Refusal to have lessons

[BTatHome]

Only time I had lessons, was about 4 years when I had about 4 sessions in a group scenario with about 10 others. They lasted about 90 mins and I think I managed about 20 mins at best. The pro tried to stop me casting and I found it impossible to practice it as I couldn't get the feel, so stopped trying and gave up on lessons completely.

Have never had one to one lesson at any time during my playing.

 

[Hunka Turf]

Some people seem to take a certain satisfaction from the fact that they’ve never had a lesson – they TEND to be (but are not always), pretty average players at best.

If you have the natural ability/ patience/ know how to get to a standard you are happy with without lessons, then that’s absolutely fine.

In my experience, if you aren’t happy with your standard, and you want to significantly improve, committing to a series of lessons is the way to go.

 

[Khamelion]

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?

I play because I love the game, I enjoy the fresh air, beats sitting behind a desk or washing the car, I enjoy the craic with the people I play with, I have lessons because I want to improve, because I want to be able to learn to hit a ball straight, fade on purpose, draw on purpose, have the ball check stop when pitching or chipping, I have lessons from a pro, so that he can tell me where I have gone wrong and what I am doing right. I have lessons because I do not want to groove in bad practice. I have lessons so that maybe one day I'll not come last in the society golf meets, my collection of wooden spoons is getting far to large.

 

[Hobbit]

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 there's a world of a difference between weekly lessons and a one off M.O.T. The tail end of last year saw my scores falling away, and in truth it was a decent short game that stopped them being appalling. One 30min session, video'd, highlighted what was going wrong... job jobbed.

I couldn't have got that from watching Youtube vids.

 

[mcbroon]

I've been back playing for 2 years and have had a couple of lessons each year. One of these was a sort of 'welcome back to the game' lesson, just to refresh the fundamentals. Another was a putting lesson, as my putting needed to be addressed, but the other two were just to touch base with the pro at the end of the season to see what state my swing is in. I know what I'm supposed to be doing but I also know that I slip into bad habits from time to time. So I go back for a refresher and to have the faults ironed out and to give me things to concentrate on.

The real value in lessons, IMO, is that the pro can look at (and show you, if it's a video lesson) what you're doing wrong and tell you how to fix it. It's one thing to watch videos on youtube but how do you know if you're doing it right? And if you're not, how do you go about fixing it? Some folk are able to do it themselves but I reckon the majority would struggle to do that. For those that would struggle, lessons are the answer.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I'd suggest you video yourself and then compare that to Hogan's 5Ps. You've obviously been able to apply them in the past to get to a decent level. Then all you need to do is recognise the delta between your swing and Hogan's and try to reduce/eliminate it. Hey presto, you've been your own swing coach again.

Well I thought about that - but of course it's 40+yrs ago when I would go into my back garden at home; face the big garage window; put Hogan's book onto he ground in front of me; and match my address and swing positions with the pictures in the book. What I actually did on the golf course I haven't a clue as of course home video did not exist and even now I've never seen my golf swing (it would probably scare the bejeepers out of me). I guess it must have worked because when in my mid-20s a guy I was playing with who I'd played once before with the previous week - and he said to me at the end of the round that when he saw my golf swing the first time he was sure he'd played with me before - but then he asked me if I had read Hogan's book because...

Felt pretty chuffed about that.

So I don't know. Is my pro today going to teach anyone Hogan's swing technique or methods? - I doubt it. Will he be able to recognise what is in there somewhere that used to work well and was very solid and consistent, and rectify things back to what it would have been back then. Or will he take a look and grimace - and take me down the road of a different swing - that's what really bothers and worries me about lessons.

A new swing approach means to me months of a complete shambles of a game and lots of practice - and I don't really want the former and don't have time for the latter. Help please all pros and happy pupils out there.

 

[Khamelion]

If you are a good golfer with a sub 10 HC, but have been away from the game for a few years, then a lesson to ignite the muscle memory, to get you back in the swing (pun intended) helps blow away the cobwebs.

However, if you are new to the game and would like to progress to playing a round sub 100 or 90 may be less, then getting lessons from a pro has to be the way to get better, unless of course you are naturally gifted.

 

[londonlewis]

I am not a huge fan of having lessons. I can see the value in them but then I also remember Jim Furyk saying he would not be a golfer if he had taken golf lessons.

I am a big believer in practice though and try to hone my skills at the range. It is at the range where I have often overheard a pro teaching his student how to swing the club. During some of these lessons I have heard the pro telling someone how to get into the same position that 'name a professional golfer' gets into and how this is the position they need to create to hit a good shot. Some people, most people, are not as flexible or supple as a lot of professional golfers out there so, in my opinion, this lesson is not worth the money.

I know it depends on the teacher and I am sure there are many excellent coaches out there but personally, I choose to avoid them.
Although I would consider seeing someone for some short game lessons, in particular; chipping, pitching, bunkers and putting. I could always improve in those areas.

 

[richy]

I am not a huge fan of having lessons. I can see the value in them but then I also remember Jim Furyk saying he would not be a golfer if he had taken golf lessons.

I am a big believer in practice though and try to hone my skills at the range. It is at the range where I have often overheard a pro teaching his student how to swing the club. During some of these lessons I have heard the pro telling someone how to get into the same position that 'name a professional golfer' gets into and how this is the position they need to create to hit a good shot. Some people, most people, are not as flexible or supple as a lot of professional golfers out there so, in my opinion, this lesson is not worth the money.

I know it depends on the teacher and I am sure there are many excellent coaches out there but personally, I choose to avoid them.
Although I would consider seeing someone for some short game lessons, in particular; chipping, pitching, bunkers and putting. I could always improve in those areas.

I'm sure Furyk's dad used to be a teaching pro and gave him lessons

 

[chellie]

I am not a huge fan of having lessons. I can see the value in them but then I also remember Jim Furyk saying he would not be a golfer if he had taken golf lessons.

I am a big believer in practice though and try to hone my skills at the range. It is at the range where I have often overheard a pro teaching his student how to swing the club. During some of these lessons I have heard the pro telling someone how to get into the same position that 'name a professional golfer' gets into and how this is the position they need to create to hit a good shot. Some people, most people, are not as flexible or supple as a lot of professional golfers out there so, in my opinion, this lesson is not worth the money.

I know it depends on the teacher and I am sure there are many excellent coaches out there but personally, I choose to avoid them.
Although I would consider seeing someone for some short game lessons, in particular; chipping, pitching, bunkers and putting. I could always improve in those areas.

I'm having ladies group lessons started as a complete beginner to golf. There's four of us and we've all different levels of flexibility. Our Pro works with what we can and cannot do. I know I wouldn't want to learn from a Pro who wasn't doing this.

 

[Region3]

If you're happy with your level of golf then do nothing.
If you want to get better, don't mind how long it takes, but will still be happy if you don't then teach yourself.
If you're determined to get better and will be disappointed if you never do, then take lessons.

This "Bubba way" confuses me a little, because I find it very hard to believe that anyone going through the American school system on golf scholarships has never had any coaching.

I didn't see it but was told that he had to play a straight shot and the commentators analysed the swing in slow motion, and it was a lot more conventional than you'd think.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

That really confused me, you get 2 points for net par, 18 holes. SO I would say times the holes by points for net par that would give me 36 points for playing to my handicap. Does your course only have 16 holes............

Just think about your average Saturday morning rollup of say 24 guys of all standards of golf. I would hazard the following guesstimate (as a mathematician):

16 will score between 28 and 36pts - with the majority clustered around 32 in the region 30-34pts
3 will score between 37 and 40pts
3 will score between 24 and 27pts
1 will score 23pts or less
1 will score 41pts or more

Look at your own stableford points over 24 consecutive rounds and I would bet my pocket money on your distribution of scores being very similar to the above. Why? Because much in life follows a normal distribution.

But you only have to score equivalent of 41pts or more in a medal once out of 24 rounds and you will get cut 6x0.1x(1,2 or 3) and your handicap comes down, by between 0.6 and 1.8 (or so). So your handicap then only reflects what you could do one times out of 24. So hardly surprising that when playing to your general ability (not to your handicap) on any day you'll score around 32 pts.

But most folk don't believe mathemeticians because statistics can sound nonsensical.

 

[londonlewis]

I'm having ladies group lessons started as a complete beginner to golf. There's four of us and we've all different levels of flexibility. Our Pro works with what we can and cannot do. I know I wouldn't want to learn from a Pro who wasn't doing this.

Agreed, good to hear of a positive experience - I thought there was going to be a news report when I got home saying that unemployment numbers of golf coaches was soaring...

Something that always put me off was learning to play the piano when I was a kid. I was always being asked to do stuff I couldn't do 1) because my hands weren't big enough at the time so there were certain chords I couldn't play 2) I wasn't a particularly talented pianist 3) I hardly ever practised

Anyway, it kind of ruined it for me and has stopped me from wanting to listen to a 'pro' telling me what to do, how to do it and the like when I am confident I can learn how to do most things through other means (of which there are many).

I absolutely love golf and can't wait to play this weekend!

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

If you are a good golfer with a sub 10 HC, but have been away from the game for a few years, then a lesson to ignite the muscle memory, to get you back in the swing (pun intended) helps blow away the cobwebs.

Which is maybe what I should have done 8yrs ago after nearly 10 yrs off- but I didn;t and over the last 8 yrs I have gradually got a game of sorts back together that can get me round in single figures quite often - which is great - and I can usually play to my handicap - also great - but on too many occasions my game collapses completely into an an utter shambles. This tells me that over these last 8yrs I have developed some very flakey and unstable technique. And that is where I am today.

 

[stevelev]

It certainly was the missed opportunity that riled me the most. If I hadn't kicked the ball away would have come in with 33 points which isn't a million miles off my handicap. I know its just a game but I suppose I go to the course with high expectations and when things go wrong I struggle to get it back, kicking the ball away for two points as stupid and childish as it was. Didn't take me long to pick my toys back up after I had apologised to my playing partners.

Dont go to the course with any expectations apart from having a good bit of banter with mates. As soon as you start to epect to play well and you dont achieve it you will get mad, be indifferent whether you play good or bad, It will fall into place,

 

[Dcross92]

Anyway as an update I feel my golf is going in the right direction played about 6 comps all over par, however in this weekends I finished on 92 net 74 just two over and was level going up last! It's more the mental side that I have struggled with more fear of playing well and that might sound strange it's more a case of worried about going right then actually thinking about the shot! Whereas this weekends medal has gave me a positive to look at whilst everyone else in my group NR'd I shot a good score and for once avoided the dreaded +0.1 so it's all good! I'm open to coming back to the idea of lessons just at the moment I'm enjoying seeing where my limit goes. Thanks for the all the opinions! Spot on for feedback as per GM