What Golfers Want vs What Golf Instructors Want

Golfers don’t want what golf instructors are selling!

We have some interesting dynamics at work in the golf instruction area of the golf business.  What the vast majority of golfers want is a simple tip or short lesson to help them improve quickly.  Most golf instructors depend on lesson income to earn a living and they want to spread it out over as many full length lessons as possible.  The end result being fewer and fewer golfers are taking lessons.

Also golfers are getting older and older golfers are less interested in lesson packages and long term goals and improvement which is the business model for nearly all golf instructors.

The average golfer can usually be helped dramatically in 10 minute sessions or maybe several 10 minute sessions but that doesn’t fit the existing business model.  Studies of how people actually learn have shown that learning and retention are better in frequent short sessions.

Today only one golfer in seventeen takes lessons and I think we need to consider the possibility that the business model may be a major reason why.

One possible solution is to come up with plan that doesn’t charge by the hour such as charging your normal lesson rate but break it up into six ten minute sessions or four fifteen minute sessions.  Possibly a monthly or yearly charge for unlimited help.

In surveys golfers have indicated that they would be more likely to take lessons in this type scenario than the traditional one hour lesson with no money back guarantee.   If that is what the market prefers why not try to accommodate it and fill the need.

Marketing a program like this would immediately set a teacher apart from the rest and get people’s attention.

That is it from the cave for today.  Thanks for joining me!