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Question & answers with Charley Hull's long-time coach Kevin Theobald (March 2007)
When did you first start teaching golf to Charley Hull?
I started giving Charley lessons at Kettering Golf Club when she was eight years of age.
What did you think about CH at the time?
Her determination and enjoyment of the game was evident. It became pretty apparent that she had tremendous powers of concentration, and for a youngster that is rare, because their minds tend to wander. They start off really keen but it is difficult for them to keep their focus. Charley could always focus and concentrate for a long period of time.
Did CH have golfing talent to match her focus?
The talent followed. She's always had a good golf swing, but it didn't necessarily follow that she would get better and better and better. If you have ten kids with equal abilities in any sport, there will normally be one who will take it just that extra bit further. In football it's the difference between a really good young footballer and a Michael Owen or a Wayne Rooney. That's what you get with Charley.
She knows what it takes to get good at golf and is willing to sacrifice a bit of time and effort to do that. She can also turn verbal instructions into the real thing. She has the feel for golf, and that's the difference between a quick learner and someone who takes a long while.
Is CH a good putter?
There is a small amount of technical detail in putting, but Charley's strengths are that she is good at looking around her. She takes things in, like the length of the grass, or the slopes. It sounds obvious, but there are a lot of golfers who think too much about what is required, instead of getting on with it naturally.
What would you say were CH's other strengths?
She also learns from her mistakes. In that respect, a lot of credit has to go to her dad, Dave, because he is very quick to remind her how important it is to respect the game of golf. He makes sure that she doesn't do stupid things on the course.
What type of swing have you developed with CH?
I have tried to build an aggressive attacking golf swing. I tried to make sure that her technique stands up when it's under pressure in tournaments. It's alright to think clearly and select the right club, but more importantly, to get the ball from A to B, you have to have a sound reliable technique. I have tried to give her a technique which is similar to Tiger Woods or Ernie Els' golf swing. If she was a footballer, she would be an attacking footballer. If she was a boxer, she would be an attacking boxer. You need a good solid technique, because it doesn't matter how hard you are trying, the ball doesn't necessarily go in the right place. You can get so defensive, that you forget to hit the ball.
Tiger Woods has been known to have back problems. Is that something you are aware of with regard to CH's swing?
Woods used to swing his hips through the ball so quickly that he sometimes left his head behind and could have hurt his back. But he's worked on that, and you couldn't find a fault in his game. He is the best on the planet. Charley enjoys whacking the golf ball. You don't want to restrict her playing that way, but at the same time make sure she swings the club in a safe way so she doesn't hurt herself.
How do you think you are going to help CT over the coming years?
If, and when, Charley goes over to America she will be teeing it up against some very good golfers. She has performed well in the past, but she is going to make mistakes, and will have to learn from them. That's the thing which separate champions from the rest - the ability to learn from mistakes. You can't just wrap Charley up in cotton wool. She needs to make her own mistakes and learn how to deal with them. I can help explain it to her, but I won't just tell her what to do. I have to let her work it out for herself. The last thing I want to do is get into a situation when a player is too reliant on a coach. It happened to Nick Faldo.
So how important will a caddie be?
Caddies are very important. She will eventually find someone who will work as a team with her. Someone will come along and be a great help to her.
Are you worried about CT switching coaches?
Anything that adds to Charley's improvement is great. She goes along to the England training and as long as they aren't giving her stupid instructions that's fine. Others have helped her along, it's a team effort. I'm not jealous. I don't have any illusions that Charley will stay at Kettering for her entire career. She will move on and will learn things herself, but she can always come back if things go wrong. Her swing doesn't need a great deal of improvement at this stage in her life. I can get Charley down to scratch, and that's what I'm keen to do. I wouldn't say that's my limit but I know I can do that, with any golfer.
Do you have any specific plans for the next few years for CT?
I understand why people have plans, and you have to have targets. But they can be inflexible because a golfer might progress quickly or slowly. Charley's plan is very simple - to get as good as she can possibly get.
What are CT's targets?
Charley wants to get down to scratch by the end of the year - before she reaches 12 years of age. That is a big ask, particularly because of her size. It's not impossible, but if she can get down to five this year she will have done very well. And perhaps make it to scratch by the following year.
When are the important years for CT?
The important years will be when Charley is 15, 16, 17 and 18 because she has to do it then. She will be getting physically stronger during that time. It's not easy for a player to make it onto the tour after the age of 20, so her late teens could be vital.
What will CT be learning up to the age of 15?
Charley is one of the best golfers for her age in the world - and you don't get too many like that coming your way too often. Once she goes out onto the practice chipping or putting greens, she can experiment more, but I'm just concentrating on teaching her the swing basics.
Do you think CT could get bored and walk away from golf?
Charley is a great personality and she enjoys the attention - I think anyone would. You can't predict what's going to happen in the future, but I think she loves the game too much now. She has lessons on a Monday and Friday for about 30-45 minutes. I've seen her twice a week for the last few years, so it's not as if she going off for months on end without lessons.
What advice would you give to a parent of a child who want to start playing golf, or even the youngsters themselves?
I'd advise parents to go to a PGA pro at their local club. The vast majority of clubs will organise junior coaching sessions. If they can, start in a larger group, and then pretty quickly move down to group lessons of no more than four or five players. The preference is to organise individual lessons, but that's not always possible.
Are juniors welcome at private clubs?
Yes, they are welcome - or at least they should be! If a little kid came along to play golf, all the pros I know would find a small golf club and say 'go and practice with this'. It's obviously important the youngsters are taught that golf can be a dangerous sport, because the ball and clubs are hard, but youngsters don't have to be frightened or put off. They can borrow the equipment and the balls are provided. Junior memberships are usually well subsidised, and the etiquette involved with golf is something that can only help youngsters. Golf is a safe and great sport for kids to get involved in.
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