Golf is one of the most in-demand sports people of all ages enjoy. It’s a world-class game involving a small ball and a set of clubs, where the object is to hit the ball in the hole using as few strokes as possible. Golf has a long history and can be played recreationally and competitively.
Though it’s considered a pleasant and sophisticated sport for elites, golf’s popularity is increasing globally; with many new golfers added to the family, it’s only set to grow. Comparatively, the golf industry is an expensive sport, with an overall net worth of $84 billion. With new off-course golf activities like driving, ranges, and golf simulators making this sport more accessible to the general public, many are enthusiastic about learning this game.
Golf Teaching And Its Importance
Coaching becomes crucial to bridge this gap as it is impossible to self-learn this complex game. So, here golf teachers are coming to the rescue, giving personal training and improving the play of the newcomers. Golf coaching is turning out to be a lucrative career option, with many avenues turning up for it. One can be a private instructor or be with any agency.
Being a golf teacher involves many things, but one of the important things is having a proper certificate. Getting certified as a golf teacher is very challenging; people need to undergo training and gain a lot of experience to teach this sport to others.
And it is commonly believed that you can get the certification from PGA certification. Still, it is not true as now you can get it by doing a two-year course from a university or even from another teachers association; visit this site of PGTAA to know more about golf teacher certification. So, they are broadly three different routes to pursue teacher certification:
PGA Certification
The professional golfer’s association of America, also called PGA, is a working body that was formed to promote the sport across North America. It indulges in activities that elevate the game’s standards and advance the members’ welfare. The annual PGA championship is one main world tournament. This is the most popular certification route which you can get by.
University Degree Program
This is another option through which you can be certified as a golf teacher, and that is getting a degree course from a reputed university. There are many Golf management courses available in the renowned university which offer a chance for people to go through an academic program and get certified. This is usually a four-year course where students will be able to develop their game through paid internships at top facilities.
This option also additionally provides another opportunity. Along with being a golf teacher, the students will also learn the managerial aspects of the whole game. They will spend 16 months on the field learning the game and, at other times, in the classroom environment comprehending the organizing and business prospects of the game.
This option is best for people who have just started playing golf and are still figuring out what to do.
Golf Teachers Association
After the emergence of many professional agencies all over the world developing the sport into a structured global career, many associations have emerged to give proper certification to teachers. These associations are meant exclusively for training professional teachers and provide certification programs to build an authentic community. Professional Golf Teachers Association of America (PGTAA) and the United States Golf Teachers Federation (USGTF) are the two most popular teacher associations in America.
How is it different?
- While PGA is a more well-known organization with a long history, the certification program in the organization is more for the general people who want to learn the craft. While in these teacher associations mostly concentrate on producing specialists players and are solely driven to teach golf
- The graduate course and even the PGA certification go into the broad teaching of gameplay, organizing, maintenance, running a shop, etc. Still, the teacher association courses are single-tracked to teach students how to play golf and live an impactful life.
The teacher associations have many course types to get the certification.
- The home study course for existing golf teachers and players to polish and update their skill sets.
- Corporate golf programs for professionals to learn golf and managerial lessons from the game
- Onsite courses vary for different associations. They can be one-week courses to several months of intense cohorts.
- Online courses have gained steam after the pandemic.
Steps To Get A Certification
Here are a few steps by which you can get a golf teacher certificate easily. Read below to find out.
- In the first step, one must clear the Player Ability Test that determines who will play in the PGA tours. Here one must score a particular score going through 36 holes.
- Then, one has to take some qualifying courses on various subjects along with golf. This will be different for the different routes you take. You have to clear them with good grades.
- After completing the courses, one has to travel around the world, taking examinations in reputed golf parks. This coursework has three levels of work. It must be completed in eight years bearing all the additional expenses.
- Now, in this step, one has to secure a job in any field concerning the game to gain the required experience.
- Finally, the certification process is completed when one pays the required fees to attend the PGA.
Conclusion
This game has seen a sudden plunge from the pandemic, and it is slated to grow with new off-course activities like driving ranges, indoor golf simulators, and golf entertainment venues like Topgolf and Drive Shack. This is a great time to jump into this world and build a lucrative career.
Golf teachers are growing in demand and the avenues to teach the game have also been increasing with the new technologies. It all depends on choosing the right path to get the certification based on one’s situation and working towards the goal. After the certification, proper marketing will set you up for a great life ahead.