Golf lessons are unnatural!

[TheWarHound]

Okay, had my first golf lessons yesterday, and today. It's amazing how many things you do wrong without knowing it. We worked on stance, grip, and swing. I think the only thing I did do right was have less than 15 clubs in my bag.

But, after a 3 hours of lessons, I could tell a big difference in my swing, and I was connecting with the ball a lot better. Opening and closing the face of my driver for shaping shots was something I had heard of, but now I understand better.

I wish I had gotten lessons last summer!

[Shindig]

Okay, now, this is important:

Go to the range again this week a time or two (or more) and work on what your instructor had you doing. You want to keep that feeling of a nice shot.

[TheWarHound]

Thanks for the advice . . . that's what he said.

I came home after the lessons and practiced . . . my girlfriend thinks I am retarded. The pro I am getting lessons from runs the nicest driving range in this area, so I get lessons, then practice and practice and practice.

[JGulkCG]

dont forget to get a small booklet to write down everything you went over in the lesson!

[HSip]

Thanks for the advice . . . that's what he said.

Keep up the practice (and remind her there are WORSE things you could be doing). Cheers

[TheWarHound]

Didn't think about a small notebook . . . got one ready for next week!

Thanks,

Steve

[ryohazuki222]

I don't really want to open a new thread about this (yet!) so I figure I'll ask the OP in this thread (or anyone else that wants to respond if you think its not too far off topic).

How are/did you decide how often to take lessons? You say you had a 3 hour lesson.... that's pretty long imo. Do you think you're better off taking a large amount of lessons in a short time frame.... practice for a while and then maybe come back a while later... OR the same amount of lessons equally spaced over time (ever other week or so sort of thing)?

[walk18]

Update us on your progress, I've been considering my first lesson ever mainly for my irons, just not hitting as many greens as I'd like.

[cmvash]

As others have stated, practice what you learned consistently, it's the best way to improve.

I tried jotting down notes but my instructor wouldn't allow it - he said I needed to commit the lessons to memory rather than reference it.

On a side note, I too am curious as to why you did a 3 hour training block. That seems like a long block trying to cover a broad arrange of mechanics.

[Incognito]

I tried jotting down notes but my instructor wouldn't allow it - he said I needed to commit the lessons to memory rather than reference it.

that might be the dumbest thing i've ever heard...

[cmvash]

that might be the dumbest thing i've ever heard...

Why?

It's worked for me thus far.

[Zeph]

Why?

If the instructor give you lots of tips, how can you expect to remember everything the next day? If the idea is to memorize it, how can writing it down and using it as reference not be more effective than trying to remember everything from a lesson?

[TheWarHound]

2 - 1.5 hour lessons, then I spent an hour on the range practicing what he showed me each day. Work on grip, work on wrist action, work on swing . . . put them all together . . . practice practice practice.

Never had lessons before, so I don't know how they are supposed to work . . . but I could tell a difference after a few dozen shots. If it works, if I learn something or get better at something, I am all for it.

[Zeph]

Making a change during and immediately after a lesson is not too hard, but ingraining that change and making it permanent is another story. You'll have to swing with the change so many times that it becomes natural. The goal is to being able to swing the club without thinking about swing details and hitting it perfect.

[zeg]

I've not had golf lessons (though, damn, do I need 'em), but from other activities, I can see why he might suggest not taking notes during the lesson. First of all, you really ought to use the time that he's explaining things to you to drill them in physically so he can repeatedly correct your mistakes. Second, I'd imagine that the amount you can actually pick up from a single lesson amounts to a few bullet points -- sure, you might get a dozen other little tips, but I think there's enough physical practice component to it that you're not going to drill them in just by knowing what was said.

When I took classical guitar lessons, taking notes during would have been pointless. At the end of each lesson, the instructor (at first) or I (later) would make a few notes of the practice plan and important suggestions. Not everything said made it in, but it was always more than enough to work on until the next one. Taking notes during the session would just be disruptive, and I could see the same being true of a golf lesson.

So I'd say immediately after the lesson, write down the key info you received. Anything that gets lost between lesson and 3 minutes later will get picked up next time...

[cmvash]

If the instructor give you lots of tips, how can you expect to remember everything the next day? If the idea is to memorize it, how can writing it down and using it as reference not be more effective than trying to remember everything from a lesson?

I don't get 'lots of tips'. We usually work on adding or correcting one thing at a time, per 30 minute session. Repetition of the drills that day are what helps me memorize it. If I spent a lot of time trying to write down info, I might as well be reading it from the internet.

As zeg pointed out, the instructor felt the key info would sink in easier if I paid attention to his lectures and video capture than taking notes to rely on later.

[Zeph]

It's not about writing a novel, but the key points. It's very easy to do something right one day and forget it the next. I'm talking key points like, not any detailed. Of course you have to pay attention, but I don't see how jotting down a few words can do any harm.

It depends on what plan you have with the lessons. If you are going to take a series of lessons over a short time, you won't get tip overload. If you only get one lesson and the instructor point out 3-5 things, writing them down can help you when working on them later.

[imtomtomim]

I'm pretty sure one of the key ways to learn something well is to keep notes. If the teacher doesn't like note taking, just jot down some things you want to remember after your lesson. I just find this surprising because teachers against effective learning devices, such as a notepad, just seems silly. But you do what your teacher wantsduring the lesson and do what you need to for yourself afterwards.