Welcome back to another episode of the Edel Podcast. Today, we’re lucky to be joined by Mike Schy. His coaching philosophy and methods have helped thousands of golfers improve from beginners to Tour Players, including Bryson DeChambeau.
More than anything else, Mike is passionate about helping people. Even more, he thinks outside the box. That’s evidenced by the work he’s done with players like Bryson DeChambeau.
His philosophy on teaching constantly evolves. He’s always seeking out new information and loves to learn. He says, ”the longer I do this the less I know.” Unlike a lot of younger teaching professionals, Mike refuses to put his students in a singular box. It takes time to learn who students are as golfers, and as people.
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Concerning Bryson, Mike knew he was different from other players around the age of 12 or 13. “He was smart, had a passion that was unlike anything I’d ever seen…” As a teacher, Mike has learned that great players like Bryson, “have to discover things on their own… It’s my job to help facilitate that.” A great example of that was Bryson’s discovery that playing single-length equipment made the most sense.
Mike has some interesting thoughts about why people are so hesitant to try playing with single-length irons like Bryson. “It’s because of what he does. His golf swing looks funky.” Coupled with the fact that the clubs are so upright, he uses jumbo grips, and wears odd hats, he doesn’t conform to what most everyone else is doing.
Mike thinks that the biggest advantage of single-length irons is that they make the game easier to learn. Because the clubs are the same length and weight, beginners aren’t having the learn a bunch of different swings. For good players, the consistency that single-length clubs afford is undeniable.
When I asked Mike about what club fitting means to him as a Golf Professional, he said fitting clubs is like buying a pair of shoes. Of course, you’re going to try them on before you buy them. Golf clubs are no different. Club fitting is “absolutely essential.”
As for the direction of his instruction in the future, Mike was very candid when he said “I don’t know and that’s probably a good thing…” One he absolutely maintains, however, is that “you have to understand the makeup of a player way before you start developing a golf swing.” Even more, he’s working to understand more about biomechanics and the mental side of the game.
Now that he spends so much time out on Tour, Mike learns a lot through observation. “I’m observant. I love watching other teachers and players and learning about what they do… There’s a big difference between being a teacher and a coach.”
Any time I get to spend with Mike is always a treat. I really appreciate him taking time out of his busy schedule to sit down and pass along some of his wisdom to our listeners.
If you’re interested in learning a little more about Mike, visit MikeSchy.com. Should you happen to be in the Fresno area, be sure to stop by Dragonfly Golf Club and take a lesson – you won’t be disappointed.
As always, thanks for tuning in and we’ll catch next time on the Edel Podcast.
