Coach Profile: Trevor Wallman

Trevor Wallman:
Around age 12. I kind of grabbed a club, hit the park with a couple buddies, and swung it from there.I’d go probably once or twice a month with my dad if I was lucky. He wasn’t much of a golfer, so I kind of got him into it. I first tried to play a competitive tournament when I was 18 at a pretty high level in Ontario, but I finished dead last. So that was my first real taste of the game. It was always one of those things that I wanted to be good at, but just didn’t really have the access.
So I went to university in Quebec; did four years there and studied psychology. Started snowboarding a bunch and became a big interest of mine. After university, I moved to Banff and started working at the Banff Springs Golf Course. Naturally I started playing a little bit more, but threw my shoulder out shortly after. Surprisingly though, I was golfing a couple months after and it literally changed my game like crazy amounts. I wasn’t swinging with my arms anymore. So that pretty much led me to be getting my pro card and getting me to where I am today. I moved to Toronto and now on my 7th year working at the Summit Golf Club. It’s been a fun journey so far.

Zach:
Was there a specific moment in your life when you knew you wanted to be a coach?

Trevor:
Not exactly. I would say it was more in hindsight. Throughout my life, I wanted to involve myself in sports. In high school, I coached a youth soccer team during volunteer hours and it was something that kind of came natural. During college, I wanted to do sports psychology, but there was a big, long clinical route that required staying in academics for years and years at a time. Overall, it wasn’t really too stimulating for me. So that’s where coaching was definitely an idea for me. After getting my pro card and being involved in the industry, I just jumped all over it. Not a lot of guys wanted to want to take on the junior’s program, but I saw that as a huge opportunity. Now I teach golfers of all levels and have been teaching full time for two years.

Zach:
How much does your psychology background help you?

Trevor:
It’s helped a bunch. How I can apply it is with things you’re probably not fully aware. Say if someone comes in late, coming in hot on a Friday afternoon, we’re probably not going to dive into something like mental game. Things like that let me get to the point a little bit quicker and also allow me to adapt to curveballs. For me, I try to get as much feedback from the student as possible just so I can know what’s going on with them. And then from there I can respond a little bit better as to whether it’s a physical or mental challenge.

Zach:
Aside from the mental side of the game, how has snowboarding and playing sports helped you coach?

Trevor:
I wasn’t by any means close to any kind of professional level of snowboarding, but having that experience with body awareness, momentum of your body, things like that certainly help. I teach a lot of juniors, a lot of kids, so I go through a little Q&A with them to tie in pretty much any sport that they also play. It’s pretty easy for me getting people to do things or imagining themselves in a different sport.

Zach:
What’s your average day look like?

Trevor:
Depends on the time of year. With Canadian seasons, it’s pretty much full speed ahead from mid-April to end of September. October has some golfers who are going south or juniors that are just kind of staying active in the game. November & December is kind of a nice downtime for most people. Then January into March is more the indoor setting. Day to day, I’m pretty much with group practices, one-on-one lessons, or keeping up with Skillest students by filming some stuff.

Zach:
How has Skillest helped you and how have your students responded as well?

Trevor:
Skillest has been fantastic. I think it’s just a great avenue for access, plus really convenient as a coach. Some players might be a little bit skeptical at first because they think I need to see them in person. But then they realize convenience wise, it could be a better option. This also goes back to psychology. I find there’s a lot of people out there on the range that want a lesson, but they don’t want to be seen taking a lesson. Whether it’s their friends are going to chirp them or they just straight up feel uncomfortable. Or sometimes they don’t want to be exposed to somebody that they don’t know, then do some things in the lesson that probably aren’t going to feel great or produce not the best results (not that we’re results oriented too quickly). Using Skillest can almost be like anonymous, yet you’re establishing a connection with your coach.
I think it’s where the world is going. If you’re not going digital or offering something online, you’re basically limiting your market. Skillest has opened the door to the rest of the world for me.

Zach:
What’s your favorite course you’ve played on a course?

Trevor:
That’s pretty tough. I’ve played St Andrews and Carnoustie, so those are obviously two that are right up there. But kind of just a classic golf course and a fantastic round of golf with the people that I was with was Capilano in Vancouver, B.C.

Zach:
If you could pick three people, dead or alive, to play a round with you, who would they be?

Trevor:
Obviously my dad. We always have a good time out there. I’m a big Seve Ballesteros fan, so I think Seve would be pretty cool to see his creativity. And finally Louis Oosthuizen. He’s been an all-time classic favorite. Guy never goes away.

Zach:
What’s your favorite club in your bag and why?

Trevor:
Definitely Putter. I’ve never been a great ball striker. I still don’t have one ding on that putter. I’ve been keeping that thing in pristine shape for 13 years.

Zach:
If a movie got made about you, which actor would portray you?

Trevor:
I’m terrible with names, so I’m just going to go with Matthew McConaughey. Has a good, similar vibe.

Zach:
Where can people follow you on social?

Trevor:
You can follow me on Instagram @twallgolf and Twitter @twall00

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