Lessons for Beginners

[EddieT]

I'm thinking of getting some 1-2-1 lessons and was wondering what people here felt the best approach was.
Questions being:
What would be the best length of lesson? Would I get more out of 2 half hour lessons or one full hour lesson? Will this change as I progress/hopefully improve?

What would be a good lesson frequency? Again will this change?

Thanks.

 

[Rooter]

Go and speak to the pro, have in your head a few things..

What you want from your golf. ie, do you want to seriously improve and go low, or do you want to be able to enjoy yourself.
How much time can you put into practicing what you have been taught.

Round my way, a lot of places offer a "bundle" usually 6 x 45 minute lessons, I spread on of them over 6 months and that worked well for me.

 

[rob_golf1]

I had a block of six booked for me as a birthday present back in February. Its only today that I am getting to my third lesson.

I have been playing golf since I was about 15, I'm 21 now, and my pro completely changed the way I was used to playing. I was given a new grip and stance and although I am not seeing the benefits of it at this moment in time, I am confident in the long run it will help me play much better golf!

 

[David White]

Try the golf school they have residential courses for two three or five days www.golfschool.co.uk

 

[Jay Gee]

It depends on how much you are going to practice in between and how much info you can cope with in one go. I would also have an assessment/test lesson or two before block booking as you might want to make sure that you get on with your instructor. I had a couple of lessons with one guy who was nice enough, but didn't seem like he wanted to be there during my last lesson (which is why it was my last with him). Everyone can have a bad day, but I would have prefered if he cancelled or postponed a lesson rather than make me feel like it was an inconvenience taking my money!

I started off having 1 hour lessons every 4-6 weeks, but found that there was too much information to take on board and implement together. That's just me, but I find it takes more than a couple of balls in between feedback for things to bed in. This format felt to me like instruction heavy/practice light, if that makes sense.

I then had some group lessons, which are more like a practice session with someone giving you pointers now and again. This works quite well (for me) and is practice heavy/instruction light, sort of structured practice.

I'm now looking to try some 1/2 hour lessons, with one option being sharing a 1 hour lesson with a mate. This way I'll get a bit of time to practice techniques whilst the pro works with my mate, whilst still getting plenty of instruction and feedback.

Best of luck whichever way you go. Make sure you practice between lessons.

 

[David White]

Half Hour Lessons are Ok but if you really want to get going a residential golf school offers so much more Check this completely independant company out to get honest feed back http://www.trustpilot.co.uk/review/www.golfschool.co.uk Good luck

 

[andrew_mac]

David, your blatant sales pitch will not be appreciated by forum members. If you want to advertise take out an advertisment as the rest of us are here to meaningfully contribute to discussions and debates.

 

[EddieT]

Thanks. Think I'll book a single lesson to begin with, give me a chance to see what its like etc. Anyone have an opinion on how long the initial lesson should be? Options would be a half hour or an hour. My thinking was a half hour lesson followed by another half hour or so hitting the remainder of the range balls to put into practice what's been said.

I want to get away from just going to the driving range a couple of times a week and hitting 100 balls without thought.

 

[andrew_mac]

Eddie, I'd go for 30 mins to start with which in my experience usually means 45 mins as my pro is never a stickler for time and lessons often overrun a little. After a new lessons he now comes down to see me when I'm in the range and has give me a few pointers on my swing or what I'm doing.

 

[chellie]

I'm doing group lessons. Lessons are an hour although often overrun. Was three of us at first but there's now four of us. They are usually once a fortnight so there is time to practice what he's taught us. Have had some individual lessons when we joined the club and if money was no object I would prefer that as it's more intensive although I don't feel I'm missing out on what I'm being taught by having group lessons. I suppose it depends on the Pro and how it goes for you.

 

[londonlewis]

Eddie, I'd go for 30 mins to start with which in my experience usually means 45 mins as my pro is never a stickler for time and lessons often overrun a little. After a new lessons he now comes down to see me when I'm in the range and has give me a few pointers on my swing or what I'm doing.

Great to see a pro who cares more about his / her students than about the money in their pocket or the time on their watch.
Sounds like excellent advice as welll Andrew_mac!