To all the golf teaching professional?

[LongballGer]

I'd like some honest opinions.

Is it a career you'd recommend?

How much do teaching pros usually make?

[LongballGer]

anyone?

The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 9 characters.

[itzzzberny]

ask "Ben" on the forum. i think he's the pro at porter ranch cc.

[Ben]

When I first started working at the club, I dreaded teaching. I was under the impression that by teaching golf to poor players that I'd loose my own swing taking on their bad habits. Plus the golf swing isn't exactly the easiest thing in the world to correct and perfect. Sometimes theories can get lost in translation. About six months agao I started taking on students and have found that it can be very satisfying. Even if my student has just a mini breakthrough during a session that's all they are really looking for. For the most part even the earliest of beginner of students understand that the swing isn't built in 30 minutes. As long as we both walk away from the lessons feeling happy we both feel good.

Money? Yeah, teaching golf can be pretty lucrative. I charge $45 for a 30 minute session. My buddy went to Harmon's academy and was paying $300/hour. As long as you build a reputation of offering quality instruction, sky's the limit.

[kfowler]

I'll give you a second hand experience. I have a friend that was a club pro for a course. He said he enjoyed giving lessons but rarely ever got a chance to actually play golf. He really got burned out of it after a couple of years. He now sells insurance. I'm not saying it wouldn't be great. I think you have to have a passion for teaching. Just like anything else.

[LongballGer]

Well, I like teaching more than playing actually.

What does a golf teaching pro really do though?

I heard you also have to organize tournaments and stuff, too.

Is it possible to strictly teach? I also heard you have to work at least 60+ hours pretty much as a slave when you start out.

[Ben]

  LongballGer said:

Well, I like teaching more than playing actually.

Yeah, if you start at a club and want to teach, you are going to be put in charge of anything with juniors. Unless there's someone at the club that really enjoys it. I doubt you'll be able to start strictly teaching too, particularly if you aren't a Class A PGA Pro. More than likely you may find a job in a golf shop as an assistant. The Head Pro may be cool with you teaching a bit, if they're low on instructors, but you'll definitely have to work through the ranks to be teaching only without any golf shop time. I'm at five years and I just got that offered to me. Only because there's talk of me leaving and my pro wants me to stay, so he's trying to entice me. Bottom line is, you are going to have to work your way up to Head Teaching Pro status.

[HSip]

  LongballGer said:

Well, I like teaching more than playing actually

If that is how you truly feel then it just might be right for you. Sounds like Ben is giving you some pretty advice/tips. Weigh the pros and cons then do what your heart tells you to do. Good luck

[LongballGer]

  Ben said:

Yeah, if you start at a club and want to teach, you are going to be put in charge of anything with juniors. Unless there's someone at the club that really enjoys it. I doubt you'll be able to start strictly teaching too, particularly if you aren't a Class A PGA Pro. More than likely you may find a job in a golf shop as an assistant. The Head Pro may be cool with you teaching a bit, if they're low on instructors, but you'll definitely have to work through the ranks to be teaching only without any golf shop time. I'm at five years and I just got that offered to me. Only because there's talk of me leaving and my pro wants me to stay, so he's trying to entice me. Bottom line is, you are going to have to work your way up to Head Teaching Pro status.

Interesting.

How long does a teaching pro you usually work?

[Ben]

  LongballGer said:

Interesting.

Huh?

The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 9 characters.

[deaconblues]

I think he is asking about the hours..Typically they are very long. When I worked in a pro shop studying to be an apprentice, 15 hour days were not uncommon. Golf was hard to come by, and I usually only played 4 holes before dark every night, and maybe I could squeeze in a round or two during the week while I wasn't working (if I could stand the site of the place). I know I typically worked well over 60 hours a week, it is definitely not an "easy" job, as some outside of the industry may try to tell you. And remember, at least during the busy season, you are pretty much required to be there every day.

[jorruss]

My old boss, a CPGA pro in Canada gave me the best advice when I told him I wanted to be a golf pro. He told me: "You know what CPGA really stands for don't you? Can't Play Golf Anymore."

A few years later I was in Florida watching my buddy make $7/hr working as an assistant pro, and the few lessons he got were junior clinics and high school teams. If he was lucky enough to line up a few lessons on his own, he had to give 20% to the head pro.

It's not an easy gig. You have to get lucky and work for a good Class A Pro for quite a while before you MIGHT get your break and land a head pro job at a nice club. If you are serious about doing it, I suggest one of those Golf Management schools like the Golf Academy of America. That will fast-track you a bit.

[Quinn07]

  jorruss said:

It's not an easy gig. You have to get lucky and work for a good Class A Pro for quite a while before you MIGHT get your break and land a head pro job at a nice club. If you are serious about doing it, I suggest one of those Golf Management schools like the Golf Academy of America. That will fast-track you a bit.

I play golf regularly with a couple of pros and one who has decided to go down a different avenue and pretty much give up his card. For him, he would rather just play, which is what he truly enjoys doing.

As for he Golf Management School, I have heard that those are rather bogus. This is obviously stuff that I have heard second hand from a few of the guys that I play with. From a Canadian stand point, it doesn't sound like they are making it any easier on golf pros these days to make money, unless of course you are making dollars in the big show. If you truly enjoy teaching, would getting a job at a local range be more beneficial? That might enable you to quickly build a good reputation and a strong client base. A guy who I went to school with recently won Teacher of the year in our region working at a range.

[Coastal]

This seems like as good a place as any to ask this question.

I'm a newbie to golf and I don't want to offend any pros.

Are we expected to tip for the lessons?

I attended a clinic at my home CC and the cost of the clinic just goes on my tab. Afterwards I felt that maybe I was supposed to give the guy a tip.

First, I have to say that in my opinion, tipping has gotten out of hand. It seems people are expected to tip the cop that gives you a ticket now days.

But, if this is traditional, I would want to abide.

[Ben]

  Coastal said:

This seems like as good a place as any to ask this question.

Sometimes I get tipped, sometimes I don't. I don't mind either way really.

[Iowa Hawkeye]

What about the certification proccess?

[LongballGer]

  Quinn07 said:

I play golf regularly with a couple of pros and one who has decided to go down a different avenue and pretty much give up his card. For him, he would rather just play, which is what he truly enjoys doing.

You are right about the golf managment schools. I'm attending one atm and it's just pathetic.

Well, all I really want out of life is golf, good friends and a hot women. In that order. So teaching pro sounds like my thing.

[jorruss]

  Quinn07 said:

I play golf regularly with a couple of pros and one who has decided to go down a different avenue and pretty much give up his card. For him, he would rather just play, which is what he truly enjoys doing.

I suppose all those career colleges are pathetic to a point, basically you are giving them your 20 grand and they give you a piece of paper saying that you are ready to start a career. Running a golf shop is becoming more of a business than it used to be. In the past, the golf pro would come in through the kitchen, stay in the pro shop all day, give a few lessons and leave quietly. These days he's in charge of merchandising, tournaments and supervises the cart staff and starters. He's expected to sell clubs and clothes and make the company money. It has to help getting some business education, or the PGA wouldn't make it's pros go to business seminars to certify. Being at a driving range affords a pro the opportunity to give more lessons per day in a more casual atmosphere, so for a go-getter that doesn't mind being out there all day, it's probably the ticket. There isn't usually a need to have a golf shop and carry lots on inventory, but it depends on the facility.