– but also audio, video, graphics and dropdown drills from a library of over 150 drills I recorded some time ago. “With the on-line video academy, I have relationships with over 150 students now – some of whom I’ve never met. And this is not just a ‘one-time’ lesson. I have on-line students taking instruction on a weekly basis, some of whom are as far away as Tokyo and Switzerland. With I-phones and other smart phones so widespread, and loading an app so easy to do, this increases the opportunity for me to help so many people who never have to set foot on Long Island or Naples, Florida. As with everything else on-line, this is 24/7/365 service, from anywhere in the world.” I have a special offer on my site currently. Check it out.
The Responsibility of the Student
“I have some definite opinions on this. When taking golf instruction, some people expect the instructor to wave a magic wand, after which they will walk away and start hitting high draws. It doesn’t quite work that way. My expectation from the student is that he/she will PRACTICE. It is an equal partnership – I have 50% of the responsibility in this relationship, and the student has the other 50%. If we work together, we can be successful. If not, the learning curve will be expanded. Information is simply information. It’s what you do with the information that makes the difference.”
Looking Forward
“It was one my mentors, the aforementioned Bill Strausbaugh, who said ‘those of us who dare to teach shall never cease to learn.’ The on-line video academy and what I’m striving to do with new technology is evidence of how my instruction is evolving. It’s odd that when I was a young teacher, I visited the seasoned, more experienced professionals to learn from them. Now, I continue to learn by visiting younger teachers, and much of what they’re doing is terrific. So, I can’t sit still … I’m still visiting, still gathering information and new ideas. The bottom line is this: When I stop learning, I’ll stop teaching.”
A Student and Dad talk about Tom
Here’s what a student of Tom Patri had to say about his longtime golf instructor and friend. Gary Barton Jr. is a graduate of The College of William & Mary in Virginia where he set several golf records
“I first started taking lessons from Tom when I was about 14 years old. He is obviously a great golfer with a tremendous ability to teach. But, he was tough on me. What I realize now is that he saw a talent and a potential in me that I did not even see in myself. He pushed me and helped me reach levels in my game and my life that I didn’t realize I could meet. He was and continues to be a teacher, a mentor, and a friend. I always count on him for a laugh and a hard time. I will always be grateful to Tom for his constant support of me and my family. I’m looking forward to watching him give my two sons lessons in the near future.”
Gary’s father, Gary Barton Sr., had this to say about Tom Patri:
“Our family has known Tom Patri since our son, Gary Jr., made his first serious commitment to golf as a high school student. Despite the hard work of his first trainer/pro, Gary quickly outgrew him. In finding Tom, our family now looks back and counts it as an important day in the development of our son’s understanding and love of the game, his ability as an athlete, but also as among those turning points in Gary’s growth and maturity. One thing that we quickly realized about Tom Patri is that one of the key factors in becoming an accomplished golfer is keeping it in perspective: Remembering that, while it is all about golf – it isn’t only about golf. That is, it is important for the young golfer to develop discipline, enthusiasm and commitment in all areas of his or her life in order to succeed at golf, and at Life. When we realized this, we knew that Tom would be the one who could help lead our son to the next level as a golfer. Our respect and admiration for Tom’s ability as a trainer and pro, which was reflected in our son’s performance in tournaments and in practice sessions, required a commitment from our family as well, as it took us off of Staten Island, north to Westchester and later south to Florida. Tom’s efforts not only helped to nurture our son’s love of the game, and his success as a high school athlete and College golfer, my son received a college scholarship at a Division 1 College , the College of William and Mary, but also contributed along the way, through Tom’s counsel and encouragement, to Gary’s academic success and his development of a strong personal commitment to achieve in all areas of his life. Recognizing the above, we know that Tom has undoubtedly nurtured, developed and encouraged hundreds of young golfers over the years. Based on our family’s experience, clearly Tom Patri has made not only a major contribution to golf, but also to society.”
