Refusal to have lessons

[Dcross92]

Anyone else out their who can't stand the thought of having lessons with a pro..After playing tennis for a number of years and having week by week private lessons it killed my enjoyment of the game. The same I fear would happen with golf, I know my failings in golf which are many too quick on the back swing, fade that turns into slice on woods but I am refusing to see a pro enjoy the challenge of trying to better myself without having someone else telling me how to do my hobby! Anyone else enjoying doing it the 'bubba' way?

 

[brendy]

It all depends, does your entire game need reworking, if yes then it will be necessary for intensive coaching until you know what you need to do to work on it.
If it is only one area then I dont see how it should take more than 2 or 3 lessons to get you practicing the improvements.

 

[Imurg]

The only reason I don't have lessons is that I'm a poor practicer and in my view if you don't practice hard once you've had a lesson you may as well just give your money straight to the Pro and go home...

 

[ScienceBoy]

If you are not one for private lessons I suggest dropping into group lessons. I currently do that about once a month on a saturday morning when there is no competition.

Its pretty much a good value range session with the pro dropping in for a quick chat, often not about your swing but any part of the game you wish to discuss. My pro and I often chat about the short game or mental game while he just checks my posture and alignment have not slipped. Far cheaper than a full lesson with pretty much the same result PLUS unlimited range balls chucked in!

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I've not had any lessons after I had one (my one and only) about 25yrs ago and it did me no good whatsoever. However my reluctance is being tempered by the fact that I am having to accept that my game is not what it was back then. I had a long period (8 yrs) of not playing very much and since starting up again ten yrs ago I must have developed some very poor technique somewhere in there. I can play to my handicap pretty easily and well beneath it from time to time - but not in a medal - and sometimes my game absolutely falls apart. I can get back to single figures - but I'm coming to accept that I will only be able to do that with the help of my pro.

So how do I tell the wife...

 

[louise_a]

its your hobby, you can do what you like. There may come a time when you want to improve your game, then you might think again about having lessons.

 

[duncan mackie]

I am refusing to see a pro enjoy the challenge of trying to better myself without having someone else telling me how to do my hobby!
Anyone else enjoying doing it the 'bubba' way?

there are some omportant issues in here -

unlike tennis, you can enjoy golf (and even succesfully compete) despite being basically terrible.
I understand the wish to conquer the game yourself, however I would suggest that at best you will try and deal with the symptoms on your own.
for a sportsman such as yourself I would suggest the occassional lesson/analysis to provide you with the correct issues to work in your own time, and way. the only viable alternative is to take HQ video of your swing (when hitting balls) so that you can work on what is, rather than your perception of what you are doing (there can be a significant difference!!!)

 

[Pin-seeker]

I'm with you on this one mate,I've had 3 lessons in total & really didn't enjoy it. & like Imurg I'm a poor practicer.

 

[Bigfoot]

Lessons help if you are prepared to use the advice and gradually change. One lesson and then see how it goes is unlikely to improve the full iron shots. For the short game, you can take a point and quickly see the difference.

Practice will always help but some start from a better start point. It is easier to improve if you are a 28 handicap than a 1 handicap as there are more points you can improve on.

I have always found them to be of great benefit.

 

[DAVEYBOY]

This will upset Homer

 

[Foxholer]

This will upset Homer

Perhaps another argument for NOT having lessons!

If you are likely to not be a good student - ie. take notice and apply and practice what the coach is saying = then not worth bothering imo.

And I agree that Golf is significantly different to Tennis. Has more similarity to sex in that you don't need to be very good to enjoy it, though your 'playing partner' still might not!

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Has more similarity to sex in that you don't need to be very good to enjoy it, though your 'playing partner' still might not!

..which makes by concern about telling my wife I need to see a pro even greater.

 

[bobmac]

How many folk on here started golf and never had lessons.
Then after many years of frustration, a fortune on range balls and slice/hook that just wont go away, they bite the bullet and get a lesson.
They then wonder why they waited so long.
Sure, some people like to learn for themselves and may eventually find a reasonable swing but they are few and far between.

If you are looking for a shop in a town you've never visited before, you could drive round and round for hours and eventually find it.........or you could ask for directions and drive straight to it.

Your money, your choice

 

[Coatsy79]

My friend and I took up golf about a year ago, went to the local muni with some borrowed clubs and tried to go round in a reasonable amount of shots, we quickly decided to have a few lessons as we were inconsistent and had no idea what we were doing wrong so couldn't really correct our faults

We had a course of 7 or 8 lessons and its helped no end, our swings are better, our shots are straighter and nowadays we can usually tell what we've done wrong when we duff one

Still inconsistent at times but then so is everyone but for the most part putting is better chipping much much better and drives are longer and more often than not reasonably straight not the slices and hooks we had when we started

All down to lessons, get a good pro, we had hour lessons as a twosome and it was good, still fun and practicing what we learned was just as much fun

I'm not looking to become some scratch golfer but if I can crack 20 maybe get to mid teens ill be a happy man

 

[Dcross92]

I play off 18 so I'm by no means a hacker, I just don't see why I need someone to tell what how to swing a club correctly, when I can get all advice I need from the internet. Just my opinion and I know I will play better golf and enjoy it more then having lots of different swing thoughts going through my head! After all it's still you hitting the balls the pro can't do that for you.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

How many folk on here started golf and never had lessons.
Then after many years of frustration, a fortune on range balls and slice/hook that just wont go away, they bite the bullet and get a lesson.
They then wonder why they waited so long.
Sure, some people like to learn for themselves and may eventually find a reasonable swing but they are few and far between.

If you are looking for a shop in a town you've never visited before, you could drive round and round for hours and eventually find it.........or you could ask for directions and drive straight to it.

Your money, your choice

Fair point - but I got to 6 without lessons (the one I had didn't help). So I clearly didn't need lessons to play to a reasonable recreational standard. Take that challenge on if you want - it's a great challenge and very satisfying when you rise to it. As you say - up to the iindividual - but lessons don't guarantee anything except expenditure.

For me it's the acceptance I have now (after about 5 years in denial) that I can't play to 6 any more and no matter how hard I try by myself the likelihood is that I won't get near there again without help. Denial and acceptance - always difficult things in life. I shall soon be booking lessons with my pro.

 

[brendy]

I play off 18 so I'm by no means a hacker, I just don't see why I need someone to tell what how to swing a club correctly, when I can get all advice I need from the internet. Just my opinion and I know I will play better golf and enjoy it more then having lots of different swing thoughts going through my head! After all it's still you hitting the balls the pro can't do that for you.

I think you can have too many lessons as a handicap golfer but sticking purely to internet tips is not going to work nearly as well as live feedback from a professional who can coach you as you hit the balls and make adjustments.

 

[virtuocity]

I tell my coach what I FEEL during the swing. He tells me what is REAL in my swing and provides me with more FEELS to work on.

I'd pay Youtube £40 an hour if it could do that for me.

 

[DAVEYBOY]

Lessons do help but you have to take the rough with the smooth, I've had 1 hour in total over two lessons this week and now feel like I have loads of swing thoughts and I was all over the shop after today's lesson. I'm working on a completley new putting stroke which was a worth it's weight in gold in my last round and I'm working on firing with the hips before arms on the downswing. Every lesson I've had in the past has helped me drop shots.

To add I'm not a Homer :rofl: I've only had around 4 hours tuition in my golfing life and spent around £160... Would a new driver lowered my scores like lessons have

 

[collins1]

I practice a fair bit and wish I'd had lessons sooner as the feedback from a pro has helped my ball striking loads and would have saved me a lot of frustation on the range trying to fix things myself.
I agree you have to practice what you get taught and you still have to do it on the course alone but with good technique ingrained by correct tuition it will be easier to fix any problems that might crop up in the round.