Team Series: Golf Instruction w/ Mike Krahe

On today's episode of the Pull Hook Golf podcast, host Matt Cook interviews golf instructor Mike Krahe, discussing Mike's journey in golf, from starting as a junior player to becoming a successful collegiate golfer and eventually transitioning into a career in golf instruction. Mike emphasizes the importance of understanding the psychology of the game and how it can impact performance. He also highlights the challenges of working with golfers who have specific goals and aspirations, and the significance of embracing frustration and setbacks as part of the learning process. The conversation touches on the impact of hand and finger pressure on the golf swing, as well as the influence of the body's range of motion and physical limitations on the swing.

About The Guest:
Mike Krahe is a highly regarded golf instructor and coach. He has been recognized as one of the top 100 young instructors in the country by Golf Digest and has recently been included in the top list of instructors in the state of Arizona. With a background in psychology and sports psychology, Mike brings a unique perspective to his teaching, focusing not only on technique but also on the mental and emotional aspects of the game.

Key Takeaways:
- Golf instruction involves not only technique but also understanding the mental and emotional aspects of the game.
- Frustration and setbacks are crucial for development and should be seen as opportunities for growth.
- Hand and finger pressure can significantly affect the golf swing and should be considered when working on technique.
- The body's range of motion and physical limitations can impact the golf swing, requiring adjustments to accommodate these factors.

Listener Promos:
25% Off at Swannies.co using PullHookGolf25 at Checkout
10% Off at Bushwood.com using PullHook at Checkout

0:00:00 - Introduction to the podcast with guest Mike Krahe
0:00:32 - Discussion about the Phoenix DryveBox and its features
0:01:09 - Mention of playing track man tournaments
0:01:47 - Working on making changes to improve golf skills
0:02:39 - Mike's journey in golf, starting as a kid
0:04:19 - Joining a high school golf team and improving quickly
0:05:30 - Mike's involvement with Martin Chuck and Tour Striker training aids
0:07:12 - How Mike ended up at Grand Canyon University
0:07:45 - Sponsorship mention of Bushwood Spirits
0:08:27 - Mike's disappointment in not receiving college offers for golf
0:09:19 - Mike Krahe talks about his decision to play golf in college
0:09:58 - Mike Krahe makes the golf team at Glendale Community College
0:10:31 - Mike Krahe earns a scholarship and competes in nationals
0:11:09 - Mike Krahe takes classes and works at a golf course
0:11:51 - Mike Krahe wins a pro am tournament and decides to play in college
0:12:39 - Mike Krahe makes the golf team at Grand Canyon University
0:14:03 - Matt Cook shares his own journey as a golfer
0:15:26 - Mike Krahe and Matt Cook reminisce about wrestling video games
0:16:01 - Mike Krahe discusses his major in psychology
0:18:17 - Mike Krahe talks about his interest in understanding people
0:19:04 - Mike Krahe's educational background and career in sports psychology.
0:22:03 - Mike Krahe's realization that he wanted to do coaching for the rest of his life.
0:23:21 - Matt Cook's goal-oriented approach to working with Mike Krahe.
0:24:33 - Mike Krahe's approach to honoring what the player needs.
0:25:26 - Matt Cook's willingness to go through the process of improvement.
0:27:39 - Dealing with frustration and the importance of it for development.
0:28:33 - The difficulty and importance of pushing through frustration in golf.
0:29:31 - The realization that improvement is not easy and requires hard work.
0:30:14 - The physical demands and challenges of improving in golf
0:31:28 - Mike's rankings as a golf instructor
0:34:42 - Mike discusses the importance of hand pressure in golf
0:35:28 - Matt shares his experience with Mike's bunker shot technique
0:36:40 - Mike explains the role of the body in golf
0:38:19 - Mike talks about the challenges of teaching older golfers
0:39:43 - Discussion about limitations in range of motion and workarounds
0:41:20 - Discussing the best type of hat.
0:42:03 - Disliking the trend of keeping stickers on hats.
0:43:51 - Explaining the purpose of the mesh on the inside of hats.
0:46:03 - Sharing thoughts on LIV Golf events.
0:47:48 - Discussing the large sums of money offered in LIV Golf.
0:49:53 - Recalling experiences with baking and discussing personality types.
0:53:05 - Mike talks about purposely creating and correcting a miss in golf.
0:55:41 - Mike discusses the impact of YouTube and Instagram on golf instruction.
0:57:00 - Mike talks about a student who overdid a technique from YouTube.
0:58:30 - Mike shares his hesitation to put out instructional videos.