Gene Protz, PGA Professional, Instructor and Club Fitter
Gene grew up in western Canada and graduated from the U of Alberta with Chemistry degree. He played collegiate hockey and competed in local as well as provincial golf tournaments. After moving to the United States, he was introduced to the business of golf which lead to an ongoing study of how to teach and play better golf. He has been a PGA member since 1986.
He is a long time resident of Long Island where he was employed at high-end north shore golf clubs. In his most recent position he was an equipment salesman and golf instructor at the New York Golf Center in Hicksville.
He is married with two children and two grandchildren. In off hours he enjoys physical training, cooking, and working on DIY home improvement projects.
Teaching Philosophy
Swinging a golf club is a disciplined athletic activity that involves making a coil/recoil body pivot to create a slinging motion of the arms. For effective ball hitting, you have a stable center and blend the action of the arms with the pivot to generate power and timing for the ball strike. And finally, you have to learn how to manage the various clubs as tools to control the ball flight.
To become a better golfer, the goal is to work out a swing that is repeatable and functional within your physical limitations. Understanding what to do is important. But the key to developing form is to train the body to move in a specific pattern and sequence. And then to use the sensory feedback from that training to create key feels to build a swing that works for you. My job as an instructor is to guide you in a program that will enhance your natural physical ability as you develop your golf playing skills.
I enjoy club fitting too and have been fitting for many years.
