Are you getting the most out of your lessons?

[Golfool7]

I have spent a lot of time observing golfers at the clubs I have belonged to over the years and I see a very similar pattern in regards to golfers and golf lessons. HERES WHAT I MEAN:

 

At my current club we have like 5 different pros that work the shop and give lessons and we also have an LPGA Pro that does nothing but give lessons at a designated station on the range. I have watched with amusement as numerous golfers have taken lessons from as many as 4 of these different pros all with-in a 4-5 month period. Most have shown no real improvement in their games and I'm certainly not blaming it on the Pros.

 

Here's what's lacking:

 

Golfers don't typically make a plan with the Pro and map out a program and what their expectations will be. In today's “got to have it now society” most people don't have the time, patience or commitment to make a swing change work. Sure you may see some initial improvement with some lesson, but it will be just a matter of time before you hit some bad shots and abandon what you were working on. Time to find another teacher. When PGA pros make swing changes it takes months before they feel comfortable and they hit 1,000 balls a day.

 

I hear golfers say “what they were teaching me just didn't feel comfortable” Your current swing may feel comfortable but you're shooting “95”. So many golfers say you want to get better but aren't willing to do what it takes.

 

Here's what I mean:

 

I have friends and friends of friends that are “95-100” shooters that say they want to shoot better scores. I show them how to make adjustments to the score on the card to meet their skill level, show them how to hit to zones and avoid trouble, change their mindset from giving up their desire for distance in favor of doing whatever it takes to score and they will all shoot the best rounds of their golfing life. It really is easy to improve, but it's not as glamorous as hitting an occasional long drive or a miraculous shot out of trouble. So even after shooting some of their best scores ever, they will abandon this playing style and go back to their inconsistent go for broke, long ball game. So I hear a lot of mixed messages from golfer when they say they would do anything to shoot better golf.

 

I'm not against lessons, but lessons without a plan, a commitment to time, patience and knowing that you may get worse before you see real improvement is a waste of time and money. Most golfers I observe are not willing to make this commitment. If you're not, you would find it far easier and faster to improve your scores with the swing you have by learning the principles I talk about in the previous paragraph.

 

If you really want to accelerate your scoring improvement take lessons for specific areas of the game like chipping, putting and one of my favorites: a punch shot. A punch shot is easy to learn, easy to hit and a safe shot that can be used in so many situations that can save you strokes.

 

Hope this is useful.

 

Richard

[Matt Saternus]

You make many fine points here, thank you.

 

I think the best of them is this: getting better at golf requires time, sacrifice, patience, and CHANGE. As you said, if your "comfortable" swing was good, you wouldn't be shooting 95.

 

One thing that I have learned recently that I found very interesting is this: most golfers do not play to shoot good scores. The reason most golfers play (this was actually studied, I'm not just pulling this out of my rear) is to experience that one good shot. This explains much of the behavior of golfers.

 

Personally, I find it hard to understand how you could play this way, but everyone should play the game in a way that makes them happy.

[RoverRick]

One thing that I have learned recently that I found very interesting is this: most golfers do not play to shoot good scores. The reason most golfers play (this was actually studied, I'm not just pulling this out of my rear) is to experience that one good shot. This explains much of the behavior of golfers.

 

 

I have a guy in my regular weekend group that is that way. We have three holes that absolutely scream lay up. And this guy goes for it 95% of the time.

 

8 is 345 yards dogleg left, trees left, water right, a creek at 220 yards, anything left of center is dead. Anything not in the fairway right is wet. Even a perfect driver leaves a partial wedge shot. And he goes for it 95% of the time and made it once in 4 years.

 

10 is 309 slight dogleg, OB left, water right, and two huge trees 75 yards in front of the green. He gets over the tree but usually anything high enough to clear the tree is still 50 yards short of the green. He does not have a 50 yard shot.

 

12 is 343 straight away but OB left and a lake 210 yards out and 265 to carry the water. He made it twice in 4 years.

 

I have seen a lot of guys going for it on these holes. Even a perfect drive means a partial wedge. Except 10. But I have only seen one eagle there. I make a ton more birdies on 10 than the guys who use driver because I can lay up to a perfect wedge distance in the fairway with an iron. I get considerably closer to the flag than they do from the bunkers or mogals around it.

 

But when I ask them why they recount the one time that they made it and how good it felt.