Recommended Mentor Training

DURING FIRST PART OF THE MEETING

  1. Explain the importance of being a mentor – nurturing new golfers onto the golf course, increasing their initial enjoyment of the game; helping to insure speed of play for existing golfers; show how golf can be truly enjoyed for a lifetime.
  2. Explain benefits of being a mentor – outline special arrangements that you have made for them at your facility (i.e. free golf, special shirt or visor, etc.)
  3. Explain how students sign up for designated tee times for the on-course experiences
  4. Explain how mentors sign up for designated tee times for the on-course experiences

CHECKING IN (now written as it we were speaking to the mentor):

  1. Suggest phone check-in 1-2 hours prior to tee time to confirm both mentor and attending participants.
  2. Check with Golf Professional to determine exactly which holes you will be using for any given “tee time” and specifically how many holes your group will be allowed to play.
  3. Determine whether the group will be using electric carts
  4. Determine whether there will be a charge for the students to use those carts, and if so, how much. (Student’s should be instructed as to how you want them to conduct themselves in this situation – i.e. check in at the Golf Shop just like any other tee time and pay before you play.
  5. Establish where you want the mentor to meet each group of students (i.e. at the bag drop area or at the golf shop).
  6. Have mentor remind everyone to check in at the golf shop, make sure they have everything they will need, stop by the restroom if needed, and be ready to head to the driving range or putting green.
  7. Once the mentor has all of his/her protégés together, the mentor should escort them to the driving range (or they can be asked to go to the driving range until the mentor comes out for them).
  8. The mentor should gather the group at least 15 minutes before their tee time, and start making their way toward the designated hole on which they will be starting their experience. Someone should make sure that they have at least one or two holes open BEHIND them before starting.

AT THEIR “FIRST” TEE (now written as it we were speaking to the mentor):

  1. Ask everyone to pretend they’re really at the 1st tee (even if they’re on the 16th) and ask them to perform all of the things that they learned about in class (i.e. introduce each other, compare balls, assess skill levels, establish any games, etc. A scramble is encouraged.)
  2. If there is only one woman, make sure that she is in the front cart, and ask her cart partner to always tee it up first so they can be in a position to advance to the forward tee as soon as the last ball is struck.
  3. Ask someone to tee it up first, reminding everyone else to “be ready” – make recommendations how they can shave time (we call them 30 second snippets. 30 seconds here and 30 seconds there really makes a difference after 9 or 18 holes!). You, as the mentor, should always play last to avoid intimidation.
  4. Remind everyone to spot each other’s balls to save time looking for them. Reinforce importance of looking for a landmark.
  5. Encourage everyone to put their clubs back in their bag as soon as possible so they can be in position to move forward.
  6. Before departing for the scattered balls, take a moment to explain how they might drive their cart to each respective ball. If playing a scramble, determine which ball has the best lie and ask everyone to advance to that particular ball.

ON THE FAIRWAY

  1. Encourage your threesome to notice how different their “landmark” looks now that they are viewing it from a different position.
  2. If their ball has gone “far by the wayside”, give them permission to toss it back toward the fairway so they can keep moving along. We want them to enjoy these first few experiences!!!
  3. Remind them to fix divots when one is made.
  4. After they hit their second shot, ask them each what they lie. Remind them how important it is to keep track of their shots as they go along rather than waiting until the end of each hole.
  5. Commend them for each good shot.
  6. If they have a bad shot, help them to “let it go” and focus on the next shot.
  7. If a ball goes in the water, grab a ball retriever (if you have one) and let that person use it, demonstrating to the others if convenient. If you don’t have one, show how to use a long iron instead. Remind them not to take up too much time.
  8. Explain as necessary any course signage.
  9. Before leaving the fairway and when heading toward the green, ask each person to point out where their ball is, and discuss how they intend to get to it (i.e. via cart; driver dropping other golfer off at ball, etc.) Make any recommendations that will save time.
  10. When appropriate, discuss where to park the cart when approaching the green so they don’t ever have to walk back to the cart, nor walk around a bunker. If the cart path wraps around the back side of the green and someone’s ball is on that side of the green, remind them to drive their cart all the way around but make sure that they other person has all the clubs he or she will need from the cart before leaving.
  11. Suggest that everyone make sure they know what they lie again as you approach the green.

ON THE GREEN

  1. Ask your group to identify who is “away”. If two of them can be preparing to address their ball at the same time without endangering others, ask them to do so but emphasize that the person furthest away still goes first. Make sure everyone knows to watch that person as they strike the ball for safety reasons. The next person should be ready to play immediately thereafter. Once again, stress the importance of ready play.
  2. Point out a few ball marks, and ask everyone to fix theirs, as well as one other. Point out the old ball marks that weren’t fixed to illustrate the importance of fixing them.
  3. Ask one of them to tend the flag. If they do it correctly, point that out to everyone. If they don’t, ask the others to share their knowledge about what might have been done differently (i.e. avoid casting a shadow).
  4. When you see someone avoid walking across someone else’s line, commend him or her by pointing it out to the others. If you later see someone walking across another’s line, stop them and ask if they realized what they just did.
  5. When appropriate, have them mark their ball, explaining that it’s not always necessary to do so...show them when they need to vs. when they don’t.
  6. Remind them to be aware of where the group behind them is, and where the group ahead of them is. Suggest any adjustments that make sense, i.e., let’s hurry it along so we can let the group behind up play up.
  7. Remind them to wait until they get to the next tee to write down their score (if you’re even keeping track).

AFTER THE FIRST HOLE

  1. Continue to reinforce the same etiquette as outlined above on an as needed basis, but allow them to enjoy playing the game.
  2. If you see someone doing something that is inappropriate, point out the correct way to do it in as positive manner as you can. Remember – your job is to encourage them!
  3. As you finish the specified number of holes, determine the quickest and safest way to escort them back to the clubhouse. Lead the way so they know where to park their carts.
  4. Let them know that a tip is customary at that time, especially if someone comes out to clean their clubs. Make recommendations as to the typical gratuity at your facility.
  5. Thank them for a wonderful day, and let them know that you’re looking forward to seeing them back here for their next “on-course experience”! Encourage them to sign up for the next one if they haven’t already done so.
  6. Check back in at the golf shop to let them know you have brought your group back.

Thank you for being a gracious and enthusiastic mentor...a Link Up 2 Golf ambassador. Your contributions will last a lifetime!