Norwalk grad Hassee earns golf instructor honors

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The world of golf knows Scott Hassee. Since joining the staff of the nationally-known Hank Johnson Golf Academy10 years ago, the 2006 Norwalk High graduate has turned into one of the nation's leading golf instructors. Perhaps because of temperament, he is able to successfully teach juniors as well as accomplished players. That attribute has led the Ohio Wesleyan graduate to two recent high-profile teaching awards. Hassee was recognized with the Alabama Chapter Teacher of the Year Award, and at the national level, he was named as one of the top 50 Golf Range Association's of America Growth of the Game Teaching Professionals. The GRAA does not rank instructors in order, but selects the top 50 in the country. "Managing my time is critical," Hassee said. "Time must be spent with junior golf as well as adults. This will be the seventh year I have headed-up a group of juniors (ages 8 thru 18) for a bus trip to Eastlake Golf Club to watch the final round of the PGA Tour championships. Almost our entire teaching staff and myself make the trip both fun and a learning experience. The kids recognize it is cool to learn at a venue like Eastwood." Hassee also does volunteer work at a private Christian School in the heart of the poorest part of Birmingham (Fairfield, Ala.). He uses equipment from the firm, SNAG Golf (Starting New At Golf) where oversized plastic golf club heads are used along with tennis ball-sized golf balls. They are shot at Velcro targets. "I have been instructing those kids in a gym for the last three years," Hassee said. "Twenty-five of them have decided to take their game out of the gym onto the golf course next year. With little money from their families to spend on equipment, we are in the process of raising money to get them equipped so they can take part in our PGA junior league." Hassee also has a large group of women that he teaches. And like the juniors, he apparently has taken their games to a higher level as they have made him an honorary member of the LPGA Amateurs Organization of Birmingham. After 10 years of teaching, he has one player on a secondary women's tour and one college player who has game enough to go on tour upon graduation. Both reached All-American status and won several collegiate tournaments. The last time he was back in the Norwalk area was 2015 when he took time to put on a golf school for the players of his former high school coach, Wes Douglas. "I don't play much," Hassee said. "And that's a shame because I have a better golf swing now than when I had back in high school and college. Plus, I'm sure I can manage my way around the course a lot better." It is that very art of decision-making on the golf course that has led to still another chapter in the life of this industrious 32-year-old. He has written a 150-page book called "The Champion's Play Book" with the subtitle, "Thinking Your Way To Lower Scores." "The book is 100 percent about strategy," he said. "I found that the seasoned player as well as the elite-level golfer is very, very weak when it comes to course strategy. "I have a couple of junior tour officials who are excited at getting this book for their players," he added. "I have two speaking engagements coming up at two mini-tours that should spur sales. I'll talk strategy and also demonstrate some of the exercises that are illustrated." Hassee described his book as one that is structured like a textbook, reads like a novel — but applies like a workbook. One of those golf exercises ends each chapter. "I tested the material in different classes for two years to see if they work and the average improvement is three and one-quarter strokes," Hassee said. "The book is now read worldwide. Over 500 copies have been sold in seven different countries over the first four months of publication, mostly due to the social medias." Hassee has a lot going in 2020, including more speaking engagements. He will also school a number of golf professionals, again with the emphasis on strategy. A podcast carries the same title as the book. He has done some 70 episodes. "It's been a fun niche," he said. "We'll see where the future takes me." Hassee is married to his wife, Rebecca, a Birmingham native. The couple have a boy and a girl, both who many times accompany their father to the golf course.