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Teaching in the Open

This relates to a conversation I've had with Dave Wedzik a few times now, and we both agree and always reach the same conclusion.

In the winter, Dave's been forced to teach at the Golf Dome here in Erie, PA. I've watched a few of his lessons, and I've seen a few lessons given by some of the other local area instructors.

Virtually all of the other instructors go to the far end of the range to the right, where they have "teaching stations" set up. There are only two differences between a teaching station and the other hitting stations: they're a bit wider (ostensibly so the instructor can stand near the student and watch them make swings) and they have a curtain you can pull to prevent nearby golfers from listening in or watching the lesson.

Dave likes to teach in the open, and if I were teaching anyone something like the golf swing, I would too. If you believe in yourself, why wouldn't you want to teach in the open? It's the cheapest (free) form of advertising possible! It's "hey, look at me, I'm an instructor, and not only am I good enough that this guy here has hired me, I'm confident enough to do it right out in the open!"Contrast this to "the man behind the curtain." What's he saying to his students? Sure, maybe he's worried that someone will overhear something he says and he'll improve, but that's stupid - nobody's going to overhear a tip for someone else and become a PGA Tour level golfer. If the tip even works for them - people don't have the same flaws, after all - it'll just be a crumb that whets their appetite. They'll want to come to you for more of the cake.

When possible, teach in the open.

One Response to "Teaching in the Open"

  1. Good point about teaching in the open as a way to promote yourself. The only pros I know who teach in more private settings (other end of the range, or partitioned somehow from the rest of the tee) are working with players who aren't comfortable with people watching them work on their swings.