Just a reminder that I will be compiling my 2013 Top 50 Teacher Twitter List so if you didn’t make it last year, tell me why you should this year (in 140 characters or less)

Good Luck!

For those of you who follow me on twitter know that I have issues. My twitter addiction is just the beginning.  Ever since I gave my first golf lesson I tried to take my father’s advice. I can still hear him saying to me when I made the decision to be a golf professional,”I don’t care what you do but I think you owe it to yourself to try to be the best at it!” So that’s what I did. So I set my goals very high.  I have never been the smartest guy in the world but I have always had this “Obsessive Compulsive Disorder for Learning (OCDL).” So I learned very early in my career that if I didn’t know the answer to a question I had 2 choices 1) find a book about it or 2)go ask someone smarter than me that knows the answer. I’ve always approached life this way, it didn’t matter if I was learning to flyfish or running marathons,  there is information that is available if you just look for it. The bible says,”If you seek you will find.” When I started teaching golf it was a few years before the internet was invented (makes me feel old) so all there was were books and people. No Youtube.com or Twitter.com or Facebook or blogs. So we had to travel a lot to get the info and to watch other top teachers teach. As I don’t think anything can replace the “Live Lesson” observation and face to face interaction, you can now watch other teachers teach and here them describe their philosophy through video (YouTube) which is great or read about their ideas on their blogs or forums. As I started to grow as a coach and a golf professional I always knew that continuous growth was dependant on individuals and the relationships that you build with others in your field of expertise. As the economy started to decline in 2009, the phone wasn’t ringing as much and my book wasn’t as full as I was used to seeing. I think I was once booked out for 3 months at one time……I found myself getting lazy in following up with my students and needed a new way to connect to my players and make sure that they didn’t forget me. So I found social media. Not to make this a social media tutorial but I started using what I called the 4 corners of SM. Blogging, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter. What I found was that I not only connected with my students through videos, blog articles and content, but I saw that other teaching professionals started to reach out with their information and content which allowed us to share and also build a relationship. I learned that even though it was not face to face, you could still get a very good idea of what kind of person you were communicating with through twitter and Facebook if you paid attention. So in the past few years I have made some great friends through twitter and Facebook and we actually have met in person and they still call me a friend which is the best kind (know all about you and still call you friend, lol). I have been fortunate to do some golf schools and teach with some of them and they are always only a phone call or Skype discussion away. The first 7 on the list is what I call my Mastermind Crew and are all great friends (all met through twitter).

  For those of you who feel that twitter is a waste of time, I suggest you reach out to these folks with high tweet counts on the list and ask them how they use it. I can guarantee that most of their tweets are them engaging in conversation, sharing information and trying to learn from other professionals. Hardly a waste of time.  All I can tell you is that twitter has changed my career in a positive way because I learned how to make it work. We all like recognition in our field and I always have aspired to be on the few top teacher lists that are out there but I have found that the most important thing and what I measure greatness in my field is twofold. 1) The passion to help other golfers improve and enjoy this great game 2)The passion to help and share with other teaching professionals so they can get better and help their students. I try to do both every day and I hope that it comes through that I don’t do it because of what I can get but because of what I can become through sharing what has been passed down to me.

So here is my list of teachers and coaches that use twitter to help other golfers and coaches like myself get better. Criteria: You had to have a minimum of 1000 tweets to qualify for the list.  I am sure I will leave someone out so don’t get mad just tweet more (next year it may be 2000 tweet minimum) and tweet me as to why you should be on the list for next year. I am sure the list will get bigger. All of these individuals have had a big effect on my career and are a must follow if you are not already doing so. I made easy  so you can click on their twitter handle and follow them immediately. Not in any particular order but all are great at what they do:

GURU’S 2012 TOP TEACHER TWITTER LIST                        #of tweets/followers

• John Graham                @johngrahamgolf                                         46,002        / 4355
• Sara Dickson                 @sara_pga                                                      22,144       /  2867
• Jason Helman               @jasonhelmangolf.com                               4417          /   3463
• Rob McGill                     @golfprorob                                                   7545          / 1194
• Kirk Oguri                      @kirkoguri                                                      13,995       /  10321
• Andrew Marr                 @andrewmarrgolf                                         10,336       /  1424
• Dennis Sales                   @dennissalesgolf                                          6609         /   1499
• Andrew Rice                   @andrewricegolf                                           2198         /    1523
• Mike Fay                          @mikefaygolf                                                 6898        /    1752
• James Ridyard                @jamesridyard                                              9462        /    1667
• Vikki Vanderpool           @vvanderpool                                                1665        /     613
• Mark Sweeney                 @aimpointgolf                                               3921       /      5073
• Brad Redding                  @bradreddinggolf                                          3991      /      1323
• Ed Bowe                            @bowegolf                                                      2954      /      4719
• Mark Durland                  @durlandgolf                                                 1278      /       235
• Andy Griffith                    @andygriffiths1                                              2604     /      873
• Ryan Chaney                     @oraclerio                                                       1857     /        55
• Rick Grayson                    @rickgraysongolf                                           4242     /       550
• Ryan Crysler                      @ryancrysler                                                  13,479  /       1352
• Josh Boggs                         @boggspga                                                      1770     /       987
• Hugh Marr                          @hughmarr                                                    3395    /       2040
• Erik Barzeski                     @iacas                                                               7061    /       745
• James Hong                       @jameshonggolf                                             1158    /       221
• Mitch Walz                         @walzygolf                                                      5723    /       769
• Robert Campbell               @rcampbellgolf                                              1157     /       324
• Petri Parviainen                 @piiter77                                                         5322   /       771
• Ian Peek                               @ianpeekgolf                                                 5431    /       1369
• Jamie Donalson                 @golfdonaldson                                             6214   /       2867
• Keith Stewart                      @kjpga                                                             1067   /       234
• Matt Diederichs                  @mattdgolf                                                     13,633  /    2666
• Blake Graham                     @blakegrahampga                                         12058  /    1031
• Denise Hastings                  @hastingsgolf                                                1541     /     474
• Brett Packee                         @brettpackeegolf                                          2496   /      456
• Joe Mayo                             @trackmanmaestro                                       3093   /      2865
• Travis Lloyd                        @tlloydpga                                                       1010   /      359
• George Connor                   @connorgolf                                                    1757    /      660
• Denis Pugh                          @Dpugh54                                                       7561   /       12331
• Derek Hooper                     @derekhoopergolf                                          1120   /       513
• TJ Yeaton                             @tjyeatongolf                                                  1690  /       547
• Chris Gibson                        @chrisgibsongolf                                            2551   /      308
• Jesse Struebing                   @jstruebs                                                         4636    /     1456
• Kate Tempesta                     @KTUrbangolf                                                2250   /     960
• Aaron Olson                         @aaronaosongolf                                           1023    /     902
• Andy Gordon                       @andygordongolf                                           3852   /      1221
• Martin Park                          @parkythepro                                                 10,289 /     945
• Kevin Flynn                          @kflypga                                                           4851    /     717
• James Martin                       @James_W_martin                                      1735     /     301
• Meindert Jan Boekel          @BKLGolf                                                        5147     /     535
• Donal Scott                           @donalscott                                                     2825   /      735
• Michael Balderstone           @balderstonegolf                                           1983    /      319

Up and Coming Twitter Pro Stars

• Megan Padua                        @megangolfpro
• Tom Stickney                        @tomstickneygolf
• Chris Foley                             @chrisfoleygolf
• Justin Blazer                          @blazer_justin
• Scott Chisholm                      @schizgolf
• Adam Ohsberg                     @golfsenseipga
• Bill DeVore                           @BillDeVoregolf
• Corey Lundberg                   @curiouscoaches
• Andrew Kiger                       @drewkigergolf
• Brandon Roby                      @brobygolf
• Nancy Harvey                       @thegolfnancy
• Molly Tullar                           @mollytullarlpga

Must Follows (avid golfers with great content)

• Ricky Lee Potts                         @rickyleepotts
• Nick Chertock                           @golfprogess
• Tim Ryan                                    @seamuspicmcgee

Thank you to all that made the list and congratulations. Please share this list on twitter and with the other buttons at the bottom and lets see if we can get these outstanding professionals and people some new followers. Leave your comments below of your thoughts about this post and don’t forget to attend #tweetup3.0. Contact Sara Dickson or Ricky Lee Potts for more details. I hope to see you all at the PGA Show in January.

Guru                                 @golfgurutv