Q&A with Denis Pugh

Gi. What's been your personal highlight of the 2010 season?
There have been a few, actually. But to be at Celtic Manor to watch Francesco and Edoardo in the Ryder Cup was very, very special. It was funny, after all of the build up, the weather delay on the Friday only added to the tension. Come the Saturday morning Edoardo seemed normal but I could tell that Francesco was really feeling the pressure as the clock ticked down. And for the first time on a golf course I experienced the real emotion you read about. I followed the players over the bridge to the 1st tee and the whole atmosphere just hits you. I wasn't balling my eyes out, but it was a moment I'll never forget.

Gi: And they clinched a massive point in their four ball on the Sunday afternoon?
Right, and Francesco had more confidence over that three-footer on the 18th green than I did! But it was great to see and what a story for the both of them. Particularly Edoardo, given the way he bulldozed his way in to the team in that final qualifying event at Gleneagles. He would get my vote as the ‘Europe's Most Improved' player in 2010. He's changed his swing after losing his card in 2008 and he's going to go from strength to strength. He was always a natural drawer of the ball. At the start of the season I convinced him that he had to work on a straight flight with any miss just falling to the right. That's the ‘pro miss'. It just clicked with him, and he worked so hard on his technique. When I saw him hitting balls here at The Wisley back in February I told him he was going to have an epic season. He actually made it into the world's Top 50 on the strength of four wins on the Challenge Tour and a big win in Japan. Now he's ranked 14 in the world. A quite extraordinary rise from the ranks.

Gi. How did it come about that you teamed up with the Molinari's?
I received an email from Edoardo in 2004, totally out of the blue. At the time he and his brother were coached by Sergio Bertain, of the Italian Federation, whom I have known for many years. Sergio liked the way I coached but more than that I think my association with Monty and the knowledge of what it takes to make it on tour is what he really felt the brothers needed. In his email Edoardo listed all of his and Francesco's achievements and asked if I might take a look at them. His was quite a long email. My reply was a lot shorter. It just said ‘Yes'. Sergio remains a part of Team Molinari and has been able to share in the success, taking them from schoolboys to the Ryder Cup.

Gi: They appear very close but also to be very different characters?
They're an interesting couple. Great mates off the golf course, while on it they are simply two golfers who happen to be brothers. They don't spend a lot of time in each others pockets, golf-wise. Edoardo is the much more traditional Italian – more expressive and prone to the mood shifts! He's quite stubborn – he admits that – and he's probably in the top three arguers in golf [Mark Roe and Robert Lee being the other two]. What he's really good at is defending a losing position, even when he knows he's beaten. Around the dinner table, he's always a lot of fun. There have been times where I've really had to work hard to drum into him the importance of a specific area we might be working on – but once he gets it (as he did with the ball-flight issue) he's off and away. Francesco is the more reserved. But once you get to know him you get the sense of humour. On the surface he seems to have a very even temperament but he never ever accepts miss-hitting shots. He hides it, but he really has the propensity to go off on one. He's capable of a few Monty moments. When you are that talented you have an expectation to hit every shot perfectly.

Gi: What has been the main area that you have helped them with?
Up until recently with Francesco it's been all full swing coaching with the occasional look at the short game. But to tell you the truth it was the short game that really needed the attention, which is why I recommended my Sky colleague Mark Roe. He knows his stuff inside out. It was not so much aspects of technique Francesco needed explaining as the art of practising of it. He just didn't have a great attention span for short-game practice. But with Roey on board he has someone who not only coaches him technique but who then competes with him. And it's not easy beating Roey. In fact, I don't think Francesco has beaten him yet.

Gi: Tim Barter stated that he thought Francesco was arguably the best player in the world tee to green.
That's a huge complement to Francesco, and when he finds the groove, as he did in the recent HSBC Championship, he is like a machine. For him, the key is that his swing is based on being able to use what I refer to as the three fundamentals extremely efficiently: balance, plane and leverage.When he has complete control of all three at all times he is very accurate with good power. Overall he is Faldo-like, in the way he understands the intricacies of his swing. There's no secret move in there. He simply works hard on getting the basics and fundamentals right.

Gi: As a tour coach, give us an insight into the technical aspects you look at in a good swing?
Three fundamentals: leverage, balance and plane. Essentially you want to take the ‘flippiness' out of the wrists. That is something that all coaches at tour level are basically working on. You still need to have good forearm rotation – but you don't want to over-involve the wrists. I am looking to get pressure through impact allowing the balance to power the levers through impact – but that pressure must be applied on the correct plane to maximise power and accuracy.

Gi: Just as an aside, you talk about swing plane, which is a confusing area for a lot of golfers. What is your point of reference?
I like to keep my eye on the plane of the left arm, the left wrist and the clubshaft. Those three areas are key, from my perspective as a coach. Simply stated, from the address position, my preference is that the left arm swings over the top of the turning right shoulder. More specifically, the underside of the left arm just touches the tip of the right shoulder as the player completes his or her backswing. That's what I'm looking for. Taking things further I look at the back of the left hand. Ideally it's flat or slightly bowed – either is acceptable. But if the back of the left wrist is ‘cupped' it means there is likely to be more release of the wrists through impact – i.e. they over-work the club. As for the plane of the shaft, I like to see it pointing at the ball-to-target line or left – and never across the line at the top. If the shaft gets across the line you have to come back underneath the plane on the downswing. My plane reference would be my specialist chosen subject on a golfing Mastermind. That's the area I feel most comfortable debating.

Gi: What did you make of the Jim Hardy One Plane / Two Plane feature last issue?
I liked the feature in as much as it provokes thought. Jim Hardy makes for an excellent research subject, but the danger is that you start pressing golfers out of the same mould. I'm sure the editorial sparked a lot of questions among a lot of good golfers who are naturally one way (probably One-Plane) and who have been struggling to work with a lot of Two- Plane ideals which simply do not gel with their natural golfing instinct. Almost every coach who ever worked with Monty – one of the most natural Two-Planers you will ever see – wanted him to be more conventional, which would have destroyed him. I spoke with Bill Ferguson about this and he confirmed that when he first started working with Monty at 12 years of age he recognised that the upright arm-swing Monty has was the best way for him to play. For me, that's the genuine measure of a good coach – nurturing what works naturally.

Gi: As you have done this year with another success story, Ross Fisher?
Ross is a member at The Wisley and last October he asked me to take a look. He then went out and won the Matchplay in Spain at the end of last year. He was already working on his short game with Roey and liked the synergy between the three of us. His golf swing is easy to work with because all you have to do with Ross is get him set up correctly and then press the ‘go' button. He's so aggressive and he hits the ball ridiculous distances. If anyone wants to make a bet on who will break 60 on the European Tour, he's your man.

Gi: Did you ever have any doubts as to Monty's capabilities as a captain?
None at all. I didn't expect him to manage the egos involved quite as well as he did. I thought his captaincy might have been a bit more up and down, emotionally, but he was on the level. In fact, he captained in a way I wish he'd played majors, because he kept his emotional levels in check throughout. The great masterstroke was bringing in all of the vice-captains. Darren Clarke, Sergio Garcia, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn and, ultimately, Olazabal. He really did let everyone do their job. He was the ultimate captain, Chairman of the board.

Gi: What odds do you give him on making the team next time?
Zero. With the greatest respect to Colin, even with his competitiveness and the desire he may have, I don't think he really has a chance of him making the team. Knowing him the way I do he will now probably now go out and prove me wrong – and enjoy doing so.

Gi: You're not saying that just to wind him up?
No, as if I'd ever do that. It's not a windup to make him play well, I just don't think he can do it again – and make sure you print that. It's the sort of thing Colin likes to read and hear!).

Gi: What's a typical working week in the life of Denis Pugh?
The typical thing about it is it's not typical. I actually have four jobs: I work as a tour coach – the day job, if you like. For 12 years now I've also been a pundit on Sky Sports, which I really enjoy. I co-own a golf college in Sussex with Paul Lyons, where we run a two-year programme for guys who want to be the best they can be, or who may find themselves in a career where they are able to use their golfing skills and knowledge. And, finally, I am the Master Professional here at The Wisley, a role that enables me to meet and greet the members and do some teaching. It's a great club and where I feel most comfortable.

Gi: I know on a personal level the year off the golf course has been more challenging that the year on it?
It has. My wife Netti, a tax lawyer for the Bavarian government, was diagnosed with breast cancer at the start of the summer and so we have been going through the process of treatment and I'm delighted to say she is now recovering with the final stages of radiation treatment. And yet with all those medical distractions she was 100% behind all of the success on the golf course and was able to come over and join me at the Ryder Cup. A former German International player, she loves golf and still plays off 4. My son Robert is a +1. Come to think of it, I'm number three in the family order of merit – if my daughter Victoria played I'd probably slip back another place.

Gi: How easy it is to maintain life balance when you split your time between London and Munich?
It's quite easy because it's even better than being a tour player – I miss the cut every week but still get paid! Very rarely do I stay at a tournament for the weekend, so I'm home in Munich on a Friday afternoon or Netti will join me here in London. I want a real life and I can't afford a divorce (she might be able to!). I'd rather be at home, have a family life. She has a demanding job and the balance we have allows us to get on with our own thing Monday to Friday and then have quality time at the weekend.

Gi: A few quick-fire questions: what's your favourite golf course?
Nothing original here – Augusta National.

Gi: A dream four ball – who would you invite along?
I'd play Augusta with Netti, my son Robert and PGA pro Alan Walker, a pal of mine since the age of 14.

Gi: Where is your dream vacation?
Naples, Florida. We holiday there every Christmas.

Gi: Who do you most respect in your own field?
Pete Cowen and Bob Torrance for their success over a long time period and with a variety of different players.

Gi: Do you think Tiger will beat Jack's record?
Yes, but only if he can be totally honest with himself and others and he follows Sean Folley's advice.

Gi: What's your favourite gadget?
Can I nominate two? Off the golf course my iPhone. On it my Golf Buddy, a golf management tool that helps you to navigate the golf course and record stats on all aspects of your game – like having a coach on the course.

Gi: Who chooses Mark Roe's wardrobe?
Unfortunately it's his own sad choice. Regular viewers will notice he's calmed down a little bit. He's a colourful guy and it's a reflection of his character. He and Rob Lee make a great pair and I enjoy every minute on air with them.

Gi: You were reunited with David Leadbetter at Golf Live – how was that?
A lot of fun. I haven't worked with David since 1990, so it was wonderful to see him again and share some anecdotes. He's just such a great guy and a pleasure to be around, so it really was a bonus to get together for a couple of days. The scale of the event was quite something. There were three or four theatres set up at various areas during the day, and players and coaches would come along and take part in a hosted exhibition or clinic. So you had the likes of Ian Poulter, Paul Casey, Retief Goosen, Catriona Matthew and Monty up on stage hitting real golf shots and talking about specific elements of their game with hosts such as myself, Richard Boxhall, Peter Alliss and Di Stewart posing questions and involving the crowds. So it's entertainment with some serious instruction thrown in. The inaugural event was held at Stoke Park.