End of Golf Lesson: Do You Tip the Pro?

[Stuy Pegleg]

I got at 5-30 min private instruction package. The last 30-min session is tomorrow. I plan to sign up for another set of instructions.

 

So do I tip the instructor since it's the last of 5 lessons?

 

Thanks.

[acrazygolfer]

I got at 5-30 min private instruction package.  The last 30-min session is tomorrow.  I plan to sign up for another set of instructions. 

 

So do I tip the instructor since it's the last of 5 lessons?

 

Thanks.

25290[/snapback]

 

No! You paid them to teach you and not to carry the bag or to clean the clubs. However, if you truly appreciate a job well done, give he or she a gift certificate instead ... cost more but than you're a player with class :vava:

[kenfuji]

if you really want to tip him/her sign up for lessons and send your instructor a christmas card when the holiday season comes around. imho they will appreicate that more then a Tip :vava:

[Lord Thomas]

I don't tip a golf pro, although I tend to pay cash with a larger "cut" going in his pocket.

 

The Christmas Card idea is interesting.

 

-Thomas

[Stuy Pegleg]

Thanks, guys. He's a senior pro so the lessons are expensive as they are...so no tip. But I will sign up for another session of five. I'm sure that he'll like that.

[phillypete]

For some reason I think tipping a pro demeans their service.

[JHR]

I offered to tip our former head pro after a lesson and he was insulted, he said that was part of the fees .I don't think I would ever offer another pro a tip if I ever get another lesson.

[Golfdog]

You never tip a head pro, but should always tip an assistant.

[longball]

You never tip a head pro, but should always tip an assistant.

25494[/snapback]

 

 

No tip to either. They set their prices accordingly. We are a tip happy world. What is next...tipping a Doctor? :vava:

[RSchaffer29]

I assume he has tremendously helped your game or you would not be contemplating tipping him :vava:

[GehenHerzog]

I got at 5-30 min private instruction package.  The last 30-min session is tomorrow.  I plan to sign up for another set of instructions. 

 

So do I tip the instructor since it's the last of 5 lessons?

 

Thanks.

25290[/snapback]

 

No! You paid them to teach you and not to carry the bag or to clean the clubs. However, if you truly appreciate a job well done, give he or she a gift certificate instead ... cost more but than you're a player with class :vava:

25322[/snapback]

 

 

A gift certificate wouldn't do a pro anygood. Really it wouldn't. They can order things and get a Personal Use Discount or have it comped....No point in giving them a gift certificate.

[kkcheo]

Why not just buy the Pro lunch. I take my pro out to lunch, dinner or just drinks, that way, he's happy and I get to pick him brains even more ... hehehehe.... :vava:

 

-K.

[rhinogolfer]

I did after my second lesson, when a few things really clicked, and plan to prolly one more time. He is the assistant at the course. Why do I? Mostly because each lesson he has gone beyond the time, and he's always happy to answer questions for me between lessons too.

[cpa49707]

I don't tip my pro either, However i may be in a little different circumstance than most. He and I are best friends, we do alot together off the course and most of his tips and lessons come to me on the golf course as we are playing.

 

I do believe that the world has become to tip crazy, I'm a CPA and save people money all the time and no one has given me a tip. I've never heard of tipping any type of professional for thier services

[tpariff]

I got at 5-30 min private instruction package.  The last 30-min session is tomorrow.  I plan to sign up for another set of instructions. 

 

So do I tip the instructor since it's the last of 5 lessons?

 

Thanks.

25290[/snapback]

 

No! You paid them to teach you and not to carry the bag or to clean the clubs. However, if you truly appreciate a job well done, give he or she a gift certificate instead ... cost more but than you're a player with class :clapping:

25322[/snapback]

 

 

A gift certificate wouldn't do a pro anygood. Really it wouldn't. They can order things and get a Personal Use Discount or have it comped....No point in giving them a gift certificate.

25706[/snapback]

 

What about a gift certificate to a nice restaurant? We all know a golf gift certificate is useless, but if the pro can take his/her spouse or signficant other to dinner and have all or part of it paid for, then he/she will be very appreciative.

[HipCheck]

I have never tipped my pro and after seeing this thread, I'm glad I haven't. :clapping:

[nearfall152]

Why not just buy the Pro lunch.  I take my pro out to lunch, dinner or just drinks, that way, he's happy and I get to pick him brains even more ... hehehehe....  :clapping:

 

-K.

25714[/snapback]

 

Bingo! Buy him lunch / Beer = free or longer lessons and the all important knowledge they convey to you. You'll learn a lot by hanging out with players that are better than you and talking golf

[TNSooner]

Why not just buy the Pro lunch.  I take my pro out to lunch, dinner or just drinks, that way, he's happy and I get to pick him brains even more ... hehehehe.... 

 

-K.

25714[/snapback]

 

Bingo! Buy him lunch / Beer = free or longer lessons and the all important knowledge they convey to you. You'll learn a lot by hanging out with players that are better than you and talking golf

30296[/snapback]

 

As a former club pro, I always felt awkward when someone tried to give me a tip for anything. I just considered it part of my job to go out of my way to make sure that a member of the club got more than they bargained for.

 

If they wanted to give me a tip, I usually suggested that they just give a donation to our Junior Golf Fund that we had set up in the business office at the club.

 

Offering to buy lunch or giving a gift card to a restaurant is a great idea...

[Bombn]

A Golf Pro is considered by themselves (and the golf industry) as a legitimate "professional", much like an account, lawyer or dentist. Would you tip either of these people? No, but maybe buy them a beer.

[TigerStrong]

You are paying for a series of lessons and when there up there up no tip needed. If the pro does a great job send him a thank you card saying your golf game improved and here is something for the effort. If you don't click with the pro and your game doesen't get any better move on. Its all personal prefrence, hey if your taking money off the boys because your game improves a thank you card with a little something in it is a nice gesture. The pro also would take pride knowing that the way he teaches is working. Thats my take.

[Gub]

wow, a great topic... I have tipped an assistant in the past and he didn't hesitate one bit. :cheesy:

 

what about if you have a gift certificate? I have one for a head pro at a local private course (where I'm not a member). same thing, no tip?

 

Deb.

[taylormadefan]

Perhaps I'm different here, but I feel obiligated to tip my pro once in a while.

 

He charges a flat hourly rate, but we usually start our lessons early and end them late. They usually total anywhere from an hour and fifteen minutes to an hour and a half (if I'm struggling). Usually while I'm practicing he'll come by and see how I'm doing and give me a quick 5-10 minute tune up. He's also completely comped an hour lesson before. To me, that's money out of his pocket he used to help me when he could have charged someone else. For that reason I tip to at least makeup that amount to him, professional or not.

 

To his credit, he resisted me every step of the way and it took some serious trickery with the folks in the pro shop to finally get it to him.

[thesmurf]

Being a club pro, I don't ever expect to get tipped for giving a lesson. However I keep all my lesson revenue. The only time I would suggest tipping an instructor is when he/she gets paid to teach by the facility and doesn't see any of the revenue from giving the lessons.

[AR8007]

No!!

[Ducky]

How about a non-financial tip?

 

"You dress well, but get a new haircut!"

 

:cheesy:

[Gub]

Been meaning to check out this thread again... I recently took a lesson from the head pro (not an assistant) at a private course which was paid for by a gift certificate purchased for me last year... when it was over, I reached in my pocket to get the folded up bill and said something to him about how I hear it's not customary to tip pros after a lesson... he couldn't have had his hand out any faster and practically grabbed the money out of my hand... and it's not like it was an awful lesson - we worked on my short game and that came together rather quickly. (I need way more than 1 hour to work on my full swing :cheesy: !)

 

Deb.

[mikpga]

Here's my opinion...

 

 

 

I will generally tell my student "That's not necessary", and then they will insist...

 

 

 

If we have taken more time than scheduled, I don't mind...However, I much rather drink a cold one!

 

 

 

It's a nice gesture, and would say it is strictly up to the student...I never expect it, however...

[Bulldogdoc]

Not a bad idea! :blink:

 

Bulldogdoc