Does it help to have a golf coach - opinions?

[Gogolf]

I'm on the fence on this one and opening it up to the community.

 

Has an instructor changed your game and taken your through plateaus?

If you don't have an instructor, why not?

What makes you think a instructor is good or bad?

[PlaidJacket]

It has for me. There was similar post yesterday started by Shawn where I made a comment about my style of coaching, etc. Others commented  too.

You're obviously a good player GoGolf. The pros work with people all the time. I don't see where it will hurt my game to do it some. In fact it's helped. I'll never make it to a +1 but I've lower my hcp some and be able to maintain it. Far as I'm concerned that's a good thing.

[hckymeyer]

I've never had a coach so I don't have personal experience.  I'd look at it this way though, what do you want out of the game?

 

If you are content as a +1 recreational player then I don't see you gaining a whole lot from a coach.  If your goal is to take your game to the next level then a coach could be a great thing.  It just has to be the right coach for you.

[Gogolf]

For me, it's more of eliminating mistakes the big time errant shots.

 

What would make you want to work with a pro over being self taught?

[jayjay0808]

I had a coach all through high school and college. Now as I am in my late 20's I have an understanding of my own swing and when it feels off. I still probably once or twice a year see my old coach for a second set of eyes. 

[Gogolf]

I had a coach all through high school and college. Now as I am in my late 20's I have an understanding of my own swing and when it feels off. I still probably once or twice a year see my old coach for a second set of eyes. 

 

Nice, this is what I've done too. 

What are you working on to get your game to +4/5? That's something I'm trying to figure out. 

[PMookie]

If they're top notch... If they're just some Joe Pro that teaches one swing and one only, I'm not so sure.

 

But! If u get a Top 100 coach like I have here? Yeah, makes a HUGE difference. I've dropped almost 4 strokes off my handicap since going to him. Others before him didn't help much at all.

 

It ALL depends on if the coach is worth their salt.

 

 

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[Mr_Theoo]

It depend if you and your coach work well together. I've had mine for 4 years now and don't see turning back. It's helped my game a lot from where I started. Still plenty of work to be done but every year since starting lessons I've improved some part of my game.

[EthanSterlingPrice]

I'm on the fence on this one and opening it up to the community.

 

Has an instructor changed your game and taken your through plateaus?

If you don't have an instructor, why not?

What makes you think a instructor is good or bad?

for me it's a definite yes. I don't have a problem with homegrown swings, some of the best players in history used them, but it helps to have a few fundamentals to build your swing on and a good pro who you click with goes a long way. One of the conditions my parents had to my trying golf was to have lessons and it definitely made the difference. Word of caution though, you have to make sure the swing style the pro teaches matches you (body type, conditioning, etc) or it won't matter what you do. I like to think that Arnie was right, "swing your swing" but there's no reason not to make it the best swing you can.

 

 

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[BIG STU]

for me it's a definite yes. I don't have a problem with homegrown swings, some of the best players in history used them, but it helps to have a few fundamentals to build your swing on and a good pro who you click with goes a long way. One of the conditions my parents had to my trying golf was to have lessons and it definitely made the difference. Word of caution though, you have to make sure the swing style the pro teaches matches you (body type, conditioning, etc) or it won't matter what you do. I like to think that Arnie was right, "swing your swing" but there's no reason not to make it the best swing you can.

 

 

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Great Post!! My thoughts exactly--- My old man was my coach in the early years but we did not get along because "his way was the only way". He quit messing with me when I was 15 or so and I have always marched to the beat of my own drummer right or wrong. Now when he got in his 80s and had mellowed out he did write me a "little red book" and I do and had adapted some of the basic things from him.

 

For some folks a instructor that they can work with is great but not for someone like me who is hardheaded. Now I am set in MY ways but I have never tried to force my ways on the swing or equipment on anyone. I have always believed that everyone is different and their swing and methods of playing the game are different. I have always stressed that IMHO there is no one set way in stone to swing or play this game.

 

Yep Mr Palmer summed up my golf philosophy in that statement even if it was in a commercial

[silver & black]

If you don't have an instructor, why not?

 

Mostly because I can't afford one. 

 

I have taken a few lessons, which proved worthwhile.

[Big Canoer]

All things in moderation. I think that you should have a plan (of sorts) before you go to one and know what you want out of it. To your own point you want to minimize small mistakes so for the first few lessons/visit focus on 1 or 2 things like bunker play and chipping as an example.

 

 

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[revkev]

It's interesting that it has been primarily lower handicappers who have weighed in and for the most part they've done so affirmatively, isn't it?

 

At any rate I've had lessons from six different pros/schools in my golfing life of approximately 50 years.  My original swing was decidedly home grown and my first two attempts at lessons were a waste of time - I was in my 20's arrogant, thought I knew everything so I can't say that it was the teacher's fault.  As I passed the 30 barrier and was starting to have a family my body changed as did the amount of time that I had to play golf.  I attended a Jimmy Ballard golf school and that created a entire overhaul of my swing that took a year.  It was worth it because I went from a guy with a high ceiling when my swing was on to a guy who played solid golf all the time even when I had long layoffs.  Once I was out of seminary I was playing to a 5 and a 5 that you didn't want a part of because I could practice that 5 into a 3 in just a couple of weeks.

 

While in Wisconsin I started seriously taking lessons with the same pro - I don't call them coaches I call them pros because that's what I grew up with.  He was at a prestigious club and a protégé of a top 100 teacher from the Milwaukee Country Club.  The first lesson he asked what my goal was because there would be a significantly different approach if I were getting ready to make a run at the Champions Tour (he was kidding) than wanting to improve or simply become more consistent at what I was already doing.  I opted for the consistency, he said, "Good choice because you already have a good swing and play good golf - he was  a member of my church and we had played together).  He got me to where I was a solid 3 who could practice himself into a 1 after a couple of lessons and an occasionally check up.

 

Moving to Florida he recommended a teaching pro here who continued the same pattern, check ups now and again.  I was also full back fitted (actually took what I had and it was tweaked).  I started playing in a weekly league that was very competitive half the year (there are a lot of good golfers in Florida) and I got my game to a 1 playing weekly and practicing long game weekly and short game on another day weekly.  That was probably maxing out what I had in me or as close to it as possible while working a full time job.

 

Since I joined a club I take lessons from the pro there when I'm struggling - interestingly he was a protégé of the same guy from the Milwaukee country club - I love the guy, he teaches a couple of LPGA players, the top junior girl in the state of Florida, some D1 guys along with average Joe's.  Each one is handled individually, he knows what our goals are, what we are capable of, has played at least 9 holes with all of us.

 

If you have a goal in mind about improving your game the best way to get there is to find a reputable pro, share it with him or her and go to work.  I don't know what that goal might be for a plus 1 but if you consider that I shaved 4 strokes off of my handicap through working with a teacher and did it between the ages of 40 and 55 imagine what you might be able to do.

 

I honestly need to take some lessons now just to maintain around a 5.  I've lost a ton of distance in the past 3 or 4 years and that greatly impacts one's ability to score. 

[fozcycle]

My coach was my Grandfather. At the early age of 8 I pulled his Bagboy cart for 18 holes every week and watched and learned.....He set my grip, which I still use to this day. Other than that I have been self taught, reminding myself of a few key issues that my Grandfather taught me many years ago. . I was a 10 when I moved to FLA in 1987 but quickly slumped to 18 as I was not playing regularly. In 1998 I shattered my left wrist and did not play for 2 years. I then switched to graphite to absorb some of the shock and rekindled my game at 24 Hcp.....that improved to 17-19 with a few dips to 13 without a coach.

 

I did get a series of lessons from Golftec about 8 years ago which used video to help me see what I was doing. I saved the videos and view them periodically.

 

At 66, I am just thrilled to be able to play at a 18 with a few shining moments in the 70's. I had four wrist surgeries in a two year period and really never thought I would be able to play.

 

Would a coach help? Absolutely.

 

 

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[Gogolf]

Thanks for the feedback!

Will need to chart my misses and have some data to talk to coaches about. At least that way I'll avoid getting into discussions about where the club should be. 

[Kenny B]

I honestly need to take some lessons now just to maintain around a 5.  I've lost a ton of distance in the past 3 or 4 years and that greatly impacts one's ability to score. 

Believe me Rev, it gets worse every year.  I've got 9 years on you.  Since I started playing late in life, I never got to your level when I had a higher swing speed.  I've been lucky enough to play as well as I do; my handicap is lower than it has ever been, but every year it's tougher to maintain my average driver distance.  I've made up the loss by utilizing a swing coach and working hard on my short game.

[revkev]

Believe me Rev, it gets worse every year. I've got 9 years on you. Since I started playing late in life, I never got to your level when I had a higher swing speed. I've been lucky enough to play as well as I do; my handicap is lower than it has ever been, but every year it's tougher to maintain my average driver distance. I've made up the loss by utilizing a swing coach and working hard on my short game.

You have wonderful distance control with your wedges. That covers a multitude of sins.

 

 

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[jayjay0808]

Nice, this is what I've done too. 

What are you working on to get your game to +4/5? That's something I'm trying to figure out. 

Really a matter on consistency. I just don't have the same time to practice and play like I used to, My driver has been my weakness the last two years, and it used to be my best club in the bag with distance and accuracy. Accuracy hasn't been there for long stretches the past two years