Do you always trust a pro?

[SaintHacker]

I went for a group lesson at the local range a few weeks ago as I wasn't happy with how I was hitting my irons and I couldn't see my own pro. He diagnosed my problem as swinging too flat so steepened me up a bit. Ive tried to keep to this advice but I've been bloody awful since. Constantly hitting the ground behind the ball, and on the rare occasions I do get a solid contact the ball ranges from a fade with short irons, to a big old slice with anything longer. Ive also lost a fair bit of distance. Seriously considering going back to my old flatter swing as this just isn't working.

 

[Alex1975]

I have had more bad Pros than good ones but most of that is down to knowing how I learn or want to learn.

 

[In_The_Rough]

You only went a few weeks ago and you say yourself you were not happy so you sought advice. He told you what to do but you need need to give it time and you must practice what you have been told. Far to many golfers have a lesson then expect to have a swing like Adam Scott. This take months to fix a swing fault and countless hours of practice to groove. Stick with it and get practicing.

 

[SaintHacker]

Yeah, I'm probably expecting too much too soon, buts its demoralising when I wasn't hitting that badly before, just a bit wayward, to going to feeling like Ive never hit a golf ball before. Think I might go back to him this week, I was hitting it lovely on the range when he was watching, its gone wrong since. I thnk maybe I've gone too far the other way and am swing too steep now and coming over the top a bit.

 

[Foxholer]

If you've spent a decent amount of time, I'd go back to the flatter swing and see what happens.

Mind you, it's quite possible that you've become too steep - the dreaded over-compensation and you may now be swinging too steeply.

Your 'return to flatter swing ' might result in steeper than original and pretty much optimal.

That certainly happened to me - in reverse. Too steep, to too flat, to about right.

 

[In_The_Rough]

It's a hard game mate. No quick fix unless you are very talented which most of us are not myself included. I cannot stress enough that if you have lessons then you have to put the work in between. If you do not want to practice what you have been taught or simply do not have the time then they are not worth the money. But if you can devote a few hours a week which is nothing by the way!! to working on what you have been shown then you will reap the rewards. I had an over the top swing at one point and practiced 2 hours a night 4 days a weeks and it took me nearly 6 months to get to the point where it was gone. I now play off 8 and can on occasion shoot under par rounds. Trust me it will finally gel and get better and the benefits will be plain to see

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Personally I'd go back to the pro I had been using and see what he says. Clearly he has got you swinging ok and you say the ball striking before the lesson wasn't too bad and you obviously trust him.

 

[JustOne]

When you raise the swing plane (from being flat) you are automatically making the chance of hitting the ground greater, it's the same for all of us. It's the first piece.

After that, now you are swinging on a better (more neutral) plane, you have to learn to have your hands FORWARD of the ball at impact so that you DON'T keep hitting the ground before the ball.

It's just a process, one step leads to another with some pretty crap golf played inbetween (for most of us).

Ideally the swing is best learnt from impact backwards... I'm guessing no one ever told you what impact is supposed to be like? I think it's the bast place to start because if you don't know what it is your aiming for then how are you going to achieve it?

 

[lyden]

Just pop in to see him and just ask him to check if your doing it right. Most good pros will have a quick look without charging you for a lesson.

 

[SaintHacker]

Went up to the group session again last night. Fair play to the guy, he immediately diagnosed that for some unknown reason my stance had got too wide, leading to me not turning my hips properly and thus leaving the face open at impact, and also making me lower which was causing the hitting behind the ball. Narrowed my stance and bang, this games easy again! Until the club championship on Sunday...

 

[Deleted member 18121]

In February this year I was out playing golf most weekends and shooting anywhere from 95-100 most rounds. Couldn't hit a driver for love nor money, was taking a 4 iron off the tee and generally hacking my way around.

I took 3 lessons with my pro and it absolutely ruined me for about 3 months. The club felt alien in my hands, I was hooking, slicing, topping...basically the whole lot. But I persevered and slowly the scores started coming together and I started shooting mid-low 80s.... basically by ignoring my pro and doing what I felt was right.

Do I trust my pro? no.

 

[rich1981]

In February this year I was out playing golf most weekends and shooting anywhere from 95-100 most rounds. Couldn't hit a driver for love nor money, was taking a 4 iron off the tee and generally hacking my way around.

I took 3 lessons with my pro and it absolutely ruined me for about 3 months. The club felt alien in my hands, I was hooking, slicing, topping...basically the whole lot. But I persevered and slowly the scores started coming together and I started shooting mid-low 80s.... basically by ignoring my pro and doing what I felt was right.

Do I trust my pro? no.

When you say you persevered, you obviously don't mean with that your pro taught you then?

I had a conversation about our local pro with a FC the other day, I asked if he would think of getting lessons off him. His response was no because our pro is too rigid with his technical teachings and doesn't allow for any natural swing variations. So many pro's have swings that you would never find in a text book but they work for them.

 

[Deleted member 18121]

When you say you persevered, you obviously don't mean with that your pro taught you then?

ha ha no, not a chance...I did what any self respecting man does. I went on youtube.

 

[3PuttCharlie]

I have had lessons with a few different pro's over the years, with varying success to my game.

My current Pro understands how I think and learn and has helped me identify what type of golfer I am. I am a visual player...pick a target and trust the swing so mechancis are kept to a minimum. He demostrates the shot and I try to copy.

When I get too bogged down in the mechanics of the swing everything becomes too stiff and awkward and you think i'd never played the game.

I am making good progress with the drills we work on and have complete trust in what he teaches me...and my results are starting to back it up.

You do have to give it time and you do have to practice what you're taught

 

[GasMan]

Current pro - hell yes. Great teaching methods and has transformed my game.

Most recently sacked pro - taught a swing that destroyed my enjoyment of golf and almost led me to quitting the game.
Previous one - alright but had no personality and would not adapt to the students needs for anything.
Last one I clearly remember - grade A idiot who coaches county juniors yet talks down his students behind their backs.

1 out of 4 isn't bad considering GOOD teaching pros round my way seem to be like rocking horse poo.