Best lesson with a Pro you've ever had

[AliMc]

And for me the only one I've ever had ....
I left Haddington and joined Dunbar in 1982, went from a parkland course to a windy links, found it a real struggle at first although i was playing off 4 i think, I was used to hitting towering irons with a slight fade, on the back nine at Dunbar into the prevailing wind i just couldn't cope, was hitting some huge cuts. With my face tripping me i approached the Pro at the time Derek Small (a very good teacher with a good reputation) and explained the problem (I needed a draw) We headed off to the practice ground with my 5 iron, it was perfect, into a good breeze slightly off the left. I hit about 5 or 6 shots, towering cuts, divots going left. He said here's the problem, you're standing too far from the ball and swinging out to in, he put a 2nd ball about 3 inches in front and slightly to the right of my ball, told me to stand about a foot closer (to exaggerate a bit) and hit my ball over the other ball to promote an in to out path, I hit about 10 balls, draw after draw after draw. He said there you go you're fixed that'll be £10
I've generally played with a draw ever since

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Had loads. Really enjoyed the one at the London club with Paul Foston. Despite not being able to put into practice what he wanted me to do, the tips he gave really put me on a good track and I was able to take them away (and go back to the videos -

and

) and really helped simplify things for me.

 

[SimonC]

I don't have one in particular but the last few lessons I've had with my coach have been great, he's making some huge changes to my swing.

 

[Orikoru]

The putting lesson I had before Christmas. He gave me around 4 little tweaks that just improved things so much and gave me much more confidence. Almost straight away I went from 37-38 putts a round holing nothing to 32-33 and actually feeling like I can hole something outside of a foot.

That beats the only other lesson I've had anyway. ?

 

[Jason.H]

I had a few lessons after id been playing a few months in around 2001. I have to say I wasn’t impressed so never continued, half the lessons were him asking me about my work and other things. I recall him pushing me to buy custom fit Ping i3,s with an upright lie to combat the fade id developed. So from then on I’ve been self tought.

 

[Foxholer]

I don't have one in particular but the last few lessons I've had with my coach have been great, he's making some huge changes to my swing.

Definitely noticeable changes.
I notice that back heel doesn't lift as early as on the 'before' - in fact almost after the strike. Is that (delayed weight transfer) deliberate/intentional?

 

[SimonC]

I assume you mean my heel doesn't lift as early on the after swing? The before is on the left and after on the right.
It's not a delayed transfer as such, my weight on the after is into my lead side. On my old swing on the left I would get the club steep and stuck on the downswing, then I would have to come out of the shot earlier otherwise the club would just hit the ground way before the ball. Even though the shaft was steep on my old swing the angle of attack was actually really shallow as I had to flip at the ball. I've gone from almost level angle of attack to anywhere up to 6 degrees down with my 7 iron. With the new swing I don't get the club stuck, therefore I can rotate properly onto the shot and get shaft lean without even trying to do so. It's still a work in progress but the early results are very promising, lower more powerful ball flight and longer distance as the ball flight is now in the correct window.

 

[Mel Smooth]

Had one off the pro at Dewsbury District GC when I re-joined in about 1998 - one lesson, he changed a few things, gave me a few tips etc. Took them to the course, practiced and when it clicked transformed me into a completely different player. I still go back to some of things he taught me now, and use them on my lad to get his body movement better.

 

[jim8flog]

I always remember when I decided I need to switch from a fade to draw with the driver as I was losing too much length (about 25 -30 years after starting) the pro who had given me the most lessons said to me " it will probably take about 2 years to get it as a stock shot, your fade is so ingrained" he was right it took me nearly that long. However the real benefit was that I could then work the ball in either direction.

The downside was that I had never shanked a ball in my life before learning to draw and now it can appear out of the blue.

The best lesson of my life was about 30 years ago it was a 30 minute lesson and 20 minutes of it was just a discussion on the metal side of the game. I learnt to stop composing the winners speech on the first tee.

 

[HeftyHacker]

Not had very many but I'd say the best and most effective one i had was last year.

Since taking the sport up properly in lockdown I'd always suffered an awful slice. It used to kill my scores with lost balls, playing seconds shots out of trees etc.

Booked a set of lessons thinking it would take me a while to get it sorted.

Took him about 20 mins to sort and since then I've hit a slight fade and my driver has become probably the most reliable club in the bag for me.

I didn't have a handicap at the time but my scores went from being in the late 90s to a mid 80s round being a bad round for me.

 

[Imurg]

March 1994
A week after I'd joined my first club
Part of the deal was a free 1/2 hour lesson with the Pro.
He watched me hit a dozen shots and told me to stop dropping my left shoulder on the backswing.
Hit another dozen without dropping my shoulder and he turned to me and said "You'll be right".

 

[Curls]

Bobmac. 3 lessons many years ago and I went from a plateaued 12, to 9 and then 5 over the next couple of seasons. Haven’t had a lesson since and stayed there in spite of heavy work commitments. He taught me how to teach myself. Guy is an actual legend. I’d go for more but know I don’t have the time to dedicate so just really happy to enjoy the game I have. I play regularly for the B team scratch golf and that’s something a million miles from where I was pre those lessons. I could make the A, I just haven’t got the time. I’m very grateful for all of it.

 

[bobmac]

Bobmac. 3 lessons many years ago and I went from a plateaued 12, to 9 and then 5 over the next couple of seasons. Haven’t had a lesson since and stayed there in spite of heavy work commitments. He taught me how to teach myself. Guy is an actual legend. I’d go for more but know I don’t have the time to dedicate so just really happy to enjoy the game I have. I play regularly for the B team scratch golf and that’s something a million miles from where I was pre those lessons. I could make the A, I just haven’t got the time. I’m very grateful for all of it.

I remember it well, glad to help

 

[Crazyface]

Group lessons years ago, the pro said I was "over swinging" to which I said he was obviously wrong, LOL. I set up and swung a club and, to this day I don't know how, caught the club behind me miles over swung. Big lesson!!!! I probably still do it now but try not to. Nice guy he was.

 

[bobmac]

Group lessons years ago, the pro said I was "over swinging" to which I said he was obviously wrong

Every pro has probably had that.
Your backswing is too long
Your backswing is too long
Your backswing is too long
Your backswing is too long
Your backswing is too long
Your backswing is too long
Your backswing is too long
Your backswing is too long

Film the guy and let him watch it

''My backswing is long isn't it''

 

[golfbluecustard]

Putting lesson last year, finally, suddenly I at least have half a clue on the green

Given lots of drills i still practice also i turned up to the lesson with four putters i 'd been rotating and now only use one.

GBC

 

[SocketRocket]

My putting is normally good. However for a while I have started missing left and especially on shorter putts. I tried everything I could think of to fix it, ball position, alignment etc. I eventually went to see a good friend who is a PGA Pro who has helped me before, it turned out I had started gripping the putter too much in my fingers which was making my wrists release, pulling the ball left. He got me holding the grip more in the thumb pad and lifeline which sorted it out immediately. Very pleased ?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Every lesson is a good lesson though surely? If it moves the game forward and you can get cut isn't that progress

 

[BiMGuy]

Every lesson is a good lesson though surely? If it moves the game forward and you can get cut isn't that progress

Not necessarily. Many years ago I had to stop a lesson I was having as the pro was trying to get me into a backswing position I simply wasn’t able to.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Not necessarily. Many years ago I had to stop a lesson I was having as the pro was trying to get me into a backswing position I simply wasn’t able to.

Point taken but on the premise the lesson progresses. The thing is, with all lessons, unless you work on the changes there is little chance of it making a difference