It is the teaching professional’s time!

Golf in the US is enjoying quite a boom this year, in part, due to the pandemic. According to the National Golf Foundation, the number of rounds played in July 2020 were approximately 20% higher than in July 2019 (https://www.thengfq.com/covid-19/), a significant boost after years of lackluster growth. Golf equipment sales also hit a record and anecdotal data point to an increase in golf lessons booked as new players take up the sport and people play more.

Definitely good news, but what can the golf industry do to retain new players in a post pandemic world?

Teaching pros play a key role in the answer. After all, a beginner who can see a path to improvement and lower scores is more likely to stay the course. One of the fastest ways to develop as a player is to partner up with a pro who can create a personalized practice plan, monitor progress and tweak the plan as needed. Lessons do cost money, and there is plenty of free instruction online, but an experienced pro can identify root cause and offer tailored solutions which lead to faster improvement than a do-it-yourself approach.

As the golf season starts to wind down in many parts of the country, now is the best time for pros to use well crafted tools to convert new players into committed golfers. A typical golf lesson ends with a diagnosis and prescriptive drills and things for the player to work on, and this is where technology can make a huge difference. A savvy pro can help a player with retention by using the last 5-10 minutes of the lesson to record videos of drills and swing changes starring the player. Most smartphone cameras are now capable of recording 240 frames per second in slow motion, which is good enough for a player to “see” his swing, so a pro does not need to be in a studio setting to record videos. Using a logbook to share videos and notes is a simple change that allows the player to practice the right things, get better faster, and overall be more satisfied. A happy customer is more likely to be a repeat customer and recommend the pro to his/her friends.

We offer the thoughtfully designed Accelerate Golf app, available in both iOS and Android, to facilitate long term teaching pro-player partnerships. A typical pro can be on his feet all day, so the app is built for taking care of business with just a few taps in real time. In addition to video logbooks, 24/7 online bookings, and in-app messaging, the pro gets a customer relationship management dashboard with analytics, ratings and feedback from his customers, as well the ability to send targeted emails right through the app.

Enhance your productivity and grow your business — download the app or drop us a line at customerservice@accelerategolf.com!