"In the summertime, we do a lot of video work. With that, I can show them if their head is moving too far or if the ball position or alignment isn't right"
About this Quote
Ricci points to the power of video as a bridge between feel and real, especially in the peak summer season when golfers are on the range and course more often. Swing changes are notoriously difficult because the body often lies; what a player feels is happening can differ wildly from what actually occurs at impact. By capturing motion and replaying it, a coach can convert abstract cues into concrete images. Head stability, ball position, and alignment are not glamorous fixes, but they are the foundation of consistent contact and direction. If the head drifts, the low point of the swing shifts and contact suffers. If the ball sits too far forward or back, or if the feet and shoulders aim off target, the clubface must compensate and bad habits multiply. Video makes these invisible errors obvious and therefore actionable.
There is also a seasonal logic to the comment. Summer brings longer days, reliable light, and more time hitting off grass and playing actual holes. That context lets a coach pair video with real ball flight, connecting what the camera shows to what the player sees in the air. Compared to winter work, which often focuses on slow, isolated drills, summer sessions can cycle quickly between seeing, adjusting, and immediately testing the change under game-like conditions.
Beyond technique, the approach builds trust. When a player watches their own swing frame by frame, the conversation shifts from persuasion to shared evidence. Small checkpoints become clear: the nose drifting outside the trail foot, the ball creeping forward with longer clubs, the shoulders closed relative to the target line. Progress can be measured, not guessed. Modern tools put slow motion and drawing lines in every coachs pocket, but the principle is older than the tech: show, do, reflect, repeat. With video, fundamentals stop being vague advice and become specific tasks, accelerating the move from awareness to automaticity.
There is also a seasonal logic to the comment. Summer brings longer days, reliable light, and more time hitting off grass and playing actual holes. That context lets a coach pair video with real ball flight, connecting what the camera shows to what the player sees in the air. Compared to winter work, which often focuses on slow, isolated drills, summer sessions can cycle quickly between seeing, adjusting, and immediately testing the change under game-like conditions.
Beyond technique, the approach builds trust. When a player watches their own swing frame by frame, the conversation shifts from persuasion to shared evidence. Small checkpoints become clear: the nose drifting outside the trail foot, the ball creeping forward with longer clubs, the shoulders closed relative to the target line. Progress can be measured, not guessed. Modern tools put slow motion and drawing lines in every coachs pocket, but the principle is older than the tech: show, do, reflect, repeat. With video, fundamentals stop being vague advice and become specific tasks, accelerating the move from awareness to automaticity.
Quote Details
| Topic | Coaching |
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