OB SPORTS GOLF & LEISURE
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SPRING 2014
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obsports.com
"Someone can play a
round of golf and four-putt
every hole, but if they've hit
the ball solid most of the
time, they're still going
to feel good inside be-
cause they had a good
time," said Chuck, 45,
a PGA professional who
operates the Tour Striker
Golf Academy at Raven Golf
Club, Phoenix. "When you
hit the ball solid and it goes
toward your target, that's
the most fulfilling thing
about playing the game."
But it isn't easy. That's
why the central tenet in
Chuck's philosophy in teach-
ing those new to the game or
those who have slipped into
bad habits is the proper dy-
namics of hitting the ball
squarely on the sweet spot.
"The ball doesn't care how
the person is standing over
it, or how they look when
they swing," he said. "All
that matters is delivering the
club in the right way, that
combination of a downward
strike and forward shaft
lean. If someone does that
every time, they're going to
strike the ball well."
Chuck launched the Tour
Striker Golf Academy three
years ago. Before that, the
Toronto native worked as a
club professional and direc-
tor of golf for 16 years. He
picked up the game at 7, was
teaching as early as 16 and
played three years on the
Canadian and Nationwide
tours after four years at New
Mexico State University.
His last four years in
management came at
fi
l
INSTRUCTION
M
artin Chuck has taught golf for 27
years. In that time, he has worked
with golfers ranging from touring
professionals to people who have
never picked up a club. And if there's one thing he's
learned in that time, it's that if you don't strike the
ball well, you're not going to stick with the game.
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ON THE TOUR
STRIKER GOLF
ACADEMY
Inventor and PGA teaching
professional Martin Chuck.
SOLID ADVICE
n the key to shotmaking lies in making square contact BY Joel BeerS
