Jon Paupore, one of Golf Tips Magazine’s Top 25 Instructors in the U.S., is the PGA director of instruction at the Jim McLean Golf School at Red Ledges in Park City, Utah.
Jon Paupore on the importance of making students more comfortable with technology:
Incorporating technology into every lesson has become a staple at the Jim McLean Golf School here at Red Ledges. While there are many teachers who use the latest technology, our goal is to make the student feel very comfortable with it. With all of the different types of video analysis and data available, it can be quite intimidating for someone that is taking a lesson and is relatively new to the game. We use TrackMan launch monitors because it’s effective and user-friendly. The way our range is set up, we have a studio directly next to the hitting bays and the students can walk right over with me to take a look at their data after hitting some balls. I thoroughly explain items such as club head speed, ball speed, smash factor, face angle, etc. These terms are becoming more and more prevalent with everyday golfers because they use this terminology for PGA Tour players. My feeling is that “seeing is believing” when it comes to practicing your golf swing. When I have actual evidence for what the student is doing wrong, they accept that and can visualize what they need to do to correct it. Getting your students familiar with this technology and the meaning behind the numbers gives them a better understanding of their swing and makes things easier on the teacher.
Jon Paupore on the business impact of making students more comfortable with technology:
Our golf school didn’t open here until 2010. Our lesson numbers have improved dramatically each year and more than doubled by 2012. We’ve developed a reputation for using advanced technology with all of our students, which sets us apart from other places in the area. We also feature indoor hitting bays, which is a huge plus during the cold winters in Utah. We look forward to a great year again in 2013 and will continue to use our technology and indoor amenities to create better golfers.
