Lessons?

[mcfc_nick]

Has anyone here taught themselves all the way into becoming a good golfer or do you feel that lessons are necessary to progress? ive been a member at my club for about a year now and playing golf on and off for roughly 2 and a bit years but if i do say so myself i am improving very rapidly and can currently shoot around 83-87 (par-70), so i was just wondering if lessons are necessary in order to progress?

[iacas]

I was self taught down to a 2.5 index or even a little lower. I'm now around a 1.0 and dropping after working on my game with someone else.

It's more important for beginners to take lessons so they're working on the proper things. And good lessons are expensive, so treat them seriously, take notes, etc.

[ks8829]

With the right teacher your learning curve is accelerated, but it always important to know what causes the ball to do certain things so that you can make small adjustment during a round. I have been self taught but had a mentor who helped me with my swing.

[Zeph]

Self taught down to 16, from there I started working with instructors. I wish I'd had the oportunity and will to try it earlier. Having someone else watch your swing and help is very useful. I could probably get lower on my own, but I've seen the effect of having an instructor, it would take me way more time to achieve the same things on my own.
Now is also a good time to start getting details in place. I don't want to get much lower without solidd fundamentals. There are lots of single handicappers that struggle getting lower because of compensations they have to make in the swing.

I'm using internet instruction by the way. I send a video of my swing in and get feedback. Have not had success with the instructors I've seen before, using internet makes it easier.

[joepro23]

No lessons for me and I reached a 1 handicap at 17 years old. I took some lessons from my college golf coach (also a certified instructor) and didn't improve. Just play casually now and not really considering lessons. At this point, lessons may hurt more than they help since I don't have as much time as I used to to work on my game. If I just picked up the game at this point though, I would probably get lessons.

[The Recreational Golfer]

For most people, a pro can see in five minutes what it might take you six months to figure out. Get lessons, but be sure you know what you want to learn. The more focused your question is, the better. I especially recommend short game lessons. Even though my self-taught short game is decent, when I get a lesson on how to hit a particular shot, the little things I learn make a difference that's like night and day.

[WUTiger]

For most people, a pro can see in five minutes what it might take you six months to figure out. Get lessons, but be sure you know what you want to learn. ...

A few people can self-teach, but most can't. I was the first golfer in my family, starting in about 6th grade, and started playing with a mixed bag of clubs made anywhere from 1939 to 1960.

No one told me that the driver was a special lead-weighted driver for building swing strength - a leather-wrap grip forerunner of the Medicus PowerMax. I only weighed about 90 pounds, and I pretty well ruined my swing in early going by using it on the course. I didn't take my first lesson until I was 20. During my 20s I had several seasons when I shot in the low 80s, but I didn't really have a stable swing. I tried to copy Nicklaus' "Golf My Way" method, but I tended to overswing starting at midseason. As I got older and didn't have time to hit 600 balls a week, I had trouble keeping the swing together. Find a pro you can work with. Ask your better playing friends who is a good teacher, and what they like about him or her. Think about it this way: If you take a couple of early lessons, you'll get the money back because you won't lose nearly as many balls as the self-taught crowd.

[inthecup]

It is difficult to break bad habits. Why not learn a correct swing from the start.
You may be able to hit the ball and score reasonably well but having a correct swing will allow you to improve over the long haul.