As I build a resume that will be the foundation of a successful career in golf, I am proud of my early achievements in the game. As an LSU grad and former LPGA Epson Tour player, I am proud to be TPI-certified, as well as certified for PGA HOPE and U.S. Kids Golf. These three accreditations alone prove how diverse my coaching is, as I am promoting the game among veterans, juniors and golfers who not only want to improve their golf games, but their general health and wellness too.
Now in my third year as a PGA of America Assistant Professional at Aronimink Golf Club, where we will host the PGA Championship next year, I have facilitated about 25 different programs during my few years as a PGA of America Golf Professional. They range from Beginner 101 classes to advanced golf schools. Some of my favorite clinics focus on a well-rounded approach to golf – mental strength, TPI assessments, Yoga for Golf, Breakfast Club (morning golf clinics followed by mimosas), Operation 36, group-specific clinics and Sharp Shooters for short game work.
Focusing on the fitness and warm-up aspects of my coaching for this piece, I have implemented yoga classes during the winter months in our performance center and am YT-200-certified in the discipline, which covers yoga philosophy, anatomy and physiology, postures, meditation, breathing techniques, teaching methodology and even the ethics and business of yoga. It was great to incorporate yoga within our membership programming, and it has been a big hit at the club. I also taught yoga at a studio in Naples, Florida, as well as to the members at the Quarry Golf Club. With some current renovations and a new fitness facility being built at Aronimink, the goal is to incorporate yoga and other golf performance topics into our golf coaching and fitness team’s training with some more structured golf-related fitness classes for the members.
On the lesson tee, I start every clinic with a brief warm-up that goes from the feet to the top of the head. I help everyone get through it comfortably and in a non-intimidating manner. Some members start to roll their eyes after years of simply walking to the tee and swinging away, but the more I emphasize the importance of these actions, the more they realize they should not neglect them. It’s literally a couple of minutes, and the benefits are so much greater. We’ve taken great strides to prevent injuries and continue to set our members up for success on the golf course. I can only hope my influence has carried over to their private practice sessions, as well.
With another one of our assistant professionals also being TPI-certified, we’ve done various summer power schools and several six-week winter speed training sessions with TPI assessments built in. It’s a great bonus for our members that we are trained to provide this holistic approach to game improvement and health and wellness. Whether they can’t externally rotate their shoulder or create a good backswing, we can go beyond the golf to the true source of the problem - their body’s limitations - and actually do something proactive to remedy the situation. People want to hit the driver farther, so we help them achieve that goal, among many others. With a proper warm-up and even a proper cool-down routine, our members are well on their way to better golf and a healthier outlook on the game.
Tessa Teachman, the 2024 Philadelphia PGA Section Player Development Award winner, is a PGA of America Assistant Golf Professional at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.