PGA of Great Britain and Ireland Professional Senol Bay recently became the first Certified Putting Instructor in Turkey. Bay has been National Coach of the Turkish Boys and Girls Team, comprising of 20 players, since 2016, combining this role with his full time teaching position at Kemer Golf and Country Club in Istanbul.
“When the PGA sent me the email about CPI certification in the training news, I was so excited, I wanted to do it because the CPI Course is a scientific, proven system.
“First of all Frank Thomas was interesting to me because he had been with the USGA for 26 years and involved with all the equipment and acceptability of golf balls and clubs used in the game.
“The CPI Course was unbelievable. I learned a lot and it gave me a lot of insight into putting and putters.
“The six degrees of freedom was also interesting to me, especially the way it can be used to examine your student and help you as a coach. I also found the equipment technology very interesting, the evolution of putters and the designs from blades to mallets.
“Before doing the CPI Course I knew about putting, but afterwards I know a lot more and what I learned will help me in my teaching and definitely in my work with the National Team”, said Bay who this summer looks forward to travelling with the Turkish team to Dublin, Ireland for the prestigious World Amateur Team Championships.
Senol Bay, first Certified Putting Instructor in Turkey
In addition to his duties as National Coach, Bay runs a very active junior program at Kemer Golf Club, helping develop talent in a country where golf is very new.
“I have my own junior program with 100 kids registered, a lot of young juniors that are very good. One of my students which I have been teaching since he was 8 years old and is now 17 years old was recently 2nd in the Malta Junior Championship, and in the future he looks to play on the European Challenge Tour.”
Bay himself started golf as a ball boy, picking up golf balls on the range. An English professional gave him a couple of lessons and told him that he was so skillful that he needed to play golf, and also told him that if he kept playing he would either be a good player or a good coach. Bay excelled and went on to win tournaments in Turkey and represented Turkey internationally.
In 2005, Bay made a big move with his game and won the Beko Comrade Tournament, which attracted professionals from around the world. He started his PGA Training through the distance learning program and in 2012 he qualified and started work in Istanbul.
“I was so lucky when I started. I worked with David Carney who was the Ireland Girls national team coach. I worked with him for 2 years and he really gave me the vision for what I wanted to do.”
Bay loves to learn and looks forward to sharing what he has learned in the CPI Course with his students and members of the National Team.
“I enjoyed the CPI Course. I like to learn, it excites me and I enjoy new stuff.”
Frank Thomas, founder of Frankly Golf, former longtime USGA Technical Director, inventor of the graphite shaft and the person who introduced the Stimpmeter to the game, said,
“I do appreciate the fact that Senol has taken advantage of many of the nuances of the CPI Course which exhibits the scientific principles upon which the course is based. It is rewarding to see how he has understood and used the 6 degrees of freedom to better understand how by constraining these, reduce the sources of error and build consistency in the stroke. More and more professionals are starting to appreciate the depth of what the CPI Course offers. Senol’s enthusiasm and passion for teaching will allow him to help his students reach the highest level.”
Certified Putting Instructor 