Continued golf improvement

Question
QUESTION: Where can someone interested in improving there golf game to the next level, find a Golf Swing Coach? Please keep in mind I am not an independently wealthy man, so a full time or high profile / high dollar name wouldn't help much.

I do own my own small business so I do have the ability to pay someone part time, with good teaching skills. I have tried some local teaching pro's at the courses, but not interested in the hour here or hour there, I am looking for someone to learn my game and make improvements ongoing from there

Do such "coaches" exist and where can I find one?

Thanks Ahead of time
Doug

ANSWER: Dear Doug,

While taking a lesson here and a lesson there may not get you where you want to go, I would imagine the most economical way to go would be to take series with a certain professional.  Or, as is done in my area, pay the golf professional a fee to be "on call" over a period of time.  There are golf instructors here in southwest Florida that charge in the neighborhood of $1,000 for virtually unlimited time with the pro over the period of about 6 months.  Perhaps you can make a similar arrangement with one of the golf pros in your area.

Every other personal coach type relationship would probably be more expensive than that.  But I certainly agree with you that it's best to find a good teacher that you get along with and who can learn your tendencies, strengths and weaknesses.  Going from one guy to another is just a band-aid approach.

Good luck to you,

Paul Dolman
PGA Golf Professional

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Wow, that sounds a lot cheaper than I was expecting, promising and I will try to line something up like that here in Houston, TX.

If one does want a more personal golf coach type relationship, where would you go to try a find one???

Thanks

Doug

Answer
Doug,

I can't tell you exactly where to go to find a personal instructor, but the fact that you live in the Houston area is certainly in your favor.  There are many fine qualified PGA golf professionals in your area.

I'm sure that if you make some calls to the clubs in your area, you'll find some interested pros.  The key is finding someone that you want to keep going back to over a long time period.  Golf is perfected over months and years...not days and weeks.  If you don't want to call the pro shops at clubs you could call the South Texas PGA Section Office and ask them to send you a list of PGA instructors in the area.

And as far as getting a personal instructor...I doubt that you can find someone willing to make you their only student.  No instructor (not counting Hank Haney) can survive teaching one student.

Paul