Pro Lessons: Green Grass or Launch Monitor?

[DaveP043]

1 hour ago, LeftyRM7 said:

I’d be interested to hear what you believe is the difference between a higher handicap golfer and a single digit handicap. Assuming poor mechanics/unplayable swing based on handicap? Again, old school thought process would be significant swing changes and building a more model swing. A 20 handicap that makes a few pars a round already has the ability, it’s about managing your swing and decision making. A golfer that hits a 30 yard slice off of the tee might have tight dispersion and could get a swing overhaul to hit it straighter but have worse dispersion or they could learn to manage it fairly quick and as they get better it becomes a fade.

In general, mechanically sound swings produce better distance and more consistency.  That doesn't mean its impossible to groove unsound mechanics, doesn't mean you can't hit it a long way with unsound mechanics, its just less likely.  I've played with a bunch of different people, I can't remember a single one who played a 30-yard slice while having tight dispersion at the same time, and I can't remember a big slicer who achieves his real distance potential.  In my experience, making positive changes to swing mechanics often results in widened dispersion in the short run.  It takes a while to overcome old bad habits and consistently execute changed mechanics, but immediately successful band-aids don't usually last.  

My history, I was a slicer as a kid.  In college a friend helped me severely change my set-up, which helped me to hit the ball straighter.  So I played for another 10 or 15 years as a 15-handicap or so.  An actual lesson helped me revise my take-away, and with lots of practice over a few years I got to about 8.  There I stayed, even with lots of practice, until a couple more lessons (including online) helped me to revise my lower body rotation, and I've been in the range of 4 to 6 handicap for a few years now.  In each case, it took instruction to get me past a ceiling, I was practicing, but not getting any better.

1 hour ago, LeftyRM7 said:

Again, not saying instruction doesn’t work, I’m only saying a launch monitor is a tool that helps the process along.

What you said earlier, and what I objected to, is that you'd rather use a launch monitor without an instructor than go to an instructor who didn't use a LM.  For most players, a launch monitor is of extremely limited use in determining how to best change their swing.  Its like  giving me a $10,000 mechanics tool set and asking me to fix a carburetor.  Without decent instruction, that car isn't moving.

1 hour ago, LeftyRM7 said:

I’m very weary of online swing analysis. Referencing a 2 dimensional picture is pretty dangerous. Camera angle can have a huge effect on what appears to be happening. In that case, an instructors eye is absolutely better than a video.

This is absolutely true.  Any competent instructor who uses video will make sure that the player understands exactly what camera angles are required, a first step before any instruction takes place.  And in general, a combination of face-on and down-the-line videos are required for good analysis, giving more of a 3-D evaluation.