A Conversation with Mike Passmore, PGA Professional and Founder of Simply Great Golf -
How did you develop Simply Great Golf?
Early
on in my career as a PGA professional I had some signs that I had a
gift for teaching golf so I considered changing my pursuit from a club
professional career to a teaching professional career. I decided to
conduct a teaching study so I contacted several golf professionals and
asked to watch them conduct lessons. I found that there were about as
many concepts for the "proper" grip, stance, back-swing, etcetera and
as many different techniques for instructing as there were instructors.

I've always had the trait of being innovative and
that study revealed that there was a great opportunity to develop the
simplest, most effective concepts for learning and playing the game of
golf and my Simply Great Golf Approach was born.
I know you feel that you have something very unique and special with your Simply Great Golf Approach. Would you elaborate?
There
is never a day that I don't enjoy teaching. I know that I am going to
be able to help every student improve and that makes teaching fun and
exciting. My SGG approach has become so refined that our students
regularly comment about how much they enjoy their lessons because of
the simplicity and the positive feelings they have about their ability
to improve their games.
Click Here to request more information about lessons or call (800) 522-8690 or (843) 272-5521 today.
Are all of your students instructed to learn the same fundamentals?
No.
We treat every student as an individual even though they may be in a
group lesson. Each student has his or her unique characteristics such
as learning style, physique and physical strength. Therefore, there are
preferences within the SGG model of fundamental techniques and
teaching-coaching styles that are matched to each individual student to
insure the best results.
How did you find the best techniques and instruction for grip, stance, back-swing and etcetera? 
Finding
the best fundamental techniques and teaching-coaching styles for a wide
range of golfers is an on-going learning process. I study the
fundamental techniques used by the world's best golfers and I regularly
attend and teach PGA seminars to learn from my fellow golf
professionals.
Twenty-two years ago I made a commitment to
continually research and experiment to find the simplest, most
effective concepts for learning and playing the game of golf. Just as
the generations of top golfers and top teachers have become better by
continually researching and experimenting, I can honestly say that I
have become a better teacher each successive year and my Simply Great Golf approach has become more refined.
How would you summarize the fundamentals of a Simply Great Golf Swing?
Very
simply, there is a Pre-Shot Routine that must be consistent to promote
the SGG Swing. This routine consists partly of G.A.S.P. - Grip, Aim,
Stance and Posture and Key Swing Trigger Thoughts to promote the most
effective swinging motion.
In general, there are 2 Main Swing Parts to learn
and coordinate for a pitching to full swing - the Arm Swing-Body
Rotation and the Hinging Action, and just the Arm Swing-Body Rotation
for chipping and putting.
Click Here to request more information about lessons or call (800) 522-8690 or (843) 272-5521 today.
Which SGG instruction program do you recommend for beginners, intermediates and low handicappers or top tournament players?
All
of our programs are designed to be beneficial for golfers of all skill
levels. My experience shows that our Group Programs - Schools,
Semi-Private and Clinics, can mix beginners to advanced tournament
players together and all receive great benefits. We do offer Specific
Schools for "Ladies Only" and "Tournament Players" and "High School and
College players".
In terms of our best value-best investment program,
our 3-Day School is tops. Our 2-Day and 1-Day Schools are not far
behind. Our Semi-Private Lessons (form your group of 2 or more people)
would be next in line followed by Private Lessons a
nd Clinics.
You are so confident in your SGG Approach to
helping every golfer play their best that you advertise your lessons as
"the best investment a golfer can make in their game - guaranteed". Do
you ever have students that just can't improve?
I can honestly
say that I have not had a student that could not improve. As you know,
golf is a game of persistence to make your good shots more consistently
and make your poor shots less penalizing. The SGG approach has become
so refined that our students have confidence that they can improve as
they practice their SGG Instruction Principles and follow their SGG
"Golf Time" Management Plan.
What's the difference between your Simply Great Golf Academy and some of the other top academies?
We
offer the best value - we are much less expensive than the other
top-rated academies and I am confident that the SGG Approach is the
best because I have proven that we can provide every student with the
ability to play their best golf with simplicity. I am often told by my
students that have attended other top-rated academies and worked with
other top instructors that I have the best concepts and teaching style
they have ever experienced. They also mention how our instruction is so
simple and sensible while others make it too complex.
Click Here to request more information about lessons or call (800) 522-8690 or (843) 272-5521 today.
You mentioned how excited you are to be teaching
golf at Possum Trot because of great facilities, location and weather.
When and how did you arrive at Possum Trot?
I began in March
2007. The Glens Golf Group conducted a national search through the PGA
of America with the goal of hiring a teaching professional and academy
director that could make their long-time golf academy the best in
Myrtle Beach and one of the top academies in the country. At that time,
I was searching to relocate from the north to a southern U.S. climate
more conducive to year-round outdoor lessons. My other goal was to find
the ideal facilities for conducting lessons, which I found at Possum
Trot. A bonus was that I landed near the beach in the golf and
vacation capital of the world.
You have received the PGA Teacher of the Year
award in three different PGA Sections and achieved a ranking of Top 6
PGA Instructor in the U.S. What was the process for achieving these
awards?
I was nominated for PGA Section Awards by one of my
peers for each Section award. I then had to meet the award criteria to
be considered a nominee. The nominees are then voted on by the PGA
Section Board of Directors. I became ranked as a 2006 Top 6 PGA Teacher
in the U.S. when I was nominated by the Indiana Section PGA for the
National PGA Teacher of the Year Award and became one of the six
finalists from fifty nominees.
I have heard a number of people say that they
fear taking lessons because they have heard that they will get worse
before they play better. Is this true?
While our approach is
designed to help our students improve quickly, our approach is also
designed for forward progress. We don't believe it is necessary to take
two steps back to go forward.
By following our "Homework Practice Plan", our
students will only make forward progress. We understand that habits
need to be broken and developed over time. A common approach of trying
to force changes is when students get worse - forced changes put you in
"no man's land".
Click Here to request more information about lessons or call (800) 522-8690 or (843) 272-5521 today.