Pro lessons

Golfnut1957

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There are two sides to the discussion I’m sure, but the OP specifically refers to coaches who teach pro golfers. I would imagine those who are willing and able to coach handicap golfers are booked some way in advance and do not come cheap, so I can most certainly see what James is saying.

There are plenty of good teaching pros out there, any number of whom will coach county golfers who play off scratch or better. I do not really see the need, personally, to limit the search to someone who has worked with pro golfers. It all seems a bit unnecessary.
See post number 30
 

Billysboots

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See post number 30

I saw it. I’m not saying they’re not available, merely that they are likely to be heavily booked up and expensive, although there are exceptions to every rule.

I didn’t view the link you included - what price for an hour with that fella?
 

SteveW86

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Last year If I wanted to see my pro for a lesson, he was fully booked about 4 weeks in advance.

I now have a lesson booked with him for every 2 weeks
 

Golfnut1957

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I saw it. I’m not saying they’re not available, merely that they are likely to be heavily booked up and expensive, although there are exceptions to every rule.

I didn’t view the link you included - what price for an hour with that fella?
Both my children bought me half hour lessons with him, £50 a pop, appreciated but a complete waste of their money.

The Wynyard Estate has some of the most expensive property in the North East. It was developed by Sir John Hall, he of Newcastle United and the Metro Centre at Gateshead and is where Kevin Keegan and Alan Shearer lived when they were at Newcastle, so there is a fair bit of money floating around.

When I went for my second session I was waiting to see him as he finished off a session with a young teenage lad. Going by the conversation this was a weekly session. There was a deep and meaningful conversation about A of A, swing path etc, but in minute detail. I often wonder what became of him.
 
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BrianM

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My pro at my place of work is a superb player himself and I enjoy my lessons with him, I feel we are on the right track, it depends where you are based maybe on availability?
I normally give him a text to book myself in before I travel down.
 

Jensen

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Both my children bought me half hour lessons with him, £50 a pop, appreciated but a complete waste of their money.

The Wynyard Estate has some of the most expensive property in the North East. It was developed by Sir John Hall, he of Newcastle United and the Metro Centre at Gateshead and is where Kevin Keegan and Alan Shearer lived when they were at Newcastle, so there is a fair bit of money floating around.

When I went for my second session I was waiting to see him as he finished off a session with a young teenage lad. Going by the conversation this was a weekly session. There was a deep and meaningful conversation about A of A, swing path etc, but in minute detail. I often wonder what became of him.

Yes I’ve heard about Andrew Nicholson, very technical. Nothing wrong with that, as I like to know the reason why I should be doing something.
The issue I have is that it’s a David Leadbetter academy which I believe means he teaches a method and NOT the golfer.
Leadbetters approach seems to be everyone should swing like Adam Scott. Great looking swing, no good to a lot of handicap golfers ?
 

jmcp

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Golf games went to pot I mean completely gone. I’ve had one good game in the last two weeks and rest have been just terrible. My game did go just before I got my new irons so I can’t blame them and I did shoot +10 last week so I know I can use them and it’s just me.
Went with a new pro last week he confirmed what I already knew about my coming over the top. Did a few drills kind of got better but still bad. I am starting to get frustrated and just want to fast track my progress. In my 20s I did another sport for around 3 months at amateur level, decided I wanted to get good and payed a professional coach to train me 5 days a week for a year. After the year I was at a level that I could of turned pro and would like to do something similar with golf as the difference between professional lessons vs amateur is huge. Also have no desire to get anywhere near to pro level at golf will be happy just to get to and stay around scratch.
So my question is basically how would I find a teacher who mostly only works with pros or else could anyone recommend anyone in the Glasgow area, don’t want to travel any more that 30 mins as I’m looking to work with someone upto 5 days a week for probably a year ?

Hi, have you looked at going to someone like Alastair Forsyth at Mearns castle ?

https://mcgolfacademy.co.uk/alastair-forsyth/
 

G1z1

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Thought I would give an update on how I’ve been getting on working with a pro who works with a lot of pros and has actually gave lessons to most of the pros I had previously been to.
I have only been working with the pro for the past 3 weeks and working on my swing and have went from shooting bogey golf or worse everyday to having two personal bests on my home course this week and I still feel as if I’m a long way off being a good golfer if I’m honest but definitely noticing a big difference in this pro than your average pro.
I now understand exactly what I’m doing wrong with every shot shape I get and now know how to fix it.
Pro says there’s absolutely no excuse for me not to hit my target of scratch golf because of the amount of time I have for golf and access to sim for practice so it’s just down to me putting the time in.
Aim is to get down to single figures by end of this season then the real hard work starts for the push to get to scratch for next year.
D99474B3-C818-4D98-863D-96544D8082C6.jpeg
 

pendodave

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Thought I would give an update on how I’ve been getting on working with a pro who works with a lot of pros and has actually gave lessons to most of the pros I had previously been to.
I have only been working with the pro for the past 3 weeks and working on my swing and have went from shooting bogey golf or worse everyday to having two personal bests on my home course this week and I still feel as if I’m a long way off being a good golfer if I’m honest but definitely noticing a big difference in this pro than your average pro.
I now understand exactly what I’m doing wrong with every shot shape I get and now know how to fix it.
Pro says there’s absolutely no excuse for me not to hit my target of scratch golf because of the amount of time I have for golf and access to sim for practice so it’s just down to me putting the time in.
Aim is to get down to single figures by end of this season then the real hard work starts for the push to get to scratch for next year.
View attachment 42892
Good effort. 70 something is flags out for me...
Out of curiosity, are the high scores a couple of bad holes or a round of low level rubbish?
 

G1z1

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Good effort. 70 something is flags out for me...
Out of curiosity, are the high scores a couple of bad holes or a round of low level rubbish?
The bad scores are what I’ve been doing constantly for maybe the past two months, I was doing well to play bogey golf and would sometimes be around the 100. It’s just the past week the work with the pro I feel has started to kick in almost had two aces two days in a row on a 160yard par 3 both times been within a yard of the hole. I’m just starting to hit the ball well again and hopefully now I can just progress and keep pushing on. The game yesterday +15 I actually played really quite well but just my putting was a bit off but irons and driver and just getting so much better now.
 

steadyon

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Thought I would give an update on how I’ve been getting on working with a pro who works with a lot of pros and has actually gave lessons to most of the pros I had previously been to.
I have only been working with the pro for the past 3 weeks and working on my swing and have went from shooting bogey golf or worse everyday to having two personal bests on my home course this week and I still feel as if I’m a long way off being a good golfer if I’m honest but definitely noticing a big difference in this pro than your average pro.
I now understand exactly what I’m doing wrong with every shot shape I get and now know how to fix it.
Pro says there’s absolutely no excuse for me not to hit my target of scratch golf because of the amount of time I have for golf and access to sim for practice so it’s just down to me putting the time in.
Aim is to get down to single figures by end of this season then the real hard work starts for the push to get to scratch for next year.
View attachment 42892
That’s really good to hear. Whether it’s a pro who works with the pros or not is better or not I’d be a bit sceptical.

What is good though is that his (or hers) credentials means you are able to trust them and commit to what they’re teaching.

The stuff about ball flight and what is in your swing that causes is should really be the stock in trade for every teaching pro to be fair.

Most importantly though is to keep enjoying it - golf as this uncanny knack of biting your ass. Just look at how the very best pros in the world drift in and out of form. That said - their bad days would do for me???
 

Parsaregood

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Golf games went to pot I mean completely gone. I’ve had one good game in the last two weeks and rest have been just terrible. My game did go just before I got my new irons so I can’t blame them and I did shoot +10 last week so I know I can use them and it’s just me.
Went with a new pro last week he confirmed what I already knew about my coming over the top. Did a few drills kind of got better but still bad. I am starting to get frustrated and just want to fast track my progress. In my 20s I did another sport for around 3 months at amateur level, decided I wanted to get good and payed a professional coach to train me 5 days a week for a year. After the year I was at a level that I could of turned pro and would like to do something similar with golf as the difference between professional lessons vs amateur is huge. Also have no desire to get anywhere near to pro level at golf will be happy just to get to and stay around scratch.
So my question is basically how would I find a teacher who mostly only works with pros or else could anyone recommend anyone in the Glasgow area, don’t want to travel any more that 30 mins as I’m looking to work with someone upto 5 days a week for probably a year ?
I know nothing about your game or yourself mate. I have however played off scratch or better for a number of years. If you think shooting +10 is you playing half decent and your worse is worse than that I can absolutely state with fact there is no chance you will get to scratch or close to it within 1 year regardless of how many lessons you have or balls you hit. Only guys who have a fair amount of natural ability could do that and these kind of guys wouldn’t be shooting 10 over and struggling with coming over the top, they tend to have an ability to have a decent swing path and face control naturally. You may never get to scratch not many do, just enjoy what you do and forget about handicap. There’s so many facets to golf, irons, pitching, chipping,putting,driving, course management etc. You can’t chop and change pros and expect to get anywhere, not saying every pro is good but more often than not it’s the golfer who doesn’t put in the effort or do the drills properly which mean they get nowhere. Sometimes to make a swing change if it’s a struggle you will literally have to hit 2 or 3 thousand balls just to get comfortable. Be realistic
 

Parsaregood

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Looking at these scores. I’ve played all of these courses. How can you possibly shoot 100 round Lochgreen or 87 round bonnyton and hope to get to scratch quickly ? They are not difficult golf courses. I’ve shot 64 round Lochgreen and the best I ever got to was plus 2
 

G1z1

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Looking at these scores. I’ve played all of these courses. How can you possibly shoot 100 round Lochgreen or 87 round bonnyton and hope to get to scratch quickly ? They are not difficult golf courses. I’ve shot 64 round Lochgreen and the best I ever got to was plus 2
Well that’s what I’ve been saying. I have been playing terrible and very inconsistent before going to this new pro. I agree lochgreen is not that hard a course I did break 80 round there a bunch of times last winter but I disagree with bonnyton I think that’s a challenging course to score well. The wind alone is brutal.
It is definitely harder than my previous club I was -3 on the front 9 there a few times.
My game on the 1st of June I was +2 on the front 9 and today I was +1 on the back 9 so I think I just need to get more consistent and single figures as I said it my main target this year and then next year I’ll try and get to scratch obviously know it’s easier said than done but you need a target to aim for so why not scratch.
 

3offTheTee

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Good luck with your efforts and pleased you have found a new pro who is working for/ with you.

Out of interest is 24 still your handicap? I would be interested to know what your HI is now following the all round improvement in your game.

Also how you have found playing in competitions with a card in your hand.

All the best
 

G1z1

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Good luck with your efforts and pleased you have found a new pro who is working for/ with you.

Out of interest is 24 still your handicap? I would be interested to know what your HI is now following the all round improvement in your game.

Also how you have found playing in competitions with a card in your hand.

All the best
Yes my handicap is still 24 not handed in any cards and only ever played one comp and won it by 9 shots. I don’t really enjoy the pace of play in comps so will only ever play the odd one I think. The Greenkeeper actually said to me yesterday I’m the fastest golfer he’s seen ?
I have been playing with another guy who like me is still quite new to golf and I marked his cards and he now has a handicap. The plan is for us to play together in some Tuesday medals so we can chip away at the handicap.
 

jmcp

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It may be worth putting in General scores now that you have a playing partner as this will quickly take you down to your correct handicap level rather than just putting in a score once a week on a Tuesday, its not unusual for me to put in 4 or 5 counting scores in a week (couple of comps and a couple of general scores).

Cheers, John
 
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