Teaching & Training Aids

Resource Center

October 28, 2013

Jay Perkins: Utilize Training Aids That Help Students Form Their Own Swings

jay-perkinsJay Perkins is a PGA Professional and owner of the Bel Air (Md.) Golf Center.

Jay Perkins on the importance of utilizing training aids that help students form their own swings:
A lot of current teaching methods focus on getting students to model a PGA Tour player’s swing. But I believe in the average golfer having more success with a swing that focuses on a centered arm swing as opposed to a large body rotation on the backswing. In order to help golfers achieve a stationary spine and head position that helps get them on their left side to produce cleaner impact, I use several different training aids. One of my personal goals is making sure the student can feel the swing; if they can’t feel it, they can’t understand it. With that being said, I will let them swing a broom (promoting lag and a forward handle at impact) or a tennis racquet (helps greatly with concept of releasing clubhead) to give them that feel. All of these aids are about promoting impact and getting our students to feel the proper motion of the swing.

Jay Perkins on the business impact of utilizing training aids that help students form their own swings:
We have focused on this for about three years now, and it has had a trickle down effect with business at our facility. Our overall bottom line has increased approximately 32 percent in the past several months.

If you would like to email the author of this Best Practice directly, please email jperkins@pga.com