Episode #32
#32 How Great Golfers Actually Get Better Over Time
What does it really take to become a better golfer—not for one round or one season, but over the long term? In this episode, Ryan Dailey, PGA and Seth Thompson, PGA sit down with Ryne Burnett, PGA, Director of Golf at Hidden Valley Golf Club, to explore the experiences, habits, and mindset that helped shape him as a player, coach, and golf professional. Ryne shares how spending the majority of his early golf years actually playing the game helped develop his skills, why purposeful practice matters more than simply hitting balls, and how learning to manage his mind and emotions became a major turning point in his own playing career. The conversation also dives into junior golf development and the role coaches and parents play in helping young golfers succeed. Ryne explains why alignment between the player, parent, and coach is so important, how properly fitted equipment can influence development, and why sometimes the best thing a coach can do is listen before trying to fix the problem. In this episode: • Why Ryne spent roughly 75% of his early golf development on the course • How the mental game changed his approach to competitive golf • Why purposeful practice beats simply hitting more golf balls • How wedge distance control helped take his game to another level • Why golfers should focus on process instead of results • The importance of parent, player, and coach alignment • What a golf coach can provide beyond swing instruction • Why junior golf equipment should be fit to the player • How coaches can help young golfers manage frustration and adversity • Why learning to handle failure is part of long-term player development Whether you’re a golf coach, PGA Professional, parent of a junior golfer, or a player trying to improve your own game, this conversation provides a practical look at what sustainable golf development really requires. CHAPTERS 01:17 Ryne Burnett’s Journey Into Golf 04:20 Building a Career as a PGA Professional 08:20 Playing Golf vs. Practicing Golf 12:30 What Took Ryne’s Game to the Next Level? 15:00 Building a Precise Wedge System 19:40 Process, Preparation & the Mental Game 24:50 Mistakes Parents Can Make in Junior Golf 26:30 Creating Alignment Between Player, Parent & Coach 32:20 What Does a Golf Coach Actually Help With? 33:30 Why Junior Golf Equipment Matters 36:20 How Coaches Help Players Manage Emotions 38:10 Giving Junior Golfers Space to Talk 41:50 What Coaches Can Learn From an Op 36 Round 43:20 Coaching Your Own Kids 45:00 Balancing Golf, Career & Family 48:00 Final Thoughts Subscribe to The Golf Sit Down for conversations about long-term golf development, coaching, junior golf, player development, and helping golfers build a game they can enjoy for life. #golfsitdown #golfcoaching #juniorgolf #pgaprofessional #golfdevelopment #golfinstruction #golf #operation36
