Bill Lindmark is a PGA Professional at The Woods Golf Club in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Bill Lindmark on the importance of ensuring safety during group golf lessons:
Safety is paramount when conducting group golf practice or lessons, so golfers will enjoy the experience and return to our golf club time and time again. We have developed several fundamental guidelines that we communicate to golfers and to our staff to ensure everyone’s safety: On the driving range, reach out with a golf club with your right hand and left hand parallel to ground, then turn in a circle to make sure you have enough space so you don’t hit anyone. If you are walking up to someone, announce your presence. Verbally let the person know you are there if he doesn’t see you in his peripheral vision, so he doesn’t take a backswing. Take three or four steps back on the range when you are navigating your way up and down the tee line to talk to friend, walk to the clubhouse, etc. Our instructors teach golfers safety on the course, such as that the proper place to stand is behind the person yet still within his peripheral vision, so no one gets hit with a golf club or ball. As an instructor, I tell my students that while working with someone, it’s important to have a golf club in your hand, as you might need it to protect yourself from the student’s swing. We tell all golfers at our range to put their children in front of them, in their peripheral vision, so their backswings won’t hit the children. Often the youngsters will be hitting balls, too.
Bill Lindmark on the business impact of enduring safety during group golf lessons:
While it’s impossible to put a price tag on our safety program, it is certain that a significant amount of money has been saved through the years by avoiding injury to participants in our instructional programs and their children, not to mention the well-being of our golfers and staff. In every way, this program is priceless.
If you would like to email the author of this Best Practice directly, please email Wlindmark@hotmail.com
