Research on effective teaching highlights the importance of communication in instruction (Mottet, Richmond, & McCroskey, 2006; Rosenshine & Stevens, 1986). However, while many studies have focused on how effective teachers communicate, little research has explored why teachers communicate as they do. Staton-Spicer (1979; 1981) showed that, to fully understand the instructional communication process, researchers must consider a teacher's communication concerns. Moreover, recent research indicates that an understanding of what constitutes successful communication in teaching may best be derived from comparisons of expert and non-expert teachers (e.g., Sanchez, Rosalez, & Canedo, 1999). Therefore, the present study applied Borich & Fuller's (1974) three-tier conceptualization of teacher concerns (self concerns, task concerns, and impact concerns) to compare the instructional communication concerns of expert and novice teachers. Pursposeful sampling was used to select four expert and four novice golf instructors. The instructors were selected for participation based on their level of teaching expertise as defined by Berliner (1986; 1994). University IRB approval was obtained and all instructors completed informed consent forms prior to participation in the study. Data were collected using Staton-Spicer and Marty-White's (1981) communication concerns questionnaire, which asked the instructors, “When you think about your teaching and communication, what are your concerns?” The instructors' concerns were coded as self-, task-, or impact-related and a content analysis was conducted in each category of concerns. Trustworthiness was attained through member checks (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). Findings indicated that experts harbored more (19) communication concerns than novices (13). In terms of content, experts' concerns were mainly impact-related (e.g., increasing student learning; developing student understanding of self as learner), whereas novices' concerns focused mostly on the task of teaching (e.g., communicating clearly; communicating content relevance). Although the experts also expressed some task concerns, the central focus of these concerns was on listening to students in an effort to create conditions for student learning. The discussion draws on the teacher concerns literature, which illustrates that increased experience in teaching is marked by a shift from self and task concerns to impact concerns. Recommendations are forwarded for continued research on the nature and role of teacher concerns at various stages of professional development and expertise. Keyword(s): coaching