This blog post was going to be about the team of people I use when I am coaching my students. Unfortunately I lost one of my team members just after Christmas so I decided to write a blog post on him instead. My team blog post will follow in the near future.I was sitting at home after Christmas and enjoying the relaxing time away from work when I received a text message from a student of mine. He had been on Twitter and had been seeing tweets from different people saying that golf specific physiotherapist/trainer Ramsay McMaster had passed away. He wanted to know if I had heard anything or if it was just a nasty rumour that had been started online. I hadn't heard so I made a few phone calls and found out that the news was true, Ramsay had passed away suddenly and golf had lost one of the most enthusiastic, dedicated and giving people I ever had the pleasure of knowing.
I first met Ramsay when I was a first year trainee professional in 1997. He was one of the speakers at our intensive school that year and he bounded in full of energy and information. He was one of the first that I had heard speak about golf specific exercise and how it could improve your game. He also spoke about how some swing faults may be caused by body weaknesses or imbalances. Golf coach Sandy Jamieson also spoke at that school and showed video of his students and how they had improved through coaching and golf specific exercise plans. This was my first real introduction to golf coaching that wasn't focussed entirely on golf swing mechanics and was nice nudge in the right direction for me as a coach and player.
While I was still in the frame of mind that I was going to be a tour player I decided that I needed to go and see Ramsay for a screening and for him to put me on the correct path to having a golf fit body. I still have the video of that original screening and the pain still comes flooding back when I remember Ramsay working on my extremely tight hamstrings! I remember him being in and out of the room a lot, as he had a million and one things going at the same time, but I also remember that he was extremely generous with his time as my 60 minute session went for more that two hours. I walked out of the clinic with a fist full of notes, a video and Ramsay's advice ringing in my ears determined to use the information as best I could.
My next contact with Ramsay came when I decided to make coaching my career. He was always there when I referred clients for screenings with reports on what their bodies
could and couldn't do as well as advice on how to best improve their skills. I would always get a copy of the screening results with Ramsay's suggestions on what may be happening in their swings as a results of physical limitations. I was always amazed at what he would predict after just one screening! He always kept the lines of communication open and wanted there to be three way discussion between me, the client and himself. This was what he used to call "singing from the same hymn sheet". This was a great way for the club golfer to feel like they had a team of support staff working around them determined to give them the best possible chance to improve.In my roles as national coach in Taiwan and as a China Golf Association national coach he was always free with sharing ideas and knowledge. We struggled to find the budget money to get him across to Taiwan to work with the kids but was a great help with my very basic screenings and exercise programs. He was always just an email away when I had a question and was more than willing to help as much as possible.
He will be an impossible person to replace in the golfing world. His enthusiasm and dedication to golf and golfers will be sorely missed. Personally, I will miss his willingness to share information, research and knowledge. I regret not having the pleasure of researching/presenting with him as I always enjoyed his sessions at coaching summits.
You will be missed Ramsay and it is such a loss that you were taken so soon.
Until next time,
Brent
