Communication Science & Coaching, Part 3: The Feedback Loop – Marie Jeffery & Shirin Hornecker

Feedback is one of the most used – and most misused – words in coaching. Criticism, opinion, praise and judgment all get labelled as feedback, but none of them are. In this session, Marie and Shirin draw a clear line between what feedback actually is and what it is not, then give coaches a practical structure for delivering it well: grounded in observable behaviour, framed with care, and always oriented towards the player’s growth rather than the coach’s ego.

💡 What You’ll Learn

• Why most of what coaches call feedback is actually criticism, opinion or judgment – and why that distinction matters
• How to use ’I-you sorting’ to keep feedback clearly attributed and to maintain healthy boundaries with players
• The three levels of feedback: on behaviour, on intentions and on frames – and when to use each
• How sub-modalities (visual, auditory and kinesthetic description) let you describe behaviour neutrally, without interpretation
• Why agreeing a feedback protocol with a player before a season or tournament makes delivery far more effective
• How frame awareness helps coaches keep players in the right mode – whether that is technical work, performance or experience-gathering
• What separates a good coach from a great one: clarity of structure, economy of words and coaching players towards independence

👥 Who is This For?

• Golf coaches who want to give feedback that genuinely helps players learn and self-correct
• Coaches working with juniors or developing players who are building self-reliance and inner awareness
• PGA Professionals looking to sharpen the communication side of their coaching practice
• Coaches supporting players in competitive environments where frame-setting and expectation management are critical
• Anyone who has completed Parts 1 or 2 of the Communication Science series and wants to complete the trilogy

📂 Format & Structure

• 1 video Masterclass (approx. 45 minutes, including live Q&A)
• Estimated completion time: under 1 hour
• Watch at your own pace, on any device

🎤 About the Speaker

Marie Jeffery is a PGA of Austria professional with over 15 years of coaching experience, based at GC Schloss Ebreichsdorf near Vienna. A philosophy graduate, she spent four years as National Coach for the Austrian Girls Team and sits on the PGA of Austria education and exam committee. She is part of the CPG Development Team and known internationally for her work combining technical and mental coaching. Shirin Hornecker is a coach, trainer and educator specialising in communicology, based in Kitzbuhel, Austria. She has served as mental coach to the German Golf Ladies National Team since 2019 and works with players across club, youth and professional levels. A graduate of communicology, she has over 15 years of experience as a self-employed practitioner and educator.

The CPG Masterclass Series embodies a range of talks and presentations for PGAs and PGA Professionals that cover a variety of subjects and topics, delivered by world-class, industry leading experts from their respective fields.