[salmon19]

Hi all,

I'm a younger coach and have been coaching for almost 7 years now and am now in a position where I look after a university golf team. I'm currently using Trackman as my main technology and am starting to use force plates with my students.

Aside from things like marketing, I'd be really interested to hear some of your thoughts in regards to whether or not there was anything you wish you'd done sooner in your careers when you look retrospectively? Are there any qualifications or training golf/fitness/psychological/data wise that have proved valuable to your knowledge and coaching methods that you wished you had focused more on earlier in your careers?

It's already been very insightful to read some of the points already raised in here so any further advice or comments would be gratefully received!

[Josh]

Great to see you reaching out @salmon19, I'm sure there's a number of our coaches with some fantastic advice!

[hugh.marr]

@salmon19 Great to hear from you Josh, it’s a good question you pose.

Simply put I suggest the direction you go from a development is driven by two things
1. Your existing clients - the more you develop your skills and knowledge specific to the people you already coach the better you coach them. Everyone wins.
2. Your ambitions - do you have what’s required to coach at that level? If not where do you need to improve?

Personally I had one ambition, to get better every day. I had zero aspiration beyond that.

Recently I had a world renowned coach talk to the students on my Coach Mastery Programme. We posed the question “what does a world class coach look like?” Interestingly technical knowledge was only one of about 6 components he mentioned.

My advice would be:
Get a mentor or network to bounce off.
View every player you work with as a case study. Let their needs guide your development.
Have someone observe you coach as often as possible.
Stay away from the technology, certification and knowledge route and focus on becoming better at improving players. Knowing stuff and coaching are not the same thing.

Good luck!

[derekhoopergolf]

@salmon19 Great question. I think the repose from Hugh is excellent guidance. My only addition would be to consider what area would you like to specialize in. What skill would you like to be known for teaching? Juniors, elite players, Club golfers, short game, putting, 3D, etc. Being able to teach everyone is necessary as your base teaching skills, but being recognized as a specialist in one area will allow you to set yourself apart from other coaches in your area and drive demand for your time and in turn allow you to earn more income. Finding another coach who is already excelling in that area and spending a day with them I believe would be more valuable than adding another certification.

[steve.astle922]

Hi Josh, great questions. I think the guys have covered most of it.. Retrospectively there are many things that I wish I had done/known earlier in my career. The main one would be spend more time networking and shadowing other coaches inside and outside of the golf industry. I didn't have a mentor and I think it set me back 10 years Other priority areas I pass on to other coaches would be;
1. Focus on the ability to build relationships with all different kinds of people, don't make them try and fit to you.
2. Become a world class communicator and problem solver. Find ways to get results.
3. Specialise and double down in a niche area from a business and focus perspective.
4. Learn to run a business that prioritises their customers needs but remember it's a business. Learn to market, learn to sell, learn to say no!

[brianjacobsgolf]

@salmon19 Josh Great questions and I'd reflect what Derek has written. It is more effective for your business (brand) and culture if you are a specialist. There is an old quote that generalists will always have a job but a specialist will live with passion and purpose. I would also recommend that you spend time with other teachers and leaders..they can show you the way as you develop. Immerse yourself in leadership materials..great Authors like John C. Maxwell or Jon Gordon are always great place to start. If I can be of any service please reach out to my email at brianjacobsgolf@gmail.com I am always honored to help young (and not so young) teachers. All the best!!

[Josh]

Really interesting to see two suggestions as a constant here - finding a mentor and the benefits of shadowing another coach and to look at specialising in a specific area. Just goes to show how vital the existing network of coaches are to the progression of developing coaches like @salmon19. Equally, it really goes back to the thread made by @hugh.marr on how important coaches are and do we actually realise it!

Finally, it's fantastic to see you all jump in and offer your guidance and insight!

[motleygolf]

Id echo many of the advice already given.

I went down a route of certifications and technical knowledge very early in my career and looking back I could have developed far better using my time seeking out other coaches advice and experience to help me. I look more outside of golf specific coaching these days and have a great team of coaches to have conversations with that come from many different backgrounds.



My advice

Develop the player coach relationships.
Learn to understand what inspires players, they're all different.
Never be afraid to be wrong
Build a team around you that work for the same goals 'the players best interests'
Ask good questions and most importantly .... Listen, listen, listen and listen some more.

[salmon19]

Thank you all for the amazing responses so far. I really appreciate top coaches sharing their insights and it's given me some really thoughtful information and some idea of the decisions I need to start making!

@hugh.marr your advice is greatly appreciated, I’ve never thought about having a physical mentor, where would you start, would you link it with @derekhoopergolf comments around specialising and find a mentor who has expertise in the field your are most wanting to be known for or just look for a mentor who has skills you admire?

Thank you for the additional help @derekhoopergolf, I can see how spending a day with someone would provide a very rewarding experience, the overriding theme is shadow and learn from others so I think this is my starting point.

@steve.astle922 , thank you for sharing, it's amazing how you feel the lack of a mentor situation set you back so much, you mention shadowing coaches outside of the golf industry, what other areas did you draw information from if you don’t mind me asking?

@brianjacobsgolf thank you again for the responses, for me the specialist route is one I’m looking into at the minute (and been confirmed by everyone's comments here!), if you don’t mind I'd love to take you up on your offer and send an email just to get your opinion on my thoughts in what to specialise in if you don’t mind? I'll also check out these authors so thank you for the recommendation.

@motleygolf Really appreciate that insight, I guess without asking I too would have headed down that path! It’s great to see so many coaches working with professionals from outside of the golf industry so that is something I'm certainly taking away from the points made!

Can't stress enough the value for me to hear from you all, as top coaches, on how you feel is the appropriate way to develop myself!
I’m constantly looking to be better so if you think of anything else please just chuck it at me.


All the best

Josh

[Dan]

I think this thread speaks volumes for the calibre of coaches and people that we have in our coaches network. We all feel very privileged to be working with you. @hugh.marr @brianjacobsgolf @derekhoopergolf @steve.astle922 @motleygolf @salmon19