Robert Farley, Wembley Golf Complex
Robert Farley
Wembley Golf Complex
15 years as coach
WABN: Describe your preferred outdoor-based training session.
RF: “As the Western Australian state senior coach for golf, I like training sessions that last three to four hours. First, I like to do a number of putting drills, working on all aspects of putting from short putts to long putts for distance control. Second, I like to work on the team’s chipping. Starting with what should be the simple chip-and-run shot to the flop shot, with a one-on-one game against a team-mate to sharpen their skills under pressure. Third, the team works on pitching. Hitting pitch shots from designated distances to a very small target area specifically working on the flight of the ball and the correct landing distance. Last, as a team we will go to the range or the golf course and hit full shots. I make the team hit different shapes of shots, different trajectories of shots and specific placement shots.”
WABN: What techniques do you use to motivate players?
RF: “Each player is totally different to each other. Generally I talk to the player about their strengths and how they are performing, and what they have to do to play better golf.”
WABN: What has been the biggest mistake that you have made in your role as a coach and what did you learn from it?
RF: “Not trusting my own professional view on how someone is approaching or playing the game. I learned that I have to believe in myself and voice my opinion to the players and officials.”
WABN: How do you manage player egos?
RF: “Even though the WA state senior team goes and plays an interstate series once a year, golf is a very individual game. A player in golf having an ego can be a good thing as long as the ego is having self-belief. Making the player very confident on his own helps him believe he can win. I find the best way manage players egos in the team is to keep the players’ minds on the job at hand.”
WABN: What currently frustrates you about your sport and what would you do to change it?
RF: “Two things frustrate me about golf at the moment. The first is that a lot more people are bending and breaking the rules in the pursuit of better scores to compete. Golf has always been a gentleman’s sport with a great deal of honesty and self trust. It’s very difficult to change this in the older players but in juniors we can give them more information and explain the rules and ethics better. The second thing that frustrates me is most people that play golf believe that if they were to strike the ball better they would play better golf, whereas 90 per cent of golfers would improve their scores if they were to improve their short game. Most golfers could reduce their handicaps by five shots in a very short time.”
WABN: What sporting identity do you most admire and why?
RF: “John Buchanan. He does not leave a stone unturned. He is a quiet achiever, very professional and goes about motivating and getting the best out of his players.”
WABN: Have you read a good book on management/leadership that you can recommend? What was so good about it?
RF: “I have enjoyed reading Greg Norman’s latest book about his business empire and his great achievements playing golf and what it has done for him with his family and generally though his life. I also enjoyed readng the book The Road to the World Cup by Adam Gilchrist. Its just a great book to read on how one of the most successful teams goes about its day to day preparation leading up to, during and after such a big event.”
