1/2 hour lesson session vs. 1 hour

1 hour for sure......a full hour flies by as it is, a half hour lesson must feel like a blink of the eye

I agree, 1 hour is the way to go.  My first lesson was a half an hour lesson, and it was so fast I didn't feel like I got anything out of it.

A good instructor can often do what he needs to tell you in 30 minutes, show you why, get some changes, and show you how to continue practicing it on your own.

A poor instructor should not be given 60 seconds let alone 60 minutes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by iacas 

A good instructor can often do what he needs to tell you in 30 minutes, show you why, get some changes, and show you how to continue practicing it on your own.

 

A poor instructor should not be given 60 seconds let alone 60 minutes.

I've taken my share of lessons and after 30 mins, I have what I need to work on until the next lesson/evaluation.  I've noticed other students getting small talk for the second half of the hour - seems like a waste of time/$$$.  If video analysis is involved, though, 30 mins isn't enough time to capture the swing, load it into a computer, then analyze it then get back out there and work on a few pointers.

30 mins is best for me - small increments.

My last instructor only offered 1 hr blocks. It was roughly 20 minutes of instruction, 20 minutes of hitting balls in front of a camera alone and 20 minutes reviewing vids and summarizing the lesson. Which included him emailing me a couple of vids to use as a guide to continue the work until we met again.

 My preferred way of working? Half an hour - one or two key things to work on - check understanding and ability to demonstrate. Go away and engrain. Come back for another half hour lesson to check progress and go from there. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Martin 

If video analysis is involved, though, 30 mins isn't enough time to capture the swing, load it into a computer, then analyze it then get back out there and work on a few pointers.

I disagree, but that said our (at Golf Evolution) one-hour lessons are often 90 minutes because it's not so much about getting paid and making money as it is about improving the quality of someone's life (when you play better golf, you enjoy life more). To that end, we know most people absolutely SUCK at practicing, so the extra half hour is a result of us enjoying what we do AND making sure the people get in at least some practice doing things properly.

We've also got a "practice plan" we are now giving students that spells things out for them in the hopes of encouraging good practice, but way, way, WAY too many people take a lesson, maybe play better for a little bit, never practice, and then give up because "it stopped working for me."

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Quote:

Originally Posted by iacas 

A good instructor can often do what he needs to tell you in 30 minutes, show you why, get some changes, and show you how to continue practicing it on your own.

 

A poor instructor should not be given 60 seconds let alone 60 minutes.

Agreed.

My last lesson was 30 min and it was the best that I've had yet in terms of my understanding the main issues (back on inside/below plane, not enough extension) and actually seeing benefit from change.  Keeping it up is something else of course.

Actually the guy gave me more like 45 min so I payed him for 45.  He was smart - I'll be back.

I've recently taken lessons from two different pga pros.   The gift from my wife for Christmas was 5 1/2 hour lessons from Carl's.   The 1/2 hour went so quick, I didn't hardly realize that I'd started.   The pro was great and gave me plenty to work with and then emailed the video of the lesson and suggested fixes.   The pro I'm seeing closer to home is going 1 hour and we do the video analysis during the lesson to show what I'm doing wrong and then again to reinforce the corrections.   I could and have learned from both.     I personally like the hour lesson, I don't feel as rushed and relax a little more.   If I was a better player and working on just one thing, 30 minutes from a good qualified pro would be enough. 

I teach 45 minute lessons booked on the hour...gives me time to prepare for the next "victim" (Just joking)

Usually email a couple of video swing segments that illustrate the points of instruction