Gary Wiren

Gary Wiren
Born 1935
Education PhD
Alma mater Huron University
University of Michigan
University of Oregon
Occupation Golf instructor
Golf writer
Golfer
Business executive
Known for Director of Education, Learning, and Research for the PGA of America (1972-1985)
Notable work The PGA Teaching Manual;
The PGA Manual of Golf: The Professional Way to Play Better GOLF
Home town Omaha, Nebraska
Title Senior Director of Instruction for Trump Golf Properties
Awards Honorary doctorate from Ferris State University
World Golf Teachers’ Hall of Fame induction
PGA Hall of Fame induction
Website www.garywiren.com

Gary Wiren is a PGA Master Professional instructor. Wiren was the Director of Education, Learning, and Research for the PGA of America between 1972 and 1985, during which time he produced the "Laws, Principles, and Preferences" of golf swing instruction. He is the founder of three golf schools, and is now the senior director of instruction for Trump Golf Properties. Wiren is a member of both the PGA Hall of Fame and the World Golf Teachers’ Hall of Fame. As an author, he has written fourteen books, and Wiren is also the founder of Golf Around the World.

Education and early life

Born in 1935,[1][2] Gary Wiren became an all-state golfer in high school while playing in Omaha, Nebraska. He then attended Huron University in South Dakota, where he played quarterback for the football team and was named an All-American. He also played golf for the college, winning the conference championship. He then received his Masters degree in Sport Science from the University of Michigan, and his PhD from the University of Oregon. In 1962, during the completion of his doctorate, he began teaching golf at a local community course.[3][4] He later received an honorary doctorate from Ferris State University in Michigan.[5]

Golf playing career

Gary Wiren competed in the 1994 US Senior Open,[6] and in three additional events on the Senior PGA Tour. He has also competed in professional long-ball driving tournaments from the 1970s[3] into the 2010s,[2] and regional PGA tour championships.[7] His titles have included the South Florida PGA Seniors title and the South Florida long-driving championship.[5]

Golf instruction career

Gary Wiren was the chairman of the Pacific Northwest PGA in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In 1972,[3] he relocated to Florida, becoming the Director of Education, Learning, and Research for the PGA of America,[7] a position he held for fourteen years, leaving in 1985.[3] He also founded The Five Star Golf School at the Boca Raton Hotel and Club, The PGA Jr. National Academy, and Golf Discovery Schools for the PGA of America.[8] 1976 Wiren introduced the “Laws, Principles, and Preferences” of teaching a full golf swing, as a member of a group of instructors working with the National Golf Foundation. The “laws” in the model refer to how physics affect the connection of the club face and the ball. The five factors included are clubhead path, clubface position, clubhead speed, angle of approach, and centeredness of contact.[9]

The “principles and preferences” refer to how the individual golfer swings the club in order to strike the ball—including choices in the swing regarding physical and emotional states, as well as where the ball is intended to go. His “principles” are separated into “preswing principles” (the grip, aim and alignment, and setup) and “in-swing principles” (swing plane, width of arc, length of arc, position of target arm and wrist, lever system, timing, release, dynamic balance, swing center, connection, and impact). “Preferences” are developed based upon the individual golfer during instruction. Wiren added to the ball flight laws by contributing the concept of centerdness of contact.[9]

Following his time with the PGA, Wiren continued instructing for private companies as a PGA Master Professional instructor.[10] He also spent several years hosting a golf instruction television show in Japan,[3] and spent seventeen years as head of the Mizuno Golf Schools in that country.[11] He has also appeared in segments on ESPN and The Golf Channel.[5] In the 1990s, he became the senior director of instruction for all Trump Golf Properties, operating out of Trump International in West Palm Beach, Florida.[3]

It is estimated that he has taught over a quarter million students over his career, in thirty-two countries.[12]

Businesses

Wiren is the founder of Golf Around the World, which is business that tests and sells golf teaching and training aids, and issues reviews and recommendations on each. He is also the developer of the “Impact Bag” golf training aid, which measures the feel of the moment of impact.[13]

Writing

He is also the author of The PGA Teaching Manual and The PGA Manual of Golf: The Professional Way to Play Better GOLF.[14][15] In all, he has written fourteen published books.[12] As a writer, he also wrote more than 250 articles for magazines and other periodicals.[16]

Recognition

In 1989 Wiren was named PGA Teacher of the Year.[17] Gary Wiren has since been inducted into the PGA Hall of Fame and the World Golf Teachers’ Hall of Fame.[12] Other Hall of Fames he has been inducted into include the halls of the Nebraska, South Dakota and Florida, and Pacific Northwest Section of the PGA.[6] He has been voted as one of the top fifty golf instructors in the US by Golf Digest.[18] Awards he has received include the National Golf Foundation’s Joe Graffis Award and Herb Graffis Award, the LPGA’s Rolex Ellen Griffin Award, and distinguished service awards in Sweden, Japan, Italy, New Zealand, and the US.[5] Wiren is also known for his collection of golf memorabilia, which includes more than thirty-five hundred clubs and two thousand balls from the 1700s to the contemporary game. His collection has been exhibited publicly at the Cornell Museum in Delray Beach[3] and the Lighthouse ArtCenter.[19] His archive is a three-time national winner of the Golf Collectors’ Society wooden-shafted tournament.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Matt Cote. "12th annual event opens to huge crowd at polo club". The Village Daily Sun.
  2. 1 2 Strege, John. "Losing distance to age? Not this 75-year-old - Golf Digest". Golf Digest.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "A swing through history: Gary Wiren's golf collection tells game's story". Palm Beach Post.
  4. ↑ Stu Pospisil. "Elmwood Park, oldest 18-hole city course at 100, flourishes after changes through years". Omaha World-Herald.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Dr. Gary Wiren Named 2008 Florida State Senior Honoree By The Senior Committee of the South Florida Section PGA". www.floridagolfmagazine.com.
  6. 1 2 "The man behind training aides: Dr. Gary Wiren". Golf Week. 29 May 2004.
  7. 1 2 Gummer, Scott (14 May 2009). "Homer Kelley's Golfing Machine: The Curious Quest That Solved Golf". Penguin. p. 99 – via Google Books.
  8. ↑ Wagner, Gary Wiren,Patrick. "Masters Golf Tournament – Interview with Dr. Gary Wiren". Smithsonian Journeys.
  9. 1 2 Dan Drane, Martin E. Block, Ladies Professional Golf Association (2006). Accessible Golf: Making it a Game Fore All. Human Kinetics. pp. 34–39.
  10. ↑ "Golf's Ironman Gary Wiren: At 80 he's still got game and drives a golfball 300 yards". www.floridagolfmagazine.com.
  11. ↑ "Donald Trump set for golf outing in Jupiter with Japan's prime minister". Palm Beach Post.
  12. 1 2 3 "11 of the Most Expensive Teachers in Golf". Golf.com. 21 October 2015.
  13. ↑ McSorley, Jacqui; Gonzales, Johnny (5 October 2018). "Golf Guide for Parents and Players: Secrets of Success for Junior and College Golf, Professional Tour and Beyond". Mansion – via Google Books.
  14. ↑ Hurst, David K. (5 October 2018). "Learning from the Links: Mastering Management Using Lessons from Golf". Simon and Schuster. p. 93 – via Google Books.
  15. ↑ "Ozzie Carlson, golf instruction: delivering clubhead speed". NorthJersey.com.
  16. ↑ Stock, ,Curtis. "Golf’s top instructors offer tips to improve your game". Edmonton Journal.
  17. ↑ "Vardon Trophy Winner Matt Kuchar and Celebrated Saxophonist Branford Marsalis are Special Celebrity Guests Set to Open the 58th PGA Merchandise Show". PGA.com.
  18. ↑ "50 Best Teachers In America: 2015-2016 - Golf Digest".
  19. ↑ Villarreal, Ignacio. "Fore! Gary Wiren Golf Memorabilia Collection to Come to Lighthouse ArtCenter". artdaily.com. Art Daily.
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