Date: 21/12/2022

Location: Golf Fit Performance Center in Puidoux (Vaud-Switzerland)

Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) - what is it?

TPI is an educational organization founded in 2003 which observes the relationship between the functions of the human body and the golf swing.

TPI has examined thousands of golfers at every level, from devoted weekend players to top professional players. Extensive data on players of all profiles, sizes, age groups and fitness levels have been recorded over time. Using these data, the TPI attempts to understand the relationship between the player and the biomechanics of their swing. In addition, the TPI analyses how physical limitations in a player's body can negatively affect their golf swing and potentially lead to injury.

My day at Golf-Fit (Puidoux, Switzerland)

The first appointment took place in the morning at Golf-Fit with Billy Karageorgakis, Strength & Conditioning coach (TPI certified). We started with a brief exchange to get to know each other better and to discuss my objectives and expectations for the session. We then proceeded with various physical tests (mobility, flexibility, strength) for about 3 hours. After the session, Billy summarized my strengths and weaknesses and identified where, what and how I could improve; the overall results were extremely satisfying.

Conclusion

This session allowed me to better understand why previously I was not always able to optimize the speed/balance ratio in my swing. When I wanted to create more speed, I had some difficulty in delivering it at the right moment. It became clear to me that I used more of the big muscles and not enough of the deep ones (muscles of stature and posture). This explains why I sometimes lost my balance when accelerating. Billy is providing me with a specific strength & conditioning program allowing me to improve all areas in my body. I will then be able to swing the club in a balanced way, with more speed which will ultimately improve ball striking.

Thanks to Raphaël Jacquelin for organizing this great day with Billy!

Tournament : Made in Himmerland

Date : September 1 to 4, 2022 in Farsø (Denmark)

context 

Raphaël Jacquelin, French member of the DP World Tour since 1996, with 4 victories and 680 tournaments to his credit, has the longest career on the DP World Tour. As you can imagine, he is a big inspiration to me. Raphaël asked me if I could caddy for him; this was obviously an offer I could not refuse! 

The stay 

We travelled to Denmark on the 29th. On the first day of arrival, Raphaël played the practice round; we each had a course book and took notes. Wednesday was dedicated to his training; the morning was spent at the gym followed by lunch at the golf course. After lunch, he showed me around the Srixon Tour truck and introduced me to the staff. From there we proceeded to the putting green where Raphaël performed technical and speed drills before heading off for the chipping green to hit chip and bunker shots. The final part of his training was dedicated to the long game; we moved to the driving range to make some final adjustments. When I stood on the driving range as a spectator, I realized there is a big difference in terms of concentration between professionals who play on the DP World Tour and amateur golfers. Each exercise has a specific purpose and is performed with the utmost concentration.

 Comments  

• Players can ignore everything around them and focus on their own game
• Raphaël has a remarkable lifestyle. He knows exactly what he needs to perform at his best. His nutrition on the course is simple yet healthy and allows him to maintain a constant level of energy throughout the game.
• On Tour, there are players of all ages, sometimes there can be a difference of 30 years between them, but they are in the same place and fighting for the same reason

What I learned 

• Life of a professional golfer like Raphaël is very structured and well-organized and nothing is left to chance. Each training session has a goal and an impact on his progression
• There is not just one way of doing it; every golfer is different and needs to find the best way to reach his full potential

Who is Axel Bettan?

Axel Bettan is a very experienced caddy having carried the bags of many French golfers who, for the most part, play on the DP World Tour; players such as Raphaël Jacquelin, Joël Stalter, Romain Langasque (at the Augusta Masters, following his victory at the British Amateur) and even the Spanish player, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, who won 7 times on the DP World Tour. Axel also caddied Kim In-Kyung, the former world number 3 on the LPGA Tour, winner of the 2017 British Open.

s you can imagine, spending that day with Axel was a huge privilege and a very rich learning experience.

My day with Axel Bettan

It was organized by Alexandre Weber, a member of the golf club Maison Blanche who is making a tremendous effort to help me pursue my golf career.

Together with Mathilde Bertuol (female club champion) and Alexandre Weber, we went to the Golf Club of Lyon (GCL) to spend the day with Axel Bettan.

The goal of the day was to help us understand and analyse a course and put in place an effective strategy adapted to our own specific game to perform at our best possible level. 

We agreed to meet early in the morning at the GCL, then went straight to the driving range for a warm-up before heading to the tee box. For the first 9 holes, Axel mainly observed our play and intervened on some shots to get our analysis of the pre- and post-shot routine. He enquired about our strategic choices and acted as a caddy on some shots.

After playing the first 9 holes, Axel decided to give us different themes to respect during the last 9 holes regarding our respective shortcomings, to force us to get out of our comfort zones to progress.

After the game, we debriefed over lunch at the clubhouse.

Conclusion

What surprised me the most during that day was Axel's ability to enhance the player’s confidence on the course. There is a real discussion on the shot to be played which liberates the player's mind and brings confidence to optimize the chances of success.

In my case, I learned that I tend to confuse a “nice shot” with a “good shot” and that I can be too demanding. This creates unnecessary frustration which has a negative impact on my performance.

Therefore Axel advised me to simplify my strategic choices, especially with complicated shots because the goal is to put the ball in a predefined area and not to hit the perfect shot. Hence the famous proverb: 'It's not how, but how much', used by most golfers but not always put in practice.

I also realized that hitting the ball well is one thing; putting it in the right place is another. That day, I was moderately satisfied with my ball striking, but with good strategic choices, I managed to get around the course without any mistakes. I was also able to optimize my birdie chances without having to hit exceptional shots.

Practice rounds are crucial to identify areas to rely on and areas to avoid. This allows you to put a certain strategy in place and respect the game plan so that foreseeable errors can be avoided.