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Weekly Lessons?


iacas

9,762 views

Lesson Frequency  

44 members have voted

  1. 1. Which is better FOR YOU?

    • Weekly 45 minute lessons for $45
      19
    • Monthly or bi-monthly one-hour lessons for $120
      25

Just a question right now, because I'm actually going to post this in Swing Thoughts as it's a bit more involved than what I want for my "Droplets" blog: which do you think is better (and why): lessons that cost you $45/45min. every week or lessons that cost $120/hour every month or two?

There's no one "right" answer.

55 Comments


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  • Moderator
billchao

Posted

The latter for me. Cheaper in the long-run so more cost-effective, but more importantly I feel weekly lessons would be unnecessary. A week is not enough time to ingrain anything so either you are going back for the same lesson all the time or you are getting too many things to work on in too small a timeframe.

CarlSpackler

Posted

2nd option primarily from a scheduling standpoint. Would love to do weekly lessons, but not sure if I could commit that much time. 

dennyjones

Posted (edited)

I've done the weekly lessons and the problem arises from not being able to practice enough to get the previous lesson down before a new one begins.   My instructor wouldn't move on to a new concept until I was comfortable with the lesson.  

Edited by dennyjones
  • Upvote 1
Joey G

Posted

Right now, for me, I would benefit from a weekly session. Maybe not in 6 weeks, but right now at least a weekly lesson would help me develop good habits. 

JonMA1

Posted

I think it would depend on whether I was "getting it" or not.

When I took online lessons, the initial primary piece was pretty easy to understand and implement. So the only thing needed was to work on it for an extended period of time to make it stick. Two weeks to a month was fine.

But the next piece I never really understood. I spent a couple weeks of uncertainty as to whether or not I was practicing something beneficial. It turned out I hadn't been. In that case, it would have been nice to know I was investing the time poorly.

Marty2019

Posted

I voted for weekly lessons, but what I would really prefer is variable.   I'd like to be able to take a lesson and then schedule the next one when I think I'm ready.   Right now, I'm taking weekly lessons, but it's a 10 lesson package and I can cancel and re-schedule if I want.  

I've only taken 2 lessons so far.   The first thing he wanted me to learn was easy and the second one was hard.  So whether I think I need more time in between depends on whether I think I have adequately implemented my last lesson. 

 

 

  • Moderator
nevets88

Posted

I voted monthly. My sweetspot is ~3 weeks if there's no interference with the practice schedule, sometimes it's 2 months between lessons. Maybe price in an option for quick hit practice video analysis in between lessons? Or if it's a physical student, a quick in person check-up during practice sessions.

Kalnoky

Posted

I have been doing every 4-5 weeks, but the more I think, weekly is probably better. Reason: shorter lessons, less material to cover. Easier to remember, at least for me. 

allenc

Posted

Why is the first teacher so much cheaper? Is he just as good as the second one?  If so then I would get monthly one hour lessons from the first guy for $60.  Trick question!

Seriously, at this point in my golf development I would be better off with once a month lessons.  At other times once a week for at least a few lessons may have been more beneficial.  I'm also asssuming the expensive guy has fancy hitting bays for filming your swing, a video to take home, and maybe trackman and the cheap guy doesn't.  So I vote option B.

cipher

Posted

I would actually prefer weekly lessons where we would start working on something and then the next lesson would be more of a follow up on what we were working on.  So there would be verification to the work being done to verify I was not getting off track until the point I am ready to move on to the next priority piece.    

  • Upvote 1
  • Moderator
nevets88

Posted

Weekly might also work if you're alternating between full swing, putting and short game.

  • Administrator
iacas

Posted

11 hours ago, JonMA1 said:

I think it would depend on whether I was "getting it" or not.

When I took online lessons, the initial primary piece was pretty easy to understand and implement. So the only thing needed was to work on it for an extended period of time to make it stick. Two weeks to a month was fine.

But the next piece I never really understood. I spent a couple weeks of uncertainty as to whether or not I was practicing something beneficial. It turned out I hadn't been. In that case, it would have been nice to know I was investing the time poorly.

@JonMA1, online lessons (at least via evolvr) don't follow this same rule. You're paying much less with evolvr at $39/month, so weekly is fine, even submitting a video just to ask if you're doing a drill properly.

6 hours ago, Marty2019 said:

I voted for weekly lessons, but what I would really prefer is variable.   I'd like to be able to take a lesson and then schedule the next one when I think I'm ready.

That's basically how I structure all of my lessons, with some consideration for their competitive schedules.

2 hours ago, allenc said:

Why is the first teacher so much cheaper? Is he just as good as the second one?  If so then I would get monthly one hour lessons from the first guy for $60.  Trick question!

He's not. Every week it's a grab bag of different things. The students never really improve. :-)

But for the purpose of this discussion, they're the same… and he's just basically giving a volume discount on a per-minute basis (but a higher monthly cost).

GolfLug

Posted

Weekly. Well, at least for couple of months. Then I would probably go to twice a month for next two months or so and then eventually once ever 2 months or so.

I think the hardest part for me has been staying on the priority and not let 'other' things creep up. It's not a new content lesson every week as much as getting help with trained eyes for the maintaining 1) focus on priority 2) It is properly performed.

  • Upvote 1
  • Moderator
mvmac

Posted

I voted for monthly. I could see going weekly for check-ups for a short time frame if the piece is really different from what I've been doing and I want to make sure I'm rehearsing it properly. Though I would most likely just send videos for this.

Going weekly typically doesn't make sense. It doesn't give me enough time to make noticeable changes so the instructor would just be telling me to do the same exact thing they did last week. Or if they felt weird about that they might be inclined to nitpick and all of a sudden I'm working on a bunch of "new" things at once.

David in FL

Posted

The one that costs half as much for the same thing....

Mr. Desmond

Posted (edited)

If it's a clinic and a group lesson, okay, I can see going for additional knowledge and general work, if you are beginning in the game. It is a way for instructors and you to get to know one another so you can decide if you are serious and then have a series of private lessons, or even semi-private lessons (less cost).

This is what I do - I am into an overhaul - in the 2nd year, effectively, after trying DIY (doesn't work). Now with a knowledgeable instructor - every swing is video and Trackman. We only look at one stat - my priority piece right now is downswing path - symptom is an  in to out path that is too high (in degrees) - we spent a lot of time on backswing until I found my way. I could never, ever, get the backswing - why? because I started with my hands, and the arms proceeded to make sign language. It was like Zoro going back.

One day, I looked at a vid and said, "Screw this, I am going to start with my big muscles - the shoulders - it worked, then I said, left arm or right arm feel? I need to feel the left arm on my chest - it's different for everyone.

What I've settled into as to lessons is about once per month - I purchase a series to save a lot of money. It works for me.

The point I am making is find an instructor in whom you have confidence and go consistently if you are into an overhaul or beginning, but the instructor won't have all the answers. Sometimes, they will tell you the symptoms, but you've got to ask the questions, you must figure some of  it out on your own -- but the entire process for most of us involves consistent instruction.

And afterwards, checkups ...

Edited by Mr. Desmond
TourSpoon

Posted (edited)

On 10/27/2016 at 2:43 PM, GolfLug said:

Weekly. Well, at least for couple of months. Then I would probably go to twice a month for next two months or so and then eventually once ever 2 months or so.

I think the hardest part for me has been staying on the priority and not let 'other' things creep up. It's not a new content lesson every week as much as getting help with trained eyes for the maintaining 1) focus on priority 2) It is properly performed.

I am along the same line of thought. In the beginning, it's important to get the initial concepts down, especially for the beginner or intermediate. Once the basics are more ingrained and the student has the ability to practice correctly, retain the information, and has enough understanding to apply the lesson without the errors creeping in, then less frequency of lessons gives the student time to refine what they actually have learned and to some degree self monitor. 

With that said, I opt for the tune-up every month to six weeks at this stage of my development. 

Edited by TourSpoon
Marty2019

Posted

This week was a good example of why I in particular need weekly lessons. 

In my previous post I said I would like to have a lesson and then schedule the next one when I am ready.  But based on this last week, that would have been a mistake because I never would have been ready.  

I went off to practice what I had been taught, and I was apparently practicing all wrong, because I could not make it work, and yet I thought I just needed to practice more and figure it out. 

Fortunately, I had a scheduled lesson, so I went to it and my instructor pointed out that in my effort to make the change he was trying to teach, I had introduced a very fundamental flaw into my swing.  So having a scheduled weekly lesson in this case was a good thing. 

  • Moderator
DaveP043

Posted

I'd think that some middle ground might be the best thing.  I wouldn't want to be making continual changes, I know how tough it is to properly learn something new, so I wouldn't want to take weekly lessons.  On the other hand, it would be nice to have a regular check-up to make sure I'm properly instituting the desired change while practicing.  

I don't know from personal experience how good the pros at my club are at teaching, but I think they do this bit right.  Lots of times when they're walking along the range they'll spend just a couple of minutes with someone who's taken a lesson, and tweak (or reinforce) what they're doing.  A little free assistance like this will help the player continue to institute the changes, and to improve.  Its also sound business, the improvement encourages the player to keep coming back for more lessons.

WUTiger

Posted

Weekly, for awhile.

If I had time to commit to this, I would like the feedback on how well I had absorbed Week 1 lessons, plus learning the next step in Week 2.

Years ago I was taking Tae Kwon Do karate classes. Along with regular class schedules, the dojang had Wednesday afternoon sessions where you could go for individual help. I often went, and asked for a checkover on stance, hand position, all the little stuff. I wanted to make sure I was doing what I thought I was doing.

I think I would derive similar benefit rom the weekly golf lessons. After a few weeks, however, it's time to move on and apply the lessons on your own.

The hour-long monthly lessons would be good at the beginning of the season, or when you're trying to correct a chronic problem rather than make incremental improvement.

Kalnoky

Posted

I just set up a bi-weekly 1/2 hour w/ my instructor for the off-season. I told him I wanted to work on 1-2 ideas max per visit. Otherwise I get overwhelmed and I feel like I used to feel after calculus classes in college.

sirhacksalot

Posted (edited)

The purchased set of weekly lessons didn't really work for me. Even though they were more than 45min and were usually  an hour, I felt though he is a friend of mine know, that all he would do is get me in positions watch me hit balls. I would go back to old habits, we'd then spend 30 minutes  of the next hr lesson getting the positions right again, and then try to add a shape. Old ways again because subtleties weren't really explained of how to find these positions, so repeat ad nauseum

Edited by sirhacksalot
Rainmaker

Posted (edited)

Probably, over the long run, the once a month for 120 would be better for me.  It all depends on how much I'm practicing - I have gone through periods where I've practiced enough to benefit from weekly lessons but it's rare.  For me, weekly lessons means 30-60 minutes of practice at least 5x per week (not including the actual lesson). .then I feel like I'm moving along at each lesson and not just getting repeats.  

Edited by Rainmaker
Strat-Pack Rick

Posted

I take a lesson twice a month- 45 min at the back of the range. its a pattern i really like. Lesson 1st week....9 holes lesson the 3rd week. The 9-holes week is cool, i get to use what im learning in a game time setting. If i struggle or dont focus though ,he will take me back to the range instead. Its like punishment. I practice every day even if i only pitch balls and putt. Floyd always knows if ive practiced lazy, as he calls it. I like the set up alot.  Hit Em Good Yall

 

  • Upvote 1
easyjay39402

Posted

When I was younger, I required 3-5 weekly lessons to fix a problem in my full swing, preferably with a pro familiar with my swing.  It's just too easy for me to lose the main thread that I should be working on in practice. 

Now with arthritis and the other impediments that come with age, I'm not able physically to put in the practice time between lessons on a weekly basis.  For this reason, I have given up on trying to keep my technique solid and am looking to game management for improvement. 

This thread has given me pause to consider monthly lessons as a possible solution. 

 

 


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