First Lesson since 2000 and after taking 20 year break from the game - A few thoughts.

[GrumpyGolf]

So, I got my first lesson today from a local pro that was pointed out by on of my new playing partners.  A really good guy that works part time at a local sporting goods place and moonlights as a teaching pro at one of the local courses.  A really good guy that has a ton of experience and listened to what my story was and how I got to where I am today with my game.  I actually learned quite a bit about how the game and equipment has changed in my time away from the game.  Here are a few of the highlights and some low lights from my session.

• My background is that I played for about 14 years from about 1989 to early 2002.  I played with a 16 handicap and enjoyed the game but didn't put in the work to get really good.  Just like playing with my group of friends and enjoyed the company more than the game.
• My game at the time was good from about 150 in, I could back up my 7 iron if needed, my short game was really good because the only thing I ever practiced was my wedge shots, specifically the flop shot.  I could hit that so well that I won more than a few bets with it. Problem with the flop shot is that you don't need it that often, even as a bad player. 
• Hitting anything from a 5 iron through a 3 wood was a hit and hope adventure at best.
• One thing consistent with my bad shots was that they were always, always, always, right, further right, and banana slice right.  Except when I would try to compensate for that and wind up with a snap hook.
• I knew my problems back then and took lessons at one point, but before I could really build my game, life slapped me in the face and family needed to be put first.
• During my time away from the game I shattered my left elbow, when I say shattered, I mean that when it happened, I immediately grabbed it with my right hand and held it until I got to the ER where when they took an x-ray, my fingers had grooved into the bone fragments.  We are talking metal rods, pins, the whole nine yards.  While my elbow is healed and I have full movement and range due to a great specialist, when I hold my arms arms straight out palms down you can see difference in where my elbow on my right arm points straight out to the right but my left one point down by about 20 degrees from straight.

So there is my background.  Now on to today.

• My wife bought me a full set of clubs based on talking to her BIL who asked his club pro for suggestions of a complete set that she could pick up for me at a modest price and that I could use for a while.  He suggested the Cobra FLYXL set which has driver, 3 & 5 fairway, 4 & 5 hybrid, 6 - SW irons, and a putter with a cart bag. 
• She bought it at a local retailer who told her I could come in and hit a few on the simulator and they would let me know if I needed any changes and help me with any adjustments.  After I went in, it was a completely bad session where the guy really offered no advise other than, "You have a good swing tempo and probably just need a little time on the range to get back into it."
• Y'all, I cannot tell you how on the range I was surprised to learn that my miss right and natural fade was gone.  My irons were good clean shots.  Hitting hybrids is a new experience that I am not currently a fan of, but I will keep trying.  The fairway woods and driver were ridiculous in that everything went left, not a fade or a slice in mix.  Even my clean hits (about every third one) had a draw to it.
• So fast forward to today.  I meet with my instructor for the first time and after talking for about 15 minutes he set me up in in front of launch tracker and had me hit a few.
• First thing first, my grip is too strong for today's clubs.  Had me move to a more neutral grip.  My strong grip with my new elbow just exacerbated the draw tendency of the clubs.
• Second, my club head speed has actually increased, back in the day during my lessons I was told that my speed was about 90 to 95, tonight I touched 105 on a few of the swings.
• My regular shafts on my woods and driver are never going to work for me and they are the biggest reason why I am hooking my shots.  Indeed I hit a bunch of shots with a Ping 410 with a stiff shaft and the difference was very noticeable. I have never played a stiff shaft before as I was always told my swing and tempo were not suited for them.  Now I am going to have to get a new shaft for for my driver and look into replacing my fairway woods.
• One issue I had before was a flying left elbow that my original instructor back in the day harp on over and over.  I was told that does not seem to be the case anymore.
• My irons, even with the regular shafts and being a second tier set, are far and away better than the old Hogan Edge clubs I had been fitted for before.
• The putter that came with the set even though most sites say it is good, I cannot say that, it was the first thing I replaced with a TaylorMade 35' Spider Tour that I really do think is a great mallet putter.

So, I am looking forward to more lessons and if you guys have any advice, please feel free to post and let me know.  

It feels really good to be playing again and I didn't know how much I had missed it.

[MyWifesSwingCoach]

2 hours ago, Riverboat said:

With that increase in swing speed, are you sure they didn't put in a bionic elbow? Hope your old enough to get that joke.

[cksurfdude]

On 5/13/2022 at 12:04 AM, GrumpyGolf said:

A really good guy that has a ton of experience and listened to what my story was and how I got to where I am today with my game.  I actually learned quite a bit ...

If you feel there's a good two-way communication between you two that's really the key to learning so, yes, do continue lessons with him!

I started playing late in life and progress for me is very incremental; but with your previous experience with the game you have an opportunity to be playing well fairly quickly