Where should I start

[False hopes]

I'm only in my first year playing and I've basically just used online instruction to learn.  So far distance is not a problem for me(I'm a big dude 6'2 250) I'm going to do lessons soon, I spray it all over the place. Should I tell my new/first instructor to help me build my swing from the ground up or work on whatever it is that I have.  My best score this year was a 91, but I want to get better as long as I'm still having fun.

[Piz]

Your post is concise and informative.  Why not start with that?

[False hopes]

Yeah that actually makes a lot of sense lol, I tend to over think things sometimes. Thanks @piz

[carpediem4300]

The key will be finding the right instructor, I would say find one that will work with your swing and make it work for you,.....usually the way you first swing at a golf ball is the most comfortable. I dont see any reason to drastically change that

Alot of instructors will try to fit you into a mould of a swing pattern, they will try to say "there is only 1 way to swing and im going to teach you it"

Avoid the latter type of instructors imho

 

[boogielicious]

5 hours ago, False hopes said:

I'm only in my first year playing and I've basically just used online instruction to learn.  So far distance is not a problem for me(I'm a big dude 6'2 250) I'm going to do lessons soon, I spray it all over the place. Should I tell my new/first instructor to help me build my swing from the ground up or work on whatever it is that I have.  My best score this year was a 91, but I want to get better as long as I'm still having fun.

If you want additional help, post your swing in the Member Swings section. We can get you started on the right path. It is also very important to practice correctly and not just hit balls. Check out the thread below.

There are other instructional threads here as well:

 

[MRR]

4 hours ago, carpediem4300 said:

The key will be finding the right instructor, I would say find one that will work with your swing and make it work for you,.....usually the way you first swing at a golf ball is the most comfortable. I dont see any reason to drastically change that

Alot of instructors will try to fit you into a mould of a swing pattern, they will try to say "there is only 1 way to swing and im going to teach you it"

Avoid the latter type of instructors imho

 

I tentatively agree.  While you do not want an instructor who can teach only one type of swing (unless, of course, it actually is a perfect fit), you also do not want an instructor who will allow or even enforce a crappy swing.

I've had way too many of the latter (including my father, whose lousy "instruction" drove me away from the game for much of my youth) tweaking little things to give a minor improvement instead of breaking everything down and building it all up correctly.

[No Mulligans]

A good instructor will have you work on something specific that will help you the most... once you get that down you'll move on to another piece.  What piece that is varies from person to person. 

I really like this for a good foundation: 

It makes a lot of sense to work towards the elements that all the best players have in common.  Jason Day and Jim Furyk have very different looking swings but the both have the five keys.

[False hopes]

Awesome, thanks for all the info.