Instruction vs. Going it Alone

[iacas]

I used to be completely self-taught. I sort of kick myself now because that was a waste of ten years I could have been playing golf, but at the time I enjoyed it, and I enjoyed the challenge. Still, I went from a relatively inconsistent 2 or 3 handicap to scratch once I started taking lessons. My distances went up a club or a club and a half and I can shape the ball better than ever. I never felt that being completely self taught was a point of pride - I just didn't particularly care for any of the instructors in my area (until I found the one I used) and enjoyed doing it on my own. I think some people are almost boastful about it when really they're just hurting their chances to shoot lower scores and understand their swing better.

[golfro]

I used to have a golf professional who worked close with me for 4-5 years...along with my high school golf coach as well.

In recent year, I took a couple lessons to get my swing back aligned a bit better and now I'm going at it alone!

[muggs]

I've been playing seriously for 4 years now, and I've improved leap and bounds once I started taking lessons. I've taken 2 lessons a year, each of the last three years, and even with that little bit of instruction it went a very long way for me.

[kpaulhus]

I really, really wish I could have voted for having lessons, but I am completely self taught. I know this isnt going to get easier once I start lessons (when I have money) because my swing will be so ingrained. I remember Erik saying he got down to a 2 or 3 by himself and then got a swing coach.

[uttexas]

Self taught for 20 years. Really improved the first 15 years especially once I recognized how important the short game was. But after committing my efforts to the short game twelve or so years ago, I plateud at a 7 HI.

Was happy with a 7 HI until some of my competitive golf buddies started improving again.
Last year took my first set of sixteen lessons from an instructor--didn't improve--actually got worse.
For the last three months, I've been doing online video instruction. I'm now hitting the ball higher, further, and more accurately than I ever have.

Definitely find good instruction if you are serious about improvement.

[brgolf]

I've had one lesson in 12 years and so consider myself almost completely self taught. In that lesson I recall him doing some half swing drills with me hinging the wrists and flaring out my left foot and narrowing my stance but to what extent I gained something from that long term i just don't know. Like I say it has been 12 years of golf, 4 spent as a club member and several years where I didn't play much golf at all. I suppose I could look back at what could have been but I'm more inclined towards the future. I'd like to get to scratch too and it is encouraging to hear you got an extra club length with lessons because I really need that.

Iacas

Could you put that extra club length down to any one thing or was it based on a combination of improvements?

[Tiger Spuds]

Apart from a few minutes impromtu advice from a Pro on the range, I'm self taught.It probably shows.But I've been playing almost a year now and I think I'm learning slowly but surely.I fully accept that lessons would benefit almost anyone.But I've been making progess on my own and right now couldn't justify the money for lessons.Perhaps down the road when I stop seeing an improvement, it'd be worthwhile.

[Leftygolfer]

I've had a couple of lessons and some have helped, others confused me. I personally believe it to be very difficult to have a REALLY good swing without help. There is so much that happens in the golf swing that if something is slightly off, there is a ripple effect throughout your whole move. It is really hard to figure out what those things are. I really want help, I just don't have the means to do it right now. I don't think I can get much better than I am now without it.

[MasterP]

Self taught for 20 years got me to the mid to high 90's. And really I shot those scores for 15 of the 20 years.

5 lessons this year and I'm mid to low 80's on average and have broken 80 twice, once with a 72. So yeah, plenty of years wasted.

[Zeph]

I got to hcp 18 on my own, but decided to give online lessons a go with Evolvr. It is a decision I have not regretted. I could probably have gone lower myself, but I would have taken longer and my swing would probably not have progressed as well. What I see and what a pro see can often be different things. If I see something I think I should work on, getting a confirmation or nay from a pro makes me feel much more confident. Instead of trying to fix things with 10 different fixes, I let my instructor tell me what I should work on.

It's a lot of fun too. I've always enjoyed the golf swing, sometimes more than golf itself. I've learned a lot since I started getting lessons and will keep getting lessons in the foreseeable future.

[allin]

I have had maybe six or eight individual lessons. Some of them have been years ago. Even now they pay dividends when something I didn't really understand or have a proper feel for happens and a small light goes off. Often it is the relationship between stated concepts, keep your hands forward for most chips and how you make it happen. This summer I discovered that for me keeping the hands under the club when chipping works. I get a properly descending clubhead without lifting or excessive manipulaton, in other words I don't have to conciously hit down which lead to inconsistency for me.

[StricklandPropane]

How often do you guys get lessons?

I guess a better question is "how often should one get lessons based on their handicap?". I've had about 5-10 so far. I was going once a week, then once every 2 weeks. Now I'm at the point where I don't know what to work on next time I go. I'm just practicing what he taught me until it gets ingrained.

[DavidFehertysBike]

It depends on the person, i suppose. I have had lessons from when i first began, so i don't know any better. But i was lucky enough to have an instructor who mostly taught me how to play the game instead of beating swing mechanics into my head. Thats no way to learn the game and causes many new golfers get turned off to it, IMO.

The best player i've ever played with was completely self taught. The dude is sort of oddball - he makes a living repairing commercial farm equipment, has never kept a handicap, never plays in tourneys, and always plays in shorts and tennis shoes (regardless of weather) I think he only plays like 10-15 times a year, but he shoots 3 or 4 under in his sleep. Ive played with him at least 5 times and i've never seen him shoot higher than 75. Total natural.

[kpaulhus]

I guess not getting lessons puts me outside the norm. Looks like I have an idea of what Ill be getting for my birthday next month.

[nevets88]

Another reason why some people don't take lessons may be that they were exposed to bad instructors or seen others not improving while taking lessons and that turned them off.

It's not only taking lessons, but being compatible with a good instructor and staying with that instructor and that instructor putting in the effort. It's not easy to find.

[Shindig]

I've taken lessons from 3 great instructors. I don't mean "great" in the sense that they're listed in Golf Digest or anything. Lessons from people who know can help me immensely.

[rebby]

I've gone back and forth. When I was younger, I spent a lot of time working with instructors and coaches. After High School though, not so much. I got "good" by working very hard and hitting thousands of balls over a countless number of hours. I should have worked with an instructor, it eats me up inside looking back because I never fully realized my potential. A shame really.

I started playing a lot more last year and started working with an instructor right away. Unfortunately, the instructor that I was working with was more interested in swing tweaks and quick fixes then, at least in my opinion, doing things right. This summer, I started working with a new swing coach who shares my opinion on "doing things right" and my ballflight is improving much quicker and with far less practice and frustration.

Bottom line, work with an instructor. You will play better.

[jamo]

I've had two absolutely horrible lessons with one instructor that to this day I regret doing. I consider myself self taught because everything I do in my swing is what I want to do, not that BS that he taught me. If I find an instructor in the area that I like (and if I had the money) I wouldn't hesitate to take more lessons, but until then I am having a great time going it alone.

FWIW I chose the "Little" option, because I technically have had lessons, but I consider myself self taught. I employ my swing, not his.