With so may golf instructors in Hong Kong to choose from, guest blogger and PGA Pro Sam Hunt gives us his thoughts on choosing the right golf instructor when considering golf lessons in Hong Kong.
Does your Hong Kong golf instructor have the education and experience to take your game to any level you desire? Some people claim to be Hong Kong golf instructors but couldn’t hit a ball out of their own shadow. The Hong Kong Golf School golf instructors are all fully qualified PGA Professionals. Some golf schools that accredit golf instructors have upped their games and are providing improved golf educational opportunities for those who are not wanting to become PGA or LPGA Members. These companies are still ultimately out to make money the easiest way they can and at their lower levels of accreditation allow substandard instructors to promote themselves under their brands.
Some say you can not get any better Hong Kong golf instruction than from a Member of the PGA or LPGA. The programs these men and women complete are intense, include first-hand experiences over a longer course of time, and are constantly required by the organizations to re-educate themselves on a regular basis, however honestly, whilst all of our Pro’s are PGA, that doesnt necesarily mean you’re getting a good Hong Kong golf instructor. We’ve seen guys who aren’t PGA be able to teach at very high levels and achieve outstanding results, and on the flip side, PGA Pro’s who just can’t deliver.
When trying to find a Hong Kong golf instructor to help you with your game, insure that the individual has an active accreditation with the PGA or LPGA, or another accreditation association that places more value on education over a longer period of time, versus just a couple of weeks of training. Be sure the Hong Kong golf instructor is remaining active in the association he or she belongs to and is constantly educating themselves on the latest innovations of technology and instructional methodology. And most important is to be sure that the instructor has a history of creating positive results for the clients he or she serves. This is most important in my mind. No matter what affiliation of accrediting association the instructor is part of, asking for and receiving references from the instructor is a great way to confirm if this is the instructor for you.
Does your Hong Kong golf instructor use swing aids? Does your Hong Kong golf instructor have a solid reason for using a swing aid that applies to your needs? Many golf teachers have bags full of swing aids; I call them magic bags of tricks and I must admit, I have one myself. The bag can’t just be there for show. The golf instructor actually believe and use the aids in a constructive and meaningful manner to assist you to improve.
Wow has time changed video and how we all use video to communicate during a golf lesson. Golf Video is just a small and expected part of a Hong Kong golf lesson now. If you can not post the video to various social media immediately, you are behind the times. If your Hong Kong golf instructor is relying solely on video to tell what is happening in your swing, you will eventually lose trust in the Hong Kong golf instructor I think.
There is nothing better than one-to-one communication after the fact to insure you are doing things correctly, which is why you should now ask your Hong Kong golf instructor if he or she used one of the many platforms of digital communication apps that allow your instructor to upload video and photos to you instantaneously, or even better, communicate instantly by audio and video to provide instant feedback of actual swings. Can the platform your Hong Kong golf instructor use be integrated with the various other coaches you may be using, such as a fitness instructor or sports psychologist? Being able to provide instantaneous feedback, follow-up instructions, lesson scheduling, or answers to your questions is no longer an option, it is a must for you and your instructor if you expect to get better.
I tend to believe now more than ever that great players do not necessarily make the best instructors. Some have made that transition wonderfully while others have failed miserably. The two biggest reasons for the difference between success and failure is the Hong Kong golf instructor’s ability to communicate at your level, not theirs, and the Homng Kong golf instructor understanding that what worked for them as great players may not be appropriate for you to reach your potential. Getting stuck teaching what worked to get the player to whatever level is typically the instructor’s demise.