For high HC'c and Beginners

[larlev]

First let me say I am just a guy learning the game of golf, been playing for a year or so and have made really good progress where I actually enjoy playing.

I wanted to share some advice that I hope most of you will take to heart. There are hundreds of lessons on the internet, books, friends giving you advice, etc. Pick one person and stick w/ what he or she is teaching. I watched a video of Ron de barrio earlier that was mentioned on a diff. thread. I am sure he teaches one of the many ways to make a golf swing, but if you have been listening to another type of teacher you can easily get confused with all the contradictions you hear.

I firmly believe you will get better faster if you get personal instruction. If you can't afford it then pick a website, book, whatever...and practice what is being taught. It's fine for better players to take diff. parts from diff. people, but for us we have sooo many things that are wrong it just gets overwhelming at times....

Maybe I am way off who knows...all I know is I have learned the hard way on this and just wanted to make this point known...

[x-forged]

good point larlev, i can relate on this. Ive had tons of lessons from 5 or 6 different instructors, coachs, and head pros since i started playing at 5 years old. All of them know the game of golf, know how to swing a club, but they way they teach and instruct can really affect you if you try to apply different concepts from different instructors.

I struggled for the longest time trying to mesh all of what i learned into one good swing. all of their teachings seemed right, so i wanted to take bits and pieces from each, but it didnt work out like i had planned. i still know most of the instructors that have taught me over the years, and ill take advice from them anytime, but be careful of what you apply to your personal swing.

[klaymon]

You are 100% right. I've had personal instruction from two different people (not really by choice) and it's been confusing because their teaching styles are different. I'm wondering if that is why my game is suffering so much lately.

[nykfan4life]

Whenever I have a lesson, the next time out, my scores drop- and stay down(most of the time). I would strongly reccomend it as well.

[Shindig]

I wanted to share some advice that I hope most of you will take to heart. There are hundreds of lessons on the internet, books, friends giving you advice, etc. Pick one person and stick w/ what he or she is teaching. I watched a video of Ron de barrio earlier that was mentioned on a diff. thread. I am sure he teaches one of the many ways to make a golf swing, but if you have been listening to another type of teacher you can easily get confused with all the contradictions you hear.

That's why I didn't look at the links or videos from there.

I'd like to add that you should pick an instructor whose style matches how you want to learn. Some of my friends take lessons with an instructor who uses video and shows you your swing fault, as viewed from behind or the side, and helps you correct it. I hate that. I'd be too mechanical if I saw that. Others of my friends have instructors that use swing aids. I wouldn't want that either. But these things work for them. My instructor shows me what to do right from my prospective by moving me and demonstrating. This works great for me. Sure, I don't have it on video, but I don't want it on video. And I learn it this way.

[Trevor07Silvy]

I agree, I read some tips on the internet and watch different videos on YouTube and will start to get confused, like you said there are many contradictions that will make you play bad. I just try to take a little bit of info every now and then after I have ingrained the previous bit on info into my swing/head.

BTW larlev- Whats your instructors name? Where do you take lessons from him? etc if you don't mind me asking. I would like to take lessons sometime over the summer since I've never done it.

[Brooklyn]

Well my problem is i learned everything from my dad... But now im better than he is... Sorta like the student vs the master deal...
What strikes me as funny though is if i blow a shot hes always got some tip or bit of advice to help... If he blows a shot... I better keep it to myself.

[Shindig]

Well my problem is i learned everything from my dad... But now im better than he is... Sorta like the student vs the master deal...

First lesson of golf with other people: there has yet to be born a golfer who is not also an instructor.

[Flogger]

Hi all...

I agree with everyone who has touched based on this subject. It is too difficult to get instruction on the internet, books or T.V. It's not personal and very generic. The instructors are speaking strickly about their method and what they teach. There is no better way to learn YOUR golf swing than with a professional and yourself. Video or no video, it's truly up to the student. The one aspect that every golfer needs to understand is that there is a bunch of ways to roll a six in Vegas! In other words, there really is no right/wrong way to swing the golf club. The most important thing is to make a swing that you can repeat time and time again. All too often we are all caught up in how it looks vs how effective it is. I've been teaching professionally for 20 years and this I can assure you of, NO ONE has the answer to make you a better golfer but yourself. The one thing you can all do especially if you're paying for golf lessons is, ask too many questions. Don't just allow a professional to tell you what you need to do and accept it. If you're not feeling it or understanding it then it's the job of the professional that YOU hire to explain it a different way so that YOU can understand it and feel it. My web site is just my way to give back to golf. It is not the end all of instruction and after all, it's free. I hope you all hit too many fairways and too many greens!
Cheers,
Ron del Barrio

[michaeljames92]

First let me say I am just a guy learning the game of golf, been playing for a year or so and have made really good progress where I actually enjoy playing.

good post. i have learnt off my father and many things he says about the golf swing differs to what i believe and what others believe on this forum. an example is chipping with an 8-iron. i like to use a sand wedge or lob wedge depending on the lie. often i will make a great chip with a SW and i may stuff one up later on, then my dad says 'i keep telling you to use an 8-iron' and 'only pros use a wedge to chip' and he gets shitty when i say that i like to land my pitches near the hole and run on usually to within 1 metre or so, instead of chipping just over the fringe and rolling on. i mean i wanna play how i wanna play but sometimes a family member will influence you on their point of view, instead of following the advice of a pro.

[tmoult]

Im fairly new as well. One thing is to just focus on one or two things when your at the rnage, if you have to many thoughts i find i tend to "duff" it. Someone has probably already said this, so i apologize.

[immts007]

Hi all...

I just noticed you have Jon Lovitz in your current "Chilly Dip" vid.

I'm a sucker for celebrity endorsements and will now listen to your theories and subscribe to your newsletter

[ctmurrray]

That's why I didn't look at the links or videos from there.

I am taking lessons with a buddy at a slight discount. I get to see the pro working with him and can see what flaw he might be correcting. I sort of learn something even though that is not my flaw. The best part of this is that we play together quite a bit so we can reinforce what the pro told us, or what we want to talk to the pro about at the next lesson. This is the first real lessons I have taken with a pro. We asked around and this guy is well recommended and located near where we live. He has definite teaching methods but is open to re-phrasing into our language or modifying his approach based upon our feed back. He did provide us with video of our swings to have along with his comments. I think lessons are quite valuable now but I avoided for a long time.

[tm22721]

I pay attention to multiple sources that I verify and blend through experimentation.

For instance a book by a guy named Shoemaker claims that you can acquire a professional swing by throwing a club at the target. I have confirmed his claim but then you put a ball in front of me and it all falls apart because ball contact is another matter (covered in a book by a guy named Clampett).

[SubPar]

Check out Ron Del Barrio's new video . He stacks two balls one on top of the other, hits the bottom ball on the green then as the second ball pops up and falls, he hits that one on the fly... on the green as well.

SubPar