Golf Needs To Promote Shorter Formats Like T20: Leadbetter

Legendary instructor David Leadbetter made a historic visit to Pune in early January to inaugurate the first-ever Leadbetter Golf Academy at the Oxford Golf Resort and to kick off the inaugural round of the Mercedes Trophy being played there. In a freewheeling chat with Golf Digest India, the veteran coach shared his unique authoritative perspective with us.

- David Leadbetter

Indians seem to have a natural talent for ball sports because of all the cricket and hockey that is played here – I see more coordination in the kids and other golfers here than in other countries especially say mainland Europe. So Indians should take naturally to golf. With so many young cricketers who have played competitively but not really succeeded at the national level you could tap into that pool of young cricketers to take up golf considering how much money they see in the sport.

Pro golfers often come from other sports – like Jack Nicklaus – the greatest player in history, actually went to Ohio State University on a basketball scholarship. Other sports teach hand eye coordination, balance and rhythm which can then be translated to golf. That’s why so many great cricketers are also great hitters of the golf ball – your own Kapil Dev is a great example of this.

I love spicy Indian food and cricket so you can expect me back in India again!

We have an excellent “Train the teachers” program at Leadbetter Golf Academy which we will be happy to bring to Indian golf instructors.

My new “A Swing” book is meant to simplify learning golf. Any teacher or new student who follows the “A Swing” will find it a quicker way to get hitting a golf ball fairly well without all the technical complications usually thrust on beginners. We need to simplify the golf swing for the average golfer and not make it more technical and complicated.