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Chris Mayson has started a golf instruction program called X-Golf that he thinks is a good blueprint moving forward for the the best way to teach golf.
Chris Mayson has started a golf instruction program called X-Golf that he thinks is a good blueprint moving forward for the the best way to teach golf.
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Swing-analysis technology has changed golf instruction in the past decade, but practice – at least for many amateurs – is still solitary swings on the range with haphazard results and rare sensory feedback.

Maderas Golf Academy director of instruction Chris Mayson is looking to change that with X-Golf, a format that incorporates teaching and practice in a group setting in hour-long sessions with a single-skill focus and competition at the end to increase intensity and engagement. 

Mayson, one of Golf Digest’sBest Young Teachers in America and instructor to several PGA and LPGA players, launched his concept last October after a successful pilot at Maderas. The program incorporates a website (x-golf.net) and app that provides drills and tracks progress. 

Heading into the summer, Mayson said the program is finding its stride and has expanded to golf courses in San Francisco and L.A. Here, he shares how nine years of instruction led him to the idea for X-Golf and how the program has progressed:

What was it in your instructing experience that led to this concept?

Too often people get bored with their practice and don’t know what to work on or how to get better. (As an instructor), even when I’d give people really detailed practice advice after a lesson, I’d still rely on them going away and doing what I asked them to do, sometimes for weeks or months at a time. I wanted to create something with simple skills to learn that culminated in a competition at the end to keep people engaged.

How did you structure the pilot?

We did mornings and evenings in groups of eight to 10, with different ages and levels of ability. Everyone loved it. They got a structured, detailed practice for an hour but there was also a social element to it. It makes it more fun when you can meet people and develop friendships. And that’s the culture we wanted to develop because the culture helps keep people engaged and focused. We did it for two weeks, covering putting, short game and the swing, and ended each with a competition. The feedback was very encouraging. I knew I was on to something.

What do you like about the app, and what role does it play?

It’s really clean and simple. You book your classes on there, view your instruction videos and it shows your personal records. All your results get graphed so it tracks your progress and there’s a leaderboard to show how you did against your peers.

What benefits have you seen from focused practice?

I think in a typical practice someone grabs a driver or 7-iron and starts hitting balls without any real rationale, so it lacks engagement. With X-Golf, there’s a single skill every day, whether it’s bunker shots, flop shots or short putts, and you get the entire hour to work on that discipline. So by the end of the hour you’ve had a focused, engaged practice and the competition simulates the competitive aspect of the golf course and gives you that intensity you need.

What’s the ideal class size? 

Between eight and 16.

How long does it to take to complete the full course in X-Golf?

Every day is an hour, but it’s randomized practice. You might repeat a practice, but that could be three months out. There’s not really an end to the program because there’s always something to learn or work on.

How has X-Golf progressed since you launched it last year? 

X-Golf has been steadily growing and I expect it to get much busier over the summer months. We have added more classes to make room for the increase in student demand, added new apparatus for training purposes and invented new competitions and class structure to keep training fresh. What has been surprising is the interest from other facilities around the country.

Can you describe the range of players who have participated?

At Maderas we have had all ability levels – from LPGA Tour players to beginners. We have had ages from 11 years old to 74. Whether you’re a tour player or a beginner you can improve any area of your game, and in each class we challenge the student to do their best and then test them in a competition.

At the PGA Show, what elements of X-Golf appealed to fellow pros?

The feedback we got was that PGA professionals were looking for a program that was more fun, interactive and competitive. We have fun apparatus that include a flop shot wall, break the glass and hitting cans … think Golf Channel “Big Break” style. The app tracks the progress of players in a graph format. You can sign up for classes and also see the leaderboard that shows everyone’s results from the entire country. So, for a professional, all the legwork in app design, class design and apparatus is done for you. It’s also great for the club because players now stay after class at Maderas to play the course or grab lunch or happy hour. From a player’s perspective … it’s very social, fun and fast paced. I think this will be the future of instruction.