Tom Foster: Director of Instruction at Verdura Resort
Having coached on the Ladies’ European Tour, Tom Foster’s illustrious career saw him undertake numerous specialist roles at some of Europe’s top venues before making the move to Verdura Resort four years ago.
His coaching methods have become part of the fabric at Verdura with golfers of all abilities seeing the improvements for themselves. So we took the opportunity to get a little expert knowledge from the man himself.
As the golfing season approaches, what tips do you have for golfers looking to dust off the cobwebs?
Get your body prepared. Find yourself a short, golf-related stretching routine online and incorporate it into your daily routine so that when you do eventually get back to golf, you’ll hit the ground running.
Do you have any drills/exercises golfers can do from home that are directly transferable to the golf course?
Create or validate a pre-shot routine over and over again – even if it’s in the garden. No-one really practices pre-shot preparation, but it is invaluable.
To help strategy, understand where the ‘no-go’ areas are around your home course greens. Roughly draw the 18 greens and then divide them into quarters. Imagine the flag being in each of the quarters and write down where NOT to miss the green. It could save you countless shots.
What are some of the common mistakes made by players starting out?
I’ve seen quite a few over the past 30 years but some of the most common are:
- Being upset at missing any putt over 3m!
- Trying to help the ball up into the air on short shots. Let the angle of the clubface do the job.
- Bad posture. Unlike some other ball sports, our ball is on the ground so our angles have to adapt which isn’t easy for beginners to do.
- Using far too much power and tension to try to hit the ball. Golf is a ‘releasing’ sport whereby we need to release tension in the downswing to make good, clean contact with the ball.
Why should golfers take up tuition during their stay at Verdura Resort?
Because Giacomo and I are fantastic coaches! Whether it’s learning the basics, getting a quick fix, doing an in-depth biomechanical analysis at our ETPI approved Performance Institute or just putting it all together over nine holes, we can provide what you need.
What are available coaching programmes at Verdura Resort?
We offer a full range of services and coaching options to suit any category of player or skill level but what we have found, especially with the ongoing COVID situation, is that our pupils prefer to take either one-to-one or family lessons rather than group coaching programmes. Learning with loved ones is a great way to create common interest as well as a bit of friendly rivalry!
How does the new Green to Tee coaching programme benefit players?
Starting from the hole and working backwards, we concentrate on teaching very simple attainable skills, learning while having fun and as soon as the second day, you’ll be playing on the golf course. Golf widows and underachievers are always welcome!
Book your next stay at Verdura Resort to experience Sicily at its finest by emailing reservations.verdura@roccofortehotels.com or calling +39 06 32 888 630.
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