Bartholomew Roberts
Moderator
I'm just kind of curious what criteria YOU use in determining whether or not to spend time and money with a particular instructor?
Just to contribute some, here are a few of my own criteria:
1) Be a good instructor - It doesn't matter how good you are at the subject in question if you cannot convey that to me in a way that increases my abilities. Example: Jelly Bryce is one of the more proficient gunfighters to ever live, yet the system he advocated hasn't done very well for most other shooters and he probably wasn't the greatest firearms instructor. An instructor who can teach and has both good diagnostic ability and a definitive outline in mind is worth a lot.
2) Been There, Done That - Doesn't have to be a DELTA/Recon/SEAL or even an operator; but the instructor should have some professional experience doing what they are teaching. If they are teaching how to shoot, I want to see some competitive or professional experience doing that. If they are teaching gunfighting, I want to know they have been in a few gunfights. The instructor should also be able to perform on demand to the same standard he is demanding of me. This isn't my primary criteria; but it is a very important one for me.
3) Time - I have limited time where I can take a course. Making extra time to do a course means even more money out of my pocket. As much as I would love to do a 5-day course, it isn't an option for me. Courses on the weekends (or partially over the weekends) are much more appealing to me for this reason. A 3-day course using either Friday or Monday has worked really well for me in making the best use of my time by providing enough instruction to cover the basics well while not eating into the time I use to make money.
4) Proximity - Closely related to time is proximity. The closer a course is to me, the less the expenses are and the easier I can attend.
5) Facilities - I like good facilities. If they made a range with a pool and restaurant/bar on the premises, I'd be there in a heartbeat Having said that, I can sacrifice a lot here if the other four factors line up well.
Just to contribute some, here are a few of my own criteria:
1) Be a good instructor - It doesn't matter how good you are at the subject in question if you cannot convey that to me in a way that increases my abilities. Example: Jelly Bryce is one of the more proficient gunfighters to ever live, yet the system he advocated hasn't done very well for most other shooters and he probably wasn't the greatest firearms instructor. An instructor who can teach and has both good diagnostic ability and a definitive outline in mind is worth a lot.
2) Been There, Done That - Doesn't have to be a DELTA/Recon/SEAL or even an operator; but the instructor should have some professional experience doing what they are teaching. If they are teaching how to shoot, I want to see some competitive or professional experience doing that. If they are teaching gunfighting, I want to know they have been in a few gunfights. The instructor should also be able to perform on demand to the same standard he is demanding of me. This isn't my primary criteria; but it is a very important one for me.
3) Time - I have limited time where I can take a course. Making extra time to do a course means even more money out of my pocket. As much as I would love to do a 5-day course, it isn't an option for me. Courses on the weekends (or partially over the weekends) are much more appealing to me for this reason. A 3-day course using either Friday or Monday has worked really well for me in making the best use of my time by providing enough instruction to cover the basics well while not eating into the time I use to make money.
4) Proximity - Closely related to time is proximity. The closer a course is to me, the less the expenses are and the easier I can attend.
5) Facilities - I like good facilities. If they made a range with a pool and restaurant/bar on the premises, I'd be there in a heartbeat Having said that, I can sacrifice a lot here if the other four factors line up well.