This is now. Urquhart is a 12-year PGA teaching professional out of Fort Myers, Florida. He didn’t play golf in high school or college, but he’s made quite a career of it since trading in the pigskin for a little white, multi-dimpled ball. Having teed it up as a professional in Ohio PGA Section Events, Tornado Tour Events and Nike Tour Qualifiers, Urquhart has competed in countless tournaments that have honed his skills as a golf professional – and undoubtedly made him an even better teacher. Urquhart has also participated in the World Series of Golf at Firestone Pro Am's,  Cleveland Indians Charity Pro Am's, Cleveland Browns Charity Pro Am's, Buckeye Booster's Charity Pro Am's and U.S. Open Qualifiers.

Playing in all those Pro-Am’s with professional athletes reinforces Urquhart’s passion for the individuality of the sport of golf. ”I think one of the things that appeals to me most about golf is that I see golf as more of a personal challenge,” explains Urquhart. “It’s just me against the course - I either win or I lose. It’s all down to me. On the bad days, I have no one else to blame but myself and on the good days, I can enjoy the glory, knowing that I did it myself.” Urquhart does his best to relay the power of this message to his students looking to lower their scores. In doing so, Urquhart helps people develop as individuals, building their golf game to a level they can be proud of. 

“I try to convey the importance of self-confidence and perseverance,” says Urquhart. “I want my students to have an appreciation for the effort it takes to obtain the reward.” Naturally, most students come to Urquhart looking for solutions to their current problems, but Urquhart is not afraid to give them more. He does help them find ways to fix what might be hindering their performance, but he also stresses sound fundamentals along the way. Often times a simple return to the basics of grip, aim, stance, posture and ball position are all that’s required to get a student back on track toward improvement.

“I think what my students appreciate most is the fact that I present accurate information in a clear fashion,” says Urquhart. “They are then motivated to apply themselves to achieve their personal goals.” Urquhart encourages beginners to practice their short game, working on numerous shots just off the greens. They need to gain confidence on those 15-45 yards shot to the flag. Players at the intermediate level spend time with Urquhart predominantly on swing mechanics and putting, while more advanced players focus on course management. Urquhart covers the basic fundamentals of the golf swing to everyone’s benefit, but the important thing – no matter what level player you are – is that you have an objective. “The student will learn how to set attainable goals, and I will teach them how to achieve them,” notes Urquhart.

Urquhart has the ability to quickly identify and solve problems students may have been struggling with for some time. Urquhart once worked with a professional baseball player while he was in Florida for spring training. After baseball practice, this young man and his fellow professional baseball players would tee it up at Urquhart’s club. “He came into my office one day, and we talked about his game,” recalls Urquhart. “After the conversation and watching him hit balls at the range, I knew the problem. At 6'6 he needed some custom fit clubs and a few swing thoughts – that was it, really. I sent him to a friend’s shop, and he had clubs custom fit to his specifics. After watching him hit balls with his new clubs at my range and giving him a few instructions, his game began to blossom. He shot 67 at the Celebrity Golf Classic to take the first day lead, beating the likes of Johnny Bench, Dan Quinn, Jerry Lucas, Rick Rhoden, Dan Marino and Jim McMahon. Not Bad!” 

When working on his own game, Urquhart covers specifics in an organized manner. He starts at the range with some wedge shots and works his way up through the irons. He will then hit fairway woods and driver. Once loose, Urquhart begins to envision playing a hole. He will start with a target and specific distance, hit that target, and then move to the next sequence. Urquhart allows time for practicing shots just off the green and wraps up his routine with lag putts and a number of consistent 6-8 foot putts. “I consider myself a feel player,” says Urquhart, who has the most confidence in his short game, his best shots usually appearing around the greens and from 100 yards in.

“The hardest shot that I ever had to make was at a Charity Pro Am in Southwest Florida,” remembers Urquhart. At the time, he had just moved down to Florida and accepted the job as Head Golf Professional at a local country club. Urquhart had not played or practiced for quite some time. His partner was the best female golfer in high school in the state of Florida (she now plays at the University of Florida and was named MVP this year). “I was running late for the shotgun and had no time to practice or get loose,” says Urquhart.

“As they called our group to the tee, they called my name and my home club.” Fans began to gather around the tee. Urquhart remembers feeling a little nervous. “New to town, Head Golf Professional, no practice, playing with a future LPGA superstar…what's a pro supposed to do?” says Urquhart. “Long, deep and right down the chute, right? For me, more like short, right and into the palmetto bushes,” he laughs. “The game of golf is very humbling, but that is why I love it. You can always come back, and we did. We won the tournament and had a great time. That’s what it’s all about.”

Urquhart is not the type to let one shot bother him out on the course. If he’s struggling, he just tells himself that it’s part of the game. He tries to forget the past and concentrate on what’s at hand. In these situations, Urquhart also reminds himself to get back to the basics. He would suggest the same for any of his students.

An active player year-round even with his full teaching schedule, Urquhart simply loves meeting the personal challenges golf has to offer every day. He faces those typically wearing light colors in the summer while donning black (Gary Player style) in the winter. His favorite courses include Canterbury Country Club in Cleveland and those that can be found in Southwest Florida, his preferred golf travel destination. Any time and anywhere Urquhart has an opportunity to whack a driver off the deck on a long par 5, he’s in golf heaven. A Ben Hogan fan forever because of Hogan’s ball-striking talents, Urquhart is also inspired by the play of Tiger Woods. “I think he’s the greatest player ever,” says Urquhart.

A four-year resident of South Fort Myers, Urquhart currently teaches at the Legends Golf & Country Club and Miramar Lakes Golf & Beach Club. When he’s not helping others overcome the challenges of the game of golf, you’ll probably catch Urquhart out on the lake casting a line or settled in his office spending time on the computer. You can learn more about lessons with Urquhart by e-mailing him at PingGolfPro@aol.com. Thanks for sharing, Billy!