Lessons

[HomerJSimpson]

There has been a few bits about lessons recently. I use a great guy called Grant Sayer at Maidenhead Golf Centre and would recommend him to anyone in the Berkshire/Bucks area. What I like and my question for the forum, is that he uses a number of props (video analysis everytime, hockey sticks, beach balls, whippy shafted clubs etc) to emphasise and clarify the points he is making. He also gives me clear drills and an explanation as to what I need to do, what I'm looking for as I do them and what we are working towards. We always use the drill as a starting point next time around so we can see if I've grasped the last lesson successfully.

How do your pros teach? Is it purely theory, or do they utilise an array of teaching gadgets or do they manually walk you through the postions. What is the best way and at the end of the day do you tend to stick with one pro because you've always used him or are you fickle and swap and change all the time or until you find the right one

 

[Sneds]

I have only had one lessons, and I've always found it hard to understand exactly what he means. It really opened my eyes when I had a video lesson compared to a pro.

It showed me exactly what position I needed to be in and I could work towards it x

 

[JJDTR]

I have lessons with Pete Barber at Didsbury Golf Club. He teaches in very simple manner and specialises in the short game. He doesn't use any gimmicks.

Read the article below a few days ago and this shows that different methods can certainly work! Harrington uses a very simple old skool method. I hope the link works, I am new to this!

http://www.golf.com/golf/tours_news/article/0,28136,1914935,00.html?cid=feed-tours_news-20090806-1914935 Golf web page Golf.com

 

[John_Findlay]

Drills play a big part in the lessons I get from Ian Butcher at Kings Acre in Lasswade.

He'll devise one for me to promote a certain feeling and we'll then analyse video to see what difference it makes to the positions I find myself swinging through. He'll even compare those on a split screen to a certain pro's swing to spot the difference, or on a good day the similarities.

Last one I got he had me address the ball with the clubface aiming 45 degrees left and we would see if I could naturally hit the ball straight. It stopped me hoyking (technical term) my right shoulder round the ball and releasing too early. I still see that error in the video from the Letham Grange outing but I need to practice it.

Other drills have a similar theme but he's a coach who teaches a few tour pros and knows my swing inside out now so I'd never go anywhere else. It's a matter of trusting your pro, I think, as much as anything else.

 

[nulassilb]

I agree about the need to trust the pro. At my level, I need to get the basics right and revisit when I feel I've forgotten them. My pro is Steve White at Middleton Hall, Norfolk. Down to earth and easy for me to talk to. Recent short game lessons have been superb - simple advice and things I can actually take onto the course and try to get right.

The last session was on putting. He put me into a contraption resembling a metal arch. I stood in this and a metal guide (imagine pretty straight bicycle handlebars) was slotted under my armpits. Basically, the arch stops the golfer from moving either inside or outside the line of the putt, encouraging a pendulum rocking motion. I was genuinely shocked to find that I must have been coming inside the line on the takeaway by what felt like 20 degrees! The lesson has given me a new outlook, a new swing thought and was worth its weight in gold.

 

[Smiffy]

My pro is Steve White at Middleton Hall, Norfolk.

Apologies for the slight hijack...
I'm sure I visited this course on a trip to Norfolk quite a while ago...oooo must be about 12 or 13 years ago.
Did it used to be a 9 hole course and was extended to 18 during the 90's??? Have had a look on the website and if it is the same course there are a lot more trees now than there was then. The layout of the first hole convinces me I've been there before...

 

[nulassilb]

Sounds as if you're remembering the right place. It's seen year on year improvement and the course is tight with tricky greens. I still can't tame it.

 

[jammydodger]

Middleton Hall is a very short course at under 5800 off whites. Lots of doglegs and layup holes so you end up hitting irons off numerous tees. Greens can be 'tricky' to putt on if you havnt been there before.

 

[minigolfer]

my teacher see whats wrong and get straight to the point using what tools he can to make me understand

 

[DCB]

I think you've got to know what you are looking to get out of any lesson and you've got to trust the pro giving you the lesson. I'm undergoing a bit of rework at the moment. I know I'll never swing perfectly, but I trust my pro to make good use of what I have and tune that to get the best out of my game.

I find that the drills he gives me are the important thing. If I go to the range I tend to work on specifics and therefore get the best out of what I've been taught.

You have to ask what the pro means or wants sometimes just so that you fully understand what you are trying to do. If you don't understand that then it's a waste of time and effort.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I go to Chris Ryan at the Belfry. First we go into one of the custom fit booths where we go through the video analysis (cameras infront, behind, above & down the line if required). Then out onto the range to correct what we've seen.
We use readily available aids such as baskets, head covers, & the yellow sticks the pros all have in the bag.

He explains things well & if one drill doesn't seem to suit me he suggests another one.

 

[nulassilb]

Just back from my bunker lesson. Nothing complex - pro watched, then demonstrated and tweaked, then watched to see if I had made the adjustments he suggested. He took me from where I was and gave me some tips for development. Ideal.
Actually, I wished I'd had a bunker session years ago. I began thrashing several into the face and having no real idea as to whether the ball would get out. By the end of the session, I had a "go to" set up and technique and was much more confident.
Playing tomorrow and sneakily hope that I get into the odd bunker to try out the new technique....

 

[colint]

I've just changed pro's but only because I've just joined a club and wanted to give the club pro a try. I had a video lesson, but the drill he gave me is very simple. His approach seems to be keep it simple, I've got a very clear picture now of why things were going wrong and what I need to do to fix them.

It's great having something meaningful to practice rather than just smacking balls at the range.