Elevate Your Game with Dave’s Insights

Golf improvement is not a straight line from lesson to better scores. It is a cycle of learning, practicing, testing, and performing. Students often judge a lesson by how well they hit the ball that day, but real improvement depends on how well the mind understands…

Artificial intelligence and YouTube are everywhere in golf instruction today. They promise faster learning, better technique, and lower scores—often packaged as quick, inexpensive solutions. Watch a video, ask AI a question, head to the range, and suddenly your swing…

By PGA Professional David C. Smith Jr., DCSJR Golf Academy Before the season starts, smart golfers do a quick check—not just of their equipment, but of their swing fundamentals. Just like a physical with your doctor, a few simple assessments can reveal whether your…

By PGA Professional David C. Smith Jr. In coaching, the primary focus should be on creating a plan that aligns with the student’s goals and needs. This plan must follow the SMART criteria: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Re­alistic, and Timely. By including these…

Being delayed by traffic before a meeting or overcooking a holiday meal can be frustrating and embarrassing. Similarly, investing substantial time and money into golf and its instruction without noticeable improvement may lead to various negative emotions. My goal is…

Equipment: Does the dress make the woman or does the woman make the dress? It’s obvious—justask Valentino! All kidding aside…Players should evolve into their equipment, and at all times, theplayer and their equipment are a team. Great talent will shine brighter with…

Golf is a challenging sport that demands both mental discipline and physical fitness. In 2025, golfers have become premier athletes who exemplify greatness in mind, body, and strength. I have met some incredibly strong individuals in golf, and I believe the sport can…

Finding the right PGA instructor to meet your needs involves more than just a quick internet search. While you can start by visiting PGA.com and using the “find a golf instructor near me” feature, this is just the beginning of a more comprehensive search. To ensure…

Why should you take golf lessons? By Coach David C. Smith Jr.  Golf lessons are essential for improvement, as talent alone is not enough. Great players like Crenshaw, Kite, Tiger Woods, Nicklaus, and Faldo all benefited from coaching to refine their skills. Golfers…

Here is a fundamentally sound way to approach assessment for players of different skill levels. This is a progressive model and moves from a relaxed standard for the beginner to a more stringent criterion as the player’s handicap lowers.  Beginner Players (Hcp…