11 of the Most Expensive Teachers in Golf

[mvmac]

List from 2015, Butch Harmon isn't on it, maybe because he mostly does schools.

Even if the lessons were free I wouldn't take a lesson from any of them (except maybe Utley). Also good marketing bit for Claude Harmon to be pictured with McIlroy who he doesn't work with.

http://www.golf.com/golf-gold/11-most-expensive-teachers-golf

Quote

GARY WIREN
Rate: $400 per hour

ANGUS MURRAY

The author of 14 books and a member of both the PGA Hall of Fame and the World Golf Teachers’ Hall of Fame, the Florida-based Wiren has taught the game to more than a quarter of a million people in 32 countries. As part of a $400 an hour session, students receive course time, a practice plan, use of top training aids, and video of the session.

MICHAEL BREED
Rate: $500 per hour

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He’s not a real doctor, but he plays a swing doctor on TV. The host of The Golf Fix on Golf Channel also teaches at Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point in New York. Appointments are $500 an hour.

CLAUDE HARMON III
Rate: $700 for 90 minutes

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What began with Claude Harmon, who won the ’48 Masters and passed his clear-eyed teachings to his eldest, Claude “Butch” Harmon, has been passed to CH3, the third generation in a storied family line. He’s the director of instruction at the Butch Harmon Floridian.

JIM MCLEAN
Rate: $750 per hour

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DAVE STOCKTON
Rate: $1,200 for two hours

 

 

A former All-American at the University of Houston and father of the X-factor theory of the golf swing, McLean has worked with Ben Crenshaw, Curtis Strange, Sergio Garcia and Gary Player, among other stars. At his golf academy at Trump National Doral, a session with him runs $750 an hour.DAVE STOCKTON
Rate: $1,200 for two hours

ERIK ISAKSON

A sensai of the flagstick, the two-time PGA champion is recognized today as one of the world’s most highly sought after putting instructors. He works out of Redlands Country Club in Redlands, Calif., where his rate is $600 an hour, with a two-hour minimum.

MITCHELL SPEARMAN
Rate: $1,400 for two hours

ANGUS MURRAY

A GOLF Magazine Top 100 instructor and the former chief lieutenant for David Leadbetter, the Florida-based Spearman once described himself as the “world’s most expensive golf instructor.” His current rate for a first-time student is $1,400 for a two-hour session. He also offers a two-day experience for $10,000.

STAN UTLEY
Rate: $1,500 for three hours

DAVID BERGMAN / SI

As a PGA Tour player, some 25 years ago, the Scottsdale-based Utley was known as one of the game’s best chippers and putters. He is regarded today as one of the game’s premier short-game instructors. His price: $500 per hour, with a three-hour minimum.

DAVID LEADBETTER
Rate: $3,500 for three hours

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The six-time major winner Nick Faldo was once called Nick Fold-o. Then Leadbetter helped him rebuild his swing. The renowned instructor has also helped fine-tune the likes of Lydia Ko, Nick Price and Michelle Wie. Three hours with him at his academy at ChampionsGate in Orlando will run you $3,500.

JIM HARDY
Rate: $5,000 per day

 

ANGUS MURRAY

A former Tour pro turned acclaimed instructor, Hardy devised the Plane Truth theory of the golf swing, which holds that players fall into one or two categories: they either swing naturally on one plane or two. That’s his truth. Here’s another: at his academy in Houston, his expertise comes at $5,000 a day.

HANK HANEY
Rate: $15,000 per day

 

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Now that he’s finished with Charles Barkley and Ray Romano, maybe he can make you his next project. His time is yours for $15,000 a day at his academy in Lewisville, Texas.

DAVE PELZ
Rate: $20,000-$30,000 per day

 

ANGUS MURRAY

Anyone can drive for show. The real money shots are from 100 yards and in. Just ask Phil Mickelson’s short game guru, who has buttered his bread nicely without relying heavily on the big dog. His day rate is $20,000 if you visit him in Austin. Or $30,000 if he comes to you.

 

[DaveP043]

What is even more astonishing than the fees these guys charge is that they find suckers to pay those fees.  

[klineka]

Just curious, why wouldn't you want to take lessons from any of these guys?

[No Mulligans]

8 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

What is even more astonishing than the fees these guys charge is that they find suckers to pay those fees.  

I use to work in the Weight Loss Industry, I was the controller for Jenny Craig.  There was a saying there, "everyone is looking for a magic pill".

9 minutes ago, klineka said:

Just curious, why wouldn't you want to take lessons from any of these guys?

There is no magic pill... you can get just as good of lessons for a lot less cash.

[iacas]

1 minute ago, No Mulligans said:

There is no magic pill... you can get just as good of much better lessons for a lot less cash.

FTFY.

[DaveP043]

10 minutes ago, klineka said:

Just curious, why wouldn't you want to take lessons from any of these guys?

For many people, a high price means high quality.  Without expertise to really evaluate the quality of a product, how do they really know different?   

[Lihu]

15 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

For many people, a high price means high quality.  Without expertise to really evaluate the quality of a product, how do they really know different?   

At the very least, they can brag to their golf buddies about having so and so teach them and shaving off those critical 0.1 strokes off their games.

[Hacker James]

Disciples of P.T. Barnum

[mvmac]

18 minutes ago, klineka said:

Just curious, why wouldn't you want to take lessons from any of these guys?

Same reason I wouldn't go to a mechanic if he didn't know how an engine worked 

The above mostly applies to Pelz, Hardy, Haney, Spearman and Leadbetter. Their information is lacking and a good amount of it is based on incorrect assumptions. It would be a waste of time. 

Even with Harmon or McLean who I think are decent, there are a lot better instructors out there.

Stockton will just repeat what he says in his book.

Utley's is correct with his info but for me his preferences are a bit extreme, too "wristy" with the wedges and too much arc with the putter.

Now if I was still teaching and had an opportunity to shadow any of these guys I would definitely take advantage of it. I'm sure they all have good "bed side" manner and are good communicators. 

 

[Hacker James]

I like Martin Chuck( as most everyone knows.) Mostly for his "delivery". He can relate to just about anyone from the highly technical, to the "just tell me how to fix this". He hardly ever talks about himself other than perhaps mentioning one of his mentors, gives common sense examples and uses simple training aids effectively. on the "cons", his commercialism of some of his training aids are a bit pricey for what they are, but they do seem good quality. Even so, he often will say you could make them at home if you chose to do so. As far as what he gets for lessons, I am not sure, I think it is less than $500 for an individual/ day. He also conducts group sessions, online video analysis. He has hundreds of "free" you tube videos. 

[Wanzo]

20 hours ago, mvmac said:

Spearman once described himself as the “world’s most expensive golf instructor.

When this is how you advertise, you are hoping people assume most expensive=best

 

[Hacker James]

21 hours ago, mvmac said:

Same reason I wouldn't go to a mechanic if he didn't know how an engine worked 

The above mostly applies to Pelz, Hardy, Haney, Spearman and Leadbetter. Their information is lacking and a good amount of it is based on incorrect assumptions. It would be a waste of time. 

 

When I first watched Haney during the Romano series, I thought him credible. After viewing his many infomercials, I started to notice he mostly just parrots a lot of age old quips and tries to spin them as his own. His most recent "Doing opposites" is pathetic and paramount to saying, "If you slice, hit the other way", "If you hook, hit from outside in". I am exaggerating a bit, obviously, the point is, there is nothing really new there. (not that "new" means anything, if an old standard works, then use it).

[Groucho Valentine]

Looks like iacas needs to step up his game. 

[iacas]

3 minutes ago, Groucho Valentine said:

Looks like iacas needs to step up his game. 

$70/45 minutes was one of the lowest rates on the Best Young Teachers list… and most people in Erie still think that's hella expensive.

[uitar9]

I have no background or pedigree to teach: perhaps if I just advertise an extremely high rate the bucks will flow in. 

The idea of "selling out" sounds pretty good.

[nevets88]

On 2/16/2017 at 0:19 PM, iacas said:

$70/45 minutes was one of the lowest rates on the Best Young Teachers list… and most people in Erie still think that's hella expensive.

At 15K a day (Haney), that's ~$35/min assuming a 7 hour day. So 2 minutes with Haney is the same cost as a lesson (my experience is you'll get more than 45 min) w/Erik. Something is really wrong with that. Yeah, I know the market bears what the market will bear.

I bet a lot of corporate bigwigs just expense those lessons under some obscure line item - "entertainment" or something like that.

[jamo]

Good money if you can get it, I suppose.