Bad Coach Experiences

[GaryK]

Ok, so coaches can be an invaluable part of your progression in golf. But what about bad coach stories?
Here's mine...

Relatively new to playing (2nd year of club membership), I thought that me and my son could do with some coaching sessions. My son (now 14yr old) had quite a few sessions with a very good young lady pro at our local course and I also had a few. Unfortunately she moved on and our club did not have a replacement coach at the time, so we went to a local range that has coaches.

Had a few sessions with one of the coaches and was persuaded to buy a block of lessons. Things went downhill from there.
With most of the arranged sessions, I would get a call on the morning of the session from the coach to rearrange.
Had a couple of on course sessions, and on the last one (supposed to be 1 hr), on arrival our coach said that he would have to head off after 30 minutes!
After playing the first 2 holes, the heavens opened,
The coach then said that he didn't have any waterproofs and buggered off (probably about 15-20 minutes into the session).
It's also worth noting that he gave absolutely no input whatsoever, saying that he was simply going to observer how we were getting on.

Needless to say, I ditched him after that - despite having a further 1 hours worth of sessions in the bank.

Another thing that bugged me about him was that every session we had, he would try and sell us something.
I did buy a new driver and a new full set of clubs for my son through him.

Anyone had a worse experience?

 

[Tashyboy]

I have had good coaches and ok coaches, not gone back to the OK coaches. Best was at Ping HQ.
Out of interest has your or your lads game improved.

 

[turkish]

I have had lessons off of several coaches. Worst was off a groupon deal at a popular golf club and the coach just really wanted to show us how hard he can hit it- especially off his knees he was outdriving us- Wow. it ended with a playing lesson with him just hitting balls, no input and smoking like a chimney the whole lesson. Idiot of a guy- you'd think these groupon deals would be to encourage you to come back.

Also most recently did have lessons with a very good coach (Coaches national am players) but like OP said felt every club he was trying to replace by selling me a new club. In the end I did get a fitting and new Irons as was planning new irons anyway but left a bit of a bad taste. As a businessman I understand it- he has ALL the tech- probably a £40k setup so I get that he has to claw this back but I also think a good coach really shouldn't be blaming clubs for poor results when it is all pretty modern equipment.

 

[chrisd]

I had a few sessions with a coach who taught County kids and a few pro golfers. He wrecked my game for best part of a season with changes he insisted on making. He wanted me to get to the top of my backswing and then turn my hips as fast as possible to initiate the downswing, I told him that I had (then), recently had new hips put in, and a left knee reconstructed and that I couldn't do what he wanted - he insisted that I could, and should, and trying it wrecked my previously good club /ball contact, so I left him with my swing broken and it took ages to get it back!

 

[Senseicads]

I went to a particular pro with a slice problem I had, I had won in a raffle 6 lessons with this chap. His solution was to aim further left! :-/ not exactly what I was after. Tried one more lesson off him before giving it up as a bad lot. Never bothered with the other 4 lessons.

 

[hovis]

its genuinely amazing how some people get to teach. imo the vast majority of pros are dreadful at teaching.

i remember walking out of a lesson once because my swing was 13 degrees from the inside and it was killing my game. he said 13 degrees isn't a big deal and he wanted to work on ball position. by ball position we're talking about half a ball left or right.

my game really took off when i ditched golf pros all together and went to see a golf biomechanic coach. i found that if the body works properly all the other things like takeaway, club face and swing plane sort themselves out. i used some software recently that showed i had 7 inches of pelvic thrust in the backswing. no professional had ever noticed this and it was partially hidden by the way my right ass cheek turned. the difference since that session has been amazing. my toe strike that has plagued my golf for 5 years has gone and I picked up 5 mph club speed with a 7 iron.

all things that about 8 pros failed to notice

 

[rudebhoy]

When i first took the game up, i joined a group of beginners on a 3 month "get into golf" course which had weekly group sessions.

second session was on the range, the coach says he is going to show us how to hit a draw and a fade. Most of us were doing well to even hit the ball then! It was all about him showing off, went right off the guy there and then.

despite the club having a decent practice area, the vast majority of the lessons were on the range where he would just give us a bucket of balls and let us get on with it, only very occasionally giving us the odd tip.

it was a pretty crap introduction to the game.

 

[nickjdavis]

i used some software recently that showed i had 7 inches of pelvic thrust in the backswing. no professional had ever noticed this and it was partially hidden by the way my right ass cheek turned.

I'm sorry but....this wasnt really a golf swing analysis was it :rofl:

 

[nickjdavis]

Back to the serious stuff though...

i've allways been of the opinion that its not a case of a coach being good or bad.....its more a case of finding a coach whos teaching style matches his pupils learning style.....or at least a pro who can adapt his style to suit the learning method of the pupil.

Some folks like to get really technical and want to break down the swing into a multitude of component parts and try to ensure they are in the right position at all stages.....others just like to work more on the feel of the swing.....they will both require different methods of tuition....neither one will be right or wrong....just suitable or unsuitable.

I practise at various ranges and some of the gobbledygook I hear is just amazing and i wonder just how someone is supposed to take all of it in and go away and practice it. On the flip side you sometimes come across someone who clearly knows how to get his ideas across in a simple and understndable manner that the player can convert into a swing action easily.

 

[IanM]

Everyone has a different preferred learning style... there are also many ways to swing a golf club. Good coaches understand this, bad ones don't. Some coaches have one way of teaching, others have several.

... its about finding one who meets your needs...

I had one lesson of a chap who thought he needs to make about 5 changes within 2 minutes of meeting me.... result, 30 mins of tops and shanks. You need to book a series of lessons he said. I'll be in touch said I.... yeah right

 

[trevor]

I booked a set of 6 lessons once and the second lesson he got me hitting my 7 iron for about 15 minutes while he tidied his range booth up, no input from him whatsoever. I then put my 7 iron away and started to hit my driver to which he commented that I was doing OK even though they were all going off to the left! Never went back for the remaining 4 lessons. Never had and never will have another lesson, rather spend money at the range trying to work it out myself.

 

[ScienceBoy]

I
Also most recently did have lessons with a very good coach (Coaches national am players) but like OP said felt every club he was trying to replace by selling me a new club.

I would have told him to give me a swing to hit any club, not just the ones he wanted to sell me.

 

[shortgame]

Not affected me personally but...

A few years ago a local driving range (not my usual) employed a new lady Pro who would almost pounce on punters using the range to try to sell lessons

A chap in the bay next to was hitting it reasonably well. After 5 mins with her and several big changes he'd gone to pieces, only to be told to book a lesson where she'd tell him the rest of the changes he needed!

She didn't last long

Now replaced by some guy with some second rate (non PGA) coaching certificate

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Had one that was very technical in his approach. Worked well in lessons and the range sessions after but never found it translated into the swing on the course. Good teacher but his style didn't work for me and we really didn't connect. Tuition has to be a two way process and I never felt we had this

 

[GaryK]

I have had good coaches and ok coaches, not gone back to the OK coaches. Best was at Ping HQ.
Out of interest has your or your lads game improved.

For me, not much although he did give me a few pointers which did help.
My son went through a period of getting very little lift, no matter which club he used (driver through to wedges) and the coach pointed out that his posture was at fault. This certainly did help.

My game has improved a bit over the season, but not through coaching. Instead I have watched plenty of youtube videos and more importantly, played more golf.
My son , on the other hand, has so many other things going on that he only plays 2-3 times a month which is not conducive to improving your game. It is a shame, because he does enjoy a round with his dad and has a lovely swing which many people have commented on. Well, I guess that puts an end to my thinking that he'd turn pro and be my retirement fund! ;o)

 

[GaryK]

On a slightly different angle, do you guys have coaching / block sessions to improve your all round game, or just go to a coach with a specific area that you want to improve?
For example, as per my previous post, my son was hitting very flat shots and needed a pro to identify why that was happening.

 

[jdpjamesp]

Signed my boys (6 and 8) up for a block of group lessons at the local range. Turned up to the first only to find the pro had decided to stay home to watch the Ryder Cup. Demanded a refund and took the boys for ice cream to cheer them up. Completely destroyed their enthusiasm for golf for a good while though.

 

[londonlewis]

Reading these has reinforced my decision was right to never bother with lessons.

Although I will possibly take the plunge at some point and just hope my experience is better than these examples.

 

[Roops]

its genuinely amazing how some people get to teach. imo the vast majority of pros are dreadful at teaching.

i remember walking out of a lesson once because my swing was 13 degrees from the inside and it was killing my game. he said 13 degrees isn't a big deal and he wanted to work on ball position. by ball position we're talking about half a ball left or right.

my game really took off when i ditched golf pros all together and went to see a golf biomechanic coach. i found that if the body works properly all the other things like takeaway, club face and swing plane sort themselves out. i used some software recently that showed i had 7 inches of pelvic thrust in the backswing. no professional had ever noticed this and it was partially hidden by the way my right ass cheek turned. the difference since that session has been amazing. my toe strike that has plagued my golf for 5 years has gone and I picked up 5 mph club speed with a 7 iron.

all things that about 8 pros failed to notice

Sounds like my experience. I soon realised that what wasn't being fixed had much more impact on my game that the stuff that was. In the end I sorted it myself and gave up with any more lessons. Not saying they can't help, but for me, if you want to know what's going on you need a Trackman etc. and a skilled Pro. If you just want positional coaching download V1 Golf or get onto YouTube.

 

[Khamelion]

. i used some software recently that showed i had 7 inches of pelvic thrust in the backswing.

I'm sorry but....this wasnt really a golf swing analysis was it :rofl:

Sounds like an audition for the Rocky Horror Show, Time Warp anyone?