It took no more than 30 seconds for one of my old clients to text me back when I curiously asked if he would like to start training again after my maternity leave – it felt like the compliment of a life time!
So yes, my maternity leave is over and I have slowly sneaked back into the working world – and now it’s time to make it official!

Time flies when you’re having fun (and changing nappies!), but as always the fundamentals stay the same, no matter if it’s about your golf, fitness or work: plan, work hard and smart. Enjoy the journey taking the bumps, twists and turns along the road as a valuable lessons. Best of all – enjoy your daily / weekly / mini / midi – whatever name tag you would like to give – development goals, as they will play a major role in your BIG goals one day turning into reality!

So what happens when you have made up your mind about what you actually want to achieve with your golf? Winning your first tournament/Major/Club Championships/Monthly medal or lowering your HCP – it doesn’t matter what your goal might be – the question is: How do you REALLY turn that dream into reality? Perhaps you have jotted a line or two into your newly bought journal of “your best future golfing version/ invincible birdie machine /multiple winner on the World Tour (or at your local golf club, just in case if that feels more achievable)” goals? Maybe you’ve also spent a minute or two thinking of a realistic time frame, energy output, investment and last but not least commitment level what your golfing goal actually involves? Are you actually happy – truly happy that “YES!!!” this is it what I really want to do… then, and only then… it’s time for action: getting your team just like the big girls and boys on tour.

Now I can feel there are few of you who are giggling when you read this, but believe me – it’s absolutely true – you will be a thousand times better off if you do go and get your very own team around you!
It’s up to you how big or small a team you will have. You don’t have to go and rob the bank and employ an army full of physios, short game specialists, putting gurus, swing coaches, fitness, mental (and divorce) specialists all at the same time.  You can start small and build it up. See what works and what you really need to help you to achieve your goals. By all means, if you are happy with your local golf pro, go and talk to her/him about your goals and what you would like to improve with your game – and please, please, please – don’t feel embarrassed to talk about your dream to them when you see them – the clearer you are on what you would like to achieve, the better they can help you. Even if you just started the game of golf.
Good coaches looooove people who have clear goals, are motivated and want to get better. It’s also much more rewarding for them too to work with people who actually know clearly where they want to go and exactly what they want to achieve, rather than those that give the lame answer “I don’t know, I just want to keep up with everyone on Sunday morning match”.

Over the cold Finnish winter months I used to base myself and practise with Chuck Cook in Austin, Texas. Chuck used to travel on PGA-Tour coaching numerous tour players including multiple major winners Tom Kite and Payne Stuart.  I clearly remember one day at the golf academy before heading into my practise, everyone was buzzing and the whole energy was somehow different than the usual. I was curious to know what was going on. One of the coaches told that there was a lady in her 50’s going to have a lesson with Chuck. She was complete beginner and had never even held a golf club in her hands before! Everyone was trying to figure out if they could secretly join to see her lesson, as they were so curious and almost jealous of her courage to start her golfing career with one of the best coaches in the USA. So be creative when you think about your options for your very own team.

Also keep in mind it sometimes can take time to find right people around you. If you have been going to see your local pro past few years (or decades) and she or he don’t seem to pick up your new found motivation or somehow just feels that it’s time for something new – go for it! Sometimes new person in your team can bring the much needed little extra!

Best of luck with planning and finding your own dream team!

Riikka