Lee Cox
Lee Cox is the Director of Instruction at The Shire London located 10 miles north of the city and is renowned as the premier long-driving coach in Europe. Lee has been instructor/coach to Joe Miller the 2014 and 2016 World Long Drive Champion and had five of Europe’s long drive contestants qualify for the 2018 Volvik World Long Drive Championships in Oklahoma. Qualifying were Joe Miller, James Tait, European #1Martin Borgmeier and up-and-coming Essex 21-year-old Tyler Dangerfield. Irishman William Hunt-Tyrrell, another Cox pupil, qualified for the Masters (over-45s) finals. Lee also coached disability golf star Mike Gays to the World Amputee Long Drive Championship I 2018.
World-class long drive specialists like Joe and Martin combine precision with explosive power, which is beyond the reach of most golfers. That said there are common factors which everybody can learn from. “Given time I can help any golfer to add at least 10mph to their swing speed, which means roughly twenty-five yards extra off the tee”. “To compete at world level in the Open category you need to be swinging at around 150mph with ball speed of 220mph. This power is something only a few people in the world can do. Male professional tour competitors generally swing at between 110 and 115mph. In comparison club golfers swinging between 75 and 95 mph. But everybody’s golf swing is different, slow or fast. Adding a few miles per hour, even for a senior golfer, can make all the difference on course. “Come to The Shire London and I guarantee you will leave a bigger hitter off the tee!”
Bernie Najar
Bernie Najar is the Director of Instruction at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Maryland. Recognized as one of the top instructors in the Baltimore-Washington D.C. area and the nation, Bernie is one of Golf Digest's 50 Best Teachers and Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Teachers and is also ranked as Golf Digest’s No. 1 teacher in Maryland. He is a two-time winner of both of the Middle Atlantic PGA Section’s top teaching honors—Teacher of the Year (2014, 2004) and the Horton Smith Award (2011, 2012).
Since becoming a golf professional in 1994, Bernie’s goal has been to promote the enjoyment of the game through comprehensive, personalized instruction. Bernie has trained under some of the most prominent instructors in the game, and, in turn, has become a resource for other teachers interested in improving their teaching and coaching skills. His studio at Caves Valley is one of the most advanced on the eastern seaboard, with a K-Vest motion capture system, TrackMan launch monitor, Swing Catalyst 3D motion plate and SAM PuttLab, and Bernie was the first teaching professional in the Mid-Atlantic to be certified as an AimPoint instructor. He has also compiled a database of more than a thousand of the best swings in the history of the game—both from archival footage and through filming PGA, Champions and LPGA tour swings personally at events like the Masters and the President’s Cup.
Bernie has taught students at every level, from beginners to aspiring tour players. His students have gone on to earn dozens of Division I golf scholarships (and the last three Maryland State Junior Boys Championships) and have won numerous club championships across the Middle Atlantic. His lessons incorporate technical instruction, strategy advice, fitness assessment and equipment guidance.
Bernie currently works with Kyle Berkshire the 2019 and current World Long Drive Champion and has been his coach for the past 12 years. In his segment with us Bernie will share his journey with Kyle from his junior golf career through high school and college to the World Long Drive Championship.
Lucas Wald
Lucas Wald is a former touring professional turned instructor. Lucas has been recognized by Golf Digest as one of the Best Young Teachers in America (2016-2017) and the Best Teacher in Arkansas (2017). His notable students include Harris English, Brad Faxon, Brandel Chamblee, Jeff Flagg (2014 World Long Drive Champion), Eddie Fernandes (2018 World Long Drive Champion, Master Division), and Victoria Lovelady (Ladies European Tour). Lucas has been sought out by some of the biggest names in the game for his groundbreaking research on the golf swing, and he’s known for his student case studies – with juniors, adult amateurs, and tour pros – that show that significant improvement in power and ball striking is possible in golfers of all levels.
Check out his website at www.lucaswaldgolf.com
John Novosel Jr.
John Novosel Jr. has worked and consulted with golfers of all abilities—including Major Winners on the PGA Tour, LPGA Tour Players, Nationwide Tour Players, and also top amateurs through beginners. His teaching puts an emphasis on the golfer achieving a consistent Tour Tempo® and maximizing clubhead speed at impact. To achieve this he utilizes his extensive experience with the Tour Tempo® training tools and optimal biomechanics. He has worked with his father to develop the concepts of Tour Tempo® and also has co-patented 4 training tools with his father. At 50 years old and 170 lbs., he can generate clubhead speeds of 135 mph and ball speeds of 193 mph. He has competed in World Long Drive events, his longest drive in competition is 402 yards. He has presented the concepts of Tour Tempo® all over the world… PGA of Sweden, World Golf Fitness Summit, PGA of Holland Coaching Summit, and the PGA of America Teaching & Coaching Summit. He is certified with the Titleist Performance Institute as a Golf Fitness Instructor I, Golf Professional II, and Golf Biomechanics II. John is also certified with SSC Golf Swing as Level I Speed and Power Instructor and Level II Spine Engine Instructor.