PGA professional Stewart Graham recently became the first Certified Putting Instructor (CPI) in France. The veteran professional who has been at Golf De Bondues, in Northern France for the last 27 years is delighted to have this distinction and enjoyed the CPI Course experience, and the immediate results it imparts.
“I am really excited to be the first CPI in France.
“As soon as I started taking pupils on the putting green there were instantaneous results. Some of my pupils could not believe their instant success”, said Graham.
CPI Stewart Graham, first in France!
Graham has not only seen the rapid results for his students, he has also improved his own putting, understanding the strength of the CPI Course lies in its simplicity, and the fact that its content is factually based and pure.
“The secret to the CPI Course is the fact it gets everyone neutral in their setup and there are not too many angles to be concerned about. It’s so easy and simple and obvious. I don’t know why I didn’t learn about this sooner.
“Sometimes we find excuses for bad putting. With the quality content in the CPI Course nothing can go wrong. When I first started teaching using the CPI Course content I noticed that the sound of my students impact changed. They were finding the sweetspot and this feedback is extremely important,” said Graham.
According to Graham, the CPI Course has helped make putting clearer.
“Becoming a CPI has given me an extra wing. Before, putting was a little foggy. I have been a pro for 45 years and putting was a little mystical. Completing the CPI Course has given me more ammunition to help my students. I look after a lot of Senior golfers. They need help with putting and chipping. With the CPI certification I can now give them a new lease of life.”
Golf De Bondues is the biggest and one of the oldest clubs in Northern France. Graham stays busy with his Ecole De Golf which attracts 185 children every Wednesday and Saturday, and the club itself has a membership of 1400 members.
It’s a long way from Graham’s beginnings in golf when he was introduced to the game by his father, who encouraged him to play and took him along to The Open in 1972 and various other events to see the best in the world. At age 16 he started playing at Newbiggin By The Sea, a beautiful hidden gem in Northumberland. His game quickly progressed and he turned pro at age 19, being part of the team that helped to open Forest of Arden Golf Club in the Midlands. He moved to France in 1987 and has continued to foster his passion for playing the game, having won the PGA Club Professionals Championship in 2006 and using this knowledge to coach and help his students.
“I qualified for the British Senior Open in 2008 at Royal Troon. I aim to play in the British Senior Open at St Andrews in July 2018. I think it is important as a coach to play as it gives you the experience to help your students understand how they will feel in different situations on the course.”
Frank Thomas, founder of Frankly Golf and the CPI Course, former longtime USGA Technical Director and inventor of the graphite shaft said,
“Stewart is echoing what we have heard so often before that the CPI Course would have been very helpful to him if he had been aware of it sooner as part of his education to become a PGA professional. We are very proud to have someone with Stewart’s extensive experience to be our first CPI in France.”
Certified Putting Instructor 