Ryan Robillard

PGA of 🇨🇦 Teaching Professional • Golf Never Sleeps Podcast • I send weekly Golf tips by email • 🏆 ‘23 PGA of Ontario Teacher of the year

[Ryan Robillard @RobillardGolf]

If you want this in your inbox every Thursday,
You are on click away,
https://t.co/06sTmxmTrc

[Ryan Robillard @RobillardGolf]

Leaving the Club Pro Life: What I Didn’t See Coming

Nearly five years ago, I made the leap.

I left my job as a club pro—structure, security, team—and stepped out on my own to build a business from the ground up. Just me. Full control. No one to report to. The dream, right?

And honestly, it has been amazing in many ways.

But here’s something I didn’t expect to miss:

Being part of a team.

For most of my club pro career, I worked shoulder to shoulder with other pros, staff, backshop teams, food and beverage, operations. There were always people around. People to collaborate with. People to bounce ideas off of. People to just talk to.

When I went out on my own, I gained full control—but I also lost that daily interaction.

And over the years, especially during the winters, it caught up to me.

Even with great friends, a strong online network, and mentors I could text… there’s a difference between digital and in-person energy.
There’s a difference between chatting with someone and feeling seen by someone.

Fast-forward to now:
Elevate Performance Golf sits right next to Apex Performance & Wellness.
We share a wall—and more importantly, we share a sense of community.

The team at Apex has unknowingly become a support system.
They’ve seen me in grind mode, good moods, bad moods.
They’ve helped me test ideas.
They’ve pushed me to zoom out and look at the bigger picture.

Being surrounded by like-minded people again has been a game-changer. And if you’re out there building your own thing—whether it’s a business, brand, or career pivot—let me say this:

🧠 Don’t underestimate the value of human proximity.
🚀 Having smart, invested people around you isn’t a weakness—it’s a superpower.

You can still run your own race.
But find a few others running nearby.

— Ryan

[Ryan Robillard @RobillardGolf]

@benscottwheeler @Trevor_OSC You’ve also got some elite fescue behind you ❤️

[Ryan Robillard @RobillardGolf]

@GolfDigest I have that exact pattern on my picnic table.

[Ryan Robillard @RobillardGolf]

Excited to continue to be part of the Callaway Staff Team for 2025!

Grateful for the continued support and proud to represent a company that produces some of the best equipment in the game

From drivers to wedges to golf balls Callaway gear helps me and my players perform at a high level day in and day out

Thanks again to the team at Callaway Golf for making it easy to believe in what I use

@CallawayGolf

[Ryan Robillard @RobillardGolf]

Golfers love to call it a grind.

One player shoots 70 with 7 birdies and calls it a grind.

Another shoots 77 with no birdies and says the same.

But maybe it’s not a grind—it’s just golf.
Ups, downs, great shots, bad breaks… all in a single round.

The sooner you stop fighting that and start embracing it,
the better youll play.

[Ryan Robillard @RobillardGolf]

Want to get better at short putts? Try this 👇

This is one of my favorite games to build confidence from 4 and 10 feet.
You only need 1 ball and 6 tees ⛳

🟡 Set up 3 tees at 4 feet (for par)
🟡 Set up 3 tees at 10 feet (for birdie)
🟡 Alternate distances around the hole (4–10–4–10–4–10)
🟡 Pick any tee to start, then putt out until holed
🟡 Move clockwise and keep going until you’ve completed all 6
🎯 Goal: Get to 3-under par

Tag someone who needs help cleaning up their short putts and save this game for your next practice.

[Ryan Robillard @RobillardGolf]

@jayfawler @ongondola Man, this is awesome. You’ve earned every bit of that recognition. Always admired how consistent, reliable, and relentlessly creative you are. Keep showing up. You’re just getting started 👏💪

[Ryan Robillard @RobillardGolf]

Struggle with rotation in your golf swing? Start here.
One of the most common faults I see is players lifting up and losing posture—especially in the downswing. In this lesson, we started by adjusting the setup posture so the trunk is slightly more back and the chest is more down.

Then we used an alignment rod across the shoulders to train the feel of proper rotation.
✅ In the mirror, your goal is to see the rod move to a 45° angle in the backswing
✅ Then rotate it back to 45° on the opposite side through the downswing

This is a rehearsal drill—not something you need to hold perfectly in the full swing. But it’s a great way to teach your body how to turn without lifting or losing balance.

Try it next time you’re practicing indoors or in front of a mirror. Your spine—and your swing—will thank you.

#GolfSwingTips #GolfDrills #GolfTraining

[Ryan Robillard @RobillardGolf]

💥 Stop Sliding — Learn to Use Your Lead Leg the Right Way

If you’ve ever been told to “get into your front leg,” but still struggle with sliding in the downswing, this is for you.

In today’s golf lesson, the player thought the goal was to shift into their lead leg at the end of the downswing—but by then, it was too late. That movement pattern was causing them to lose rotation and control.

Here’s the fix:
✅ By the top of the backswing, you should already be into your lead side
✅ From there, your lead leg needs to push you up and back
✅ Think of it like doing a 180° jump—that push is what drives rotation and power

Ever feel like your lead side just isn’t doing enough in your swing?

#GolfTips #GolfSwing #Golf

[Ryan Robillard @RobillardGolf]

@MyTPI @HogeGolf @cdngolfcoach 👀👀👀

[GREG ISENBERG @gregisenberg]

no one remembers the ideas you launched that went nowhere

just do things

[Ryan Robillard @RobillardGolf]

🚨 Fix Your Chicken Wing for Good! 🏌️‍♂️

Struggling with the infamous chicken wing in your golf swing? That’s when your lead elbow kicks out and disconnects from your body, Let’s fix it!

Here’s the drill:
1️⃣ Start in the finish position—lead arm straight, club vertical, pointing to the sky.
2️⃣ Make a backswing from this position and hit the ball.

Why does this work? By starting with the result in mind, you’ll build the feel and understanding of how to get back to a strong, connected finish.

💡 Pro Tip: Feedback is key! Record yourself on video to ensure you’re nailing the drill the way you think you are. Seeing is believing!

Tag a friend who needs to clean up their chicken wing, and let’s get those swings dialed in. 🏌️‍♀️🔥

#GolfTips #FixYourSwing #GolfDrills #GolfPractice #BetterGolf

[Ryan Robillard @RobillardGolf]

🚨 Backswing Length Matters! ���

An overly long backswing can wreak havoc on your swing path and strike location.  During this Golf Lesson, we worked with a golfer whose backswing was way too long, leading to a over-the-top club path (7° out-to-in!) and toe strikes galore.

By shortening her backswing—feeling her hands stop at 10:30–11 o’clock instead of 12 o’clock—we saw dramatic improvements:
✅ Club path reduced to just 2° out-to-in
✅ Strikes became more centered on the clubface

The result? More consistency, better ball flight, and a lot more smiles!

Sometimes less is truly more. If you’re struggling with path or toe strikes, check your backswing length—it could be the key to unlocking your best swing yet!

🎥 Let me know your thoughts in the comments or DM me your swing questions!

[Ryan Robillard @RobillardGolf]

@blackhatwizardd In person Golf lessons, and online courses of golf lessons

[Ryan Robillard @RobillardGolf]

🎯 Win a Rapsodo MLM2PRO! 🎯

Hey golfers! Want to take your game to the next level? I’m giving away a brand-new Rapsodo MLM2PRO Mobile Launch Monitor & Simulator! 📊⛳

This incredible device delivers ultra-accurate metrics like ball speed, spin rate, and carry distance, while offering access to over 30,000 simulated courses. Plus, with features like Shot Vision and Impact Vision for swing replays, and the award-winning Rapsodo Combine, you’ll level up your game like never before. Whether you’re practicing indoors or outdoors, this is the ultimate tool to sharpen your skills.

Click the link below to sign up now, subscribe to my newsletter and get your chance to win! Good luck, and I hope YOU become the lucky winner! 🏌️‍♂️✨

👉 https://t.co/W5RKf4G3E8 👈

@RapsodoGolf

[Ryan Robillard @RobillardGolf]

@therealaky @beehiiv https://t.co/jV6TrZBGpz

[Ryan Robillard @RobillardGolf]

🚨Become an expert at these three things to elevate your golf game!

One of the biggest mistakes I see golfers make is neglecting the basics in their setup routine. It’s so easy to get lazy with these steps, but trust me—if you master these three things, your game will thank you:

1️⃣ Set your grip away from the golf ball – Don’t plant your feet first and then adjust your grip. This leads to misalignment.

2️⃣ Use alignment rods to ensure your toe line is properly aimed parallel to your target. Your alignment is very important.

3️⃣ Perfect your ball position – Too many players get sloppy here, and it directly affects contact and ball flight. Small changes can make a huge difference!

These simple yet essential habits will set the foundation for better swings and better scores. Don’t overlook the fundamentals—it’s where great golf begins! 🏌️‍♂️

#GolfTips #GolfSetup #GolfPractice #GolfCoach

[Ryan Robillard @RobillardGolf]

Boosting Client Progress & Balancing Life: My Golf Coaching Model

Why I Transitioned to a Year-Long Golf Coaching Program

For years, I offered golf lessons as one-off sessions or short series of three-lesson packs. But over time, I realized these approaches weren’t effective at driving the meaningful improvement my clients wanted. Two years ago, I made the transition to year-long coaching programs exclusively, which has not only helped my students grow but has also improved my own work-life balance and business structure. Here’s a breakdown of the three main reasons I made this shift.

1. Player Progress: Accountability and Structure Are Key
When I began my coaching career, I noticed a pattern, especially among my adult clients. Every season, there was this New Year’s Resolution mindset—a sense of “This is the year I’ll work on my game!” Adults would sign up for weekly lessons with the best of intentions. Yet, more often than not, attendance would fall off; players would show up for 7-11 lessons across the whole season, rather than the committed weekly practice they had envisioned.

This drop-off wasn’t due to a lack of enthusiasm but rather a lack of accountability. Life happens, from busy work schedules and vacations to bad weather. A few sporadic lessons just weren’t enough to see real improvement. To make an impact, I realized that clients needed a more consistent structure and accountability, which a year-long program could provide.
On the junior side, things were different but no less challenging. Junior golfers, especially those aspiring to collegiate or competitive levels, require much more than a series of lessons. They need practice time, on-course experience, nutrition guidance, peer interaction, and often competitive experience. To help them progress in all these areas, a one-off lesson model simply wasn’t enough. It required a well-rounded approach, more resources, and time to nurture a pathway to becoming high-level players.

In response, I created coaching models that provided that structure. Adult players gained the opportunity to get consistent coaching all year long, while juniors were given a structured development path that covered all aspects of their growth, both on and off the course.

2. Business Efficiency: Maximizing Time and Income

The shift to a year-long coaching model wasn’t just about improving outcomes for clients—it was also about making the most efficient use of my time and resources. When I started, I took a hard look at my schedule and mapped out the whole year. After factoring in holidays, club events, and personal commitments, I determined that I had about 40 solid weeks for coaching. Within those 40 weeks, I committed to a sustainable pace of around 12 coaching hours per week, leading to a total of roughly 480 hours a year.

I then decided to pre-sell half of those hours as part of year-long programs, booking about 240 hours in advance. This setup provided a reliable source of income, while the other 240 hours remained flexible for package sales or new clients. For adults, my year-long programs offered 24 hours annually, with 20 hours of instruction and two 9-hole rounds. For juniors, I created two tracks: a development program and a performance program, with the latter including individual lessons, group sessions, and on-course practice rounds.

Tracking hours in this way allowed me to manage my time and finances efficiently, and it allowed clients to feel invested in a program where they were sure to see growth.

3. Personal Balance: Protecting Time for Family and Myself

The third reason I made this shift was to carve out time for myself and my family. Coaching, while still working at a club, can easily take over your life if you’re not careful. I feel many coaches don’t approach their career with a business-minded structure, but I quickly learned the importance of setting boundaries. By establishing a 12-hour work week and clearly defining operating hours, I could manage my work-life balance effectively. This not only improved my quality of life but also allowed me to communicate my availability with clients and maintain clear expectations.

With this system in place, I was able to protect my personal and family time, allowing me to enjoy the game myself while helping others improve. The result was a healthier balance between work and home, which, in turn, made me a better coach.

Transitioning to year-long programs was a decision driven by my desire to see players improve consistently, to manage my time and income effectively, and to strike a balance between my career and personal life. The approach has proven to be more rewarding for my clients and for me. It’s a model I believe can benefit other coaches looking to help players reach their potential and grow their own practice in a sustainable way.

[Ryan Robillard @RobillardGolf]

@denk_tweets @beehiiv Thank you!

[Ryan Robillard @RobillardGolf]

Stop making this mistake! 

Many golfers want to feel the club working behind them in the downswing, aiming to “shallow” the club for a smoother, more powerful swing. But before you can achieve that feeling, there are two common mistakes made in the backswing that can throw everything off.

Here’s what to avoid:

1️⃣ Open Club Face: If you start your takeaway with an open club face, it’ll be tough to shallow the club in the downswing without hitting it way off target. Instead, keep the club face neutral or slightly closed. When the club reaches the P2 position (a quarter back), check that it matches your spine angle.

2️⃣ Inside Takeaway: Taking the club too far inside in the backswing makes it nearly impossible to shallow it later. Going too inside often causes golfers to lose posture and come over the top on the downswing.

Want to feel the club working behind you? Start with these two checkpoints in the backswing and set yourself up for success in the downswing! 🏌️‍♂️