Hey, Team Titleist!
The PGA Championship is here. Like all majors, this is a week to marvel at the world's finest players as they compete under the most demanding of conditions and the most intense pressure imaginable. But this championship is unique in that we also take time to celebrate the individuals who have helped so many of these players on their journeys – PGA teachers and professionals.
On tour, no player does it alone. It takes a full support team to help a player compete and succeed and central among those professionals is the coach. For most players, a PGA professional has guided their development since they were children, nurturing their natural talent and empowering them to make their dreams come true.
As the tv cameras scan the practice range at Southern Hills, you'll see many of these PGA coaches working side by side with players as they make their final preparations. Have you ever wondered what they discuss in these situations? How they approach the challenge of a major?
If you'd like to know exactly what goes on, we had a chance to witness it first-hand, joining two prominent PGA professionals – Titleist staff members Mark Blackburn and Mike Thomas – during recent practice sessions with their star players, Max Homa and Justin Thomas. Click the links below to step inside the ropes and learn how coaches and tour players "dig it out of the dirt" and chase major titles.
Mark Blackburn and Max Homa: Inside the Coach/Player Partnership
Mike and Justin Thomas: Coach/Player, Father/Son
And this week, please join us in recognizing and thanking the dedicated PGA professionals who cure our slices, organize our own “major” tournaments, and who make the game better for us all.