Getting that first apprenticeship

Question
QUESTION: Hi Paul,

I just passed the PAT and am going through the process of starting my apprenticeship.  Ideally I would like to relocate to a different locale with a better golf scene like the Carolinas, Florida, or California.  

Is there any advice you could give on how to go about the job search from long distance?  

Thanks,

John

ANSWER: Hi John,

Congratulations on passing your Playing Ability Test.  I know you feel great about having that chore behind you.  Now you're ready to launch a new career.

My best advice is to start at the top.  By that, I mean that you should focus on the best clubs and the best Head Professionals.  Getting a good paycheck is important, but at this point in your new career, getting good training is even more valuable.  And...you are building your golf resume.  Having "Pine Valley" on your resume is a lot more impressive than "Pine Cone Pitch and Putt".

The areas you are considering are all good along with the other sunbelt states like Arizona and Texas.

All of these areas (with the exception of south Florida) will normally downsize their staffs at the end of the fall and then hire to staff back up for spring.  Your search needs to coincide with the times of the year when they're hiring, of course.  South Florida downsizes in May or June and hires in September and October for a winter high season.

Have a "perfect" resume to submit.  By that I mean no errors in spelling or grammatical organization.

When you decide the part of the country you want to focus on, find the best clubs in that area.  You can use the Top 100 lists that the major golf magazines publish each year.  Call the top clubs and find out the name of the Head Golf Professional/Director of Golf.  Call him/her and make a 15 minute mentoring appointment.  Ask the Pro about his/her area; What are the "other" good clubs that might be hiring?  Which other pros in the area are really good at developing their staffs?  Ask the Pro for his/her advice on getting started in the business.  This meeting MUST be kept to 15 minutes or less and you must thank him/her for any good advice he/she can give you.  Remember, you are asking for guidance and advice...not a job.  But you are also making an impression that can and most likely will be very valuable in the future.  Give the pro your perfect resume so he/she can pass it along to others.

It's important that you make a great first impression.  Your resume is important in this regard but so is your attitude and your appearance.

Your attitude needs to be one of willing, enthusiastic service to others.  Convince potential employers that you take great pride in providing superior service to others.  Smile.  Look people in the eye.  Have a firm handshake.  Shine your shoes.

Good luck in your new career John.

Best wishes,

Paul Dolman
PGA Golf Professional

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

QUESTION: Thanks again for your previous answer, Paul.  I'm looking forward to the challenges ahead.  I was wondering if you had any thoughts on important things to hit on in a golf resume.

If I am wanting to specialize in the teaching side of things, should I describe what type of teaching philosophy I intend to study?  

Answer
John,

Regarding your resume: It depends on what kinds of experiences you've had and how those experiences will relate to the assistants position you are trying to obtain.  Obviously, you will want to emphasize everything that relates directly to a golf job.  That would include any sales jobs, tournament experiences, customer service background, etc.  Being an outstanding assistant is about being trainable; being conscientious; being service oriented; and being willing to work long hours for not much pay.

If you can take your background and experiences and fit them into those principles, you will be showing the potential employers what they want to see.  Most top golf professionals are looking to hire assistants that pay attention, are detailed in the way they do their work and are easy to get along with.  Try to bring out those elements in from your educational and non-golf related employments.

Your potential employer is not so much interested in what you know (since this will be your first pro job), but will be more interested in how willing you are to learn.

Not everyone is willing to put other people's interest ahead of their own.  If you are one who does...you are a valuable asset to any golf operations and you need to find ways to tell your potential employer that you are special.

Regarding your desire to specialize in teaching: Again, it's more about how open you are to learn new things than what you already know.  Have you read a variety of golf instruction books to see how different successful teachers teach?  If not, do so.  Recommended reading and study: The Golfing Machine by Homer Kelley; Golf My Way by Jack Nicklaus; Five Lessons by Ben Hogan; The Fundamentals of Hogan by David Leadbetter; Faults and Fixes by David Leadbetter; Learning Golf by Chuck Hogan; Feel the Inside Move the Outside by Michael Hebron; The Physics of Golf by Theodore P. Jorgensen; The Search For the Perfect Golf Swing by Alastair Cochran and John Stobbs; It's Only A Game by Jackie Burke, Jr.; Bobby Jones On Golf by Bobby Jones.

I'm not saying you need to have read all those books by the time you interview...but over the course of the next couple of years, acquire these books and begin to build your golf library.  Each of these books have a lot of great information that good teachers are familiar with.  The list I've provide is not a "complete" list, of course...but it's a good start.

And your potential employer/teaching mentor will want to know that you are interested in what all the great teachers have to say (rather than a single point of view).  Part of teaching is knowing about the mechanics of the golf swing (the geometry and the physics) but just as important are the communications skills needed to teach those mechanics to others and a personality and presentation style that makes people want to come see you...again and again.  

I hope I've given you some of what you're looking for.  Best of luck!

Sincerely,

Paul Dolman
PGA Golf Professional