GARY WIREN

By Adam Kluger

r. Gary Wiren is a PGA Master Professional who was the Director of Education, Learning, and Research for the PGA of America between 1972 and 1985. During that time he produced the entitled "Laws, Principles, and Preferences" of the golf swing. He is the founder of four golf schools and is now the senior director of instruction for Trump Golf Properties. Wiren is a member of both the PGA Hall of Fame and the World Golf Teachers' Hall of Fame. As an author, he has written fourteen golf books including The PGA Teaching Manual, at 619 pages, which is the most comprehensive text on golf instruction in history. It is estimated that over his career he has taught more than a quarter-million students in 30 countries. As one of the world's leading golf experts, Wiren has written more than 300 articles for magazines and other periodicals. Learning about his teaching and writing skills, he was asked the following questions.

What’s the Biggest Challenge in Teaching Golf?

The biggest challenge is to get a clear understanding as to why the pupil plays or wants to play golf, and then work out a program that will direct them toward success. That will include the amount of time and effort they are willing to contribute toward their goal.

Why do you think so many U.S. Presidents love golf?

First of all, with the presidency being such an extremely stressful job the chance to get out on peaceful lawns to engage in an activity that is not too mentally taxing can be therapeutic. It can help one temporarily forget all the demands that come with the position. And since it is an activity that is easy for the Secret Service to handle, they like it too.

Have you played golf with former President Trump?

Yes, most of it was a few years ago. In my estimation, he is the best golfing president we have ever had. I definitely mean that. He loves to compete and returns scores that would be pleasing to a low single-handicap golfer…such as a two or three-handicapper. At his age, he is still playing quite well while using a rotary swing which produces some long drives. Of course, he has some bad days as we all do but his name is up on several championship plaques that line the hallway at the beautiful but tough Trump International Golf Club. He is a very good putter and loves the game.

Who are some of your favorite professional golfers?

As a golf historian, I could go far back and note some great champion golfers, who were also great people Throughout history they seem to have occurred in groups of three, known as a triumvirate. For example, Vardon, Braid, and Taylor; Jones, Sarazen, and Hagen; Snead, Hogan, and Nelson; and the last with which you are more familiar-- Palmer, Player, and Nicklaus. Thinking about your readers I feel they would like to hear more about champions who are familiar to them. “Arnie” brought life back to the game of golf with not only his game but his manner. He may have signed more golf items than anyone in history and always with clear penmanship, not a scribble, so you were darned sure who signed it. Gary Player gave hope to the smaller golfer by producing “Tour level” length that was a result of his great commitment to daily fitness training. But when you say “Jack” when discussing golf there is only one Jack who won more majors than anyone in history— eighteen--and that of course is Jack Nicklaus. He also had an amazing 19 runner-up finishes in the majors. Just imagine that! In addition to his golf prowess Jack and his wife Barbara may have contributed more to charity fundraising efforts for children in need of hospital care than any athlete in history. These three men have made it a privilege for me to be involved in the game of golf.

We at Metropolitan Palm Beach Magazine were very honored that Jack and Barbara Nicklaus appeared on a previous cover. When you play golf with a legend do you teach them or do they teach you?

Frankly, I don’t play golf with a lot of legends. Yes, I have played with Arnie, Gary, Byron Nelson, Sam Snead, and others that are not part of the “Great Triumvirates,” but the play was always just for each other’s enjoyment. There was an occasion, however, when teeing it up with a PGA Golf Hall of Famer and long drive champion, Melvin “Chick” Harbert, that I was offered some advice. It was a tip for playing in the wind. The two of us were at Jupiter Hills CC in Jupiter, FL, on a very windy day. We had reached the 17th tee where there was a bit of a wait with a foursome ahead of us. “Chick,” said, “Would you like a tip for hitting a drive on a windy day?” I certainly wouldn’t pass up on a tip from a “Hall of Famer” so said, “Yes, of course.” He took his stance and with his driver aiming in one direction said, “When playing into the wind just get comfortable and try to make your very best swing.” Then he reversed his direction and taking his stance said “Now, when you are playing downwind, just get comfortable and try to make your very best swing.” So you see, you can pick up some really solid fundamentals from great players even without asking.

Are there some key tips you would like to share with our readers that could help improve their game?

A tip I share with my students that helps a lot of them once they understand and employ it is this: “YOUR JOB IS NOT WHAT YOU THINK IT IS.” You think that as a golfer your job is to hit the ball. That’s not your job! That is the club’s job. Your job is to SWING IT! Let the club hit the ball. I try to teach a “swinging hit” not a

“hitting swing.” I want speed. A “hitting” action tends to produce tension which kills speed and also introduces poor direction. But making a “swinging hit”, with less tension, produces speed that isn’t ruining your direction the way tension does. Practice making a “whoosh,” feeling almost as though you are going to throw the club with the left arm while using rotary speed from the hips to help produce velocity. With the back of the left hand flat the right hand is still slightly cocked and can now be released and rotated without losing speed prior to striking the ball. Think THROUGH THE BALL, NOT TO THE BALL. I speak from experience on this one as at age 47 I won the South Florida Long Drive Championship with a “smash” of 381 yds.1 ft. against a field of 51 other contestants. What added some shock to those who discovered it is that my drive won by 50 yds. over the second place of 330 yds. and I did it with a wooden-headed driver! (That was forty years ago before metal heads appeared.)

Mine was the first shot of the event, so before I swung I said to myself, “Don’t try to hit it too hard. Just make your BEST SWING.”

How important is it to have a good routine?

Speaking of “having a good routine” as just a tip is totally disrespecting its value. A routine is highly important in producing consistency which is one of golf’s great challenges. Developing a pre-shot routine is not a tip--it is a necessity for producing a higher number of good shots. Basically, the routine is composed of what to do and in what order to do it. Here is my pre-shot routine for a full swing. 1. Stand behind the ball to establish the line on which you want the ball to travel to be successful. In my mind, I then visually draw on the ground an easy-to-see orange line from the target to my ball. 2. After that I get into my address position and set my grip for the type of shot I want. 3. Then address the ball to locate the proper distance away, and while doing so I set my shoulders parallel to the line on which I am going to swing. Next, I cock my wrists until the club is parallel to the ground with the toe of the club pointing up and my left wrist flat so the face is square. That is going to be my clubface position through the whole swing until after contact. I start my weight shift and the rotation of my hips as my arms drop with my right elbow almost touching my right hip (making the swing come from the inside). Finally, I have a visual target about one foot past the ball to help my speed through the ball and avoid releasing too early. You can place a tee or some other marker out there to focus on so that you will consistently hit through the ball, not to the ball.

Any visualization tips?

In one phrase I can summarize this skill: Picture good results. The body doesn’t lie for the brain. Let me give you the greatest example that I can think of. Question: Who has the most holes-in-one in golfing history?

Answer: Texas club professional Mancel Davis has had 51 in his career. WHAT? FIFTY-ONE! How is that possible when no player, major champion or not, is even close? Well, the answer is that Mancel used his own little trick, the only possible explanation for how it was accomplished. Every time he came to a par three hole he pictured the ball going into the cup. That is called positive visualization. But what one should understand is that this tip is useable for more than just holes-in-one. Here is an example of that. I was doing a junior clinic at the Country Club of Jackson in Mississippi several years ago. To finish off the event I was to go along with the head professional and an assistant to give a three-hole demonstration. The second hole of the demo was an attractive 157-yard par three, and I was to hit first. Selecting a #7 iron I described through my microphone what I pictured. “Ladies and Gentlemen and you great juniors here is a good opportunity to picture your shot being successful. Can you feel a little breeze blowing from the right? It tells me I am going to need to start my shot not at the flag but about five yards to the right and let the wind bring it in.” I then aimed where I said, made a confident swing, saw the ball start exactly where I had aimed, and then watched the wind push it toward the flagstick and right into the cup. It was a good way to make one’s point.

What about putting?

There is golf, and then there is putting. Of course that is part of the game but it is so different mechanically from what the game asks us to do when not on the green. How important is it? Well, the first golf pro ever to write a book on golf was Willie Park, Jr., of Scotland. He won THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP twice while his father won it four times. The title of Willie’s book was THE GAME OF GOLF, written in 1897. In that book is Willie’s quote, “The man who can putt is a match for anyone” (Of course that goes for women as well.). There certainly is no “one way to putt.” A player’s grip for example can be one of many very different choices. But the one element that tends to be universal (with few exceptions) is to keep the hands quiet. It is a stroke, not a hit.

We have finished the 18th hole and Gary invites you to his INSTAGRAM to enjoy a trip through history by a visit to his incredible golf collection which has been visited by his hometown Omaha friend Warren Buffett. Having played the game for 77 years Gary wants me to close this piece by having you recognize golf’s greatest gift-- FRIENDSHIP.