Should I get PGA qualified?

[JustOne]

PS If i was getting my house rewired, I'd be looking for a electrical contractor registered with SELECT and if I was to need a plumber I'd be going to a SNIPEF registered company. So it follows that if I was needing lessons, I'd go to a PGA Pro.

Whilst I do agree with that sentiment I think that if my house might flood I'd probably want the SNIPEF guy, so I don't kill myself I'd want the SELECT electrician, if I was about to make a parachute jump or go scuba diving or fly a plane then I'd want qualified people.... but hitting a ball with a stick around a field as a hobby? I think some people are really over rating their own ability/judgement to play the game. Once you're down to about a 1 h/cap have won your club champs and are thinking of getting into County golf or higher then you DO really need someone who has ALL of the latest technology and probably a really rich dad to pay for it.... but a 12 h/capper who can't get it out of a bunker or an 8 h/capper who thins his irons??? hmmmmm. So many talented golfers on the forum, who knew!!!

 

[Foxholer]

James,

My tuppence worth...

Ask yourself what the benefits from becoming PGA qualified.

Find out the cost of becoming PGA qualified

Ask yourself whether the benefits are worth the cost. Only you can answer that.

Check out Birmingham University's Under and Post Graduate courses - and whether that's what you need/want.

 

[bobmac]

Even though you haven't asked me what I think, which I thought would of been sensible, here's my 2ps worth.
For your 'sponsor' he'll have to shell out around £5000 for the PGA qualification.
What do you get?
You get recognition.
Anywhere you go in the world people will recognise and respect the qualification.

When I was 42, I was in a very similar boat, loved helping people, knew quite a lot about the swing and had been CatI since I was 16.
But few took me seriously when I offered to help them.

I also looked into the EGTF.
You may remember I suggested them to you about 4 years ago.
But when you ask around, EVERYONE BAR NONE insisted on the PGA qualification for their teaching staff.
I'm afraid there's no getting round that unless you can get your own range but I fear the set up and running costs would be crippling.

You may not want to learn how to fix clubs, learn about the rules or run a business but to get the recognition you obviously want there's no other way, believe me I looked.

But I did learn one thing with the PGA and that was how to teach.
Not just the golf swing but how to teach in general.
They teach you how to teach and not only what to teach.
Then it's up to you how you continue and develop what you teach to you pupils.

There's no doubting your knowledge, passion, and patience for teaching the game but I still feel and have said to you many times, if you want to be taken seriously by more people and want to help your pupils more, learn to teach properly.

Anyway, as the recession has hit hard, I'm up at 4 am on a Sunday and I'm off to my part time job which I do to supplement my teaching as there's not a lot of lessons going on out there.

If you want to enjoy helping people and have a laugh, stick to what you're doing.
If you want to be taken seriously by the nay sayers, get qualified.

 

[Smiffy]

Not being funny James, cos you know I love you to bits.
But I think you are a bit "fragile".
You are not in the best of health, you are continually complaining of your arms, feet, legs, back or wrists aching if you play too much.
I'd stick to what you do best

 

[richy]

You're talking as if it were a shoe in that you'd pass the course.

Ok, someone may well front the fees for you but what's to say you'd pass all aspects of he course. From what I hear just 'knowing' about the swing might not cut it

 

[pokerjoke]

Perhaps Homer and yourself could go into partnership as he's been an assistant previously!

Snake Oil anyone? :rofl:

Perhaps Homer could be JOs guinea pig.
If JO got Homer to single figures,he would quickly become known as a miracle worker.
No qualifications needed.
Banter.

 

[pokerjoke]

Even though you haven't asked me what I think, which I thought would of been sensible, here's my 2ps worth.
For your 'sponsor' he'll have to shell out around £5000 for the PGA qualification.
What do you get?
You get recognition.
Anywhere you go in the world people will recognise and respect the qualification.

When I was 42, I was in a very similar boat, loved helping people, knew quite a lot about the swing and had been CatI since I was 16.
But few took me seriously when I offered to help them.

I also looked into the EGTF.
You may remember I suggested them to you about 4 years ago.
But when you ask around, EVERYONE BAR NONE insisted on the PGA qualification for their teaching staff.
I'm afraid there's no getting round that unless you can get your own range but I fear the set up and running costs would be crippling.

You may not want to learn how to fix clubs, learn about the rules or run a business but to get the recognition you obviously want there's no other way, believe me I looked.

But I did learn one thing with the PGA and that was how to teach.
Not just the golf swing but how to teach in general.
They teach you how to teach and not only what to teach.
Then it's up to you how you continue and develop what you teach to you pupils.

There's no doubting your knowledge, passion, and patience for teaching the game but I still feel and have said to you many times, if you want to be taken seriously by more people and want to help your pupils more, learn to teach properly.

Anyway, as the recession has hit hard, I'm up at 4 am on a Sunday and I'm off to my part time job which I do to supplement my teaching as there's not a lot of lessons going on out there.

If you want to enjoy helping people and have a laugh, stick to what you're doing.
If you want to be taken seriously by the nay sayers, get qualified.

Welcome back Bob
Good advice
PGA or nothing JO

 

[CMAC]

A PM from a forummer offering to pay £5000 (based on Bobs post) to get you PGA qualified! Was it genuine do you think? Wonder what the motivation was?

My thoughts, if you wanted to be PGA qualified you'd have looked into it or done it before a mystery benefactor sends a pm on a golf forum.

I certainly enjoy helping someone improve, if they want to, would that enjoyment wane if it was more mercenary?

What's to stop you doing it now, getting paid and giving up your amateur status? Is it that important to play a monthly medal and have a handicap? There's a good few 'nomad' golfers on here who seem to enjoy their golf lifestyle.

Good luck in whatever you choose, just think about your choice and why you are doing it, if you're happy in your choice you will prosper.

 

[Deleted member 1418]

I'm the same with football I know more about coaching that the coaches at my kids team but I don't give them advise as they have there badges and I'm just a frustrated parent living trying to live my dream thru my kid.

With respect, not sure I agree with that. With football, in my experience unless you've played the game at a decent level ie. professionally / very high standard semi professionally, then a parent will not know more about coaching kids football than a qualified coach - there is much more to it than just kicking a ball around. And kids football is so much different to adults football. Lost count the number of times my parents have told me that I should be doing certain drills; or that their son "is a striker". I politely ignore them and just get on with the programme I have devised for their development as what the parents have been coached 20+ years ago is so out of date it's frightening.

 

[Deleted member 1418]

With football, in my experience unless you've played the game at a decent level ie. professionally / very high standard semi professionally.

Should've said that I spent 6 years as a schoolboy at a pro club and then most of my late teens / early 20s playing semi professionally, but how I was coached - technique, positional play, and how we used to play ie 11 aside matches on full size pitches, is totally different from how I have to approach the development of my players now. I reckon about 20% at the most of the coaching I received between the ages of 9 and 13 are actually relevant now.

 

[Berger]

Whilst I do agree with that sentiment I think that if my house might flood I'd probably want the SNIPEF guy, so I don't kill myself I'd want the SELECT electrician, if I was about to make a parachute jump or go scuba diving or fly a plane then I'd want qualified people.... but hitting a ball with a stick around a field as a hobby? I think some people are really over rating their own ability/judgement to play the game. Once you're down to about a 1 h/cap have won your club champs and are thinking of getting into County golf or higher then you DO really need someone who has ALL of the latest technology and probably a really rich dad to pay for it.... but a 12 h/capper who can't get it out of a bunker or an 8 h/capper who thins his irons??? hmmmmm. So many talented golfers on the forum, who knew!!!

Golf is a hobby, but it's not a cheap one. Most club members are likely to have a bag with equipment that cost over £500 and a membership over £500 a year as well. Regardless of handicap people commit a lot of time and money to play golf and improving our game is important.

If someone is paying £20-25 for a lesson they want to make sure it's worthwhile. Without knowing the coach personally, a PGA qualification shows that they have achieved a certain standard of coaching and have spent years achieving the qualification. In a straight choice between a PGA pro and a non PGA pro the vast majority will choose the pro.

 

[pokerjoke]

Should've said that I spent 6 years as a schoolboy at a pro club and then most of my late teens / early 20s playing semi professionally, but how I was coached - technique, positional play, and how we used to play ie 11 aside matches on full size pitches, is totally different from how I have to approach the development of my players now. I reckon about 20% at the most of the coaching I received between the ages of 9 and 13 are actually relevant now.

Yes but what do you know about diet and nutrition.
Pies and a pint doesn't work these days.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Solid advice from Bobmac.

The PGA course is not so easy nowadays, I know a few good lads who struggled to pass.
Teaching to teach is also a hard thing to learn.
When I retired I gained my clubgolf level one coaching cert. to help coach kids.
There was about a dozen of us on a weekend course. I really struggled with the method and terms.. eg show me your hold [grip].
I was not the only one, many were low handicap players.
By far the best of the group was an 18 handicap female primary school teacher.

Bear in mind I was an ex pro/coach with a decent track record and the course was to assist the Pro coaching young kids.

The only proper way is through the PGA.
You could set yourself up at as a range coach without qualifications.....many have tried and most of them have failed to earn enough money to survive. You also lose amateur status.

 

[Farneyman]

If you want to make a living from giving lessons then I would say you have to 100% PGA certified to do it.

It is all well and good giving free advice to folk here, in the same way a friend would on the range, however as mentioned numerous times a stranger looking for a lesson will go for PGA recognised pro over non PGA recognised. I know I would also.

As someone who left a secure job to return to uni for a post grad, and 4 years later still no permanent work, I would make the choice very carefully. What ever you decide to do good luck.

Now Im away to check the yellow pages to see if you can get a golf lesson from a non PGA certified coach. Wonder will there any listed??? Just curious.

 

[AMcC]

You could set yourself up at as a range coach without qualifications.....many have tried and most of them have failed to earn enough money to survive. You also lose amateur status.

Allegedly this happened at my local range. The previous head coach was not a PGA pro. He was coaching handicap golfers as well as overseeing and running classes for the kids to learn. The group lessons were very busy and appeared to be a huge success. He has moved on now, and not sure what happened.

 

[JustOne]

Even though you haven't asked me what I think, which I thought would of been sensible,

Sensible?

You left the forum to go slate me behind my back (like a child) on the other 'uber secret forum' where there's nothing but swearing and duplicate posts from here. I saw your posts backstabbing me, have a good laugh why don't you. Go to the swearing place... I'm sure you'll sell a lot of V-Easys from there!! I'm surprised to see you can even show your face back here.

 

[I am Spartacus]

Sensible?

You left the forum to go slate me behind my back (like a child) on the other 'uber secret forum' where there's nothing but swearing and duplicate posts from here. I saw your posts backstabbing me, have a good laugh why don't you. Go to the swearing place... I'm sure you'll sell a lot of V-Easys from there!! I'm surprised to see you can even show your face back here.

Pot and kettle.

Your allowed to slate PGA qualified professionals but you can't take any back? Hardly seems fair to me.

 

[bobmac]

I'm surprised to see you can even show your face back here.

Whatever.
I'll keep my advice to myself from now on.

Welcome back Bob

Don't worry, I'm not stopping.

 

[JustOne]

Pot and kettle.

Your allowed to slate PGA qualified professionals but you can't take any back? Hardly seems fair to me.

I'm cool with everything, this place is brilliant, I love it here, the people here are fantastic golf enthusiasts, I don't see the need to leave just to take pops at the people that are here. I take my fair share of stick from people that don't necessarily like me or believe a word i'm saying but I understand that it's their prerogative to be that way. If I want to spent 8 or 12 hours with someone then that's up to me and them. If other people don't like that and want to voice their opinion then that's fine with me, I don't go running away just so I can say childish things about them behind their backs.

Is that you Crawford????????

 

[JustOne]

Have you got a short memory, you were only enlightened yesterday Sherlock.


:thup:

PM me... enlightened? I don't know what you're talking about.