't want the coach at these tournaments. I guess it helps that he wouldn't do it regardless. LOL!

> I asked my son's coach if he wanted to come out to an event within 10 minutes to him. He said I want him to feel safe out there. He doesn't need the pressure of you watching, other parents watching, and then me watching.

 

I won't say my son's coach is the opposite because he just never would go to a junior event (he barely goes to the PGA Tour events his players are in) but we do happen to play a few tournaments at the course where he teaches. His lesson tee is just past the green of a long par three and I'll text him when we are on the previous hole letting him know where we are. Nine times out of ten he will be there watching him tee off all the way through putting out just to add to the pressure. I'll even point out that coach is down at the green watching if he doesn't see him. Every one of the dozen or so combines we do are all completed under pressure of some sort or another.

There's definitely something more important that I should be doing.
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> @leezer99 said:

> > @TripleBogeysrbetter said:

> > > @kekoa said:

> > > Even if money wasn't an issue, I wouldn't want the coach at these tournaments. I guess it helps that he wouldn't do it regardless. LOL!

> > I asked my son's coach if he wanted to come out to an event within 10 minutes to him. He said I want him to feel safe out there. He doesn't need the pressure of you watching, other parents watching, and then me watching.

>

> I won't say my son's coach is the opposite because he just never would go to a junior event (he barely goes to the PGA Tour events his players are in) but we do happen to play a few tournaments at the course where he teaches. His lesson tee is just past the green of a long par three and I'll text him when we are on the previous hole letting him know where we are. Nine times out of ten he will be there watching him tee off all the way through putting out just to add to the pressure. I'll even point out that coach is down at the green watching if he doesn't see him. Every one of the dozen or so combines we do are all completed under pressure of some sort or another.

 

Yea I get the pressure part. My son and him have a great relationship. I dont schedule lessons anymore. Him and the coach text. He works his pro camps. I think if he ask his pro to come he would be there in a heartbeat.

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I think a coach watching here and there works. I can see them being on the bag in an USGA event. I think being on the bag for a 10 year old is bat shit crazy no matter how much money you have.

I am GenX.  If you really think I care about what you have to say, I don't.

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I wonder how many of these coaches are volunteering to go to the tournaments, as opposed to being asked/paid by parents. For a young coach coming up he needs to make his name somehow and being seen with good players while having exposure to the parents of other good players is way better marketing compared to standing on the practice tee of Bushwood CC.

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> @jmgledhill said:

> I wonder how many of these coaches are volunteering to go to the tournaments, as opposed to being asked/paid by parents. For a young coach coming up he needs to make his name somehow and being seen with good players while having exposure to the parents of other good players is way better marketing compared to standing on the practice tee of Bushwood CC.

 

Ehhh.... who cares really about the coach of a 10 year old? What does exposure give you if you don't have a solid base of clients? Most junior golf parents live on a budget and don't have boat loads of money to spend on a coach.

 

I disagree with your entire premise.

I am GenX.  If you really think I care about what you have to say, I don't.

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> @heavy_hitter said:

> > @jmgledhill said:

> > I wonder how many of these coaches are volunteering to go to the tournaments, as opposed to being asked/paid by parents. For a young coach coming up he needs to make his name somehow and being seen with good players while having exposure to the parents of other good players is way better marketing compared to standing on the practice tee of Bushwood CC.

>

> Ehhh.... who cares really about the coach of a 10 year old? What does exposure give you if you don't have a solid base of clients? Most junior golf parents live on a budget and don't have boat loads of money to spend on a coach.

>

> I disagree with your entire premise.

 

I don’t know. Going back to the podcast, it’s likely he would have not been invited, or at least not had the same audience without the championship. He also quoted how he is now the third coach at that facility with a world champ in his stable. If you are at a top class golf school and you’re the guy that hasn’t ever coached a world champ, it may be worth the investment.

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> @jmgledhill said:

> I wonder how many of these coaches are volunteering to go to the tournaments, as opposed to being asked/paid by parents. For a young coach coming up he needs to make his name somehow and being seen with good players while having exposure to the parents of other good players is way better marketing compared to standing on the practice tee of Bushwood CC.

 

Know a local teaching pro. Not either of kids' pro. A guy I met up with and play. He has younger students that the parents will pay for his gas and time to come out and watch. If they go out to dinner the parents pick up the dinner tab.

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I went to the US Am on my own dime to support all the players I had playing in it. To me it’s a reward for their hard work. I went for practice rounds and helped them prepare. Watching the actual event can be beneficial to them as far as seeing what they do under pressure. I wouldn’t caddy for any of them though.

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