Lessons! Post here your thoughts.

[Orikoru]

I never have lessons, for a multitude of reasons, which I'm sure if I listed them would be shot down in flames by half the people on here. But in summary it's not having the money, not having a clue how to figure out which pro would be good or bad, and a slightly irrational fear of them completely ripping up my swing and grip and it being like starting from scratch. Ultimately though I'm happy watching videos online, and trying out anything that may be applicable to me. I don't want to have a whole bunch of swing thoughts in my head, and try and keep things simple.

 

[Curls]

I’ve been playing about 6 years now and have had a set of 3 lessons every 2 years, different pro each time. First ones were the basics (I thought). Second set gave me a fuller swing (I was very short and handsy). Third set with our Bobmac (winter before last) were night and day to the others. I learned more about what matters in those lessons than I ever have from YouTube or magazines. As a result and with enough time to implement what I was taught I’ve become a far better golfer than I would have had I never had lessons. I’ve had to figure out a fair bit for myself, but it’s all off the platform of the fundemtals that Bob taught me.

He said there’s no point in me fixing things and then you’re on the 3rd tee, slice one and fall apart because you don’t know how to fix it. So he taught me to understand my swing, not perfect my swing. I have flaws that he explained to me, but short of an overhaul lasting years I can work with it as long as I know what’s happening.

You don’t get that from YouTube imo. So yes, the right sort of lesson is invaluable to your development if you want to become a better golfer

 

[stefanovic]

Golf lessons are a con trick.
Anything works for three holes. What worked yesterday won't work today. It won't work tomorrow, either.

 

[bobmac]

Golf lessons are a con trick.
Anything works for three holes. What worked yesterday won't work today. It won't work tomorrow, either.

I'm sure you won't be surprised to hear that I disagree with that.

 

[Garush34]

I enjoy lessons and think they work for anyone. I have been lucky in that the pro I have been using was the first one I tried and we worked well together and I understood what he told me. I had seen vast improvement over the years and my game is much better than when I started. I have stalled a bit this year and I am giving online lessons a try this winter and will see how that goes until the end of the year. I'm using the Skillest app and have sent some swings to a pro in Australia to get some feedback.

I like looking at tips and videos on youtube but only if I know what I'm looking for. By that I mean I've been for a lesson and my pro has told me a fault/something we need to work on. I have tried working on it and maybe I don't get it so I look and see if someone else has a different feel or way or working on the same fault. I think where a lot of ams go wrong is they look at their swing and see an issue and then search for 20 videos on the same fault but what they have searched is maybe not actually what is causing their issue and they have not had the assessment by a trained professional.

The key for me when having lesson is the practice and then getting out on the course and using the changes in different scenarios and sticking with it. That may mean that for the first 3 holes I play ok, then on the 4th I put a ball out of bounds. That doesn't mean that the changes don't work, it just means that on that one swing something was off. Lessons don't mean that you will hit every shot great when out on the course but if you give up or go back to the old stuff after one or two bad shots then it was pointless going for the lesson. It can be the same over different days/weeks, just stick at it and one day things will fall into place.

 

[stefanovic]

Golf is based on Murphy's law. It it can go wrong, it will go wrong. Lessons cannot prevent that undeniable truth.
Last time I had a lesson I joined up with a guy who turned out to be an Albanian (really). He showed me how then lashed his ball way right and on to the road.
Prior to that a pro walked up to me on the driving range and persuaded me to try a swing aid which nearly cut off the blood supply to my wrist and hand.
Save your money.

 

[Orikoru]

Golf is based on Murphy's law. It it can go wrong, it will go wrong. Lessons cannot prevent that undeniable truth.
Last time I had a lesson I joined up with a guy who turned out to be an Albanian (really). He showed me how then lashed his ball way right and on to the road.
Prior to that a pro walked up to me on the driving range and persuaded me to try a swing aid which nearly cut off the blood supply to my wrist and hand.
Save your money.

You are tarring quite a lot of people with the same brush based on one quite bizarre sounding experience there.

 

[Smasher]

You need a good pro and by that i mean one that will tweak what you have, not try to change everything (even bit by bit over a number of lessons) to fit you into the 'cookie cutter' swing.
I've been struggling for 12 months after having a few lessons. I don't regret them as i did get a good understanding of the fundamentals and i'm now finding something that's repeatable for me and most importantly, MUCH better than what i started with.

 

[OOB]

From age of 9 to 29 just walked up to the ball, settled down and swung my club. Aside from a Dickie Davies presented golf show that had a David Leadbetter coaching segment on it that taught me the interlocking grip in the late 80's I had a totally untaught swing. In my late 20's as I was playing to roughly 20, playing 6 times a year. I had some more time to spare, and I had some lessons. It was wonderful as added 10-15 yards to all of my clubs, but in reality all it changed was the club I was taking at a certain hole, or point on the course. I'm also a bit of a difficult pupil, not that I don't listen, or can't adapt. I'm almost too easy to teach technical things to as I tend to do them immediately (but forget about them quickly too). I think the pro tried to cover too much in my time with him as I'm pretty sure I forgot most of it when out on the course. Maybe would have been better if we'd just nailed a few simple things. He told me at the time that I had single figure handicap potential, which I think I probably knew, but was nice to hear. My lasting regret is not having had those lessons at 11 when they would have really have had an effect in the long term. Shame but my parents could just not afford to support that kind of thing back then.

If I hit a brick wall of non improvement in my recent return to the game, I'll book in some lessons to see if it helps. All the time my scores are creeping south, I'm happy. From 116 for my first round in 10 years, to 93 last week, breaking 90 is in sight.

 

[stefanovic]

Considering that golf is 90% mental and 10% mental, I'm curious as to how lessons are actually supposed to work.
Golf is a triumph of hope over experience.
Ask for a refund if the lessons don't work. If the teacher refuses get him to prove it by accompanying you on a round and shooting par or better. I'll wager he will want to change the subject.

 

[Papas1982]

Considering that golf is 90% mental and 10% mental, I'm curious as to how lessons are actually supposed to work.
Golf is a triumph of hope over experience.
Ask for a refund if the lessons don't work. If the teacher refuses get him to prove it by accompanying you on a round and shooting par or better. I'll wager he will want to change the subject.

Are you bored today or something? Anything can be taught to anyone. Whether that person has the requisite skills to understand and implement the changes, is another question altogether.

 

[Garush34]

Considering that golf is 90% mental and 10% mental, I'm curious as to how lessons are actually supposed to work.
Golf is a triumph of hope over experience.
Ask for a refund if the lessons don't work. If the teacher refuses get him to prove it by accompanying you on a round and shooting par or better. I'll wager he will want to change the subject.

Why would a pro refund the cost just because you haven't broken par? You are paying for his time and knowledge, its then up to you to put the time and effort in to make it work. Plus you would be foolish to think going for a lesson and you are automatically going to break par when stepping back out onto the course.

 

[Neeko1988]

I am majorly in favour of lessons. I played for around 2-3 years without a lesson and have had lessons now roughly two a month for the last couple of years and the difference is night and day. I have a far better understanding of things like club path, attach angle, dynamic loft etc that i just wouldn't have been able to have without the lessons. another plus side is i find the lessons enjoyable and gives me a more structured practice routine. The only downside for me is the cost.

 

[Capella]

Considering that golf is 90% mental and 10% mental, I'm curious as to how lessons are actually supposed to work.
Golf is a triumph of hope over experience.
Ask for a refund if the lessons don't work. If the teacher refuses get him to prove it by accompanying you on a round and shooting par or better. I'll wager he will want to change the subject.

I would argue that "once you have a solid technique, golf is mostly mental". But despite what some Indian supergurus might claim, the mind can't conquer physics. It does not matter what your swing looks like, but as long as you don't get the clubhead to make solid contact with the ball, your mind can help you to feel good about your golf, but it won't help the ball to take off. Some people might be talented (or lucky) enough to develop a functioning swing naturally. Others will stay slicers forever if they don't take lessons. Simple as.

Also, a good pro should be able to help your confidence as well. Golf coaching is not (or should not be) limited to just teaching technique.

 

[OOB]

Considering that golf is 90% mental and 10% mental, I'm curious as to how lessons are actually supposed to work.
Golf is a triumph of hope over experience.
Ask for a refund if the lessons don't work. If the teacher refuses get him to prove it by accompanying you on a round and shooting par or better. I'll wager he will want to change the subject.

Strange statement, and not sure if you mean you want a pro to be able to break par, or you??

Some very, very capable golfers will never break par, coached or not- the reason.... It's not supposed to be easy!!!

The mental side of golf is standing over a 4ft straight putt knowing its relatively simple, but leaving it short. This is about mental strength and not about skill. Watch the Sky Sports series on the mental side of sports and you'll get an idea. It's Cricket focussed but draws in a lot of sports.

 

[chrisd]

I believe in tuition. I've had lessons for various hobbies, tennis, piano and golf and clearly feel that I'm better than I otherwise would be if I hadn't bothered. I had a golf lesson 2 weeks ago, one of a series I intend to have during the winter months, changed my back swing position massively and hit some awesome iron shots yesterday in the monthly Stableford.Even the best players in the world have coaches - why wouldn't everyone?

 

[Wilson]

I'm a big believer in lessons, but you have to find the right coach, and then practise what they teach you.

 

[howbow88]

I never have lessons, for a multitude of reasons, which I'm sure if I listed them would be shot down in flames by half the people on here. But in summary it's not having the money, not having a clue how to figure out which pro would be good or bad, and a slightly irrational fear of them completely ripping up my swing and grip and it being like starting from scratch. Ultimately though I'm happy watching videos online, and trying out anything that may be applicable to me. I don't want to have a whole bunch of swing thoughts in my head, and try and keep things simple.

This is so key. A guy round where I live has the best reviews ever - my mate had lessons of him for 3 years, spending probably £1,000 in the process, and ended up worse. He was a 28 handicapper who went from nearly hitting 99 a good few times a year, to not completing a full 18 hole round for at least 2 years. Just a couple of lessons with the guy I used to see, and hey presto, he shot 98.

 

[howbow88]

That said, the guy who helped my friend and I used to get lessons off.. Well, I'm not sure I would go to him again.

A question I have for you lot - is it important that a teacher is flexible to what you already have, or should they stick strictly and utterly to what they do and nothing thing else?

What I mean by that is that this bloke teaches one swing, and one swing only... As an example, I asked him once whether based on everything he taught, whether he thought that Tiger's swing was fundamentally flawed. He paused for a while, and said yes. So I asked him if Tiger turned up for a lesson, would he completely rebuild his swing, starting again. He said yes.

I'm not sure what to make of that.

 

[Orikoru]

That said, the guy who helped my friend and I used to get lessons off.. Well, I'm not sure I would go to him again.

A question I have for you lot - is it important that a teacher is flexible to what you already have, or should they stick strictly and utterly to what they do an thing else?

What I mean by that is that this bloke teaches one swing, and one swing only... As an example, I asked him once whether based on everything he taught, whether he thought that Tiger's swing was fundamentally flawed. He paused for a while, and said yes. So I asked him if Tiger turned up for a lesson, would he completely rebuild his swing, starting again. He said yes.

I'm not sure what to make of that.

Yea, that sounds like a nightmare for me. As mentioned, my fear of someone just ripping up my swing and starting again is one reason I haven't got lessons. Not saying my swing is perfect, but I wouldn't want to be trying to figure out an entirely new one that feels completely alien and takes 6 months to a year to bed in. I mean I only play once a week each weekend, I just want to get round in a decent score, not swing it like Adam Scott.