JYGA brings a new approach to the full time junior academy. We are not trying to get too big! In fact, we are trying to stay small, so that we can deliver on what is promised. Academies in general are a relatively new phenomenon. At JYGA we feel that it is time to look at how this new industry is performing. What needs changing, tweaking or altering. The biggest thing that full time academy programs do wrong is to ‘over coach’ kids and to make them ‘dependent’ on a coach. This is a very harmful thing to the development of the person and the golfer. Golf is not like tennis, where you have a coach feeding you balls. The skill of a golf coach is to impart personalized knowledge onto each individual, as and when it is needed. One size does not fit all, nor does one approach fit all.

The role of a golf coach is to create independence through good education of the student. That is creating a simple ‘blue print’ for their ideal swing and short game technique. Along with understanding some simple concepts of how to play the game. Always remembering that you are measured on score, not how pretty your swing looks!
To that regard, JYGA has come up with a course management book called ‘Sub 288’. Basically, it is a way of learning how to score no matter how you are hitting it. Based on Jonathan’s twenty years of being a tour coach and seeing how the best get it done.

The advantage of staying small as an academy is that we can create a very personalized program. A player does not need to follow a group mentality and be only allowed a limited time in a certain area. So we have a weekly program that is made up between the coach and player at the start of the week. It remains flexible. So if a player needs more putting, they can.

There is great emphasis on building a tour player quality short game. The staff at JYGA are highly trained in all areas of the short game and have some special ‘tour player’ ways of doing things. We are not content with a player merely being able to chip. But want them to be able to spin it in nine different ways if needed, to combat the tucked pins that come up at the higher levels.

In putting the ball is filmed to see if there is any ‘secret spin’ on it. Then a stroke created to make the ball roll correctly. We also use the latest SAM putting technology.

We have a workout section to the program. This is not a generic workout. But a workout based on a 3d swing analysis that will show where the body is weak or strong and where it needs to be more mobile. A workout is created, not for vanity, but to improve the bio-mechanics and movement pattern of that individual.

The month is split into four sections. A ‘technical phase’, a ‘blending phase’, a ‘competition phase’ and a ‘rest and reflect’ phase. All of these sections are flexible within our structure and are geared towards a player ‘peaking’ at a certain time.

Overall, there is no stone left unturned in the quest to make the player ‘the best they can be’. There is heavy emphasis on the short game and playing. Learning how to make a score. All along being encouraged to ‘be independent’ and learn your own game” through the guidance and education of your coach.