Written by Kevin Smith, Global TV

Team AB TAPS into Talent

This article was originally published in the 2016 edition of The Alberta Golfer Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.

The last time I heard the word “TAPS”, I was a kid watching the 1981 movie of the same name starring Sean Penn and Tom Cruise. It was the movie debut for both actors and it certainly tapped into their potential that has since made both superstars. How does this relate to Alberta Golf 35 years later? Two coaches for Team Alberta have devised a new scorecard called “TAPS” to help Team Alberta junior golfers mature more quickly in both their golf games and in life.

Randy Robb, Alberta Golf’s manager of high performance sport, has been a Team Alberta coach for over a decade while Pinebrook Golf and Country Club junior coach, Luke Workman, joined Team Alberta last year. Robb and Workman have devised a program for their Alberta juniors unlike anything we’ve seen in Canada. “TAPS” or “Team Alberta Performance Scorecard” has 18 specific categories on a unique scorecard that helps each player assess areas of strength and weakness in his or her golf game.

The “TAPS” scorecard focuses on different aspects such as long game, short game, putting, tactical and technical skills, as well as physical and mental skills. If a category is an area of strength, the player earns a birdie or an eagle. If it’s an area of weakness, then the player chalks up a bogey. If it’s average, then the player gets a par.

Workman, Team Alberta junior girls coach, says he and Robb wanted to devise a more objective measuring tool for the juniors and their parents in the Team Alberta program. “It’s a feedback tool,” said Workman. “It helps us identify where players are excellent and areas where players need improvement to help them lower their scores. It will also help them become more well-rounded athletes and people for that matter.” The scorecard helps provide an individualized practice plan for each player and shows them how best to spend their time.

Robb points out that college golf programs often have as many players sitting on the sidelines each week as they do competing in tournaments. His objective is to help develop juniors that not only make college golf teams, but are leaders on them. “Our goal is to have them be successful at college, both in the classroom and on the golf course,” Robb said. “We’re trying to set it up so they have a better college experience.”

The eight girls and nine boys on Team Alberta will be the first golfers in the province using the “TAPS” system. Kehler Koss, 17, plays out of Earl Grey Golf Club in Calgary and is one of the eight junior girls on Team Alberta. Koss sees the benefit of this scorecard as a learning tool.

“I love it,” Koss raves.

“It sets goals for you and everyone wants to be under par on the scorecard. It really helps athletes who want to take this sport seriously and to know exactly where they need to improve. This really sets the benchmark for athletes in Alberta.”

Koss has already found out she gets lots of birdies in categories such as school work and fitness, but some bogeys in her short game. She is already working harder on her 60-70 yard wedges and lag putting. “It’s really an honour to be a part of that program and be supported by Randy and Luke,” she said. “They really have their hearts set on the juniors developing into the best they can be. The “TAPS” program is one of the main keys that they use.”

Randy Robb has used many coaching techniques in his years with Alberta Golf, but he’s very excited to see if the “TAPS” scorecard becomes one of the best.

“We are just starting to use the “TAPS” program with the players this year, but in the future we’d like to see more and more kids use this concept.”

Robb and Workman will assess the effectiveness of the “TAPS” program once the golf season has ended to see if it did indeed ‘tap’ into the talent of these junior golfers.

Team AB TAPS into Talent

This article was originally published in the 2016 edition of The Alberta Golfer Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.