Lessons.....How often is too often?

[SteveW86]

As someone who is relatively new to the game (been taking it seriously for just over a year) and wanting to improve quickly I am wondering how often other people have lessons. I had a few lessons this time last year to get me started, this gave me something to work with and I saw improvement. My swing had developed into something which was fairly consistent, I know what my bad shot is/was.

Since the end of the summer I have stepped up my practising quite a lot. I got back from working abroad at the end of September, and haven't worked since. Throughout this time I have had 4 lessons, so not far off one a week. In that time, my swing has changed quite a lot, my set up and posture has improved dramatically which has significantly improved my consistency. I am starting to see some real improvements in my scores, rather than feeling like my scores weren't reflecting how I was playing. Each lesson we have moved flowed into the next part of my swing as I seem to have bedded in the changes pretty easily. I certainly don't feel like I am having too many lessons, mainly because I am putting in the range time between lessons.

So I guess my question is how often do you have lessons?

 

[Neilds]

Personally I would say 1 a week is too often. You need time to practice what you have been taught so I would say every 2-3 weeks is better.

But everyone is different so you will get loads of different answers here, try less often and see what suits you. And listen to what your pro says about frequency

 

[PJ87]

I was always under the impression anything more than once a month is a waste. Lessons take time to bed in and working on it alone is only true way to get it to sink in. So a nice month break between lessons is just right balance

 

[duncan mackie]

As someone who is relatively new to the game (been taking it seriously for just over a year) and wanting to improve quickly I am wondering how often other people have lessons. I had a few lessons this time last year to get me started, this gave me something to work with and I saw improvement. My swing had developed into something which was fairly consistent, I know what my bad shot is/was.

Since the end of the summer I have stepped up my practising quite a lot. I got back from working abroad at the end of September, and haven't worked since. Throughout this time I have had 4 lessons, so not far off one a week. In that time, my swing has changed quite a lot, my set up and posture has improved dramatically which has significantly improved my consistency. I am starting to see some real improvements in my scores, rather than feeling like my scores weren't reflecting how I was playing. Each lesson we have moved flowed into the next part of my swing as I seem to have bedded in the changes pretty easily. I certainly don't feel like I am having too many lessons, mainly because I am putting in the range time between lessons.

So I guess my question is how often do you have lessons?

How often I have lessons has no relevance to your progress at all.

What's relevant to you is whether you can assimilate the incoming information, process it and incorporate it.

This will be completely different for every individual (based on a wide range of elements).

 

[SteveW86]

How often I have lessons has no relevance to your progress at all.

What's relevant to you is whether you can assimilate the incoming information, process it and incorporate it.

This will be completely different for every individual (based on a wide range of elements).

I know that, I was just curious.

Because I have hit the range 5/6 times between lessons I don't feel like they have been too often. Start the new job on monday so won't be able to practise as much so the lessons will become less frequent.

 

[davemc1]

Each to their own but, I reckon a 2hr lesson a month is better than a 30 min a week

 

[duncan mackie]

Each to their own but, I reckon a 2hr lesson a month is better than a 30 min a week

Each to their own - I don't know many golfers that can take in the contents of a 2hr lesson!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Once a week is too much in my mind. You need time to work on the changes and drills and make it feel natural. You then need to take it to the course and see how it works, perhaps then feeding that back to the pro. I would say, 2-3 weeks is fine. Be careful of doing too much range work though as it's easy to over egg a move your were shown or allow other faults to creep in. Quality over quantity.

On the plus side though, its good to see progress in the game and your scores getting better. Keep at it and I hope the winter work pays dividends come the new season

 

[Hobbit]

It very much depends on how much you practice per week and how relevant your practice is. Please don't take this the wrong way. If you're a relatively high handicapper, have lessons more frequently. What you don't want to do is spend weeks ingraining the wrong thing because you've misunderstood the instructions. Once you've got a consistent swing, less often.

For me its once a year, bit like an MOT, but after nearly 50yrs playing changing my habits is difficult. That said, if somethings not right I'll have a quick fix lesson then go and work on it for a few weeks.

 

[Dasit]

1 lesson every 2 weeks. Usually work on a different part of my game every month, so 2 30 mins on my pitching, then 2 30 mins on swing path and shot shape, then 2 weeks on approach play.

putting lessons are with a specialist and on its own time frame

 

[hovis]

i have a 15 minute lesson in the morning, a few hours to practice, then another 15 minute lesson the same day.
i always found after a lesson when I'm away from the pro something goes wrong and i need to wait another 2 or 3 weeks for his advice or help. this works for me as its like getting a double lesson

 

[bobmac]

It doesn't matter how many or how few lessons you have if you don't practice

 

[davemc1]

Each to their own - I don't know many golfers that can take in the contents of a 2hr lesson!

yeah I'll have that. I'll revise it to an initial 2hr assessment lesson, then followed by hour lessons. I just feel 30 min ones are rushed.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I would say have a lesson as often as you feel you need them. Yes you need to practice and try and ingrain any swing thoughts and changes, but what you don't want to do is start to ingrain the wrong things into your game after the lesson. So I would say have them when you feel you want them.

 

[chimpo1]

I've been having one a month since April. I found that even with range time and frequent playing during the summer, that is plenty. I find that I need time to put the new method/technique into play and to gain some feedback on how it is going. When I have the next lesson, we talk about its success, how it's going etc.