'A lot of hidden talent here'

The Daily Star (TDS): What made you interested in bringing your renowned academy to Bangladesh?

David Leadbetter (DL): We were always looking to open academies in virgin territories where the coaching and instructions are basic. I think we can bring a level of expertise to take Bangladesh golf to a new level. You have a lot of talented young players, but they need direction and good coaching. That applies not only to potential tour players, but to casual golfers who would have more fun if they knew what they could do. So we're trying to bring a whole new level to teaching with a lot of technology involved.

TDS: What is your idea, in general, about Bangladesh golf?

DL: I know there are a lot of promising golfers here. I know about Siddikur [Rahman] who used to be a ball-picker at this course and now he's winning titles on the Asian Tour. I think he can be made into a great movie. That is very different from some players in Europe and America who are given everything at a very young age. It just goes to show you have tremendous amount of hidden talent here.

TDS: Could you give us a brief lowdown on the technology and equipment set up in this academy? How much of an impact do you think technology makes on performance in golf these days?

DL: Technology is an important part of golf instructions these days. It enables us to see what's going on a little more clearly because we can't always rely on naked eyes. So we have high-speed cameras, we have force plates which shows us the balance and swing and we have trackman which says exactly how far the club is coming from the outside or how much club speed you have. We can analyse all this information and work on the golfers' techniques. The student needs to be able to see and understand what needs to be improved and technology helps in that area.

TDS: What about the personnel? How many coaches will be stationed here or come from abroad?

DL: Right now we have three coaches, headed by Phil Chilton from England. We are going to have one or two more within the next year or so. The instructors here are highly trained and can train golfers from the beginners' level up to senior, men, women, junior and tour player.

TDS: Who are some of the renowned golfers that you have worked closely with?

DL: I've been involved in the game for about 40 years and I have trained winners of 22 majors including several players who have been number one at different times. Nick [Faldo], Ernie Els, Nick Price, Ian Poulter, Lydia Ko and Michelle Wie to name a few.

TDS: You are credited with helping Sir Nick Faldo rectify his swing which eventually helped him win his first Open title in 1987, with a few more to follow. Tell us about your association with Faldo.

DL: It was almost 30 years ago. Faldo was a really good player who wanted to win the British Open. He used to hit the ball very high, but with the wind he was not as comfortable as he should have been. So we worked on his technique and his swing for about two years. He became one of the best players in the world with six majors. It proved to be a milestone in coaching. At that point not many players had coaches, so our work together really established the coach-player relationship.

TDS: You are just coming from India. What do you think Bangladesh golf needs to do to get to the Indian level?

DL: India is also pretty new; they've just got more golfers and more golf courses. It's just about getting the numbers higher, getting more people to play at the junior level. Bangladesh needs to understand that they need to start with youngsters and develop them with good coaching.

TDS: You are a passionate follower of cricket. Do you find similarities between techniques of a batsman and that of a golfer?

DL: There are similarities in techniques of golf swing with how a batsman slices the ball or plays an off-drive. There are also similarities in bowling. The way you move your body and the way you use muscles. It's not just the arm that you are using it's your whole body, and how you move it makes the difference.  Bangladesh is a great sporting country and you love cricket, you've got great hand-eye coordination through that sport. There's no reason why you can't produce some champions in golf too.