# How many golf lessons would you recommend



## MrC (Apr 11, 2016)

Hi all

I am looking at getting myself some lessons. I am currently shooting around the 100 mark but have never had any lessons. 

I have good distance off the tee and can score some good numbers but lack consistency especially short game and mid-irons. I also think my ball is too far forward in my stance.

Lessons would obviously be a massive help but how many would you recommend to start with. Cost does come into it so cant just throw money at it.

Is it a case of one lesson now and then play for a few months or is the amount I need 3 or 5 for example.

Any help would be appreciated


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## Capella (Apr 11, 2016)

I would say it depends on how much change you want, how fast you are at learnng new things, how disciplined you are in throwing in practice time between lessons etc. I think it is important to talk to the pro about how many lessons you are willng to take, so that he has a chance to plan ahead a bit. For example, if you just want to take one lesson, you can't expect miracles, but a good pro will try to find one thing to change and to work on that will hopefully better your results. A bit of a quick fix. If you tell him that you will be back for 4 or 5 lessons over the span of a month on the other hand, he can work on a few fundamentals instead, maybe not giving instant results, but building a foundation for more consistancy in the long run. Many pro's offer a free or very cheap trial lesson. I'd say go for one of those first, not so much to learn much from that, but to give yourself and the pro a chance to establish where you stand and how many lessons would get you to what point. 

Also be mentally prepared for your game breaking completely down after the first lesson(s) ... that's pretty normal and does not mean the lesson wasn't good or didn't work. It just means that your brain needs time to rewire itself.


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## Lord Tyrion (Apr 11, 2016)

Be careful of brain overload. I'd get a couple and then practice what you have been taught. See how it goes and then go back for more as and when required.


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## KeeleDrivingRange (Apr 11, 2016)

Lord Tyrion said:



			Be careful of brain overload. I'd get a couple and then practice what you have been taught. See how it goes and then go back for more as and when required.
		
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Great advice, too many lessons and you can end up forgetting what a swing is!! Id buy 5 or 6 in bulk and spread them over a season and practice what you get taught as much as possible!


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## WWG (Apr 11, 2016)

MrC said:



			Hi all

I am looking at getting myself some lessons. I am currently shooting around the 100 mark but have never had any lessons. 

I have good distance off the tee and can score some good numbers but lack consistency especially short game and mid-irons. I also think my ball is too far forward in my stance.

Lessons would obviously be a massive help but how many would you recommend to start with. Cost does come into it so cant just throw money at it.

Is it a case of one lesson now and then play for a few months or is the amount I need 3 or 5 for example.

Any help would be appreciated
		
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I have been playing 7 months, play off of scratch, and I haven't had a lesson. Not really though, because that was a big fat lie. Book one, wait a month to see if it made any difference, and if it did, book another one. I have had 4. My first two were invaluable, the last two were a waste of money.


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## Neilds (Apr 11, 2016)

Find a pro/coach who you get on with and then book a series over the season.  Don't have 1 a week for 5/6 weeks, you need time for things to bed in first with practice.  

And be prepared to go backwards before you go forward!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Curls (Apr 11, 2016)

Neilds said:



			Find a pro/coach who you get on with and then book a series over the season.  Don't have 1 a week for 5/6 weeks, you need time for things to bed in first with practice.  

And be prepared to go backwards before you go forward!!!!!!!!!!!!
		
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Agree with that, but rather than thinking of it as "going backwards" just judge your success on the course not by the score, but by how often you executed your thought process/swing properly. If you want to fall back into old habits and go back to the game you always had it will be very easy when you start mucking up on the course. I had it yesterday, an awful round, I was tempted to fall back into old habits because I genuinely wouldn't have scored that badly with my old swing. But whatâ€™s the point in that?! I dug in and persevered and put a few really good swings on it coming home, hitting shots of a quality I was previously no where near achieving. Itâ€™ll take time and effort before I can play with a clear head and more natural swing, but when I do I know itâ€™ll raise my game to a higher level. So stick at it and revaluate success. In the long run, when your handicap drops and you enjoy the thrill of playing better, you will reap the rewards.


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## full_throttle (Apr 11, 2016)

look on groupon, lots of deals, and if you think it's helping book more through the Pro.
if booking two try and have three weeks between lessons to enable you to work on what has been suggested


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## freddielong (Apr 11, 2016)

For me it would be a question of how regular should you have your lessons, make sure you have time to work on what the pro gives you in between.


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## HomerJSimpson (Apr 11, 2016)

Speak to the pro. Simplest way. I'd book a series (usually able to get a discount for bulk lessons). Work hard between the lessons on the drills and changes, don't try and change back on the course, and be prepared to go backwards before you see some progress. Big fan of lessons and hope they get you playing well


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## t0m (Apr 11, 2016)

I have a lesson tomorrow. He changed my swing completely my irons and wedges are now much better but it has destroyed my woods, I don't know why. I'm going to try and get him to work on my woods but he wants to continue with iorns


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## andycap (Apr 11, 2016)

I booked a block of 6 , with every intention of spreading them over a period of time with practice and play in between , i ended up having the 6 over an 8 week period , however they were videoed and the pro has recorded a lot of explanation and instruction with them and they are great , any time i feel the need i can go back to the videos and its just like having the lesson again


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## Spoorsy (Apr 11, 2016)

I've had 1 recently, where the pro kindly pointed out without a full swing im never going to do particularly well, luckily for me the parts i did do went particularly bad, so i now have a full swing to work on, and my plan is another lesson in a couple weeks, and playing as much as possible inbetween


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## HomerJSimpson (Apr 11, 2016)

t0m said:



			I have a lesson tomorrow. He changed my swing completely my irons and wedges are now much better but it has destroyed my woods, I don't know why. I'm going to try and get him to work on my woods but he wants to continue with iorns
		
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Think you need to ask the question. It's likely to be because it's easier to use irons to keep making the changes. However if you want to have a wood lesson (is that the driver?) then I don't see why he wouldn't do it


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## Leereed (Apr 11, 2016)

I have had a few over the years I like the older pro's better as they tend to work with what you have got.Had a few late last year and the young pro was obsessed with me hitting a draw.
on a good day I drive arrow straight or with a tiny fade.Bad day it's a high slice.
i very very rarely hit owt left. I just wanted him to look over swing and maybe a few pointers.Not a total shot shape change.
Think all the younger pro's are taught one way.


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## t0m (Apr 12, 2016)

Yer true I didn't answer the OP question lol I would book six you might need 2 close together if there is a big change then I would use 1 every 10 days or something like that. You need swing time in between


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## MrC (Apr 12, 2016)

thanks for the advice everyone, very helpful and beneficial

I think I am going to book 1 now and then 1 in a few weeks after I have tried out any recommendations. I will then review where I am at in the summer.

I am happy and expect to go backwards before it gets better. I am looking for long term improvement to try and get to my goal of an 18 handicap which I know is a long way off but achievable.


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## Snelly (Apr 12, 2016)

3. On grip, stance, alignment, posture and tempo. 

After that, practice purposefully for two years then go back for a check up.


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## t0m (Apr 12, 2016)

I had my lesson tonight I told him what I wanted to work on and what had been going wrong. What happens that's it I hit everything really well


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## HomerJSimpson (Apr 12, 2016)

MrC said:



			thanks for the advice everyone, very helpful and beneficial

I think I am going to book 1 now and then 1 in a few weeks after I have tried out any recommendations. I will then review where I am at in the summer.

I am happy and expect to go backwards before it gets better. I am looking for long term improvement to try and get to my goal of an 18 handicap which I know is a long way off but achievable.
		
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Sensible approach and hope it works out. Once you get a degree of consistency off the tee and generally get the ball airborne and forward regularly, perhaps look at chipping and putting (maybe as a winter project). That area will definitely help shave a few shots off the score too


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## Oddsocks (Apr 13, 2016)

To me there are a few simple questions 

1- how much time can you allocate to your golf for weekly practice as well as playing?
_It's pointless having a lesson if you can only practice once a month_ 

2- what level do you want to get to?
_This kinda of goes hand in hand with number 1, if your shooting 100 and you want to shoot low 80's, I'd estimate a lesson every 6-8 weeks with a good range session at a minimum to groove the changes your pro has tried to make in the last lesson_

3- why are you shooting 100
_If you strike the ball relatively well, a course lesson with a decent golfer could well improve your scores just but a change in your course management _

My ex boss what a key example of all three of the above.  He played off 24 and had a game twice a month. He simply did not have any available time in his life to allocate for practice so lessons would not have helped, myself and his brother who plays off 5 had a few games after work over a few and we changed his approach to a round.  He dropped to 17 i think but that's where he maxed out. He had simply found a level where he had no more time to invest but on good days was more than happy with sub teen scores.

If available time is no issue, our pro offers a great package , 4 x 30 min lessons and then a 9 hole playing lesson on the course for Â£100.  This is ideal with one lesson every 4-6 weeks for me, but in days like Sunday I didn't play and had almost 3 hours at the range just working on stuff we had covered in the last lesson

I


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## jmf1488 (Apr 13, 2016)

When I took my first lesson I had the same issue. Irons started working and the driver stopped working. Figured out why. I was trying to the driver the same way I hit the irons. I was hitting down on the driver thus the ball was going stright up into the air. Simple set up change for the driver to encourage hitting with a positive aoa and i was back in the game.


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## MrC (Apr 20, 2016)

Oddsocks said:



			To me there are a few simple questions 

1- how much time can you allocate to your golf for weekly practice as well as playing?
_It's pointless having a lesson if you can only practice once a month_ 

2- what level do you want to get to?
_This kinda of goes hand in hand with number 1, if your shooting 100 and you want to shoot low 80's, I'd estimate a lesson every 6-8 weeks with a good range session at a minimum to groove the changes your pro has tried to make in the last lesson_

3- why are you shooting 100
_If you strike the ball relatively well, a course lesson with a decent golfer could well improve your scores just but a change in your course management _

My ex boss what a key example of all three of the above.  He played off 24 and had a game twice a month. He simply did not have any available time in his life to allocate for practice so lessons would not have helped, myself and his brother who plays off 5 had a few games after work over a few and we changed his approach to a round.  He dropped to 17 i think but that's where he maxed out. He had simply found a level where he had no more time to invest but on good days was more than happy with sub teen scores.

If available time is no issue, our pro offers a great package , 4 x 30 min lessons and then a 9 hole playing lesson on the course for Â£100.  This is ideal with one lesson every 4-6 weeks for me, but in days like Sunday I didn't play and had almost 3 hours at the range just working on stuff we had covered in the last lesson

I
		
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thanks for the advice

I am not certain myself massive targets although I would like to get down to shooting in the 90s all the time which I think is achievable. I am going to play once every 2 weeks and practice the other week at the range etc. 

Course management is definitely something I can control. And I still have the mentality of hitting as long as I can all the time which I will change from my next round. Also I am going to focus on getting it one the safe part of the green then 2 putting. At the moment I go for the pin too much.

First lesson is booked for next week (45mins) and then I will have a follow up maybe 6 weeks later when I have played a few rounds and practised any changes recommended.

thanks again


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## HomerJSimpson (Apr 20, 2016)

MrC said:



			thanks for the advice

I am not certain myself massive targets although I would like to get down to shooting in the 90s all the time which I think is achievable. I am going to play once every 2 weeks and practice the other week at the range etc. 

Course management is definitely something I can control. And I still have the mentality of hitting as long as I can all the time which I will change from my next round. Also I am going to focus on getting it one the safe part of the green then 2 putting. At the moment I go for the pin too much.

First lesson is booked for next week (45mins) and then I will have a follow up maybe 6 weeks later when I have played a few rounds and practised any changes recommended.

thanks again
		
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Good luck with it. Stick with the drills and don't panic on the course if it isn't quite going right. Don't be afraid to feed back to the pro and see if he can help


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## ScienceBoy (Apr 20, 2016)

About one every 6-8 weeks to keep up steady imprivement with the odd one at 2-3 weeks in early, mid season and over winter


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