If You DO NOT Take Lessons, Why?

[Thjaco]

I’m not against lessons but one on one lessons cost too much. I market some online golf lessons which have helped me and a lot of my friends, that being said, I go to a Pro clinic every now and then to let someone else watch my swing and keep me on track, these are very affordable and give me what I want.

[Leftygolfer]

After posting and reading this thread I realized I had no reason not to get a lesson.  Scheduled one for Sept 6th with a pro I've seen before.  It will be a video lesson so I can see what I am actually doing.

I think the real reason people don't get lessons or they don't work is people don't want to/don't have the time.  Improving and changing is hard work.  I'm committed to getting better this fall and I am not going to play for quite a while.  I think it is really hard to play going through a change.  You lose your focus on your swing, go back to old habits, and then the change doesn't happen.  I believe that is what happened to me this year.  So I'm just going to practice and make the neccessary changes.  I hate playing bad.  I hate being bad.  And that is all I've become this year.

[pawulinho17]

I've stopped taking lessons for half a year, now i know that that was one of the worst decisions. The pro can see what you can do bad, and can correct it, i think lessons are needed especially at the beginning to get proper shot style

[Ole_Tom_Morris]

Part of the fun is trying to visualize and figure things out on your own. Sure if I were some ambitious executive who was short on time and willing to pay some bucks to be able to play well enough to impress business prospects, I'd try to buy a swing ASAP. like a crash course in a foreign language from Berlitz. And from what I've seen in others -- never myself of course -- there are golfers out there who don't know the first thing about swing fundamentals (If only I could figure out why they have a lower handicap than me!) and could benefit much from just a little swing advice.

But there's more to it than that.   A big part of my aversion to instructors is that I don't trust them.  Lot of them imo either (1) don't know much about the golf swing or (2) have preconceptions about what the swing ought to be and teach that instead of allowing the individual to make their own choices.  Even the most famous golf instructors I don't trust at all.  I no longer read anything by Leadbetter or Harmon or Hankins for fear of being contaminated.    Isn't that part of Tiger Woods problem, that he has had too many swings and been to too many gurus?

Palmer said in one of his books, take a good grip and keep the head steady and don't worry about the rest.

[Bryan SD2]

Other - I've been a single digit handicap for 20+ years without a single lesson in my life

Cost too much - For the cost of 5-10 lessons I can play how many rounds?

Time - Wife and three kids... it's just not a good use of my time. I'd rather play instead, but only after everything else is done! (work, kids sports/events, things around the house, etc.)

[ROCNBigDrives]

My deal - bad instructor. I paid $600.00 and only took 4 out of the 10 30 min. lessons. The owner/pro is well know in the southeast and is well liked with in the PGA. I felt those reasons were enough for me. What a jerk! First lesson, he was late 10 mins. Second, 5 mins. into it he takes a phone call that lasted 7 mins. Third time he is late again and since he hasn't apologized one time for all of his infractions. I got up in his face, told him he was unprofessional and if he did that type of crap again, I would demand a refund. He replied, "Since I'm the owner I can state here and now you will not get a refund." I never went back and to date, I have sent 8 others to another pro that is a true pro.

[Golf'nBiker]

I may be missing the boat, but I'm not certain that 'lessons' would do me any good more than a coach would.  My thought:  I'll celebrate my 3d year of playing next month..I've shot 2 79's and 1 78, i generally shoot 85 or below, which in itself is remarkable because 5 yrs ago SEP I was told (after my 2d spinal surgery/fusion) that I may not walk again.  I swing w/in my physical capabilities and at times just fall apart (the 6" between the ars) because I simply do not know what to do under certain situations...ie..uphill or side hill lies, fairway bunker in a dog leg, how to hit a draw WHEN IT WANT TO..etc...so I think a coach, per se, on the course may be well within my view.  Hell with it, y'all just talked me into asking my regular coarse's PRO if he'll play a round or two with me.  Thanx for the thread Eric.

[Dave H]

I chose too much money and not enough time. If I had the money and the time, I'd take lessons regularly. I have taken them before and they've greatly helped me. I kept a journal of everything I learned and refer to it often. I just didn't have the money for lessons this year and it took what seemed like most of the season, but I finally feel like I've reached a good place with my swing. I know if I had lessons I would have turned it around much quicker. But, when it comes down to money, I'd rather play more rounds. Lessons around here are super expensive.

[Roblar]

Originally Posted by Dave H

I chose too much money and not enough time. If I had the money and the time, I'd take lessons regularly. I have taken them before and they've greatly helped me....snip...

+1

My budget is a bit limited, and I just had a daughter. If I have time and $$$, I'm going to play first.

OTHER: With an 11month old, it seems like my wife and I are always running last-second errands. That makes it really hard to schedule anything in advance. On the other hand, if I wake up one day, something gets canceled, and I have a two-five hour block of time open up, I can just run to the range or (if I'm lucky), play a round.  ...but it feels socially awkward to me to try to schedule a lesson for "How about half-an-hour from now?"

That said, I signed up for a 5-week (two hours once per week) group lesson last Fall and last Spring, and when I visit with my uncle (a scratch player in his youth and a clear and articulate teacher), I always ask him for swing help.  ...so maybe I don't really fall into the "If you DO NOT take lessons..." category.  But if I had more time and more money, I would take more lessons for sure.

[tomvk77]

I do take lessons but only 3 or 4 a year.

I'm more a figure it out my self kinda guy

What my big suprice is that so many say it's the costs.

but looking what's in their bag, Titleist 910 taylormade tour preffered irons

all the most expensive clubs and newest, somehow i don't get the point, if

you have 2000 Dollars off golfgear in your bag how come you don't have 45 dollars for

a lesson?

[tomvk77]

finding a good golfinstructor is hard by the way, i'm verry lucky to have a great one at my home course.

He is a feel player, and so am i. He is not the guy who wants to build the great golfswing, he wants your swing

to work for you. i was practising last week and he was working with a friend of mine after i recomended our pro to my friend.

His previous pro told him to shorten hisswing over and over. so the first leson for him with Gary.

My friend swings righthanded but is a lefty on writing and all.

Gary asked him after 3 shots you are lefthanded aren't you, after his yes, he said ok so we don't work on the overswing.

[Tiger Spuds]

The number one reason is the enjoyment of figuring things out for myself. It gives you a real sense of achievement to go from hacking the ball around a course to hitting it reasonably well and shooting some decent scores, solely with the knowledge you've gained by yourself. Personally, in terms of ballstriking at least, I don't think an instructor can move me along much further than I am already, as my mistakes on the course are usually short game related, putting especially. Apart from that, the cost and lack of geniunely knowledgable instructors in the locality are the big reasons.

[wmiller]

Originally Posted by tomvk77

finding a good golfinstructor is hard by the way, i'm verry lucky to have a great one at my home course.

He is a feel player, and so am i. He is not the guy who wants to build the great golfswing, he wants your swing

to work for you. i was practising last week and he was working with a friend of mine after i recomended our pro to my friend.

His previous pro told him to shorten hisswing over and over. so the first leson for him with Gary.

My friend swings righthanded but is a lefty on writing and all.

Gary asked him after 3 shots you are lefthanded aren't you, after his yes, he said ok so we don't work on the overswing.

I am the same way (lefty playing right handed), and got this all the time. The one pro I worked with, was of a similar mindset to your pro. She worked on making a swing work with my physical makeup, not trying to force me into a pre-conceived mold. That was over 20 years ago, and I still shoot in the 70s. Don't practice either, just play every Sunday.

[1par2win]

Originally Posted by Golf'nBiker

I may be missing the boat, but I'm not certain that 'lessons' would do me any good more than a coach would.  My thought:  I'll celebrate my 3d year of playing next month..I've shot 2 79's and 1 78, i generally shoot 85 or below, which in itself is remarkable because 5 yrs ago SEP I was told (after my 2d spinal surgery/fusion) that I may not walk again.  I swing w/in my physical capabilities and at times just fall apart (the 6" between the ars) because I simply do not know what to do under certain situations...ie..uphill or side hill lies, fairway bunker in a dog leg, how to hit a draw WHEN IT WANT TO..etc...so I think a coach, per se, on the course may be well within my view.  Hell with it, y'all just talked me into asking my regular coarse's PRO if he'll play a round or two with me.  Thanx for the thread Eric.

This^^. I understand the time limitations and the logistical problem but I have always felt that if teaching pros could package a simple easily understood lesson plan with a 9 hole on-course eval I think people would be more inclined to take lessons. I can't tell you how many times I have heard someone say "I play pretty well but something falls apart during the round and I wish I knew what was happening.." To all instructors, I hear this or a variation of this ALL THE TIME !

For the poll I selected "not wanting to tear apart my swing". I do take a lesson every so often but it's always when I lose my feel in some aspect of the short game and and my local pro will usually have it straightened out in about 15 min (almost always a weight/shift/alingment issue). I am to the point where I am not interested in tearing apart my swing but when a S&T; instructor becomes available in the Twin Cities I will seriously consider seeing him/her. And that's primarily due to the fact that S&T; can be incorporated bit by bit and the drills seem to be understandable but there are aspects of S&T; that I really need someone qualified to explain (how the ^%$# do I bring my hands inside sooooo much and actually hit the ball?!?!)

[stevepgeorge]

I just don't have the time.  Being a graduate student with two kids and a wife I barely have time to play let alone take lessons!  Someday!  The nice thing is I have seen significant improvement this year just through playing as much as I can.

[goblue107501]

I voted 'other'. I took several lessons a few years ago from a great pro who helped me a ton. Completly redid my swing and I am much better for it. I would love to go back a few times just as a check-up to see if I am still doing things how I should. I am pretty sure I am at least real close, but you never know. My problem currently is the time and money factor. The guys doesn't charge much so it really isn't a cost factor for the lesson. $50/hour 7-8 years ago. Thay may have gone up a little, but still very good for who he is. The lessons last about an hour which would be fine, especially since he is about 10 minutes from my house. Back when I took lessons I was single and had plenty of disposable income. Now I am married with children so that is gone. If I have $50 that I would want to spend for golf, I would rather just play a round. As it is, I am lucky to have the extra money to play maybe once a month. If I used the $50 for a lesson, I wouldn't get to play. So it really isn't that they cost too much or I don't have the time, I just don't want to spend my golf money in that way right now. If I have the $50 to spend for golf, I would rather spend 4-5 hours on the course with friends than 1 hour with an instructor.

[Ash1974]

Well I voted "like to sort things out myself" but one thing I have learnt this season after climbing from 14.1 to 14.9 is that I can't fix my self!

I finally swallowed my pride and had 1 lesson for £20 that identified my issue's (balance and timing) and two weeks later with minimal practice and two rounds of 18, I am on my way back to lower scores.

I will now never try and self fix again.

I guess I was lucky in that widening my stance along with staying over the ball and not swaying on back swing, were non intrusive changes (as in no grip, swing change) and I got a Pro who identified these issue and did not rip me apart and try and build the perfect swing, helped though.