Should you have to be a PGA Pro to teach golf ?

[One Planer]

Most pros have coaches, but not all of these coaches are PGA pros.

Would you take short game or putting lessons from Dave Stockton or Dave Pelz?

Dave Stockton is a former tour pro so he will have had some form of tutoring or coaching from top level coaches so In short Yes I would. That's like asking "Would you take a short game lesson from Luke Donald?"

Dave Pelz, although not a tour pro nor PGA qualified pro, went to college on a golf scholorship. Couple this with his many years (probably from when he started precept golf in the 70's) of observation and study of professional players, again, of course I would take lessons from him.

While I see the point you are making, is it really relivant to the OP's post which I assume is he is talking about average Joe at his/her local course.

Why wouldn't it be relevant?

I believe the OP was being hypothetical, you know what they say about assuming...

.....It's somebody mother

I see your point.

What I meant was it's not likley that average Joe on here is going to have Dave Stockton/Pelz experiance to guide them as I assumed the OP was talking, hyperthetically, about a real-world scenario.

 

[The23rdman]

We're not talking about average joes though are we? We're talking about amateurs with years of experience and an absolute passion for swing theory with a good eye for a problem. With video technology it is possible to identify flaws pretty easily if you have a good knowledge of fundamentals and lots of swing patterns. Couple that with a real skill in communication and knowledge of drills and how the brain works to learn and you have a great teacher. Because they haven't followed one route does not make them qualified.

One is qualified based on results not a piece of paper.

 

[grumpyjock]

I guess being a pro is like being a member of a recognised body in any trade. Whether you're a plumber, electrician, child minder, lawyer etc etc.
If you go for an amateur, how do you know he/she knows what they're talking about?

well said bob, the point about PGA is that if you take payment for teaching you become a Pro.
We have amatures who teach the Juniors the rules and such of golf but take no payment to keep their amature status.
I teach apprentices the fundamental of electricity because thats my job, but I cannot teach them car mechanics.

 

[One Planer]

One is qualified based on results not a piece of paper.

I'm sorry but that's just daft.

As Bob mentioned. When he was enquiring about teaching at various venues, they all required the PGA qualification.

They didn't ask about how his results with customers were!

 

[Screwback]

I do not think you need to be a pro to be able to teach a player how to play golf, gain a basic understanding of the game and become a reasonable player.

Everyone has a different perception of what a golf swing should be and that comes right down to the individual that is being taught. At the end of the day even the mighty PGA Qualified coach can tell you something but its up to you to put that into place which at the end of the day is your perception of what someone has suggested (does that matter who). nobody will 100 percent follow what you are being told.

If an amateur says something that makes sense to you why not listen? at the end of the day the pro you are getting taught of might not be very good at golf at all but maybe good at passing exams which is why he has a qualification to stand by him. this does not make him good at what he does.

 

[The23rdman]

One is qualified based on results not a piece of paper.

I'm sorry but that's just daft.

As Bob mentioned. When he was enquiring about teaching at various venues, they all required the PGA qualification.

They didn't ask about how his results with customers were!

Qualified as in 'an ability to coach proficiently'

If a local guy or even a guy on the tinterweb has consistently helped dozens of people of all abilities improve and can show that doesn't that make him qualified? Does it matter if he has a PGA qualification? No, of course it doesn't.

I'll repeat again for the hard of hearing or thinking that there are GREAT PGA pros and awful ones. There are great amateur students of the game and your pal who think you should keep your head down. Qualification as a pro does not instantly make you trustworthy to mess with someones swing.

 

[One Planer]

If a local guy or even a guy on the tinterweb has consistently helped dozens of people of all abilities improve and can show that doesn't that make him qualified? Does it matter if he has a PGA qualification? No, of course it doesn't.

No, it makes him experianced in the same way Dave Pelz is experianced. He has no formal PGA qualification but has a lifetime of study within a given field so he can offer his informed opinion/guidence/knowledge based on that experiance. If it helps, as it often does, great.

Someone who is qualified, be it a solicitor, electrition, plumber, PGA professional has studied within their respective field(s), gained knowledge and can offer advice based on proved, teaching fact rather than experiance.

As an example. I have around 15 years of experiance in the fitness industry. I have a grounded understanding of diet, exercise and anatomy does that mean I can offer an experianced opinion/guidence on these factors, yes. Does it make me a personal trainer, no.

 

[muttleee]

Should you have to be a PGA Pro to teach golf?

No, you shouldn't have to...after all, everyone on this forum feels qualified to tell other people what's wrong with their swings.

If any of our victorious Walker Cuppers want to give me a lesson, I'll take it any time. Of course, they can't charge for it.

 

[CMAC]

There isn't a set swing the PGA teach teachers to teach.
They show teachers how to observe the ball flight and using the 5 ball flight laws, help students improve the area they are concerned with.
How they do it is then up to them.
If the teacher can help the student deliver the club to the ball obeying the 5 laws, then it doesn't matter how he does it.

I thought there was 9 flights?

 

[One Planer]

There isn't a set swing the PGA teach teachers to teach.
They show teachers how to observe the ball flight and using the 5 ball flight laws, help students improve the area they are concerned with.
How they do it is then up to them.
If the teacher can help the student deliver the club to the ball obeying the 5 laws, then it doesn't matter how he does it.

I thought there was 9 flights?

1. Club head speed
2. Club head path
3. Face angle
4. Angle of approach
5. Centre-ness of hit

 

[TonyN]

There isn't a set swing the PGA teach teachers to teach.
They show teachers how to observe the ball flight and using the 5 ball flight laws, help students improve the area they are concerned with.
How they do it is then up to them.
If the teacher can help the student deliver the club to the ball obeying the 5 laws, then it doesn't matter how he does it.

I thought there was 9 flights?

1. Club head speed
2. Club head path
3. Face angle
4. Angle of approach
5. Centre-ness of hit

Did you google this too

 

[One Planer]

There isn't a set swing the PGA teach teachers to teach.
They show teachers how to observe the ball flight and using the 5 ball flight laws, help students improve the area they are concerned with.
How they do it is then up to them.
If the teacher can help the student deliver the club to the ball obeying the 5 laws, then it doesn't matter how he does it.

I thought there was 9 flights?

1. Club head speed
2. Club head path
3. Face angle
4. Angle of approach
5. Centre-ness of hit

Did you google this too

I knew 3 of them as my pro touched on them during my first lesson (1-3) Admittedly Google'd the last 2 I couldn't think what they could be and it was annoying me

 

[Mattyboy]

A friend did the PGA1 coaching course recently which allows him to give voluntary lessons. Cost £250 and was over two days I think. The EGTF (European Golf Teaching Federation) course is over 5 days and costs considerably more.
Is the EGTF qualification therefore better than PGA1?

Also, I coach kids at football and golf. My golf knowledge is IMO much better than my football knowledge! The clever bit (re golf coaching) I think is letting the kid go to a better teacher when they reach a certain stage.

 

[sev112]

is it really relivant to the OP's post which I assume is he is talking about average Joe at his/her local course.

Nope - i was just trying to start an argument

 

[CMAC]

is it really relivant to the OP's post which I assume is he is talking about average Joe at his/her local course.

Nope - i was just trying to start an argument

is this a 5 minute argument or the full half hour?

 

[muttleee]

is this a 5 minute argument or the full half hour?

I've told you once.

 

[sawtooth]

Not in my opinion no but of course it depends on what standard of teaching.

I play off 11 and I think I could teach somebody down to my level but not lower.

Then again theres that old saying, "those that can, do and those that can't.....teach"

 

[CMAC]

is this a 5 minute argument or the full half hour?

I've told you once.

No you haven't!

 

[sev112]

Hey Darth - you are looking good in that new avatar of yours

 

[viscount17]

Qualifications in this, as in most things, define a minimum standard.
Just don't expect a fresh out of the box pro to teach anything but the 'company line'. It takes time to develop sufficient experience, confidence and depth of knowledge to go your own way, and there is, so far as I am aware, no requirement for refresher courses.