Ray Martin Sets the Record Straight

ghostball

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've been hearing for a long time now that my lessons are too expensive and that I do not teach all levels of players. To set the record straight - I charge $50 per hour in my home for any level of player. If I need to travel, costs change accordingly. This runs about the same as group lessons; however, you will have my undivided attention for an hour.
 
Seems fair to me. I have to say with every thing I've learned from 99 critical shots I probably owe you some money.
 
$50 per hour is very reasonable. Where in Florida are you?

I have your address as :


Ray Martin
10346 137th Street
Largo, FL 33774

This is from when I sent you my copy of your book that you were kind enough to autograph for me.
 
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99 Most Critical Shots was the first book I read on pool and the best. It really opened my eyes to running english and throw shots.

I would gladly pay $50 an hour to a champion to get lessons. Hell I pay $70 an hour for golf lessons and I still suck :-)

Do you have a website I can check out for rates and locations?
 
Ray, many, many years ago, I bought an autographed copy of 99 Critical Shots, wore it out and bought a new one. Thank you for helping me learn this game we love so much.
 
Ray

Ray:
I watched your video tape of when you ran 99 or 100 balls in a row and walked everyone threw it as you were speaking. It was great. I learned so much from that video and I will never forget. You are one of the great players in the World of Pocket Billiards.
If anyone doesn't want to pay 50 dollars an hour to you for a lesson. Then they do not deserved lessons.
I have a great blk/white 8x10 photo of you and a dear friend of mine
(Leroy Kinman) hanging in my game room. Leroy gave it to me. Maybe if we ever get to meet. You can autograph for me.
Best of Luck to you always.
A big fan;
Mike G.
 
with every thing I've learned from 99 critical shots I probably owe you money.

Quoted for truth! Having an hour lesson with you would be a dream for me. If I ever see I will be in Florida :grin:

~Roy Vadas
ofthestuckintennesseetribe
 
Comparing Value

I've been hearing for a long time now that my lessons are too expensive and that I do not teach all levels of players. To set the record straight - I charge $50 per hour in my home for any level of player. If I need to travel, costs change accordingly. This runs about the same as group lessons; however, you will have my undivided attention for an hour.
Who ever may have said that $50.00 per hour is expensive for World Class Instruction, hasn't cross referenced values in other areas. For instance, Professional Firearms Training in Marksmanship runs between $250.00- $350.00 for a 6 hour block of instruction. As the instructor states, "Training that I give you, lasts a lifetime. That's only pennies a day for lessons.". This is also a motto of many Golf Pro's who give hourly lessons. They see the training as a long term building block.

I also use the analogy for a custom pool cue. If I paid $1000.00 for the cue,and I have it ten years later, the monthly cost was only about $8.00 a month. VALUE! Think long term, think investment in your pool game, think the benefit of learning from a Champion. Because Ray is one of the greatest Straight Pool Players of All Time, I would encourage multiple hour blocks of instruction with 14.1 as the format for learning. The myriad of situations he will walk you through will develop all game skills.
 
Cheap

I personally think Ray is getting ripped off at 50 an hour. 50 an hour instruction is an unbelievably cheap price.
 
Hes in Florida. And was near Largo ,Florida when I lived there like 6 years ago, I'm sure hes near the same spot still, if not the same spot.......Hes a great teacher, and the best you can find in the area and an all around great guy.....

JumpinJoe (formely from the same pool room as Ray) :)




That would be money well spent. Did you say you lived in Texas? :)
 
I've been hearing for a long time now that my lessons are too expensive and that I do not teach all levels of players. To set the record straight - I charge $50 per hour in my home for any level of player. If I need to travel, costs change accordingly. This runs about the same as group lessons; however, you will have my undivided attention for an hour.

$50 an hour to learn from Cool Cat Ray Martin... a 3 time World Champion and BCA Hall of Fame Inductee.

Ray won his world championships in the era of Mizerak, Sigel, Butera, Murphy, Diliberto and Lassiter.

Quote me on this... no matter who is teaching or what you pay ... you WILL NOT learn more from anybody else.

Period.
 
Price is determined by supply and demand

I've been hearing for a long time now that my lessons are too expensive and that I do not teach all levels of players. To set the record straight - I charge $50 per hour in my home for any level of player. If I need to travel, costs change accordingly. This runs about the same as group lessons; however, you will have my undivided attention for an hour.

First let me state that $50 an hour doesn't seem unreasonable for one on one instruction. Some far less knowledgeable and experienced players charge as much. However all pricing is determined by supply and demand. Obviously there is very little supply of lessons from World Champions. However if people are complaining about the price and you aren't giving as many lessons as you would like there seems to be a shortage of demand. I would think that is because most people don't realize that the lessons are available from you and the pricing. You need to get the word out.

Hu
 
First let me state that $50 an hour doesn't seem unreasonable for one on one instruction. Some far less knowledgeable and experienced players charge as much. However all pricing is determined by supply and demand. Obviously there is very little supply of lessons from World Champions. However if people are complaining about the price and you aren't giving as many lessons as you would like there seems to be a shortage of demand. I would think that is because most people don't realize that the lessons are available from you and the pricing. You need to get the word out.

Hu

Damn right Hu, some folks can learn a thing or two from variable pricing versus fixed pricing. Especially when the product they are selling has no resale value. Starting off at maybe $35/hr. might generate a backlog. You can always accompany the special pricing with a pledge to do a full review, most players are happy to 'boast' about instruction from a top name anyway.

A couple few dozen satisfied customers, the rate might end upwards of $70/hr with a back log still. Over time it may flatten at $50/hr or you end up booking more group sessions which everyone wins from. It's about fine time for our instructors to adopt some type of business model to accompany the product they are selling.
 
Man, its sucks being here on the West Coast. I'd be all over this and not just one hour either.

FWIW, your book is my #1 reference book, Babe Cranfields is # 2. Thanks alot for the book.
 
I agree Carl. I don't know who Ray is talking about, but nobody on here has ever even mentioned that his fees or teaching abilities were anything but reasonable.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Who ever may have said that $50.00 per hour is expensive for World Class Instruction, hasn't cross referenced values in other areas. For instance, Professional Firearms Training in Marksmanship runs between $250.00- $350.00 for a 6 hour block of instruction. As the instructor states, "Training that I give you, lasts a lifetime. That's only pennies a day for lessons.". This is also a motto of many Golf Pro's who give hourly lessons. They see the training as a long term building block.

I also use the analogy for a custom pool cue. If I paid $1000.00 for the cue,and I have it ten years later, the monthly cost was only about $8.00 a month. VALUE! Think long term, think investment in your pool game, think the benefit of learning from a Champion. Because Ray is one of the greatest Straight Pool Players of All Time, I would encourage multiple hour blocks of instruction with 14.1 as the format for learning. The myriad of situations he will walk you through will develop all game skills.
 
Ray is a great guy.


$50 per lesson, for a solid hour of high-quality instruction from a multiple world champion is a total steal.


Try and get one-hour $50 lessons from Pete Sampras, Jack Nicklaus...or any other champion from any other sport. Their secretary won't waste their breath laughing at you, you'll just hear a click on the phone.

ALL the people who have taken lessons from Ray that I've met or seen have ALL massively improved. All of them. Not a single failure. They vary in skill level, but they made huge leaps. Many times, two whole letters, like a C player to an A player. Or a D to a B-. I have yet to meet a student of Ray that remained the same level.
 
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