By Vinnie Manginelli, PGA
With 100 GRAA Growth of the Game Teaching Professionals cited each year, for a new coach or teacher to make the list, another very capable expert in the field must be omitted. Tom Harris is the PGA of America Director of Player Development at NCR Country Club in Kettering, Ohio and one of the latest professionals to earn recognition on our acclaimed list of honorees.
“I was introduced to golf at a junior golf camp at my local municipal golf course, Otis Park Golf Club in Bedford, Indiana,” Harris says. “My older sister and her friends were attending a clinic, and I decided to tag along. Homer Mathews, the golf professional, was very supportive of the juniors playing and a number of us started playing on a casual basis.”
Harris was in eighth grade when he started getting serious about the game of golf and would enjoy a successful high school career. He was crazy about the game. He played at Ball State University under legendary Coach Earl Yestingsmeier, and while playing in state amateurs and open events, was fortunate to play with several club professionals who piqued his interest in becoming a club professional.
“I finished college with a plan to turn professional and use my business degree to help me with the administrative side of the profession,” Harris explains. “I served my PGA apprenticeship and earned PGA membership while at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Indiana.”
He says that working for Jim Ferriell Jr. and a great membership had a huge impact on his career. He served as PGA of America Head Golf Professional at Owensboro (KY) Country Club for eight years and then at Delaware Country Club in Muncie, Indiana for 30 years.
“I have always had a desire to learn as much as possible in all areas of the golf business,” Harris admits. “As my career advanced, I was drawn more and more into the instruction and coaching aspect of the business. I have attended countless workshops, seminars and certifications over the years, including TPI, Smart 2 Move levels 1 and 2, Swing Catalyst levels 1 and 2, KVEST levels 1 and 2, HackMotion, Sportsbox AI, Ultimate Golf Lessons with Mike Adams and Terry Rowles, Skilled Coaching Alliance with John Dunigan and Dr. Will Wu and Altus Performance Coaching level 1 with Cameron McCormick. I am also a certified AimPoint Instructor and have recently studied in Will Robbins’ RGX coaching program.”
Harris’ programming is extensive and innovative, as he uses Operation 36 for adults and juniors. In fact, he is an Operation 36 Top 50 Master Coach. He was also awarded the Southern Ohio PGA Section Player Development Award for 2023.
“This season I have also incorporated Will Robbins’ RGX Results Based Coaching,” Harris adds. “This program of grouping 2-3 players for on-course play and evaluation has been a big hit. We meet weekly to work on specific areas of each student’s individual game that will help them reach their predetermined goals.”
Harris holds AimPoint Green Reading classes with up to 8 students, and his facility hosts a 4-day junior golf camp during the summer to introduce players to the game.
He uses TrackMan, Smart 2 Move Dual Force Plates, SamPutt Lab, HackMotion, Sportsbox, CoachNow and KVEST technologies in his instruction.
He says that group instruction is popular at his club, and he sees that and on-course instruction continuing.
“AI is not going away and I see that improving quickly,” he says. “This will allow players to have monitored instruction with their coaches providing a blueprint for practice sessions. The one-camera 3D programs are getting better but still have some limitations. It will be interesting to see where that goes and how quickly it improves.”
