Month: August 2011

Golfing Girl Guides

EGTF Professional, Deborah Smith

Deborah Joh-Lyn Smith

It has been over a year since I was learning to become an EGTF Professional and what a year it has been.  I am happy to say I am earning money teaching at schools/Golf Club at Sudbury and recently (after 9 months knocking on doors) I was invited to join 1400 Girl Guides for their Sporting Activity gathering in Black Land Farm, East Grinstead, over the May bank holiday.

Over the 3 days, at 30 minute sessions each, I introduced 578 Girl Guides to games and activities, to introduce them to the game of golf.  What a wonderful experience for the girls from the ages of 7 – 12 years, some with learning difficulties and from all walks of life.  I was able to bring to them a sport which they would never have imagined they would ever try.  It was a great success and I have been asked to teach certain regions in the South East and in smaller numbers, more techniques and also to set up a mini 3 par course so that they get the feel of a real golf course.

I cannot thank Bill and Pauline enough for all their help and support.

EMPLOYMENT TIPS

The following information should be very useful to you wherever you are looking for employment, and also whether or not you wish to be employed or self-employed.  We will up-date this information at every opportunity, so if you discover any new ways of finding work or new marketing ideas we would be happy to hear them and include them.

We will always hear of jobs through ‘word of mouth’ and we will put you into contact with the people who are looking to employ, but you must also be prepared to find employment yourself.  All CV’s, brochures, leaflets etc should be presented in folders as the first impression / image is crucially important.

CV AND COVERING LETTER

Your CV and covering letter is the first visual contact that a prospective employer will have – make it work.  You will be responsible for sending your own CV to any prospective employer.  It is also vital that your covering letter is informative, but brief and to the point.

WHAT A PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYER NEEDS TO KNOW

A prospective employer obviously needs to know that you can do the job, but they also need to know the following information, some of which will be on your CV but other points may not be:

  • Name and address
  • Phone, Fax, Email – how can they contact you during the day and evening?
  • Age
  • Family – are your family willing to move?  Are you willing to travel to another location on your own at first to test the water and find out about such things as schooling, medical facilities etc?
  • What languages do you speak?  Are you fluent or are you still learning?
  • Proof of your CV contents – certificates, references, photos
  • When can you start?

WHERE / HOW TO LOOK FOR WORK

WORD OF MOUTH  –   from ourselves for UK and overseas work.  We will put prospective employers in touch with prospective employees and vice versa.

WEB ADDRESSES

GOOGLE search engine regularly adds employment websites for the golf industry.

GOLF MAGAZINES  –  most golf magazines have an employment / advertisement section.  Also if you can get a glance at the ‘PGA Profile’ magazine, they advertise quite a few jobs and there is no reason at all why you can’t apply for any of these.

SEND OUT YOUR CV  –  get the addresses of all golf clubs, ranges etc in the area you want to work and send them your covering letter and CV, or you could ring them first and maybe get an appointment to discuss the possibility of a) being hired or b) using their driving range to teach by finding your own pupils.

APPROACH  APPROACH  APPROACH  –  anyone or any company or organization that may be able to help you either  a) advertise or  b) employ you occasionally, temporarily or permanently.

NEVADA BOBS / AMERICAN GOLF  –  These golf shops have in-store Pro’s. 

ADVERTISE / MARKET YOURSELF  –  as discussed below under Marketing.

MARKETING

If you wish to start up on your own, marketing is the most important thing that you must do to begin your business.  Marketing, in all its varied forms, is concerned with attracting customers, getting them to buy (a golf lesson), and making sure that they are happy with their purchase and come back for more (golf lessons)

You should be thinking about:  

  • Literature and Brochures.
  • Business Cards
  • Advertising in trade magazines, sports shops, local newspapers, notice boards, schools, community halls, sports organisations/clubs (adult & children) and anywhere else you can think of.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT BEFORE ACCEPTING A JOB

You are obviously going to have to face some risk in taking on a new job, especially abroad, but you can and should make every effort to reduce this by asking the following questions:

    1. Is there a contract and what is the length of it?
    2. What is the type of position or title?
    3. When is the starting date?
    4. What is the remuneration – how and when is it paid (i.e. weekly, monthly in arrears)?
    5. Who gets tuition fees – all yours? And how is cost decided or agreed?
    6. Will there be time for tournament / competition playing days off?
    7. Who is responsible for the shop (painting, cleaning, insurance of buildings, stocks, phone etc)?
    8. Are they themselves fully insured?
    9. What happens if you fall ill or injured?
    10. What are the hours of work?
    11. What are your holiday entitlements, paid or without pay?
    12. Notice required if things do not work out either way?
    13. Accommodation, is it provided?
    14. Who collects green fees if it is a Golf Club?
    15. Who is responsible for banking?
    16. If it is a Driving Range who collects balls, washes etc?
    17. If it is a Driving Range do they receive commission or what % do you give to the Proprietor?
    18. Who pays for advertising?

GENERAL

Keep yourself looking and acting professional at all times.  This includes:

  • Appearance
  • Manners
  • Timekeeping – never be late
  • You must keep good and factual records for tax purposes if self-employed.
  • You must have public liability insurance.
  • You must pay NI contributions or similar.
  • If you want to work in Europe – learn the language.
  • Keep in touch with other members, this may help you hear of opportunities.

Remember – if you want to succeed you will, but no-one is going to hand success to you on a plate – you will have to make it happen yourself.

EGTF Diploma Course, New Zealand

24 – 30 July 2011

Just back from a good week in Wellington, New Zealand  where I was conducting a diploma course for two enthusiastic guys, Nigel Walsh and Antony Ragg.
The trip coincided with the coldest day in Wellington’s history, so teaching on the range on that Monday, was testing to say the least !!!

Nigel and AJ both showed excellent standards during the week, culminating in superb teaching lessons for their examinations.

Antony Ragg Teaching

AJ already has his own golf business in Wellington and I’m sure his new teaching skills will help to boost sales.  Nigel was offered a job as the teaching professional at Silverstream driving range the day after the course finished as they were very impressed with his standards, which is excellent testimony to the EGTF course and Nigel.

Nigel Walsh Teaching

Always a pleasure to catch up with other EGTF members over there, and my thanks go to Murray McDonald at Manor Park Golf Club, and Bruce Farmer at Silverstream Driving Range for their help during the week.  Also, a pleasure to see local legend Renee Fowler, strutting her stuff and being very busy at Miramar Golf Club.

Another great week teaching, and I will look forward to coming back over in the not too distant future.

Bill Abbott – Director of Education

Putting Stats PGA Tour 2010

DISTANCE OF PUTT PERCENTAGE HOLED
1 FEET 100 %
2 FEET 99 %
3 FEET 95 %
4 FEET 86 %
5 FEET 75 %
6 FEET 65 %
7 FEET 56 %
8 FEET 49 %
9 FEET 43 %
10 FEET 38 %
11 FEET 34 %
12 FEET 30 %
13 FEET 27 %
14 FEET 25 %
15 FEET 22 %
16 FEET 20 %
17 FEET 19 %
18 FEET 17 %
19 FEET 16 %
20 FEET 14 %
21 FEET 13 %
22 FEET 12 %
23 FEET 11 %
24 FEET 11 %
25 FEET 10 %

These are the putting statistics from the PGA Tour last year, and they make interesting reading.  Although it seems from watching the TV coverage that the Pro’s make just about everything, the images you see are misleading.

The stats show that even the best players in the world only make 22% from 15 feet from the hole and only 38% from 10 feet from the hole.

So, that should tell us that we need to spend more time teaching the short game, to get it closer to hole in the first place, and putting to convert the chances we give ourselves.

I know I sound like  a stuck record sometimes, but these areas really are that important.  So if you haven’t got the knowledge in these areas, or want to refresh the skills you already have, then look to upgrade your teaching skills as soon as you can.  The stats don’t lie!!

PGA Tour - Putting

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