How to find a good instructor

[Suchmo]

I've followed lots of the advice on this forum and have the greatest of respect for the opinions of certain contributors. I am keen to take some lessons from a local instructor, but I'm concerned due to the experience many people have had with inadequate teachers. In short, how - as an inexperienced golfer - can I tell whether an instructor is any good? Is there anything to look out for during my first lesson that would be suggestive of effective/ineffective teaching?

Edited November 20, 2015 by Suchmo
Typo

[Lihu]

To your title: PM @mvmac or @iacas

[iacas]

29 minutes ago, Suchmo said:

I've followed lots of the advice on this forum and have the greatest of respect for the opinions of certain contributors. I am keen to take some lessons from a local instructor, but I'm concerned due to the experience many people have had with inadequate teachers. In short, how - as an inexperienced golfer - can I tell whether an instructor is any good? Is there anything to look out for during my first lesson that would be suggestive of effective/ineffective teaching?

It's an incredibly difficult question to answer.

You can't go by the prices people charge, because I've seen horrible instructors charge a lot because it works: people say "oh, he must be good if he can charge $250 an hour…".

You can't go by the clients the guy has (not entirely). For example, here in Erie, PA we have two long-time local guys who teach the majority of the juniors, but it has become a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts: new junior golfers go to them because the junior golfers that preceded them went to them.

Still, if you're looking at effectively "cold choosing" an instructor, the clientele is often one of the best ways to go. After all, you don't have much else to go by.

If I were looking for an instructor (and I did this a long time ago, which in short order lead to me liking the instructor so much I turned pro so I could join forces and teach with him), I would:

1. List everyone in the area, including those up to two or three hours away, because I don't think most golfers need weekly or bi-weekly lessons.
2. Remove any names of people who are WAY too expensive. If they're a little too expensive, consider that you might not see them as often, or that you might be able to work out a package deal.
3. Remove the name of anyone who doesn't have a basic level of technology available to them: a high-speed camera. Yeah, there are probably some good teachers out there who don't use tech at all in their lessons, but I haven't met one yet. Good teachers use tech not just for themselves, but for their students as well.
4. Look at the websites or Facebook pages of the instructors.
5. Call them up. Interview them, and ask to observe lessons.

BTW, though it's kind of a throw-away chapter in light of the rest of the information in it, Chapter 17 in Lowest Score Wins is called "Choosing an Instructor."

[mvmac]

28 minutes ago, Suchmo said:

I've followed lots of the advice on this forum and have the greatest of respect for the opinions of certain contributors. I am keen to take some lessons from a local instructor, but I'm concerned due to the experience many people have had with inadequate teachers. In short, how - as an inexperienced golfer - can I tell whether an instructor is any good? Is there anything to look out for during my first lesson that would be suggestive of effective/ineffective teaching?

To add on to what @iacas said, ask them these questions. Or search for any videos or articles they've written to see whether the information they shared is in agreement with the correct answers in the quiz.

http://thesandtrap.com/b/playing_tips/the_instructor_quiz_nine_questions_youve_gotta_ask

 

[iacas]

5 minutes ago, mvmac said:

To add on to what @iacas said, ask them these questions. Or search for any videos or articles they've written to see whether the information they shared is in agreement with the correct answers in the quiz.

http://thesandtrap.com/b/playing_tips/the_instructor_quiz_nine_questions_youve_gotta_ask

We do need to update that list, though.

[Suchmo]

Thanks. Before my lesson, I'll ask what equipment is used (I.e. video, Trackman, etc) and on my first lesson I'll drop in some questions on how to hit a draw and the commonalities of good players. That should at least determine whether the pro has a basic understanding.