USGTF vs PGTAA

[Bam Sports]

Has anyone taking these school for teaching? If so can you provided pro vs con's.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Bam Sports

Has anyone taking these school for teaching? If so can you provided pro vs con's.

You won't learn a lot about how to teach, and a lot of it won't be correct.

As with PGA certification, you're paying for a piece of paper, basically, that says you can teach, even if you don't learn a darn thing from the USGTF or PGTAA...

They don't even know what causes the ball to fly the way it does (they still say path).

I'm not high on these organizations at all in terms of teaching you how to teach. Their value - if they have any - is in the fact that you can say "USGTF Certified!" or something. If that's worth it to you, go for it.

[NeotericGolf]

I have been teaching golf for over 30 years as a coach at the local college and the local high school plus as a golf instructor to my friends and their friends. At my age I'm not going to any PGA apprentice program! Therefore I feel there is a need for these types of schools. Do I need it? Probably not but it looks like a fun vacation and at the same time you can pick up the certificate. I find you get a lot of young PGA types that look down their nose at these schools because it is beneath them.  It is people like that that almost prevented Francis Ouimet from playing!!

[iacas]

Pretty sure USGTF still teaches (and tests) on the wrong ball flight laws. So... yeah. Good luck.

I don't know if you really need the certification. I view the PGA more as a marketing thing. The other biggie out there for marketing/networking would be ... the name escapes me at the moment. I'll try to come here when I figure it out.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by iacas

I don't know if you really need the certification. I view the PGA more as a marketing thing. The other biggie out there for marketing/networking would be ... the name escapes me at the moment. I'll try to come here when I figure it out.

Used to be called AMF. Now it's called the Golf Business Network http://www.golfbusinessnetwork.com/ .

[golfcoach47]

jacas, what do you base your knowledge on when it comes to teaching and your bad mouthing of teaching organizations e.g. pga and usgtf?

[iacas]

jacas,

what do you base your knowledge on when it comes to teaching and your bad mouthing of teaching organizations e.g. pga and usgtf?

You registered to bump a three-year old thread? Please stick around. Read the Swing Thoughts threads. Read other threads. Lots of good stuff at The Sand Trap.

Here's a short list.

1. I am the Director of Instructor Development for Medicus and the 5 Simple Keys. I train other instructors, and have insight into what makes for a good program. Many accomplished instructors have said great things about our program.
2. I am currently a PGA apprentice. I'm involved with the PGA not because I believe I'll learn anything, but because if, some day, my PGA membership opens one door for me then great. As someone who never wants to be a head pro, I don't know that it will.
3. Many of the best instructors I know either haven't gone through these training programs or did them for the same reasons stated above - to get a piece of paper because some people will judge them on that.
4. I've known several individuals who have gone through the USGTF, etc. programs. I've asked them what they've learned and talked with them about their experiences.

My statements above about them teaching the ball flight laws wrong were, at the time, facts. They were. Whether they continue to do so, I don't know. I suspect they do.

I suspect groups like USGTF don't care too much about actually putting good teachers out there. If you pay your money, oftentimes you "pass" the class and get your certification.

[golfcoach47]

I see. So, where do you feel one should go to be trained properly? I'm a little puzzled here :-\ Who is your guru on ball flight laws?

[Golfingdad]

Who is your guru on ball flight laws?

Sir Isaac Newton.

[boogielicious]

Quote:

Originally Posted by golfcoach47

Who is your guru on ball flight laws?

Sir Isaac Newton.

And Bernoulli.  And let's not forget about Hooke.

[Mr. Desmond]

And Bernoulli.  And let's not forget about Hooke.

Heck, I thought it was Sir Trackman.

[nescafe]

We all learn through the school of hard knocks that college was at best a "product" being sold; same with the PGA.  As we get older we get wiser.  If your not interested in all the extra's or getting abused by owners at a golf course then I would say use this school to your advantage.  As social media continues to affect our lives so the PGA schools will loose their meaning unless they update themselves.  Some people have become instructors on their own, bought a trackman doplar radar device; and have become quite the teachers on youtube.  So much so that is has attracted the attention of great teachers in the world of golf.  If you have people under you that are winning...that speaks for itself.

[GLFTPS]

The USGTF does indeed teach accurate ball flight laws.  They have a PAT as well that is just as rigorous as the PGA.  I went to a class and there were only three people certified out of about twenty.  The rest get a certificate of attendance only.  The PGA program is indeed quality but there are years of standing behind a cash register that seems a waste of time to me.

[iacas]

1 hour ago, BillK said:

The USGTF does indeed teach accurate ball flight laws.

Here you're referring to posts that are about five years old. At that time, they didn't.

1 hour ago, BillK said:

The PGA program is indeed quality but there are years of standing behind a cash register that seems a waste of time to me.

I've not stood behind a cash register ever, and I've been a golf professional (as an instructor) for over nine years now.