I was never coached in my sports. I was an excellent swimmer that my girlfriend (at the time) was the coach of and I could hold my own without any help. Tennis, I was self-taught and played in a general league where I didn't have a couch either, but could still hold my own at a moderately high level.

With golf, I'm kind of WISHING I had someone that was a little harder on me. I think that's important so long as the student is willing to receive it. I want to get better, so when I make a mistake I want someone to grill me a little for it. If I make the SAME mistake over and over, grill the %^&* out of me. These instructors that are just saying the right way to do things most of the time, and not actually pointing out mistakes I feel are kind of just stringing you along. 

I guess it all depends on your goals, though. My goal is to get better, now. In what time I have to practice. Just shot a 4 over on 9 yesterday so I'm in the territory of breaking 80 in less than 18 months from seriously starting golf (starting at shooting ~105-110+). My instructor right now is great, but I think he could do a little better in the motivation category.

While the mental part of the game may be overrated while playing a round, I think it's the biggest road block to many of us regarding proper practice. It's embarrassing to not be able to get past it.

Seems to me, sugarcoating instruction does nothing the help the student. I'm not talking about someone who is just starting out - they need to be reminded how difficult the game of golf can be or many may quit. I'm talking about those of us who have been stuck in the same poor practice routines for years (and subsequently, the same results on the course). 

Well, it doesn't help that a new pattern could be as easy as learning calligraphy.....left-handed, especially when the first few strokes resemble a 4 year olds' penmanship. . :-))

To add, trust is a fragile instinct that is almost always at odds with this ruthless bully called 'consequence'.

Now, I always try to remember to feign consequence when I practice and feign inconsequence when I play for score. Both easier said then done and don't always happen but it is starting to make a difference.     

This reminds me of something I saw, and heard from a local pro. His name is John Hamarick, and was looking to be a big deal on the Tour before the arthritis got him. I believe he won the old Sun City tournament in South Africa, the richest tournament in the world at the time with 1 Million dollars to the winner.

Anyway the arthritis came on, so he came home and opened a driving range and instruction center. I was there one day learning to hit the new "J" Driver copy he had built for me. He was giving a lesson to a rather elderly lady a few tees away. At one point she scraped another one along the ground, and john exclaimed, rather loudly I might add, "No, no, NO! You're not doing what I told you!" 

That kind of raised my eyebrows. But by the end of the lesson he had her hitting 5 irons 150 yards, straight as a string, and high in air off the grass! I also noticed that she made another appointment before leaving.

After she left, John walked up to me and asked if that was the Driver he built for me and how I liked it. Then he asked if he could see it. He teed up a ball, took one practice swing and then POW! He parked one in the trees beyond the range fence that was about 280. And it wasn't even close! He handed the club back and said, "Seems to work pretty well!"

Oh, the title, "going full drill sergeant on them", and the pic of R. Lee Ermey.

Like John Hamarik went full drill sergeant on that old lady. I found it rather surprising!

On July 23, 2016 at 10:54 AM, nevets88 said:

Full Metal Jacket for the win 

Maybe golf lessons should be like those military simulated workouts for civilians. YOU CALL THAT A SWING? MY 102 YO GRANDMOTHER CAN SWING BETTER THAN YOU AND SHE USES A WALKER MAGGOT. 

FTFY.

My practice is so irregular that there's no way I'd see improvement in technique.

I'm also not the most patient person which is a hindrance.

I find that I'm most successful and patient when I have a plan laid out for me.  Like this year with the gym, I'm following a workout plan and slowly but surely am seeing results in how my body looks and my weight going down.  

And I'm hitting the golf ball further.