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| COMMON GOLF MISTAKES |
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Let’s face it. Nobody’s perfect. We’re all human. We
make mistakes. We screw up. We get tired. We miss the point. We drive the
point home too hard. We don’t prepare. It’s the way the human
was made.
While none of your students expect you to be perfect, there will be,
and understandably so, high expectations associated with your skill in
delivering a good, solid, memorable lesson. Why else would students knock
on your door and give you their money? That said, there’s an obvious
onus on the teaching pro to teach sound principles. And to do it effectively,
efficiently, and successfully – without making major mistakes. |
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As with every professional in any business, minimizing mistakes
is paramount if you want to have a long, prosperous career. Repeatedly making
mistakes during a lesson – or even before the lesson begins –
will hurt your reputation, your income, and can, ultimately, lead to your
demise as an instructor. However, if you can build a business where a solid
reputation precedes you, you stand a much better chance of being successful
in what has become a fairly competitive market place.
The 5 common mistakes are
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1. over-analyzing the student.
Obviously, analysis is what this business is all about. We look at grips,
positions, posture, movements (or lack there of) and soak in the hundreds
of variables involved. It’s a daunting task, really. There is always
so much to consider in every golf swing. Where do you begin? Unfortunately,
even if we do have a firm grasp of what is really ailing the student, spouting
off for fifteen minutes and addressing every single aspect of the student’s
swing is, almost certainly, going to be a waste of everyone’s time.
It is, however, a common mistake made by golf instructors. Clear, concise,
and simple direction is all that anyone wants in a golf lesson – including
professional players. Go to the root of the problem and address it. Stay
away from working on too many things at once. Keep yourself, and your student,
focussed on correcting one thing at a time. Your students will love you
for it. |
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2. Failure to keep things fun.
If golf becomes more than a game for your amateur students, then it’s
not a game anymore – it’s work, a burden, something tedious
and uninspiring. Webster’s definition of a “game” is,
an activity providing entertainment and amusement, a pastime. Do your lessons
resonate with the fact that golf is supposed to be a source of enjoyment
– no matter how well it’s played? Do you laugh with your students?
Do you share the odd story or joke? Do they walk away saying that that lesson
was a lot of fun? They should. Every time. Or you’re not being true
to the game. |
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3. Failure to adapt.
Assembly line teaching. Doesn’t really have a nice ring to it, does
it? Unfortunately, many teachers only acquire the invaluable skill of adapting
to the individual student after they have taught for many years. Not that
young instructors can’t learn this skill, but generally, it takes
some banked time to really understand how to adapt most effectively. In
the introduction to Harvey Pennick’s Little Red Book, Tom Kite states,
“Harvey allowed the swing to fit the student – his or her personality.”
Kite went on to say that Pennick would never allow a student to watch another
student’s lesson for fear that they would try to apply something that
wasn’t relevant for them. Are you a “stock” teacher or
do you allow your student’s personality and body type to dictate their
swing? |
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4. poor record-keeping.
As a golf instructor, there are some things that are simply out of your
control. How much a student practices, various learning disabilities, and
the weather are all things that you have little or no say in. However, keeping
accurate records of your students and their progress is not one of them.
Sadly, many instructors fall short in this area. Keeping accurate information
on goals, assigned drills, contact information, things worked on, etc. are
all pertinent to their progress as a student and your competency as an instructor.
Don’t sell yourself short as a professional! Keep thorough records
of your students. It’s imperative for your student’s progress
– and your career.
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5. poor marketing of the product.
The idea of marketing is, in my opinion, a grossly overlooked and underutilized
tool amongst golf instructors. Why don’t we market ourselves more?
The answers – or excuses – vary from laziness to misinterpreting
its value. Are you “branding” your service? How do your clients
perceive your service? Are you finding new ways to get people in the doors,
especially during slow periods? Do you have a workable marketing plan for
your teaching business? These are questions that you need to take seriously.
There are literally thousands of books and resources available on this topic.
Books to consider include: Service America, by Karl Albrecht, The World’s
Best Known Marketing Secret, by Ivan Misner, Getting Business To Come To
You, by Paul Edwards, and Small Business Marketing For Dummies, by Barbara
Findley Schenck. |
| The bottom line is that being successful is hard work.
It takes discipline, diligence, and a basic understanding of what your
students expect and desire on the lesson tee. You have two choices: cut
down your mistakes and watch your business grow or continue making mistakes
and watch the guy down the street take all your business. Which one will
you choose?
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