How much did lessons help you?

[acegolfer]

For those that have taken lessons when they weren't very good, roughly how many strokes did you improve after a series of lessons and practice/play?

IMHO, These are wrong questions to ask and can be very misleading.

A golf lesson is not a substitute but a complement to practice. Without right attitude, lessons are meaningless.

[nevets88]

I agree with acegolfer.

I didn't think of how many strokes dropped, I thought of improving my swing, bettering my technique, learning why things break and how to fix them. An instructor can apply band-aids, not fix your flip at impact and you'll score better, but you can improve alot more by getting rid of that flip. This is an example situation, not saying this applies to the original poster.

[newtogolf]

Lessons aren't a vulcun mind meld, so it's not an easy translation from a lesson to reduced strokes. I'm fairly new to golf, and anything I knew about playing prior to three weeks ago (first lesson) was mostly wrong. I'd like to say I had to break some bad habits, but everything in my swing was wrong, so for me it was learning the proper way to address the ball and swing a club.

I really like my pro, he doesn't just tell me what to do, he explains why, tells me what I should feel and see. He's giving me the tools I need to leave the lesson, go to the range and work on things on my own. I've made really good progress in a short time, but I doubt I would have if not for the over 4 hours a week I've spent practicing at the range. It's like anything else, you have to respect and get along with your teacher, be open to learning, practice your butt off, and expect to have some minor setbacks while making overall progress.

[The Recreational Golfer]

I had a playing lesson yesterday. I told the pro about these six shots I wanted to learn how to hit the right way, so we went around the course to find a place where I could hit each one and he showed me how. I learned simple things I would never have figured out by myself, and it was all very easy. I figure this new knowledge makes me one or two strokes better right now.

[inthecup]

I have been taking lessons for 3 years. Initially I got worse. I went from my incorrect grooved swing to an incorrect improved swing. I am still working on consistently making a good swing.

The value to me is 1.) I believe I now know what a proper swing is. 2.) I now know based on ball flight what I am (probably) doing wrong. 3.) I now have a guy who knows me and my tendencies who can straighten me around when I start to stray and can't pull it back together. Overall I believe I will be taking lessons for another couple of years trying to get it right. In the beginning I took a lot of lessons now it is very infrequently. BUT a lesson now has much more impact and give me things to work on for a while.

Don't plan on taking a lesson and dropping several strokes. I would plan on being very uncomfortable and struggling with the new movements.

[sean_miller]

I have been taking lessons for 3 years. Initially I got worse. I went from my incorrect grooved swing to an incorrect improved swing. I am still working on consistently making a good swing.

Have you played any sports other than golf before? If so what are they?

There are muscles used in golf, like every other sport, that take time to develop properly. There can also be issues with flexibility and balance. That's one of the main reasons why athletes who play a variety of sports can pick up golf rather quickly. They're already a few steps ahead of the curve on day one.

[$2 Nassau]

Took one lesson when I first started playing. I was pretty much lost at that point. 95% of the lesson was pre-swing: set up, address, grip, posture, etc. It really helped to establish some fundamentals. Haven't had a lesson since. Don't want one either, I like figuring it out on my own, even if it takes longer. Kind of been a hobby of mine, read and watch as much video on the golf swing as possible and try to implement the appropriate changes. Then take video of my swing, see how it looks and then go from there.

Doesn't mean I won't screw up or work on the wrong things sometimes, but that's part of the process IMO. Actually helps you learn when you do that.

I would take one if I came across a pro that was very renowned, but I don't think going to just any old pro in your area is always worth it.

[O.B. Right]

I started playing golf last year. I had played a few times (maybe 5-6) before that but not for more than 15 years. I knew how to grip the club and address the ball but that was about it. I thought I could teach myself by reading books, watching videos and, of course, hitting the range a lot. Well . .I read everything I could find and hit the range 3-4 nights a week for about a year and made almost no progress. I would just hit slice after slice with absolutely no idea why and, even worse, trying silly things to fix it. I would make improvements in one area and lose ground in another or I would find a fix that would only last a week or 2. I was getting really frustrated and decided that I just had no talent for the game. Like some people just can't whistle or moonwalk . .I just couldn't swing a golf club.

I was playing less and less and gradually not even going to the range anymore. As a last ditch effort, I signed up for a single lesson at my local public course. This lesson consisted of me hitting 3 yard chips for over an hour with some old dude standing behind me yelling "WRONG!", "Stop Hitting at it", "swing AROUND" etc, etc. At the end of the lesson, he told me he could get me hitting the ball with a few more lessons so I reluctantly signed up for 5 more.

Now, after having completed 5 lessons, I shot a 108. My previous best score was "Don't know - can't count that high". Much more importantly, I can actually hit the ball sometimes (even most of the time). I still don't have a good swing but now I have an idea of what a good swing might look and feel like. Believe me . .I was NEVER going to get it on my own. I could have hit 1 million balls at the range and never even got close because, to me at least, the proper swing is very counter-intuitive.

I wish I would've done this right away but I guess I'm just stubborn and needed to prove to myself that I couldn't do it on my own.

[verderaul]

I picked up a golf club for the first time in Oct 2009. I figured within a week that it was "really hard" to learn this game by myself. I took lessons once a week for the next 4 months (there was a 2 month break in between) and practices twice a week. I consider myself very lucky coz i met a teacher who suited my personality. So its key to take lessons with the right person. And unfortunately there is some luck involved in that.

My improvement has been dramatic....shot 85 my 10th time on a golf course. I couldnt have even dreamt of this without lessons.

Raul

[Tugglife2]

I haven't taken a lesson since my first a couple weeks ago. It's not that I've decided against taking lessons, I just happened to think the pro I was taking lessons from wasn't good at all. He seemed very disinterested in helping me. Instead of telling me why I was topping balls he would just say "you topped it, try again." And for when I hit slices, "close the club face". I am hesitant to try another pro down here unless I know he's really good. The only one I know that is really good is the Jim McLean golf school at Doral which costs and arm and a leg.

I've also been reading Stack & Tilt book and the DVDs are on the way. I think getting a lesson from someone who teaches a traditional swing approach would be counter intuitive.

[newtogolf]

I think some expect too much from lessons. My instructor has been great in helping me understand what a good swing is, and providing me with input on my mechanics. Ultimately it's on me to work through issues like raising my body at ball contact. He's told me what the problems are and given me drills to fix them, but no matter how good he is, I'm the one that has to do the drills to fix it.

Books and videos are great to see how other people swing, but if you want to learn the best way for you to swing, lessons with a good pro are a great start.

[pittpanther]

As a last ditch effort, I signed up for a single lesson at my local public course. This lesson consisted of me hitting 3 yard chips for over an hour

Good lord... I know we're all different in this world, but no way I would respond positively to that kind of lesson. This is golf, not football practice, and I'm not 12 years old... Talk to me man to man (or woman to man - I had a female golf pro), but yelling sh*t at me will only end badly for both of us.

[O.B. Right]

Good lord... I know we're all different in this world, but no way I would respond positively to that kind of lesson. This is golf, not football practice, and I'm not 12 years old... Talk to me man to man (or woman to man - I had a female golf pro), but yelling sh*t at me will only end badly for both of us.

I totally agree and I actually don't think this guy is a particularly good teacher. He has 2 ways to explain the golf swing: He demonstrates it and he has a picture/diagram in a book that he likes to whip out. So the lesson goes like this:

Teaching Pro (demonstrating a few swings): "The golf swing is around the body with the hands, arms and golf club. Like this (swing). Here. You try". Me: (swing) Teaching Pro: "AROUND" Me: (swing) Teaching Pro: "That was a hit, swing AROUND" Me: (swing) Teaching Pro: "That's hitting it - swing AROUND" Me: (swing) Teaching Pro: "better" Me: "Why was that better?" Teaching Pro: "because you swung more AROUND. Here, look at this picture (shows picture of golf swing from book). See how it goes AROUND" Me: "like this?" (swing) Teaching Pro: "Yes, but more AROUND" Teaching Pro (cell phone goes off) "I have to take this - keep hitting while I watch from over there" And so forth. He takes phone calls, helps other students, gives employees grief about not cleaning the carts, etc, etc in between telling me "AROUND". Ok, but seriously, it has helped a lot. I find it frustrating and annoying but I guess that's where I am with my golf swing. If I try to ask him any questions he just shuts me down and starts talking about how I don't need to think about that (whatever), just swing AROUND. However - as thankfull as I am for the help - I am not buying any more lessons with this guy. For one thing, he coaches high school girls' golf and it's too humiliating to have to hit my 3 yard chips on the next mat over from a 16 year old girl knocking drives to the end of the range (no kidding - whoever she is, she routinely drives 250). There are a few teachers in my area, I will try one of the others for my next bunch of lessons.

[majorchamp]

I have played since I was 7. I am in the low single digits handicap and have been self teaching myself for the last 6 or so years.

I think it was a blessing and a curse. On one hand, I started getting lessons when I was 13 and got them up until I was 23, but not consistently. I jumped from assistant pro to assistant pro..with a couple head pros in there, but never anything consistent. Well, each teacher is different. So on one hand, I grew up having a creative mind and knowing how to hit all types of shots, mostly because of the various swing changes I incurred. I was great at getting out of trouble, hooking/slicing around trees, etc.. but at the same time...I think my game suffered for years because I didn't have a consistent swing.

Fast forward to now...I self analyze the crap out of my swing...video tape it about everytime I go and hit balls..but its because I am working on things...focused on my angles, my swing plane, etc... but I think my swing and ball striking are better now then they have been since I was 21.

[The Flush]

How much do lessons typically cost?

I have not gotten serious about lessons yet, so I have not check many teachers out. The pro at one local course is reccomended by the local club builder/range owner. But this club builder has started teaching and I know he teachs now and charges $25 for as long as it takes to work through a large bucket of balls. I don't know what the pro charges or how good either one really is. I have seen the club builder working with someone worse than me and he improved the guy's ball striking a lot within the one lesson.

Another question. Do most pros allow you to record video of the lesson or provide for recording lessons? It seems that would help a lot when practicing by yourself.

[Keith412]

I started golfing last year in September, played about ten rounds and then started outdoor lessons(took 6 so far this year) last March before this season. I have dropped from a 36 handicap, shooting 115+ on most courses down to a 21.4 handicap so far this year on GHIN(low score of 92 this season). This is all teeing off with a 6 iron all season because i couldnt hit the longer clubs. We started driver work now and i love my new driver and have been able to put it in play. I am going to break 90 this weekend with the added distance off the tee, LESSONS ARE SO WORTH IT

[Tugglife2]

The general consensus seems to be that lessons are very much worth taking and will significantly improve your game in time IF you can find yourself a solid teaching pro that you are comfortable with.

[BigMikey]

IMHO, These are wrong questions to ask and can be very misleading.

Listen to the wisdom of acegolfer. He is 100% correct. In fact as you get better you'll find that lessons will screw you up for a while and you'll often take a step back before you get better.

1) Have a goal with you instructor 2) PRACTICE concepts or drills that directly relate to making your specific game better. - If your 3 putting don't go to the range and pound your driver for hours. - If you hit your irons fat / thin, you know where your time needs to be. 3) PRACTICE Perfect don't just practice stuff<-- Single most effective thing - Understand the correct concept of what you are practicing so you don't form bad habits out of the gates. 4) PRACTICE enough so that when you get to the course you don't have to think about it. Don't be discouraged, often times when you make changes it will take longer to get them installed into your game before you see an improvement. Know what you are doing is right and then commit to it.