Progress in golf is rarely linear, but Amy Phelan has defied this norm.
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Progress in golf can be exasperating. It’s often a two step forward and one step back game, as players seek out that one thought or feeling that will elevate their games. The improvement is rarely linear.
But there are those rare exceptions: people who learn the game and have a natural knack for it. Often the dedication and work ethic of these players also play a significant role in their progress, but to improve at a rapid pace, there are natural gifts at play.
This was the case with Amy Phelan, a 51-year-old from Virginia who went from owning a club to breaking 80 over the course of two and a half years. In fact, his improvement was so great that he passed the PGA of America’s PAT (Playing Ability Test), the first step to becoming a teaching professional. And it all started with a series of unfortunate events.
About five years ago, Phelan underwent a series of back surgeries – five in all – to correct some abnormalities associated with an aging body. The toll of those procedures was significant, especially for a lifelong athlete like her, as they took her away from any strenuous activity for over two years. When she started physical therapy, her doctor had some advice: “Stay away from sports that require running.”
Deciding that she would stay active and continue to compete, Phelan pulled out her computer and began looking for non-contact sports that could meet this need. Golf was on almost every list he could find.
“At first I was like, ‘I don’t know, [golf] it sounds a bit boring, “Phelan said.” But I got hooked pretty quickly. “
Phelan continued to rehabilitate and when she felt strong enough, she headed for a local nine-hole municipal course. She sought lessons from a junior teacher, testing whether golf would be the sport for her. Within three weeks, he was scouring eBay for a set of used clubs. It was hooked.
For Thanksgiving 2017, Phelan decided to get even more serious and sought the services of PGA pro Dave Newsom at 1757 Golf Club in Dulles, Virginia. Newsom still remembers the first time he saw her.
“She was an absolute beginner hitting balls on the driving range,” Newsom said. “But he had a lot of speed.”
In the language of golf, this means potential. The current era of golf requires clubhead speed and instructors are enthusiastic about fast learners. Soon, Phelan and Newsom started working. He taught her the basics of swing, how to control the clubface and some keys to elevating her game, which she worked on all winter.
On April 1, 2018, Phelan played his first 18-hole round. It was an informal, low-stakes round with a local golf group. She felt a twinge of nerves when she came to the course with no idea what to expect. Overall, though, he was excited to start playing for the first time.
He shot 118.
“I took a lot of shots that day,” Phelan laughed. “But I liked it and I liked it … I thought, ‘I can do this, I just need to get used to it more.
Phelan returned to work that summer with Newsom, who steadily reinforced his belief that he could be successful in this game. Although she wasn’t sure how this could happen, she trusted wisdom and kept grinding her practice. She worked her handicap down to a single digit in 2019 and even qualified for the Virginia Senior Women’s Amateur; 2020 was shaping up to be an important year for his late-life amateur career.
But like so many around the world, 2020 didn’t go as Phelan expected. Many of her competitive events she had reserved were canceled and she remained looking for opportunities to play. At the same time, Phelan had conjured up a distant dream of possibly becoming a PGA professional for her second career. Newsom suggested that she take the PAT and treat them as tournaments; 36-hole qualifiers are high pressure golf, after all.
Hence, Phelan began joining the PATs in the Central Atlantic region. He missed his first try by two shots, but at that point he knew he had the play it would take. A few dirty chances followed, but on his fifth try, his game clicked.
Playing in a qualifier in Winston-Salem, NC, Phelan shot 75-79 to reach qualification. A test for which they train many years and years, he passed in three years if he took a club for the first time.
“In my 25+ years of teaching and coaching, I may not have seen better results,” Newsom said.
Now that the seemingly lofty goal of pursuing golf education isn’t that far off. Phelan has already eliminated a huge obstacle to starting the process. You can enroll in the program whenever you see fit.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Phelan said. “Now I don’t know what I’m going to do with my day every two Mondays now that I’ve got through it.”
If the last few years are any indication, it will probably reach its limit.
