Would you take lessons from a Pro that doesnt use Video?

[DBC]

Title Says it all. Video seems to be integral to many coaches now, heck you can even get online coaching now, which soley depends on video use. If your instructor told you he doesnt use video, is that a deal breaker for you?

[TourSpoon]

Not necessarily...

My current guy is in his 60s and has been around.  He was a great player in his youth, played some mini-tour, and went to work at some really nice clubs while learning to teach from top pros (ie he has a resume).  He is a feel teacher, is hands-on and can demonstrate what he is talking about.  He knows more about the golf swing than most I have ever talked to and has a natural way to get you to feel what he is talking about. His methodology is sound, meshes with my goals, and has produced results.  He doesn't stop with the basics, and has taught me some more advanced shots and methods especially with the short game.  After my first lesson with him, I knew that this was a good match because I had been looking for the type of instruction that my body could remember, not just my mind.  I can and will use video tape from time to time, but it just really validates what I have learned.  The results he points to are ball flight, trajectory, target, sound, swing, etc. on an outdoor range and of course my ability to hit great shots on a consistent basis.

I also have a friend that works for a golf legend (literally a household name) that uses video to validate what she sees and then to show the student.  She then works on drills and positions and goes back to video at the end to show the student the improvement.  Again, she has been around, has an extensive resume, played LPGA, and knows her stuff.  She doesn't rely on video, but she uses it as a tool.  I also enjoyed her teaching and liked how she incorporates feel.

I have also met some guys that put you up on a screen and then see the obvious flaw and try to work on something that is a result and not a cause because they lack the understanding of a swing.  I am a little wary of someone who can't watch you swing without video and can't at least give you an idea.  I would run.  Video is a tool but it is not a substitute for knowing the golf swing and it is certainly not a substitute to actually teaching you how to improve your golf swing.

[nevets88]

I'll make exceptions if the teacher is really good and normally uses video, but can't or opts not to on a particular lesson. Of course, there's such a thing as over-relying on video. That I'd watch out for.

If I were teaching, I'd make sure I have video available. No doubt about it. It's a sine qua non.

[Chicago Lefty]

Video is great, but I think ball flight is a better gauge of success in general.  You don't need a text book looking swing to be able to golf the ball efficiently.  I think some of us get hung up on trying to make the swing look a certain way, when in fact the only thing that matters is ball flight.

I agree with it being overused by some teachers as well.  One of the guys at the range I goto that gives a lot of lessons is constantly trying to teach people Tiger's old swing.  I think that is absolutely ridiculous.  How are you going to compare a 25 handicap which limited athletic ability to possibly the greatest player ever?

[david_wedzik]

Originally Posted by DBC

Title Says it all. Video seems to be integral to many coaches now, heck you can even get online coaching now, which soley depends on video use. If your instructor told you he doesnt use video, is that a deal breaker for you?

It they were follow up lessons and the instructor was very good (not for a first lesson...baseline video is very important and as I have asked many times...why not?) and KNEW your motion it could be OK to work with someone without video.  That said, outside of rare circumstances (never say never) I would not recommend taking lessons from someone not using video. Just my .02.

Dave

[nuck81]

Video is an absolute must.

It's so much more important to have video, that way I know that my swing looks good and pretty.

Who wouldn't rather have a swing that looks good rather than one that actually works right?

[tristanhilton85]

Video is definitely a deal breaker... Just taking video on my own and analyzing that has helped a tremendous amount.  It is one thing for somebody to tell you what you are doing wrong but when you can actually see it it makes a world of difference.  Some of the things I never realized I actually did or I felt like I was doing something different, but as they say, feel isn't real and video shows that.

[mvmac]

Not using video would be like a doctor diagnosing you without taking an x-ray or blood test.  Video is a must for a lesson, no way you can see how everything is moving at full speed.  Also shows the student where they are and where they need to be, the whole feel isn't real thing.

[1par2win]

Originally Posted by TourSpoon

Not necessarily...

My current guy is in his 60s and has been around.  He was a great player in his youth, played some mini-tour, and went to work at some really nice clubs while learning to teach from top pros (ie he has a resume).  He is a feel teacher, is hands-on and can demonstrate what he is talking about.  He knows more about the golf swing than most I have ever talked to and has a natural way to get you to feel what he is talking about. His methodology is sound, meshes with my goals, and has produced results.  He doesn't stop with the basics, and has taught me some more advanced shots and methods especially with the short game.  After my first lesson with him, I knew that this was a good match because I had been looking for the type of instruction that my body could remember, not just my mind.  I can and will use video tape from time to time, but it just really validates what I have learned.  The results he points to are ball flight, trajectory, target, sound, swing, etc. on an outdoor range and of course my ability to hit great shots on a consistent basis.

I also have a friend that works for a golf legend (literally a household name) that uses video to validate what she sees and then to show the student.  She then works on drills and positions and goes back to video at the end to show the student the improvement.  Again, she has been around, has an extensive resume, played LPGA, and knows her stuff.  She doesn't rely on video, but she uses it as a tool.  I also enjoyed her teaching and liked how she incorporates feel.

I have also met some guys that put you up on a screen and then see the obvious flaw and try to work on something that is a result and not a cause because they lack the understanding of a swing.  I am a little wary of someone who can't watch you swing without video and can't at least give you an idea.  I would run.  Video is a tool but it is not a substitute for knowing the golf swing and it is certainly not a substitute to actually teaching you how to improve your golf swing.

+1. This is spot on from my experience. Of course I would not tell anyone how to use video but I don't believe the absence of video means a lower quality lesson.

[MiniBlueDragon]

Video is a requirement for me (as a high handicapper) as I need visuals to see what I did wrong rather than descriptions.

[Quinn07]

For my learning style video is a must.  What I feel is happening and what is actually happening often are very different.  For me to properly implement something I need to learn it visually first and then get the correct feeling.  Video is very helpful for me to know what the correct positions feel like as opposed to the improper ones.

[sean_miller]

If there was someone I wanted to learn from, and he (or she) didn't use video, I'd probably still go ahead with the lessons. Luckily I didn't have to make that choice.

[highscoreinky]

I currently take lessons from a swing coach that doesn't use vidoe and will continue to take instruction from him. Have taken lessons from others where video was used and certainly learned from it but don't have to have it and actuaaly prefer not looking at video.

[cbrian]

I kind of have a problem with the "no" answer. Just because someone uses video doesn't mean that they aren't "hands on."

However, in regards to the original question, I'd be weary of taking lessons from someone that doesn't use video. And my answer is coming from an instructors point of view more than a students. I make that point, because as an instructor I don't really understand how anyone could tell a student that they can do what a video camera does. With a camera you can rewind and slow the video down as much as you want. You turn a 2 second swing into a 30 second swing... that can be viewed over and over again.

Theres no way you can be as precise without a video camera as you can with one.  Not to mention a decent camera is only going to cost you around $300, so why wouldn't you?

However, that doesn't mean that Teacher A is better than Teacher B because Teacher A uses video. Theres a lot more that goes into being a good teacher. The point is more that Teacher B could be even better if he used video.

[iacas]

The poll question is disingenuous.

I'm "hands on" - perhaps more so - than some other guys I know who don't use video.

At the end of the day I do all I can reasonably do - and a $300 camera is well below the threshold of "reasonable" - to help my students. They get better, they get video, they get hands-on, they get drills, they get knowledge, they get feelings, etc. They may not get all of them every time, but video is done every time unless it's pitching, putting, etc.

[The_Pharaoh]

As an instructor myself, I believe video is simply another tool in my tool box. My rates are the same regardless of what I use during the lesson. A lot of pros I know have increased their rates in order to pay for the video camera they've bought and I don't think that's right. The use of my tools totally depends on the student and the stage of their development. I don't care what I use as long as I get the job done i.e. helping them improve.

When I was an amateur, I had the odd lesson videoed and was not impressed but I was probably unlucky: 1) most of the hour-long lesson was wasted while the pro fiddled with the camera set-up and how to use the software and 2) the flaws in my swing were obvious but he couldn't tell me how to correct them.

[Keep It Simple]

I'm not so much into video analysis.  To quote a line from the movie Tommy Boy:  "Course, I could get a hell of a good look at a T-Bone steak by sticking my head up a bull's ass, but I'd rather take the butcher's word for it."

[walk18]

The thread title is contradictory to the actual poll question: "would you take lessons w/o video..(no I wouldn't)", vs. "is video a must? (yes I think so)" If someone were to not read closely, they might select the wrong answer. Just wanted to point that out.

I feel it is a must without a doubt.