Coaching.

I am working with a new coach and am really excited about it. His name is Adrian and he’s one of the pros out at Columbia Edgewater. I have gotten to know him over the past 1.5 years and have come to respect his knowledge of the game/swing; and seeing as I run into him every day I think the logistics of this new arrangement are going to be wonderfully beneficial. Everyone I have talked to has rave reviews of his coaching and we communicate well, which is a huge part of the coach/student relationship.

I truly and greatly appreciate everything Christopher added to The Dan Plan over the past 2+ years and hopefully will keep in touch with him.

The problem was that there had been a communication rift growing between Christopher and I over the past year, and seeing as he was located 30 miles away and we met for lessons less than 7 times this calendar year I have known that a change needed to take place. I was not sure of which direction to take next and have been thinking about it for quite some time. I’m not sure why it took so long to make the switch, but for a number of reasons it makes sense for me to be working with Adrian now and I am excited to kickstart this next chapter of The Dan Plan. We officially begin working together on November 1, and have already been planning out some new weekly work schedules for me. I hope to post it them soon as they are finished, perhaps next week.

It was not easy to make this switch as anyone who has had a long-standing coach knows. It’s a difficult transition as having a coach is a lot like having a girlfriend and making that “it’s me, not you” call is never fun. At the end of the day it’s not me, nor is it you, but it’s us that’s not working. Relationships, whether coaching or otherwise, are only as strong as the communication between the two interested parties. In this case, our talks had gotten to an almost obsolete level over the past year and no matter how good a coach may be if you are not on the same wavelength you just aren’t going to learn. I didn’t really feel comfortable talking openly with Chris. I’ll be the first to admit this could easily have been my problem, but regardless of blame it was time for me to find someone who jives with me.

Adrian’s ways make sense so I have decided after a very long period of indecision to switch coaches and put my game in his hands. I’m excited for a number of reasons and bringing a fresh perspective to my game will be a great thing. He is at my home course about as often as I am so I will have the ability to check in whenever I have a question whereas Chris was that 30 mile drive to Pumpkin Ridge that at times seemed forever away and our schedules never meshed up so getting in for a lesson sometimes took a week or longer. For someone who practices 6-7 days a week, having a lesson once a month on average just isn’t enough.

When setting off in a new direction it is important to give it time and have faith in the process. It would be detrimental for me to continuously switch coaches, so upon entering this new situation I have promised Adrian that I will work with him for a minimum of six months. In all reality I will work with him for much longer than that to make sure I am absorbing what he is teaching. I am confident in his skills and am ready to head down this path, but want to emphasize that I am not seeking golf knowledge from a lot of sources and do not plan on frequently switching coaches. It’s easy to get loss with an overload of information.

To start, I’ve set a lot of goals for the next five rainy months and Adrian and I are breaking them down and figuring out the best way to reach each one. Check back in soon to see what my weekly routine is like.

As a postscript, I want to reiterate that I appreciate everything Chris did for and with me. He is a good coach and has an extensive knowledge of the game. By switching coaches I do not want to come off as if I do not believe in his abilities, rather that this is a natural transition point for the project and time for me to move on in my golfing life.

We don’t know what the future holds and decisions aren’t always black and white, but it’s important for the sake of progress to make up your mind and stick to your guns. I know this is the right decision and am ready to take on the the world, one shot at a time.