Golf Lessons...
Discussion
Interested to know what peoples opinions are on this.
How do you choose a golf instructor? There is so much information available and so many ideas on the golf swing. I have been having lessons but have found it a frustrating affair. I've put a lot of time in trying to work on what I am taught away from the lessons but I seem to be going backwards. I did reach a point where I started to hit my irons fairly consistently, then after a lesson lay off I fell apart and lost what I had. Six lessons later I am still struggling. This might sound cynical, but these guys have to earn a living. They surely want you to keep coming back, so its in their interest for you to become entirely dependent on them (sorry, I know that sounds bad, apologies to any pros reading this). If you know little about the mechanics of the golf swing, how do you know that what you are being taught is correct? How do you know if the instructor is the right one for you? They are teaching you their idea of the golf swing, one size fits all. How long do you go with making poor progress before you make a change? There are a few things that I am being taught that seem unconventional compared to what instructors on youtube are teaching. To bring some balance to this, when I did get it right before my lay off I nailed my irons. However, how do you know if you are being taught a swing that you can repeat easily and that fits you?
I'm confused and frustrated and really want to improve, so would welcome thoughts. I am worried that I am blowing cash and time on something that isn't taking me anywhere.
Cheers.
WinkleHoff said:
Interested to know what peoples opinions are on this.
How do you choose a golf instructor? There is so much information available and so many ideas on the golf swing. I have been having lessons but have found it a frustrating affair. I've put a lot of time in trying to work on what I am taught away from the lessons but I seem to be going backwards. I did reach a point where I started to hit my irons fairly consistently, then after a lesson lay off I fell apart and lost what I had. Six lessons later I am still struggling. This might sound cynical, but these guys have to earn a living. They surely want you to keep coming back, so its in their interest for you to become entirely dependent on them (sorry, I know that sounds bad, apologies to any pros reading this). If you know little about the mechanics of the golf swing, how do you know that what you are being taught is correct? How do you know if the instructor is the right one for you? They are teaching you their idea of the golf swing, one size fits all. How long do you go with making poor progress before you make a change? There are a few things that I am being taught that seem unconventional compared to what instructors on youtube are teaching. To bring some balance to this, when I did get it right before my lay off I nailed my irons. However, how do you know if you are being taught a swing that you can repeat easily and that fits you?
I'm confused and frustrated and really want to improve, so would welcome thoughts. I am worried that I am blowing cash and time on something that isn't taking me anywhere.
Cheers.
If you've bought a course of lessons then Id stick with him, but otherwise try a different Pro at a different range for a short while so you can gauge your current Pro's approach and methods? Personally I preferred a more technical Pro, but that may lose others or they may not fully understand the approach.How do you choose a golf instructor? There is so much information available and so many ideas on the golf swing. I have been having lessons but have found it a frustrating affair. I've put a lot of time in trying to work on what I am taught away from the lessons but I seem to be going backwards. I did reach a point where I started to hit my irons fairly consistently, then after a lesson lay off I fell apart and lost what I had. Six lessons later I am still struggling. This might sound cynical, but these guys have to earn a living. They surely want you to keep coming back, so its in their interest for you to become entirely dependent on them (sorry, I know that sounds bad, apologies to any pros reading this). If you know little about the mechanics of the golf swing, how do you know that what you are being taught is correct? How do you know if the instructor is the right one for you? They are teaching you their idea of the golf swing, one size fits all. How long do you go with making poor progress before you make a change? There are a few things that I am being taught that seem unconventional compared to what instructors on youtube are teaching. To bring some balance to this, when I did get it right before my lay off I nailed my irons. However, how do you know if you are being taught a swing that you can repeat easily and that fits you?
I'm confused and frustrated and really want to improve, so would welcome thoughts. I am worried that I am blowing cash and time on something that isn't taking me anywhere.
Cheers.
Im sure many replies will say similar to this, but when your practicing on your own keep it simple, simple, simple.
Don't try and remember everything the Pro says during the lesson, as in my experience of teaching Pro's is that they talk about a whole bunch of stuff in a lesson, that you'll never remember properly or replicate on your own.
Focus on just one or two aspects of the swing change trying to be changed, and you should ask him what to work on at the end of every lesson. You may need to do this for a couple of weeks after the lesson to grove it into your swing, like a fundamental grip or posture change, before moving onto the next swing change.
Sometimes a big change will result in dip in progress until the change is grooved and becomes more natural. I had exactly the same thing years ago to curb my over rotation of the hips, it threw my rhythm all over the place until it became more natural in the altered swing.
First thing I would do is to find a Pro at a golf club that has a decent practice area....you generally don't need to be a member if you are having lessons with the Pro. Having lessons where you are ideally hitting off grass makes a massive difference in my opinion and you can also work on your putting short game.....it's the latter where you will really take shots off your handicap. You can also have a playing lesson where you play six or nine holes with a pro which again is a fantastic learning experience.
All that said Pro's have very different teaching methods...I used to have lessons with a pro at my golf club who then left and went into full time teaching (he set up Urban Golf which some people probably know). His style of teaching changed and one thing he really worked on was the impact zone, his view was that everyone is slightly different (look at the Pro tour for all the different swings) but ultimately at impact there is a classic position which there is very little variation in...the classic being Jim Furyk....he has an ungodly golf swing but a classic impact position.
All that said Pro's have very different teaching methods...I used to have lessons with a pro at my golf club who then left and went into full time teaching (he set up Urban Golf which some people probably know). His style of teaching changed and one thing he really worked on was the impact zone, his view was that everyone is slightly different (look at the Pro tour for all the different swings) but ultimately at impact there is a classic position which there is very little variation in...the classic being Jim Furyk....he has an ungodly golf swing but a classic impact position.
To the OP, golf is a very frustrating game. The way you are talking is like you expect to master it. There is no magic answer. The best advice I can give is learn to emjoy the practicing and see improvement as an added bonus.
As for pro's, the game is unfortunately full of snake oil salesmen. Give us an idea of your skill level and location and maybe we can suggest someone better.
As for pro's, the game is unfortunately full of snake oil salesmen. Give us an idea of your skill level and location and maybe we can suggest someone better.
I started playing golf 3 years ago and had subsidised lessons via the local council and lottery sponsership for sports development. Check if your local council holds these...although they have increased in price and reflect what golf clubs charge for a group booking. The benefit is sometimes very few people book for an unwanted day/time slot so you get one-to- one tuition when a group of 8 has been budgeted for.
I think it's a good idea to check out the local offers and try out the different pro's - they each have their own different style and you can build on that to help your game. No better way to learn than to get out on the course though
I think it's a good idea to check out the local offers and try out the different pro's - they each have their own different style and you can build on that to help your game. No better way to learn than to get out on the course though
You need to give these lessons some time to work while practicing what you've been taught. After they've finished you should try to evaluate what they've done for you. If you really haven't improved at all or you feel that you've not got a rapport with the pro then you should look for another teacher. Some pros will teach 'a method' and get you to change your swing to match the fundamentals they believe in while others will try to improve the swing/technique you have already; they're not all the same in their approach.
It's a good idea to take notes on the main things you're taught each week. You might also benefit from buying a book about the golf swing to compare what you're being taught with some of the long-standing theories on how to play the game.
Every golfer reaches a point where they'll learn more by playing golf rather than going for lessons. Once you know the basics of stance, posture and swing you'll probably benefit from spending time on a range or course where you can hit a variety of shots. Try to play golf with people who are more skilful and better golfers than you- you'll learn a lot by watching how other people play.
The last two things to remember are that 'golf is not a game of perfect' (this is the title of a famous book that you should buy)- nobody hits every shot perfectly. Golf is about minimising your errors and bad shots. The quickest way to improve is to accept this fact and then focus on improving your short game as the majority of shots are less than 100 yards in length.
It's a good idea to take notes on the main things you're taught each week. You might also benefit from buying a book about the golf swing to compare what you're being taught with some of the long-standing theories on how to play the game.
Every golfer reaches a point where they'll learn more by playing golf rather than going for lessons. Once you know the basics of stance, posture and swing you'll probably benefit from spending time on a range or course where you can hit a variety of shots. Try to play golf with people who are more skilful and better golfers than you- you'll learn a lot by watching how other people play.
The last two things to remember are that 'golf is not a game of perfect' (this is the title of a famous book that you should buy)- nobody hits every shot perfectly. Golf is about minimising your errors and bad shots. The quickest way to improve is to accept this fact and then focus on improving your short game as the majority of shots are less than 100 yards in length.
Thanks for the thoughts, interesting stuff.
Firstly, I've set high goals for myself and I don't think that is helping! I'm quite a driven person and find it hard just to go in to something in a completely relaxed manner. So I need to sort that out.
As for comparison, I've spent lots of time looking at different instructors on youtube and comparing this to what I'm being taught. Also read books such as Hogans Five Lessons and a few others. There are some differences from these compared to what I am being taught. Might it be possible that I've gone to far with this and have overloaded myself with information and analysis? I'm now very tense over the ball as my brain tries to compute a thousand swing thoughts. My backswing is very good though, I'm hitting all the positions which was demonstrated by my instructor when he video'd me and compared it alongside other players. Its the downswing where the wheels come off right now. In fact that adds to my frustration; as my backswing is very good I put great expectation on the shot and therein lies disaster! Way too quick from the top, left side all wrong, weight distribution wrong, poor impact position etc
I think I need to stick with it and be patient. For those who have had lessons, how long did you work on it?
What a game this is....!
Firstly, I've set high goals for myself and I don't think that is helping! I'm quite a driven person and find it hard just to go in to something in a completely relaxed manner. So I need to sort that out.
As for comparison, I've spent lots of time looking at different instructors on youtube and comparing this to what I'm being taught. Also read books such as Hogans Five Lessons and a few others. There are some differences from these compared to what I am being taught. Might it be possible that I've gone to far with this and have overloaded myself with information and analysis? I'm now very tense over the ball as my brain tries to compute a thousand swing thoughts. My backswing is very good though, I'm hitting all the positions which was demonstrated by my instructor when he video'd me and compared it alongside other players. Its the downswing where the wheels come off right now. In fact that adds to my frustration; as my backswing is very good I put great expectation on the shot and therein lies disaster! Way too quick from the top, left side all wrong, weight distribution wrong, poor impact position etc
I think I need to stick with it and be patient. For those who have had lessons, how long did you work on it?
What a game this is....!
WinkleHoff said:
Might it be possible that I've gone to far with this and have overloaded myself with information and analysis? I'm now very tense over the ball as my brain tries to compute a thousand swing thoughts. My backswing is very good though, I'm hitting all the positions which was demonstrated by my instructor when he video'd me and compared it alongside other players. Its the downswing where the wheels come off right now. In fact that adds to my frustration; as my backswing is very good I put great expectation on the shot and therein lies disaster! Way too quick from the top, left side all wrong, weight distribution wrong, poor impact position etc
I've been where you are in terms of tense/thinking about your swing too much....you need to get out of that rut or you'll struggle. I used to play off 11 and struggled to break 80 with any regularity but hit the ball better than my handicap and really should have been single digits....my best round is a 76 at North Berwick. I've stopped playing golf because I have two very young children and there's just not time to practice, play regularly and see my children grow up. In the last four years I have played once....it was the first time I had picked my clubs up in two years. Stepped onto the tee without a care in the world (literally not a single practice shot). Nailed my drive and was two over on the front nine.....continued in that vein until I started thinking about my round with four or five holes to play ended up 9 over for the round. Bogeyed the last four holes.
There's a lesson in there for me when I start playing regularly again.
Interesting. I've recently started a course of lessons at my local club (5 hrs' tuition, one 9-hole playing lesson and 3 months' club membership), all brought about because I've been roped into playing a round at Ascot (a work thing) at the end of this month. I'm not entirely certain I'll be ready for 18 holes!!
Before I started the lessons I got to 20 with an evidently self made swing. My plane was too flat and I had a tendency to slice. At that point I just wanted to develop a proper repeating swing based on some decent fundamentals. RIght now I don't feel I could even get round, and I am obviously going a backwards to go forwards again. Thats fine, its just tough to get through. When I started the lessons it was a real "rip it up and start again" job, and I like a big project!
The other thing I've noticed is that at the end of each lesson, I find that I have just about grasped the contents of the session when it is over (40 min lessons). I am then left trying to absorb/groove the changes on my own afterwards. Thats when I get lost; I have it, then it slips away, a new subtle error creeps in, and I am left waiting for the next lesson to find it again.
Thing is, when you do hit a golf ball properly you want to do it more, its a really satisfying feeling. Ben Hogan said he couldn't wait to practice again the next day as there was always something new to work on. So I guess the golf swing is just one big work in progress...
The other thing I've noticed is that at the end of each lesson, I find that I have just about grasped the contents of the session when it is over (40 min lessons). I am then left trying to absorb/groove the changes on my own afterwards. Thats when I get lost; I have it, then it slips away, a new subtle error creeps in, and I am left waiting for the next lesson to find it again.
Thing is, when you do hit a golf ball properly you want to do it more, its a really satisfying feeling. Ben Hogan said he couldn't wait to practice again the next day as there was always something new to work on. So I guess the golf swing is just one big work in progress...
My advice would be to learn as much about the golf swing as you can. Read books, read instruction forums, watch videos, study the slow-mos of pro swings, find out what people are talking about and working on.
The problem I find with a lot of lessons is that the pro will go for quick fix band aids to get you playing better. They try and fix a symptom rather than the root cause of the problem. The result is you'll hit a few good shots and think you've cracked it but then regress when the plaster falls off.
By understanding the swing you'll be able to recognise the difference in band aids and genuine changes.
The problem I find with a lot of lessons is that the pro will go for quick fix band aids to get you playing better. They try and fix a symptom rather than the root cause of the problem. The result is you'll hit a few good shots and think you've cracked it but then regress when the plaster falls off.
By understanding the swing you'll be able to recognise the difference in band aids and genuine changes.
Unless your swing is really bad. I would only recommend a couple of lessons when you first start to lay dow the fundamental basics of grip and posture.
After that. Work with what you have. Improve your short game and course managment.
Look at the tour pros and how many different swings there are on show, and how many have ruined their game tinkering with a swing.
When you consider Tiger Wood says it take him hundreds of thousands of practice shots to ingrain swing changes. What chance has average joe got?
Than and many teaching pros will try to convince you that you need to hit a draw to be any good.
After that. Work with what you have. Improve your short game and course managment.
Look at the tour pros and how many different swings there are on show, and how many have ruined their game tinkering with a swing.
When you consider Tiger Wood says it take him hundreds of thousands of practice shots to ingrain swing changes. What chance has average joe got?
Than and many teaching pros will try to convince you that you need to hit a draw to be any good.
This is how topsy turvy the game is. I was at the range today and hit the ball better than I have ever done, from 9 iron to 3 iron. It didn't matter what club. Something clicked, and the important thing is I know what that something is, and the drill I did to find it. Now I have a chance of repeating it.
There is hope....!
There is hope....!
Edited by WinkleHoff on Friday 12th April 12:32
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