Note to My Younger Self On Teaching

The golf business in general and the golf instruction business in particular are much different today than when I got my start over 40 years ago.  That alone makes me Old School, but I can truthfully say that I have never stopped learning from and listening to the best and brightest in the business.  With what knowledge I have gained over my career I have reached some conclusions.

If I were a young person just starting out in golf instruction today here is what I would tell my younger self.

Take the time to study the great teachers of the past and learn everything you can about “how” they taught.  The “what” they taught is not as important as “how” they taught.  Also learn as much as you can about how people actually learn.   Learning is learning and it is the same for golf as anything else.  Also develop and polish your communication skills because no matter how much knowledge you gain it will be pointless if you can’t convey it to the student so that they can assimilate it and make use of it.

I would also advise him to be very selective with technology.  Much of what is out there today will suffer the same fate as the Polaroid Graph Check Sequence Camera and Sony Betamax even though it is being hyped as “The Answer” to revolutionizing how the game is taught. It is also very,very expensive so choose wisely.  There is new technology in the pipeline that will be more useful than some of what we have today so you need to keep your eyes and your mind open and be ready to embrace it.  The younger golfers coming into the game today have a much different attitude than the people of my generation and they want and expect technology.  They are not going to just take your word for things.  They want it verified by numbers that they can understand and relate to.

Their lifestyles are also very different and the vast majority doesn’t have time for or even want a series of one hour lessons followed by hours of practice.  That’s what the new customer wants so learn to adapt to it.

Final note to self:  If you are going to become successful today you will need to combine Old School simplicity, New School technology, great communications skills, and a healthy dose of brain compatible teaching knowledge.  If you combine of all that you will stand out from the competition and be well on your way.