Lessons - subtle changes or proper overhaul?

[G1BB0]

so a lot of us have lessons, when starting out (or at a brick wall handicap wise) should one undergo the full monty for a greater gain in the long run, or go for subtle changes enabling us to progress but still be able to play of a weekend and enjoy our golf.

The reason I ask is I have read a lot of posts saying how bad peoples games have got whilst working on swing changes. Personally I play as a hobby and as much as I want to improve I also want to play every weekend if possible. Life is short and if I have the chance of a round with friends I dont want to ruin my enjoyment just because a major swing change is in transition and making me swing like even more of a hacker than I currently am

whats your personal experience and/or thoughts?

 

[ScienceBoy]

Regular lessons, every 2 months at most whether you are playing well or not. Its just basic, required coaching...

Its been said many times, golf is one of the most under coached sports as lessons cost! I think if you want to be a golfer then you need 6 lessons a year minimum. More if you want to be an improving golfer!

Looking at my lessons I have never had any major swing changes, just learnt how to swing properly. I dont need it to be perfect, just get me within 120 yards so I can use my short game to score!

If only golf was coached like football, rugby or other similar sports!

 

[Bigfoot]

Whichever way you go, you will find that it takes time for the change to settle into your game and you improve.Expect slow progress. One saved shot here and there that eventually means a round that was 3 over becomes 1 over then level then may go backwards.

Confidence is the biggest part of improvement.

Best of luck.

 

[ScienceBoy]

Expect slow progress..

Quick scoring progress tends not to come from swing changes once you can generally progress the ball down the hole. Quick reduction in scores comes from three areas:

Putting/chipping- Practice this and you can save 3-5 shots a round easily

Gameplan- Put the driver away and tee off with a hybrid, lay up on long par 4s and pitch on, aim for the heart of greens not the pins. When you miss make sure its on the safe side! Save you 3-5 shots a round BUT probably lose 1 or 2 shots through playing safe.

Mental- Take each shot at a time and dont think about the final tally or what you "need" to score over the next few holes. Staying in the "now" will save you 3-5 shots a round.

These, not having the "perfect swing", will get a high handicapper down to low teens. Single figures can be made without a powerful perfect swing. By all means keep working on the swing but dont hit 100 balls and ignore the short game to rid yourself of a fade, play with it and just aim a little more right!

The rule is, EVEN WHILE MAKING A SWING CHANGE, spend a majority of time putting, a fair bit of time chipping & pitching and the rest, maybe 20% on driving and iron play.

Yes its not as fun or macho but the HOURS I spent a week on my short game changed me from shooting 95-100 to shooting low 80s in 5 months.

 

[USER1999]

Fine, but I can putt, and my short game is better than most, and I don't practice either much. I mainly practice hitting irons, as this is by far the weakest part of my game, and the reason why my short game is hot. I never hit any greens.

If you are just playing for fun, why have lessons at all? If you have lessons, you need to practice what you are taught, and this is never fun. If you don't have time to practice, and would rather play, knock the lessons on the head. There's no point.

Me, I went for the swing rebuild. Learn how to do it properly. Three months in, I am still struggling. I can nudge it round under my handicap fine, but not with the swing I want. Frustrating, and I'm really not sure it will be worth the effort.

 

[G1BB0]

I have to admit yours is one of the reasons why I posted Murph, dont get me wrong, as a 'beginner' I want to improve but am worried that, as bad as I can be now, I will get even worse!!!!

 

[chrisd]

I try and have a lesson when I'm playing well so it's hardly ever a remedial one. I chat with the pro about what I want to progress with and I only have the next lesson when I have grooved the last one - well thats the theory!

 

[Evesdad]

I've practised my short game more recently and really helps, even just abit of time in the garden practicing different chips on the lawn has seen great improvement getting the ball close from around the green. Lots of 8i runners and small lofted ones with the sw or lw gives me more options. My problem now is just getting to te damn green in the first place!

 

[Foxholer]

I went for a major change, to take me from a mid-capper (14) with a hockey player's swing that would inhibit further improvement to something like a golfer's swing with only (lack of) effort and talent being the barrier to a low 'cap. Really only took a month or so of quite hard work, an occasional follow up lesson (and a round or 2 of chaos after) and eventually got as low as 7.

Subsequently only had an occasional full-swing lesson. Most are of need has always been my chipping!

 

[ScienceBoy]

I've practised my short game more recently and really helps, even just abit of time in the garden practicing different chips on the lawn has seen great improvement getting the ball close from around the green. Lots of 8i runners and small lofted ones with the sw or lw gives me more options. My problem now is just getting to te damn green in the first place!

Practice pitching and then get on the green or within 120 yards in two shots less than par, then attack the flag inside that range.

120 is my magic number anyway, even playing off 12 I lay up on at least 5 par 4s round my old course.

I rarely attack a green with anything above a 7 iron unless I am more than 80% sure of it being safe.

I took time to work out my safe zones and risk percentages, I tried never to take on shots I was not more than 80% sure I could pull off at any given time.

Any par 4 over 400 yards was a lay up candidate, some under if the tee shot was tight. I usually walked off with par because I wedged it close or chipped it close. As long as you miss safe its all OK and with 25 shots given to you in a round you can lay up on EVERY hole and chip close to still make a nett birdie!

I think back now on some 5 irons I hit over bunkers from tight lies uphill and into the wind... I cringe even though the ones I remember lead to birdies or pars. I know they were not the percentage shot but at that point in time confidence was VERY high. For every one that came off I think there was 2-3 that did not.

My rule to myself was if I was to miss, miss safe!

 

[ScienceBoy]

Most are of need has always been my chipping!

See the last GM mag and the heel up technique, its spot on! Use it in conjunction with a V-Easy. I have hardly been playing golf but I almost holed two of the few chips I had today. The loft does the work in that technique so you can swing a little more confidently and therefore fats and thins are very rare!

 

[SocketRocket]

It is so easy for a swing flaw to creep in gradually. It may result in you making poor ball contact, you cant get out of bunkers, thin chips etc but due to the gradual unplanned change you can't see what has gone wrong. This is where a 'Tune Up' lesson can sort out the issue and quickly get you back on track. Complete swing changes are are less of a tune up and more like cosmetic surgery (things pulled and pushed away from where they felt comfortable) and may take a long time to improve things.

 

[Foxholer]

See the last GM mag and the heel up technique, its spot on! Use it in conjunction with a V-Easy. I have hardly been playing golf but I almost holed two of the few chips I had today. The loft does the work in that technique so you can swing a little more confidently and therefore fats and thins are very rare!

Thanks, but I'd sooner use my (pet) Pro. I'm still off 9 and only injury (broken left ankle) recovery is preventing me from being as consistent as I have been over the last couple of years.

I Learn't that shot (I use PW) in 2004.

Won't purchase anything from someone who can't see why(at least) full handicap allowance is correct (nose/face but...!)

I'm for subtle changes now, not 'overhaul'.

 

[kid2]

No lessons for me yet.....I was tempted as i had spent practically the whole of last season trying to draw the ball and it messed me right up....
Iv got from 21 to 15 as it is so there is clearly some natural ability and im going to see where that takes me....

With some wise words from Snelly iv gone from being too mechanical about my swing to swinging far more freely with more consistency and confidence and very few thoughts and iv got my nice fade back(and im not short with it either) its got plenty of power....So im happy out with the left to right ball flight.

I had been playing very well until i banjaxxed my leg again so im hoping that i carry it into the season start as ill still be in a walking cast in 6 weeks time....
My short game is average and my putting is pretty strong....The reason that my handicap stayed where it was last year was the amount of fiddling i was doing with a swing trying to change its path(Silly Boy)......

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Going through a change. When it clicks the results are a hundred times better than the old swing and it will benefit me in the longer term so quite prepared to hit 14 or 15 while we work on it. The nemesis of the short game is the real issue still but that is going to be the focus of the work in the summer. It is close and it his going to be good when it is finished and I'm confident of a big year

 

[Region3]

I think it depends what you want out of the game.

If you just want to be able to play for fun and knock it round reasonably well, say under 90, then maybe fixing the major fault(s?) is the way to go.
If you want to reach your full potential or aim for single figures then perhaps start fresh and overhaul the lot.

A chat with your pro for what you want out of the game (and the lessons) is the way forward, then he can suggest what needs to be done after seeing you hit a few.

 

[RichardC]

I have been toying with the idea, but should really have bit the bullet oct-nov time.

 

[splashtryagain]

Find a pro who will work with what you have got not a rebuild. Most of us are not capable of the perfect swing so get a swing thats perfect for you. I have never had a lesson and work with what feels right when I hit the ball and haven't done too badly with it.

 

[connor]

I've just starte having lessons an wish I did earlier. I
Had some changes to learn but think slowly they are clicking and I'm getting happier with them. It's my short game which now needs the work

 

[Tiger]

For what it's worth the past two and a half years have taught me a lot. I was naive I thought golf was all about 'a swing' rather than six techniques with some commonalities. Bob talks a lot about reverse chaining (starting with the putter and working your way up).

If I had my time again I'd do this. Instead my Mrs bought me a block of lessons my pro at the time saw me whack a few a long way and the focus has always been on full iron swing. Now I'm directing my focus and taking more responsibility for my game I am looking at pitching and chipping and some of the elements are starting to translate into my longer game.

So in answer to your question Gibbo I am doing a complete overhaul but starting with the neglected areas, putting, chipping and pitching. I'm then taking these elements into bunker play before we progress to look at my irons and then woods. My fundamentals grip, posture etc are pretty solid, but I'm finding that my pitching practice is helping my routine, tempo, alignment and ball positioning in my longer game.

But the most important thing for me is about expectation. Because I'm working on these small elements I am only expecting to see progress in those areas. I had a tough round on Sunday but walked off smiling because my chipping was good throughout and I got my pitching working towards the end.