Will Fanny Sunesson Become the Next Hot Coach in Golf?
by Ryan Ballengee on Aug 23, 2010 12:36 PM EDT
in Pro Golf
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PrintFanny Sunesson is best known as a caddy. First and foremost, she is remembered for her long relationship with Nick Faldo. Today, she loops for fellow Swede Henrik Stenson - a relationship that began in 2007 and by taking a cactus for her man in the Accenture Match Play, cemented a very strong bond.
She should be getting credit for something else, though: her relationship as a coach to PGA Champion Martin Kaymer.
Kaymer offers a lot of praise for Sunesson and what he has learned from her in their seven or eight years of working together since he was an amateur on the German national team. At the '08 Accenture Match Play, Kaymer explained his relationship with her.
"She's coaching me since probably five, almost six years now. When I turned professional she helped me a lot with the -- I mean, what's going on on the Tour, what I have to look after, all the travel things and the golf courses, about the strategy. She helps me always."
Asked what he would call her, he plainly said, "My coach." More acutely, she is his course-management coach. It is precisely the lessons from Fanny that got him the Wanamaker Trophy.
In his press conference after winning his first major, Fanny was not a topic of conversation or questioning. Curiously, she was given no credit from her former man Nick Faldo on CBS television for their relationship.
The professional caddy that she is, though, Sunesson probably never expected any praise - just happy to see her player win. But is there an opportunity for Sunesson to become a hot name in coaching? The new generation of pro golfers are an aggressive bunch. Every pin is reachable. Every hole presents a birdie opportunity. Bold play is the standard.
Still, when it came down to it, it was course management that won the trophy. Will Kaymer's cohort take notice and make the call to Fanny?
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Fanny is
Kaymer’s “course management coach”, which is as you have already said, a coach on how to get around on Tour – on and off the golf course. She is not, as far as I know anyway, a swing coach. Completely different animal Ryan, to the Harmon’s of the world.
Sure Wendy. His swing, but that is a long way from being a swing coach to others. Being able to identify the problems, the cause and effect and then how to remedy it, is another kettle of fish entirely.
I agree with you, CnP – Fanny “coaches” him around the course. She knows his swing, but she is not a swing coach. If Fanny is supposed to be a swing coach, then you have to add Steve Williams, “Bones” McKay, and just about every other caddy who has an established relationship with a player.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
I wouldn’t say completely different. There are “hot” mental coaches like Gio Valiente.
Find me! Email: ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com, Twitter: http://twitter.com/waggleroom, or Facebook: http://facebook.com/waggleroom.
Sorry Ryan
That’s the PGA coming out in me – When I think coaching, I’m thinking mechanics. You are quite right, there are so many different coaches out there now for all dimensions of the game. I was automatically thinking swing mechanics.
now THAT'S disturbing...
…RB – does the wife know about these feelings you have about Gio Vailente ? (ducking) :-D
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Call Me Sexist...but...
“Hot” and Fanny Sunesson only belong together in a sentence about a US Open.
In the interest of fairness to this post, I offer
a different perspective….First, the verbiage used by someone from another country, even if sounding the same, have different connotations….“coach” is probably one of them…To Kaymer, someone offering advise…to someone else, such as C&P something entirely different….I think once in a while, we tend to read too much into words that people use, rather than what they mean….The other thing is that Sir Faldo did give Fanny credit…not for coaching per se, but he said “her yardage books and notes on the golf courses were things of beauty….she had figures from where my shadow fell, and what club I needed to use….even factored in the wind from different directions…Most novels are not that long”. Personally, I think a person like that deserves some credit for sharing her knowledge…..STUB
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