Cheryl Anderson, a four-time North Florida PGA Section Teacher of the Year, the 2017 Section East Central Chapter Player Development Award winner and the 2007 Metropolitan PGA Section Teacher of the Year, is the PGA of America Director of Instruction at Heathrow Legacy Golf Club in Lake Mary, Florida.
Cheryl Anderson on the importance of not being afraid to evolve to meet your students where they are:
I teach almost 2,000 lessons per year, and part of the attraction for my long-time students is to see what new things I’ve discovered that can help their games. I can’t be complacent and stand still, I must always be looking for what’s currently available that can make me and my students better. One thing I came across recently was a certification involving the mental part of the game to help try and find the best learning style that matches a student’s personality. It’s all about creating an environment that someone is comfortable with so they can learn more easily. Take coming up with a practice plan, for example. Some players like structure and need a detailed plan for what they’re going to practice every day. Meanwhile, other people will cringe at that and just like to go with the flow, so I’ll give them a priority list and say, “Do it however you want, just do it all by Friday.” Through these personality assessments, I’m able to figure out what best fits them.
Cheryl Anderson on the business impact of not being afraid to evolve to meet your students where they are:
My personal approach really evolved as a result of taking a hard look at the students I lost. I realized that I like to learn and teach in a very step-by-step way, but that doesn’t fit everybody. So, I’ve learned how to understand the person in front of me and how their brain works, and sometimes soften what I want to do to reach different personalities. That leads to an approach that shifts with each student for their benefit, and for mine. Technology, training aids, fitness, stats – they’re all important parts of learning and getting better, but you have to understand what students want – not everybody wants to be scratch, or even a 10-handicap. We’ve included the parents of students in my junior program in this, too. A lot of parents don’t realize that their kids have different learning styles than they do, and that creates tension in the family. I can really help with that and give them the perspective to see the learning process in a different way. When you understand your student’s goals and personality, you can really create a great environment for them that keeps them coming back.
If you would like to email the author of this Best Practice, please email Cherylgolf54@gmail.com.
