Never had a lesson...what to look for in coach?

Hey guys,

Unfortunately I am self taught, it's been okay thus far as I never sought to be competitive in golf, however now I am looking to do just that. All of the local courses offer lessons from various teachers/coaches but I am not sure where to begin. What qualifications, references and style should I look for in a potential teacher? What questions should I ask to a prospective coach?

~Thanks

I recommend taking a lesson with several of the local pros. This will allow you to compare teaching styles.

I ended going with a former pro that mostly teaches children; endless patience and the ability to explain everything in non-technical language.

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Ask:

Do you teach a swing or do you tweak my swing?


If you are a true beginner, you might want a teacher who will teach you a particular swing. If you have been playing, you need someone who makes adjustments to what you already have.

Other things to consider: * Do you want video capture / comparison or see-and-do? I would hate to see my swing on camera, even though it works reasonably well for me. Other people love to see their faults on camera. * Does he or she teach everyone the same swing? I've seen teachers give everyone the same swing - even people who might not by physically capable of a particular swing. The guy who plays once a month and sits behind a desk the other 29 days and doesn't exercise regularly can't execute Ben Hogan's swing. He just can't. * PGA Class A or LPGA teaching designation. "Professional," in golf, means only that they get paid for it. Having a professional organization's certification means that they've invested some time in learning how to teach. That's not to say that anyone without a designation can't teach well, because some can, but professional and certified are different. And if they've passed their PATs, they're quite capable of playing under pressure. Or maybe they have a good tournament record. In any case, you want someone for whom golf is not just a job. * Type of course where they teach. - Does it have a chipping area too? You'll want somewhere that you can get a short game lesson AND practice. The pro can chip to the putting green sometimes, but good luck being allowed to do that when he's gone. - Mats or grass? Do you care? (Given SoCal, there aren't too many public grass driving ranges. Woodley Lakes, Saddleback College, and Lake Forest Executive are the only ones I know of) - Type of course? Executive, par-3, or regulation? It might not matter to you, but if you want to take a playing lesson, you may want to consider this. Finally, where in the south bay are you? There could be some people on the board who know a good teacher in the area. Recommendation helps!

Thanks for the tips guys, Shindig I am in Redondo Beach though my family lives in Lake Forest/Mission Viejo and I stay with them on weekends, so I am open to that locale as well.