The same now applies to golf coaching.

Like so many elements of the global golf industry, online coaching exploded in popularity as golfers sought ways to stay sane during Covid-19 lockdowns.

PGA Professionals around the world began generating content for social media, offering solutions to golf’s most common swing ailments.

Ryan Mouque was based at Wynnum Golf Club in Brisbane at that time, commuting as much as an hour each way to give a half-dozen in-person lessons each day.

Mouque now gives as many as 20 lessons a day to clients all over the world, all without having to leave his backyard.

Nominated for both the PGA Coach of the Year – Game Development, and Coach of the Year – High Performance, at the 2024 Queensland Golf Industry Awards, Mouque gave 4,000 online lessons in the past 12 months.

He is adamant online coaching is as, if not more, effective than in-person lessons.

“The biggest thing with online is realising that too much information for someone can be overwhelming,” explains Mouque.

“If they’ve got set-up issues, grip issues, takeaway issues, wrist angles at the top of the backswing issues, online you can nail the set-up as their first lesson.

“Obviously you can do that in person, but you might not see them for another month or more.

“Players on my unlimited plans can send me a video immediately after practising their set-up in their loungeroom and I will give them feedback within 24 hours.”

More and more golfers have access to simulators and many have nets set up in their backyard, yet Mouque and other PGA Professionals don’t need to see a ball in the air to make meaningful improvements.

If that sounds contradictory, consider that the great Norman Von Nida gave lessons later in his life purely by the sound the ball made off the clubface.

“Someone hitting into a net in their basement, I’ve seen that many swings I know what ball flight is coming out of that particular swing 95 per cent of the time,” says Mouque.

“I don’t necessarily think you need to see ball flight to help someone. You can make a big enough change in someone without seeing the ball flight. Most of the time you can see the swing and know the ball flight produced by that swing.”

More than anything, Mouque says that the immediacy and convenience of having a golf coach on call is why so many of his clients see consistent and sustained improvement.

“Essentially, you’ve got a coach in your back pocket 24/7,” Mouque adds.

“I’ve been able to create some pretty insane transformations to students’ golf swings and their games.

“I’ve taken one guy from a seven handicap to a plus-two. That’s even more satisfying because there are a lot of people out there that say, ‘Oh, online’s not for me. I need that personal touch.’

“My response is always, ‘I honestly bet that you don’t. And if you gave me six months, I can prove it.’”

THE PRO WILL KNOW

Whether in person or online, PGA Professionals are key to playing your best golf. To find a PGA Pro near you click here