How much progress can you make without lessons?

[chip barm]

I took up the game in July last year and had half an hour with the pro at my nearest course. He changed my grip slightly which really helped. Since then I’ve just picked it up as I’ve gone along. Paying and playing all over the North West really. Learning from the lads I hit with. Watching them. I’m quite good at remembering what I do right. I sometimes make notes I can go back to. I’m hitting really well at the minute. Better than i ever have and when I stand over the ball I’m confident I’ll make a good connection and decent progress toward the green. My lowest is an 87 but I don’t really count that. It was last winter with a number of shortened holes and temporary greens. I’m generally bogeying everything. I have pars and the occasional birdie but on the whole, I’m a shot over. I don't feel i've plateaud yet. I'm still getting better but realistically, how low a round can you hit without lessons? Is there stuff you just can’t work out on your own?

 

[Yant]

I've been playing since i was 12 years old (so 30 years) and the first lesson i had was last year. I played as a professional (assistant pro) in my late teens before stepping away from the game for a while and doing something else. When i came back to the game as an amateur i got my handicap back down to 3. Had a kid a couple of years ago which has taken it's toll. I'm back up to 4 now and needed a lesson last year so someone could give me the help i needed as i didn't have the time to figure stuff out on my own.

Although i managed to get to a pretty good standard and due to the PGA training i've been through i know what the model way to swing a golf club is, there's no substitute for having someone look at your swing and help you play better. The lesson i had has helped me enormously and pointed out stuff i probably wouldn't have noticed on my own.

 

[Hobbit]

I'm a bit like Yant above. Started playing in '68, and had my first lesson 20 years later, by which time I was off 5. I had been lower in my late teens but allowed beer and women to affect my concentration. In the intervening years since my first lesson I've probably had 5 lessons at the very most.

However, in defence of lessons, in recent years when the swing has got a bit iffy a quick 15 min review has usually sorted what I couldn't see.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Started playing 8 years ago full time

Started at 24 - have got down to 4

Not had any lessons

Know plenty who have lesson and after lesson and just don't improve HC wise

But then there are people who have had lessons that do improve

But there are plenty people playing the game of golf to a very good level without having any lessons

 

[Orikoru]

I don't have lessons, and I'm still improving. I imagine with lessons you would just improve a bit faster, but I don't really want the added expense at the moment, and I'm enjoying it anyway so I'm happy to carry on on my own. I've still made progress - 18 months ago I hadn't broken 100, and last month I broke 90 for the first and second times (both 88). A year ago I couldn't hit a driver to save my life, now it's one of the most consistent clubs in the bag - that only came from trying various second hand drivers to find the right one and practising like mad down the driving range.

I feel like I will hit a wall eventually where I'll need lessons to get to the next level, but right now I'm having fun and improving so I'm happy not to spend money on lessons.

(Note: the only lessons I ever had were when I was 14 and just started playing. I'm now 30 and not had one since then. I didn't even play much through my early and mid-20s so pretty forgot anything from back then anyway.)

 

[bobmac]

The hardest people to teach are those who have been doing it wrong for 10+ years

 

[Yant]

Ploughing through lessons isn't the answer either though. Its important for the player to have the opportunity to digest what information a coach has given them and find their own way to make that work.

 

[Spear-Chucker]

You can make lots of progress without lessons, even to pro level. Like anything it takes learning, patience, dedication and hours of practice. Is it quicker and better in the long term with lessons? Almost certainly. Important to remember that even many pro's who had minimal or no lessons often then worked with someone later in their careers as they sought to improve to a higher level - that's quite telling I think.

I had half a dozen lessons 30+ years ago as a kid and then decided (at around 12 - oddly; guess I've always been a bit stubborn/thick) to go my own way. Got to 1.1 at my lowest and played county level golf. I'm sure I could have been better with lessons and also with more time to work on stuff my way too. That said, I still enjoy being my own coach and take a lot of enjoyment from that. Probably un-coachable (?) now with numerous dreadful habits.

 

[GreggerKBR]

Depends what you want and your budget. If you like learning and like the technical learning processes then definitely get a coach as soon as you can.
If you like playing with buddies and don't really care how your swing "looks" then just go play/enjoy!

One or two lessons don't usually make massive differences it's a slow-steady learning-understanding-adapting process, especially if you've been playing for a while as Coach said.

I started playing at age 14 very occasionally with my Dad & buddies etc. I was off about 20-22.
Then started really trying in my mid 20's & got down to 8 without a lesson (thanks to Golf Monthly articles).
But played/practised 5 days a week... then stopped playing for 6 years.

When I came back I did a complete remodel but chose the wrong pro. Bad move. Handicap 15.
Have just completed another remodel with a pro/coach that I could not be happier with!
I have a much better understanding of my faults and how to recover. But I love the technical learning/understanding.
Now I'm back off 8 but I'm a much better player.

This is an ego statement I'll admit, but when opponents compliment my swing, I get a buzz from it.
I've worked hard for that, I badly wanted a solid foundation that would enable me to compete at a higher level.
I was insanely envious of my buddies that played off low single figures.

 

[jim8flog]

When you first start lessons are more important than when you have been playing for quite a while. The simple reason being is that help you to not develop bad 'habits' in the first place.

A swing fault that has become ingrained by hours of practice on the range or many rounds of golf is one of the hardest to get rid of.

I stopped having lessons about 10 years ago but when something goes wrong I know what is causing it and how to fix it simply because of all the knowledge stored up from the regular lessons I previously had.

I have watched many of my mates over the years and it is relatively easy to spot which ones never had a lesson in their life. Learning from friends is no guarantee you are learning the right thing.

 

[Orikoru]

I forgot to add earlier that I do really enjoy watching YouTube videos, particularly Me And My Golf, as I think their videos are really good. It's not specific to you of course, but they give loads of really good tips that I've tried to incorporate into my game which has helped a lot, particularly with my driving, iron striking, and general course management.

 

[Hobbit]

Maybe another question might be "how much progress do you want to make?" I believe we all have innate abilities that can take us quite a way in many things, and some people further than others depending on their physical and mental make up. Each person could then go a step or two further with the technical help that they just don't know.

 

[trevor]

I forgot to add earlier that I do really enjoy watching YouTube videos, particularly Me And My Golf, as I think their videos are really good. It's not specific to you of course, but they give loads of really good tips that I've tried to incorporate into my game which has helped a lot, particularly with my driving, iron striking, and general course management.

I wasn't playing well for a while and was watching videos and reading magazines for tips but was getting worse and worse. I then stopped and tried to clear my head of all the little things I thought I should be doing and went right back to basics, i.e. Just swing the club while moving forward and I'm back to how I used to be.

 

[Orikoru]

I wasn't playing well for a while and was watching videos and reading magazines for tips but was getting worse and worse. I then stopped and tried to clear my head of all the little things I thought I should be doing and went right back to basics, i.e. Just swing the club while moving forward and I'm back to how I used to be.

That's fair enough, I try and only take one thing at a time from them though. With driving it was about tilting the spine angle slightly. With irons it was just about the bottom of your swing arc being an inch past the ball instead of level with the ball. Those sort of things helped me. You are right though that anything more complicated than that might not work for your swing.

 

[garyinderry]

YouTube videos are an unbelievably good source for learning golf. People used to try and do if from books and later VHS tapes.

Find a few guys you like and no doubt they will have covered what you are looking for.

I have subscribed to over 100 people on YouTube. Their new videos come up daily. My feed is basically like an on demand news, reviews, tips and course v-logs channel. there is too many to watch but plenty to keep me occupied.

 

[chip barm]

Learning from friends is no guarantee you are learning the right thing.

what NOT to do is mainly what i pick up from my pals!

 

[chip barm]

Maybe another question might be "how much progress do you want to make?" I believe we all have innate abilities that can take us quite a way in many things, and some people further than others depending on their physical and mental make up. Each person could then go a step or two further with the technical help that they just don't know.

i'm not mega precious about being ace at golf. i never go the range or anything. i do love it though. playing, having a laugh, being on the course and having a beer etc. it's awesome.

 

[clubchamp98]

Very much like learning to drive there is a correct way to do everything but this has to be tailored to your strength and weaknesses.
No two people are the same so basics for you may not be the same as me..
Have a couple of lessons and make up your own mind if you improve or not.
Most golfers don't know their own swing so would be careful taking tips from them.
Your pro is trained to spot your faults so use his knowledge .
good luck.

 

[Deleted member 23270]

You can only go so far on your own, it is really quite frightening the difference between what you think you are doing and what you are actually doing. Modern technology makes a big difference, video and trackman etc really help to pinpoint faults.

If possible, get your swing video'd and it will help you see your faults.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

Ploughing through lessons isn't the answer either though. Its important for the player to have the opportunity to digest what information a coach has given them and find their own way to make that work.

This is a very good and important point.

I try and watch videos of the issue the pro has identified from as many different sources as possible as everyone understands things in different ways. One feeling won't work for one person which is brilliant for someone else, all when dealing with the same issue.