The difference with a live lesson

[Stub]

Had a lesson from the club pro this morning. Made his heart sink at the outset by saying I wanted to get more length in my driving. His response was 'don't we all!'.

I have been using DVDs and tips in mags and know that the downswing should start with the arms and not the club and thought that was something I had been practicing on the range. With the aid of video the pro showed what I was doing, and not doing, including letting the club head catch up with my hands too early and gave me two or three simple drills to practice and follow. After a little practice, including some work on extending my arms through impact, I was getting a better more powerful strike and straight ball flight:whoo:. Even went on to try the same drills with my 7 and 5 irons with good results.

I'm never going to be another Quiros but I can see that I can achieve reasonable length (around 200 yards for me) and accuracy, but I doubt I would have made the same progress by sticking to DVDs and mags etc. Amazing what half an hour of expert help achieves.

Just looking to hit the range again tomorrow to practice the drills and get the changes bedded in.

 

[CMAC]

I have been using DVDs and tips in mags and know that the downswing should start with the arms

think you've misinterpreted whatever dvd's you've viewed.

Have a look at Mark crossfields youtube videos', they are excellent and cover beginner to advanced.

[video=youtube_share;HDYirNoYa2U]http://youtu.be/HDYirNoYa2U[/video]

 

[bobmac]

think you've misinterpreted whatever dvd's you've viewed.

the downswing should start with the arms and not the club

I know what you meant Stub

 

[CMAC]

I know what you meant Stub

maybe enlighten us not so bright ones, maybe you refer to casting but I could be embarrassing myself further

 

[Alex1975]

maybe enlighten us not so bright ones, maybe you refer to casting but I could be embarrassing myself further

The downswing should start with the feet, then the knees, hips and so on up the body but I think he is saying that once at the top of the body let the hands and arms come through before the club head so not to flick at the ball... Just interpreting what I am reading here though...

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Taking away what the OP's misconceptions were, the point is having a lesson has given im some clear structure, some fundamentals to address as drills at the range and a clear target to aim for in terms of improving and he says there are immediate improvements. Surely an advocation that a lesson, even once or twice a year is essential to tone the swing up or banish any pre-conceived notions when it isn't going so well. Just my opinin of course but surely if a pro can give you the tools to hit further by hitting better and more importantly hitting it and having a chance to find it again, then isn't it going to make the game more enjoyable anyway

 

[Alex1975]

Taking away what the OP's misconceptions were, the point is having a lesson has given im some clear structure, some fundamentals to address as drills at the range and a clear target to aim for in terms of improving and he says there are immediate improvements. Surely an advocation that a lesson, even once or twice a year is essential to tone the swing up or banish any pre-conceived notions when it isn't going so well. Just my opinin of course but surely if a pro can give you the tools to hit further by hitting better and more importantly hitting it and having a chance to find it again, then isn't it going to make the game more enjoyable anyway

Yep, quite right. I dont think you can learn golf from the internet or DVD but it can help provided you can interoperate what is being said. There is no beating a real lesson from someone who is talking about your swing not the swing...

 

[RGDave]

Had a lesson from the club pro this morning. Made his heart sink at the outset by saying I wanted to get more length in my driving. His response was 'don't we all!'.

I have been using DVDs and tips in mags and know that the downswing should start with the arms and not the club and thought that was something I had been practicing on the range. With the aid of video the pro showed what I was doing, and not doing, including letting the club head catch up with my hands too early and gave me two or three simple drills to practice and follow. After a little practice, including some work on extending my arms through impact, I was getting a better more powerful strike and straight ball flight:whoo:. Even went on to try the same drills with my 7 and 5 irons with good results.

I'm never going to be another Quiros but I can see that I can achieve reasonable length (around 200 yards for me) and accuracy, but I doubt I would have made the same progress by sticking to DVDs and mags etc. Amazing what half an hour of expert help achieves.

Just looking to hit the range again tomorrow to practice the drills and get the changes bedded in.

Good for you. Glad to read such a positive post.

 

[Stub]

Apologies if my original post caused some confusion through my description of the defects in my swing. In a nutshell I was tending to 'cast' although I knew that I shouldn't from the DVDs etc. The pro's video showed me what I was doing before and after his drills and what to work on.

Certainly improved matters and the main point of my post was that while DVDs can be good there is no substitute for live instruction from a good teacher.