Diane Thomason has a knack for putting people at ease. This comes in handy on the lesson tee, where frustrations run high and nerves unravel quickly. “I have a good sense of humor,” says Thomason, a Class A Certified LPGA Teaching Professional and LPGA Life Member who earned her stripes in 1980. “My students say I’m very positive – I say to them ‘great job’ and all they did so far was tee up the ball,” she laughs. “I try to keep it light.”

Relaxing the atmosphere gets results with Thomason’s students. She eliminates embarrassment over bad shots and instead focuses on getting better. “I’m told I give good mental pictures of what needs to be done with the golf swing and out on the course,” notes Thomason. Once a physical education teacher who also coached the high school golf team, Thomason is no stranger to working with and explaining the game to a variety of personalities. After obtaining her Masters Degree and moving into collegiate teaching and coaching, Thomason garnered even more experience in developing fundamentals and advanced skills in countless amateur golfers.

“My favorite teacher is Gary Wiren,” says Thomason, who adds her style has also been influenced by such notable greats as Anne Casey Johnstone, Peggy Bell, Bob Rotella and her college coach, Joan Gearheart. “Gary was my mentor in the beginning.” Inspired, Thomason entered the apprentice program in 1977 with the intent to become an LPGA Teaching Professional. Nearly 30 years later, she’s one of the best in the nation, having been named to the National Golf Coaches Hall of Fame and recognized as LPGA Coach of the Year.

Thomason earned her B.S. from Iowa State University where she was a founding member of the women's golf team. She went on to obtain a Masters Degree from the University of Northern Iowa; she has coached the University of Iowa golf team for the past 27 years. Since 2002, she has also served as the USA National golf coach at the World University Golf Championships.

As a teacher and a coach, Thomason is most often asked about distance. As in, why do all my clubs go the same distance? She also sees a lot of slicing. “Some people focus so much on ‘hitting’ the ball instead of making a swing at the ball,” observes Thomason. “They think brutal force will get the job done.” For her beginners students, Thomason stays true to the fundamentals: grip, stance, posture and alignment. This helps cure any pre-conceived notions about killing it.

Advanced students tend to want to shave strokes. Thomason helps them by emphasizing short game drills. “We also talk course management and positive mental imagery,” adds Thomason. “See what you want to have happen. Have a plan for each hole and how you are going to play it.” Thomason’s favorite students are open to suggestions and willing to try what she asks of them. They ask questions for clarification, and most of all “they work hard and want to get better, so they practice.”

Thomason is also a bit of an expert on the rules of golf, having coached the game for many years. She’s seen numerous situations in which players do something wrong, only to make it worse by misinterpreting the rule or not wanting to impose a penalty on someone else and then proceeding inaccurately. Sometimes the rules seem cruel, but they are the rules. “I once had a college player make a hole-in-one on a par 3,” recalls Thomason. “Then she was advised that they had moved the tee box that day and she hit from the wrong set of tees. She was penalized and had to hit again – no hole-in-one!”

Undoubtedly, Thomason said something to cheer her up.

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