Wonder Down Under

Golf Pro Coach turns "average" teenage player into professional tournament champion
in Record Time !

When Amy Yang won the Australian Ladies Masters Golf Tournament at the Royal Pines Resort on Australia's Gold Coast in February 2006, she had many heads shaking.

Competing against many of the world's leading professional women golfers, she wasn't concerned by her amateur status, lack of professional tournament experience, or the fact that she was one of the youngest players in the competition.

What's more remarkable is that Amy Yang is a 16 year old Korean girl who speaks limited English and golf coach Lawrie Montague is an Aussie who speaks no Korean.

When Yang arrived at the Australian High Performance Golf Academy just over twelve months ago, she could play golf, but not exceptionally well.

Yang started playing at ten years old, following a daily routine of driving-range practice. She lacked any chipping and putting skills.

Her father James, brought her to Australia, convinced she had the makings of a champion golfer. When she was first recommended to his academy, Montague figured her handicap was around three to five

Yang's limited English was not a concern for Montague, since he has developed a unique training method using a number of simple but extremely effective golf training aids to help his students.

"The language of golf is international", says Montague, who regularly conducts workshops and training programs for visitors and students from Japan, Korea, China and other Asian countries, as well as catering for the local Australian market.

Montague, Director of the Australian High Performance Golf Academy promotes his golf school with the slogan "Lower Golf Scores in record time!" After his experience with young Amy Yang, who can argue with that statement?

Like everyone, Montague is still amazed with her performance. "To borrow the Bobby Jones line about Jack Nicklaus, Amy plays a game we are not familiar with," he said.

"When she first arrived at the academy, her upright, rhythmical swing, and lack of a meticulous short game made it difficult for her to shoot low rounds consistently." As with all his students, Montague developed a training program specifically to work on her strengths and weaknesses. For her part, Yang was strict in her discipline.

Two hours' practice every morning from 5.30, before heading off to her year 11 classes at Robina State High School. After school she returns to the golf course. When it is dark, she moves across to the driving range under lights. Every Saturday morning, her week's work is reviewed for 90 minutes.

Montague runs seminars and training programs in the corporate world, through his "Mind on the Game" Company, and understands that golf is a mental game as much as a physical game.

So after holding the lead throughout most of the tournament, Yang set out on what turned out to be the greatest day of her life with straightforward instructions from her coach, Laurie Montague. "Keep it simple, simple thoughts, play the shots you know you can play. No fear."

The Australian High Performance Golf Academy runs courses throughout the year. For more information about their unique training techniques and training aids visit their website at http://www.golf-school-australia.com/