John Bierkan - Director of Instruction at Aronimink Golf Club

Alex Elias

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Courtesy of Jon Cavalier (@linksgems)

If there's one aspect of the game that John Bierkan, Director of Instruction at Aronimink Golf Club (Newtown Square, PA), believes club players need to practice most, it's short game. Bierkan said, "All golfers quite candidly, but particularly club players, would definitely benefit from spending more time on short game."

"The best way to improve your putting statistics is to hit it closer. Most Tour players are really good around the green: chipping, pitching, green side bunkers, and by club players working on that, they're going to see more results in terms of those shots being closer to the hole and then statistically improving their odds to make a putt to save par," said Bierkan. 

Although short game may edge out the other aspects of the game, Bierkan said, "Maybe I'm biased but people need to make more time to practice in general."

"If you look at any other sport or activity, people get better by taking lots of lessons and/or spending time practicing. For example: piano, karate, ice hockey, learning a foreign language, but for some reason golfers think you can go take one or two lessons and be cured or just magically hit the ball better," said Bierkan. "You don't do that when you're learning how to skate, you don't do that when you're learning to play the piano. I just think for some reason people don't equate learning or practicing golf to any other skill in life."

As Bierkan played Division 1 Golf at the University of Connecticut, Bierkan has long understood the need to put in the time, but even so, may have an even greater appreciation now. Over the last three years, Bierkan has begun learning how to play hockey. 

"My first winter, with lessons down here [Florida], I took approximately 120 hours. The next winter, I had taken 148 hours. This winter, this morning, was my 127th hour of hockey lessons. I'm not saying this to brag, but my point is, being a teacher and an instructor, I understand I'm not going to go from zero to sixty in ten hours of lessons. I want to practice what I preach," said Bierkan.

First comes the commitment to practice, then comes acceptance — specifically, the understanding that change is uncomfortable and takes time. Bierkan said, "If a player comes in and I'm trying to do something that I believe will help them with ball striking or accuracy, most people don't commit to swing changes because they say it feels weird."

"If you change the way you move or do something, then yes, it's going to feel weird or awkward at first, but you have to put in the time and effort for it to feel normal so that you can trust the process. Trusting the process of getting better is extremely important," said Bierkan.