Thoughts on 30 min vs. 60 min lessons

[kfowler]

As winter approaches, I've been looking a couple of different places for lessons over the cold months. One place I'm looking offers 30 min lessons. The other is 50-60 min. I've taken both types over the yeas. Here's what I see as the adv/dis of both.

30 Minutes
(A) Generally cheaper. Runs $160 for 4 lessons.
(A) Only time enough to focus on one thing which can be good so you don't get overloaded.
(A) Even though listed as 30 minutes, my sessions have always ran 35-40 min.
(D) Can feel rushed. Don't feel like you have the time to really talk about a swing concept
(D) Limited to one or two swing thoughts (which can also be good).

60 Minutes
(A) More time to discuss the swing thought.
(A) More swings in front of the instructor.
(D) More expensive. Running $75-$90 per lesson.

What's your thoughts on this?

[shortstop20]

I guess it's kind of blunt but my thoughts are that 30 minutes isn't enough time for a lesson.

[deronsizemore]

I'd just go with whatever instructor is supposed to be better. Ask around about them and Google them to see if you can find out their credentials and what one has the best reputation for improving their students.

The price is essentially the same anyway right? It's just a matter of it you want to split them up in four 30 minute lessons or a couple one hour lessons. As for time limit, I don't have a personal preference. I've taken hour lessons and I've also taken 30 minute lessons. Really depends on what I'm there for I guess and how broken my swing is. You could always get a 30 minute lesson and if at the end it doesn't seem like you've "got it" ask to use another 30 to continue working with them.

[TN94z]

I agree with both of the above. My first concern would be the teacher and then the length. For length specifically, I would opt for the 60 minutes lessons. That is what I take and you don't necessarily get over loaded. I mean I have been working on the same thing for a few months now because my teacher will not add anything to my swing until I get this part down first....and that leads you back to the teacher.

And go for the one that uses video!!

[kfowler]

I agree with both of the above. My first concern would be the teacher and then the length. For length specifically, I would opt for the 60 minutes lessons. That is what I take and you don't necessarily get over loaded. I mean I have been working on the same thing for a few months now because my teacher will not add anything to my swing until I get this part down first....and that leads you back to the teacher.

Both actually use videos.

When you say you've been working on the same issue, do you feel you really benefit from being there 60 mins vs. 30 mins? At some point it just becomes a matter of ingraining the feel. I know I sometimes felt like that when I took 60 min lessons. Perhaps my instructor was not as effective with his time. If money was not an object, I'd certainly go for the 60 mins as well. However, the cost is significant since I would take the same amount of lessons either way. You know ideally, you'd work with a coach for 30 mins, hit balls by yourself for 30 mins, and then spend another 30 mins with the coach. I often found I could do things with my instructor and then fall apart on my own.

[TN94z]

Both actually use videos.

I feel that I benefit more from the 60 than the 30 no matter how the time is spent. With the one change I am referring to specifically, I definitely think it is well spent. It is obvious that my range time is not as productive as it should be, otherwise the change would be ingrained by now. I love the fact that I can hit balls for an hour with my teacher right beside me picking my swing apart. To me, there is no amount of range time that can beat that. Ingraining the feel is all about range time, but I absolutely don't want to ingrain the wrong swing change and have to start over. That is why I like the 60 minute lesson. Here is my typical lesson:

I go in and he asks how my swing is coming. I tell him what my misses have been and what problems I have been having. He then has me hit a few balls in his office while taping from 2 different angles. Then we watch the video and he points out what I am doing wrong. We go back to the mat and tells me different feelings and practice methods that will get the results I want. Then I hit some more working specifically on what we just discussed. Then he tapes the swing some more. We go over the video again. Then we go outside to the range and I hit more balls there with him watching from different angles to see if I am practicing the way he wants and so I can see what ball flights and misses are caused by each swing change or off plane swing. Then we go back inside and do more video... To me, you just can't get that kind of lesson in 30 minutes. I understand about the money difference and that would for sure be a difference maker. But lesson for lesson, I can't see the 30 minute being more beneficial than a 60 minute lesson ever....unless your teacher just sucks! With all of that being said, I can see a 30 minute lesson being good for someone that needs to learn the fundamentals. I know the fundamentals and now I am working on a very specific part of my swing. I want to work with my teacher as much as possible to get it where I want it to be.

[Ben]

As an instructor, 60 minutes is far too long for a range only lesson. That being said, I sell myself in a package of four (30 minute) lessons. so you're really getting 2 hours with me.

I get the most from my students when we can work on a specific move, maybe two for one session. When going for 60 minutes that's hard to stick to. There are so many variables, [mis]directions and tangents that can, and will come up in 60 minutes that I feel will only leave my student more confused and jacked up then before we started.

So again, I like to stick to a few keys, really work them hard, and then move to more fine tuning on the next session. Or, if I feel they haven't progressed enough, I'll continue with what we worked on before. 30 minutes is the perfect amount of time for me to get my student really confident on what we've planned on achieving for the day. And more often than not, they feel satisfied when our session is done.

[MiniMoe]

I never liked when lessons are only 30 or 60 min. A lesson is a lesson. If you don't get what you need in 30 min., why do you have to pay for more time? And, if you get what you need in 15 min, do you still have to pay the full price for the 60 min. lesson? Just give me one price for a lesson, no matter how long it takes. Granted, this is not to work on everything at once for the same price. It's just don't milk my a** to death, or leave me hanging because I don't get something in just 30 min.

[kafka01]

I never liked when lessons are only 30 or 60 min. A lesson is a lesson. If you don't get what you need in 30 min., why do you have to pay for more time? And, if you get what you need in 15 min, do you still have to pay the full price for the 60 min. lesson? Just give me one price for a lesson, no matter how long it takes. Granted, this is not to work on everything at once for the same price. It's just don't milk my a** to death, or leave me hanging because I don't get something in just 30 min.

I did this during one season - i paid upfront for a bunch of lessons, and when i wanted a lesson i blocked an hour in the schedule and if we went through the stuff i needed we just finished and i only got accounted for the actual used up time.

But that wont work if you just book a 5 hour lesson package. Another problem is, that our both pros are very frequently booked out a week in advance - so taking a spontaneous lesson can be quite the task, which honestly is quite annyoing, since i´m not the guy who wants to plan his pro lessons in advance, but get a lesson when i have specific topic.

As an instructor, 60 minutes is far too long for a range only lesson.

..... true - so you go to your pro and tell him you want to work on your swing during the hour you booked, and somehow you end up doing shortgame after 1/2hour - huh? Thats a bit confusing.

Since then i prefer to take 30min lessons (the two guys i go to know my swing and my problems so we dont have to talk about this endlessly). You just have to be prepared on what specific topic you might want to work, or what ideas you want to discuss and get it done - 1/2 hour is more than enough for it. Obv. if you swing falls apart left and right, you still might chose the 1hour option.

[gogolfing]

I agree with the 2 post above; an hour can be too long, but there have been times I have been working on a few things with my pro and we have gone close to 60 minutes. I pay him for a 30 minute lesson, but often they go 30-45 minutes, and he will often just watch me hit balls for a bit after this. Nice thing about it is he never charges more, just the standard 30 minute price we have worked out. In terms of retention and getting too tired on the range, then an hour can be too long IMO.

[TN94z]

As an instructor, 60 minutes is far too long for a range only lesson. That being said, I sell myself in a package of four (30 minute) lessons. so you're really getting 2 hours with me.

I do agree that 60 minutes is too long for a range only session, but I disagree in that 60 minutes is too long for a lesson. Many guys want to say that 60 minutes is far too long but then they turn around and say that their 30 minute lessons sometimes run closer to 45 or 50 minutes...it contradicts itself. I feel that for a beginner who is just learning the swing or trying to get everything fundamentally correct, then 30 is a good number to not overwhelm them. But I think for someone like myself, who knows the swing and is really looking for specific flaws to get past that -4 handicap plateau, then 30 minutes just doesn't cut it. It makes me feel as though the teacher has to rush through things and always ends up saying "Well, we will work on that next time."

I never liked when lessons are only 30 or 60 min. A lesson is a lesson. If you don't get what you need in 30 min., why do you have to pay for more time? And, if you get what you need in 15 min, do you still have to pay the full price for the 60 min. lesson? Just give me one price for a lesson, no matter how long it takes. Granted, this is not to work on everything at once for the same price. It's just don't milk my a** to death, or leave me hanging because I don't get something in just 30 min.

Good luck finding a teacher to do that in my area!! I have actually never heard of a teacher doing that anywhere near me. I have called about lessons up to a 2.5 drive time from me and none of them would do this. While I do agree with you 100% in that a lesson should just go on until the move is learned, a teacher who will do that is few and far between.

I did this during one season - i paid upfront for a bunch of lessons, and when i wanted a lesson i blocked an hour in the schedule and if we went through the stuff i needed we just finished and i only got accounted for the actual used up time.

My teacher is booked two weeks in advance. He now knows my swing and can tell me different things over the phone. But when I book a lesson to work on a specific thing, if we only did the 30 minutes including video analysis and hitting balls, that just doesn't suit my needs I don't think. That is just too short.

From everything I have read here, I think it boils down to the OP trying a 30 minute lesson and then compare it with a 60 minute lesson and see which one he thinks is more beneficial. This seems like too much of a "personal preference" topic to really give sound advice.

[deronsizemore]

I never liked when lessons are only 30 or 60 min. A lesson is a lesson. If you don't get what you need in 30 min., why do you have to pay for more time? And, if you get what you need in 15 min, do you still have to pay the full price for the 60 min. lesson? Just give me one price for a lesson, no matter how long it takes. Granted, this is not to work on everything at once for the same price. It's just don't milk my a** to death, or leave me hanging because I don't get something in just 30 min.

I hear ya, but the instructors gotta eat too.

It's happened to me before where I've been swinging bad, I go take a lesson and end up not missing a shot and the instructor just looks at me and shrugs his shoulders as if to say "what do you want me to fix?" At that point we'll just head to the putting green or chip some and I'll just get a second set of eyes to ensure I'm doing the right things.

[kfowler]

From everything I have read here, I think it boils down to the OP trying a 30 minute lesson and then compare it with a 60 minute lesson and see which one he thinks is more beneficial. This seems like too much of a "personal preference" topic to really give sound advice.

Just to be clear, I've taken both before. I agree it certainly boils down to what you feel comfortable with. It's been interesting to read everyone's opinions since they seem to vary.