Pro cancelling lesson

[Trojan615]

I`d be interested to hear the forums views on this.....

A club pro I follow on twitter / Instagram advertised a couple of weeks ago that he would be holding a short game clinic at his venue on the outskirts of London on a sat morning (tomorrow). He lists 6 spaces and puts it out to the internet world to fill the gaps. £50 each couple of hours... hopefully help me with the weakest part of my game. I mention it to a few guys at my club and get another mate confirmed as attending. All good so far... we both planned to attend, I spent some hard earned brownie points with her indoors to allow me to test my new "Seve" like short game with a round straight after.. (we all know that once brownie points have been cashed in they are non refundable)!


Now, Thurs evening comes around and I get an email from said Pro, - "sorry due to numbers and drop outs, I have to cancel" I only see this on Friday morning and ring my mate... he`s had no email or cancelation from the Pro and was still going to turn up.

To be fair to the Pro, he`s offered an hours lesson for the price of a half hour - and asked for my availability (was going to reply that I now have a big gap on Sat morning).

Am I right to feel miffed ? I will update soon with what we have done...… :fore:

 

[clubchamp98]

I think you should be a bit miffed.
Why Cant He do it with less players .
Its not a great advert for his teaching doing things like this ,
Usually recommendations are what helps his reputation but this just dents it imo.

He should just do it , if only you two turn up it’s still £100 for a few hours work.

 

[MartynB]

Greed and a CBA attitude, unless maybe he had just you left committed with your mate not getting the cancellation email.

 

[Jacko_G]

No, the Pro isn't going to run a group session without the required numbers plus he has offered you a reasonable alternative.

These things happen.

 

[TreeSeeker]

These things happen and I wouldn't feel too hard done by for it, had a couple of group lessons cancelled for similar in the past and i'm happy to chalk it down to a pay for what you get. Only bit i'd be unhappy about is (as your mate) not getting a proper cancellation notice. Sounds like he's offer a more than fair deal to make it for it which is nice.

I do however agree with clubchamp (except for the being miffed bit) he should have committed to do it and gone ahead with whatever numbers signed up.

Being honest, i'd likely be looking for a different coach as i'd rather have a worse coach who is motivated.

 

[Papas1982]

Out of line imo.

If he's cancelled for reasons such as illness, then fair enough. But he's basically said, im not gonna get paid enough so i can't be bothered. If money is his main motivator then i'd not be keen to see him for tuition.

 

[Grant85]

In the position of the Pro I would be saying that as only 2 people are available so we are going to run a shorter clinic with greater tuition per person.

 

[williamalex1]

In the position of the Pro I would be saying that as only 2 people are available so we are going to run a shorter clinic with greater tuition per person.

£150 per hour , not a bad hourly rate. 40 minute lesson for 2 = £100 , still not a bad job oo:

 

[drdel]

Was there any indication in the promo materials that there was a minimum number of attendees required?

If not then the pro's commitment to running the event should have been honoured.

 

[DeanoMK]

I'd be miffed, definitely. Poor form from the Pro.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

No, the Pro isn't going to run a group session without the required numbers plus he has offered you a reasonable alternative.

These things happen.

Had a think about this and I agree with this. It has to be viable in terms of numbers and cost. There's also an alternative on the table.

 

[Papas1982]

Had a think about this and I agree with this. It has to be viable in terms of numbers and cost. There's also an alternative on the table.

£200 for a few hours Work. Unless it was going to actually cost the pro money he should have done it. He he made less than he had hoped for, that’s tough imo.

 

[DCB]

No, the Pro isn't going to run a group session without the required numbers plus he has offered you a reasonable alternative.

These things happen.

Yep, Pro at least made contact to tell the OP that the session was cancelled, and, he has given an alternative option.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

£200 for a few hours Work. Unless it was going to actually cost the pro money he should have done it. He he made less than he had hoped for, that’s tough imo.

I know some pro's that pay a club a fee for using their facilities. Gary Smith at Sutton Green is one example

 

[Trojan615]

My opinion is that the Pro was offering a service to some new customers in an area that swamped with alternatives, he must think long and hard about the effect that "bad" customer service is going to have. Reputation, reliability and word of mouth are very important.

My regular Pro is teaching a well known tour pro (Alex Noren) and I understand that having lessons cancelled is occasionally going to happen. However, in his case I know the quality of the product and the relationship I have with him more than make up for the inconvenience.

If you advertise the clinic (making no mention around minimum people to make it viable) and the attendees in good faith arrange their schedule to sample his product then unless he was going to be significantly out of pocket, then I think he's made a mistake. My mate still hasn't had any contact, I haven't had an apologetic phone call..... will interesting if my mate decides to rock up tomorrow !

Interestingly, this matter was discussed at length in the bar after todays round and on our whatsapp group for tomorrow's roll up.. without any prejudice from myself or my mate. Its funny how far and fast bad publicity can travel. It turns out a few of the people at the club were waiting to see what we thought of the class before having a go themselves..... ne:

We have been recommend the short game clinic run at Woburn (looks amazing!) and a friend of a guy on the group is the well recommended Pro at a course not too far away and he`s going to put on a clinic for us.

Needless to say, we will be unfollowing, not recommending and avoiding like the plague the future offerings from him down the road.

 

[Papas1982]

I know some pro's that pay a club a fee for using their facilities. Gary Smith at Sutton Green is one example

That why I said, if it was gonna cost the pro I could understand.

If thats the case case I can understand it, although been as he’s offered alternatives it doesn’t seem the case as the offer would make less for him if only one person showed that day.

 

[Trojan615]

That why I said, if it was gonna cost the pro I could understand.

If thats the case case I can understand it, although been as he’s offered alternatives it doesn’t seem the case as the offer would make less for him if only one person showed that day.

He’s the head pro at the venue, so I presume it costs him nothing.

 

[Papas1982]

He’s the head pro at the venue, so I presume it costs him nothing.

If that’s the case he’s out of line.

I’d imagine he hoped to get a load of numbers in and make a fortune, or if I was being sceptical. He simply advertised a great offer to get interest with no intention of honouring it and then cancelled and offered something more profitable to himself.

 

[OOB]

Like every special offer for someone in business it’s risk/reward. You’re risking only one showing up while the potential reward is that 6 do for the same amount of work. An all you can eat buffet restaurant assumes that while some fatso’s will eat double what they pay for, the majority will eat less.