Lessons next week

[pulledabill]

Starting lessons next week. Bit nervous because it will be teaching an old dog a new trick. Undoing really year's of over the top. Hoping to click with the pro and he has enough open slots to allow once a week for 6 week which is something I suppose I need to clarify. 

[TBT]

Been thinking about taking a few lessons myself


Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy

[edingc]

Good luck! Taking lessons has been the best thing for my game and moved me from shooting low-mid 90s to low 80s with regularity after only a few changes. I just had what I think is my 12th lesson since Nov. 2019 yesterday. 

I don't think I would have improved as much as I have in two years without the lessons, especially with the quality of strike. I still have my struggles but it's great having someone else take a look at what needs improving.

[RickyBobby_PR]

7 hours ago, pulledabill said:

Starting lessons next week. Bit nervous because it will be teaching an old dog a new trick. Undoing really year's of over the top. Hoping to click with the pro and he has enough open slots to allow once a week for 6 week which is something I suppose I need to clarify. 

I would not do a once a week lesson. Unless you are spending at least an hour everyday working on whatever came out of your lesson your body will not have enough time to start to make the changes needed before moving onto something else.

2-3 weeks between lessons is more appropriate. Swing changes don’t happen overnight and for many it’s a long process. Tiger made swing changes and it took him 18 months or so every time

[PMookie]

7 hours ago, pulledabill said:

Starting lessons next week. Bit nervous because it will be teaching an old dog a new trick. Undoing really year's of over the top. Hoping to click with the pro and he has enough open slots to allow once a week for 6 week which is something I suppose I need to clarify. 

That’s awesome! I’ve done lessons off-and-on for the last few years and the hardest time is right at the beginning, finding that swing-thought that sinks-in, and doing the drills the coach gave. It’s great when you’re with the coach because they’re right there with video, and pointing things out. Once I’ve left, within just a couple days, it was difficult to repeat exactly what we did in the lesson. I’ve always wanted to go more frequently at the start, I really think it would’ve helped the thoughts and movements sink-in faster.

Enjoy!!!!!

[cnosil]

Starting lessons next week. Bit nervous because it will be teaching an old dog a new trick. Undoing really year's of over the top. Hoping to click with the pro and he has enough open slots to allow once a week for 6 week which is something I suppose I need to clarify. 

Hope it goes well. Remember to communicate with the instructor and ask for clarification if you don’t understand something.

Also keep in mind that while once a week sounds great, you may need more time between lessons to work on the changes.

[fixyurdivot]

9 hours ago, pulledabill said:

Starting lessons next week. Bit nervous because it will be teaching an old dog a new trick. Undoing really year's of over the top. Hoping to click with the pro and he has enough open slots to allow once a week for 6 week which is something I suppose I need to clarify. 

That's been my plan after the recent project of moving into composite shafts. My main focus for lessons is with the driver and finding fairways more consistently.  Now that I've been tracking my play stats more closely the last couple of years, this is my weakest link.  I have bad memories of the last time I did the lessons thing.  It was decades ago and had me so screwed up that I lost interest in the game.  I'm going to be crystal clear with whoever I end up with as an instructor that I just want small adjustments that my limited shoulder turn can accommodate. 

My challenge will be finding someone back home in MT... may have to wait until next winter.

[CarlH]

10 hours ago, pulledabill said:

Starting lessons next week. Bit nervous because it will be teaching an old dog a new trick. Undoing really year's of over the top. Hoping to click with the pro and he has enough open slots to allow once a week for 6 week which is something I suppose I need to clarify. 

Sounds great!  I recently committed to an 18 lesson block over a 12 month period.  Once a week may not be the best route, though.  You need to have time to ingrain the change before the next lesson, otherwise you're going to just be repeating the same issue.  Now, if you're going to work steadfastly between lessons that may work, but I know, in my case, I need a couple of weeks between the lessons.  I'm fortunate that my coach is around and can do a quick spot check between lessons.  Good luck with the swing change.  Changing decades of bad habits is difficult for an old guy like me!    I've done about 6 lessons so far, but haven't seen scores dropping (if anything, they're up a tad, but more consistent).  To be fair, however, it is winter golf currently and hoping to capitalize on an improved swing as our weather and course conditions improve.  

[dlow206]

For me, what I have found important is being able to ask questions or send a quick swing video between lessons. For example, if I have been prescribed a drill, I may want to have my instructor take a look at me performing the drill to make sure I didn't start doing something really wrong. 

[Chip Strokes]

@pulledabill lessons have been the best investment i’ve made in my game. i’ve taken about a dozen since the fall. 

i went weekly for the first month, and have spaced things out since then. 

good luck and i hope you and your instructor hit it off and get in a rhythm. there’s just no substitute for in-person instruction IMO. 

[revkev]

I would not do a once a week lesson. Unless you are spending at least an hour everyday working on whatever came out of your lesson your body will not have enough time to start to make the changes needed before moving onto something else.
2-3 weeks between lessons is more appropriate. Swing changes don’t happen overnight and for many it’s a long process. Tiger made swing changes and it took him 18 months or so every time

This is great advice - my first thought was once a week maybe too much also for these reasons. You might benefit more from 4 lessons every other week than 6 lessons in 6 weeks depending upon you available practice time.

Good luck regardless.

I had a lesson 2 weeks ago ball/hand position were my key adjustments - I haven’t had enough time to practice/play but when I get it right I hit done solid shots. Hit some very nice irons in nasty wind on the back this week when I played with the MGS guys.


Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[pulledabill]

Several buddies said give it to keep it in two week intervals as well 

[Murray06]

Had my first lesson in years yesterday. Was brilliant. Focused on 1 thing and a pre shot routine and the difference was dramatic. Will have one a month I think now. 

[juspoole]

I've been wanting to try lessons myself .   Hope they go well for you and you click with the pro.

Last lesson I took was about 10 years ago and he was trying to change my swing to mirror his own.  Had me trying to narrow my stance much more than what is correct.  Maybe it was good for him since he was about 5 inches shorter and 60 pounds lighter and much more flexible.  

[StrokerAce]

28 minutes ago, juspoole said:

I've been wanting to try lessons myself .   Hope they go well for you and you click with the pro.

Last lesson I took was about 10 years ago and he was trying to change my swing to mirror his own.  Had me trying to narrow my stance much more than what is correct.  Maybe it was good for him since he was about 5 inches shorter and 60 pounds lighter and much more flexible.  

this is what keeps me from getting lessons - first, they're not cheap, second, it's a bit of an unknown - sure you can ask some preliminary questions about their teaching methods and stuff, but once you get there and they start trying to change your swing into something that is not normal you've just blown a good chunk of $ and wasted your time...

 

[pulledabill]

1st lesson down and  it went well enough that I signed up for a series of 6. 1st lesson was free, 6 paid, then 2 free ones for a total of 9 1 hour lessons. Started out with 15 minutes of talking about shops philosophy, current game, and goals.  One thing I liked what that he said that he will work to find what I understand as we all learn differently. Plus he is raising a daughter on his own as did I so for personal reasons I liked that. 

After hitting a dozen balls we watched my swing and went over a few #s. He liked my setup, grip, and takeaway some of the time, but didnt like my outside in swing or my most if the time early release. I can get quick as well with tempo. He instantly asked if I was a baseball player. Which I was.  We went over a few things and instantly added 12 to 15 yards with my wedge and my numbers instantly improved  on Trackman and my ball contact improved by not being as steep. We did a few drills and went over swing thoughts to get my hands where he wants them on top and drills to help with my early release.

Everything is video taped and logged with notes for reference. 

He liked 2 weeks between lessons mostly because life gets in the way at times so he doesn't want to get backed up on drills due to not getting practice in. 

I left feeling optimistic and with a lighter  wallet. 

[GolfSpy AFG]

45 minutes ago, pulledabill said:

1st lesson down and  it went well enough that I signed up for a series of 6. 1st lesson was free, 6 paid, then 2 free ones for a total of 9 1 hour lessons. Started out with 15 minutes of talking about shops philosophy, current game, and goals.  One thing I liked what that he said that he will work to find what I understand as we all learn differently. Plus he is raising a daughter on his own as did I so for personal reasons I liked that. 

After hitting a dozen balls we watched my swing and went over a few #s. He liked my setup, grip, and takeaway some of the time, but didnt like my outside in swing or my most if the time early release. I can get quick as well with tempo. He instantly asked if I was a baseball player. Which I was.  We went over a few things and instantly added 12 to 15 yards with my wedge and my numbers instantly improved  on Trackman and my ball contact improved by not being as steep. We did a few drills and went over swing thoughts to get my hands where he wants them on top and drills to help with my early release.

Everything is video taped and logged with notes for reference. 

He liked 2 weeks between lessons mostly because life gets in the way at times so he doesn't want to get backed up on drills due to not getting practice in. 

I left feeling optimistic and with a lighter  wallet. 

Sounds great, I'd say you are on the right track...you've left your first lesson feeling optimistic and excited, and motivated by some of the instant feedback you got.  In my experience, lessons go south when the instructor tries to give you too many things to work on and the whole process becomes bewildering with too many different things to think about.  

My advice to you though is you've made an investment...get the most out of it by putting in the work between lessons so that you can show up having made actual improvement.  If you don't, a good instructor will be forced to hammer home the same things, in which case you've wasted your money getting more of the same.

[edingc]

15 minutes ago, Getoffmylawn said:

My advice to you though is you've made an investment...get the most out of it by putting in the work between lessons so that you can show up having made actual improvement.  If you don't, a good instructor will be forced to hammer home the same things, in which case you've wasted your money getting more of the same.

This isn't directed at @pulledabill specifically, but this is sage advice. I practice quite a bit and even for me it can take 3-4 months/lessons with a lot of practice in between before seeing changes come to fruition. Heck, it took all of 2020 to get my takeaway right, and I still occasionally fall into bad habits. 

Obviously, a coach will continue to take your money even if you aren't progressing all that much. While there are certainly "bad" coaches out there, there is a lot of onus on the student to practice the drills/changes prescribed.

[pulledabill]

I do have the advantage of getting most of my range balls free and a chance to see multiple instructors at work at the range. I've taken maybe 6-8 lessons with 3 instructors over the years and so far this guy is miles in front of the others and 1 of them was a PGA tour player. Plus I'm older and I'm motivated to get my over the top fixed. If thats all that happens, it will be worth it. I also am making a 80 mile round trip for the lessons.

At this point Id rather gamble $600 and a couple tanks of gas as opposed  to leaving yards on the course and killing my hands at the range on a much too steep swing banging balls while stuck at a 7.5 ghin. 

[GolfSpy AFG]

9 minutes ago, pulledabill said:

I do have the advantage of getting most of my range balls free and a chance to see multiple instructors at work at the range. I've taken maybe 6-8 lessons with 3 instructors over the years and so far this guy is miles in front of the others and 1 of them was a PGA tour player. Plus I'm older and I'm motivated to get my over the top fixed. If thats all that happens, it will be worth it. I also am making a 80 mile round trip for the lessons.

At this point Id rather gamble $600 and a couple tanks of gas as opposed  to leaving yards on the course and killing my hands at the range on a much too steep swing banging balls while stuck at a 7.5 ghin. 

Well, we're all pulling for you here...keep at it and let us know how you're progressing.  Frankly, to be a single digit and gaming 919 Tours with a steep over the top action, you've got to have some pretty good timing and overall athleticism.  Just be patient with yourself, and put in the work.