Finding a Golf Pro School: 6 Questions to Ask
Jul 23, 2007
If you aspire to have a career in professional golf, finding the best golf pro school is no doubt a top priority for you. The quality of your golf education can determine a lot about the success of your career. Therefore, it is important that you do your homework before choosing a school: research the school, take the tour offered to prospective students, and ask lots of questions. Here are the most important questions to ask in order to determine if a golf pro school can get you where you want to go.
What is the school’s success rate?
The quality of the school should be evident in its statistics. However, be sure you specify what type of success rate you are looking for. If you are looking for a good golf pro school, you will want to know what percentage of the school’s students make it in professional golf or other high-powered golf careers. If you don’t specifically ask for this type of information, the “success rate” you get may simply be the percentage of graduates who get jobs after graduation.
What credentials do the instructors have?
The success of the students in a pro golf school usually depends on how qualified the teachers are. Be sure to ask what qualifications teachers have to have in order to be hired by the school. Most good golf schools will require that their teachers have both education and experience: a degree or training certificates from a reputable golf school, as well as a certain number of years’ experience working in the golf industry.
What is the student-to-teacher ratio?
Remember how in high school, the bigger the class the less attention you got? Class size and student-to-teacher ratios do matter, especially with something as hands-on as golf training. The smaller the class size or the student-to-teacher ratio, the more one-on-one attention you’ll get. This is important when you need to make sure you are performing skills correctly. Research several different golf schools so that you have a basis for comparison, and then ask the school you are touring about their student-to-teacher ratios. How do they measure up against the others?
What resources does the school offer students?
A good golf pro school isn’t just training, it is also a launching point for your career. Research the student services offered by different golf schools, and question the tour guide when you have a good opportunity to ask questions. He or she should be able to tell you what student services the school offers. Good resources to watch for include availability of financial aid, opportunities for student internships and part-time jobs, and post-graduation job placement services.
What does tuition cost?
Very few people will be able to consider golf schools independently of how much they will cost. It is important not to overstretch yourself, or most of the years after graduation will be spent paying back student loans rather than concentrating on your career. Decide how much tuition you can afford to pay and stick to it, no matter how appealing a certain school looks. It is hard to dig out of debt when you start your career too far in the hole.
What other costs will I be responsible for?
Don’t forget to ask about costs that go above and beyond the basic tuition costs. Most schools require the student to pay for textbooks and various other fees, which can hike the overall cost of your education considerably. If the golf pro school you are touring has fees or expenses other than tuition, ask for a detailed list. Be sure to compare the total cost of different golf schools, rather than simply the tuition.