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06/17/2026

Dr. Barry Lotz, J.D., Ph.D., Director of the Professional Golf Teachers Association of America (PGTAA) and a member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), continues to provide golfers with in-depth equipment analysis, product testing, and performance reviews through a growing network of respected golf publications worldwide.

Over the past several weeks, Dr. Lotz has published seven new equipment-focused articles covering some of golf's most innovative products, ranging from putters and shafts to footwear and fairway woods. As always, these reviews are based on real-world testing by Dr. Lotz and his evaluation team, adhering to his long-standing philosophy:
"If I or my testing group have not personally tested a product, I do not write about it."

The latest reviews include:
1. Tour Edge Exotics Max 9-Wood & Exotics Mini Driver A comprehensive review of two clubs designed to help golfers launch the ball higher, hit more fairways, and enjoy greater confidence throughout the bag. The article examines the technologies behind Tour Edge's latest offerings and explains why both clubs could become game-changers for many golfers.
2. L.A.B. Golf VZN.1i An in-depth look at L.A.B. Golf's newest Lie Angle Balance putter, combining zero-torque technology with enhanced alignment geometry designed to help golfers start more putts on line.
3. Killer Golf Artifact™ Putters A detailed evaluation of one of the most unique putter concepts in golf, featuring modular weighting and a proprietary approach to helping golfers adapt to daily performance fluctuations.
4. Breakthrough Golf FORTA F2 Shaft An analysis of a remarkably lightweight shaft designed to increase speed while maintaining stability and control, particularly beneficial for senior golfers and players seeking additional distance.
5. Ben Sherman SS26 Golf Collection A review of a golf apparel line that combines classic style, comfort, and modern performance, offering golfers a refreshing alternative in today's apparel marketplace.
6. Kizik Lima 2 Hands-Free Footwear An examination of one of the most practical footwear innovations available today, featuring Kizik's HandsFree Labs® technology that allows golfers and active individuals to step into their shoes without bending over.
7. Additional Equipment and Technology Evaluations Continuing his mission to help golfers make informed buying decisions, Dr. Lotz regularly reviews emerging products in shafts, putters, footwear, training aids, and game-improvement equipment designed to enhance performance and enjoyment.

WHERE TO READ DR. LOTZ'S EQUIPMENT REVIEWS
Golf Guide www.golfguide.com
Inside Golf Canada www.insidegolf.ca
Golf Vacations Magazine www.golfvacationsmags.com
Professional Golf Teachers Association of America (PGTAA) www.pgtaa.com
Connoisseur Golf & Travel Report www.connoisseurgolfandtravelreport.com
Golf Industry Online www.golfindustryonline.com
Top Ten Golf Products www.toptengolfproducts.com

SuperStroke Releases Limited Edition Pineapple Paradise Putter Grip to Celebrate the Start of the 2025 Golf SeasonJanuary 6, 2025

06/14/2026

Six Books. Five Decades of Experience. One Mission.

Over the past five decades, I have worn many hats—attorney, educator, author, entrepreneur, golf instructor, and founder of the Professional Golf Teachers Association of America (PGTAA). Through each role, I discovered a simple truth:
Success is rarely determined by talent alone. It is determined by mindset, preparation, communication, and the ability to perform under pressure.

That philosophy became the foundation for my six-book collection, now available through the PGTAA.
The Right Mind for Golf explores the mental side of the game, helping golfers replace fear, doubt, and overthinking with confidence, commitment, and trust.

The Right Mind for Putting focuses on golf's most important skill, teaching golfers how to develop effective routines, confidence, and a process-oriented approach on the greens.

The Right Approach to Golf bridges the gap between instruction and improvement, helping golfers understand not just what to practice, but how to learn and improve more effectively.

The Back Nine: Embracing Golf and Life as a Senior is a celebration of aging with purpose, perspective, gratitude, and a continued passion for golf and life.

The Right Mind for Peak Performance in Golf and Life expands performance principles beyond golf, showing how focus, resilience, and accountability create success in business, sports, and everyday living.

101 Things You Can Do with a Law Degree demonstrates how legal education develops valuable skills that open doors far beyond traditional legal practice, including business, entrepreneurship, consulting, education, and leadership.

While the subjects vary, the message remains consistent:
People perform better when they think better.
Golfers improve when they learn to trust themselves.
Professionals succeed when they manage pressure effectively.
Teachers excel when they understand how people learn.
Seniors thrive when they embrace opportunity rather than limitation.
Students prosper when they recognize the full value of their education.
Whether your goal is to lower your handicap, become a more effective teacher, improve your performance under pressure, or discover new professional opportunities, these books provide practical, real-world insights drawn from decades of experience.

As I often tell my students:
"Great performance is not about perfection. It is about clarity, confidence, consistency, and commitment."
The complete six-book collection is available through the PGTAA bookstore:
https://www.pgtaa.com/product-category/books-and-apparell/

Effective July 1, 2024, the PGTAA will be impose a surcharge of 4% on the transaction amount on credit card products, which is not greater than our cost of acceptance. We do not surcharge cash or debit cards. Credit card processing fees, also known as credit card transaction fees, are charges that a...

05/09/2026

In My Opinion:

Golf’s Obsession with Influencers Is Alienating Traditional Golfers

A Defense of Golf’s Traditions and Competitive Credibility

https://www.pgtaa.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/In-My-Opinion-Infuencer-Golf-May-2026-1.pdf

By Dr. Barry Lotz

05/08/2026

Is Your Mental Game Strong Enough for Tournament Pressure?

At the Professional Golf Teachers Association of America (PGTAA), we constantly remind golfers that talent alone is never enough. A great swing may get you noticed, but your mental game determines how far you ultimately go.

Many young golfers dominate junior events, attract college recruiters, and are labeled “the next big thing.” Then they reach collegiate or professional golf and suddenly discover that everyone is talented. The margins become smaller, the pressure becomes greater, and expectations become overwhelming.

That is where many golfers begin to struggle.

Instead of trusting their games, they begin searching for answers everywhere else. They try to hit the ball farther, rebuild swings, change equipment, or chase perfection. Slowly, confidence disappears. Aggressive swings become cautious swings. Instinct is replaced by over-analysis.

The harder they try to live up to expectations, the worse they perform.
Ultimately, many fall short of their true potential — not because they lacked talent, but because they never learned how to manage pressure at the next level.

The golfers who consistently succeed under pressure are not necessarily the players with the prettiest swings or the most power. They are mentally equipped to handle adversity, expectations, nerves, and self-doubt.

They understand that golf is not a game of perfection.

It is a game of emotional control, focus, recovery, and commitment.

One outstanding example is Cheyenne Woods. As an amateur, Woods won more than 30 tournaments before turning professional after graduating from Wake Forest University. Yet despite her tremendous ability, she openly admitted that pressure and expectations negatively affected her performance early in her career.

Being the niece of Tiger Woods brought enormous scrutiny and expectations. Woods later explained that she became consumed by results and by trying to become the player she believed others expected her to be. The pressure became so severe that it eventually manifested itself through performance anxiety and even the yips.

Her story highlights one of the greatest truths in golf:
Trying to become the golfer others expect you to become often prevents you from becoming the golfer you truly are.

At the PGTAA, we teach that elite golfers are not free from pressure. They simply develop the mental skills necessary to manage it better than others.

Pressure does not destroy golfers. Poor responses to pressure do.

The players who thrive at higher levels focus less on proving themselves and more on preparation, discipline, and emotional stability. They do not chase perfection. They commit to process.
They understand that every shot exists independently.
One bad swing does not need to ruin the next shot.
One missed putt does not define the round.
The mentally strong golfer resets quickly and moves forward.

Four Mental Strategies to Perform Better Under Pressure
1. Commit to the Process, Not the Outcome
Before every shot, focus only on what you can control:
Your breathing
Your routine
Your target
Your commitment
Do not allow your mind to drift toward score, rankings, or consequences. Great golf is built one committed swing at a time.
2. Play Your Game
Do not try to impress coaches, parents, playing partners, or social media audiences. External expectations create tension and distraction.
Trust your preparation. Trust your strengths. Play your game.
3. Train for Pressure
Pressure is part of competitive golf. Stop resisting it and start preparing for it.
Practice uncomfortable situations:
Must-make putts
Pressure games
Simulated tournament rounds
The more familiar pressure becomes, the less power it has over you.
4. Train Your Mental Game Weekly
Most golfers spend endless hours on mechanics while ignoring emotional control, focus, breathing, and resilience.
That is a mistake.
Elite golf requires elite mental preparation.

Schedule weekly time to work on:
Visualization
Breathing exercises
Focus drills
Emotional resets
Competitive simulations

At the PGTAA, we believe the greatest distance in golf is often the six inches between a golfer’s ears.
If your mental game does not evolve with your goals, your performance will always fall short of your true potential.
But when you strengthen your mind, your golf game can rise far beyond what you currently believe possible.

04/08/2026

Why Teaching through the PGATA (www.pgtaa.com) Is the Ultimate Way to Master the Game

For many of us, golf is more than just a weekend hobby; it’s a pursuit of perfection. But there comes a point where playing isn't enough—you want to share that passion. If you’ve ever wondered how to learn to teach golf, you’ve likely realized that the path to becoming an instructor is as varied as the game itself.

While some aim for traditional PGA certification or explore the USGTF master golf teaching designation, the PGTAA offers a specialized alternative. Our philosophy is simple: 100% focus on instruction. We believe that united states golf teachers should spend their time on the lesson tee, not behind a retail counter or managing a clubhouse.

Decoding the Mechanics: More Than Just a "Pretty" Swing

A great instructor doesn't just look for a "textbook" golf swing. Instead, they understand the underlying physics. Our PGTAA certification focuses heavily on the ball flight laws. When a student sees their ball slice or hook, you need to be able to explain exactly why that happened based on the clubface angle and path at impact.
Whether you are working on a student's full swing or helping them shave shots off their scorecard with better use of their wedges, your expertise is the bridge between their frustration and their next breakthrough.

Tailoring Lessons to the Individual

No two golfers are the same. A successful coach must adapt their golf teaching methods to suit a wide range of students:
Beginners: Building a foundation of grip, posture, and alignment.
Advanced Players: Fine-tuning the swing for consistency and distance.
Competitive Spirits: Preparing professional golfers for the mental grind of golf tournaments.

We also emphasize the importance of club fitting. You can give the best lessons in the world, but if the equipment doesn't match the player's physical profile, they will always be fighting their gear on the golf course.

A Career Without Boundaries

The PGTAA is a member of the international federation of golf teachers, meaning your credentials carry weight far beyond your local range. We see our members succeeding everywhere from local municipal courses to elite resorts, helping players find joy in the game.

Teaching isn't just about technical drills; it’s about the strategy needed to win golf tournaments and the resilience to bounce back after a tough round. It’s about being a mentor, a coach, and a student of the game all at once.
Are you ready to turn your love for the game into a career? The journey to becoming a world-class instructor starts with the right foundation.

Call 760-335-0600 for full details

PGTAA - Learn To Teach Golf - Become a Certified Golf Teacher, Certified Golf Coach, Golf Instructor - Professional Golf Teachers Association of America

04/02/2026

The Right Perspective: What Prevents Frustration After a Disappointing Tournament Finish?
By Dr. Barry Lotz, J.D., Ph.D. | PGTAA www.pgtaa.com

What keeps a disappointing finish from becoming lasting frustration?

The answer is perspective.

Golf is, and always will be, a game of razor-thin margins.
One misread putt. One approach shot that finishes six feet too far. One brief lapse in commitment or focus.
That is often the difference between winning and finishing second.
The mistake many golfers make after a tournament is allowing one moment to define the entire performance.
They replay the missed putt.
They relive the poor club selection.
They obsess over the one swing they wish they could have back.

Meanwhile, they completely ignore the 15 excellent swings, the disciplined course management, the resilient recovery shots, and the birdies that placed them in contention in the first place.
This is where frustration begins.

At the PGTAA, we teach that frustration is rarely caused by the mistake itself — it is caused by the meaning you assign to it.
When one or two imperfect shots overshadow an otherwise outstanding round, reality becomes distorted.

You stop evaluating performance objectively and begin evaluating emotionally.
That is dangerous to confidence.
The reality is simple: no golfer, regardless of talent level, plays a perfect tournament.
Perfection is not the standard.
Progress, ex*****on, and resilience are.
Even the best players in the world understand this.

Take Nelly Korda as a perfect example.

At the 2026 Ford Championship, despite shooting a superb final-round 67 and posting a remarkable 26-under total, she finished just two shots behind Hyo Joo Kim.
Yes, she had chances.
Yes, she missed a short two-foot par putt on the 15th.
But her response revealed the mindset of a champion:
“I’m going to miss a bunch of those putts throughout my entire career, and I just can’t get down on myself.”
That is perspective.
That is elite mental discipline.

Had Korda chosen to define her week by two missed putts, she would have ignored the far more important truth:
She played world-class golf.

Perspective does not remove disappointment.
A disappointing finish should sting.
If you care deeply about your game, it should.
But there is a profound difference between healthy disappointment and destructive frustration.
Disappointment says:
“I need to learn from this.”
Frustration says:
“I failed.”
The first builds future performance.
The second destroys confidence.

At the PGTAA, we teach players to evaluate tournaments through what I call the Big Picture Performance Lens:

What did I execute well?
Where did I lose shots?
What was controllable?
What must improve next week?
This keeps emotion from hijacking development.

Remember this:
One shot never defines a golfer. One tournament never defines a season. One finish never defines your potential.
The right perspective allows you to move forward stronger.

3 PGTAA Strategies to Prevent Post-Tournament Frustration

1. Normalize Mistakes
Mistakes are not a sign of failure.
They are part of golf.
Missed putts, imperfect reads, and occasional poor swings happen to every player—from club golfers to major champions.
The moment you stop stigmatizing mistakes, you reduce their emotional power.
At the PGTAA, we teach:
Mistakes are information, not identity.
Learn from them.
Do not become them.

2. Separate Performance from Outcome
This is critical.
A strong tournament performance does not always result in a trophy.
You may execute beautifully and still finish behind someone who simply played better that week.
The leaderboard is an outcome.
Ex*****on is a process.
Judge yourself by:
decision-making
commitment
routine
emotional control
course management
shot quality
These are the metrics that sustain confidence.
Outcome alone is not.

3. Evaluate the Entire Tournament, Not One Shot
Do not let one missed putt erase four days of excellent golf.
Step back.
Look at the full body of work.
Ask:
Did I stay committed?
Did I manage my misses?
Did I respond well after mistakes?
Was my mental game stronger?
This is where true growth occurs.
The best players are not those who never make mistakes.
They are the ones who keep mistakes in perspective.

Dr. Lotz’s Final Thought

Golf rewards perspective.
When you learn to see the whole performance rather than one isolated moment, frustration gives way to growth, confidence, and future success.

That is the Right Mind for Golf. PLAY HAPPY GOLF!

PGTAA - Learn To Teach Golf - Become a Certified Golf Teacher, Certified Golf Coach, Golf Instructor - Professional Golf Teachers Association of America