Length of Lesson

[GB72]

After Xmas I have decided it is time to take some lessons before next season. My handicap has plateaued for a while and if had not been for one round this year I would probably still be off 20 (or higher).

Spoke to the pros at my place at the weekend and the one I use has stopped doing half hour lessons. He feels that the needs a full hour to impart enough information in a session. Prviously I have only had half hour lessons and with the amount of time I have to practice that seemed to suit me. I would take away a couple of things that could practice for a few weeks. An hour to me seems too much and I am not convinced that I would take away anything more from the extra time or if there were too many suggestions, I may not have the chance to practice them all.


Does anyone prefer the one hour lesson and feel that it is beneficial to have the extra time or do the majority feel that a shorter lesson gives them everything they need. I would probably try an hour lesson anyway to see how it goes but may be on the lookout for a new teaching pro if the longer lessons do not suit (I may be in touch Bob).

 

[chris661]

My lessons are an hour (or longer) and we tend to only work on one thing at a time as that is the way I asked for it to be done but we generally touch on a couple of other things too. During the lesson I might hit around 20 balls or so most of the time is spent on working on the drills to achieve the desired position so its not all bad.

 

[Mr_T]

My lessons are around 45-50 minutes which ain't bad for 20 quid, I find them just right to be honest any less and I don't think I would be getting much out of it for my money but I don't want much more as I have other commitments and it leaves me with time to do a but of practice afterwards

 

[SocketRocket]

I find it depends what you are working on. If it's a big change or a few things like sand play and chipping or course management then an hour is the best way, especially if you are having your swing videoed and replayed to you.

For smaller tweeks then a half hour is fine. sometimes after a a few swings and the coach pointing out what has gone wrong you can be sorted out fairly quickly.

Also an hours lessons can be £50+ which is a bit steep for many people.

 

[D_E_A_N]

My first lesson was an hour (only paid for 1/2 hour) and it felt like 30 mins. I only hit maybe 10 balls the whole lesson. 5 so he could see my swing as he never saw it before, then talked through it on the computer why the ball flight went the way it did, how to fix it, then maybe 5 more balls showing the difference. Lesson finished then off I went to practice it! Couldn't believe it was an hour!

 

[GB72]

The cost is not too bad as I have lessons with one on the assistants.

No video or anything like that though (I can see why you need a longer lesson if you are watching play back etc. All we have is a practice ground, a bunker, a putting green and a small chipping green.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Mine are always an hour. 5 minutes going over my game and what we did last time. Hit a few balls (already warmed up) and get it on video. Spend a bit of time looking at it and then going through what needs fixing. My pro will get me working on it without hitting shots to get the feel and so I understand what needs to happen. Gives me a couple of drills. Spend some time working on them and then hit balls to see if I have encompassed the changes and make any tweaks. Five minute refresher at end. He sends the before/after video everytime and an a-mail with the drills and a synopsis of what we've worked on and why.

 

[Luulox]

Get lessons off someone else. in my opinion Hes making up the slack period with your money. outrageous that he cant help in half hour lessons.

 

[Phil2511]

My pro although he doesnt charge me would rarely get even close to 30 minutes, i think my first lesson was, and 1 for putting, but the rest were about 10 minutes, he has been building my swing up over the year and it usually just a description of what the new part i need to do is why it works and once he sees i can do it he leaves me to it.
If i start playing bad (sometimes i forget about something ive learned when ive been focusing on the latest part) usually by watching me hit 3 balls he can find it and within 5 minutes fix it.

He has told me before when giving a full paid for lesson for a 1/2 hour its 10-15 minutes of him teaching them what to do and the rest of the 30 mins he is just stood watching them hit balls because he feels the client needs to feel they are getting something for their money.

Seen other pros before this guy and tbh at times i felt i was paying for them to stand there watching me, and at the time of the lessons felt i could have been taught more for my money and maybe they were holding back to get more cash long term wise, whilst on the other hand 1 pro actually told me and my mate who had each booked a lesson 1/2 hr each that she could teach us both in the 1 lesson so 15 mins each.

I tried a few pros at the start until i became friendly with my current pro and started being coached by him.

 

[Garesfield ACE]

Ive had 1 lesson was meant to be 30 mins (which beforehand i wasnt particularly ok with ) but it lasted 75 mins..I was over the moon with that..but like someone said earlier it felt like 30 mins/very quick..

Got me to try change my grip after looking at my swing.....then did some more mid iron/pw shots....where I ended up taking divots and getting more height (both new to me )

Kev

 

[thecraw]

My first lesson was an hour (only paid for 1/2 hour) and it felt like 30 mins. I only hit maybe 10 balls the whole lesson. 5 so he could see my swing as he never saw it before, then talked through it on the computer why the ball flight went the way it did, how to fix it, then maybe 5 more balls showing the difference. Lesson finished then off I went to practice it! Couldn't believe it was an hour!

I'd sack him in an instant. 10 BALLS in an hours lesson! Did he actually take money for it???

 

[Airlie_Andy]

Only had one lesson so far and it was 45 mins. Seemed about right to me as 30 would have been too short and an hour would have meant a lot of standing around watching me swing. I've decided to go back for a second lesson after 3 weeks working on the swing change. I've hit 700 balls over 5 range sessions this week and I'm determined to get it right before I go back.

 

[bobmac]

I mostly teach 45 mins or an hour. (£20, £30)
I prefer that to 1/2 an hour as I feel I can achieve more.

 

[Imurg]

I get a similar issue in the Driving Instruction.
Many people want 1 hour lessons but by the time they've got in the car, sorted out their driving position, got going and got warmed up, the best part of 10 minutes is gone.
Add into that some time-out to talk through faults, learning a manoevre and practicing it a few times - Hey Presto It's time to go home, talk through what we've done, sort out payment/next lesson.
By the time they've got going it's time to stop.
I try to encourage 2 hour lessons - not just because I get more cash for it but because they'll learn more. Research has been done and the findings reckon that they learn more in 1x2 hour lesson than they do in 2x1 hour lessons due to the "getting going" period.

OK it doesn't translate directly to Golf lessons but I bet the principles are the same.
30 minutes is a very short time to try and learn something new.

 

[bobmac]

The principles are indeed the same, especially if you are teaching someone for the first time.

 

[richart]

I mostly teach 45 mins or an hour. (£20, £30)
I prefer that to 1/2 an hour as I feel I can achieve more.

Probably a stupid question Bob, but why are your hourly lessons more expensive by the minute than your 45 minute ones ? Is it that you only take cash in the form of £10 notes for tax purposes.:lol:

 

[bobmac]

Probably a stupid question Bob, but why are your hourly lessons more expensive by the minute than your 45 minute ones ?

Look at it this way
A 1/2 hour lesson is £15
I prefer to give 45 mins lessons which work out cheaper per minute than the the 1/2 hour lessons

 

[Monty_Brown]

I guess it's horses for courses. A relative beginner with a lot of things to work on, I could see how an hour is the way to go. For me, the swing fundamentals are there and fairly well set. My lessons are about the pro picking up errors that are creeping in and fine tuning, so half an hour is fine.

It normally only take him 10 minutes to get me hitting it well, (video, quick watch then describing the change) then the rest of the time we work on the feeling and drills to ingrain the change.

It normally only take me 10 minutes to forget it all back on the course as well.

 

[USER1999]

I am thinking of having a few lessons this winter at my local driving range. They do a 1 hour assessment, with video and all that. Then you can have either 1/2 or 1 hour lessons, at £20 per half hour.

For me, I can't see the point of a one hour lesson. I don't want to make the sort of change that will take an hour to explain, in one go. I would rather edge up on it if such radical changes are needed. I think 1/2 hour should be plenty to give me one thing to work on., which I might have a chance to remember.

I also do not have the concentration for longer than 1/2 hour.

 

[didsbury_duffer]

30 minutes should be fine, whatever level you are playing to. If you are looking for minor tweaks, then this should be long enough for a good Pro to see what you are doing wrong and show you how to correct it. The rest is up to you on the practice ground. If you are looking for major game changers, then it should also be long enough for the Pro to give you a couple of major things to work on. Any more than that will be information overload, and too much for you to take in on the practice ground.