Golf instructors are among the top paid in Canada, and they’re making more than any other job category.
Here are some tips for getting more money as a professional golfer.
1.
Take the fall if someone’s rude to you Golf courses have become a hot topic on social media, with golf instructors on the receiving end.
In some cases, it’s been reported that instructors have been fired over verbal or physical confrontations.
But there are some common mistakes that can cause a golf course to lose its prestige, says Erin Sorensen, an associate professor at the Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto who specializes in employment law.
Sorenensen says there are two main types of situations that could result in someone losing their job at a golf facility: a) The employee has made a mistake in a way that’s considered a direct breach of the rules of engagement, i.e., if they’re rude or offensive to someone who has paid them to do so, they should be fired; or b) The facility is in the process of being acquired, meaning the property owner has sold the property and is looking for a buyer.
“The first type of breach could cause them to be fired,” says Sorenesen.
“That could be due to verbal or non-verbal aggression or inappropriate behavior towards another employee, or it could be something that’s in the workplace environment or a pattern of harassment that is unacceptable.”
If the second type of situation comes up, she says, the golf course manager is likely to ask for an explanation, but there’s a good chance the employee will have to prove it.
“Once the employer hears that, they’re probably going to be much more willing to discuss their concerns with the employee,” she says.
2.
Do your homework before taking a job golf instructor Erin Sorenson says it’s important to understand how a job is going to affect your career.
“If you’re going to make a lot of money, you want to be prepared and have done a lot,” she said.
“And I’ve heard some of the same things from people who have been in positions where they were getting $150 an hour or $300 an hour, and you want your resume to show that you were doing your homework, or you know, you’re doing your job, or whatever it may be.
And that’s a common mistake.
If you don’t have that level of preparation and knowledge, you could end up with a job that doesn’t pay enough.”
3.
Find out if you can get a job as a volunteer golf instructor If you’re a first-time golfer, you may not know that there are other opportunities for you to earn a living.
In fact, there are a few jobs you can find working in the golf industry that you may never have thought of.
“One of the things you need to do is to be aware that there’s many opportunities in the industry that are very competitive and very lucrative,” says Linda Jett, a golf industry consultant and former Canadian professional.
“There’s always a good opportunity to get involved with the business.
There’s always lots of opportunity to work on the courses and the staff, and the golfers.
There are also lots of opportunities to work as a part of a team and as part of the marketing department.
If there’s an opportunity to do that, it can make a big difference.”
Linda J. Jett is a golf trainer and a consultant for the industry.
She’s an avid golfer who is also a volunteer for the sport.
3.
Don’t assume you’re qualified to teach people to play golf Erin Sotte is a trainer and golf coach who is currently a golf teacher at a private golf course.
When asked if she has been a victim of rudeness at a course, she said she hasn’t.
“I’m a very respectful person,” she explained.
4. “
I would not assume someone who is qualified to do my job is qualified for someone else’s job, but if I do feel that I’m a good fit for someone, I would definitely say, ‘Let’s talk.'”
4.
Look for opportunities to do work as an independent contractor You don’t need to have any specific experience to be a successful independent contractor, says Sotte.
“Independent contractors are just individuals who are not working for a pay-for-performance model.
The work is paid for by the employer, so they’re not working on a full-time basis,” she explains.
“They are working off their own salary and sometimes they have an employer who pays them to work for them.”
There are some ways to look for work as independent contractors, says Jett.
She recommends looking for jobs that have a minimum hourly rate, which is set by the government and can be different depending