Last week, Brian Norman was teaching seven golf lessons a day. This week? He was playing with some of the best players in the world.
“One of the really cool things about this tournament is it allows the opportunity to play in the PGA,” Norman told Local Profile. “And I've been fortunate enough to do it before.”
And Norman does it very well, even earning the prestigious Northern Texas PGA Player of the Year three times. Local Profile spoke with him during the PGA Professional Championship in Frisco, Texas.
“I'm not doing this for a living,” Norman said. “I do this for the enjoyment of the game. I really enjoy the challenges that golf brings every day because it's different.”
When not competing in tournaments, Norman’s day job is on the links, teaching as a PGA pro. It’s those lessons he learns during tournament play that he can bring back to his students at Lakewood Country Club.
“As I've gotten older, playing has become less of a priority,” Norman said. “I really enjoy helping people with getting better at golf, because it's a great game. And it's been so good to me, and to pass that along to other people is one of the greatest joys of my life for sure.”
Norman grew up in Western Kentucky but has called North Texas home for 13 years. Living in McKinney allows Norman to not only enjoy the many golf courses in the area but also teach at Lakewood Country Club in Dallas. “Every day I drop the kids at daycare at 8:30,” said Norman. “If traffic's good, I'll have about 40 minutes to hit balls and then I teach all day. Then I hop in traffic and head home.”
Norman believes his role as a player and a coach allows him to share the perspective of his students, especially during the bad days. “Having a teacher that can play a little bit is a good thing,” Norman said. “They know what you're going through out there.”
The combination of prime course conditions, challenging hole routings and golfing next to some of the best players in the world is something that Norman looks forward to in order to better himself on and off the course. During the tournament, Norman competed with 312 PGA of America golf professionals.
“I take it very seriously and I really try to get better every day,” Norman said. “If you want to be good at golf, you got to put in the time — if you don't put in the time, it's going to spit you out. With some minor adjustments with some help, I can help people enjoy the game and a little bit more and that's what helps me sleep at night.”
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