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I’m on my way home from the 2012 PGA Merchandise Show, and I just had to write down some thoughts on my week in Orlando. For those of you unfamiliar with the PGA Show, it’s the biggest collection of golf course professionals, equipment representatives, and basically golf industry people in the world. I mean EVERYONE in the world of golf is there. I have been going to this show for four years now, and this one was the best yet. It just seems to get better year after year.

Working for IMAVEX has given me access to some of the biggest names in the world of golf. To give you an idea, while in Orlando I met with Martin Hall, Henry Brunton, Mike Bender, Jason Sutton, Mark Sweeney, Jeff Ritter, Peter Kessler, Dylan Ross, Lorin Anderson, and many more. We got in Monday and were in meetings from the time we got there until we left for the airport. We literally left a meeting and grabbed a cab.

Golf Business Network

We work closely with the Golf Business Network, and not only manage their website but also several of their members. GBN has a room during the show, and we set up in there. It also allows us a place to call home for meetings and also schedule meet-and-greets. There is a cocktail party in the room (known as the GBN Clubhouse) every night allowing for networking. I try to take full advantage of that by passing out and collecting business cards left and right.

Other vendors set up in the GBN Clubhouse too. Brands like the Greg Norman Collection and Fairway & Greene have booths to showcase their offerings to GBN members. IMAVEX also has a pretty sweet discount for members. Anyway, they hold several meetings and round table discussions in the room, and we love being able to out our booth up there.

We have a great relationship with GBN, and without guys like Lorin Anderson, Bob Mulcahy, and Grant Way, we wouldn’t be where we are today.

Networking Events

One of my favorite things about the show are the networking events. From cocktail parties to meet-and-greets, the PGA Show is a great place to meet the movers and shakers in the game of golf. On Wednesday night, I went to the Brick House Tavern + Tap (they have a great beer selection) for the Junior League meet-and-greet. My close friend Jackie Cannizzo is affiliated with the Junior League, and they had a huge announcement the Friday of the Show. I ended up running into several people I knew including Dennis Sales, Sara Dickson, and Kate Temptesta. I actually hadn’t met Kate until this week but we ran into each other several times.

The mixer was fun, and I’m glad I went. Junior golf is a huge part of the game and tomorrow’s lesson and private club member is a junior. The sooner pros realize that the better. I couldn’t be more proud of Jackie for her attention to the project.

On Thursday night, I was back at the Brick House for another meeting. John Graham, a Twitter superstar, holds one of these every year, and I wasn’t missing this for the world. I ended up meeting tons of people I had only communicated with online. I ended up meeting and chatting with Jason Helman, Rob McGill (love that dude), Brandon Stooksbury, Megan Padua, Aaron Olson, Andrew Marr, Kirk Oguri, and many more. It was fun putting a face to a tweet. I must admit I knew more Twitter handles than I did names!

Show Floor

Last year I didn’t even make it to the show floor. This year I walked around a little bit to see what’s new in the industry. From golf balls to gloves, you can find a little bit of everything here. You can even buy stuff like shafts, balls, towels, and more. If you’re lucky, you will get some free stuff from some of the vendors. Some of the booths, like the Callaway, Taylor Made, Puma and Titleist booths were massive. I’m talking ridiculous setups that you could get lost in. A lot of them have open bars so you can grab a drink while walking around the floor.

On Wednesday, I was walking around and ran into Butch Harmon. I had never met Butch, only in passing, but stopped to say hello. I also ran into Yani Tseng, Alexis (Lexi) Thompson, Natalie Gulbis, Kristina Kim, Brad Faxon and several other pros. It’s neat to be walking around and see Dave Stockton or Scotty Cameron just hanging out on the show floor.

Eating Out & Lodging

When we travel like this, we eat out a lot. When we got in on Monday, we went to The Crab House. Steve loves this place, and while it’s not the best seafood I’ve ever had, it’s solid, and I highly recommend the macadamia nut crusted Mahi Mahi.

On Tuesday, my good friend Greg came to visit me. He recently moved down to Florida and was only a couple of hours away. He drove up, and we had lunch. It was good to see him. I miss hanging out with him.

Wednesday we met Grant at Hooters and ended the night at Miller’s Ale House. Miller’s is sweet, and has a very open and inviting atmosphere. Every time I am in Orlando I try to swing by there. The place is always busy, regardless of what’s going on at the convention center.

For lodging this year, we stayed at the Hampton Inn. Last year we stayed at the Holiday Inn Castle, but this year we were much closer to the Orange County Convention Center. It was close enough to walk, and we got a GBN discount for staying there. The room was nice, and the hotel had free Wi-Fi. They also had a sweet breakfast every morning. I didn’t get to enjoy it, but the guys did and were impressed. The hotel lobby also allowed for a place to meet people.

The PGA Show is just a ton of fun and a great place to meet new people, to network with everyone, and to see the latest and greatest in the world of golf. The older I get, the more I get dragged in to this industry… and I couldn’t see myself working in any industry but this one. As they always say… FORE!!!

Have you ever been to the PGA Merchandise Show?

This guy lives up north… way north. He lives in Canada. He is actually one of the top instructors in Canada, and is just killing it with his social media efforts. He had a great 2011, and is ready to start 2012 on the right foot. He is the Director of Instruction at Wyndance Golf Club, and is a member of the PGA of Canada. Oh yeah, and he was the 2010 PGA of Canada and PGA of Ontario Teacher of the Year. He is also a PGA and the LPGA instructor and truly understands what it takes to raise the bar for his students. From lessons, clinics and camps, this guy is always available to help you get better at the game. I look up to this guy on so many levels… it is my absolute pleasure to introduce you to Jason Helman.

I’m starting to get the hang of these PGA professional interviews. There is so much I want to know about Jason Helman. Where do we begin… well, let’s start with your career of choice? What made you want to get into golf?

Well, I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do after graduating high school but in 1991 I tripped across an advertisement in Golf Digest for the San Diego Golf Academy, now the Golf Academy of America offering a degree program.  I was already working at a resort that owned a course and I was helping manage the day-to-day operations so, I figured I would turn pro. The program and education I received was phenomenal. I still have many of those relationships today.

You are all over Twitter. Did you enjoy 7 Nights At The Twitter Academy?

I’m very active with social media; I really enjoy Twitter. It has led me to some amazing people in the golf industry such as John Graham and Jason Sutton to name a couple… and the rest of the 7 Nights At The Twitter Academy team.

The Project – “7 Nights At The Twitter Academy” that I developed and put together involved an entire team of people. Rob McGill, Sara Dickson, Jason Sutton, Andrew Marr, Kirk Oguri and Dennis Sales. I came up with the idea after hearing an ad for the Golf Channel’s preview and thought to myself why don’t we do this on Twitter? So, I recruited 7 Coaches from across North America, put a few movie trailers together for the show, sent them the agenda and we were off producing and tweeting about it.  It wasn’t really to rival the Golf Channel; they have a slightly larger budget than us but it was a huge success. We managed 1,719 video views in total for the first week by just posting the unlisted videos on Twitter. In the second week, we blew the videos up on our blogs and Facebook pages and the views tallied up to 2,485. This was kind of a social media experiment as well, to see just how and what works best to get our message out to our clients, golfers and fellow professionals. The videos will be public very soon.

You said “take the “hit” out of the chip” in your video from 7 Nights At The Academy. Past watching the video, what exactly does taking the “hit” out of chip do?

Over the past 19 years I continuously see people trying to make a full golf swing within their short game in an abbreviated, often, inconsistent tempo. They get to the top of a back swing, then they realize they’ve gone too far back, slow down as a reaction then speed up at the bottom. Instinctively, they use their hands and wrists as leverage, to gain speed after they’ve slowed down which turns into more of a “hitting” movement as the majority of the rest of the body has ceased to engage, or essentially stops. If I can get players to use their body parts in the correct sequence they will be able to achieve more solid shots versus this type of segmented motion.

Wait a second… you were the 2010 PGA of Canada Teacher of the Year? That’s pretty sweet. Did winning that affect your lessons at all? How did they deliver the news?

Yes, I was much busier this year and I have a lot of new customers. I got a phone call on a Monday night in February. I was grocery shopping and I almost didn’t answer the call as it was only a 5 digit number that showed up on my mobile, so I thought it was a telemarketer, but, luckily, I picked it up anyway, on the other end was the PGA of Canada President, Glenn Cundari. He was happy to advise me that I had won the coveted award. We had a brief chat, I thanked him and the selection panel and had to sit on it for 7 days until they released their press release which actually gave me time to do my own as well, then of course straight to the social media platforms. I was allowed to tell a few people so of course I called my parents up and texted a few close friends immediately.

By the way, I like that belt buckle.

Thanks; gotta represent. Callaway has been great to me.

Not too many left-handed players out there. Is it weird hitting from the other side of the ball? (I’m right handed… if you couldn’t tell!)

Actually, in Canada this isn’t as much of a rarity as it is in the USA. Our past time is hockey and the majority of players are left-handed and the motion or movement simply carries forward into golf for the most part; it’s in our DNA. But golf is booming here. I read an article this summer that stated more people in Canada play golf than they do hockey. 7 out of 10 times I get the old joke, “Oh you stand on the wrong side of the ball.” So, whenever someone let’s me know that I’m on the wrong side of the ball. I’m quick to call them out and ask them how many right-handed Masters champions from Canada are there? “Pardon,” did you say, “None. I think it is you that is on the wrong side of the ball,” with a small chuckle and grin. Although, I find it way easier to teach right-handers as I can stand opposite them and they can mirror me. I have a great title for my book that will hopefully be finished soon that will touch a little on this issue.

Callaway hat… Callaway shirt. Let me guess… they sponsor you?

Callaway has been very supportive. I’ve been with them for the last 5 years. Thanks to Scott, Preben, Tally and Barry. I hope I can do more with them. I would love to do a series of instructional videos in the future. Cross your fingers.

Where are you originally from?

I was born in Ottawa and then we moved to a very small town called Westport where I grew up. Population 700 at the time.

Tell me a little bit more about Tip It Up Golf Talk Radio.

I did a few radio shows as a golf insider but found it starting to get tough to stay in the media spotlight, so I figured I’d start my own radio show. It’s fun and I do it all from my home office, wait, I mean in a big radio studio. (Laughs.) I defer and bow to the power of my Mac. I choose the people I want to interview. All the shows are pre-recorded a couple of days ahead, so they’re “live to air”. I have a lengthy list of contacts and respected people within the industry and try to align myself with people that are willing to reciprocate in building our brands or businesses together. I’m going to start uploading them to iTunes very soon.

I would love to be on that show! Anyway, I’m looking through your blogroll… there are some pretty great blogs on there. I LOVE  John Graham’s blog. Do you read all of those on a regular basis?

I’m happy to give some blogroll love. If you’re listed on my blogroll it’s a huge sign of respect, admiration or in some cases reciprocation. John is a great guy. I’m happy to call him more than just my colleague; he’s my friend, and we did an AimPoint Technologies clinic together this year. It was the first one ever to be scheduled in the Toronto area. I try and read as much as possible, but as you know, “content is king”, so I’m fairly busy with my own projects trying to keep up with the Jones’ so to speak or the Graham’s and Guru’s in this case (wink, wink!)

Starting with your driver, what’s in your bag? I even want to know what golf ball you play!

Well, of course you’re going to see a little Callaway represented here:

• Driver – Callaway RAZR Hawk 9.5 Tour (with an Accra M5 S3 Dymatch (75g) shaft)
•  3W – RAZR Hawk Tour (with an Accra Accra M5 S3 Dymatch (85g) shaft)
• 2H – Diablo hybrid (18 degree) (with an Accra Accra M5 S3 Dymatch (95g) shaft)
• 3 iron – RAZR X Forged Cavity – KBS – Xflex
• 4 – PW – RAZR X Tour Prototype – KBS Xflex
• SW (56) – 10 bounce & LW (60) 8 bounce – Jaws X-Series – KBS Hi-Rev shafts
• Putter(s) – Odyssey Black Series #1 Wide or #2
• Ball – Callaway Tour iS

What’s your favorite golf course? You are NOT allowed to say Wyndance G.C.

Well, that’s good this opens it up to North America. I was narrowed down to Canada on the Morning Drive when Erik light heatedly jumped on me for picking my own course. It really is a tremendous test and property that Mr. Greg Norman sculpted together. Okay, I will have to go with the Olympic Club in San Francisco. A friend of mine was an assistant there and I was fortunate to play both courses. The Cliffs course is probably the most fun par 3 course that I’ve played in the world. I actually had so much fun I played it again… picture perfect ocean views, double tees and double greens; it was a cool experience.

If you meant in Canada, I will go with Bigwin Island Golf Club, a Doug Carrick design fun to play and from a picturesque standpoint it’s amazing. The National Golf Club of Canada for the tougher test of golf; it’s been ranked #1 for I don’t know how many years.

Speaking of Wyndance, do you get to play a lot of golf being the Director of Instruction?

It depends. As you know it’s a short window here in Canada to earn revenue. I try and play in as many men’s nights at the club as possible. I look at that day as my day off. I guess I probably play about 20 full rounds a year with some late evening 9 hole rounds here and there. For the most part I spend the majority of my time coaching.

Let’s say I wanted to book a lesson with you. What’s that first lesson like?

Well, I would let you know that I don’t teach “lessons”, I provide “coaching sessions”. This concept or paradigm shift has to change for golfers. People need to understand that taking a “lesson” really isn’t going to make much of a difference in their game.  I’m trying to get golfers to comprehend that they should be adopting a coaching model.  I recently wrote a practice article that will be out this season that discusses a similar comparison to this concept. I will not be offering a single session option this year within my academy.

As for your first coaching session, firstly there’s an intake form for you to fill out and then we do a short interview with a series of questions pertaining to how long you’ve played, short term goals, self correction attempts, pertinent injuries, and other questions that I routinely go through to interact and engage with the student. We then move onto a short athletic screening followed by the student showing me their current talent level.  I usually have them hit six shots.  After that I have a pretty good idea of what direction I want to go with the student. Depending on what we’re doing I will sometimes have a fun little match against them at the end of the session.

 You are all over the place… you were recently on Golf Channels hit show the “Morning Drive”. I LOVE those guys. What was that experience like? (I feel like I’m interviewing a celebrity here!)

I graduated from the Golf Academy of America and came down to speak for about 6 hours to 6 individual classes. We parlayed it into a couple of other visits to ESPN Radio and the “Morning Drive” was certainly a highlight of 2011 without question. The people at the Golf Channel were awesome! I was kind of nervous, but simply tried to think that I was just sitting down with the guys talking golf.  I’ve been on TV before but they advised me I was giving a tip about an hour before the show when I was sitting in the green room. The studio is very small; it’s definitely not super safe to swing a club. So, with the “safety first” mentality, I decided on a short game bump and run shot so we didn’t take out a flat screen.  Everyone was very friendly and accommodating they made me feel just like I was part of their team and wow did 6 minutes go by fast… seemed like 30 seconds. I hope I get to do it again. We’ll see.  I’m working on that celebrity status. One of my goals in life or golf is to leave a long lasting memory on the sport and be one of the most prominent teachers to ever come out of Canada. It’s a process but I will get there.

What’s the Digital Golf Coach?

This is a new piece of equipment that I’m going to start training my athletes with. It can do a variety of things that I know will assist players in developing skills faster. It helps with developing putting feel as well as sequence or pattern training in the swing. You can use it to train with specific clubs, positions and/or swing techniques, and practice rhythm and tempo with the metronome functionality or play a practice round with it to capture the data and come up with real raw data of what you do during a round versus what you accomplish on the range range. It also has the ability to upload the data to a digital web portal for the coach to analyze the information even if he/she wasn’t present during your practice. Through the use of more advanced software on the portal, the golfer can see his or her swing through 3D animations. No doubt, It has a cool factor but the information it provides the golfer will far outweigh that in results.

You are a member of the Golf Business Network. How has being affiliated with those guys helped you grow as an instructor?

The Golf Business Network is an organization that specifically identifies the necessities required for specific categories of the golf industry and they provide valuable information and seminars that help members of those specific categories grow or develop their business model.

Will we see you at the 2012 PGA Merchandise Show?

You bet! I will also be there for the #tweetup #2012!

You look good in green… nearly all of your magazine covers you’re wearing a green shirt!

Thanks… I’m not even Irish! (Laughs.) I’m of Scottish/German heritage. It wasn’t really feasible for me to fly down to Florida for the last cover so we got approval from a previous shoot to use those photos. I have a running joke with one of the girls (Sarah) that I used to work with at the club that I wore it just for her because she likes lime green shirts on me too. I sent her a couple of signed copies just for fun. I guess I’ll have to do another photo shoot with some new headshots.

You have a degree in Professional Golf Management. Where did you go to school? Did you play golf in college?

I had originally been accepted to a couple of universities here in Canada to play football and go through to be a school teacher. I was a quarterback but certainly had the foresight to see what the future might offer given my size, 5’9, 185, quick with a good arm but also a realist. I was more the Doug Flutie style but I could see the forest through the trees. So, I took a year off and figure out what I wanted to do in life. I saw an ad in Golf Digest as mentioned above and I chose to attend The Golf Academy of America and choose golf as my passion to follow.  It was a great experience and if anyone wants to get into the golf business I would recommend they enroll in this program. I learned and gained so much from the instructors and coaches at this college. Brad Turner, Charlie King, and the late Coach Conrad Rehling were all mentors to me in a variety of facets that relate to the industry.

What does being a class “A” member mean?

In my opinion, becoming a Class “A” Member of the alliance of PGA’s certainly proves that you were willing to complete a program and achieve a higher education in industry knowledge. An apprentice in any trade always strives to complete the set program, it provides the ability to earn more money, earn higher job positions, gain a certain amount of respect and support within your industry as a member of the organization. Here in the PGA of Canada we have candidates for Membership and Assistants, once you earn your Class “A” certification you become an official member of the association.

There are a LOT of great PGA teaching professionals out there. Putting the top 100 list aside, who is the best teacher in the world?

That’s kind of a loaded question. There are a number of them that are great marketers and brand builders. I don’t really favorite one teacher over another. I think the best teacher in the world is the one that can communicate, bond, build relationships, develop and present clear concise concepts and information to their students in a fun, creative learning environment so that we can continue to grow the game and our students continue to love the game.

What does it take to hold PGA TOUR credentials? Do you have to apply for that every year?

The tour sends them to you every year but you have to have a player on the PGA, Nationwide or Champions Tour that you work with. Yes, your player applies for them every year and signs off on the paper work to the tour headquarters and they issue your new one.

Speaking the TOUR, what player(s) have you worked with on TOUR? Do you follow them to events or just coach from home?

I’ve worked with several players over the years. Tyler Martin, Bryn Parry, Keith Nolan, Sara Brown, Alana Johnson, Seema Sadekar, Stacey Bieber and Rebecca Lee Bentham to name a few. And it depends… I’ve traveled regionally if their close by the area or they’ve flown me to events such as US Open Sectionals or other big events. I also Skype with them, usually just to share lots of positive thoughts and re-assurance as well as Facebook, Twitter or the old school text message. But, nothing is better than being there for the hands on experience if it’s cost feasible.

Calling text messaging old school… I love it! You are all over social media outlets… you even blog. In your opinion, how has that changed the way your business operates? How has the Internet changed the face of the golf industry?

Well, if you’re not participating in the social media arena in this day and age, you’re in the dark ages. I’ve set aside time every Monday morning during the season to accomplish or keep up with this side of the marketing/communication or attend to new business. As for changing the industry, there’s a lot more information out there for golf that’s for sure and if you’re not one of the people presenting or engaging the very people that are seeking the information I’m afraid you’re going to be left behind.  The customer will simply seek out other information providers and your potential client may have just clicked on your competitor’s site.

I know you have a Swinkey… what color? Mine’s pink!

Mine is tile wrapped with my company logo. Are you surprised? I didn’t think so. (Laughs.)

Do you listen to music when you practice?

I don’t listen to music when I practice. One would have to have enough time to actually practice for me to do that. My “to do” list is way too long. I probably had 2 quality practice sessions last season where I actually had the opportunity to focus.

What’s a lesson (coaching session) with you cost? Do you set your prices, or does the facility? 

As mentioned earlier, I won’t be offering any lessons. If someone wants a single it will probably be something like $250/hour for a couple of reasons. One, I’m not interested in teaching one off band aid sessions and it’s my objective to steer people to a learning/coaching model. My coaching plans will be 3 Month, 6 Month or 12 Month plans. I set my own pricing according to the other facilities within the current model of the club and other pros in the area. You get what you pay for in this world.

Do you do playing lessons?

Yes, more and more people are finally finding that these are more beneficial than range practice. I find myself coaching more on the course than on the range every year. This is where the game is played and this is where people should learn after they have developed some of the skill sets we worked on or patterned.

You are a pretty active member of the Business of Golf Instruction on Facebook. Have you learned anything in the group? What value do you see in sharing all of that information?

I really like that group. Most of the people that participate are friendly and willing to share their ideas. I try and help as much as possible where I can in expressing some of my experiences over the years and hopefully some of the group members can benefit from that knowledge. I have learned a few things and tried to incorporate some of those ideas into my business in order to grow my customer base as different things work better for certain demographics.

What’s next for Jason Helman… what does 2012 have in store for you, your golf game, and for Jason Helman Golf?

Well, 2012 got off to a good start. I was named to the Top 50 US Kids Instructor Honorable Mention worldwide list and while this is certainly an achievement being one of the few Canadians named to this list, I’m still striving for the top. So, one of the goals for next year will be to move up a list to the US Kids Top 50 Teacher List. I have a number of things/goals to accomplish for 2012, setting up a school in the USA and China, finish and launch my book, do another episode of “7 Nights At The Twitter Academy”, attain a couple of more tour players, attend a couple of trade shows, booking some corporate outings, the PGA of Canada Coach of the Year award is on my radar, try and line up some speaking engagements for social media and instructor business development.

I will shut up now… but I could talk to you all day buddy! Thank you so much for taking part in this. That was a lot of fun. In all of the interviews that I do, I always give the artist the last word. Go.

I’m sure we’ll have lots of time to chat at the tweet up and PGA Merchandise Show. I had a great time and thank you for the support. If any other professionals would like to partner up with a clinic or school I’d be happy to join forces. Having said that if any fellow professionals require any opinions or assistance I have an open door, open contact policy, feel free to drop me a line. #howgolfprosroll

Click here to “like” Jason Helman Golf on Facebook

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Click here to watch Jason Helman Golf on YouTube.

One day, on my way to work, I turned on the radio. I usually listen to NPR in the morning, but for some reason I switched it over to another station. I can’t remember what station it was on, but they were in the middle of an interview with a man who worked for the Prostate Cancer Foundation. The interview was really good, and I was inspired by what this man had to say. I was so impressed, I stopped the car and looked him up on my phone. I would eventually reach out to him to learn more about his story and his battle with prostate cancer. His story is a good one… that’s for sure. The guy also blogs. We had something in common right from the start! It is my pleasure to introduce you to Dan Zenka.

Dan, I heard part of your story on the radio one day.  I have been intrigued to learn more about you since. You were on there talking about prostate cancer. Before we get too far into this, what’s your story?

I have to admit, there is a bit of irony to my story… I was already working at the Prostate Cancer Foundation for two years in my capacity as VP of communications… I had been having my annual PSA screening and DRE since I was 40 and suddenly, I was diagnosed with what appeared to be an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Within a year my PSA nearly doubled, going from 3.1 to 5.8. The biopsy revealed more than 50% involvement of my gland and a Gleason Score of 7 (4+3).

As my urologist dutifully started to pencil out my treatment options, I stopped him and said, “You can stop… I know we are headed for surgery.” He looked at me with surprise in his eyes until I told him where I work. I shared with him that I was tracking with everything he was telling me and that I understood the potential severity of my situation.

If I had known that I was going to one day be diagnosed and decided to set my sights on my current job, I doubt I would have been able to make that happen. Life doesn’t work that way!

The PCF says, “accelerating the world’s most promising research”. What has the research done over the last few years, and where is that research headed?

Prostate cancer research is one of the most promising areas of cancer research—in terms of results—for both patients and researchers. More progress has been made in the past two years than in the entire preceding decade. We’ve identified twenty-seven genotypes or varieties of prostate cancer—some are very aggressive and life-threatening while others are indolent or so slow growing that they are not life-threatening. We seen five new drugs approved for patients with advanced prostate cancer and we are making progress in developing better diagnostics so we can someday soon overtreat less and cure more.

You studied at the University of Southern California and are still living in LA. Do you ever travel outside of Cali? (Not sure why you would… it’s gorgeous there!)

LA is great, but my wife and I actually left LA in 1988 for Portland, Oregon. It’s one of the most beautiful areas of the country with a much gentler lifestyle. We’ve also lived in the Netherlands for several years which was a fabulous experience.

It looks like you grew a mustache for MOVEMBER. Did you shave? Someone told me that December was also a “no shave” month!

Actually, the blue moustache you saw on Facebook was the work of Photoshop. Following my radical prostatectomy, the post-surgical pathology showed that my cancer had metastasized to my lymph nodes. Since then I have had seven weeks of radiation treatment and I am currently in two to three years of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). It cuts the production of testosterone which is a fuel for prostate cancer. It certainly makes for an interesting life: hot flashes, cold spells, night sweats, sleep problems, mood swings, laughing fits, muscle loss, extreme fatigue, etc. It’s why I call it a slow-drip chemo!

But it is doing what it is supposed to do. My testosterone level is way down and my PSA levels are imperceptible. But there are upsides: I don’t have to pay for a brazilian wax on my arms, legs and chest, and my male pattern baldness has reversed. (You see, testosterone creates a bi-product called di-hydrotestosterone which causes baldness!) When my surgeon first brought up ADT I remember asking if I would grow more hair on my head…

PCF raised over $14 million to support cancer research this year. That is impressive. How will those funds be spent?

Actually, PCF will have raised approximately $40 million to support research this year. Since 1993, we have raised more than $475 million. MOVEMBER raised $14 million in the US this year. We will split the proceeds from MOVEMBER with Livestrong in the U.S.

All proceeds that come to PCF are deployed rapidly to support game-changing research. We do not operate with an endowment. It’s cash in, cash out to support the research enterprise. It’s why we have been able to accelerate discovery in prostate cancer research. We also require our funded-researchers to share their data at our annual scientific retreat (a heretical idea when we were founded in 1993).

You can read about all of our research programs at www.pcf.org.

What are some of the symptoms of prostate cancer?

Unfortunately, prostate cancer is often a symptomatic, meaning that patients do not experience symptoms before they are diagnosed. The most common symptoms include pain in the lower back and hips, frequent urination, and interrupted urine flow. These could be dismissed easily by the average man. Other symptoms that are more likely to prompt a man to see his doctor are painful urination and blood in either his urine or semen.

Is there a way to check for that?

For years, the best first step in spotting a potential cancer has been the PSA test and the DRE (digital rectal exam). Men should speak with their physicians about a proactive plan that is right for them based on their physical shape and medical history when they reach 40.

But it must be clear, the PSA test is not a cancer test. It is the first diagnostic step in determining if there are any potential problems, including infection or enlargement, in the prostate. Prior to PSA testing, the majority of men who were diagnosed with prostate cancer were already had metastatic disease. Today, the reverse is true. What’s more, the death rate is now 40 percent lower than what was once projected.

A lot of diseases of there have cures… are we close with prostate cancer?

We are closer than ever to making prostate cancer a chronic or manageable disease rather than a life-threatening one. We are also closer to discerning which of the twenty-seven varieties need to be treated aggressively, which require moderate intervention and those which do not require immediate treatment and are suitable for active surveillance. This will enable us to prescribe personalized treatments and overtreat less while curing more. Ultimately, our goal is to find cures for the aggressive varieties.

With the progress we have achieved, many men are now living longer, more productive lives.

I don’t know many people affected by this… is it wide spread?

More than 16 million men worldwide are affected by prostate cancer. For 2010 in the U.S., 244,000 new cases were projected and 33,000 men were projected to die from this disease. In incidence and mortality, prostate cancer is to men what breast cancer is to women.

Who started the PCF?

PCF was founded by our chairman, Mike Milken shortly after he was diagnosed with advanced disease and told to get his affairs in order. He quickly discovered that prostate cancer research was virtually non-existent at that time. Thus, PCF’s model of venture philanthropy was born to support high-risk, high-patient-benefit research—the type many government programs do not sponsor. PCF’s involvement and model has helped build a global PCa research enterprise, built human capital to support research and enabled many—if not most—of the advances we have seen to date.

You haven’t always been at PCF. What did you do before?

I have worked on both the agency and corporate side of public relations and marketing communications for a wide spectrum of industries, both here and abroad. For the past eighteen years, my work has focused on life sciences and healthcare.

You work in and around communications… and I ask this all the time to the bands that I interview. How has the Internet changed the way that you do business? Has it changed the way you communicate on a daily basis?

Above all, the Internet and social media provide a wealth of opportunities for getting an organization’s message out to very specific, highly-engaged audiences. Blogs, user communities, Facebook and Twitter are very effective ways to communicate with targeted audience. It makes it easier to rise above the clutter. Of course, all of these venues require a high level of content generation. It’s a constant challenge to maintain a steady stream of high-quality, timely information. It has set a new standard. There is also a lot of poor information on the Internet. Those who can provide the quality information consumers are seeking, can set themselves apart from the rest.

It’s not easy getting published… but you have been published several times. Tell me about some of the things you have had published.

It’s as difficult as many think, especially in this time of reduced budgets and editorial staffs. If you have some of value to share, the expertise to back it up, and knowledge of where to pitch the idea, it’s achievable. My two recent favorite were Where’s the Prostate? (something many do not know, much less understand what it does) and Ladies, Check Your Prostates (women still make 85% of the healthcare decisions in households while men tend to neglect their regular checkups).  In my previous life, I published several articles on nanotechnology.

What exactly is nanotechnology?

That’s a whole other discussion we could spend hours on. It’s fascinating. Prior to ten years ago, we were working largely in the micro level. New technology has enable us to see and work on the nanoscale. Thus, we can increase storage capacity on disks—storing more data in less space and we can produce faster, more powerful computer chips and processors. In life science, we can now study cells on the molecular level and develop new nano-formulations of pharmaceuticals with new capabilities. From better paint jobs on our cars, to our iPhones, self-cleaning surfaces and lighter, more durable materials, we are surrounded by nano-enabled products and advances.

In my past job, I saw gold atoms dance on the edge of their surface. Those poor guys—trying to find their bonds and equilibrium just don’t get a rest. I’ll stop there.

You are the main point of contact for all media inquiries at the PCF. Do you get a lot of requests? What’s the weirdest request you have ever had?

We and many of our partner researchers serve as leading sources of information on prostate cancer, so we naturally get a good number of media calls on a routine basis. These are generally straight forward.

The oddest requests we get are from concerned patients who do not have access to good information. I once received a letter from a woman whose partner had prostate cancer. She was worried that she might get prostate cancer through oral sex. When it comes to health matters, no question is too weird or off the table. We provided her with a simple and direct answer. No.

Were there any major milestones in 2011?

Please see our just-published Progress Report at www.pcf.org/ourstories for more information on that.

Let’s say I have prostate cancer… what’s next? What are my treatment options?

First, don’t panic. Don’t put any carts before the proverbial horse. Remember early detection and treatment provides a five-year survival rate of nearly 97%. Also key to remember is that there are twenty-seven varieties to deal with. Do your research and become your own advocate so you can make informed decisions with your physicians. No one sized treatment fits all. Discuss your test data with your physicians to determine the perceived aggressiveness and, based on your personal health and age, make the decision that is right for you. Remember, you are also entitled to second opinions. They can often provide valued clarity in the decision-making process.

Also, be sure to take your partner or a trusted family member or friend to your consultations. They can help make sure you have “heard” everything and that all of your questions are answered to your satisfaction. www.pcf.org also provides valuable information for newly diagnosed patients and their families.

It looks like you guys have embraced social media. Do you have a team of people dedicated to those efforts, or is that just delegated to others in the office?

We have a team of two working together on social media. My cancer blog, www.mynewyorkminute.org, is all mine. I never know what I am going to write but I always find inspiration. I tell fellow patients and their caretakers that the content is there for them to pick and choose. The most important function of the blog is to remind all of us that we are not alone on this journey.

Oddly, I started thinking about initiating the blog while my urologist was giving me my diagnosis. Half of me was listening to him. The other voice in my head was saying, “You’re the communicator… you’ve spent the past two years telling men they need to make prostate cancer something to talk about… this is no coincidence… you need to be very public about this…” It felt like a moral imperative.

Two days later, totally unprompted, my wife turned to me and said… you know, being in your position, I believe you need to talk about this… you need to start a blog and talk about your “New York Minute”. There it was—agreement AND a name for the blog. No wonder we’ve been married almost twenty-seven years.

Breast cancer has pink… prostate cancer has blue. Is there any reason behind the colors? (Maybe a girl/boy thing?)

It’s been that way from the start, but I belive that is the thinking…

You have written a few blogs about your journey. I bet that takes a lot of courage to write about what happened.

Courage? Not really, once one gets past the whole macho thing. Passion is what’s required. As I said, it seemed like a moral imperative. My job, for which I long had a passion, now seems like an avocation. I often look back over my shoulder thinking I’ll find the boney finger that brought me back to LA… this position… and this journey.

What is MyBridge4Life?

It is an online forum where patients and caregivers can share their stories and provide support for each other.

Your diagnosis isn’t simple… can you walk me through that? When did you find out? What was that process like going from a healthy young man to having cancer?

I was diagnosed at age 51. I was surprised, but not shocked. Working at PCF, I knew the statistics. I understood that 1 out of 6 American man falls into those stats and and a diagnosis. I like to say my Pachinko ball simply fell into the cancer slot.

How do you stay so positive?

What else can you do? I draw great strength from my loving wife, family and friends and the many inspirational patients I have meet along the way. I’ll be honest—prompted by my reality and hormone treatment, I still have my down moments and can shed my share of tears. It’s important to allow one’s self to do that. You need to let it out. But I know I am not alone. There are many cancer patients who are doing better than me, and there are many who are in worse positions. We need to realize this is life and life has its challenges.

The journey isn’t over… what’s next for you? What does 2012 look like?

I look forward to just two more quarterly injections of Lupron and hopefully seeing the side effects start to wane in the fall. I’m told that it could take up to a full year to feel like my old self again. Just knowing I am close is comforting.

Of course… that means I enter my “wait and see” period. I’ll be giving up my active fight to see if my cancer recurs and if additional ADT treatment will work, or if I will become resistant to it and need to move onto chemo and other treatments. It’s all part of the journey. If I am fortunate, in four years I will hear my oncologist say, “You are cancer-free.”

Dan, this was a long time coming. I am glad that we finally got the chance to sit down and do this. I could ask you questions all day! In all of the interviews that I do, I always give the artist the last word. Go.

Come on guys, for you and your loved ones, take care of your health. Make prostate cancer something to talk about and, once you reach 40, talk to your physician about your prostate health. Life is good. Don’t waste it!

Oh man… I don’t even know where to begin. This guy came my way on Twitter. Then he showed up at a Golf Business Network summit, and the rest is history. You want to talk about a guy that knows what he’s doing… this guy is not only a great player, but he is an incredible PGA teaching professional. He is ALWAYS on top of his game, and pretty much lives on the cutting edge of technology. From utilizing Twitter to schedule lessons (well, more like AimPoint clinics) to blogging his brains out, he is always on the tip of my tongue for an example of a guy who does it right. He lives in Rochester, New York… but is always on the road helping people make more putts. We will get to that later, but as John says, “make everything.” He is a very good friend of mine, and someone that I admire for what he does with the game of golf. It is my absolute pleasure to introduce you to John Graham.

Oh John… this is going to be fun. I have only done a few of these, but I am so glad that I am able to sit down with you for this. Have you had a chance to check out the other interviews I have done?

Yes, I think I have read them all.

One thing that I like about you is your passion with social media and blogging. You write one of the best golf blogs on the Internet, and you fuel that fire using Facebook and Twitter. You might use Twitter more than me! I am sure it’s not an easy answer, but how has social media made an affect on your career as a PGA teaching professional?

Social media has given me a platform to build an identity that is viewable by many more people than just in my local area. I’ve used it to meet, network and build relationships with some of the best and brightest golf professionals in the world. This has allowed me to learn from and share my knowledge with so many coaches I now call friends. In a nutshell, social media has completely changed my business in the most positive way I could have imagined.

You do a LOT of work with AimPoint. Tell me a little bit more about AimPoint, and what it means to being AimPoint certified.

AimPoint is a system for teaching players how to predict break on their putts. Based on certain variables and the balls location relative to those variables; a very accurate target is determined. AimPoint teaches players what those variables are and how to determine them. Being AimPoint certified basically means that one has been taught by Mark Sweeney (AimPoint founder) and approved to teach this information to others. There are only about 100 of us in the world currently AimPoint certified.

You are also TPI certified. What’s that mean?

TPI stands for Titleist Performance Institute and they have a program to help golf professionals better understand how the human body. Basically, if I’m trying to teach a player to do something and they physically can’t do it, I’m wasting my time. TPI helps teach us golf pros how to assess a players physical abilities and connects us with medical and fitness trainers to create a team helping golfers reach their goals. Honestly though, my business is going in a direction that doesn’t really require me to stay certified. I will be allowing my TPI certification to lapse.

You are currently the Director of Instruction at the Webster Golf Club in Rochester, New York. Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t it snow there? What do you do when you can’t be on the lesson tee?

Yes, we receive about 100 inches of snow a year, on average. During the school year, I’m a stay at home dad during the day then will teach and travel nights or weekends. There’s an indoor facility that I have used the last couple years but most players in Rochester will take some time off from golf until after the Super Bowl has been completed. After that, it can get quite busy. The travel I do is for AimPoint classes and I typically will travel two weekends a month in the winter then every week come spring.

One of these days, when I settle down, I want to coach a high school or college golf team. I think that would be a blast. You did that for 8 years at the Monroe Community College. What was that experience like for you?

College coaching was one of the most enjoyable things I have ever done. I loved working with the players. I absolutely loved it. It was a very hard decision to stop coaching but I was having a difficult time allotting enough time to do it to the level I thought was appropriate. Because it was a part-time position, I had to continue teaching and traveling and I wasn’t able to spend enough time with the players. It certainly helped that many of my players were also junior students of mine and that we were very successful. I’ve built some great relationships with a few of the players that I see on Wednesday nights to this day.

While you were coaching, your students won a TON of awards. What’s that like, coaching a team of guys who play so well and can win so many awards while under you?

It’s great. There’s nothing better than helping someone attain the goals they have set for themselves. I was a hands-off coach on the course when it came to decision making. I provided the facts and let the player play. That’s how I saw my job. Provide the facts and the opportunity and let the players play.

On Facebook you have a personal page, and then the John Graham Golf School. Is that run out of the Webster GC?

Yes, that is run out of Webster Golf Club.

Let’s say I want to book a lesson with you… what’s the first lesson like?

The first lesson with a new student can vary greatly depending on the student. However, the start of a lesson with a new student consists of a bunch of questions about past experiences, lessons, injuries and ideas. I want to make sure I understand where the student is coming from and what they think needs to be done to get there. So many students have the wrong concept of what is needed. I need to know there concept so I can assess it and inform them what it takes to achieve their desired goals. After that, it depends on what the student is doing.

Do you do playing lessons with your students?

Yes, I do playing lessons very often. Once I start to see improvement in the movement, I want to see if it happens on the course on weird lies and strange situations. It’s really the only way to truly assess how well they are doing.

You are a member of the Golf Business Network. How has being a member of that group helped you grow as an instructor?

GBN has provided me an opportunity to meet face to face with so many great people. The seminars have been wonderful and they cover such a wide array of topics. I’m happy to have been invited. It has helped me grow as an instructor by providing me information on topics I may not have considered studying and from experts in those fields. It shortens the learning cycle. I love that.

You do a lot of work with video. Does that mean someone on the other side of the world can, in theory, have a lesson with you?

In theory, someone could have a lesson with me online. I don’t currently do any online lessons but I’ll look at swings on Twitter and offer advice for free to my followers.

It seems you are always on the edge of new technologies… what’s next in golf instruction? Is there anything on the radar you are focused on?

Hmm. That’s a tough one. I love learning about the newest things even if I won’t really use that information in my business. You just never know when you might need a piece of information. I think continued advances will occur in tracking the movement of the human body, the club and the ball. I think the next big thing will be starting to train the mind for competition at earlier ages. Just a guess though.

Your lesson rates are reasonable. How do you decide what to charge? Do you set that, or does the golf club set those?

I set my rates. I charge what I think is fair. I don’t know where I fall in my market in terms of price, but I think it seems about right for the value received.

Do you get to play a lot of golf?

I have played very little golf since my children came. I simply choose to spend that time either working or at home. Once my children are older, I will play more golf again.

Your blog is loaded with great content… where do you get inspiration for a new blog post?

Thank you. Honestly, most of the inspiration comes from conversations I have on Twitter. Someone may be talking about something that I find interesting and I get involved. Then I’ll use that conversation as a basis for a post. Happens more often than not.

Starting with your driver, and working your way all the way through the bag, including your ball… what’s in your bag?

• Driver – PING I-15
• 3 wood – Callaway Steelhead +
• Hybrid – Cleveland
• 3-6 and 8-pw – Cleveland TA-4 (missing 7 iron)
• 52º – wedge Cleveland CG-10
• 58º – wedge Vokey
• Putter – Edel
• Golf Ball – Pro V1

Wait a second… what about your 7 iron?

It was always my teaching club. I left it on the range one day and haven’t replaced it.

I am sure you have played a lot of them, but what’s your favorite golf course?

My favorite course played was Ballybunion Golf Club in Ireland

Will I see you at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando next month?

Oh yes. I’ll be there. Wouldn’t miss it. I’ll be organizing another tweetup as well. Details should be coming soon. I’ll be working at the AimPoint booth all week.

What’s the D-Plane?

The D-Plane is a phrase coined by Theo Jorgenson in his book “The Physics of Golf”. It basically describes the plane that is created by the two factors that control the balls flight. Those two factors are the direction the club is moving and the direction the club face is pointing. Based on their orientation, the movement of the ball can be calculated. Simply, it describes how ball flight is created.

You have an email newsletter on your blog. How many people subscribe to that? How many times a month do those go out?

I have almost 1,200 people that receive my blog posts. I rarely send out just a newsletter. My subscribers typically just receive my new blog posts when written. The amount I write varies with the time of year. I can say I’ve written over 200 posts in the last 2 years if that helps describe the frequency.

You have a few kids running around the house… any of them showing interest in golf? How will you handle that, as they get older?

My oldest son enjoys the game but prefers more active sports. I have no problem with that. I’ve never pushed them and since I play so infrequently, they aren’t really exposed to it all that often.

YouTube is great… I wish I could do more with video. How often do you post a video on there? Jeff Ritter is doing a GREAT job with video too.

Yes, Jeff is doing a great job. Nearly 4 million views is big time. I used to post much more frequently than I do now. I would say I post a video maybe once a month. I’m working on becoming a YouTube partner and will need to get more views and subscribers to do that.

There is a list of the top 100 golf instructors… what’s it take to be on that list? Does being on that list affect the number of lessons you get or the rate you can charge for said lessons?

I don’t know much about the list. Honestly, it has never been a goal of mine so I don’t pursue it. I don’t really know if it affects the number of lessons and rate, but I would it assume it does.

In your opinion, who is the best teaching pro out there?

Hmm. I think that question is part of the problem I have with the lists. The golf industry is so diverse in terms of the goals that teachers have. They are all not working toward the exact same goal. Some teach juniors. Some want to teach only PGA TOUR players. It is inappropriate to take a singular goal or standard and apply it all teachers. This is why that question is too general to answer, and why the lists are dangerous. If they didn’t assign a number to them the lists could make more sense but to say someone is ranked higher than someone else and they don’t even teach the same clientele is a mistake.

As you know, I am a HUGE Tiger Woods fan. Do you watch a lot of professional golf on TV? Who are some of your favorite players?

I watch very little golf on TV. Usually just the Masters Tournament and the US Open on Sunday. Don’t really have a favorite player either.

How is the John Graham Golf Journal different from the blog?

The journal is a place where I keep my personal experiences with my game. I continually tell my students to write things down when they compete and practice. It helps them remember what to do and how to correct them selves when I’m not around. As you can see, I haven’t done much with my game in a while.

What’s next for you… what does 2012 have in store for John Graham and the John Graham Golf School?

2012 looks to be a busy year with AimPoint and focusing just on my current students. I will also continue to use social media to help build more relationships to further my business.

You travel a lot… especially for AimPoint. Do you ever get to travel overseas?

Yes, I typically will travel overseas at least once a year during the summer. The last 2 years, I’ve gone to Europe and worked with my good friends Jamie Donaldson and James Ridyard. Good chance I’ll go over again this year. I also already have classes scheduled in Cabo San Lucas and Bermuda in 2012.

John, I feel like I could ask you questions forever. Thank you so much for taking some time to sit with me and answer these. It means a lot. In all of the interviews that I do, I always give the artist the last word. Go.

Thanks again for helping me with so many areas related to social media. You have been a big help. I’d like to let everyone know that reads this that I am always available to help and share information whenever possible. Thanks to everyone for reading and don’t forget to follow me on Twitter!

Click here to follow John Graham on Twitter.

Click here to “like” John Graham Golf on Facebook.

Click here to watch John Graham Golf on YouTube.

Today’s Google Doodle pays homage to Robert Norton Noyce (December 12, 1927 – June 3, 1990), the “Mayor of Silicon Valley”. He founded Fairchild Semiconductor in 1957 and Intel in 1968. (Yeah, Intel is a pretty big deal!) He is also credited (along with Jack Kilby) with the invention of the integrated circuit or microchip which fueled the personal computer revolution and gave Silicon Valley its name. Needless to say, he played a key role in developing the personal computer. I see these Google Doodles all the time, but never write about them. However, this one meant a little bit more to me… seeing as how I live on a computer! Happy birthday Robert!

Below is a screenshot of today’s Google Doodle.

Oh boy… where do I even begin to describe this guy. Well, he lives in Arizona. That, and he is always wet. Not from the rain (it never rains in the desert) but because he is always on some exotic vacation scuba diving all over the world. My favorite cousin Chris introduced me to him, and when she told me that he was an underwater photographer, I just had to learn more. I just got my certification a year ago, and I have no interest in taking photos… but when you see what this guy has done, you will see the attraction. I haven’t been diving with him yet, but I have a feeling we will be soon. We have become fast friends, and if all else fails, we can talk about one the dives he has been on. He has been on over 1,000 dives! At any rate, I can’t wait to get wet with this guy! It is my absolute pleasure to introduce you to the man behind SCUBAREWS and All Wet Portraits, Ron Watkins. (What a cool name… All Wet Portraits. I love it!)

You are a scuba diver… know that diving will be a HUGE focus of this interview! Let’s start at the beginning; how long have you been diving?

My dad first took me diving in Lake Mead, Nevada in the summer of 1983. He had learned to dive while in the Navy during the Korean War on the USS Oriskany. That summer we dove several times in Lake Mead and even though the visibility wasn’t great, I was hooked. Later that summer we went over to California and did some beach dives near La Jolla and there was much more to see.

Surely you are certified. What certification(s) do you have?

I actually wasn’t certified in 1983 when I first dove. My dad and his friends weren’t either, but back then the certification process wasn’t well established and if you knew a buddy with an air compressor, you could get your tanks filed. My dad just took me in our pool and showed me the basics of breathing compressed air and told me to never ascend faster than your bubbles. He was always with me when I dove and we never went deeper than 40 foot. Actually when he started diving, there were no recreational diving certifications and so he never did get certified.

After graduating from college, where I didn’t dive because I was broke, I took a tip to Jamaica in 1992 and went diving again after taking a brief resort course. The waters of the Caribbean were the best I had ever seen and quickly I got hooked on diving again. So in 1993, I took PADI open water classes from a friend in Phoenix and I did my open water dives in San Carlos, Mexico.

After a few years of diving, I got my first 35mm underwater camera, which I quickly traded in for a more advanced model that allowed me to control aperture underwater and had different lenses that could be changed underwater.  I used it on a few dives and had moderate success with it, but struggled to consistently take good pictures. So I signed up for a PADI underwater photography class on a Great Barrier Reef 7 day live-aboard trip. My instructor was an Israeli name Uzi and he would teach classes on the boat, then dive with me and assist underwater. Once back on the boat, we would process the slide film and view it on a light table and he would critique and provide feedback on how to improve my images. That instant feedback was great and I quickly mastered the basics of that camera and drastically improved my images. In fact, I entered a shark image from that trip in the Seaspace 2000 international underwater photo contest and took first prize. My prize was a trip to Roatan, Honduras where I got my PADI advanced open water certification.

Do you teach others how to dive? I was certified at Indy MPH Watersports, and the guy that taught me had a day job and taught lessons in the evening.

I never got my instructor certification, so I don’t teach scuba diving. I do enjoy informally teaching others underwater photography on live-aboard dive trips. If someone is interested, I am always willing to share tips and lessons learned over the years diving. I meet a lot of people on dive boats with new cameras and they do not know the basics of photography so mostly shoot in automatic mode which will not consistently deliver quality images. So I help them use the manual settings on their camera and provide them photo tips. Over the years, I learned a lot from other more skilled photographers, so I am just trying to pass that on.

You have been diving a long time… how many dives have you been on?

Good question… I actually stopped logging dives at about 600 dives because I found my photography to be a better log book. My dive computer also stores each dive in it so that is another record in case anyone needed to see what my dive profile was for a given dive in the event of an emergency. I typically will take a picture of the dive map that the dive master draws as a reminder of the site and then tag my images with the location of the dive. When I am on a dive trip on a live-aboard, I am typically diving 3-5 times a day so on a 10 day trip, I can really get a lot of dives in. I do try to keep a dive journal during the trip that I make note of unique experiences or conditions as well as the conditions of the operator and boat. I will then typically write up a trip report and share it on my website so that others can see what to expect if they are planning a trip. I now typically put my trip reports on my blog (http://www.ronwatkinsphotography.blogspot.com/)  and then create a new gallery on my website.

Your tank, in some of the photos I have seen of you, says “NITROX” on the side. What’s that mean? Does that require a different certification?

If you are going to be doing a lot of repetitive dives for several days in a row (like on a live-aboard), NITROX is a certification you will definitely want to get for a number of reasons. NITROX or enriched air NITROX is a mixture that contains a higher percentage of oxygen and lower percentage of nitrogen. A standard air filled tank is around 21% oxygen and 79% nitrogen and as you know from your certification, nitrogen absorption into your blood stream is what limits your bottom time. So, by increasing the oxygen to 32-36%, you reduce the amount of nitrogen you absorb and therefore can increase your bottom time significantly. You also reduce the risk of decompression sickness and you can decrease your surface intervals so you can spend more time in the water. There are also side effects associated with the nitrogen, like feeling lethargic that you minimize. But there is a risk to diving on NITROX and that is oxygen toxicity, which can kill you. To avoid this, you have to know the maximum depth allowable for the percent oxygen you are using. When you take the NITROX certification classes, they teach you all about this and you also use a special dive computer that you can program your percent oxygen in to.

What’s the best dive you have ever done? Is it even possible to pick?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions I get and the most difficult to answer. It really depends. The easy answer is Indonesia, but that is like saying my favorite state is the United States because Indonesia is about the same size and is an archipelago made up of thousands of islands. Indonesia has incredible biodiversity and the remote regions are pristine. Not only the diving, but the people and culture are phenomenal. Some areas can be challenging though for diving and photography, but if I could only go one place and dive there the rest of my life, it would be Indonesia. I would live in Bali and use it for my base camp for diving expeditions because it has good diving; the nicest people and is a beautiful island.  Some of the places I have been in Indonesia include Bunaken, Lembeh, Wakatobi, Komodo, Flores, Alor, and Raja Ampat. All together, I have spent over 4 months there.

Besides Indonesia, here are a few of my other favorites… For wreck diving, Truk Lagoon in Micronesia has hundreds of sunken WWII Japanese ships and planes. The soft coral and people of Fiji are also hard to beat. Venture out into some of the 300+ islands and find fantastic diving. Hawaii is my favorite US diving. Cozumel is my favorite in Mexico and the Cayman Islands my favorite in the Caribbean.

That’s a lot of dives… have you ever run out of air?

Can you define “run out”? Technically I have never run out of air or I wouldn’t be doing this interview! I have had a few occasions where my primary tank of air ran low and I had to share my buddies air all the way up to the surface. You know, buddy breathing. I am usually really good about monitoring my air, but on occasion, I get so in to my photography, that I allow my air to get lower than recommended. Buddy breathing works fine, but when I am diving with other photographers (the worst kind of dive buddy, me included) or when I dive alone, there isn’t always a buddy nearby. On one dive, my dive buddy and I separated early on in the dive and I found myself at 40 foot with only 250 psi (supposed to surface with at least 500 psi). I saw another diver in the distance, but couldn’t get his attention, so I had to decide to either do a controlled ascent on the air I had or swim after him which would use up air quicker. I swam for him and finally caught him with the take near empty and he quickly gave me his primary air hose and he switched to his back up. We did our 3 minute safety stop at 20 foot and surfaced together.

The other time that was a closer call was on a recent photography dive trip in the cold waters of California where I had not dove in 20+ years.  I found myself separated from my dive buddy photographer after a few minutes into the dive but since I was in only 50 foot of water, I decided to continue on with the dive and photograph. I was breathing more air than usual because of the chilly waters and slight current. I was focused on a colorful nudibranh when I tried to breath in and felt resistance. I immediately looked at my gauge and it read empty. I didn’t panic though. I looked around and saw no one, so I slowly ascended remembering what my dad had taught me about never go faster than your bubbles. I had to skip the safety stop, but I was on NITROX in shallow water for only 50 minutes, so I was fine. I actually had to manually inflate my BC because there was not enough air to inflate it and surface swim on my back to the boat. I was very fortunate and that close call reminded me that safety has to come first.

Do you own all of your own equipment?

I went on one trip to La Paz Mexico in the early 90s after getting certified without my own equipment, and the rental equipment was so unsafe and I almost drown. When I returned home, I bought all of my own equipment. But times have changed and the rental equipment at diving resorts and on live a-boards is often better than what I have. It can be expensive to buy and maintain your own gear, so unless you dive more than 10 days a year, I would seriously consider just renting. It is also a major hassle traveling with all of that extra weight and paying those baggage fees.

You travel all over the world diving… your job also helps that, but still. Does the cost of diving in say, Micronesia differ from diving in the Bahamas?

Dive travel can be very expensive… from the airfare, to the dive boat and the accommodations. Most liveaboards cost between $300-400 dollars per day but you will typically get the most dives in on one. I especially like this option because my camera equipment is safely stored on the boat and there is usually ample space to service it.  So for me, unless there are great land attractions, I try to do a live-aboard because that is my best value to maximize the bottom time and have the most time for photography.

For land based destinations, I think Cozumel and Roatan are two of the best values in the Caribbean and you can usually get low cost airfares. Cozumel has inexpensive hotels, great food for much less than in the US and good dive operators for reasonable price. I do however use a dive guide in Cozumel named Jeremy who owns Living Underwater because he is the best and worth the extra money. His boat, the Jewfish, has a custom made rinse tank that fits my camera exactly because he used it to design the tank. Now that is service!

I typically will do all of my own trip planning to save money, but do have a few travel agents who specialize in dive travel to remote places. I always first try to use my airline frequent flier points if possible,and plan ahead. Many of the southeast Asia destinations like Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines are cheap once you get there, but the flights can be expensive.

As you have mentioned, you do more than dive. You are a professional underwater photographer. What prompted you to start taking pictures down there?

I have always like photography, but really got seriously into it when I took up diving and wanted to capture the beauty I was experiencing and share it with others. Particularly my dad, who can no longer dive, is still able to experience my underwater adventures through my photography. I have also been able to use photography to increase awareness on just how fragile the underwater ecosystem and how we are destroying it. I have given several photography presentations and done photo essays and use them as forums to educate people on the dangers facing the oceans and the creatures that call it home. I am now on my 5th camera setup and it is a really addictive activity.

I have seen sharks, dolphins, sea lions… Do you prefer to shoot any one kind of creature over another? Do you plan the dive for that specific shot?

I go through phases. I shot sharks a lot and planned all of my trips to sharky waters for several years. They are incredible creatures and I am always trying to get that majestic image that shows the beauty of a shark in contrast to the perception of them being man eaters.

I free dove with dolphins in the Bahamas and that was one of favorite shoots ever. I was able to get some great shots of them feeding on squid at night. I was in the water for about three hours with them well after midnight until a large tiger shark showed up and spoiled the party. Sea lions are very playful and fun to shoot because they are like puppy dogs underwater. I also like to shoot macro and capture all of the amazing little critters like pygmy seahorses, squid, crabs, shrimp, anmonefish and eels.

As far as planning the dive for a specific shot, I always try to do that, but sometimes you just get lucky and see something that you never expected.  Then, you hope you can capture a great image. I enjoy researching the marine life of the area before I go. That way I can know what rare species are in the area, their habitat and behaviors. I am also a bit of a history buff, and love to read about the ship wrecks and how they came to their final resting spot. Several years back, I dove in Truk Lagoon in Micronesia, which is considered the wreck diving capitol of the world. It was the site of a major allied offensive during World War II called Operation Hail Storm. There are over 50 Japanese ships and 100 airplanes in the area that you can dive. Seeing these wrecks with their deck guns pointed upward, military artifacts scatter around and the crew’s living quarters was very moving and better than anything I could have read in a history book or seen in a museum.

It’s not just animals you shoot… tell me about All Wet Portraits.

All Wet Portraits presented a new challenge in underwater photography… photographing children underwater. It is so much fun for me and the kids. I use different backdrops, lighting, and even costumes for the kids. It allows me to be very creative in a controlled environment (a pool) and experiment with different techniques.  It also allows me to do photography when at home in Arizona. I have partnered with several swim clubs and also do private shoots on location at pools.  These images are a lot of fun and can be seen on my website www.allwetportraits.com. If you have young children and want to get their picture taken underwater, let me know! I have photographed babies as young as 6 months old.

What’s the deepest you have ever been?

I only dive as deep as I have to in order to get the photo and to date that was 145 foot. There was a Japanese transport ship with tanks strapped on the deck that I had to photograph. It was a quick 15 minute bottom time and then several safety stops at different depths. Not exactly a fun dive, but the tanks were really cool. Usually most of what I shoot is in less than 60 foot, and I prefer shallow water so that I can use the ambient light along with my strobe light.

You are originally from Las Vegas. I LOVE Vegas, but I am not sure I could live there. Do you miss living in Sin City?

Not at all! It was a neat place to grow up in the 80s, when the mob still ran the town and crime was organized. Now, crime is out of control and there are some really bad parts of town. You can get a really cheap house there, but I could never live there again. Usually after 3-4 days, I am ready to escape the strip and head home.

Do you ever exhibit your work? I could totally see a fish on the wall at my local coffee shop!

I use to exhibit my work a lot and participate in several juried art shows a year, but I don’t have the time to do that now. I do have some art in a local coffee shop and a permanent exhibit of 9 prints at the Peoria Library in the kid’s book section.  My main exhibit now is in my home and online.

I have only been on a few dives, but I LOVE it. Do you get the same thrill 1,000+ dives in that you did when you first started?

I do get excited every time I dive and feel fortunate to be able to do so. I must admit that I do get less excited when I am diving in the Caribbean after diving so much in SE Asia because there is a lot less marine biodiversity.

Tell me more about the Sonoran Arts League.

The Sonoran Art League (SAL) is a wonderful group of talented artists of all kinds. SAL allowed me to not only network with other artist and learn more about the business of art. The SAL Hidden in the Hills Studio tour is one of my favorite events each year. I participated 3 years in a row and unlike the typical tent art show, you get to see the artist demonstrating their art and spend more quality time with the artist in a relaxed setting. For me, it is difficult to demonstrate my art at the tour, but I do have all of my underwater photography equipment on display and enjoy explaining the process to interested people. I encourage everyone to come out and the tour which is held the weekend before and after Thanksgiving each year.

Does diving get easier the more you do it?

It does come very natural to me know and I rarely consciously focus on breathing. Buoyancy is also something that improves with experience and the less weight that you wear (new divers are typically over-weighted). I have a mental checklist that I go through before each dive with my gear and camera equipment. If I haven’t been diving for several months, it usually take the first dive for me to get back in my groove, but then after that, I really feel at home.

You have done a few liveaboards. What’s that experience like? Take me through a week on a boat.

Eat, dive, sleep and repeat pretty much sums it up. Most the boats I have been on hold between 10-16 divers and are really nice inside and out. You get your own cabin and usually your own bathroom. On low end boats, like in California, you may just sleep in bunks and share a couple of bathrooms. Food is great and plentiful, the service excellent and the dive setup really easy. They usually wake you up shortly after dawn and you have a light bite and then dive. When you get out of the water, you sit your tank in a designated spot and put away your gear under your seat.  They fill the tanks and everything is ready for the next dive, which is after a full breakfast. You repeat this and dive about 3-5 times each day. If you don’t do a dive, you can relax, read a book, nap or work on pictures and camera equipment. The boat may move a little bit throughout the day and so you will dive different spots. At night is usually when they make the major moves. They also usually have land tours to local villages or sites. It is a diver’s paradise and will spoil you.

Have you ever been bit?

I once got bit by an anemone fish (Nemo) when I was too close to her eggs. They have really sharp teeth and it did draw blood. I have suffered a couple of severe jellyfish stings on my neck that really hurt. I also got a hickey from a stingray in the Caymans.

Your work is SO good. Have you ever won any awards for your photography?

Thanks Ricky. Glad you like it. I won The Digital Shootout two years in a row in Bonaire and Little Cayman and have also won awards in several international photography competitions over the years. I also won the photography category in the Cave Creek Film & Arts Festival 2 years in a row and the second year won the people’s choice award. The prizes for these contest include cash, some really nice dive trips and dive/camera equipment. The latest underwater photography competition that I have entered has over $82,000 in prizes!

You are currently living in Scottsdale… that’s the desert. There is no water! If you get the itch, where do you typically go to dive?

Besides pools, I have only been to Fossil Creek, which is about 2 hours north of Phoenix. There I photographed the native fish and scenery and wrote an article that was published in the Arizona Wildlife Views magazine.

When I was learning how to dive, the instructor always said before we got into the water, “Let’s get wet.” I say that EVERY time I get ready to jump in. Do you have any rituals before you jump in?

No cool sayings like that, but I like it! On the liveaboards, they usually say, “the pool is open” and you are free to dive. I always double-check my camera seal so that it doesn’t leak.

What’s the coldest water you have ever dove in?

This trip to the Channel islands just his last October for the Southern California digital shootout. Water was a chilly 63, which the locals said was warm. Screw that… I prefer the warm water, but the diving is California is really good and I will be going back soon.

Speaking of getting wet, what’s your preferred entry method? I prefer the giant stride!

Me too. Back rolls are okay though.  I always have to swim back to the boat after jumping in and get my camera though.

You are all over the place… how many stamps are on your passport?

When I was living in Singapore, I filled up all of the pages on my second passport and had to get additional pages. I haven’t counted recently, but my current passport is getting full again. I also have Visa’s for China and Indonesia in there as well.

When you take photos, do you post them as is, or do you take them into Photoshop and clean them up?

Some of colors you see underwater are like no other color you have ever seen before. However, the deeper you go, the darker it is and the more color you lose to the naked eye. But when you add light with a flashlight or the strobes on my camera it brings back the true colors. I am sometimes asked by people viewing one of my exhibits if I enhance or change the color of the marine life in the image. This is often because when they have seen that fish of turtle while snorkeling or in an aquarium, it appeared with less color or a different shade of color. I currently use an SLR digital camera for my photography and shoot all of my images in a RAW digital negative format. Like the earlier slide film that I worked with, RAW files have to be post processed in a “digital” dark room environment using software instead of chemicals. Most of the adjustments made to the image are the same types of adjustments that were made in a traditional darkroom. The goal of my fine art photography is to represent the subject as close to its true colors as possible and allow nature’s palette to shine through. I do not manipulate any of my images by adding elements that were not in the picture.

Do you ever shoot on dry land?

I do and love it. My favorite subject is wildlife and have gotten some of those images published as well. On a recent trip to Canada, I photographed black bears for three days in the wild. I was able to get pretty close to them and captured some awesome shots. Another fun trip was when I took snowmobiles into Yellowstone National Park in the winter. I got some nice images of bighorn sheep, bison, elk, deer and a bald eagle all with a winter wonderland backdrop.

We talked about your scuba gear, but what about your camera gear? I bet you have some pretty high-end cameras and lenses. What all are you shooting with?

My equipment is pretty high end, but not the highest end. I have been shooting with my Nikon D300 DSLR camera in a Sea & Sea housing for the last 3 years and feel really comfortable with it. I use two Sea & Sea 250 strobes and a focus light. On land it weighs about 22 pounds, but under water with some floats it is almost neutral buoyant. Depending on the type of lens you have on the camera, you have a different port on the housing. This means you have to commit to shooting macro or wide angle for the entire dive.

It is definitely not the camera that makes the photographer though. I have been out shot by some camera setups a lot less than mine. There are so many factors that go into a good image. On a recent trip to La Paz, a friend with a point and shoot Canon G12 got a lot better whale shark photo than the one I got and it was her first time diving with that camera. So all it takes to take good images is to be a good diver with excellent buoyancy, have a quality camera that you know how to use, a good eye for composition and lighting, and a little luck never hurts.

There are so many places to dive… but what’s next? Where is the next dive? Are there any places that you have never been but want to visit?

First where I want to go still! Maldives, South Africa for the Sardine run and possible Alaska if I can brave the cold.  My next trip this April is to a new place and I am very excited about that trip – Papua New Guinea! I will be on a 10 day live-aboard dive trip and can’t wait. I also hope to explore some the local tribes that live there and get some nice land photographs. And I want to “get wet” with Mr. Ricky Lee Potts in the near future. Maybe we could get some cool images of you underwater that you can share with your followers!

We have been talking about scuba diving and photographs all day… but what else do you like to do? What other hobbies do you have?

I really enjoy flyfishing and hiking. Actually anything outdoors I love. I like golf, but I am just a hacker and enjoy being outside. I also love to travel and experience new places, culture and food.

Speaking of golf… diving is like golf… something you can do forever. Do you see yourself diving your way into retirement?

Absolutely! My dad was able to dive pretty late in life, but had to stop after he damaged his ear drum. I have been diving with people in their 80s before. So as long as I am healthy enough, I will dive!

Man, I feel like I could ask you questions all day. This has been fun… we need to go diving soon! In all of the interviews that I do, I always give the artist last word. Go.

Life is short so make the most of it. I have been fortunate to pursue my passions and experience some wonderful places in my life. Another one of my passions is preserving the ocean and all of its inhabitants. I also use my art to increase awareness of the reefs and marine life. The oceans support a diverse and important marine ecosystem which humans depend on. Over the years I have been diving, I have witnessed the deterioration of reefs, decreased fish populations and the decimating practice of shark finning. I hope that by people seeing my images, they will take more of an interest in the conservation of this fragile natural resource. Shark finning kills tens of thousands of sharks every year and is senseless. Please do not support any establishment that serves shark fin soup. Thanks for this interview Ricky and I look forward to getting wet with you soon!

I first met Mike on Twitter. I’ve never met him in real life… only online. But that’s okay, because we have been able to build a great relationship 140 characters at a time. As a matter of fact, when I first started doing these PGA teaching professional interviews, he showed interest. I didn’t know much about him until we sat down for the interview. Boy does this guy have a well rounded toolkit. The guy is a great player, an incredible coach, and even runs a Twitter based forum each week called Ask The Pro. (He recently was shut down for tweeting too much… he hit his limit set by Twitter! That’s a good problem to have.) From what I hear, Mike walks up and down the lesson tee talking to complete strangers, telling them, “We have to fix this.” You can bet he gets lessons that way. VERY clever. Anyway, Mike was kind enough to take some time out of his day to sit with me… it’s my absolute pleasure to introduce you to Mike Fay.

You are originally from Sterling Heights, Michigan. I have played some golf up there in Roscommon. Are you familiar with Forest Dunes Golf Club?

Forest Dunes Golf Club… what a great place! The course is quite beautiful… that is a Tom Weiskopf design. We highly recommend it as a place to stop either on the way up to the Boyne Courses or on the way home. It has pretty high accolades as well from Golf Digest – top 100 golf course, top 20 public course, and currently ranked #4 in the state of Michigan.

You had a ton of success early on. That led you to New Mexico. You actually have a degree in golf course management in New Mexico State. Did you play golf there as well?

Well, I did… but not college golf.  I arrived at New Mexico State University‘s PGM Program in 1991, in the infancy of the program. At the time I went, there were only two other schools to get a PGM degree from – Ferris State University and Mississippi State University.  So I chose the warm weather to play golf year round and work on my studies.

Within my first semester at NMSU I decided to turn professional. Along with four other class mates, we helped design the NMSU PGM Tour. We went all around Las Cruces and acquired sponsors and set up our own tournaments. It was our feeling that playing professionally was a very important part of being a PGA member so this would be a great training ground for things to come. Since that time a tournament program has been in place.

I see you do online lessons for $29.95. What does an online lesson entail?

The online lessons are very unique. At Boyne Mountain we teach people from all over the world that come to visit. This is a great opportunity to keep their golf games sharp as well as attract new students. The lesson is simple… a student just emails his or her swing to me and I evaluate what they need to do. I then send a video back to them with drills and tips to make them better. The program has been a great success and I will continue to offer this service.

You started in Michigan. You have been all over, from Florida to Arizona. Now you are back in Michigan. Does it feel good to be home?

It was nearly four years ago that we moved back home, and it does feel great. Sharing good times with family and friends is the best. Of all the places I have been, northern Michigan is hands down the best place for golf.

Since you are from Michigan, are you a Michigan State fan?

Funny you ask. For those of you who don’t know, the state is heavily divided on Michigan/Michigan State game days. I have to say I am a huge Michigan fan. Of course, I grew up in the days of Bo and Anthony Carter and attended U of M’s Golf Camp as a teenager. Go “Blue Baby”!

You have a pretty impressive resume. You are quite the player. Do you still play a lot of golf?

I do play as much as I can, as it is part of my job. I am very lucky that Boyne feels that way as well. At the same time, I love spending time with my wife and daughter so there is always a balance between work and family time.

What’s your favorite golf course? You’re not allowed to say the one you work at!

Okay, not Boyne Mountain… then I will have to go with my new favorite course as Kingsbarns Golf Links. What a beautiful place.

You used to hold the course record at Shanty Creek Resort-The Legend. Is that record still intact?

Yes it is. I set the course record during the 2001 Michigan PGA Championship with a bogey free 63. Certainly the highlight of my career.

A lot of guys have newsletters, but you have branded yours. Tell me a little bit more about Chip Shots. How often do you send that out?

Chip Shots is a brand new idea that have new blog posts, videos, and everything else going on instruction wise here at Boyne Mountain. I will send this newsletter out monthly. It’s just another way to keep in contact with everyone.

Starting with your driver, and working your way through the bag… even the golf ball, what’s in your bag?

• Driver – PING G20 8.5 Degree Driver, PING Tour Stiff Shaft
  
• 3 Wood – PING i15 14 Degree w/Aldila Proto By You 65S
  
• Hybrids – PING i15 17 & 20 Degree
  
• Irons – PING G20 Irons 4-PW KBS Tour Stiff w/Cusion Insert
  
• Wedges – PING Tour S Rustique Wedges 54, 60 Tour Stiff w/Cusion Insert
  
• Putter – Scotty Cameron Mil-Spec 33 Inches
  
• Ball – Titleist ProV1

What is the MFG Players Club?

The MFG Players Club was designed to connect socially with people online. To become a member of the club you must “like” Mike Fay Golf on Facebook or follow Mike Fay Golf on Twitter. You must also “like” and or follow Boyne. If you do those things, you get discounts on my training aids, exclusive tips and drills, notified on all things Mike Fay Golf, and be entered into a drawing for a free video lesson.

You are running a pretty solid social media campaign. You are on Facebook and Twitter. Are you using anything else? Are you having more luck with Twitter or Facebook?

To compliment Facebook and Twitter, I have a channel on YouTube for golf instruction and I am on LinkedIn. Hands down, for me right now, most of my success has been Twitter. With hosting a weekly show I have not had much time to do very much on Facebook. That being said, now I can get Facebook rolling. It will be fun no doubt!

I am Tiger’s biggest fan… who are some of your favorite players on the PGA Tour?

Counting out Tiger, I like to watch Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, Ricky Fowler, Steve Stricker, Retief Goosen, and Graeme McDowell. I also hope to see more of Lee Westwood on the PGA Tour next year.

Tell me a little bit more about Ask The Pro.

Ask The Pro is a show I started on Twitter last April; it has grown ever since. The purpose of the show is for both professionals and amateurs to connect on all topics of golf. The slogan for Ask The Pro is “Where the world’s top instructors help you with your game.”

Here’s how I do it… I collect questions every week from both professionals and amateurs. These questions are sent directly to PGA professionals on Twitter, as well as experts in their field pertaining to golf. Then I RT the answers for all to see. The knowledge collected really benefits everyone in the long run. Plus on Twitter, you only have a few characters to get your point across so you better have a meaty answer. I know I have learned quite a bit over the last year and it sure has been fun running it.

Your lesson rates are public. It seems like a lot of guys do that. When it comes to setting your rates, do you do that or does the club?

My lesson rates are set by Boyne and I. We have designed instruction programs for members as well as the visitors to our resort.

Is Boyne Mountain Resort public or private? Are you able to work with golfers that are not members?

Actually Boyne Mountain Resort is part of Boyne Resorts. BR operates nine golf courses here in northern Michigan. Boyne has the Country Club of Boyne with golf and social memberships available. In addition to the CCB, we have regular resort play for the public as well as golf outings. We also run a number of state tournaments on our courses. I am available to teach everyone and it’s a super place to work.

In your opinion, how has technology changed the way you teach the game?

I know for sure that technology has changed a number of things. First let’s start with equipment. It is easier than ever to hit today’s big headed drivers and irons with a ton of bounce. The golf ball flies straighter too. Now with all these new long and belly putters with alignment aids it’s easier to putt as well. As far as equipment goes, we are waiting for the next “big thing”.

Technology has changed golf instruction greatly just over the last few years. The use of high tech computers has changed what we thought we knew with the golf swing. Such technology as TrackMan, SAM PuttLab, and AimPoint Technologies are just to name a few. It is through this technology we become better teachers for our students.

The Internet has changed the way we learn as teachers and players. Using the Internet to communicate ideas has opened up a whole new way to improve your game. For example I use V1 to send my students drills and reinforcement of what we do in lessons. Nothing is better… not even taking notes.

Let’s say I book a lesson with you… how does that first lesson go? Walk me through our first encounter.

During my first lesson I evaluate what is going on with your golf game. Next, I make a plan of attack and set goals with you that you can reach. Once we figure all that out, it’s time to get to work! Don’t kid yourself, it’s work to become better at golf. I think it’s important that you have an understanding of what you are doing now and what we can do better. That’s why I use video equipment to show you what I see. Then we use drills and training aids to develop new feelings. Then we will go back and use video again to see what has changed. I often say, “What you feel and what you are doing are two entirely different things.”

We finalize most lessons with a video of what we did that day along with drills. That way when things start to go wrong on the course, you can always go back and figure it yourself. The greatest gift I can give you is to teach you how to make yourself better.

FORE Ladies Only is a great idea. Tell me a little bit more about that program.

FORE Ladies Only Clinic Series is a ladies only program that I started four years ago. The program is designed for all ladies and abilities. It has no topic… that’s right, no topic. When ladies come to the hour long clinic, they get to choose what they want to work on, not what I want to work on. The ladies really seem to enjoy it and we have had good success with the program.

You are also running a YouTube campaign. I notice you give away a lot… swing tips and so forth. Do you ever feel like you are giving away too much? It’s a fine line, I’d think.

I do separate video shoots for both my students and for YouTube. YouTube drills and tips are intended for all golfers. I save the really good ones for my students. YouTube is just another great way to promote where I work, as well as for golf instruction. Most people would like to know where they are going to take lessons. It just shows them how beautiful northern Michigan really is.

You have relationships with PING, Julie Meadows Photographer, The YMCA… that’s awesome that you are working with all these folks. How do these relationships form?

I have been on PING’s staff for the last few years. I have had a great relationship with PING since the days I played on the mini tours and lived in Phoenix. PING is first class all the way! JMP is a local photographer that also happens to be my sister-in-law. She handles some of my photography and photo shoots for my blog and magazines. And the YMCA relationship was formed with the idea that golf can be played year round. I host clinics for both ladies and juniors throughout the year. We use college and high school gyms in the winter and the Boyne Mountain Learning Center in the summer.

Meleski Productions is another video and photo company that I use as well. Being an avid golfer himself, Mike Meleski came to me with the idea that he wanted to shoot video on golf instruction and maybe learn a little along the way.  It’s been a great relationship.

Man… you blog too! How often do you write?

Oh yeah, I blog too! I don’t write as much as I would like though. I definitely blog more in the winter than I do in the summer. I try to get at least a couple out a month.

Man, Boyne Mountain looks incredible. Do you ever get sick of those views?

Most people would take it for granted, but I don’t. It is a sweet place to be. Playing two golf courses down the back side of the mountain and looking at Deer Lake all day is very peaceful.

Will I see you in Orlando at the PGA Merchandise Show?

Yes, I will be attending this year’s show. It will be a great place to meet and connect with all the people I have met through social networking. I can’t wait.

There are SO many guys out there doing the same thing you are… do you ever see it as competition? A trend these days is sharing information… do you hide it or are you willing to give it away?

I know many guys are doing all this stuff to attract more students and customers. But I have a different take… the game is suffering now. With the economy and less golfers playing for the past few years, we are all in the same boat. If we don’t do these things for the game, all the golf courses as well as our jobs will be gone.

As far as sharing information, that’s been done for years amongst golf professionals. There’s a level of respect that most golf professionals share. We all know who the best player is, the best teacher is, the best merchandiser. Most pros won’t think twice just to pick up the phone and ask for a little help. It’s because of respect. It’s in our game.

Um… you’ve been to St Andrews. That’s the HOME of golf. What was that trip like?

Where do I start? Here is the best way for me to describe it… for a golf professional that has given his life to the game going to St Andrews would be like a priest going to the Vatican. I didn’t think it would feel this way but it did. This trip was planned ten years ago, with just four of us. These guys were my college roommates as well as PGA professionals. We sat down well before weddings and children came into our lives and made a deal that we would all go this year. We all turn 40 this year, by the way. Now can you see why I had a tear in my eye when I crossed the Swilcan Bridge and slapped my 2^nd onto 18. I have a blog post planned for next week about our trip, where we went, and the people we met. It’s a great story.

There is a list of the top 100 teaching pros… but how does that list affect how you operate? Does being on that list change the way pro books lessons? Does that list affect how much a pro can charge?

The top 100 list is another way for us to learn. Learn who is great at what they do. Of course being listed in Golf Digest would change many things. You would probably have more business and need more instructors. Of course the charge would go up.

Let’s look ahead a little bit… what’s 2012 look like for you?

2012 looks pretty exciting. I am looking forward to starting some new golf instruction programs to go along with the ones I already have. I will continue to brand Mike Fay Golf through all social formats. I plan on playing in a few more tournaments and have some fun making people play better golf.

I like to listen to music when I practice. Do you listen when you practice? If so, what are you jamming to?

I like to listen to many different types of music. I jam on old school rap and hip hop. Plus a little country.

Thank you so much for taking the time Mike! Man, this was fun! Thanks to Twitter for introducing us, too. We need to meet in person one of these days. In all of the interviews that I do, I always give the artist the last word. Go.

In all my twenty plus years of being a golf professional, there is one thing that keeps me going… making people smile. Whether it’s helping people make a few more putts or to see the look on someone’s face who just hit it off the ground for the first time… I love it! It is what drives me every day. Also, thank you for this opportunity Ricky. It sure has been fun and you really made me think.

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According to AIDS United, one of five people infected with HIV are unaware they have the disease. The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) reported 514 new cases of HIV and AIDS in 2010, but there could be additional undiagnosed cases.

In conjunction with World AIDS Day on December 1, 2011, The Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis is raising money through its KNOW POSITIVE text-to-give campaign to fund 500 additional rapid HIV tests. A rapid HIV test not only gets people who test positive for HIV into medical care more quickly, it also prevents further exposure to the disease from those who may not know they are infected.

“The best way to stop the spread of HIV is through prevention. The best prevention is for people to know their HIV status and that of their sexual partners,” said Betty Wilson, President and CEO of The Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis, which operates the Indiana AIDS Fund. “We want to provide more tests so more people, especially the younger generation that doesn’t seem to be as aware of HIV, can know their status.” Forty-six percent of all new HIV diagnoses in Indiana last year were in people age 30 or younger, according to the ISDH.

“HIV is affecting people in what is supposed to be their most productive years,” said Carrie Carter, a medical social worker for LifeCare at Indiana University Health, an Indiana AIDS Fund grant recipient. “I always tell patients that in order to live a successful life, they must take control of their HIV.”

To participate in the KNOW POSITIVE campaign, simply text the word “KNOW” to 20222. Each text results in a $10 donation to the Indiana AIDS Fund. The Health Foundation will donate one HIV test to an Indiana AIDS service organization for each text donation. The $10 donation will be added to your cellular phone bill. Standard text messaging fees also apply. “When you text “KNOW” to 20222, that’s one more person in the know,” said Wilson.

The Health Foundation will distribute KNOW POSITIVE cards and bracelets at World AIDS Day events across Indianapolis. In addition, they will share the text-to-give information on Facebook and Twitter. The Indiana AIDS Fund is a program of The Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis, dedicated to supporting HIV/AIDS service programs in Indiana. Each year, the Indiana AIDS Fund provides grants to community-based organizations through the state for HIV education, prevention and treatment programs for women, women of color, youth, under-served communities and men having sex with men.

When I first got the idea to write interviews with PGA teaching professionals, I never realized how many of these guys I was already friends with. Sometimes, when I interview a band, I need to work hard just to get a finger on the pulse of their main points of contact. So far (granted, this is only my second one) getting in touch with these golf guys hasn’t been a challenge. I actually have so many of these guys lined up I don’t know who to work with next! Anyway, the guy that I am sitting with today needs to introduction. He is the GURU of golf! That’s right, you heard me. This guy has branded himself as a guru and does a pretty good job living up to the expectations. He used to work at the Dana Rader Golf Schools, but recently took a job as the Director of Instruction at the Carmel Country Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. Jason is a good friend, and is always a text message (or a direct message) away. It is my absolute pleasure to be sitting down with a guru… Mr. Jason Sutton.

This has been a big year for you. You recently changed jobs. Tell me about your new job at the Carmel CC.

Yes, it has been a big year. I am now the Director of Instruction at Carmel CC. I am so excited for the opportunity to share my passion for helping people and create my own programs and schools for the membership to enjoy. They are so hungry for the opportunity to learn and enjoy the game. We have 1,350 members, 2 great golf courses and it is a very active membership. I have a dual bay learning center that I am looking forward to upgrading and putting my personal touch on which is very cool. The membership is dedicated to making the golf academy the best it can be and I am looking forward to seeing what I can do with it. It is a blank canvas right now. I am in charge of all the instruction, training of the staff and they are allowing me to be creative with the programs and new technology that I am bringing which is new and exciting for the club. I have been working and preparing for a job like this my entire career and I love it so far.

What were you doing before you came to Carmel CC?

I started out as an assistant professional at a couple of clubs in West Virginia learning the business. I moved to Charlotte in 1997 and was the Head Golf Professional at the NorthStone Club for 3 years. I quickly figured out that my passion was in teaching and coaching and not running the shop or merchandising. I started to pursue my passion for teaching when I joined the Dana Rader Golf Schools where I worked for 12 years. The ability to give a ton of lessons and learn from one of the best (Ms. Rader) was a huge step for me and my career.

Are you working more or less? I bet the lessons are more intimate at a country club.

Although I have more control over my schedule and can work whatever hours that I want, I am probably working more right now than I did before because I am new and that there is so much more that I have to do off of the lesson tee. I spend a lot of time creating schedules for schools and groups, coming up with different programs and just getting to know the members better. The big thing that I wanted to do was to be available for the members and show them that I care about them and their golf game. I have spent a lot of time at different club functions such as member guest and ladies golf luncheons meeting as many people as possible. Walking the practice tee introducing myself and giving out free advice when asked has been a big help. They seem to really appreciate it as the feedback has been very positive.

What’s the first lesson like for you? Walk me through the first hour with you.

Great question. The first 10 minutes I interview the student. I try to ask open ended questions in order to gain as much information that I can because that will steer me in the direction that I need to go with the individual. For example, what is your handicap? Do you have any physical limitations, medical history, etc.? What is your big miss or the shot that you want to get rid of? What ball flight do you desire? And most important, WHAT IS YOUR GOAL? I see too many teachers moving in the direction that the teacher wants to go instead of what the  student needs. This also lets the student know that I care about their aspirations and it gets them relaxed and comfortable being there. It is nerve racking for them to hit balls in front of a coach so I want them to feel comfortable with me.

Next I would video your swing or short game shot, putt, etc. and we would sit down and go through what I see and start to organize a plan of attack for the changes that I think we need to make that match your goal for the lesson. This is a critical stage because I don’t try to point out everything I see, just the vital few that I want to work on and I make sure I explain WHY we are making these changes so they make sense to the student. Then we go to work. I am a very hands on teacher. I like to manipulate the student into positions so that they feel the correct move or position. I think that this is a lost art with coaches and I think it is why I am able to get quick results. It allows me to get into the students learning style quicker as they see it on the video and feel it as I move them. Just telling them does very little as far as changing motor patterns. This also allows the student to give me constant feedback on their perception of what they feel. I can then use their words instead of just how I would describe the change. More of a student centered approach. I then give constant feedback on just the area that we are working on to keep them on task. I will subscribe a drill to work on and then finish up by sending the student their before and after video with voice over reiterating what we covered in the lesson. Allow them to ask questions to make sure there is no confusion and give them a glimpse of how the next few lessons will go. I.E. short game, putting on course. Serious students want a plan and it’s my job to give it to them. I can guarantee you will leave hitting the ball better and have a clear idea of what is going on when you don’t.

Are golfers that are not members at Carmel CC allowed to get lessons with you?

Yes. I can work with non-members. A lot of my students have followed me from my previous job, which has been nice. I have some mini-tour players and elite juniors that have been out to see me. My first priority is taking care of the members but it is nice to be able to fill in the gaps with some regulars that you have worked with for several years.

That golf course is gorgeous, by the way. Speaking of pretty golf courses, what’s the best course you have ever played? What did you shoot?

Wow, tough question. There are many on my list that I haven’t played. As for the ones I have played, my favorite is a tossup between Charlotte Country Club and Carmel South here at the Carmel CC. I am a traditionalist when it comes to courses. I don’t like the tricked up venues just the places that reward good golf. Honorable mention would be Grandfather Golf & Country Club, Diamond Creek and Quail Hollow Club. I think 69  is my low at Charlotte CC but I haven’t played it that often. I have only played the redesigned Carmel South once and it is spectacular. Career low is 65 back when I used to play a little more.

This is something I want to learn more about with the PGA teaching pros that I talk to. In your opinion, what’s the difference between teaching and coaching?

Great question. It is very much like the difference between blocked practice and random practice. This is  how I guide a student through the learning process. Teaching is helping the student make physical changes to their pattern (a swing change) which is very much a conscious part of the learning process. You have to think about the changes because they are new and not habitual. Coaching is more to do with helping them get the changes to the golf course (unconscious). Situational training: pre-shot routine, course management, helping them develop practice habits that match the way they play. Most teachers and students get stuck in blocked (mechanical) practice and never learn how to play the game. Great coaches also know how to motivate. When to be tough on their players and when to encourage. It is an acquired skill.  Expert coaches understand how to teach both. This is an area that I have tried to improve in and have seen better results especially in my tournament players.

You are a great writer. I have been following your blog for ages. When you sit down to write a new blog post, do you already know what you want to write about? Where does your motivation come from for a new post?

Thank you for the compliment. I enjoy writing and sharing. I usually get my ideas as I am on the lesson tee. When I am working with a student it usually just hits me and it eats at me until I write about it or shoot a video about it. I don’t plan very well like most bloggers which is why I tend to be streaky with my writing. I once wrote 20 blogs in 20 days (“20 days with the Guru”) just to get some momentum and to see if I could write something meaningful for that many days. I also get ideas from other coaches and blogs that I follow.

You know me and Tiger go way back… do you think he will break Jack’s record?

You are the biggest Tiger fan I have ever met, that’s for sure. I know he has had his struggles but I believe if he can stay healthy into his late 40s that he will break the record. He is starting to show signs of improvement especially in the Presidents Cup. If he would come and take a putting lesson from me I think he would for sure; just kidding. He is just too talented not to win at least 5 more.

You recently had a day with John Graham. Tell me more about that experience and what you learned from using the Aim Point Technologies.

John is great. One of the smartest coaches out there and he has really embraced AimPoint Technologies and taken it to another level. AimPoint is a green reading system that allows you to make a few calculations, look at a chart and figure out exactly how much your putt will break. Mark Sweeney is a genius for coming up with it and I am honored to be getting certified to teach the system. John did my training and I will be officially certified in the spring. As for what I learned… it is not as difficult as I thought it would be and it doesn’t take as much time to do once you develop a few basic skills and practice. Spending time with John is always great as we are able to share ideas about coaching. He keeps me on my toes and I am so much better because of the time that we spend together.

Starting with the driver and working your way through the rest of the bag, including the golf ball, what’s in your bag?

I am a Titleist Staff Member.

• Driver – 910D3 10.5 with a Diamana white board stiff shaft
• 3W – 910 Fd 15 degree
• Hybrid – 910h 17 degree
• Irons – CB forged 4 – pw
• Wedges – Vokey (50, 56 and 60 degree SM4 series)
• Putter – Coutour Bolt custom putter (33.25 length/365g head)
• Golf Ball – Pro V1x (with Guru on the side)

You have seen a ton of success with Twitter. I have the mentality “don’t think, just tweet”. You seem to have the same sort of thought process. I love it! Outside of Twitter, are there any other social media sites that you have seen success in?

Thanks; yes I am a random tweeter… very similar to my blogging style. I use what I call the “four corners of social media”. Facebook, Twitter, WordPress and YouTube.

YouTube has been my biggest success coupled with my blog. 2 years ago, I created my own TV show called “Guru TV” which has been very popular among my students and even across the world. I picked up a lot of business because of someone checking out my videos or reading my blog. That has been very flattering. I probably spend more time on Twitter talking to other coaches and sharing information. I use Facebook to promote my blog and videos, but YouTube seems to be the most popular. So many golfers are spending time on the computer looking for free tips so I have no problem providing them with good information. It gives them some insight into what I am like and makes me more real and accessible. I try to convey that the videos are just ideas; you have to actually see me in person to get the good stuff. Social media has changed the game, that’s for sure. Students want you to be available and I have no problem with that. To be successful you have to be there and I want to be where the people are.

I know you like wine. What’s your favorite wine?

I enjoy trying different wines but I always tend to go back to a few of my favorites. I like Italian wines such as Monte Antico. French wine… anything Cotes du Rhone region is solid. My favorite right now is Louis M. Martini cab Napa Valley 2008 and Bridgeman Cab (Washington).

You are a D-Plane certified instructor. What does that mean? I am not sure I have seen that before.

That is a certification that Rich Hunt (richie3jack.com) came up with for instructors that understand D-Plane and that use the principles in their teaching. D-Plane (descriptive plane) is simply  3D ball flight. It’s what happens when the ball and clubface collide. Understanding correctly what creates ball flight is imperative for any instructor. It has allowed me to make the correct changes in the right order much faster than ever before. TrackMan and launch monitors have allowed us to confirm these ideas much more accurately so there is much less guessing for the teacher. It is currently the only list that I am on so I think it is pretty cool.

Do you do playing lessons?

Yes, as much as I can. I think it is helpful for me as a coach to see how my students play on the course because we don’t always get the entire picture of the their games on the practice tee. It is also a place where I can help them with their mental games and course management. I like to include at least 2 hours out of 8 lessons on course if possible.

What’s The Guru Project?

The Guru Project was an idea that I had to try to help a certain golfer that lived far away and couldn’t come and see me. I had him shoot video of each are of his game and I basically gave him a virtual lesson. I sent video of me demonstrating what I wanted him to work on with drills and such. Kind of a Haney project, over the internet. It went pretty well as he improved. Still not as good as the real thing, but it was fun. I need to do another one.

Golf pros are always teaching… but I bet you are always learning too. I am sure you have had some golf lessons in your life. What teaching pros have you worked with in the past?

I think taking lessons is a great way to learn. It helps me to be in the shoes of my students and reminds me of how hard this game really is and how hard it is to make a swing change. I haven’t taken as many lessons as I would have liked but I have observed tons of top teachers giving lessons. I have worked with Todd Sones and Mike Shannon on putting. I have worked with Kevin Sprecher, Jason Carbone, and Dana Rader… of course. Jim McLean, Charlie King, Chuck Evans, Jim Hardy, Chuck Cook, and Martin Hall have had a tremendous influence on me. There are so many more that I didn’t mention but I have either spent time with, watched them present or watched video of them teaching. Then of course there are my guys on Twitter. John Graham (@JohnGrahamGolf), Jason Helman (@jasonhelmangolf), John Dochety (@johndochety), Dennis Sales (@DennisSalesGolf), Sara Dickson (@Sara_PGA) and Rob McGill (@GolfProRob). Just too many to list. I have learned so much from all of these guys and continue to do so.

You have been nominated three times for the Top 100 teacher list by Golf Magazine. What’s holding you back? Why aren’t you on that list?

Good question. I wish I knew. I feel like that I am talented enough to be on that list and should be on it, but I guess it just isn’t my time yet. There are so many teachers that could be on there that aren’t. The feedback I have received from the magazine is that I need to write a book which I am in the process of doing and the fact that I haven’t won teacher of the year in my section, which I have been nominated 6 or or so times (lost count)… so I can understand that. I just keep trying to improve my skills and help my students and the lists will take care of themselves. If it is meant to be it will happen but I don’t think it defines my career, although it would be nice to be recognized.

I know there are 100 guys on that list, but in your honest opinion, from what you know about the game of golf, who is the best teacher in the world and why?

Wow, tough question. I think there are too many variables to figure out who is the best, because the playing field is not level. We are all teaching different students. It is tough to track who is getting better and who is not. Are the best teachers the ones with the high profile tour players, I don’t necessarily think so. There is probably some guy in parts unknown who doesn’t care about or even knows about the top 100 list who is getting incredible results from his players. My philosophy is if your students are getting better, you are a great teacher. If they are not, you need to change what you are doing. So if I had to pick one guy  it would be…? Why not the Guru? I don’t know, too tough to call.

Did you play high school and college golf?

Yes. I started playing when I was 12. I played in high school and then went on to play at Glenville State College in West Virginia.

I am not familiar with the Tarheel Tour. Is that a North Carolina thing?

It is. Probably the fastest growing mini-tour. It is right up there with the Hooters Tour as far as talent. There are PGA tour winners playing out there such as Tad Fujikawa, Erik Axley. Tommy Gainey played out there before getting his card. Great breeding ground for young aspiring tour players.

You know, it’s pretty neat to open a golf magazine and see your face there attributed to an article. What magazines do you write for, and how do you land a gig like that? That’s pretty cool!

For the past 3 years I have written full time for Golf Illustrated which has been very cool. I do a big article a year and write a bi-monthly column as well. I have written for other small mags and websites as well, like PubLinks Magazine, Metrolina Golf, The Turn Magazine, TravelGolf.com and GolfInstruction.com. Trying to break into the bigger ones so if you have any connections help a brother out.

Are you playing a lot of golf these days?

I play mostly with my 10 year old son, who has really started to enjoy the game. That has been a blast. I don’t play as many section events as I used to because of my busy teaching schedule, but I miss that part of the business. I love to compete so hopefully with my new position I can play a few more tournaments. We will see.

Will I see you in Orlando at the 2012 PGA Merchandise Show?

Absolutely. I use the PGA Merchandise Show mostly to network, catch up with other pros and see the latest and greatest training aids. Of course I can’t miss the annual “tweetup”. That’s where we first met. I also am getting ready to join the Golf Business Network, so I look forward to the educational opportunities that will bring at the PGA Show.

You do a lot of speaking engagements. Do you get nervous before you get up there to talk? You are an expert in this (or a guru I should say), so I would imagine it comes naturally.

I am glad you asked that because although I consider myself a decent speaker, it wasn’t always that way. I consider myself a trained extrovert, which means that I have worked extremely hard on my presentation skills. I use to be so backward and shy that you wouldn’t believe it. My wife likes to tell the story of when I wouldn’t even order food at the drive through at McDonald’s because I was so shy. But I knew that to reach my goals as a top teacher that I had to improve in that area so I took classes from places like Toastmasters International. I practiced in the mirror. I videotaped myself teaching and giving presentations (which I highly recommend) until I started to improve. I have a long way to go but no I was not a natural. I still get nervous, but I enjoy it now because it is such a part of my job. The best advice I can give anyone is to practice and prepare. You are only nervous if you are not prepared or not comfortable with the material you are presenting.

I see you have a ton of blogs in your blogroll. Do you read all of those? (I really like John Graham’s blog.) I try to keep up with most of them but mostly I just want to help others get exposure to their stuff.

Yeah, John’s blog is high on my list. His is packed with tons of great info.

Are you TPI certified?

I am not. I have been to enough seminars and worked with certified trainers to effectively screen my students, which I feel is important. I send my students to a certified TPI fitness trainer because he has more time to work with their bodies. I just give him feedback on what I need them to do and he helps their bodies do it. I used to think I could make my students do anything but if there are weak links physically, they can’t make the change. Great stuff for sure.

I know you just got started at the Carmel CC, but what’s next for you? What’s the immediate future hold for Jason Sutton?

Good question. I am so blessed to be at Carmel. I could definitely see myself finishing my career there, but you never know. I just want to keep getting better and improving. I want to get more involved in the education of young teachers whether it’s in the PGA or some other realm because I really enjoy the mentoring process and giving back. I want to finish my book and I would love to travel all over the world and teach. In the meantime, I am just focusing on helping the student in front of me get better.

Jason, it’s been so much fun talking with you. You are an inspiration, and a great friend. I appreciate the time! In all of the interviews that I do, I always give the artist the last word. Go.

My goal is to leave a legacy so that my family will be proud of all of the hard work that I have put in over the years. I don’t want to ever get complacent in my work or my life but always strive to get better. My goal is to be in as many testimonies as possible because that would mean that I might have helped someone reach their goals just like all of the people that helped me along the way. Ricky, thanks so much for allowing me to share my story. You are the best and keep up the great work.

Click here to follow Jason Sutton on Twitter.

Click here to watch Jason Sutton on YouTube.

Stroke has a new indicator. Doctors say if you email this blog post to ten people, you stand a chance of saving one life. Will you send this along? My favorite cousin sent this to me in an email earlier today, and I wanted to share this with you… I wasn’t away or any of these signs, but it’s good to know in case something like this ever happens. It appears that blood clots/stroke now have a fourth indicator,  the tongue. When trying to remember the signs of a stroke, remember the first three letters… S. T. R.

Stroke Identification

Read this story…

During a BBQ, a woman stumbled and took a little fall – she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) …she said she had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes. They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food. While she appeared a bit shaken up, Jane went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening. Jane’s husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital – (at 6:00 PM Jane passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Jane would be with us today. Some don’t die. They end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.

Think about this… it only took you a a few minutes to read this.

Key neurologists say that if he can get to a stroke victim within three hours he/she can totally reverse the effects of a stroke… totally. They claim the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within three hours, which is tough.

Recognizing A Stroke

Read and learn! Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

• S – Ask the individual to SMILE.
• T - Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A
• SIMPLE SENTENCE like, “Is it sunny outside today?
• R - Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call emergency number immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

Another “sign” of a stroke is this… ask the person to stick out his or her tongue. If the tongue is crooked, if it goes to one side or the other, that is also an indication of a stroke. Cardiologists say if everyone who reads this email sends it to ten people, you can bet that at least one life will be saved. I have done my part. Will you?