If you are a high school student or parent who is seeking golf lessons to help improve your game, get prepared to play college golf, or even someone who is learning the game, there is a golf instructor for everyone. Every golfer is at a different stage in their golf journey, but the learning and improvement provided by a coach never stops. It’s important to note that not all golf instructors are equal and this article will highlight some best practices and advice on how to find the best golf instructor for golf lessons.
Where to find an instructor for golf lessons?
There are many places to find information on golf teachers, but the easiest and most meaningful place to find information is through the PGA Golf Professional finder. This tool will allow you to search by zip code and find a list of different golf instructors for golf lessons in your local area.
How to determine if a golf instructor is good for you?
Unfortunately, there is not a great website that exists which lists out review from customers who have taken golf lessons from instructors. If there was a good ranking system like a yelp for golf professionals, this would be easy! One important distinction you should look out for is if a golf instructor is PGA or LPGA certified. These letters are very important as it shows that the golf professional has gone through formal training and is certified by the PGA or LPGA to be a golf professional. I would suggest only taking golf lessons from certified instructors and ask the person at your local golf course if they are PGA or LPGA certified.
What if I want to find the best instructor golf golf lessons?
If you are someone seeking elite instruction and the price tag is not concerning, I would use Golf Digest “Best Teachers by State” rankings to find the best golf professionals in your state. Depending on how far you are willing to drive and how much you are willing to pay will determine your interest in these teachers. Beyond Golf Digest, the local PGA section has awards each year that showcase the best teachers and golf professionals in your local market. Here is where to find award-winning coaches through your local PGA Section.
What type of instruction is best?
The type of instruction you are seeking really determines what type of instruction is best. If you are a beginner, group instruction may be a good start. If you are just looking to improve your game and shave a couple of shots off your game, private lessons once every couple of weeks may be a good fit. If you are a high school student looking to play division 1 college golf, finding a golf instructor who will push you, work with you on your game, and physically and mentally prepare you to play D1 golf is what you may need. Recently the NHSGA did a virtual college golf recruiting event and one of the topics discussed was finding a great coach and creating a plan. Hear from top coaches Mike Bender, PGA and Trillium Rose, PGA and their advice about finding a good coach at the 2:32 hour mark of the video recording.
How much does good instruction cost?
This is a great question and unfortunately, I do not have a great answer. It really varies depending on your area of the country, the experience of the PGA or LPGA Professional you are working with and what your goals are regarding getting golf instruction. For example, if you are a 20 handicap and want to get to a 10 handicap, it may take a series of weekly lessons over 2 years to complete your goal and cost thousands of dollars. If you just want to make the high school team, a couple of short private lessons to help improve your game for $50 each could be all you need.
Hopefully the above information was helpful if you are a high school student or parent who is trying to find the best golf instructor for golf lessons.