Noah's Journey
Noah Montgomery spent the beginning of his career with the Oakland Police Department as part of the Crime Reduction Team. During his time there, Noah was constantly faced with dangerous, life-or-death situations. He soon found out that he thrived in these high-pressure environments as he went on to earn many awards and accolades during his time on the force. In 1999 Noah suffered a gruesome back injury that forced early retirement from law enforcement. Faced with having to give up one of his greatest passions, he was unsure with what his future might hold. After years of rehabilitation and personal reflection, he finally found his new passion—golf.
Fascinated by how a seemingly simple game proved to be so difficult, Noah immersed himself within the game. During the next few months, his passion for golf ignited, he logged thousands of practice hours on the driving range and golf course to better understand the game of golf and all of its intricacies. He spent entire days on the golf course experimenting with different swings, shots, and ball flights. He was amazed by how many different ways the game of golf could be played. He quickly sought advice from local touring professionals, elite golf instructors, and mental game coaches on how to get better. Noah was on a pursuit to learn everything there was to know about golf. But after every lesson he received, Noah was always asking, “What else can I do to be better? There has to be more.” Noah knew that there had to be a better way to coach.
After thousands of hours of practice, years of extensive research, and hours of instruction from the game’s top coaches, Noah Montgomery decided to start teaching. He started with only a few junior students, but has now boomed to well over 50 students ranging in all competitive ranks in golf. Some of Noah’s students play in events on the PGA, LPGA, European, Asian, Asian Development, Ladies European Tour, Symetra Tour and the Cactus Tour.
Teaching Philosophy
My experience from working in the Oakland Police Department has significantly shaped my golf teaching philosophy. For example, I have learned that preparation never ends. From the moment you sign up for a golf tournament to the moment you sign the final round scorecard, preparation does not stop. Whether we are preparing for the next shot, the next round, or the next golf season, there is always something that we can do today to become better than we were yesterday.
Golf instruction should be more than just quick swing fixes. I believe in providing a solid foundation of swing fundamentals and making small adjustments rather than large swing changes in order to develop a swing that is unique and personalized for each individual student. I like to address swing fundamentals, mental game sharpness, physical fitness, and the development of personalized practice plans for tournament preparation. To be the best player you can become, you have to be able to balance many different aspects of life both on and off the course. Another important lesson I learned during my time in Law Enforcement was the importance of creating a game plan. My students have big dreams and ambitions, so the best way for me to help them achieve their goals is by helping them to create short and long-term game plans. Whether we are preparing for a tournament, trying to make the local high school varsity team, or looking to earn a collegiate scholarship, we need to make a specific plan so that our time and efforts are as efficient as possible. I genuinely care about each and every one of my students. I spend my time getting to know each player on a personal level in order to be able to most effectively communicate and connect with him or her.
Even after years of teaching the area’s top golfers, I am still learning new things everyday because golf offers us so many learning opportunities. In golf, the ability to learn as a player is incredibly important. We must take every shot, every hole, and every tournament as a learning experience. I look forward to growing the game with my junior players and professional ambassadors of golf.