Choosing The Best Golf Instructor For Your Game

Most Golf Instructors teach every person they meet using the same golf swing techniques. GMS believes that each Golfer is different, and although we have a base schedule, we design a PLAN for each individual Golfer based on reading your Golfer Registration before you arrive, as well as when we're evaluating your game

The typical Golf Pro teaches each person using similar tips regardless of skill level. Thus, the Golfer will struggle and probably start hitting the golf ball worse because what they’re learning isn’t correct for them, it’s just what that Golf Pro teaches

In addition to your GMS Registration Evaluation, we’re constantly talking with you during your GMS Program to adjust your PLAN, as well as going over what we accomplished each day

Most Golf Instructors will not admit it, but they only teach one type of golf swing. Thus each person the Instructor teaches will learn the same golf swing regardless of your ability level, your desired amount of practice time and/or your physical abilities. The golf swing you learn should not be limited to only the golf swing that Instructor teaches

Our suggestion:  It’s very easy for a Golf Pro to advertise/express their expertise to you. So have them explain their process of helping you find your golf swing

If anyone ever uses this phrase when talking about Golf Instruction, you should instantly cross them off your list. The smart Golfer should avoid this Golf Pro because getting worse before getting better  ... often equates to never getting better

If the quality of Instruction is of the highest level, the Golfer should start getting better with the first bit of Instruction. If you’re not getting better right away, your Instructor and his/her plan for you is incorrect for your game. This goes directly back to question #2 above

Our suggestion: Ask the Golf Pro whether they think you’re going to get worse before you get better ... and then follow-up with "Why do I need to get worse first"

Golfers coming to Golf Made Simple will see improvement in the first 15 minutes of Day One. And that improvement will continue throughout your Program

Most Golfers hit the golf ball better on the driving range versus the golf course. Why can’t most Golfers bring their range swing onto the golf course? It probably has a lot to do with the Instruction you receive and the practice habits having not supporting what's necessary in taking your golf swing to the golf course

When the driving range practice is taught using a ‘practice like you play’ method and is then combined with superior On-course Instruction, you will see significant improvement. Do not leave this valuable time off your checklist!

Our suggestion: Ask the Golf Pro - "can you help me with On-course Instruction". If they answer "no" ... ask why

Many Golf Schools offer a 4 to 1 Golfer to Instructor ratio. However, what isn’t noted is whether the other Golfers with you are of a similar skill level. This is important if you’re an experienced Golfer scoring around 85 and you’re put into a group with a Golfer that is scoring 105 (or a Golfer scoring 105 is placed with a newcomer)

Our suggestion: You need to ask whether the Golf School groups according to skill level. The only time GMS has a mixed skill level group is when it’s requested by a husband and wife, or friends or family that want to be together. Other than that, we’re very, very strict in making sure each Golfer is of a similar skill level!

Yes, being a member of the PGA is important. However, there are 26,000 PGA Professionals, and to say that every PGA Professional is just as good an Instructor as every other PGA Professional is not even close to the truth. One way to find out the quality of an Instructor or Golf School is to find out how many Golfers they work with each year as that is directly influenced by referrals from Golfers that have improved.

The GMS Instructor has a class 6 days a week for 50 weeks of the year with Golfers that travel from around the world to see us. We’re a popular program because our Golfers improve, and other Golfers notice that improvement, so they sign-up to for GMS

There is a good way to practice and there is a bad way to practice. Most Golfers believe that going to driving range and hitting golf balls is practice. That is not practice, that is recreation. Practice goes well beyond hitting golf balls. Though most Golf Schools and Instructors never talk about how to practice, they just try to give you swing tips, so you go back home doing the same thing you’ve always done. Thus you instantly slip back into your old, bad golf swing habits

Our suggestion: Ask them whether they use the technique of ‘practicing like you play’. If they say “yes”, ask them to explain how their program is set-up to have you ‘practicing like you play’

At GMS, we train our Golfers by teaching you how to practice, and that goes beyond just knowing the drills you need to work on. Having a Practice PLAN allows you to see continued improvement on the golf course, beating golf balls on the driving range allows you to see continued frustration. Learning how to practice is just as important as knowing what to practice

Many Golfers that have attended lower cost Golf Schools typically see very little improvement during their Golf School, but more importantly, they often see their game get worse when they get home. Why? Because they do not have a PLAN that is based on the “causes and effects” of their golf swing. These less talented Instructors only are trained to look for the “effects” of the bad golf swing, not finding the root “causes”. Thus, if the “cause” isn’t corrected, the bad golf swing will continually come back when you aren’t standing next to your Instructor

Our suggestion: Ask about the teaching methods they use to find the strengths and weaknesses of your golf swing, you might find that they don’t have any teaching methods even though they were advertising they do. That goes back to question #6 above as most Golf Schools don’t have any idea what their part time Instructors are teaching

Once you complete your Program, now what? What happens if you forget something you learned? Or 6 months later you fall back into an old, bad habit? Are you left to figure it out yourself? Or is there a program in place that allows you to contact the Golf School to help you?

We believe open communication it’s as valuable as oxygen. Even the PGA Tour Player will “hit a bump in the road once in a while.” When they do, they contact their coach to fix it. So if the best Players in the world are going to hit that bump, you probably will also. The key is, how are you going to get past that bump?