There are a lot of teachers and coaches that want everyone to know who they've worked with. Some teachers figure that if they are allowed to watch a player hit a few shots and make a simple observation, that player should be considered in his "stable". I don't have enough space to list all the tour players that Dr. Farnsworth has worked with. In fact, it would be an insult to list them because with his experience, credentials, and accomplishments, it's unnecessary. In the three months I've been a member of the golf instructors community on Facebook, I've read several posts by Craig Farnsworth, and obvioulsy I knew that he has worked with several tour professionals, but until I read his professional bio and resume, I had no idea the scope of his expertise and professional credentials. Here is just a taste of what Dr. Farnsworth has accomplished in his 40+ years career.
If you asked him what he does for a living he would likely tell you that he is a Sports Vision and Performance Specialist. But he is one of the most professionally diverse individuals I have encountered in our business. After graduating with a BS from Indiana University in 1963 he went to the IU College of Optometry becoming a doctor of Optometry in 1966. That same year he became the staff optometrist for the US Army at Fort Monroe, Virginia. He has developed and conducted studies and designed pilot programs for macular degeneration, gas permeable contact lenses, bi-focal lenses for Bausch and Lomb, and headache therapy, as well as alignment and sunglass studies for Golf Digest. Also, how many golf pros do you know that have trained the United States Army Special Forces Operators? That's right, not only has he worked with them, he has been allowed to visit their highly secret training facilities. When those guys leave a message in your inbox, you might be in demand. I can't mention which unit he worked with but let's just say it's THE unit.
He has also worked as a consultant to the United States Secret Service marksmanship instructors,The US Department of Energy Nuclear Response Team, The US Federal Air Marshals, The US Olympic Shooting Team, and the US Olympic Hockey Team.
He has lectured and conducted clinics in Russia, Italy, and was the first president of the European Sports Vision Academy.
He has written articles for just about every golf publication in existence. He has shot dozens of instructional videos, and infomercials as well as appearing on the The Golf Channel.
If there is one instructional book that has been published in the last 5 years that every teacher should own and recommend to your students, it's Golf Magazines- The Best Putting Instruction Book Ever. He has a 12 page outline of what he believes is going to help you become a better putter- RIGHT NOW ! Who would have thunk that such a mainstream publication could deliver something so useful? It looks like a big glossy coffee table book. Maybe because it is. He is one of 10 putting experts in America chosen for the publication along with Stan Utley, Mark Sweeney, Marius Filmalter, and David Edel, among others. You can purchase it from Amazon for $20 bucks. Sorry Doc ;-)
Dr. Farnsworth is also the author of See It & Sink It- Mastering Putting Through Peak Visual Perfromance. I think it's safe to say that Dr. Craig Fransworth is arguably the most prominent sports vision expert in the golf industry. It's an honor for me to be able to conduct this interview.
1. What’s the difference between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist?
The ophthalmologist goes to medical school and is trained to examine the eyes for visually-related problems, including disease as well as perform surgery, including LASIK. An optometrist, graduates from optometry school, must also pass national and state testing and is held to the same standards as an M.D., to correctly diagnose and correct visually-related problems with lenses, therapy or medication. They only perform minor, anterior-related surgeries, namely foreign-body extraction.
2. I’ve always contended that a golfer will swing differently because of their visual perception of what they see when they stand to the side of the ball on an inclined plane than they would if the ball was on a 4 foot tee on a horizontal plane. Does this make any sense at all? If so, can you explain that phenomena so a hillbilly like myself can understand it, and better yet , how can I explain it to my students?
In my opinion, the difference in angle of gaze and distance from the eyes, combined with the ball being higher, places the hands and swing plane closer to the shoulders - a flatter plane, so physiologically, it is less eye-hand challenge. Doesn’t hurt that it relates more to a baseball swing for the experienced.
3. Bobby Knight or John Wooden?
Wooden, a true Hoosier-born, was a gentleman and a genuine example of a coach/teacher.
4. What do you think the % of Tour Professionals is that can correctly aim their putter face straight at their aim point from inside 6 feet?
Consistently, less than 15 percent (without the use of the golf ball’s logo alignment aid) can hit a two-inch at five feet, outdoors, on the green.
5. What about the average golfer?
Less than one out of 10 can aim inside the cup at 10 feet
6. What role do you feel technology will play in 10 years for the instructor?
I perceive the same advancements exponentially, as we have seen over the last ten years. More means and methods for the instructor to digest and convey, but with results too similar to the past. We must still work with the individual to develop the basics of skills, i.e., eye-hand and eye-body coordination, balance, among others as well as the mental aspects in order to best impact performance. Without these, we tend to primarily build splinter-skills.
7. Do you think that most of the low hanging fruit has been harvested in that regard? If not, what do you think is on the horizon in regards to teaching technology.
If we keep allowing “the inmates to run the asylum,” we fail to provide the short game experience as well as applying the basics (see answer #6.) In addition, we are still working with a public that all too often is looking to buy a game or just swallow that magic pill.
8. Line on the ball or just go with your instinct when lining up a putt?
Empirically, if taught properly, logo line trumps all for aim. 94 percent of Tour players use it part or all the time in a 2008 Tour questionnaire.
9. How can a guy like former Olympic shooter Lanny Bassham help a golfer?
Lanny is one of the few world class athletes who has done a wonderful job of also analyzing why and how when it comes to performance and organized it into a easy-to-apply instructional series.
10. Is the notion that the human eye sees the environment upside down and the brain rotates it 180 degrees urban folklore or empirical fact, and how in the world did you guys figure that out? LOL!!!
The upside-down image on the retina is basic physiological optics of light, with light being transposed by the eye’s crystalline lens. The brain then makes inferences based on the information the senses provide using trial and error and matches to reality, using movement through space - a key to the brain’s development.
11. You have worked with more elite athletes in general and professional golfers in particular than probably all the teachers on the Facebook teachers group combined, what would surprise us the most about how they learn?
Thanks, but not sure of the comparison to others as you have plenty of great instructors in this mix.
The elite, in my opinion, are first and foremost, better listeners. They will attempt the drill or technique. If it makes sense at all, they will usually apply it to a higher level than you presented it, and, wala, you become a “guru!”
12. Is it a fair statement that most elite amateur golfers and tour professionals really don’t know how they do what do, and if they did they would be for the most part paralyzed?
For some, maybe to a fault, avoiding quality information can haunt them when things go awry, and THEY WILL! In their defense, they do have great feedback (proprioceptive) systems they find through discovery, that allows them to know the difference between good and bad swings. Breaking it down into ten “easy pieces” can physically usurp their dynamic flow.
13. Who were your sporting hero’s growing up in Indiana?
Not all from IN, but; golf - my father and Tony Pena, football - Otto Graham, basketball - Oscar Robertson and baseball - Jackie Robinson
14. What has been the pinnacle of your career?
Wow, great question, and an easy answer. Working with the armed forces elite commando units and honored to be at their hidden facility and for them to send instructors, every so often, to learn my visual/mental performance concepts and techniques. They are THE TRUE HEROS!
15. Can an elite hitter in the major league really pickup the rotation on the ball, and how quickly can they pick it up?
They have 1/5 of a second to respond to the information and make a decision to swing or take the pitch. The elite recognize the difference in spin (and color) of a curve, slider and fastball. Sports vision doctors teach techniques of how to perceptually slow down the ball’s actual speed.
16. You must be pretty jaded with all the athletes you have worked with in your career, who is the individual that just blew your mind with his or her aura of greatness?
NFL’s Tony Dorsett, would probably be right up there. Even though in the twilight of his career, he still impressed with his desire for knowledge and his ability to quickly enhance his depth perception with visual exercises.
Of course, my favorite would be Sir Nick Faldo. We have been friends since our first encounter in late, 1995. Attending his knighting party in London was a delight!
17. What does Dr. Craig Farnsworth do for fun? Do you have hobbies? What kind of music do like? What do you do to just get away from it all?
Used to collect stamps and 45‘s! / Rock and roll, baby. / But, nothing beats spending time with my wife. She is my best friend, chief supporter and she loves life. Her best attribute; she laughs at practically everything, including my warped sense of humor.
18. This year was the worst I have had in 20 years of teaching, how much longer will the economy continue to hammer the golf industry and what can we do about it?
Indeed, most of us are feeling it. But, in a number of ways, golf has dug its own hole. Harder courses, crazy green designs, long rounds, expenses and equipment “necessities”! We must get to FUN: up tees, maybe six to nine holes and decrease the bill-of-fare. Also, many club pros must find a way to promote better golf, not just manage the board of directors.
19. What sport has the most skilled athletes?
Basketball
20. What sports athletes tend to be the best golfers?
Baseball, followed by hockey
Bonus Question:
I have trouble losing track of the ball when I take full swings with my sunglasses on, is there a particular style or lenses that will eliminate that, or at least minimize it?
Most golfers believe, erroneously, the darker the tint the more the UV A,B and C protection. Also, grey lenses tend to reduce contrast while a yellow/brown tint enhances figure-ground contrast. In my experience, Peak Vision’s dual-zone technology (peakvisionsports.com) provides the best optics, the best impact protection and meets the difference challenges of the sun’s light and the grounds ambient light.
Double Bonus : There are a couple of theories why tour players wear their sunglass on the back of their hat, Why is that? Because they don’t want them to fall off and hit their golf ball, or they don’t want to obstruct their sponsors logo?
See above - too dark a lens, poor color, optical distortion and, hmm, does the Tour not desire the eyes to be covered when the camera is rolling!!
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