Why oh why???

[Tommo21]

Tommo, the pull hook among good players is often caused by the body not firing through the ball.
The player fears the hook, stops the body turning through the ball, the arms and hands catch up, flip passed you and hey presto....Pull hook.
Think of the sparks of the Catherine wheel. As long as the wheel keeps turning, the sparks will never catch up.
Turn your left side out of the way on the downswing and your clubhead will stay on line better.

Thats exactly what I’ve been doing, or should I say not doing. Spot on there Bob.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

So why do I get mocked for wanting to improve and for putting in the hours on the range. I've found a very good coach who has got me from 20-11 and we've decided the fundamental thing holding me back now is my tempo. A slower smoother swing will eradicate a lot of my swing issues (overswing, reverse pivot) and be a lot easier to use even when my timing on the day is off

I'm lucky in that I enjoy working on the range and looking to improve my game and have the time and an understanding wife to do so. I always feel confident on the 1st tee knowing I've put the work in and 95% of the time know why I've had a bad round even if I couldn't make the correction on course.

Contrary to popular belief I do actually relax on the course, especially if I'm out for a solo round and even when I'm shooting net 78's as in the club championship will try and grind a good score out while laughing at my misfortunes and enjoying the better play of my partners.

 

[bobmac]

Ingnore the mockers Homer.
Keep on working

 

[Twire]

I'm sorry but I've had 8 lessons from 3 different pro's and they all exhibit the same tendency, namely you always feel as if what you have been told in the course of a lesson can be imparted to you within about 5-10 minutes.

Would you prefer them to give you information overload then?

You don't need to be working on more than a couple of things at a time. I've had lessons in the past where the pro's given me so much to think about, it felt like my head was about to explode.

 

[USER1999]

Why are golf lessons sold in 30/40 minute slots?

To me, a ten minute lesson, for about £10, would be a far more attractive propopsition. I don't want to work on more than one thing at a time, and I figure the rest of the time is just spent going over the same ground.

I don't tend to have lessons (only ever had about 6 15 years ago when I went through major shanks that I couldn't solve myself), but have been down the practice ground often enough when lessons are in progress.

I could possibly (probably) be a better golfer through lessons, but the concept doesn't grab me at the price / time charged. This isn't to say that the Pro shouldn't be making a decent living, it is just that when he has zip to do, giving me a ten minute lesson is another tenner in his pocket, rather than standing in the shop waiting for the phone to ring.

 

[Tommo21]

I don’t think your getting mocked, you just tend to leave the door open a little. In my humble opinion you shouldn’t need a coach, to get you from 20 to 10 if you were once a low single figure player, that sould happen with regular playing and no more. That’s based on my own situation and many other guys I know who played at a good level then came back after many years away. Now, getting from 10 to low single figures, that’s a different story.

I would have thought tempo was one of the first things to be addressed and it’s surprising it’s now, after all this time, the thing you need to concentrate on.

 

[bobmac]

Murph,
Come in and lie down on the couch.
Now tell me all about it.
9 mins 59 secs
9 mins 58 secs
9 mins 57 secs
9 mins 56 secs

Some people I teach it takes me 10 minutes before I can get a word in.

 

[bobmac]

Tommo, the pull hook among good players is often caused by the body not firing through the ball.
The player fears the hook, stops the body turning through the ball, the arms and hands catch up, flip passed you and hey presto....Pull hook.
Think of the sparks of the Catherine wheel. As long as the wheel keeps turning, the sparks will never catch up.
Turn your left side out of the way on the downswing and your clubhead will stay on line better.

Thats exactly what I’ve been doing, or should I say not doing. Spot on there Bob.

Just a wild guess

 

[Region3]

Region 3, there are only 3 major things to think about in golf..
Distance, direction and contact.
Decide what you need to improve.
Is your swing lacking power and therefor distance?
Is your game lacking accuracy
Is your game suffering due to poor contact with the ball.

If it's all 3, take up darts Just kidding.

Decide what is bugging you the most and work on that specific problem.
Do you have one outstanding gripe with your game?

The major gripe I have is an occasional (2 or 3 a round) push/slice with my woods.

I think I know what's causing it so hopefully it's just a case of working on it.

It's not the best feeling in the world standing on the tee wondering if the ball's going somewhere near the fairway or 50yds right

 

[bobmac]

It sounds as if your clubface is pointing a little right at impact causing the push or fade.
The first thing I would check, is the clubface position square at address, it may be a little open there.
If that's ok, I would then check the grips on your woods. Are they the same size as your irons?
Then I would check your grip on the club. That may also be causing the push/fade.(Weak)
Lastly you may be swinging your woods harder and losing your timing

 

[Dodger]

Bet you thems the pupils you just love Bob,£30 in the sky rocket for telling them childsplay stuff!

 

[Imurg]

If you can find a good pro/coach AND you're willing to put the time in to in-grain the tweaks that will be suggested AND you've got the spare money then lessons will be worthwhile.
I've yet to find a good pro and havn't got the time to practice the tweaks or suggestions. I get a game a week, occasionally 2 and maybe - maybe - a bucket on the range.

I can't see that taking one every few months is going to help unless there is a specific problem. An on-going series of lessons is the only way they will work.

 

[bobmac]

Bet you thems the pupils you just love Bob,£30 in the sky rocket for telling them childsplay stuff!

£30??
I am going to have to put my prices up

Dodger, part of the skill is knowing when to talk and when to listen.
I regularily give my pupils a good listening to
Sometimes I have to interupt the story about little Johnnie's school report card, just to get some balls hit.

 

[bobmac]

I can't see that taking one every few months is going to help unless there is a specific problem. An on-going series of lessons is the only way they will work.

As I said in the OP, its not always about major swing surgery, just a tip here and there can make all the difference. For example..........
I played at my home course on Wednesday and met up with one of the seniors and his wife on the 3rd. He complained about hitting everything to the right. He had tried every known cure given to him by his friends but they all missed the actual cause of his woes....a weak left hand.
I suggested he strengthened it a ttouch and bingo, off it went down the middle.
He was a very happy bunny and his wife was happy she didnt have to spend the rest of her days hunting for his ball in the right hand rough.

All I was trying to say was if you're having a specific problem with your game that is making your golfing life miserable, ask for help.
You may be only a tweak away from the cure

 

[freddielong]

I think also its very good for your confidence to have your Pro have a look, tidy your ball position and tell you everything looks good and there are no major problems, helps you think about where its going rather than what you are doing.

 

[Herbie]

Unless you're willing to spend £100 plus with a pro and stress that is all they're ever getting out of you, then they are a waste of time.
You're money is better off invested in getting a video camera and recording yourself and analysing your own swing.

Sorry to hear you feel like that.
Filming and analysing your own swing is a great way to learn, if you know what you are looking for.
As far as only getting two changes to your swing during one lesson, isnt that enough to be thinking about during a swing that lasts 1 - 1 1/2 seconds?
I agree you should feel you have learned something during a lesson and you should be left with something to work on to improve.
When I teach, I
watch the swing and the ball flight
work out what is causing the bad shot
explain to the pupil what is causing the bad shot
work together with the pupil to work on a cure
Finish the lesson with at least one drill to help bed in the cure.

This way, the pupil understands what he/she was doing to cause the bad shot and what they need to do to stop it.
They then know what I have changed and most importantly, WHY.

You can only analyse if you kow what you are looking for as a fault and correction.
I would suggest that calculating how many balls you may lose each year and offsetting against pro lessons might make you feel a little better.
A good pro will spot your faults and help you correct them in a way which best suits you. They are not a waste of money, though one or two might want to sell you stuff along the way and the odd one might be crap as a teacher, but mostly they know their stuff, in much the same way a driving professional knows his stuff but has to accept that when someone passes a basic test, they know everything???

 

[Macster]

Bob - I certainly would like to be nearer to your base, as I could do with some occasional looks over my game, and havent anyone that I use here north of the river.

Years ago, I used an assistant here who could transform my problems in 20/30minutes, and we had a great rapport, but sadly for me, he went into Architechture as it would pay more !

I wanted to actually go to our own Pro for lessons, but he rather dismissively advised that he now left the coaching to his son nowadays, (who works in the shop with him), but who sadly has a personality that I & others find a little numb, and who's well known to try and change people's swing too much to achieve perfection, rather than the tweaking that you suggest etc.

Can you go 'mobile' ??

 

[Region3]

I'll meet you over there for a game sometime Chris and we can both book a lesson first

 

[bobmac]

Where are you in East Yorks?

 

[Macster]

Nth Ferriby - Just over the Big Bridge thingy........