What is a Golf Lesson really worth anyway??

What are Golf Lessons Worth anyway?

Ok…It’s true, you do get what you pay for…but only to a point.

Why am I writing about the cost of golf lessons?…Because they range from “free” to “ridiculous” and everywhere in-between. I remember as a newly minted (small p) “golf pro” I would listen to other Pros, read some books, study magazine articles, and try and make sense out of what I was hearing before regurgitating it to an unsuspecting client, who trusted me with his $40 bucks, and his golf game. This was in the early 90s and for the life of me I didn’t understand how I warranted $40.00/hour. Yes…I went to golf school, graduated on time, acquired my Class “A” status and became a Head Professional in the shortest amount of time you could do it, (in the present system). So why did I feel this way as an apprentice / assistant pro?

I remember honing my communication skills on Jr.s and beginners, I had written out a basic lesson plan, based on every other basic lesson plan I ever saw, (Grip / Stance / posture, blah blah) and while the lesson plans were similar, I made it up from there…I had to. Now I’m not knocking the educational system for Professional Golf Instructors (or maybe I am) we did learn how to run a Pro-Shop, buy from the merchandise show and suppliers, run a golf tournament, tee sheet, do books, keep track of inventory, fix and sell equipment, and most everything else required to run a golf shop for an owner or a board, or a committee…including food and beverage, but there was (is) one glaring omission.

Nobody EVER taught me (us) how to teach, what to teach first, in what sequence we should teach it for optimum retention, what words we should use and why, and what is the fastest way to create a level of competency in a new (or seasoned) golfer. After graduation, I was hired to teach in the program I just graduated from, so I got an inside view of the process. Now after you graduate your 3 year course, you can take a teaching and coaching certification course, of which I became a facilitator. OK here we go, let’s go learn how to do this! 

Disappointing is the word I use to describe the process; not that it was wrong, or made false statements, but it was more about the psychology of teaching than the act of teaching itself. We discussed how we would talk to a Lawyer as compared to a Plumber, which approach would work best with an endomorph, vs. an ectomorph, (body styles and shapes). We discussed coaching of elite athletes, nutrition, cross training exercises etc…but nothing on why we grip the club the way we do, or anything else actually. We did have a guest lecturer or 2 on teaching, I remember one Pro said (and I never forgot this) “never do anything at the expense of balance”. Excellent advice, but nothing on how to maintain balance, or what things throw it off…

At the conclusion of the course, I left the new instructors with the only piece of advice I could (that was not in the curriculum) “When you say anything to a client, be prepared to have an immediate, solid, and common sense answer when the student asks…why?”  something I’ve prided myself on as a teacher of the game. 

I think we should have our own Hippocratic Oath…”First, do no harm” , but I believe that ship has sailed. A golf instructor (like any professional instructor) should be able to back up what is said, in easy to understand terms that make sense to the client, without contradicting or convoluting the message. 

Anyone who wears the PGA logo is “allowed” to teach and charge (what the market will bear) for golf lessons, but only about 10% are classified as Teaching Professionals, who make it their business to know their craft well enough to to warrant the designation “Teaching Professional”. 

Just because you’re getting paid, does not make you a Professional in all cases. Then there are the federations of “Golf Teachers”, who take a course, shoot a score, and are then certified to charge (what the market will bear) to pass the knowledge along. Now I have met, and am friends with a few these teachers, and I have to say some of them are great teachers, who hone their craft, design templates and follow specific teaching guidelines to get from A to B…and stick to their guns…but they are very much in the minority. It has been my experience, most are after the quick $50 bucks and really don’t know why they say what they say. (just an observation)

So how does this translate to price? The FREE teacher, the low (and sometimes medium) handicap players who read an article and is now an expert I feel do the most harm in our industry. If I help my buddy out by changing the brakes on his car, he’d better be careful cause there will always be parts left over, and adding insult to injury, the message is second or third hand and most likely inaccurate. (the nicest way I can say that). If you want / need golf lessons, at least ask for referrals, try and understand the teacher's process…if there is one, and ask a lot of WHY questions, especially if you don’t fully understand... and the You-Tube crowd, trying to differentiate themselves with all kinds of contradictions, confusing the issue even further.

Then there is the Elite Teacher…who charges anywhere from $500.00 / hour, to $30,000.00 / day…really?! What super secret, magic, potion are they doling out for 30 grand a day…But; they get it, and more power to them. 

So how much is a Golf Lesson worth? It seems whatever you will pay...will the lessons work for you?...maybe, if you stick to the message and don’t continue the search for the silver bullet. What’s a fair price to pay for a lesson?...again, consider the source, but is should be consistent, and make sense.

It is my opinion, that we start injecting some common sense and consistency into the quagmire of golf instruction available to us today. Mainstream golf media shows and tells us all about the best players in the world, how they do what they do, and why we all should try and emulate them…I can’t and don’t want to try to swing like any player on any tour...why? I’m not them...muscle structure, flexibility, strength,...all variables. Learn the fundamentals...there are 3, learn the swing sequence...there are 3 pieces, craft a scoring plan for ALL shots based on a repeatable series of moves that does not contradict anything you learned prior, and stick to your guns.

That formula will guarantee success and your lessons (whatever you paid) will be more than worth the time and dollar investments.

Rob Bernard

Center of Gravity Golf

Is the current Golf Academy Business model broken?

Is the Golf Academy Business Model broken?

The more I observe the business of golfs player recruitment and education system; (that is the overwhelming majority of golf academy’s I have come across), the more I feel the anatomy of the golf academy model is detrimental to the future of steady, sustainable growth of the industry.

I am not saying the instructors are incompetent, or the message is wrong, but it certainly is confusing, diverse, and overly technical for the person with a desire to try and get into the game. 

Does that mean the new “science” of the Tour golf swing is irrelevant?…absolutely not, there will always be “players” who will gravitate toward perfection and these Instructors offer the in depth knowledge these 5% ers feel they need to advance to another level of play. 

However; to the 95% of avid golfers, new to the game golfers, and potential golfers looking in from the outside, it all seems too much. To the new and existing golfer who plays the game for fun and relaxation, the education programs seem like a PHD course with way too many options to sift through. In order to find a program that resonates with the golfers personal reasons for learning to play the game with some competency, will require a hit and miss process. 

As a career instructor of 20+ years, I can totally identify with these current and potential golfers in the (rest of us) category. I was always a firm believer in the saying “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything”, and that couldn’t be more true for the current golf education climate. 

It is my opinion, that the PGA’s of the world missed the boat on golfer education by not establishing a baseline fundamental process to bring new golfers to a point of competency quickly, and instilling confidence in the client with a consistent message, allowing them to reach a point of enjoyment and clarity before choosing to study the intricacies of the science of perceived golf perfection. There are currently unlimited opinions on every part of the game, and advice, (good or bad), is available for “free” on any electronic device you have. This diversity (in my opinion) matches it’s perceived value…free. 

The modern Golf Academy model makes little sense in the fact that lesson prices are commensurate with the instructors experience, and not on the message and guarantee to the golfer. 

Any given academy will have a pricing board that will show the lesson costs for any number of instructors. Director of Instruction = $$$$.00,  Associate Professional = $$$.00,  & support instructors = $$.00…As a beginning golfer looking to join a league, or to simply join my friends who golf, who should I choose?…Is the information from the support instructors that much inferior to the Associate, or Director of Instruction?…why the disparity? 

Experience! is the cry when confronted with this logic. 

Should not the Director of Instruction have very clear guidelines for all of the staff to follow? Should there not be tight controls on what information gets presented, in what order, and consistent language used in order to track the effectiveness of all instructors, as well as the program being taught? How else can you track a clients progress and commitment to staying with the game?…and why have a “Director of Instruction” if he/she is not directing the instructional staff on a consistent delivery of the message based on the most experience and consistency?

Here is a conversation overheard in a prominent Golf Academy in Canada recently

Desk Clerk: Good morning, welcome to XXX Golf Academy, how can I help you?

Client:  I think this is my year to try golf…all my buddies golf and I’d like to join in without feeling foolish, so I think I’ll take some lessons…how much to get me started?

Desk Clerk: Well…we sell both single lessons as well as packages of lessons, which would you prefer?

Client: Can you learn to get along out there with only 1 lesson?

Desk Clerk: Not really, but it will give you an idea if you like it.

Client: Well I know I want to learn so how much is a lesson package worth?

Desk Clerk:  Well that depends on who you choose as an instructor…Instructor “A”s package is $$.00, Instructor “B”s package is $$$.00 and the Director of Instruction’s package is $$$$.00 

Client: Why the disparity in pricing…isn’t the information all the same?

Desk Clerk: Some of it is…but for the most part, they all teach differently, and the price is based on experience. 

Client: So it really IS a gamble who I choose…are the more expensive lessons better?

Desk Clerk: Can’t say for sure, I guess it depends on the client, and how much you want to spend…if you’re not sure, go with the middle price, then you’ll have a good idea. 

Client: A good idea of what?

Desk Clerk: …if you like the way they teach;  don’t worry, they’ll get you going…which package would you like?

Client: Thanks but that’s too much of a gamble for me right now, I’ll get back to you.

The problem with this model is the perception that the cheap option is inferior information, and the top guy charges too much, is never available, or uses technology that is way over the clients head; adding to the myriad of confusion now plaguing the instructional industry.  

I’m not suggesting all golf academy’s are run this way,..there are a few method systems out there that have a singular message and stick to their guns, this gives the client a sense of comfort in learning a process that every instructor in the stable agrees on and enforces until a level of competency is achieved. 

With the current climate of declining retention of golfers, courses closing at a record pace, and according to surveys, only (1 in16) golfers would even consider taking a lesson and only (1 in 15)  that start the game, actually become a regular golfer speaks volumes to the state of the instructional industry today. 

The industry has a need to adopt an Instructional shift that is at once fun, accessible, consistent, easy, complete, and affordable. Such a system needs to be accountable to the client, as well as the venue in which it operates. Recruitment, tracking, and  accountability is (in my opinion) the way forward. This shift will affect the bottom line of every aspect of the golf industry. As a dedicated instructor of the game, it is my opinion that we now take the lead in recruitment, retention, and growth going forward…the time is now.

Rob Bernard, 

Center of Gravity Golf

Why Center of Gravity is important for Golfers

Why is Center of Gravity Important for Golf?

When I made the decision to write a program for teaching golf that would not differ from player to player no matter what stage of competency they had achieved to date, I first had to determine what the most important, common denominator there is for consistency and stability in any sport?

No matter where I looked, there was always one common denominator that separated the great athletes from the rest of us…manipulation and control of their center of gravity. In all “hand eye co-ordination” sports like baseball, basketball and tennis, athletes manipulate their center of gravity and balance into a position that will allow precision and power in their movements; then they can sequence their movements to create the shot desired.

When I studied Professional golfers, with all their unique swings and styles, there was one constant that made them consistent and powerful. The difference between other sport athletes and golfers is that Pro golfers don’t manipulate their center of gravity into a position to make a shot, Pro golfers place their center of gravity in the proper place to make the shot, then hold it still !

Golf is not a hand eye co-ordination sport…the ball is not moving, there is nothing to co-ordinate except your swing sequence. Creating consistency for golf is a simple understanding how to keep your center of gravity still during your swing motion, not trying to manipulate it into a position to make a shot, and not letting it move around.

Finding the bottom of your swing time after time first and foremost starts with keeping your center of gravity still during the dynamic swing motion, this is what separates golf from other popular “hand eye” co-ordination sports.       Want proof?

Swing Guru®, a golf technology company from Belgium has developed what I believe is the most important golf teaching technology to date. They have created a three dimensional, real time swing tracking system that actually tracks your center of gravity (along with your entire swing motion) in real time, from multiple viewpoints, with only 1 camera! Having personally experienced their system first hand with CEO Sebastien Wulf, I was amazed at the detail, accuracy, and information this technology provided me as a teacher. The Swing Guru technology gave me absolute proof of what I always knew, it’s all about your center of gravity, and this is the key to learning how to be a consistent ball striker. Like I’ve always said, it really doesn’t matter how good your swing is, or how much your clubs cost, if your center of gravity is moving around, you can’t be consistent. Visit Swing Guru at www.swingguru.com and hear what the best teachers in the world are saying about this new (and relevant) technology for golf.

Rob Bernard, PGA of Canada, Class “A” instructor
Founder & Creator: Center of Gravity Golf

Grip Myths

The Grip: I was told these things by Pros; I have read these things, and I’ve heard these things from other golfers and sources of information, and of course I have tried to listen and practice these gems of instructional information.

Problem is…it’s just not true.

  1)    Grip the club as if it were a small (baby) bird…tight enough so it can’t get away, but loose enough so you don’t kill the bird. (Sam Snead)

Now I would never disrespect the great Sam Snead, he was, and is still one of my golfing heroes…but what he said and what he did are two entirely different things.

First of all, a baby bird, or a small bird weighs almost nothing; it would take very little pressure to contain a small bird (the weight of your fingers and hands alone would do the job). Conversely: it would take very little added pressure from your fingers to overcome the bird and squeeze the life out of it.

A moving golf club-head, on the other hand - weighs a minimum of 10 pounds at the transition point (most weigh between 15 – 50 pounds through centrifugal force depending on the speed of the backswing at transition). There is absolutely no way to control a swinging club-head using the same pressure you would to contain a small bird!

Now…having said that, I do believe this statement from Sam Snead to be TRUE…for all fingers EXCEPT the BOSS fingers. The BOSS fingers can and will control the club-head in swing, and ensure the bottom of your swing falls consistently on your center of gravity (your sternum), and they must be very firm on the club, firm enough to be in control of 14 – 25 (or more) pounds.

The other 7 digits however… baby bird.

2)    You have to use equal Pressure on both hands:

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My Head Instructor and trainer recently had a debate over this issue with a long time Pro who truly believes this and has been teaching it for many years, Here’s my view on that…

A)  Maintaining equal grip pressure on both hands with a moving weight that

increases and decreases as club-head speed increases and decreases, is virtually impossible. Everyone has a dominant hand and fingers that they used the most and therefore will (subconsciously) bear the majority of the weight throughout the swing

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b)    Consciously trying to maintain an equal pressure on both hands creates a power struggle between the hands and levers (arms) that will produce an inconsistent bottoming out point of the swing. In order to create a consistent bottoming out point of the swing, there must be a consistent lever in control of the golf club.

c)    When you always use the “Boss” Fingers (Pinky, Ring, & Middle) fingers on your glove hand to control the golf club, the controlling lever is consistent and a consistent bottoming out point can be achieved. Now we’re getting somewhere…

But I hit it GREAT on the range...

I hear these anguished cries on a daily basis at the golf course.

 “I was hitting my driver great on the range”,

 “I was sinking everything on the practice green.”

 “I wish I could take my range game to the golf course, what am I doing wrong?”

I have said it many times before, ”hitting a large basket of balls is not practice, it’s exercise”. Mindlessly hitting golf balls on the driving range will not make you a better golfer in the same way enjoying a Sunday afternoon public skate with your sweetie will not make you a better hockey player. 

Professional golfers take their range game to the golf course on a daily basis because they practice like they play, every shot, swing, motion is done with a specific purpose in mind and a specific outcome expected.

Like every professional hockey or football team practices exactly what they want to accomplish in every possible situation they will face in the upcoming game, professional golfers do the same by creating, and re-creating situations they will face next time out, attaching a value to each swing, and creating pressure situations by forcing narrow parameters for tee, and approach shots and up and down situations from various difficult positions around the green. This puts game like pressure on each and every shot with consequences for miss hit or poorly executed attempts. This type of practice prepares the player for game pressure situations where every swing counts and the consequences reflect on the paycheck. 

When you practice this way, with specific purpose, creating game like situations and attaching a value to every shot you take, you will find it easier to transfer your range game to the golf course (and it’s more fun). This type of practice enhances the biggest intangible bullet in your arsenal…confidence.  I have witnessed countless talented players who hit it like pros on the range, but can’t put it together on the course and the reason is always the same, perceived pressure.

I say “perceived” pressure because if there’s not a check waiting for you at the 18^th hole based on your performance then the only real pressure you should face is personal or peer pressure to perform that day, (and this is important) with no “real” consequences facing you at the 18^th except maybe who’s buying the beverages.

If you want to see real improvement, practice like you play, make a game of your practice time, play your favorite course on the range and practice short game and scoring situations with one ball, this will put game like pressure on your practice sessions that will transfer to the course, always remember, this is a game…have fun.

Why can't the message be consistent?

The Center of Gravity Triangle

As a golf instructor going on 20 years now, it always bothered me that the golf instructional message is always in flux, changing at the whim of theories new ideas. I believe golf instruction, like any other skill set should be pretty much cut and dried, not subject to theory and conjecture. I've heard the phrase "I teach everyone different" from countless golf professionals over the years, funny thing is, I've never heard that sentiment from any other sport or physical skill. A hockey coach at any level would not teach his players to pass the puck using different motor skills, or with their weight on a different foot depending on the player, the skill is taught and the

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player practices it until it becomes an ingrained skill. If an instructor had to teach skills individually, they would never be able to teach a group lesson, nor would a team sport coach ever find the time to individually mentor every player on his team to process a skill set in a different way. Why then is golf so different? I don't teach theory, as far as I can see swinging a golf club and hitting a golf ball to a desired target is a particular set of skills governed by geometry and physics. Yes, the individual players may look a little different executing the skill because of their individual physical limitations, flexibility, size and shape, etc. but the sequence of events, geometry of the swing. and physics of the ball flight are the same. Bobby Jones did the same basic thing Byron Nelson did, and Ben Hogan did, as well as Snead, Nicklaus, and every other player who was successful at a high level of this game. They all had 3 distinct parts to the swing, they all held their geometry very still throughout the swing (I call it the Center of Gravity Triangle) and they all understood the physics of ball flight in order to make adjustments to ball curvature. All very basic truths no matter how they physically looked swinging the club. Arnold palmer is a great example, he looked very different from Snead or Nicklaus, but the 3 basic pieces were there, and he held his geometry very still throughout his swing, that is the "Secret" to consistency...period. Like I said earlier, I don't teach theory, Center of Gravity Golf is a fact based system grounded in geometry and physics, put together in such a way that it cannot be disputed either by the conscious or subconscious mind. When the subconscious mind does not dispute the input, you are then free to play the game without the external bombardment of all the conflicting information received over the years. SIMPLICITY IS THE KEY. Golf is not played in a 6 foot bubble of mechanics around your body, golf is played out in front of you on a beautiful golf course in nature. In order to enjoy the game and "play golf" you must get out of the "golf swing mechanics bubble" and turn your attention to the beautiful targets presented you on any golf course. Certified COG instructors teach everyone the same...why, because it always works, each and every client has an "AH-HA" moment and get's very excited about their game. Complete understanding of cause and effect, the proper sequence of the swing, and a "plan" to score your best on each hole is he key to better golf and more fun.

The "Secret" to Consistency

Ben Hogan once said..."The average golfers problem is not so much his lack of ability, but a lack of understanding what he should be doing" 

With all the conflicting information out there, is it any  wonder it's hard to improve.

MOI vs. ROI…IS NEW EQUIPMENT REALLY THE ANSWER?

            Golf equipment is changing and evolving almost daily it seems, equipment manufacturers are introducing new and improved models at a rate of every 6 months or so, but does that mean you should run right out and get the latest model to improve your score?

            As a Golf Professional, I had access to and used to change my golf clubs every season to get the latest and greatest model of Driver, or the new cool iron set, and give away my (like new) previous set to friends or family. Back in early 2000, I received my new Taylor Made Iron set, the new 300 Forged Tour set. I absolutely loved these irons, but foolishly got rid of them the following season to make room for the new RAC model. While the RACs were great irons, they were not as solid and forgiving as the 300 forged set.

            Fast forward 10 years and 7 sets of irons later, I still haven’t found a set of clubs I like better than the 300s, so what does that tell me? Golf equipment companies have a chokehold on the golfing public, they own the golf airways and spend millions convincing us that we NEED the newest offerings, promising more distance, more forgiveness, better ball flight, and lower scores, but is that the whole truth?

            I believe some of the Driver new technology can help the skilled player with spin rate, launch conditions, and ball speed, but in the hands of 99% of us who play for fun on a semi regular basis (Teaching Professionals and Club Professionals included) the difference is negligible and it certainly does not improve our overall score, and iron sets offer even less of a scoring advantage.

            If you own a low center of gravity, perimeter-weighted iron set with a good shaft and grips made in the last 10 years, you don’t need a new set of irons.  We all want a new set of irons, we’ve been conditioned by the powerful manufacturers who pay the top players in the world to showcase their equipment that we must have the latest and greatest in order to get to the next level, but do you?

            Have you ever noticed how many “ #1 Club in Golf” claims there are out there? All of the top manufacturers claim the #1 spot for one thing or another and we are caught up in the hype and excitement of newer and better. While I’ve had my latest set of irons for more than 3 years now (Nike CCi Forged) they will have to be replaced soon due to wear and tear, I do admit to changing my driver to try and reduce ball spin. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing I love more than heading to the golf store and manhandling the new sticks, they’re very pretty…but when it’s time to change irons due to wear and tear, I now think about something different.

            Equipment manufacturers scientists are bombarding us with new terms like COR (coefficient of restitution), LCG (Low center of gravity) and MOI (Moment of inertia) and while all of these are measurable improvements, there is one term you should consider before pulling out the Visa card, ROI (Return on Investment).

            Retailing up to, and exceeding $1000.00, new golf equipment is no longer a purchase but an investment, and your job is to get a good return on your investment (ROI). There are a lot of factors that may weigh in on this decision; the promise of increased performance, identification with your favorite Professional player, or an emotional attachment to a specific brand; but will any of these factors improve your score…in a word…no.

            The perception that improvement comes with new equipment is a manufactured belief thrust on us by golf’s big business, if equipment was the answer, we’d all be shooting under par by now, and we all know, that’s not the case, average scores have not significantly improved for more than 50 years. A golfer will think nothing of spending $500.00 on a new driver with big promises, but will balk at spending the same $500.00 on a full day clinic that will guarantee game improvement and lower scores virtually every time, and with the equipment he already has.

            So what really drives us as golfers? Lower scores, beating our friends, steady improvement, or keeping up with the trends. The closer I look, the more I understand we all want to improve at this incredible game but are confused at how to do it. If you have to spend money at the shop this year, buy these, in this order; New grips, have your clubs re-gripped, they will feel like new, 6 fresh well fitting gloves, 2 pairs of comfortable, supportive shoes, and try out some new technology in golf balls, these equipment purchases will make a difference without breaking the bank. While the above purchases will surely help, your largest ROI always was, and continues to be, lessons from a competent Golf Teaching Professional. The growth of the game, and your individual improvement rests squarely on the shoulders of the Teaching Professional, seek one out today, and enjoy the guaranteed results of your new relationship.