My First Real Lesson

[grad2004cca]

Today I had my first true golf lesson from a reputable PGA pro at a legit facility with top of the line equipment. I live in the Chattanooga, TN area. The place that I am going to is Choo Choo golf school and range. Several PGA and LPGA players train here along with a couple of top Amateurs. The instructor is Thomas Smith. He won the TN amateur a few years back and played some tour golf. I gelled with him really quickly.

 

Like most of us on here, I am a through and through golf nerd. I giggled like a little school girl as we talked about my track man data. He was surprised that I knew terms like dynamic loft, club path, face angle etc. I will be the first to tell you that data makes a difference! I have taken a couple of lessons at a driving range, but I never really improved because I couldn't see what I was doing wrong and couldn't make that mind body connection to improve my movements.

 

They have a Trackman setup, Swing Catalyst, Gears Software (think EA Sports putting TW in a body suit to make his game), and the Sam Putting Lab. I absolutely enjoyed myself and made some notable improvements. Today we worked on Setup, my take away, and flattening out my down swing. I am going to grind it out for the next two weeks and then go back for a check up. I am serious about breaking 85 consistently this year, and the goal is 80 next year.

 

 

WITB:

Callaway Epic 10.5 Fujikura shaft (dialed down to 9.5 with a slight draw bias)

TaylorMade Slider 3 wood

2017 TaylorMade 3-4 hybrid

2017 M2 irons 5-AW

Vokey SM5 54&58 wedges

Scotty Cameron Select Newport 2.5

Bridgestone B330-S

 

Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy

[Kenny B]

This sounds like a lot of fun!  Good job, and keep giving us updates.  I struggled for many years until I sucked it up and went to a golf school.  lessons are the best and fastest way to improve.  Stick with it.

[MDGolfHacker]

Very cool! Best of luck with breaking through the goals! I know with the proper training and practice it will happen much sooner than later.

 

MDGolfHacker

[DaveP043]

Well done, glad to hear its worked so well so quickly.  I'm wondering, with all of the equipment, did he analyze video of your swing, and show you what he wanted the changes to look like?  I've used some video this spring, for the first time in my life, and it seems like a great tool so far.  I was told to video myself (I use my Samsung phone, slow-motion setting) and was given specific things to look for  The one thing it did for me was to provide feedback as I practiced on my own.  You know that awkward feeling that goes with change, the video showed me that I was going the right direction, no matter how funky it felt at the time.  I'm not analyzing my swing on my own, I'm not competent to do that, I'm just looking at video to verify that I'm doing the things my instructor tells me to do.