PGA ProFILE : Gary Bos

NAME : Gary Bos

CPGA DESIGNATION : Head Teaching Professional

LOCATION :

Gary Bos Golf Academy

• Peninsula Lakes Golf Club (Fonthill, ON)
• Sparrow Lakes Golf Club (Welland, ON)
• Lochness Links Golf Club (Welland, Ontario)
• Westport Golf & Practice Facility (St. Catharines, Ontario)

ounded in 2007, the Gary Bos Golf Academy will begin it’s 5th successful year of operation in 2011. Offering a number of instructional programs for golf enthusiasts of all ages, the Academy specializes in ‘CN Future Links’ Junior Golf Camps & Clinics, Junior Coaching Programs & Ladies Drive Chip & Putt Golf Schools. The GBGA is a Certified Golf Development Center recognized by the GAO (Golf Association of Ontario).

EXPERIENCE :

• 14 years professional teaching experience
• Canadian PGA Certified Coach & Instructor
• V1 Video Swing Analysis
• Certified Club Fitter
• Numerous books read on teaching philosophy & the mental game
• Coach New Competitor (CNC) Trained Golf Coach

PHILOSOPHY : Every golfer has a swing that is uniquely their own, and with the proper guidance and training, those unique and individual characteristics can be fully utilized to allow each student the ability to reach their own golfing potential.

BACKGROUND : Originally from the Montreal area, I grew up as a junior golfer at the Hawkesbury Golf & Curling Club and have been working in the golf industry since the age of 15.  After completing high school, my career path took me to nearby Ottawa where I spent 4 years studying to earn a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Marketing and competing as a member of the University of Ottawa Championship Golf  Team.

My decision to turn professional came in 1998, jump starting my career as a Canadian PGA Professional and beginning my journey across the country in the golf business.  I was fortunate to have the opportunity to be very heavily involved in teaching since my first year as a professional, and quickly realized that I had a passion for this area of the game and very much enjoyed both helping others and learning from the many highly experience teaching professionals I have been involved with over the years. My career has taken me to such world class facilities as Canada’s #1 Resort – the Jasper Park Lodge Golf Club, the Timberwolf Golf Club, the Toronto Golf Club, and the Grand Niagara Resort. In 2007, I made a decision to pursue my passion for teaching independently and founded the Gary Bos Golf Academy.

As a competitive player, I began as an amateur at the age of 16, competing in seven consecutive Quebec Amateur & Quebec Junior championships. In my final year as a junior, I qualified to compete in the Quebec Open and the Canadian Junior Championship. I played in both NCAA and OUAA tournaments in University and was named an OUAA All-Star. Since turning professional, I have had numerous top finishes in Ontario PGA events, ranking in the top 10 on the Ontario PGA’s Assistant Professional Order of Merit in 2004 & 2006. I have also competed in many Canadian PGA events, Canadian Tour Q-school, Canadian Tour events, Mini-Tour events in Quebec, Ontario & Florida, as well as a number of qualifying events on the PGA and Nationwide Tours.

FUTURE : I am a person that believes everything happens for a reason in life. I very much enjoy the direction my golf career has taken and look forward to growing my Academy in the Niagara area to become the ultimate destination for both expert golf instruction & coaching in the future. As programs expand, my focus will continue in the direction of building a leading junior player development program, in turn opening new doors and providing new opportunities for those deserving players along the way. From top level amateurs to beginner golfers, I pride myself in welcoming and working with golfers of all skill and ability levels, offering programs that both grow & open the game to as many new golfers as possible.

FAVOURITE ONTARIO GOLF COURSE : Glen Abbey Golf Club

FAVOURITE GOLF TRAVEL DESTINATION : Canadian Rockies

ULTIMATE FOURSOME : Greg Norman, John Daly, Tom Watson, Fred Couples

MOST MEMORABLE ROUND OF GOLF : There is this golf course called Old Head Golf Links in Cork, Ireland – the pictures look amazing – once I make it over there, it will definitely be my most memorable round of golf!

ADVICE YOU’VE RECEIVED : The best advice I have ever received came from my Golf Coach in University – day after day, every time I stepped onto the first tee, whether it was the final round of the provincial championship or just another run of the mill practice round – the only thing he would say to me was ‘have fun out there Gary’! Little did I realize back then how important those two words really were to being a successful golfer. I like to remind all my students today more often than not how important it is to have fun on the golf course while you are playing and on the driving range as you are practicing.

ADVICE YOU’D GIVE : The best advice I could give anyone is to be patient, never play a shot you haven’t practiced, and ultimately play within yourself. Too many golfers try to play shots on the golf course that resemble something they saw Tiger pull off on the weekend during the final round of the British Open! If you find yourself getting into tricky situations on the golf course, take some time after your round to focus on the areas that might be weaknesses in your game. Address those specific areas & keep working on the things that have made you successful in the past. Remember – golf is an 18 hole game and the more patient you are, the more successful you will be!

THE GOLF SWING IS … a true reflection of your personality!

OPEN CHAT : Some of my favourite golf quotes:

“Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated; it satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening – and it is without a doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented” - Arnold Palmer

“It’s a funny thing, the more I practice, the luckier I get” - Arnold Palmer

“If you want to increase your success rate, double your failure rate” - Tom Watson

“You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry, don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.” - Walter Hagen

“Every golfer can expect to have four bad shots in a round and when you do, just put them out of your mind. This, of course is hard to do when you’ve had them and your not even off the first tee “ - Walter Hagen

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• PGA ProFILE : Mike Skimson
• PGA ProFile : Eddie Maunder
• PGA ProFile: Danny King
• PGA ProFILE : Michael Crane
• PGA ProFILE : Bradlee Ryall