The First day of the Rest of Their Lives

Today marked the start of another year at Hank Haney IJGA. Another year unlike any other year.



You can feel the difference in the program from this past year to now. Lots of change has taken place as we strive to be recognized as the #1 academy in the world for serious junior golfers.



The operative word here is "serious." In the past, many considered us a place wealthy parents dropped off their children without a great deal of expectation as to results.



That all changed last year when Tiger's coach, Hank Haney stepped into the picture.



My relationship goes back to the mid-to-late 90's when I was living in Dallas working for Adams Golf. We had a research and club fitting studio at Hank's Golf Ranch in McKinney, just north of the city.



I'd go to the Ranch each weekend as I was getting my feet on the ground at Adams to learn about equipment to assist me in my responsibilities back at the office. That's where I saw first-hand the genius of Hank Haney. He was obsessed with ball flight and getting his students to produce their best shots more often. He looked at teaching differently from any teachers I had ever encountered- of which there were many.



What impressed me about Hank is I always felt what he talked about was from his own efforts to understand what was happening in the swing, not just a regurgitation of someone else's view. He had done his own homework and came to his own understanding of how to produce the best results.

Now Hank is taking these talents to his students at our academy. Other than Tiger, these are the only students he teaches.

Imagine being a teenager and having Hank work on your game. Unlike the other big name academy, Hank comes each month to be with, and work with, his students. And with his addition of friend and 2005 PGA Teacher of the Year, Peter Krause, to his team of instructors, students are now working daily with arguably the best instructional team in golf.

Our students still need to bring the right attitude and sense of responsibility to practice, but they now have a road map to follow from a man who has figured out what it takes to be the best in the world.

Our players can make this the start of the rest of their golfing lives by following the game's best teacher and showing a real commitment to the plan.

It should be quite a year!

That's my view on the game.

Mark Gonsalves
CEO
Hank Haney IJGA