14
Nov '11
Five Questions: Getting to know Tim Brown
By Swingpal.com staff
The Swingpal instructor team has been growing at a rapid pace in recent weeks and one of our most recent additions has carved out a national reputation as being among the best in the business.
Tim Brown, the head golf professional and founder of the Tim Brown Golf Academy at Timberlane Country Club in Gretna, La., has a passion for teaching players of all ability levels how to hit the golf ball solid and straight.He gained valuable experience working with top instructors throughout the early stages of his career, most notably time spent working as one of only eight full-time (Jack) Nicklaus/(Jim) Flick instructors in the nation.
But it has been since moving to Louisiana that Brown has seen his reputation take on a national flavor.
He has twice been named the PGA of America’s Gulf State Section Teacher of the Year and in 2009 Brown was honored by Golf Digest as the top-ranked instructor in his state.
We sat down with Brown this week to find out more about his teaching philosophy and various other subjects for this edition of Five Questions:
SWINGPAL: How would you describe your teaching philosophy to a potential student?
BROWN: Learning to play golf takes a lifetime; however, learning to hit the ball with control and power is a much different pursuit. My teaching philosophy is simple yet scientific. The goal of every golfer is to hit the ball “Solid and Straight.” There are elements one must manage to hit the ball solid and others one must manage to hit the ball straight. How one blends these elements and uses them in his/her swing will determine how well they can strike the ball!
SWINGPAL: What aspects of the golf swing do you think most of the players you teach have trouble understanding?
BROWN: Most golfers do not understand impact! I find a lot of students do not know why the ball behaves the way it does. Knowing how the ball gets airborne and understanding how the face, path and angle of attack influence the ball fight is most paramount. In addition, players are incorrect in thinking they should return the club and the body to the same positions that they established at address. Impact is very different than address; the lower body is turning, shifting and moving. Meanwhile, the golf club is trailing the lead arm much more at the collision. This is very different then recreating static address.
SWINGPAL: What would you consider to be some popular myths about golf instruction?
BROWN: I often say that “when you misdiagnose the problem, you move further from the cure!” Operating under a false premise leads people in the wrong direction. For example, many people believe that an outside-in swing path causes a slice. Well, that pattern may encourage a slice; however, it is the face that has the most influence on the direction of the ball. If you work on the path and the face is open; you still slice! Keeping the head down is another popular myth. This flawed concept has lead to the destruction of many golfers. Improper weight distribution, poor backswing pivot and hindered forward swings often result from this myth.
SWINGPAL: What is the most valuable aspect of the lesson process for most golfers?
BROWN: I think the most valuable aspect of taking a lesson is one whereby, the student understands improving your technique and making progress is not a one-time deal. Improvement is a process. A process is defined as “a series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve something.” Being consistently monitored is vital to the process!
SWINGPAL: What advice would you give a golfer who is seeking out professional instruction for the first time?
BROWN: When a student is seeking an instructor, they should look at how busy the instructor is, does he have a reputation locally or nationally, the price they charge and do they teach a method? Moreover, I recommend the student take a lesson before buying a package. Make sure there is a fit before making a commitment.