5 Big Things to Consider When Looking for a Swing Coach

Welcome to Shaving strokes, a GOLF.com series where the game’s brightest minds share their tips to help you shave shots! today, GOLF Top 100 Teachers Trent Wearner shares five things to consider when looking for a swing coach.

If you are serious about improving your golf game, it is essential that you seek the help of a swing coach. Of course, you can only get better by grinding on your own, but if you want to take your game to the next level, working with an instructor is the way to go.

Going to a swing coach (especially as a beginner) can be intimidating at first, but don’t worry—the instructors are there to help you improve. They dedicate their lives to helping people improve their golf games. The student-teacher relationship is non-judgmental.

However, if you really want to get the most out of your lessons, it’s important to find the right coach. And when you’re looking for someone to work with, there are some key points to keep in mind.

In the list below, Top 100 Teachers Trent Wearner shares five big things to consider when looking for a coach.

5 Questions to Ask When Looking for a Coach

of the offseason is upon us, but that doesn’t mean you have to store your clubs for the winter. Instead, use this time as an opportunity for improvement. One of the easiest ways to improve is by taking lessons from a swing coach. But before you do that, there are a few questions you should ask.

1. How much experience do they have?

Ask how long the coach you are considering has been a full-time coach. I would recommend that the answer be at least seven years. You can also search for a CV to see where the person has worked and who they have worked with. This can give you an idea of ​​what you will hear from the coach.

2. Do they teach outside?

If a high percentage of your training takes place indoors only, then you are taking yourself further away from where the game is played. In my opinion, you are digging yourself into a hole that is harder to dig out of. It must be understood that the game is played outside, and ultimately you have to learn it outside. I have been fortunate for over two decades to always be at a golf facility that also has an in-house studio. I’ve seen people aim well indoors and swing very effectively indoors. But the moment we go outside, things are completely different. Of course there is value in taking indoor lessons, but in the end you also have to learn how to play OUTSIDE. If you only take exercise indoors, you’re missing out.

3. How do they communicate?

Almost every reputable trainer in the country has thousands (if not HUNDREDS thousands) of dollars invested in technology, but you need to find someone who can not only speak your language, but someone who can guide you in knowing how to diagnose your drive and what to do when the technology is NOT there. When you’re out on the range or course exercising by yourself, you need to figure out what’s going wrong. During a technology-filled lesson, the trainer should eventually ask you from the point of view of if the technology wasn’t here, what would you do more or less in the future pace? This is critical to your ability to help yourself and do what all coaches are supposed to do, empower you!

4. Are their students successful?

You want to find a coach who has regular and consistent success with players of your skill level and someone who enjoys coaching people of your skill level. Any coach can get lucky and hang their hat on a student who has done well, but ideally you want to go see someone with a long track record of success. Reading online reviews can be helpful, but also be sure to ask around to see who most people recommend. Above all, look for someone who is honest and has your best interest in mind. If they are more interested in making a sale of a large learning package, I would find someone who is more interested in the passion for your improvement.

5. What is their teaching philosophy?

While student achievement can give you insight into this, you should look for a philosophy that is flexible. After all, that’s the beauty of exercise. It is an individual sport and no two swings are alike. You need someone with a lot of experience, which is only accumulated after years of training, so that their style is flexible. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach.