Q & A with Manuel Bermudez
BGGA La Loma Director of Golf
Q : What does it take to make it as a junior golfer today ?
A : The two most important attributes of a great player are hard work and commitment to the training and the hunger and desire to achieve your goals . Talent is great but hard work beats talent every day . The players that I have seen gain the most improvement and results are those who had the desire to make it and would allow nothing to stand in their way .
Q : How can I become a ranked player ?
A : The AJGA Polo Golf ranking is the premier junior golf ranking system . The AJGA use a performance-based system so you need to have status to play the events . The best strategy is to play in AJGA qualifiers in the summer at your age and ability level so that you can earn performance stars and be eligible to play in more events . I have had the privilege of coaching players that have improved greatly in their rankings over the course of nine months and this is because we created the right tournament plan to give them the best opportunity to be successful . The top ranked AJGA players are selected to play in the Invitationals , some of which are considered the “ majors ” of junior golf .
Q : What is the process for playing college golf ?
A : The two most important things to focus on are academics and golf . Even more than golf scores , academic preparation is the absolute key because without being admitted to a university , you will not be eligible to play on the team . I played for a NCAA Division I program and trust me when I say that academic preparation will give you so many more college golf options .
Q : How does BGGA La Loma help students with college ?
A : BGGA La Loma has a college placement program and we provide all the tools and support to help students navigate this journey . As a golf coach I have been instrumental in placing students in top college programs such as Baylor , Georgia and Arkansas , and our team has the knowledge and experience to help the players find the program that is right for them .
Q : How can I get more distance in my swing ?
A : This is a common question and my first response is to assess your fitness and the functionality of your swing . Distance comes from having a sound sequence of movements in the swing , not from power or strength , so find and fix what it creating an “ energy leak ” in the swing and you will inevitably have more distance . At BGGA we use 3D biomechanics for swing analysis to easily identify these faults .