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Mike Duda
USGTF Level I Member, Newtown, Pennsylvania
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Life experiences are the best teacher, and I have been very fortunate,
because I have had two great careers. School psychologist was my first
title for 25 years, and then the second career came about five years ago
as a result of my certification with the USGTF.
Initially, my interest in golf came about because of my son Mike, a
natural athlete. He and his friends had discovered playing golf, and local
courses weren’t ready to let young kids play on their greens, but these
kids wanted to learn more and practice. My wife and I, along with the
kids, built our own makeshift “golf course” practice area in our backyard.
We bought indoor-outdoor carpet for putting, dug and built a small sand
trap, and the kids practiced driving balls into the woods for hours.
“If you build it, they will come”... and, as a result, we had tons of
kids playing the “Tour” on our half-acre lot. Soon, my wife and I found
ourselves carting the boys to local, state, and national tournaments. Mike
became varsity captain, MVP for his high school, and medaled in a variety
of county and state tournaments. One of his friends, Mark Miller, also a
medalist, continued to improve his game and won the 2007 Philadelphia
Open, and this past year won on the Metropolitan Insurance Tour. Both
of these great guys have been an integral part of my summer and afterschool
programs.
My interest became accelerated along with theirs, to the point that
I wanted to teach golf to other children. I needed a foundation for my
skills, which I found in the USGTF. Completing the course gave me the
confidence and backup that I would need to take my venture to the next
step – my own golf business.
I remember standing in the pouring rain with my USGTF instructor
John Savage and having the best time of my life. Today, I am president
and CEO of Go Golf LLC (www. dudasgogolf.com), a junior golf program,
for kids three years old and up. Over these past five years, I have also
been a high school coach and site manager for the Women’s Ivy League
Tournament. With Go Golf, I have been able to infuse my knowledge as
a school psychologist, and apply that psychology to teaching the mental
readiness that is so important to learning the lifetime sport of golf.
Junior golf’s primary objective should be fostering enjoyment and
the gradual improvement of fundamental golf skills, with no tests and no
pressure. Giving boys and girls the confidence to go out and play golf,
and actually enjoy the process, has been the never-ending benefit.
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