Latest news with #TheGolfFix
USA Today
30-03-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
After 15 years, 'School of Golf' host Martin Hall ready for one final lesson March 31
After 15 years, 'School of Golf' host Martin Hall ready for one final lesson March 31 Martin Hall is ready for calmer waters. After a 15-year run and 430 episodes, Hall will host his last episode of 'School of Golf' on Golf Channel and Golf Pass on March 31. 'I've lived life in a speed boat going down the river left and right, and I'm ready to switch to a gentler pace in a canoe with a paddle,' said Hall, 69, who will continue to teach in his longtime role as director of instruction at The Club at Ibis in West Palm Beach, Florida. Hall turned professional in 1975 and competed on the European Tour until he missed a 4-foot putt at the Qualifying School and needed a new way to make ends meet. He taught players of all levels, including tour players and major champions such as Morgan Pressel, his pupil since she was 12 years old, and the likes of Hall of Famer Karrie Webb during the latter stages of her career as well as Lexi Thompson. When asked whether he had ever given lessons to Golfweek's own Eamon Lynch, who has been known to hire and fire coaches more frequently than Viktor Hovland, Hall quickly answered, 'No. I refused,' before adding that Lynch, who also hosts Golf Channel's 'Golf Today,' once said his game 'was too bad to be fixed.' But Hall clearly had great success in doing just that with countless students – he was named the PGA Teacher of the Year in 2008. Given the popularity of the show 'The Golf Fix,' Golf Channel wanted to launch a second weekly instruction show and decided to cast a wide net. The network conducted an on-air national talent search in 2011. But Hall initially didn't submit an entry. He mentioned the opportunity to his wife, who replied, 'You're too old to be doing that.' But Hall had done some previous work for Golf Channel, so he made the short list and eventually ended up being the top choice. He has done episodes with the likes of Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Annika Sorenstam and the list goes on and on. 'Each show is special,' he said. 'I treated everyday like the Super Bowl and I left it all on the field as they say.' His favorite part of the show has been hearing the comments from viewers, which can be a dangerous world to enter. But Hall said ever since the shows began being posted on GolfPass, interest in his lessons have exploded to all corners of the world. He recounted meeting a golf enthusiast from India at the PGA Show in Orlando one year who called him 'the golf guru.' 'The reach that I have had has been immense,' he said. 'I treated it as a great responsibility that people around the world are using my lessons as the main source for their information on the swing.' Hall said he's listening to the voice in his head, which has served him well during his career, that it is time, as he put it, 'to let someone else have a go.' But not before one final send-off episode. 'It might be the most special episode we've ever done,' he said.
Forbes
30-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Martin Hall Closes The Book After 15 Years Of ‘School Of Golf'
Martin Hall ends "School of Golf" run after 15 years and 430 episodes, making him one of the most ... More visible and impactful faces in the world of golf instruction. After 15 years and 430 episodes, Martin Hall is stepping away from his role as the face of "School of Golf," the popular instructional program that has helped millions of golfers improve their game through television screens and digital devices around the world. The March 31 final episode marks the end of an era for one of golf instruction's most recognizable figures. Hall's distinctive teaching style, combining technical expertise with an approachable demeanor, made him a mainstay in homes of avid golfers since he first appeared on Golf Channel in 2011. "You have to know when it's time to end," said Hall, 68, a former European Tour player who began his teaching career in England in 1978 before moving to the U.S. in 1985. "My mother would always say to me, 'There's nothing worse than the singer staying too long when they've lost their voice.' So, I've always been aware that if it was my choice, I was going to leave before I was past my sell-by date or not relevant or couldn't do it well anymore." "I've spent my life going very fast for a long time to achieve a lot, and I'm ready to just take it a little bit easier and take a breath," he added. Martin Hall on set with Blair O'Neal, one of his co-hosts on "School of Golf." Hall's journey to television stardom wasn't planned from the beginning. Following the success of "The Golf Fix" with Michael Breed, Golf Channel sought to expand its instructional programming with a second weekly show. The network conducted a nationwide talent search in 2011, and Hall emerged as the standout choice. With decades of expertise as a PGA professional and accolades that included the 2008 PGA Teacher of the Year award, Hall brought considerable credibility to the role with School of Golf. What started as a studio production at Golf Channel eventually evolved into an on-location show, which viewers have enjoyed on GolfPass in recent years. Throughout his TV career, Hall has been joined by notable co-hosts who added their own expertise and talents to the program. Holly Sonders was his original co-host, helping to establish the show's format and appeal, and Blair O'Neal was a mainstay in later years. Holly Sonders, left, was Martin Hall's co-host at the start of School of Golf. While Hall says he'll miss certain aspects of the job, particularly "sending messages all over the world to avid golfers," he won't miss the 3 a.m. wake-up calls or extensive show prep and is instead looking forward to a slightly more relaxed lifestyle. Though he's stepping away from the cameras, Hall isn't leaving the golf instruction world. He'll continue teaching part-time at The Club at Ibis in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he's served as Director of Instruction since 1997. "I still love teaching,' Hall said. 'It's my passion.' School of Golf has been available as content for GolfPass members in recent years. Beyond teaching, Hall looks forward to having more time for reading, new pursuits, and traveling (including to his native England more frequently), as well as spending additional time with his wife Lisa, who is accomplished in the golf world herself as a two-time Solheim Cup player and former LPGA rookie of the year. A Legacy of Distinguished Guests Hall's "School of Golf" tenure saw a who's-who of guests, among them 10 World Golf Hall of Fame members including Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Nick Faldo, Tom Watson, and Annika Sorenstam. In total, the show featured guests who have collectively won 118 major championships across men's, women's, and senior tours. "I wouldn't single any one person out,' Hall diplomatically says when asked who his most memorable guests have been. 'They've all been wonderful, and I learned something from every one of them." Martin Hall on set with Annika Sorenstam, one of the many World Golf Hall of Famers who have ... More appeared on the program over the years. Hall says he takes pride in the longevity and impact of the show, including the influence it's had on players of all levels over the years. 'I love watching how good the players are, especially how good they are these days at a young age. And I think Golf Channel and GolfPass has had a lot to do with that,' says Hall. 'It's pretty interesting when I bump into someone like (PGA Tour pro) Viktor Hovland and he says, 'I've been watching you for years.' When people at that level say that to me, that's really amazing, actually.' During his time as a teacher, Hall has witnessed significant changes in golf instruction, including massive shifts from a technological standpoint. "We have things that can measure and verify what people are really doing. And they're very accurate," he explains. "It's not telling us anything that Ben Hogan didn't do. It's not telling us anything Jack Nicklaus didn't do, but it's quantifying how far away perhaps a lesser player is from doing that." "The quality of video now is astonishing,' he adds. 'They can shoot at 600 frames per second now in high def, which is remarkable. You can almost see every dimple on the ball. We have so many measuring tools which help us explain to people why golf swings work or why they don't work very well." Martin Hall has been teaching golf in the U.S. for four decades, having moved from his native ... More England in 1985. As Hall reflects on his time with "School of Golf," what stands out most is the program's fundamental purpose: helping golfers improve. "Every show that we filmed is a chance to help golfers, or more golfers, play the game that I've loved my whole life a bit better," he says. "We get to help people who are bad players become better and help people who are good players become really good players. We keep people interested in the game. That's been my favorite thing."
