Coach of the Month: Steve Fawcitt

Name: Steve Fawcitt
Age: 31
Coaching at: Slaley Hall, Northumberland

TrackMan User since:
December 2016

When and why did you start playing golf?
I started playing golf when I was 12 years old, my dad took my brother and I up to our local club for a few holes and from that day I was hooked on the game. I got a hole in one in my first year and haven’t had one since!

What was your HCP when you turned Pro?
2

Which is your favorite golf course?
Wolf Creek in Nevada, USA. Its an amazing place with spectacular views.

Do you have a favorite coach you follow and why?
There are a lot of good coaches out there, but I like Sean Foley. From what I have seen he doesn’t have an ideal swing style like some coaches but has an approach that is more focussed on improving the ball flight which in my opinion is what this game is all about. I think this is more like my style of coaching.

Who is your favorite player and why?
I love Tiger Woods, I grew up watching him in his prime and he is the best I have ever seen, some of the shots he used to play when he needed to under pressure were awesome.

What is your best golf related achievement?
As a player I won the North Region PGA Matchplay championship in 2015 and finished 3rd in the PGA National Assistants Championship.

As a golf coach, what is the most common mistake among players you see?
I would have to say the most common mistake I see is a lack of attention being paid to the fundamentals. So often a player can straighten out his shot by working on his or her grip or by straightening up their alignment. It doesn’t always have to be a complicated swing change to improve your game, make sure you are setting up the best way for you.

What are your greatest professional strengths?
I like to keep things simple for my players, interpreting the data from TrackMan and putting it into words that they understand. Too much information can be a bad thing for a lot of golfers and keeping it simple helps. I am confident I can improve any golfer in the world and I am constantly looking to improve myself as a coach.

What’s in your bag?
I have the 2017 M1 Driver, a Taylormade Rocketballs Stage Two Tour 3 Wood, Mizuno Hybrid 2 iron, 4-PW Taylormade Rocketbladez Tour irons. I have Vokey wedges, 50, 54 and 58 degree and then I have my favourite club in the bag, a Yes Callie putter.

How often do you play golf yourself?
I like to get out for a few holes after work a couple of times a week at my home club Slaley Hall and I try to arrange a couple of games with friends at various courses in the area each month.

What has changed since you started working with a TrackMan?
I believe the quality of lesson has improved and having a TrackMan helps me to more easily explain and demonstrate what needs to change in order to hit better shots. I honestly think that my knowledge of the golf swing and ball flight and what can influence these has improved massively. It makes my time coaching a lot more fun and my diary a lot more full.

Which is your favourite TrackMan feature, and why?
I think the Test Centre is a great feature. It allows you to see where a player is at when they first come to see you, you can analyse and identify weaknesses in a players’ game and then monitor the progress they are making as you improve technique. The test centre also allows you to recreate the environment of being on the golf course, hitting shots that matter and have a consequence, something that is otherwise hard to recreate and measure.

How and where can golfers get in touch with you?
Golfers can get in touch via email at sfawcitt@qhotelsgolfacademies.co.uk or phone on: 07584651083 or alternatively golfers can visit the Slaley Hall page of our website at www.qhotelsgolfacademies.co.uk

Do you have any suggestions, how TrackMan can do better or differently?
I honestly love my TrackMan and could not imagine coaching without it now that I have had one for a year. The only thing I would like to see is more of the best players swings in the world hitting some different types of shots for the swing library, such as pitches, stingers etc.

Disclaimer: The answers in this interview have not been modified or changed, nor do they necessarily represent the views of TrackMan A/S.