Article Contributed on: 6/11/2008 10:36:18 AM
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When you're a professional golfer like
Jason Petree, teaching beginners how to swing requires patience.
Fortunately for Petree's students at Lone Tree Golf Course, their golf instructor has had practice with patience - a lot of practice.
Petree, 33, has played golf for 25 years, a sport synonymous with four-hour games and hitting ball after ball on the driving range.
He knows the feeling of having a near-perfect game, but always finding something to fix.
"Golfers always think they can get better," he said, adding he's no exception.
Petree, who grew up on a golf course, picked up his first club at age 8 and never looked back. Petree played high school and college golf before going pro at 23.
He's played in tournaments throughout the country, including the Colorado and Wyoming Open. Three years ago, he even tried for a spot on the national tour team, considered the minor league of golf.
But when he hits the green as an instructor, his mindset swings into beginner mode.
"You have to have patience," Petree said. "You have to understand there's a reason they're here. They're not experts."
So when Petree had a recent putting lesson with
Ava and
Brock Taylor, 6 and 8 years old, respectively, he got on their level.
"Get your nose over the golf ball," Petree said pulling a golf ball off the green and to Ava's nose to see if the two were lined up.
He repeated that mantra along with, "Keep your head steady," "Move your shoulders" and "Get your putter lined up straight" again and again, hoping the repetition would stick during the Taylors' lesson.
The lesson worked.
Petree turned the table on the siblings at the end of their 45-minute lesson asking them to teach him how to putt. They remembered the four key lessons of the day.
It's why teaching is Petree's favorite part of his job as assistant golf professional at Lone Tree, where he works 40 hours a week in the pro shop and teaches lessons 10 hours a week.
"It's a good feeling teaching someone something and watching that light bulb go off," he said. "They're just trying to learn a fun game and it's my job to make sure they learn something."
Besides teaching kids and adults a sport to which he's addicted, he works on pretty nice digs, as long as the weather cooperates.
"That's my office out there," he said as he pointed out the window to the fairway on a sunny Colorado day.
"I love my job," he added with a smile.
Wanna play?
Lone Tree Golf Course offers golf lessons for beginners who have never picked up a club to experts who just want a few pointers. Lessons with Jason Petree are four for $200 or $55 per lesson. To set up a lesson with Petree or another Lone Tree golf teacher, call 303-799-9940.