Background of Tim Metko

I am a golf professional who possess a playing skill level very close to that of an elite touring professional. In addition to being an extremely accomplished player, I also have an unparalleled grasp of golf instruction and how to enable players of all s kill levels to improve their skill and enjoyment of golf.

The obvious two questions that you are asking yourself are:

1. What makes Tim Metko state that he is close in skill level to an elite Tour player?
2. What makes Tim Metko believe that he is one of, if no instructor in the world?

To effectively answer these two questions, it is important to understand my background, and how I have approached the playing and acquisition of knowledge relative to playing golf as a career.

I graduated from The Ohio State University with a degree in Welding Engineering in 1983. Immediately following graduation I went to work for Miller Electric Mfg. Co. gaining expertise in the testing, performance and implementation of all various types of arc welding power su pplies. While employed by Miller Electric, I was recruited by Fanuc Robotics to go to work for them. Fanuc was interested in me for my knowledge and expertise of arc welding processes and how they could be successfully automated through the use of roboti cs. As Fanuc was making tremendous progress in the implementation of robots into the automotive industry, my expertise was an immediate asset. I remained at Fanuc for a period of two years in which time it became clear to me that LASERS were going to be implemented in a big way within the manufacturing of automobiles over the next seven to ten years. In May of 1986, I along with another Ohio State Welding engineering alumni, Jeff Moss, who also happened to be an employee of Fanuc, ventured out on our own and started a LASER processing company called Utilase. Utilase began as a LASER job shop in May of 1986 and grew into one of the premier industrial LASER processing facilities in the world by 1994. In May of 1994, I decided to sell my interest in Utilas e to my partners in return for a guaranteed income stream, which would give me a tenyear opportunity at making it to the PGA Tour, and become one of the elite players in the world.

The first two years of my professional golf career were less than stellar . There were occasional flashes of excellent play, however the improvements were fleeting and not sustained. I was frustrated with the golf instructors I had worked with to date. Although they were considered to be among the best in the world at golf in struction, there was no continuity from one lesson to the next, plus there was no means of measurement of performance except my scoring average.

Being educated and working in the engineering and manufacturing world for ten years taught me that if I was go ing to improve at anything then I first must measure it. I was also beginning to realize that I needed to find a golf instructor who understood and believed in measuring skill level and then improving technique and then measuring skill level again. As lo ng as the skill level continued to improve, then the technique changes were correct.

In January of 1997, I sought out a new instructor, Dr. Embry Abell. During the time I had been playing competitively in 1995 and 1996 the players that I played with and against who possessed the greatest skill ended up working with the same instructor, Dr. Embry Abell.

Following my initial meeting with Dr. Abell in January of 1997, I was convinced that I was going to have to follow his advice and mentoring if I was going to have a realistic chance of making the PGA Tour and becoming an elite player. It was not apparent initially, but I have come to realize over the past five years that Dr. Abell has turned more golfers into tour caliber players than any golf instructor i n the world.

Not only did I seek out Dr. Abell as a swing and strategy instructor, but I also sought out Dr. Rick Jensen as a sports psychologist and training expert, plus Pete Draovitch a degreed physical therapist and physical trainer. These men beca me my training team. In each of their respective areas of expertise, swing, mental toughness and fitness we established measurable base lines and then devised a plan of attack on how to improve each measurable area. These three men have helped me develop and measure my progress relative to worldclass golf professionals. By leveraging off the expertise of these three men, I developed an overall training methodology that has enabled me to develop into a player who is knocking on the door of becoming worldclass. Every facet of my training and related skill level has been measured since the middle of 1997 and I can tell you and show you statistically that I have improved in every single skill category.

Over the past five years, I have spent an average o myself into a player of worldf 5560 hours per week developing class skill level and student of the game. Based on my individual progress as a player combined with my knowledge of how to swing, practice, play and improve I am confident that I am one of a handful of people in the world who can not only play golf at a nearly worldclass level, but also teach it to novices, intermediates or tour professionals and have them learn something and improve as well.

I appreciate the time that you have taken to rev iew the information that I have provided on my perspective of who I am as a player and teacher of this great game of golf.

I also understand that you may have a fair amount of skepticism on my view of my own abilities as a player and capabilities as an instructor, therefore I have also included a list of references who I'm sure will vouch for my capabilities as both a player and an instructor.

Established Golf Instructors

Dr. Embry Abell

Dr. Abell has been teaching golf for the past 40 years, and is an inductee to the Florida Junior College Hall of fame. Past or present students of his include the following:

• Floyd Horrigan
• Scott Gump
• Lee Rinker
• Don Reese
• John Kernohan
• Andrew Park
• Hal Sutton
• Larry Rinker
• Eric Booker
• Mike Donald
• Joe Durant
• Olin Browne

There are countless others that are following the teachings of Dr. Abell, because Floyd Horrigan learned golf from Dr. Abell and Floyd went on to coach at Brevard Community College and Centenary.

I have been a student of Dr. Abell for the past five years and would have never made the progress that I have made as a player or a teacher would it not have been for my involvement with him. I would sincerely hope that you give him a call so he can shed some light on the progress I have made as a player and instructor.

Floyd Horrigan

Mr. Horrigan was the golf coach at Brevard Community College for most of the 1970's and 1980's. Without question Brevard Community College produced more touring golf professionals than any single program within the country. The teachings that produced these players were all derived from Dr. Abell, because Dr. Abell taught Floyd Horrigan. Mr. Horrigan still stops by to see Dr. Abell at least once a year to see what the latest things that we are working on. As a matter of fact, I gave Mr. Horrigan a copy of my Athletic Golf package last year and he told me, “This is the best thing I have ever seen for teaching golf.”

Dr. Rick Jensen

I have worked with Dr. Jensen over the past five years and he has watched my progress as a player and student of the game. He is well aware of the unique talents that I would bring to PGA National.

Richard Cromwell

Richard has been a long time student of Dr. Abell's and has been the head professional at, The Woodlands in Texas, The Kingsmill facility in Virginia and is presently the Director of Golf at the Country Club of Virginia. Richard would be another excellent source to contact regarding my capabilities as a player and instructor.

Andrew Park

Andrew is a long time student of Dr. Abell's, who is now the right hand man for David Leadbetter. I have known Andrew for the past five years and he would also be a good person for you to contact relative to my capabilities as a player and instructor.

Influential individuals within the golf game

David Abell

David is the business manager of Nick Price. David has watched my progress as a player and student of the game over the past five years. David is not going to pull any punches about what he thinks of me as a player and instructor.

PGA Tour or Buy.com Players:

John Kernohan

John is an exempt Buy.com player who has been a long time student of Dr. Abell's. I have known John for the past 5 years and have actually been helping him with his game for the past 2 years. John is in a unique position to let you know how I have progressed as a player and a teacher.

Eric Booker

Eric is an exempt Buy.com tour player who has been a long time student of Dr. Abell's. I have known Eric for the past 5 years and have actually helped him some with his game in 1999 and 2000. Eric is in a position to provide insight as to my abilities as both a player and an instructor.

Steve Ford

Steve has been an exempt player on the Buy.com tour, however will be playing the Hooters tour this year. Steve has also been a long time student of Dr. Abell. I have known and competed against Steve for the past four years. Steve is also in an excellent position to provide some insight as to my playing and teaching abilities.

Steve Lamontagne

Steve is an ex. PGA Tour player who is also a long time student of Dr. Abell. I have known Steve for the past five years and he would also be an excellent source for you to check on my abilities as a player and a teacher.