The Road To Becoming A Golf Fitness Specialist – Golf Performance Coach, Charlotte, NC

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2001
My fascination with the world of Golf Fitness started when golf fitness wasn’t yet part of the fitness industry. Remember 9 -11? Of course, you do! During that time I was working as a New York State Court Officer, my assignment was to the Supreme Court in Nassau County, LI.
As a result of the bombing of the World Trade Towers, I took a special assignment and for three months worked on the Pier on the West Side Highway, next to the Intrepid Museum. This was the temporary home of the Office Of Emergency Management for the State of New York, previously located in one of the towers.
During that tour, I had a copy of The Golf Biomechanics Manual by Paul Chek and would read it during my breaks. Don’t ask me how I knew, but I knew that someday I would work with golfers and this was my launching point.
In June of 2002, I booked my trip to California (my very first trip to the West Coast). The cost of the course alone was $1,500. After 4 – 8 hours days of lecture, I took a 2-hour written and 2-hour practical (with Paul Chek himself), before becoming certified as a Golf Performance Specialist.
    (that’s me in 2002)

The CHEK Whole in One System is designed to address golf-specific conditioning needs and in doing so, improve performance and reduce the risk of injury. Using detailed assessments and personalized programming, the individual issues of each client can be identified and addressed.

Over the three-day workshop, you will learn how to:

  • Assess the golf swing from a biomechanical and postural point of view.
  • Test a client’s flexibility and apply the correlating stretches.
  • Use the Flexibility-Stability-Strength-Power conditioning progression to optimally improve golf performance and much more!
This course set the foundation for all of the personal training that would follow for a decade to come. As great as the information was (and I still use this book), I didn’t have any golf clients. Golfers outside of San Diego had no idea who Paul Chek was or what a C.H.E.K Golf Performance Specialist was.
2010
Fast forward to June 2010 when I met Dr. Greg Rose from the Titleist Performance Institute at a Perform Better Summit in Providence, RI. Once I took Dr. Rose’s lecture on golf-related injuries I was hooked.
My first Level 1 certification class was in August 2010 in Chicago. In Level 1 you learn the following:
  • The first thing you do as a Golf Fitness Specialist is evaluate how a golfer’s body moves in relation to what is desired of a mechanically correct golf swing. We want to know if the golfer has any physical limitations that may be affecting his golf swing or body negatively.

  • We learn how to correlate the findings of these physical restrictions with predictable patterns often plaguing the golf swing. These Swing Characteristics may be negatively affecting their progress and/or hiring the body.

The correlation between the two is called the Body-Swing Connection. Sounds simple, right? It’s not. This process is challenging and requires the following:

  • An understanding of functional anatomy including the Joint-by-Joint approach to fitness as well as the fascial system, known as myofascial trains or meridians.
  • A thorough understanding of the biomechanical requirements of a golf swing. (Knowing the common traits of the best players in the world with those of the average amateur club golfer).
To grasp the information, especially the Body-Swing Connection, I would attend the 2-day live workshop as an auditor four more times. Each time, losing time from work and paying my hotel and travel expenses.
 2012 – Philadelphia, PA
2015 – Newark, New Jersey
2016, TPI World Golf Fitness Summit in New Orleans
October, 2017, Fitness Level 3, Oceanside, CA 
May 2018, Newark, New Jersey
July 2018 Philadelphia, PA
October 2018 – The World Golf Fitness Summit, Orlando, FL 
November 2018, RAD Mobility For Golf
 
March 2020, TRX Golf Specialization Course
March 2020, SuperSpeed Golf Levels 1 – 3
Newark, New Jersey (March 10th 2020!) Yes, this was the LAST live workshop for 4 years. I attended day 2 of TPI Level 1 as well as the very first SuperSpeed Live Workshop.
November 2020, TPI Power Level 2

December 2023, TPI Golf Level 2

August 2024, Golf Forever Certified

Since 2020 I have taken Level 1 and Level 2 and Power Level 2 reviews close to 20 times. And I learn something new every single time.

October 2024 –The TPI Fitness Summit, Orlando, FL 

Brett’s Bottom Line: 

Over the last 24+ years, I have accumulated a lot of knowledge and tools to coach you so you can play your best golf. Let me know how I can help you.

“I started working out with Brett about 1 year ago in the fall. In just the evaluation, Brett noticed my poor “golf posture” and said that was something we would work on. I then went on a golf grip that fall and focused on my posture and had a great trip and played really well. I worked with Brett throughout the winter and spring and then played the most consistent and best golf of my life, culminating with winning my club championship that fall. His workouts fixed sequencing issues in my swing lessons didn’t”.__David Shaw