Hi, this is Rich Troyer from Middlebury, Indiana, and I play golf at Sovereux Country Club in Three Rivers, Michigan.

This is Golf Smarter Number 478, published on March 3, 2015.

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For me, it was kind of hit and miss. It was elusive. You know, I developed an attitude that if I wasn't going to be a great striker of the ball, then maybe I'll be a great putter and have a great bunker game and pitching game and have a good attitude. You know, I had to develop my ball striking skill over time, and I've always been a good player, and I think that most golfers would look at my ball striking and say hey it's pretty darn good but there's a difference

between the way fred time and I've always been a good player and I think that most golfers would look at my ball striking and say hey it's pretty dark good

But there's a difference between the way Fred Couples hits it and the way Bubba Watson hits it and then the way that I hit it in high school

You know what I mean? There's just a difference so you start searching for hey how do you do that what do I need to change to be like that

I think that's for me where the spark came in coaching, is being able to take in some knowledge, to apply it, to learn, to make a difference not only for myself, but to make a difference for the people at the club. I gave my first lesson when I was 16. You know, they played off with the members. You're better than they are, and they say, oh, hey, can you help me with this? And I just kind of made it a challenge to deliver a result. So I would say that my attitude towards the game splintered into more of a coaching path versus a playing path at a very, very young age. And there was a multitude of factors associated with that. But one was struggling with my own game, being a little bit undersized and falling behind the curve. and the other was hitting balls next to a guy like Jim Furik every day and just seeing someone

that was clearly better than you were.

The Joy of Pudding.

Yeah, right.

With Jeff Ritter.

This is Golf Smarter.

Welcome back to the Golf Smarter podcast, Jeff. Fred, it's so good to be back, my friend. Oh, it is so great to have you back. Man, I went through the list. This is the 12th appearance on the Golf Smarter podcast for you. Is it really? Yeah, you've been showing up here, beating down my door. No, it's the other way around. I've been beating down your door to bring you back ever since, like, late 2010. Wow. Yeah. That's awesome. Yeah. I've always had such a great time talking to you. Thank you. I'm connecting with your listeners. and we've had some big life changes the last couple of years.

And it was great to get your email and get that invitation to be back on the show.

Oh, thank you.

Well, it's great to have you on because I feel like I get to brush up against greatness as close as I'm going to get.

Stop.

Your brand is spectacular and just continues to grow.

So let's just get started.

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