In the spring of 2016 I became an instructor and moderator to a tiny little Facebook page called ProSwingTips. I was the 14th member. In less than a year, we have grown to almost 2700 members. 178 of those are golf instructors. PST, as we call it, is a page that offers a forum for its members on a variety of golf topics. It is primarily designed to offer free swing advice, tips, drills, coaching, and instruction. This month we plan to launch our ProSwingTips Mobile Golf Instruction App. We have given thousands of useful tips and hours of helpful instruction to hundreds of our members… and many keep coming back for more on PST.
While I firmly believe there is no better way to learn and improve in golf than face to face/ one to one contact with a good instructor, that is not an option for many golfers for a variety of reasons.
Here are some of the advantages of on-line instruction:
1. Cost: Cost of individual instruction or golf school can be too expensive.
On-line instruction most often has a lower price point
2. Availability and locale: You may live too far from a qualified instructor and need to book a lesson based on their availability. If you take the lesson, what if you and that instructor don’t make a good teaching and learning connection?
Remote and mobile instruction can be done from your living room, yard, garage, simulator, or local driving range at your convenienceHere are some of the advantages of on-line instruction:
Variety: You have hundreds of on-line instructors available
PST is starting with a base of 10 instructors for you to choose from
3. Schedule: We are all busy and trying to find time to drive to a lesson, give up an hour, and drive home may not fit your schedule, especially if the instructor takes a weekend day off.
You video on your own time and the instructor can upload it, diagnose issues, and offer solutions on his/her own time
4. Commitment/Time: Being able to find the time to do follow up lessons and to work on the changes that were made in the lesson.
Many online instructors have options for packages, follow up lessons, and even memberships
5. Weather: What if you finally schedule that lesson with a green grass instructor and get rained out or perhaps you want to really improve over the winter but have limited access to outside ranges?
On line instruction offers great flexibility in working around weather elements
6. The Internet Age: Why should I take a lesson when I can find 1000’s of free tips on line already?
Your ability to choose from a variety of options
How do I get started with on-line instruction?
1. Google search for online instruction. Read about the options; the instructors and their methods; rates and packages. While I’ll be working via the ProSwingTips Mobile App, there are many great on-line resources available for you to choose from
2. Take your videos and send them to your instructor’s app, website, email, etc….
It is essential you take the correct videos with correct angles
This is normally a face-on (FO) and down-the-line (DTL) angle. Your instructor may want them done in a certain app (V1, Hudl, etc)
Clearly communicate your issues, ball flight, tendencies, misses, goals
3. Await the analysis and feedback from your instructor
4. GET TO WORK! With no face to face communication between you and the instructor the process of improving rests squarely on you and the amount of time and effort you put in.
Ultimately, On-line golf instruction is a tool used to help us teach ourselves. We have to take the time to implement what we received from the instructor; to work on it step by step; and then revisit with our instructor to see what the next steps are.
“The Instructor’s job is to inform and explain; The Student’s job is to absorb and apply”
Until Next Month,
Paul Meyer The Complete Golfer Golf Academy 813.502.9900 thegolfingguy@msn.com