What is wrong with lessons from a golf pro?

If you're gonna have lessons, you need to put the practice time in between each one. I know of a lot of people who book a series of lessons, do no practice in between, have another lesson, wonder why it isn't working, stop having lessons cause they weren't working, and get no better at golf. Of course, any pro worth his salt would advise the student to practice between but at the end of the day, if the student doesn't practice and books another lesson, the pro isn't going to say no, he has to earn a living after all. All he can do is advise.

Of course some people don't have time to practice, so they may have lessons but get so many thoughts on the course because they haven't practiced that they can't think clearly enough to play golf. Some may decide that since they don't have time to practice they won't bother with lessons, some just can't afford them.

I'm fortunate to be able to afford to have lessons, I'm currently having one a month and will continue to do so all the time I can afford it and I think I am getting somethign from it. I'm practicing a couple of timesa week and playing at least twice between each one. I've built up a good relationship with the pro, I trust what he tells me and I am seeing the results.

On top of all the above, one of the biggest problems is that people expect instant results. When you have lessons, you have to understand that there is a high possibility that you will get worse before you get better and this could take several months. Many people don't appreciate this and don't have the patience to stick with it. It's difficult playing 18 holes of golf worse than you were when you started lessons and a lot of people simply give up and go back to their old ways. Having lessons is as much about understanding what you are trying to achieve as it is being able to achieve it. Maybe only a couple of times a round at 1st you will get it right, but when you do you have to recognise it and appreciate that over time with practice you will get it right more often, and you have to accept that the bad shots are all part of the improvement process. You also have to appreciate that even though you may hit a bad shot, it may be a better bad shot than you were hitting before. My pro explains to me what causes the bad shots I hit but also makes me understand that some bad shots are closer to be good shots than others (hopefully that makes sense to some of you).

Sorry for going on :)
 
Brendy, you are so far out with that one. As all those who pine over a by gone era will undoubtedly spout, people like Pele, Best, Garrincha etc were never taught. That was purely natural.

I have two problems with lessons:

I spend £750 a year to be a member at my golf club, when I go there I want to play golf on the course, not stand in a shed hitting horrible range balls. My time "playing golf" is precious to me, I stress those two words because neither of them involve standing on ranges/ practice grounds.

Secondly, if I have a lesson on Monday, the pro makes my swing as perfect and repeatable as possible, I've cracked it and I'm on my way to the Tour school next year.
Tuesday, I go to the range to practice again what we went through. Everything is slightly off. Am I really in the right positions he taught me yesterday? Can I really tell whether I am doing exactly what we covered the day before? How the hell do i know without him there to view it until it becomes ingrained?
Similarly, I could be at the range on Tuesday and be striping it, but it still may not be in the same positions as per the lesson. Do I stick with the swing that is striping it or revert to the one we tried in the lesson?

Without some nigh on full time hand holding whilst making changes you just can't be sure that what you are practising is what you've been taught.
 
I wouldn't go back for lessons because I wanted the pro to use the 6 lessons I bought to make the most of the swing I have but instead he wanted to rip my swing apart and rebuild it over a full season and 1 lesson per week. That would have meant spending more on him than I did on my fees.

The other reason people dont go for lessons is simply because they dont want to be off single figures they just want to swing the clubs.

I see guys at my club and the only advise I should give them is try the bowling green by the 8th green.
 
I think need_my_wedge and Homer have hit the nail on the head. Say you want to get better at golf, so you read the books / web to check you're doing the right stuff, then you practice practice practice. Alternatively, you go to a pro, to put you on the right tracks / iron out any faults, then you practice practice practice. You can then have ongoing lessons to check no bad habits creep in - some of the best golfers at my club (scratch or better) have a lesson every month or so.

The key here is obviously the practice, without it, you're not going to improve. I have a mate who is a psychologist, specialising in cognitive behaviour therapy. If she has 6 sessions with a patient, she talks with them about the problem, and how / what they want to improve, setting targets and 'homework' to get there. There are many patients who improve so dramatically that they don't need the full block of 6 sessions, but others make virtually no improvement, because even though they leave the session with the best of intentions and the 'homework' written down, they never get round to actually putting the effort it, for whatever reason.

I don't have lessons at the moment, because I'm happy with the way my game is going. If however, in a couple of months my putting goes to pot, or I'm hitting a slice or hook regularly - I'll go for a lesson. Good teaching pros will be able to diagnose the problem very quickly, and put you on the right tracks. Then it's down to you, practice and get better, or leave it and stay at the same level.

BOO-YAH
 
Noone is a natural driver, swimmer, golfer, footballer, gymnast etc Everyone needs coaching to some degree for technique primarily, the mental approach comes a close second though.
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Brendy, you are so far out with that one. As all those who pine over a by gone era will undoubtedly spout, people like Pele, Best, Garrincha etc were never taught. That was purely natural.
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Agreed. There are tons of examples of natural talents, in fact without a very good degree of natural aptitude, you have no chance of reaching the top. Coaching comes later to add the finsihing touch, although in the cases you point out, even that wasn't needed.
 
Apparently the right thing to do is get lessons from your pro at the local course...

If that is the case why are there so many hackers at my course, so many awful swings, and so few low h/cappers?
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It is

1. Most players never have a lesson, I for instance had my first lesson two weeks ago after 25 years of golf.

2. most people don't have the ability to get to single figures, with or without lessons.


Less important, but still relevant is the quality of teaching. Our pro, from my one lesson, I can only say is superb, the difference in my posture and striking was remarkable, and every member I've spoken to since says the same.

Contrast that with a few years back when we bought my father a lesson. He'd only been playing a couple of years, but isn't one for taking any advice at all about anything (think the dad in Everybody loves Raymond). Anyway, he's got no leg movement, stands with legs locked, and basically swings the golf club like the hammer in a field event. Tons of little things he could fix.

Anyway, off he goes for his lesson, and when he comes back what has he been given to work on? Chipping, think different areas of the clock face for how far to take the club back on different length chips. Possibly about the last thing he needed to work on, and that's what the pro spent an hour on.

:eek:
 
I think people who don't have lessons fall into 2 broad categorys.

People who are happy as thy are, maybe they don't play very often or don't have any desire to get "good" the game. Maybe they have reach a standard they are happy with, they get get around and enjoy themselves.

People don't perceive any value in having lessons. This could be for any nmber of reasons. Find them too expensive, feel they can teach themselves, don't have time to practice what woulde be taught or they may have had a bad experiance with poor teaching in the past.
 
In relation to Hughjars and Parmo.
I dont buy that, none of them were so segregated that they didnt have some form of learning sources.
George Best had the ability but he didnt come out of the womb kicking a ball, he learned it by playing with others and taking everything onboard, same as any other "natural"
Noone is a natural driver, swimmer, golfer, footballer, gymnast etc Everyone needs coaching to some degree for technique primarily, the mental approach comes a close second though.
Click to expand...

Brendy, you are so far out with that one. As all those who pine over a by gone era will undoubtedly spout, people like Pele, Best, Garrincha etc were never taught. That was purely natural.
Click to expand...
Agreed. There are tons of examples of natural talents, in fact without a very good degree of natural aptitude, you have no chance of reaching the top. Coaching comes later to add the finsihing touch, although in the cases you point out, even that wasn't needed.
Click to expand...
 
I had this exact discussion yesterday with a guy I joiined up with on the course.

His view was he just likes getting out, playing and having a laugh. He enjoys the game but isn't serious about it. It's just a bit of fun for him.

Which is kind of the opposite to me. I'm really competitive and if I'm going to do something then I'm going to do it to the best of my abilities. Which for me means lessons and practice. But I enjoy that part as much as playing.

I've had about 1 lesson a month for the past 12-18 months and I practice in between. I've had times where my progress seemed very static and was thinking of jacking the lessons in. But I've kept at it and things are improving again.

On Friday my pro actually showed me the video of the swing from my first lesson side by side with my last. I just couldn't believe the difference.

For me if you want to improve to a decent standard and you have the time and money then for the majority of people lessons are the way to go.

If you just want to have some fun then maybe have a couple of lessons on the basics and then off you go and enjoy yourself.
 
Because the Pro that taught him has put so many thoughts in his head he doesn't know if he's pooing or farting!!
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that's a good point too. I know that well :D
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LOL just pissed myself or was it something else.Nick faldo had so much tuition that his swing was the same every time,and then analised constantly because he was being watch and could be put right everytime, most amateurs havnt got the facility to be watched by their coach or pro and be put right there and then and have to wait to the next lesson[i dont have lessons by the way]to put it right then they fall into old habits,unless its being drilled into you constantly to me it will always be work in progress.
 
If that is the case why are there so many hackers at my course, so many awful swings, and so few low h/cappers?
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what level do you classify as a Hacker?

Is an awful swing one that is rough on the eye? as it could well be effective.

I have in the past had a lesson to start the season and gone to the range, but to be honest golf is not that important to me that I want to spend that level of money and time on it
 
If that is the case why are there so many hackers at my course, so many awful swings, and so few low h/cappers?
Click to expand...

what level do you classify as a Hacker?

Is an awful swing one that is rough on the eye? as it could well be effective.
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Interesting questions. Where do you draw the line and define someone as a hacker. There is a separate thread about a high handicapper being called a bandit recently after a good round. Was he a hacker before that?

There are many bad swings at every golf club and many belong to single figure players. If you go to the pros we all know about Furyk, but what about Trevino from a bygone era or even Daly who is way too long. They all have one thing in common though. It works and it works often
 
Apparently the right thing to do is get lessons from your pro at the local course...

If that is the case why are there so many hackers at my course, so many awful swings, and so few low h/cappers?

Is it because no one takes lessons? the lessons don't work? the lessons are too expensive?

I must be missing something..... :D
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Have joined this thread late but what is wrong with getting lessons ? you seem to come across in a lot of posts as a know it all, whats your handicap ? if your not scratch or lower you really cant slag other peoples games or swings , some people just go out to have a walk and fresh air.

Knob
 
I think theres a big difference between a hacker and a tour pro with a swing thats not textbook.
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I wasn't comparing the two. What I was getting at is a lot of the single figure players don't have ideal swings (at least at my club) and thre are lots of tour players that don't. There are some hackers though that look like they're going to take off with the power and effort they put in. In fact one of my mates who is a 26 handicapper and therefore probably by default a hacker, actually swung so hard at a shot once he swung himself off his feet and fell over. I couldn't hit a ball for several holes without laughing and it did my score no good
 
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