Golf is far from an easy game to play. It can take years to get to a level where it feels slightly easy, and even then, you’ll still forever be working on your game and looking for improvements.
Now perhaps you’re just getting into the game of golf. A few sessions down at the local driving range and it’s not getting any easier, we’ve all been there at some point.
You can stand there all day on the range, hitting golf ball after golf ball, but without the basics, you’ll be no closer to improving your golf game. It’s at this point you’ve probably thought about seeking some advice from a qualified PGA Professional. Like most things, getting good advice from top instructors is one of the best ways to get better.
So you’re after a golf instructor, but how much does one cost? Here’s a complete guide on what it costs for golf lessons.
How Much Are Golf Lessons?
How Much Are Golf Lessons?
The price of a golf lesson can vary depending on a few different factors. In the UK, the cost of a golf lesson can vary from around £15 to well over £100, but this will depend on other variables such as location, time, and coach, amongst other factors.
Factors Affecting Golf Lessons Cost
To help give a more accurate answer, let’s take a look at some of the key things to think about when finding a good golf lesson.
Location
The location of the golf lesson has a key influence on how much the lesson will cost and unless you’re willing to travel, you’ll likely have to pay the going rate for your local area.
For example, the average price in South East England will cost you about £60 for a lesson, whereas one in the North East will likely be about half of that.
So a location will have a large impact on golf lesson costs, even if it will provide the same sort of value.
Type of lesson
The type of golf lesson is also a big influencer on how much a golf lesson will cost you. Generally, when you’re taking lessons, there’s three different types that you’ll come across.
Individual Private lessons
Private lessons that are 1 to 1 are the best type of lesson to help improve your golf, but will subsequently cost more than group lessons. If you’re a better golfer, having a coach that can offer you a more bespoke and tailored approach to working on your golf swing is crucial to getting better.
For beginner golfers, there’s also great beginner single lesson programs available that will be far more basic and tailored to that of a new golfer. Plus, they’ll likely cost a little less than if it was for the more advanced players.
Group Lessons
Group lessons are a great way to save money, by splitting the overall cost between a few people. Group lessons are far cheaper than individual lessons and they’re also a more relaxed environment where you can meet and socialise with similar-level golfers.
A group lesson is an ideal place to start for a lot of new beginners because of the price and less intense setup. However, they will mean that the instructor is splitting their time among a few different people. This means they’ll only get a few minutes to look at a person, so this can mean you’re progressing at a slower pace.
Course Lessons
As you begin to develop and improve your game, the next step could be to have a course lesson. These are essentially a lesson but where you play golf.
Taking what you’ve learned on the range with your golf lessons and then using that out on the golf course. It’s a really great way of introducing yourself to this environment because actually playing golf is a whole lot different than just hitting range balls. Testing your long game and your short game, regardless of your skill level.
Course lessons can help you get a little more experience, as well as provide you with some course management tips. On-course lessons are great for improving your game, but they will cost you the most out of all the lesson types.
Duration
An important factor in determining the price of most golf lessons is the length of the lesson. Generally, golf lessons will last for between 30 and 60 minutes depending on whether it’s an individual, group, or course lesson.
For private individual golf lessons, most coaches will charge just over half of what a 60-minute lesson costs for 30 minutes. Usually, they’ll offer slightly better value for going with a 60-minute session.
There’s no industry standard for how long an individual golf lesson should be, however, most people should only need 30 minutes. Sometimes if other factors such as technology are involved, then this could mean that 45 minutes is required to properly go through the stats and numbers from the tech.
As for group lessons, this could be upwards of around 90 minutes for the full session. However, as mentioned earlier this time will be split by the number of golfers participating and so you may only get 5-10 minutes with the golf professional.
The longest type of lesson tends to be the playing lessons. Going out onto the links to play a few holes is likely to take at least an hour and sometimes even up to a couple of hours.
Golf Coach
Golf instructors tend to be the most important and the factor that has the largest impact on the price of golf lessons.
Depending on the level of experience and qualifications of the golf coach, will depend on how much they charge for their time.
At the very minimum, the coach should have a PGA professional qualification. This will mean they’ve been through the process of getting qualified to teach and have the basic level required.
They could also have other technology qualifications that help them stand out from the crowd such as a Trackman or SAM PuttLab certification.
Then you’ve also got to take into account experience. A newly qualified pro is going to be charging far less than someone who has been on the circuit for over 30 years. If the coach has had experience coaching top-level tour professionals, then that’s also likely to increase their value.
Technology
Another important factor for determining a golf lessons worth is the inclusion of the latest technology. There’s plenty of great tech out there that can greatly enhance a coach’s ability to help golfers of all levels.
A launch monitor is a brilliant piece of equipment that can show a coach many important things about what a golfer is doing during their golf swing. From the angle of attack to the face angle. Things that humans are unable to see with the naked eye.
Therefore, having the technology there is a major advantage for both the coach and the golfer.
This golf technology doesn’t come cheap, however. For a top-of-the-range launch monitor, you’re looking at over £10,000. This cost is likely to be reflected in a higher price of lessons and thus is a huge influence on how much golf lessons cost.
Additional Costs
Some lessons might also feature a few more extra costs which you might not expect.
Golf Balls
Some golf lessons won’t include the cost of golf balls at the range, so this might come as a surprise when you turn up on the day. Depending on the location, the number of balls and how good the driving range is, this can cost from a couple of pounds to well over £10.
Often this cost will be included in the price of the lesson. However, don’t be too surprised if you turn up and have to pay extra for the balls.
Equipment Hire
If you’re just starting out and don’t have any clubs to use, you’ll need to hire some clubs for your lessons.
Hiring clubs might not be included in the lesson price, so don’t be surprised if you’re charged for the hiring of a few clubs.
Final Thoughts
Taking golf lessons is a hugely important part of getting better at golf. Practicing on the range can get you so far, but without the correct guidance from a top professional, you won’t see better golf.
Golf lessons can vary in price depending on many different factors, such as coach and location. If you’re a new golfer who’s just getting into the game, beginner group lessons can be a great choice for learning the game.
If you’re after a more personalised service, that can help your game grow, your best option is an individual lesson with qualified PGA Professionals.
Founder, Editor
Ed is the founder and editor at EEE Golf. He’s been playing golf for over 20 years, competing in many top amateur events. He’s played courses all over the world and played with some of the best players in the game. His aim is to help educate people about the game of golf and give insights into the sport he loves most.