How often do you have lessons?

[woosey]

Hey Guys,

How often a season would you say you have lessons? I used to dread paying money for lessons, thinking i could fix my swing myself, however in recent years i'm a convert, instead of buying that new driver, i'll book 6 lessons with the pro to get my current kit working (that said i'm tempted by some RBZ goodness for my fairway woods )

I see a lot of guys around always with the latest gear knocking it around the course in the high 90's for years on end - surely a better investment is lessons

 

[Snelly]

I never have lessons and rarely buy new equipment. I doubt the value of either to be honest.

My advice would be don't do either as long as you have sound fundamentals. Just play more. You will improve.

 

[Birchy]

Lessons are the most valuable thing i have ever bought golf wise. They help you improve much faster as you are shown how to do things properly. Providing you do what the pro says and practice what he shows you, you will improve. I thought lessons were a waste until i had some and they make a huge difference. I have them as often as i can reasonably afford them. Im booking another block next time i go to the golf club

 

[NorfolkShaun]

Best advice I have ever had is have lessons, a friend told me once you get set up maybe a lesson every couple of months just to put things back into shape, or more if you need it.

 

[Toad]

I had my first ever golf lesson today with Steve North at St Andrews, I never realised how bad my posture had become over the years, explains so much that is wrong with my game when you see it. I would have kept plugging away doing the same thing and not getting to the root cause if I had not gone.
I would recommend a lesson now and again just to check that the basics are all ok and that what your working on is correct and not just ingraining faults.

 

[kid2]

Off 16 at the moment and have never had a proper lesson....Although i have had some sound advice from Bob....
Im playing 3 years this year and have had 2 bad leg injuries ( 1 on each ) which has slowed down my progress a little but iv now started hitting the ball straighter and the only real struggle that i have at the moment is my driver...

Iv learned everything through the internet and through books and magazines and i think that i have the fundamentals in place to be a good player....
My goal like most is single figures and to get as low as possible....I definitely have the discipline and the desire and with just a little more patience ill get there...

I get more satisfaction out of fixing things myself which is why i dont want lessons just yet!

 

[munro007]

I have never had lessons, but me thinks i will be getting some soon, i really want to improve, and beat my old handicap of 9, just need to stop buying golf clubs.

 

[Bunkermonkey]

[video=youtube;MhIL81JMhdY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhIL81JMhdY&feature=youtu.be[/video]
I think lessons are the best money you can spend on golf, with the benefit of modern tech you get emailed your swing with points to refer too Ive attached my recent driver lesson. I find it really helpful to have points to refer back too.

 

[munro007]

Yes i would find that really helpful.

 

[USER1999]

I have played for 25 odd years. Most of these off 12. I had never had a lesson. As a result I had a swing which worked, but was far from text book. On a good day, it would get me round pretty well. I also have a decent short game, which bails out my long game deficiencies.

I got down to 9 last year, and then crept back up to 10. I know this swing has taken me as far as it can go.

What if my bad shots were fixable, so that they were not so bad? I'd still have my short game, but my mistakes would be smaller. May be the bad iron shots would still hit the green even. Better technique would surely lead to fewer swing faults, many of which compensate for other swing faults I don't even know I have.

So lessons then. I am having about 1 every two weeks, with a view to moving to one every five weeks. I do practice quite a lot though (not just a range bucket once a week, that is not practice). Already I prefer my new swing. Both on video, and also the results. I am still trying to change a few things, but most of the work is done. If I remember to do it on the golf course.

If you have good fundamentals, you probably could play to a decent handicap with next to zero lessons. To get good fundamentals, you probably need some coaching. How much you continue after that is up to you. Every one has their own swing, there is no ideal one size fits all swing. Fiddling with minor adjustments soon hits the law of diminishing return. Loads of effort in, next to no difference in out come.

 

[AmandaJR]

I went the lesson route as I couldn't bear being so rubbish and would surely have quit playing. I'd been used to being good at pretty much any sport I'd tried (hockey, cricket, tennis, squash etc) and thought golf would be the same but for me it wasn't. I was ok I guess but not anywhere near adept enough to get pleasure from the sport. I've been having regular lessons for 3 years now and their frequency depends what we're working on and what I'm managing to break between lessons. Ideally once every 4-6 weeks I think would be about right and then often more of a "service" to check where things are than big changes. I have a tendancy to take on board the information and run with it and then go too far and don't really notice it happening until it shows on the course...

Not a cheap option though but I don't chop and change gear (often!).

 

[spawn_ukuk]

Never had a lesson in my life and my handicap is 12 now
I just seemed to get the hang of it, but i have been playing so much golf

 

[Evesdad]

I'm on a course of five with the second tomorrow. The difference is like night and day! After one lesson I'm striking the ball so much better. If you have lessons you must practice what you are told, I've been guilty of not doing this in the past and hence didn't improve.

 

[Rooter]

I am coming to the end of my first course of 8 lessons, best money I ever spent. Handicap is down to 17 after playing for under a year properly (and that only 2-3 rounds per month)

 

[G1BB0]

I had lessons last year and improved but didnt follow them on and went back to old habits. Going to book a series of 5 starting this week to sort a few posture and grip issues (pointed out to me via Bob and James (justone) ). My game is ok when I am on it but way too much inconstency so hopefully by getting the fundamentals corrected and some structured practice I can get a bit of consistency and get my handicap to where I think it should be (around 20) by the end of this season.

After that I will see how well I stick to the practice and drills and if i continue to improve then maybe one or 2 lessons before the new season just as a refresher.

 

[DaveyG]

Whenever I have a real horror show... The confidence I have and the difference it makes having someone who actually knows what they are on about makes it all worth it.

Having lessons is a no brainer I think if you are going to put all your freetime and money into it.

 

[chrisd]

I have a lesson just when I feel ready for either an MOT or to move my game on so its probably about 8 per year. I would like to get to single figures this year and lessons will form part of the plan

 

[Sponge1980]

We dont have a Pro up here although one of the Pros from Inverness GC comes up once a year with a lot of golf equipment and does a coaching weekend. I went to a junior session he did when I started playing when I was 14 but as I dont see the point in having 1 lesson a year I've never been to another one. If I had access to regular lessons then I would probably go once every other month.

 

[Imurg]

Had a 20 minute free lesson when I first joined a club in '94 - about as much use as achocolate teapot to be honest.
Never had another - had some pointers occasionally from a Pro mate but not really lessons.....

 

[kid2]

Had a 20 minute free lesson when I first joined a club in '94 - about as much use as achocolate teapot to be honest.
Never had another - had some pointers occasionally from a Pro mate but not really lessons.....

Your my Idol Murg :thup:

Its what im trying to do....Iv nothing against anyone taking lessons or against teaching Pro's but i want to try go it alone.....

You must have some decent talent to be able to maintain a 5 handicap without lessons though.