Or maybe he’ll think about fishing, and suddenly he remembers how to swing a club again. Take his first tournament win, for instance. Hoffman’s ball was in the middle of the fairway on the last hole from an ideal distance. His nerves were up and he suddenly forgot how to swing a club. He literally stood by the ball for a full minute trying to picture a swing. Then he forced himself to think about how the fish were biting and took his swing at that moment. The ball landed ten feet from the flag and he made the birdie to clinch the event.

Hoffman participates in two tournaments a year, the Minnesota State Open (if he qualifies) and the Section PGA Championship. He teaches six days a week during the summer and has a hard time getting his game into "playing shape," so he focuses on making his students better. "I enjoy conversations with students and other golfers," says Hoffman. "I love just being around the game of golf." Hoffman first picked up a club at age six and grew talented enough to eventually play at Mankato State University and the College of Boca Raton. He’s been teaching for eight years now.

‘Students ask me most often about consistency," says Hoffman. "To help them achieve this, I explain what needs to be worked on in a simple way." Hoffman won’t "tear a swing apart," rather he takes care of one movement at a time because the brain can only work on one movement at a time. With beginners, Hoffman focuses on putting and chipping, working up to pitching. According to Hoffman, a pitch shot is the basis for a full swing. He adds that beginners should always be aware of their grip.

Intermediate golfers should focus on the fundamentals: grip, stance, posture. They should work on getting the ball to move left (hooking, drawing). Advanced players need to emphasize posture and alignment. They need to develop a procedure – a pre-shot routine. Hoffman’s lessons typically consist of an interview (about five minutes) to determine goals and objectives or any physical limitations. Then he watches the student hit a few balls. He will also videotape the student and compare the swing to a Tour professional of a similar body or swing type. The student can then see what needs to be worked on. The remainder of the lesson focuses on drills to enhance performance.

Ryan O’Brien was 10 years old when he started lessons with Hoffman. "At that time, I felt he was too young to work on swing movements, so I started him on the green and around the green," says Hoffman, who’s ability to tailor his lessons to an individual’s needs really comes through in this case. When Ryan turned 11, Hoffman moved him to the full swing after instilling in him a sound short game. At age 12, he started playing in tournaments and his short game paid off – he never finished below 3^rd in four events. When he was 13, he played in 20 tournaments, some of them AJGA. He won 12 statewide junior events and his handicap was a 4. When Ryan turned 14, he made his high school team and earned All-Conference honors, playing with a 1 handicap. "Wow!" acknowledges Hoffman. "This kid really took off, and all we worked on was fundamentals."

Hoffman enjoys watching golf as much as he loves playing it. He is fascinated by other golfers’ swings and the results of their efforts. Hoffman is very analytical of his own swing; his favorite shots to make are full wedge shots because they demonstrate most fully when the shot has been properly executed. Not terribly superstitious about the game, Hoffman plays in whatever he’s wearing for the day and favors the course in front of him. If he were to travel for a round of golf, however, he would choose to go to Ireland. "I’ve never been there," notes Hoffman, "but the mystique that surrounds the place fascinates me."