Modifying the Swing of a Teaching Professional and Military Veteran

If there’s a coach who can appreciate the importance of matching swing mechanics to your physical capabilities, it’s Jayson Nickol.

Jayson is a TPI Certified golf instructor (Golf Level 2) who lives in Winnipeg.  We had a chance to work with him when he was visiting TPI with his student, Mike Shade, of the Chasing Scratch podcast.

When we got him on our force plates, he had an extremely unique pattern, and for good reason.

Prior to becoming a golf instructor, Jayson was serving as a reservist with his hometown Royal Winnipeg Rifles that was assigned to the Princess Patricia’s Second Battalion.  In 2008, he was severely injured in military service in Afghanistan, taking an AK-47 round to the right leg.

Upon returning home, he found solace in golf, which became a significant part of his healing process. Inspired by the positive impact the sport had on his life, he decided to pursue a career in teaching. He now helps others, particularly veterans, find improvement and therapeutic benefits in the game through in-person and online lessons.

As you’ll see in the video, the injury prevented Jayson from loading into the backswing in a manner we typically see in the best ball-strikers in the world.  Though this hasn't prevented Jayson from playing terrific golf (he can play to a +2), it can create issues with both his force production and his ability to get the club on plane. 

While his injury made his physical limitations more apparent, the modifications Dave suggested in his swing underscore the importance of building a swing around what a student's body can do.  Even if the technique looks radically different from the swings you see on TV, maximizing what a golfer can physically do gives them the greatest opportunity for success.

After all, how it works is more important than how it looks.

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If you're a golfer interested in a physical assessment, you can connect with a TPI Certified expert via our Find an Expert page.