Introducing Thoughts From Coach Brendon

The start of what hopefully becomes a regularly occurring post across my social channels and on my blog. "Thoughts From Coach Brendon" will share my feelings on a variety of topics, primary in the golf space, but who knows what else? We will just have to wait and see...

4 Ways to Help Your Child Love Golf in 2022 and Beyond

Golf has grown by leaps and bounds over the last 3 years. With that said, there are still millions of people, and kids especially, that are interested in playing but have yet to do so. Here are some tips to get your kids interested in golf in 2022 and beyond...

Operation 36: Helping Beginners Find a Love for the Game for Life

Over the years, there have been a multitude of approaches that golf instructors and coaches have taken to teach the game to those looking to learn it or improve at it. One approach that has become widely accepted, adopted, and admired over the last few years is the Operation 36 model.

Get Inspired by Your Putting

The putting green is a place that can cause frustration and disappointment for some but by following these tips, it can become a place that brings inspiration. Good putting is almost always the catalyst for a low round. Hitting greens is important for sure, but you have to make the putts in order to make the birdies.

LIV -vs- PGA TOUR…A Timeout to Discuss the State of Golf

You can’t avoid the elephant in the room for very long. My hope in doing content for eSouthernGolf.com was to talk about the world of golf and avoid what has dominated the headlines for months. I had hoped to discuss everything but LIV and the battle that has ensued with the rest of professional golf. Today, I will share some of my thoughts and hopefully return to business-as-usual next week.

One Thing the Average Golfer Can Take Away from Maja Stark’s Incredible Sunday

It is important to strive to hit the ball better, and with that, hit more greens in regulation. However, the reality is that the vast majority of golfers will never have enough time carved out of their busy schedules to put in the practice necessary to reach the levels they wish to achieve. So don't get frustrated with your game. Perspective is everything, especially when time is limited for most of us to improve our individual play.

Pathways for Elite Young Golfers

In this post, I share my thoughts on what parents of young intermediate players can do to help their kids reach the next level. My thoughts come from a project I worked on for PGA.com in the fall of 2021. I shared an eight-part series called a “Parents Guide,” where I came up with some guidelines through my study of the American Development Model and the PGA.Coach playbook.

The Winter Park 9: A Unique Game-Changing Golf Facility

One of the main players in the resurrection of Winter Park was designer Keith Rhebb. I recently caught up with Keith to chat about the work he did at Winter Park in 2016 as well as get his thoughts on the importance of courses like the Winter Park 9.

Do your Research When Searching for a Coach…

Finding the right coach for your young golfer can be a daunting task. With that said, you still must do your research in looking for the right coach. In this post, I lay out some tips for finding the perfect coach for your young golfer.

Learning from the 2022 Girls Junior PGA Champion: Kaitlyn Schroeder

After an interview prior to the event, I reconnected with the 2022 Girls Junior PGA Champion, Kaitlyn Schroeder, after her Major Victory. In this follow up we discuss her experience at Cog Hill, reflections on her summer of golf, her long-term goals and more.

Ashleigh Buhai Highlights the Keys to Putting in Windy Conditions

External factors, such as wind, can influence the ball on the putting green. Not only do you need to consider the effect the wind will have on the direction of the ball as you putt, but also the effect on speed when you putt.

Kaitlyn Schroeder Ready to Compete at the Junior PGA Championship

This week, Cog Hill Golf & Country Club in Palos Park, Illinois will host the Junior PGA Championship. I had the opportunity to chat with one of this year’s players to watch , Kaitlyn Schroeder, from Jacksonville, Florida. Kaitlyn is currently ranked 7th in the Rolex AJGA Rankings. In June, Kaitlyn won the Rolex Girls Junior Championship, and earlier this month, she tied for 17th at the 73rd U.S. Girls' Junior.

Summer Swing: The Best of Public Golf in Michigan

There are many great spots across the country to tee it up in the summer. With average morning lows in the lower 60’s and daytime highs in the low to mid 80’s, Michigan may be one of the better places to play with summer in full swing. You also have plenty of time to play in with daylight lasting in Michigan anywhere between 14-15 hours a day. The Great Lake State boasts over 650 public access golf courses. Included are some of the best courses in the country.

Moving Day at the Amundi Evian Championship: Keep Trusting in the Good

Golf is a game of streaks, both good and bad. Anyone that has played the game, for any length of time, understands this to be true. Sometimes, after a streak of really good play, golfers start to look for the other shoe to drop and the good to come to a screeching halt. It’s in our nature as humans to almost feel as though good things can’t last forever, and with that pattern of thinking, we almost conjure up the bad to sneak in.

The Impact of PGA HOPE

PGA HOPE is the flagship military program of PGA REACH. The charitable foundation of the PGA of America, PGA REACH, has a mission to positively impact the lives of youth, military, and diverse populations by enabling access to PGA Professionals, PGA Sections, and the game of golf. The mission of PGA HOPE is to introduce golf to Veterans and Active Duty Military in order to enhance their physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being.

A Lifelong Journey in the Game: Brendon Elliott, PGA

I have been blessed to have made a career in the game, and to have reached my goal of becoming a PGA Member many years ago. To be able to pass this on to others, that may have an interest in doing the same, has not only been fulfilling but something that I feel obligated to do… both for those that may want to pursue it, and for the industry itself as well.

Catching Up With the KPMG Women’s PGA Champion

In the lead up to the next women’s Major Championship of 2022, the Amuni Evian Championship, I had the opportunity to catch up with the 2022 KPMG Women's PGA Champion In Gee Chun following her victory at Congressional Country Club in Maryland.

A Look at America’s Oldest Golf Courses

The more you research the topic “oldest golf courses” in America, the more you’ll find several claims of who holds the crown as oldest course where golf is still being played today. Rather than give you a list, in an order that eventually crowns one course as the “oldest” in America, that you can still play today, here’s a glimpse, in no particular order, of America’s oldest courses where golf is still played today…

How The Old Course Influenced American Golf in Foxburg, PA.

Less widely known in the annals of American golf history is that of Foxburg Country Club in Foxburg, PA. This nine-hole gem stakes the claim as being the oldest golf course in continuous use in the United States. The club was established in 1887 and is still in use today, some 135 years after the first shots were struck from its first tee box.

Getting Through Rough Patches in Your Game

We all go through moments where we doubt ourselves and our game, even the pros. The week prior to the 2022 KPMG Women's PGA Championship, In Gee Chun seemed to have had some doubt about her game. As it was reported after her win, In Gee had one of those chats with her sister, that chat that many golfers often have, where the purpose of their playing came into question. It came down to asking herself what she really wanted out of her golf experience.

Maintaining Momentum in Your Game

Is there a trick to riding momentum when you are in the early stages of gaining it? Or what about a way to break out of a downwards trajectory and nerves start to creep into our game? In either case, what is happening is something that is generally outside of our norm and can happen during a single round or even a stretch of days or weeks…both for the good and the bad. I have had many students over the years go through both great runs and bad ones.

Preparing to Play a New Course

Last week at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, many of the competitors tackled Congressional Country Club’s Blue Course for the first time. What are some of the things you need to do to prepare the next time you head to a course for the very first time?

Who to Watch this Week at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship

Excitement is in the air at Congressional. The stars of the LPGA Tour, as well as the PGA/LPGA Professionals in the field this week at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship are feeling the buzz for the season’s third major. Not only is there anticipation about teeing it up at storied Congressional for the very first time, but there is also the sense that it’s a wide-open field, with countless players that can win.

Devereux Emmet: American Golf Course Architect and Pioneer

Devereux Emmet is the original designer of Congressional Country Club’s Blue Course, host of this week’s KPMG Women's PGA Championship. Emmet was a pioneering American golf course architect and is credited with designing as many as 150 courses worldwide.