What does it take to make it to the WEB.COM tour? And then how do you get from the WEB.COM to the PGA tour? We sit down and talk about the journey to better with current WEB.COM player Michael Johnson, and his coach Tony Ruggiero, along with Wayne Flint and Mark Wood.
One consistent theme through out this conversation was patience. Here are a few quotes that speak to that concept and it’s importance from this conversation.
You hear guys all the time getting interviewed on tour. What are you going to do tomorrow with a two shot lead? Well I’m going to go out there and be patient.
You hear it every week on T.V. it’s just hard to convince people, from the instruction side, to be as patient as I think they need to be.
I would say the player probably panics before the teacher. It puts the teacher in a tough spot.
As a player you’re asking the teacher to help you play better tomorrow. And golf doesn’t work like that.
I fall into that trap sometimes for sure. But in the long run I’d like to see my game progress. Whatever I need help in.
Michael Johnson – Follow Michael on Twitter
The hardest part that I’ve seen, is staying patient with the plan.
Nobody wants that.
They all want it this week. This tournament, for sure by the next tournament.
There has to be some patience and some trust and the plan has to be good. And if we work the plan long enough the fundamentals are going to get better and everything’s gonna improve in time.
Patience is the hardest thing. Because everybody wants it right now (both player and instructor)
Tony Ruggiero
Want to go behind the scenes and see how Tony teaches? Check out our new workshop with him here.
About Tony Ruggiero
Tony is the Director of Instruction at the Country Club of Mobile as well as the Lead Instructor for The Dewsweepers Performance Academy at Sheraton Bay Point Resort in Panama City Beach Florida. Tony’s notable students include PGA Tour Players Smylie Kaufman, Lucas Glover, and Zack Sucher; Web.com Tour Players Sam Love, Tom Lovelady, Robby Shelton and Wilson McDonald. Tony has had students appear on the 2014 and 2016 US Walker Cup Teams, and he currently has 7 players playing in the Southeastern conference. Tony has been the host of the Dewsweepers Golf Show on XM/Sirius PGA tour radio as well as terrestrial radio stations throughout the South for over decade!
The Golf Top 100 Teachers in America Tony Ruggiero In 2017 Tony was named Golf Magazines “Top 100 Instructors in America” as well as Callaway’s Top 50 Elite Junior Coach in 2016 and 2015. In 2016 Tony was ranked the #2 teaching instructor in the state of Alabama by Golf Digest. In 2013 Edwin Watts recognized Tony as a Top Instructor.
About Wayne Flint
Wayne has taught a player on every professional tour. His players have played in every major professional championship. Wayne’s students include: Nationwide Tour standout Gary Christian, who recently earned his 2012 PGA Tour card, Brian Gay, Jason Dufner, Jay Hobby, Iain Steele.
Wayne has taught two Hall of Fame golfers, the Finalist in the USGA Pub Links, a male and female Finalist in the USGA Mid Am Championship, an NCAA 1st team all American, as well as champions on numerous smaller professional and amateur tours.
Wayne has taught four individuals who have shot 60 in competitive rounds of golf.
Wayne is a two time PGA Teacher of the Year for the Dixie Section (2002 and 1993), and has been a member of the PGA since 1987. Wayne has been nominated numerous times for Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Teachers and has been selected as one of Golf Magazine’s Top 400 Teachers in the United States for the year 2001.
Wayne has coached over 200 collegiate players and has taken over 100 high school players and turned them into college golfers.
Wayne has also been published in Golf Digest Magazine and frequently appears on the Dewsweepers Golf Show.
About Mark Wood
Mark Wood is a graduate of the University of Alabama and has been a Class “A” member of the PGA of America for twenty years. Mark hosts “Golf World on Air” a nationally syndicated radio show on the Sporting News Networks and has been published in numerous publications including; Sports Illustrated, Golf Magazine, Golf Digest and Athlon Sports Magazine. Marks accomplishments include being named 1999 South Florida Teacher of the Year, 2006 New Jersey Section of PGA of America, Teacher of the Year.
Mark has been named one of Golf Digests top 50 Teachers in America. Mark is also a contributing Author to Sports Illustrated, Golf Magazine, Golf Digest Magazine, and Athlon Sports Magazine. In 1986 Mark’s Tuscaloosa Junior Golf Tour was voted the best junior golf program in the nation by Golf Digest. Tour players, Dudley Hart, Bo Van Pelt, Jim McGovern and Brad Adamonis are just a few of the players under Marks instruction. He works with many top amateurs and juniors around the country.
Mark Wood has been a huge teaching influence of Tony Ruggiero dating back to his high school golf days in Birmingham, Alabama. He has been helping for the last two years with the junior development program and camps of the Dewsweepers Golf School. The Dewsweepers are proud to have Mark become part of all camps in the coming years. His knowledge, expertise and passion for the game help make the Dewsweepers program one of the most successful in the country. To have a friend and teacher with the success of Mark who’s student Bo Van Pelt is ranked in the top 10 in the world, is great for all of our teachers and students!
