One of my first memories of golf was hearing my father, very early on a Saturday morning, outside my bedroom door. It was around 3am when he would get up and head down to the Brighton Public Golf Course and put a ball in the ball race to get an early tee time. One morning, I heard him again and jumped up and demanded that he take me. I had no idea at the time where he was going or what he was going to do but no doubt I cried and screamed until he caved in. I would ride on dad’s buggy every Saturday around the front nine, occasionally grabbing a stick from off the ground to copy the adults. My mother would always be there to collect me after the ninth hole. I was hooked.
I played my amateur golf at Spring Valley Golf Club. Capturing 5 Club Championships and represented the club in its two Division 1 Pennant wins. Events in my life saw me turn to a PGA Traineeship at Keysborough Golf Club at the age of 28. During my first year of my Traineeship, I met my future wife Lauren, and was working in the golf industry. Life was good. I excelled at playing with the years of practice under my belt and the school work wasn’t too bad.
By the time I had finished my PGA Traineeship I had a few accomplishments to be proud of:
- Australian Order of Merit Winner 2004,
- Australian Golf Digest Trainee Player of the Year 2004,
- Victorian Trainee of the Year 2004,
- Victorian Trainee Championship Winner 2003 & 2004,
- A&L Windows Country Championship Winner 2003
I played a few tournaments in the beginning of 2005, even shooting a 60 to win the Safety Beach Pro Am. A shoulder injury soon forced me to stop playing golf.
I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to visit Mr. Chuck Evans in Phoenix, Arizona at the beginning of 2006. I was then fortunate enough to go back and spend more time with Mr Evans in Destin, Florida a month later. Just visiting those two places was special enough but I was to learn, that it was who I was spending the time with, that was the turning point in my career. I consider Mr Chuck Evans the most knowledgable person I have ever met when it comes to golf. He is my mentor and I attribute all my success as a golf coach to him.
I returned from the US to marry my partner Lauren in April 2006 and our beautiful daughter was born in February 2008.
Soon after I got married I accepted a job at the Lang Lang Golf Club where I was employed from 2006 – 2009. Never losing the passion for coaching and a quest for a better understanding of the golf swing, I turned to full time coaching taking on the Teaching Professional role at Beaconhills Country Golf Club towards the end of 2009.
Coaching for me is rewarding. Seeing a student learn about the golf swing, try something that feels awkward but then look up and see the ball do something they’d not achieved before and say “Wow, I’ve never done that before”.
I love it and will always strive to help others get as much enjoyment and rewarding experiences from the game of golf as I do.
Live to play better golf
David Williams
