My Aim

My name is Gary Monisteri.  I am a PGA "Class A" golf instructor.  I’ve been teaching golf for over 30 years in the San Francisco Bay Area. I’ve taught at San Mateo Muni, Poplar Creek, Burlingame Golf Center, and Stanford University.  My teaching philosophy is to guide people to have fun while playing golf.  Usually the better they get, the more fun they have.  I help people find their best swing in the most uncomplicated manner possible.  I help people learn everything necessary to have fun playing golf:  etiquette, rules, psychology, course management, practice techniques, short game, and full swing fundamentals.

Teaching Methodology

These are my basic preferences. I modify them according to the student and what works best for them. In some cases I may completely go 180 degrees to get the desired results. The ball only knows impact but to get there we may use some form of the following concepts.

I.       Grip

a)  Neutral grip- two knuckles showing on back of left hand, right hand; “v” pointing between right eye and right shoulder.

b)  Left hand; club lies diagonally with a combination of palm and fingers.  Right hand: club held in fingers.

II.      Stance 

a)  Square

b)  Shoulder width

c)  Athletic posture

d)  Knees slightly flexed

e)  Weight balanced between toes and heels

f)  Arms hanging down comfortably

g)  Posture fairly erect, and slightly bent at waist.

III.      Ball Position

a)  Even with left arm pit with all shots

b)  Move if necessary to fit student’s swing’s low point

IV.       Swing

a)  Full, free swing

b)  Arm swing combined with body turned and weight shift

c)  Natural release on downswing

d)  Swing path inside-down the line to inside

           Back Swing

a)  Full turn of shoulders (and hips if necessary to turn shoulders)

b)  Neutral swing plane

c)  Natural wrist cock

d)  Club swung parallel or less depending on flexibility

           Down Swing

a)  Coordination of arm swing with a natural hitting action combined with a weight shift and body turn through ball

V.        Follow Through

a)  Balanced weight on left side

b)  Body facing forward

c)  Club over left shoulder