Why Don't You Take Lessons?

[mvmac]

I think you would have a hard time seeing a difference between your "good" and "bad" swings.

Most people have a very consistent swing. Just not a good one....

Yep.

@Bryan Kasper check out this thread.

[Vinsk]

I need live lessons. I'm definitely impressed with the 5SK guys and wish Evolvr would work better for me. My issue is this: I post a video, Mike or whoever tells me to work on steady head. So I'm on the range (2-6 hrs for me). I don't have flightscope or TracMan...but I'm hitting it real nice. Well, am I practicing right? Is my head steady? Who knows? Feel ain't real right? So all I have to base my practice on is "feel". I've proven to myself that a good ball strike means nothing cuz every squirrel gets its nut. So I'm "feeling" good after a great range session of solid ball striking, good dispersion, good distance control. So I post a new video only to see that my head is all over the place. Now had I had an instructor at the range with me, he/she would've provided instant feedback to ensure I'm not continuing to engrain a poor swing. Being in Florida now there are so many instructors close by I'm sure something will come to fruition. September is too busy but I'm gonna make time to get some hands on instruction.

[mvmac]

I need live lessons. I'm definitely impressed with the 5SK guys and wish Evolvr would work better for me. My issue is this: I post a video, Mike or whoever tells me to work on steady head. So I'm on the range (2-6 hrs for me). I don't have flightscope or TracMan...but I'm hitting it real nice.

Myself or your Evolvr instructor suggest feels or cues for HOW you need to keep your head steady. We don't just say, go work on steady head, good luck.

Having a Flightscope or Trackman is useful at times but won't tell you whether you're changing the picture.

And why are you spending more than 2 hours hitting balls?

I don't have flightscope or TracMan...but I'm hitting it real nice. Well, am I practicing right? Is my head steady? Who knows? Feel ain't real right? So all I have to base my practice on is "feel".

Well no, you film it and check. That's what you base your feels on. Do your feels produce the picture you want? If not then you modify the feel.

In regards to practice, have you not seen these threads? That's how you know you're practicing properly. You don't hit balls for 6 hours, that's a complete waste of time.

[JetFan1983]

I need live lessons. I'm definitely impressed with the 5SK guys and wish Evolvr would work better for me. My issue is this: I post a video, Mike or whoever tells me to work on steady head. So I'm on the range (2-6 hrs for me). I don't have flightscope or TracMan...but I'm hitting it real nice. Well, am I practicing right? Is my head steady? Who knows? Feel ain't real right? So all I have to base my practice on is "feel". I've proven to myself that a good ball strike means nothing cuz every squirrel gets its nut. So I'm "feeling" good after a great range session of solid ball striking, good dispersion, good distance control. So I post a new video only to see that my head is all over the place. Now had I had an instructor at the range with me, he/she would've provided instant feedback to ensure I'm not continuing to engrain a poor swing. Being in Florida now there are so many instructors close by I'm sure something will come to fruition. September is too busy but I'm gonna make time to get some hands on instruction.

For me, learning how to learn online took time, and I'm still learning how to do it. I'm a helluva lot better at it now than I was two, three years ago. But do what Mike said. You have to check on the camera to see if you're actually doing it. Try again until you do it. If you aren't doing it, slow down to the point where you can do it. Then work your way back up. It can take a very, very long time to make the change stick, but if you do it long enough, it will.

[Brakkus]

If money was no object and I had the time I would take lessons. I have taken a liking to certain instructors who have lots of free stuff on blogs or videos. It would be whether I could find an instructor who would be in tune with how I learn. I'm quite independent and need the room to have a cooperative relationship just encouragement really. However I don't have either at the moment but I'm still doing alright and still making progress. Hey how maybe later.

[Suchmo]

My slight gripe with instruction is that I feel like the instructor accurately analyses my swing in a minute or two, gives me a 'feel' or drill to work on and the rest is filler. The only reason the lesson is half an hour is to justify the cost. Five minutes every week would be far more beneficial than half hour a month, all at once.

[Vinsk]

Myself or your Evolvr instructor suggest feels or cues for HOW you need to keep your head steady. We don't just say, go work on steady head, good luck. Having a Flightscope or Trackman is useful at times but won't tell you whether you're changing the picture. And why are you spending more than 2 hours hitting balls? ;-)   Well no, you film it and check. That's what you base your feels on. Do your feels produce the picture you want? If not then you modify the feel. In regards to practice, have you not seen these threads? That's how you know you're practicing properly. You don't hit balls for 6 hours, that's a complete waste of time.  [CONTENTEMBED=/t/54840/simple-specific-slow-short-and-success-the-five-s-s-of-great-practice layout=inline]​[/CONTENTEMBED]   [CONTENTEMBED=/t/73287/change-the-dang-picture layout=inline]​[/CONTENTEMBED]

Understood. I may take 15minutes between balls. I'm focused and am trying to engrain a good swing. I'm very dedicated and persistent to golf. I understand the video concept. With me, I can have a steady head and shank it or a steady head and flush it like a rockstar. Back and fourth to my phone trying to capture video gets a bit tedious but I suppose people seem to make it work. I'm going to the range tomorrow and start with disk 1. I'll see if I can get a good video.

[Duff McGee]

I don't trust anyone unless I know for sure they are excellent. An local instructor would likely have to be recommended by Iacas or Mike for me to try him out at this point.

[mvmac]

Understood. I may take 15minutes between balls. I'm focused and am trying to engrain a good swing. I'm very dedicated and persistent to golf. I understand the video concept. With me, I can have a steady head and shank it or a steady head and flush it like a rockstar.

Just want to clarify that a steady head is just a reference point, not a swing thought (it could be but it's not typical). What's important is how your body is moving to achieve a steady head.

Back and fourth to my phone trying to capture video gets a bit tedious but I suppose people seem to make it work. I'm going to the range tomorrow and start with disk 1. I'll see if I can get a good video.

I posted this pic a couple days ago in the "Change the Dang Picture" thread. This from the Wyndham, three tour pros looking at phones/camera. I guess it can be a pain, I don't mind it because it's a little break and I like the feedback. Checking the camera allows you to use your time much more effectively.

[Vinsk]

@mvmac yeah that was just an example (poor one I suppose.) You're right Mike. I need to just get with with it and use my phone and make a video. Evolvr is not only more convenient but like others have said I've come to trust you guys without hesitation so online from you guys is better than live with a Golf Digest tips shananager.

[iacas]

My slight gripe with instruction is that I feel like the instructor accurately analyses my swing in a minute or two, gives me a 'feel' or drill to work on and the rest is filler. The only reason the lesson is half an hour is to justify the cost. Five minutes every week would be far more beneficial than half hour a month, all at once.

You can't really give a lesson in five minutes. But ten, maybe, sure. Technically.

But there's a lot of value in the "watching the player begin to learn the new motion." The golfer needs to know what is the right amount, too much, too little… He needs to know what feelings work (or work best). Etc. They need to SEE the changes and results.

The first ten minutes of my lessons often go by explaining the "what and the why." The last 35 minutes or so (we did 45 minute lessons this summer) are practicing and then recapping with images and notes.

If money was no object and I had the time I would take lessons. I have taken a liking to certain instructors who have lots of free stuff on blogs or videos. It would be whether I could find an instructor who would be in tune with how I learn.

Everyone learns basically the same way, and the best instructors include all the types of forms of learning.

@mvmac yeah that was just an example (poor one I suppose.) You're right Mike. I need to just get with with it and use my phone and make a video. Evolvr is not only more convenient but like others have said I've come to trust you guys without hesitation so online from you guys is better than live with a Golf Digest tips shananager.

Still coming to Erie?

[Vinsk]

@iacas . I am, just can't make September.

[Sandhills Golfer]

I took 3 recent lessons and was disappointed. I learned nothing new, that I didn't already know from golf boards and youtube videos. The only bonus was getting a pair of eyes from behind to confirm what I thought were my faults. The fixes, were nothing new. My son could have accomplished the same thing. But, the rubber stamp from a "pro" was ok I guess.

[billchao]

I took 3 recent lessons and was disappointed. I learned nothing new, that I didn't already know from golf boards and youtube videos. The only bonus was getting a pair of eyes from behind to confirm what I thought were my faults. The fixes, were nothing new. My son could have accomplished the same thing. But, the rubber stamp from a "pro" was ok I guess.

Depending on the quality of the pro, the "rubber stamp" is everything. It's easy to look at your own swing and pick out the things that are wrong with it, but figuring out which piece is the priority is significantly harder.

[Sandhills Golfer]

Depending on the quality of the pro, the "rubber stamp" is everything. It's easy to look at your own swing and pick out the things that are wrong with it, but figuring out which piece is the priority is significantly harder.

Agreed, Bill. We did determine the lifting on the backswing was an issue. But, low and slow, swinging in side was the fix? I saw that in a John Daly segment on a golf channel show years ago. There were a few other cliche'd fixes offered as well. Maybe, I had the wrong guy for me and I can't say every pro is not worth seeing.

[billchao]

Agreed, Bill. We did determine the lifting on the backswing was an issue. But, low and slow, swinging in side was the fix? I saw that in a John Daly segment on a golf channel show years ago. There were a few other cliche'd fixes offered as well. Maybe, I had the wrong guy for me and I can't say every pro is not worth seeing.

I don't know. I don't know who you went to see or how good they are, nor do I know your swing and what you need to work on.

I will say that just because you saw your fix on a segment on the Golf Channel doesn't mean it's not a good drill or your pro isn't a good instructor. The Golf Channel does lots of instructional pieces that may or may not apply to your swing. Your instructor was able to figure out what your priority piece is and how to fix it, right?

It's kind of hard to tell without more information, but it seems like you just didn't connect with him for whatever reason. If that's the case, it doesn't matter how good he is; if you don't trust the instructor and relate to what he's teaching, you're probably not going to take a whole lot out of the lesson.

[mvmac]

but figuring out which piece is the priority is significantly harder.

Exactly, that's one of the differences between a good and a great instructor. Anyone can basically learn how to pick out the faults in any golf swing, the "key" is identifying the priority and how to accomplish making the change.

[Bryan Kasper]

Yep.

@Bryan Kasper check out this thread.

Checked this out. pretty interesting to read and see the images the guy showed of the good vs. bad. i might have to video myself at the range today and see if i can tell a difference between the good and bad swings.