What are the qualities that good instructors possess?

[roverT7]

I'm thinking of finally taking a lesson. Every so often I hear someone say that so-and-so is a great instructor, or that you've got to talk to Joe somebody at this course over hear. How to decide, without just trying them all I suppose??? Money is a big issue, so I would prefer to not drop $ on a bad instructor.

Anyone have thoughts on what makes a good instructor? I've always read that you should stay away from anyone who immediately tries to change every aspect of your swing. Any other thoughts?

Also, what do instructors charge in your area? Instructors at the public courses around here look to average about $45/hour.

I've also noticed that some instructors will follow you on the course for 9 or 18 holes, at a higher rate. Anyone done this and thought it was much more rewarding that simply hitting shots on the driving range in front of the instructor?

Finally, is it pretty standard now for the instructor to have access to video capture technology, equipment to capture launch angle, spin rate, etc., and to include this in the hourly rate?

Lot's of questions, I know. Thanks for any responses,

Rob

[Dent]

I think a good instructor to me is someone who can be friendly, act like your friend and chat around a bit, while staying on topic. Someone who doesn't dissagree with all of your ideas on your swing.

I've seen some instructors who are completely convinced they are right when sometimes they can't be. I love instructors who like to hear you're ideas as well and work with them to fix your swing.

I also agree, an instructor who tries to completely change your swing is bad news. I couldn't possibly imagine changing my swing and trying to hit a ball after that.

[TheGolfingDetective]

The best lessons I ever had were from a club pro in Arizona while on vacation. I got in two one-hour sessions with him on a four day getaway in the Phoenix-Scottsdale area. He made me think about everything BESIDES swing mechanics. He just had me hit balls, changed a few set up issues, had me work on tempo, and just generally shot the s**t with me in 110 degree heat.

The best I could try to hope to find again, is a pro who gives lessons while making you think you're not taking a lesson.

(For those of you in that area, the pro is Dan Hurth, of the Phoenician Resort in Phoenix, he was about 5 years younger than I and I HIGHLY recommend him.)

[TinCupTampa]

Personally... I would rather have a pro that would break my swing down from every facet. I have had problems finding one that will do that. Everyone that I have encountered have applied bandaid fixes to my swing which leads to other bad habits and more bandaids.

If you are a high handicapper wouldnt it be best to understand the swing completely? What is it going to hurt to have your swing re-worked from the ground up?

[Shindig]

Personally... I would rather have a pro that would break my swing down from every facet. I have had problems finding one that will do that. Everyone that I have encountered have applied bandaid fixes to my swing which leads to other bad habits and more bandaids.

One of the beauties of instruction is that there are so many varieties of instructors ; what works for you would be bad for me. My instructor

doesn't tell me my swing faults until after I've fixed them, if at all. I've only had a few long-game lessons, but when we do, we focus on setup and body motion. He gives me something I can feel, and while I don't really think of myself as a feel player (although it is something I'd like), I find it much better if I'm not thinking of swing mechanics, other than a few things shortly after a lesson. I stick with the range until I can make that swing without thinking mechanics. Regardless, it is important that your swing instructor doesn't do a one-swing fits all manner of teaching. I find it especially important that you aren't comparing your swing to your favorite tour pro. I'm 5'8 and have a computer geek build. There's no sense in comparing my swing to Tiger's or Ernie's. Can you imagine if Tiger weren't playing? Two years ago, people would've wanted to swing like World #1 Jim Furyk. "Well, you aren't lifting straight up at the right time mid-way through your backswing..." As for the earlier question about playing lessons, I found this to be great. My instructor found all sorts of short-game tendencies that show up when I'm playing that didn't show up on the practice green. We set up a short-game practice routine, both on chipping and putting, that really brought my home-course scores towards the low-90s from the mid-90s. Needless to say, short-game practice might well do this anyway, but it was tendencies that I wasn't aware were happening to me. Furthermore, he integrated some course management and mental game stuff with this lesson, and has consistently brought these up when I meet with him (lesson or just running into him) since. He actually ran a mental game seminar about a month before my playing lesson, so it wasn't completely out of the blue. Incidentally, I'd like to add that you should also check into the different types of students this guy teaches, and how he does so. When I was observing his lessons almost two years ago, before approaching him for a lesson, I noticed he had a low-single digit handicapper working on shot shaping followed by a low-single-digit age girl who had barely, if at all, hit golf balls before. By the end of her lesson, she was consistently hitting them. I was amazed at how quickly he was able to switch between teaching players of different calibers. Since then, he's nearly cut my score - score, mind you, not (just) handicap - in half. Related story is that, prior to my most recent lesson, his two lessons surrounding mine (one before one after) were both apprentices preparing for their PATs. Finally, and I believe this applies to any form of instruction - golf, tennis, math, language, art, whatever - is that the best teachers love teaching. We've all had that teacher in high school who hated being there and we all wondered why he was in teaching. I doubt there are many, if any, of those in golf, but make sure your teacher loves teaching.

[Ben]

Try and find an instructor that is going to listen to what you need, rather than one that will tell you what he thinks you need. In turn, you, as the student, shouldn't be bashful in voicing your goals, opinions and ideas. You're the one spending the money after all.

[lolzzlolzz]

A teacher is only as good as the students ability to learn.

A good teacher not only tells you what you need to do, but also what you are doing wrong. Also, he tells you why you should do it. The "why" is very important.

A good instructor teaches you by feeling, not memorizing positions and movements... feelings that create results. As Sam Snead would always say: "Good positions don't make good movements; good movements make good positions."

A good instructor thinks and teaches you to think in terms of the cause, not the result. If you pulled your head up, he doesn't tell you to "keep your head down." Something else in the swing is causing your head to move. If you swing correctly, you can't help but look at anything but the ball. During the US Open I heard the commentator say that "to create a draw you want to push your right shoulder under your chin on the follow through." This is another bad example of thinking of the results, not the cause.

A good instructor teaches you the fundamentals of the swing so that you can create a correct, simple, repeating, and powerful swing. Fundamentals work for everyone.

[Franco!]

Seriously, it's wonderful to have someone who cares.
That to me is the most important.
Someone to call after every round is great.