Some advice for a pro out of work

jimbling

Hey guys..... I have an acquaintance who is an out of work pro golfer (not the playing kind). He is an excellent coach, but finds himself in a predicament where he has turn away requests for lessons because he has nowhere to actually give them.

Each range in Cork has an affiliation with some pro. i.e. the guy that they call when someone calls the shop looking for lessons. I understand that relationship. It brings more people to the range and they go through lots of balls during and after lessons. And it gives the range a name.

What I can’t understand is the monopoly that these pros have. No other pro can give a lesson at that range…. Well, not unless he wants to blacklist himself. It seems like anti-competition to me.
It just feels wrong that a pro, one which could bring in a lot of business to the range, is turned away because there is already another pro there.
It’s a loss of business. It’s business that in all likelihood will not go to the other pro due to the refusal and therefore causing a loss to all involved parties.

Is there any method of getting around this scenario? It seems like there should be business models in place for this.
e.g. Range has affiliation with a main Pro. This will be the guy the range always sends people to. Any other pro that wishes to give lessons can do so, with stipulations… perhaps a % towards the pro on each lesson. Seems like that would benefit all parties, with the main pro getting money for nothing.

So anyone have any ideas on this? Any pros here that work in Ranges with thoughts on the matter? Does anyone know anywhere where any pro is allowed to coach?

jimbling

shoot... sorry, wrong forum obviously. could a mod move this to the golf forum please?

ShriekingSheet

Interesting post. Sorry to hear about your mates trouble.

I went to Spawell driving range in Dublin for years, getting lessons and practicing. My understanding was that while there was a group of approx 5 pros that were affiliated and you would be offered if you called up, other pros regularly gave lessons there ad-hoc. I never thought anything of it as the client would just show up, buy the balls and the pro with give the lesson in the bay.

Most of the above scenarios were quite rare. I don't think there were many if any regular pros using the place but I know Barry Power was there quite regularly. I'm not sure he was an official Spawell teacher yet was teaching there several evenings a week...

Anyway, I was surprised to read your post saying that ranges in Cork could restrict the giving of lessons to pros they are affiliated with. I suppose it's possible that a range, being a private facility, can allow and disallow certain things. I don't think the likes of Spawell has such a rule but who knows what goes on behind the scenes. If it was me, I'd put a call into the competition authority just to check the story.

As for advice... if ranges in Dublin actually do allow pros to teach as they wish maybe a move is oon the cards. Advertising a competitive rate for lessons on notice boards in public courses and clubs that don't have a pro-shop might also help. Of course, a banner on the Boards golf forum might not cost an arm and a leg and could generate some business if he had a simple site designed to promote himself.

jimbling

ShriekingSheet wrote: »

Anyway, I was surprised to read your post saying that ranges in Cork could restrict the giving of lessons to pros they are affiliated with. I suppose it's possible that a range, being a private facility, can allow and disallow certain things. I don't think the likes of Spawell has such a rule but who knows what goes on behind the scenes. If it was me, I'd put a call into the competition authority just to check the story.

See, I don't think that its an issue with the range. They're just going along with their pro. It's kind of a nod and wink thing between pros. You don't encroach on another guys territory.
I spoke at length with this guy about it and he is also afraid of stepping on toes. It's a small world out there and he's afraid it will impact him later on if he starts giving out about this.
I just think that there should be some way to work it out where all parties are happy.

f22

The world of golf pros is a very small network really, and everyone knows of everyone else and their business to varying degrees.

It's an extremely tight and almost bitchy network and a terrible amount of almost childish behaviour takes place. I suppose it's like an unwritten rule, like in many other occupations, that you don't step on anothers toes.

Many ranges, like clubs, have affiliated pros and I can perfectly understand why the wouldn't want an outsider to teach on their patch. It's a business for the range, aswell as the pro, and many have standards to upkeep.

My advise to you would be to approach the owners of a few ranges. If you have a list of clients you can bring to their range they would be mad to reject some kind of offer in these times.

Good luck.

jimbling

f22 wrote: »

My advise to you would be to approach the owners of a few ranges. If you have a list of clients you can bring to their range they would be mad to reject some kind of offer in these times.

Thanks. This is what I suggested to him as well. But again it came back to the fact that it would be seen as him backstabbing other pros and stealing work. I don't see it like that, but hey.

To me it seems like he needs to approach the Pros. Find one that might be interested in some form of partnership. If he can prove that he will bring in a decent amount of work, and provide the other pro with a cut of the profits I dont see why they wouldn't be interested.

GreeBo

I cant see it as backstabbing if these clients are coming directly to the pro and not via the range itself. It not like he is asking to put some cards in the window, he just wants to bring some people to the range to spend their money.

jimbling

Ya, that's pretty much how I would see it too... but alas, it's not the case.

stockdam

Well why just limit himself to ranges?


Maybe there are clubs that don't have teaching pros?


Maybe focus on putting or chipping teaching and then he may even be able to do that at some people's houses.


Use video methods and a net - that way you don't need a range.......after all a lot of teachers don't really look at the flight of the ball for beginners.......it's more important for people who have a grooved swing.


Some sports centres will hire out a hall for group lessons (hitting into nets).

How about simulators........can he hire one and an old disused hall?


I think he needs to start to think and then come up with other ways of teaching rather than the traditional ones.

conno16

they're not great options are they?

f22

conno16 wrote: »

they're not great options are they?

Another positive reply there conno16. Why do you bother when you actually say nothing most of the time, other than to try to get a reaction.

jimbling

stockdam wrote: »

Well why just limit himself to ranges?


Maybe there are clubs that don't have teaching pros?


Maybe focus on putting or chipping teaching and then he may even be able to do that at some people's houses.


Use video methods and a net - that way you don't need a range.......after all a lot of teachers don't really look at the flight of the ball for beginners.......it's more important for people who have a grooved swing.


Some sports centres will hire out a hall for group lessons (hitting into nets).

How about simulators........can he hire one and an old disused hall?


I think he needs to start to think and then come up with other ways of teaching rather than the traditional ones.

cheers, thanks for the input.
Not sure clubs are too viable unless they have a range as well.

I have been looking into simulators all right, and it is a possible avenue... but it would take some money to set up. I'll have a chat with him about it.

Mister Sifter

Could he not meet players at their respective clubs?

Also, if a player turns up at a driving range and buys a basket of balls and he brings along someone to teach him, i don't see what the problem is. Is he actually being told to move on?

jimbling

Graeme1982 wrote: »

Could he not meet players at their respective clubs?

And do what with them? Play a round of golf? That's not very viable.
It still remains that the club will most likely have a Pro who would be expected to get the work.

Graeme1982 wrote: »

Also, if a player turns up at a driving range and buys a basket of balls and he brings along someone to teach him, i don't see what the problem is. Is he actually being told to move on?

The problem is that it would get back to the main pro for the range. This would then cause bad blood. As mentioned above, it's a very small tight nit group... especially in a place like Cork.

david

There's quite a market gap for playing lessons. There are a LOT of courses out there without teaching pro's. Maybe you could advertise a mobile playing lesson service. Many members would much prefer to have a lesson on their own course rather than aimlessly hitting range balls at a target/net. You'd get a great variety of shots and better value for your lesson.

There aren't many pro's out there that are willing to drive to you for a playing lesson.

EDIT: Playing lessons would usually be 5 holes or 2hrs on quiet evenings.

Mister Sifter

jimbling wrote: »

And do what with them? Play a round of golf? That's not very viable. It still remains that the club will most likely have a Pro who would be expected to get the work. The problem is that it would get back to the main pro for the range. This would then cause bad blood. As mentioned above, it's a very small tight nit group... especially in a place like Cork.

Well i guess it all depends how much he wants to actually make some money. It sounds as though he is behind the 8 ball so may need to risk ruffling a few feathers or trying something a bit different. If that means playing a few holes of a course then i know i'd do if it meant paying my rent. Failing that, surely clubs have practice areas.

david

If he's ever in South Dublin/Wicklow send me a pm and I could give him a dig out with contacts/getting a customer base established (I work in the golf industry)

jimbling

david wrote: »

There's quite a market gap for playing lessons.
There are a LOT of courses out there without teaching pro's. Maybe you could advertise a mobile playing lesson service. Many members would much prefer to have a lesson on their own course rather than aimlessly hitting range balls at a target/net. You'd get a great variety of shots and better value for your lesson.

There aren't many pro's out there that are willing to drive to you for a playing lesson.

EDIT: Playing lessons would usually be 5 holes or 2hrs on quiet evenings.

Is there? hmmmm, I hadn't thought it would be an option really.... ill definitely talk to him about it.

jimbling

Graeme1982 wrote: »

Well i guess it all depends how much he wants to actually make some money. It sounds as though he is behind the 8 ball so may need to risk ruffling a few feathers or trying something a bit different. If that means playing a few holes of a course then i know i'd do if it meant paying my rent. Failing that, surely clubs have practice areas.

Well, he's also thinking of his career. His goal is to get back into a club or to start up his own range / golf facility. But there's no club jobs at the moment, and it's not exactly the best time to be setting up a facility (i.e. looking for investment :rolleyes:)
So, he's looking for work, but doesn't want to piss people off and hamper his long term goals.
Perhaps the course lessons are an idea and I will discuss it with him.

david wrote: »

If he's ever in South Dublin/Wicklow send me a pm and I could give him a dig out with contacts/getting a customer base established (I work in the golf industry)

Cheers David... will do.