Manage the student's expectations - Underpromising what they can achieve and helping them overachieve will lead to many a happy student.
The right concepts will breed the right action - Take time out to explain to students simply the rationale for what you are teaching. Right thoughts - right words - right actions - right habits - right (golfing) destiny.
Always be accessible - My personal service standards is to return every call and text message by 2 hours and every email by 24 hours. If you do not have time for your students - trust me - someone else will.
Expain what they feel and what they actually do is different - This is an illusion in learning that must be recognized early on to prevent time wasting and frustration. Do not overexplain the obvious (what they are doing wrong) and underexplain what they should be doing and how to do it.
Use feedback - As a corollary to the above, you need to use mirrors, training aids, cameras etc to show student where they have gone wrong. Simply telling them what they are doing wrong will not allow it to be REGISTERED in their minds.
If they cannot walk, they most certainly cannot run - If they cannot chip, they will have no chance at pitching and full swings. A 20 yard chip is simply a 20 yard drive. The underlying fundamentals are the same - impact position, on plane ness etc. The only reason they look different is due to shaft length, ball position etc.
The difference between learning and mastery - on the practice tee, they will learn something from the instructor but whether they can master and make it their own is entirely up to them.
Learning golf is a process, not a miracle - The instructor will teach them what ought to happen in a golf stroke. For what is in the head to manifest in action will take some time. That is where drills will come in handy.
Keep statistics and teach students how to - Keeping track of stats will allow you and your student to pinpoint what is wrong with their game. Simply saying: "I want to be better" is too vague. Statistics will tell you for example that it is their drives that are putting them where their second shots are too difficult to get on in regulation and not actually their iron game.
The learning / teaching dynamic - The instructor informs and explains, the student absorbs and applies. If the student is not improving from lesson to lesson then it can be one of the below:
1. You are giving the wrong information.
2. You are giving the right information, but the student misinterpreted.
3. The student can't be bothered.
Learning never stops - You must always seek to learn more. Since you call yourself a professional, then you must embody that position by seeking to add more and more to your existing body of knowledge. Read, watch tapes, visit the GREATS etc...don't despise the information that 'unknowns' offer to you. Somewhere down the road, one of your students may need that information.
Be people conscious - You need to distinguish from prospects, suspects and clients. The client is the one who puts the butter on your bread, so always keep that in mind and treat them as such. A "thank you for coming" doesn't cost you anything and will earn you referrals. Spend some time on prospects so that they can go through the experience. Then word of mouth will happen. Beware of suspects who just want to take up your time for free. You tend to them only when free. Remember - you have to pay the bills too.
Give all you got - I never withold information from students. I want them to leave the nest so to speak. If they can learn all that you have to teach, great. Because it means that if they apply the information correctly, they will be a heck of a good player and they will not be able to help but preach how good an instructor you are. Clients don't care how much you know, they want to know how much you care about helping them improve. Then the money will flow in.
Share with others - The more you share the knowledge that someone else imparted to you, the more knowledge will come back to you.
Credit where it is due - Give recognition to those who imparted to you. Never forget where you came from.
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About Me
- Justin Tang
- Justin Tang has been involved in golf for over 10 years and became the 1st authorized Medicus Instructor in Asia in 2005. He holds an Honours degree from the University of London where he topped his cohort in Applied Psychology, winning the prestigious John Mann Award. He also holds a diploma in Engineering. His involvement and association with Homer Kelley’s The Golfing Machine (TGM) began in 2000 after being frustrated with the lack of progress in his game and the amount of misinformation surrounding golf instruction. Justin specializes in teaching students simply how to hit the ball straight and long through the correct understanding and application of geometry and physics. Since then, he has spent time with world famous PGA instructors the likes of Ben Doyle, Chuck Evans, Gregg McHatton, Lynn Blake, Dana Dahlquist, Dennis Alberts, Mal Tongue, Bob McDonald and Shane Scott. He is the only instructor in the region to offer a MONEY BACK GUARANTEE on lessons He can be reached at +65-8188-1701 or via email at jtang@medicusgolfinstitute.com
Mission Statement
The mission statement of Justin Tang Golf is to revolutionize the face of golfing instruction in Asia through the use of a no-bullshit curriculum based on science and high technology. We also put our money where our mouth is with Asia's first and only NO-RESULTS-MONEY-BACK-GUARANTEE.
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