For those of you who take lessons ...

[Moecat]

... how did you go about choosing the instructor who was right for you?

[jamo]

I went with the closest one I could find, and I also went with him because he was open all year. I guess I made a mistake though, he was terrible, I'm not going back.

[Richie3Jack]

I want to know what a teacher's philosophy is and I want to know how golfers of various levels have improved.

 

It's not that hard to get a bunch of juniors who are dedicated and turn them into great golfers. It's also not that hard to take a Pro and make them better. And it's not THAT hard to take a mediocre golfer and improve them. I'm looking for instructors who can do all of the above and take a bunch of players and improve those player's dramatically.

 

I look for teacher's who can generally play the game. I'm a scratch golfer and I expect a teacher to be able to beat me some of the time when I've played reasonably well.

 

While I don't think The Golfing Machine is the be all, end all of instruction...I do believe that any instructor who is dedicated to being the best instructor they can be should at least understand the majority of TGM. Even if they don't teach a lot of it, there's too much of the book that applies to every single golf swing out there and they need to know it otherwise I'm not interested.

 

I want COMPLETE instruction and I want teachers who focus first and foremost on impact.

 

 

 

 

 

3JACK

[Golfware]

A - I want to make sure that he/she usese video, because there is nothing like seeing your own swing and being able to make changes.

 

B - I want to know their philosophy. I want to hear from others that have also used them. Which is why I went with my current pro, who's helping me out a ton.

[sihawker]

I found the one that was going to only adjust what I came with. I figure I'm not going ot the pGA and I just want to have a little more fun. I felt comfortable with him and he has helped me improve about 6 strokes in 3 lessons.

[JohnBarry]

... how did you go about choosing the instructor who was right for you?

 

 

I was trial and error for me. I tried the local Golf Pro at the Golf Galaxy, then hit a couple other local shops, and actually met the guy who is "my pro" now, at a driving range. He came up spoke to me, gave a pointer, and left. I spoke to him the next week when he was giving a lesson, and asked him why he didn't give me a card, he told me he wasn't trying to be pushy, just wanted to help.

 

All my lesson from now on are being booked with Jamie Smith in Virginia Beach, one heck of a good guy and a true PGA Professional!

[GolfSpy Dave]

Rates and word of mouth. I am shopping for an instructor. Rates are about $40 for 30 minute lessons at the closest course.

I wish there was a ratemyprofessors type site for instructors. Plus the course does not have a grass range and that makes me hesitate.

[MmmmmmBuddy]

R

I wish there was a ratemyprofessors type site for instructors.

Sounds like you have stumbled onto a great idea.....

[GolfSpy Dave]

Sounds like you have stumbled onto a great idea.....

as long as the people who post are honest and a good sample set size, it would be great.

[GolfSpy Dave]

Thinking more about it, we could easily start and informal review process in this sub-board. Not anonymous like ratemyprofessors, but I think that most people would be OK with that. Maybe broken down into regions or states.

[NGage]

I'm a proponent of the Jim Hardy 1 or 2 plane swing theories, so I looked for someone familiar with those concepts. Only problem is....even though Hardy does several seminars and teaching clinics, it's still hard to find someone that truly "knows" the concepts as opposed to just heard of them or knowing a little about them.

 

Last year, through the Hardy website, I was fortunate enough to be invited to be a model student (the naked art model, as my wife jokes) for a Hardy seminar/teaching certification class. So, I got a personal lesson from Jim, himself. I had the lesson videoed and refer to it as often as possible, and I'm hoping/waiting for a pro in my area to be certified in Hardy's teachings. Until then, I will either drive 2 hrs to a guy that's worked with Hardy, but not certified...or, I will do the extreme of taking a weekend to fly to Dallas to see one of his protege's (and the guy that assisted in my lesson).

[JohnBarry]

A lot depends on you messing with the Pro's personality also, if you get along and are like minded, the lesson becomes fun, and therefore more enjoyable, and dare I say, you learn more!

[Richie3Jack]

A - I want to make sure that he/she usese video, because there is nothing like seeing your own swing and being able to make changes.

 

I agree. I'm amazed how many teachers don't want to use video...even today with camcorders so much better and cheaper.

 

I can understand some teachers not liking some aspects of traditional 2D golf video instruction, but I think just letting the student see what they are doing allows them to 'believe' and also helps convey the points of instruction beter.

 

 

 

 

 

3JACK

[Addicted2Golf]

I actually stumbled upon my regular instructor in a clinic that I had signed my kids up for through the park district. He did a great job with my youngest son. I figured if he can teach a 6 year old this stuff then he will probably do well enough with me.

[jamo]

Rates and word of mouth. I am shopping for an instructor. Rates are about $40 for 30 minute lessons at the closest course.

I wish there was a ratemyprofessors type site for instructors. Plus the course does not have a grass range and that makes me hesitate.

 

That would be a really good idea. You should talk to someone about that. It could be a website.

[GolfSpy Dave]

That would be a really good idea. You should talk to someone about that. It could be a website.

Do you think it would get enough content to be effective? The other rate my sites have lots of colleges/schools to gather hits from.

[jamo]

Do you think it would get enough content to be effective? The other rate my sites have lots of colleges/schools to gather hits from.

 

I think it could. You would need to advertise though, otherwise no one would know about it. I would definitely voice my dislike for the last instructor I worked with.

 

Now that I think about it though, it's just as easy to create a thread on one of these forums for advice on different instructors.

[Phana24JG]

... how did you go about choosing the instructor who was right for you?

 

I received a referral at Brian Manzella's website. If I recall, it was MGS contributor Richie3Jack who was the referer. FYI, the websites I follow for golf instruction are:

www.BrianManzella.com

www.johngrahamgolf.com/forum/index.php

www.nygolfworld.com/forum/

 

Richie also has a blog that has links to a lot of good schools of thought abut golf instruction.

[Maverickping]

In no specific order. Have you played professionally? What style do you teach? Do you use video? If I have a problem, can I call or email you? Are they eager to see me reach my goal? One of the most important areas is their personality, do we get along?

 

Lucky for me I've found the right person

[Shambles]

... how did you go about choosing the instructor who was right for you?

 

I asked him what I was doing wrong, he told me, I believed him. I went back for a lesson and have been going back to fix the other things.

 

 

Shambles

[mbkeller]

In no specific order. Have you played professionally? What style do you teach? Do you use video? If I have a problem, can I call or email you? Are they eager to see me reach my goal? One of the most important areas is their personality, do we get along?

 

Lucky for me I've found the right person

I second this.