Years playing, Lessons & H'cap

[Deleted member 29109]

I can believe there are some people who are naturally talented who get to scratch or low single figures. I went from never swinging a golf club to single figures in 2 years. I had a course of 6 lessons when I first started, then just played. But, the people I played with when I started were off low single figures. They never gave me ‘lessons’ as such but would give advice and I would try to emulate how they played.

I got down to 5 within another couple of years with just the odd lesson if struggling with something. What I did was play 3 or 4 times a week. I learned how to get the ball in the hole with the game I had.

I’ve seen it in other sports. The very first time I went ice skating, I just got on the ice and could skate. Within a year I’d taken up Ice Hockey. My daughter has the same skating ability. My son, despite many hours trying is still like Bamby. He however does appear to have a natural ability for bowling at cricket. He’s done a few weeks in the nets having never played before, and is faster and more accurate than all the other kids there.

I would say though. That of all the different sports I’ve played. Golf is by far the hardest.

 

[Ethan]

40 years (mostly summers only)
Not very many lessons, probably couple of dozen max
Current HI: 7.7

Never really played or practised enough to feel I achieved maximum potential, and probably not going to reach it now.

 

[Voyager EMH]

A lot of golfers like to pretend they've never had a lesson or ever do any practice. I guess it makes them feel special.

I'll never be able to pretend that I've never had a lesson unless I have one. I don't feel special, because I'm not special. I am in touch with reality as far as I can tell.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

A lot of golfers like to pretend they've never had a lesson or ever do any practice. I guess it makes them feel special.

Or a lot of golfers just want to play golf and not spend money or time on lessons or practise because it’s just a hobby ?‍

 

[theoneandonly]

Or a lot of golfers just want to play golf and not spend money or time on lessons or practise because it’s just a hobby ?‍

Who said spend money? There is tons of free stuff out there. Can you honestly say you've never tried a tip from a magazine, friend , YouTube etc or been onto the course on your own just knocking it about and chucking a couple of balls down to try a shot again?
Sure plenty won't have paid for a lesson with a pro or go to the range , but that doesn't mean they don't practice or seek tution from other sources.

 

[Springveldt]

Who said spend money? There is tons of free stuff out there. Can you honestly say you've never tried a tip from a magazine, friend , YouTube etc or been onto the course on your own just knocking it about and chucking a couple of balls down to try a shot again?
Sure plenty won't have paid for a lesson with a pro or go to the range , but that doesn't mean they don't practice or seek tution from other sources.

Those aren’t lesson though, they are practice. You don’t have direct feedback from someone else to what is working and why it is working.

YouTube “lessons” is a sure way to mess up your swing. Been there, done that.

 

[Orikoru]

Who said spend money? There is tons of free stuff out there. Can you honestly say you've never tried a tip from a magazine, friend , YouTube etc or been onto the course on your own just knocking it about and chucking a couple of balls down to try a shot again?
Sure plenty won't have paid for a lesson with a pro or go to the range , but that doesn't mean they don't practice or seek tution from other sources.

That's not a lesson is it? A lesson is when a pro actually sees you play golf and gives you targeted advice based on your actual swing. Watching a YouTube video is just generic advice that you can try on a trial and error basis. Who on earth would call that a lesson?

 

[Bdill93]

That's not a lesson is it? A lesson is when a pro actually sees you play golf and gives you targeted advice based on your actual swing. Watching a YouTube video is just generic advice that you can try on a trial and error basis. Who on earth would call that a lesson?

So you mean to tell me that Rick Shiels isnt producing these videos with me specifically in mind?

Well I never!

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Who said spend money? There is tons of free stuff out there. Can you honestly say you've never tried a tip from a magazine, friend , YouTube etc or been onto the course on your own just knocking it about and chucking a couple of balls down to try a shot again?
Sure plenty won't have paid for a lesson with a pro or go to the range , but that doesn't mean they don't practice or seek tution from other sources.

that’s not a lesson is it ?‍

 

[theoneandonly]

That's not a lesson is it? A lesson is when a pro actually sees you play golf and gives you targeted advice based on your actual swing. Watching a YouTube video is just generic advice that you can try on a trial and error basis. Who on earth would call that a lesson?

Lessons don't have to be tailored to the individual. Self paced video instruction is a very popular learning method.
Sure ,not all videos are lessons but plenty are.

 

[Orikoru]

Lessons don't have to be tailored to the individual. Self paced video instruction is a very popular learning method.
Sure ,not all videos are lessons but plenty are.

In the context of this thread - and basically any other time when someone has asked another person if they had lessons - I don't think it counts.

 

[SHiiBBZ]

Years playing - about 8 with a two year hiatus
Lessons - probably between 8-12 with a few different pros. Who all want to work on something different
H/C - was 15 in 2017, but now 21.

Big hitter, good short game, average putter. Lack of consistency with good shots means I drop probably 10 strokes a round.

 

[Bdill93]

In the context of this thread - and basically any other time when someone has asked another person if they had lessons - I don't think it counts.

If it does, put me down for 10+ hours of lessons per week over the last 2 years

 

[rudebhoy]

Been playing for 6 years - took the game up when I retired, have wished so many times since that I had taken it up 25 years earlier when I had to pack in football.

Lessons - I'd guess about a dozen 1-2-1. I started off with a series of group lessons, which was a great way to get going and to meet folk who were at the same level, 6 years on i still play regularly with 3 of them.

HI - 18.1 (was 24.5 this time last year, so guess I must finally be getting the hang of it)

Practice - does hitting balls for 10 minutes before playing count as practice? If so, then loads!

 

[srixon 1]

Dabbled as a kid with my dad on pitch and putt courses. Started seriously in 1988 at the age of 25. Have been at the same club since then as I only live 1.5 miles away. Probably had less than 50 lessons in that time and current HI is 2.9. Have been single figures since 1995.

 

[Hobbit]

Played 54 years, with the odd couple of years off here and there.

Was comfortably into single figures when I had my first lesson, 1988. Had, probably, half a dozen lessons since, the last one around 2006. Although I did have an over the phone(5 min) lesson from a pro who knows my game really well sometime around 2012 - cured something I’d struggled with for months.

Used to practice loads, especially short game and doubly especially putting.

Rarely play now, last time was in Feb and next time might be late June- too busy bowling now.