Pro recommendation in Cork

Loire

Hi all,

As I have posted before, I have been hooking the ball for the best part of 4 years now. Initially it wasn't too bad but it just got worse and worse. I gave up golf last year only playing 3 or 4 times. I went back to it with gusto this year and am playing nearly every week. Same problem though, even worse. I have looked online, read up and went for a lesson with a well known pro. No joy! I was about to pack it in but went to the range for one last time. I had a bucket of 60 balls. After hitting 25 hooks in a row I asked the guy next to me would he mind taking a video of me with my phone. We got chatting and he recommended a pro in Glanmire called John Dooley. I thanked him and continued to hit the rest of the balls. In all 2 out of 60 were good, the rest were hooking with the exception of the driver where one in 3 were snap hooks!!

I said, what the heck, I'll give this guy a go and if he can't fix it then I'm giving it up. I made my appointment for the Monday evening and turned up as planned. John runs the lessons from Riverstown House in Glanmire, a big, beautiful old house. Out front he has built a fairway with 3 greens.

So, we meet and he explains the plan. He sets up his camera and asks me to hit a few balls. After the 2nd shot he had it diagnosed. He brought me around to the camera and we watched my swing. To my un-trained eye I thought it was good enough actually. I do have a nice, smooth swing and it looked OK. John pointed out I was standing to upright and I was taking the club back inside. I kinda knew this but it wasn't until he had me hitting a few with me squatting (as I thought it was) that I realised.

I felt sorry for John as he tried so many things to try to get me to take it back straight, but every time I took it back on the inside. We did lots of turning exercises and eventually he had me hitting irons with the ball on a high tee and then I started hitting them well. They were really good and not like anything I've hit before. I was deflated though as the ball was up on a 2 inch tee.

He gave me great exercises to do and I've done them every day. I went to the range 3 nights afterwards not expecting much. I got 60 balls again. 40 of them were better than I have ever hit the ball. 5 were heavy (but ok & straight) and 5 were hooks.

I decided to play yesterday evening ever though I probably should have held off until after at least my next lesson. It was a lovely warm evening and my Dad was going to so I said what the heck. I played 14 holes I've never hit it so well! There's a par 3 where we play that's usually a decent 7 iron to the front for me. I hit an 8 iron and saw it land on the green. Both myself and my Dad couldn't find it (I even checked the hole but no joy). I was about to just carry on but took a walk around the back of the green...there she was after rolling off. I had 4 pars in a row at one stage.

To say that I'm ecstatic would be an understatement. I have another 3 lessons booked in as I want to really embed this "new" swing.

John's details are below and I would be very comfortable recommending him.

http://johndooleypga.ie

Loire

ALBT

I would certainly endorse that recommendation for John. I went to him last year on the verge of giving up golf with a dose of the unmentionables and after a couple of lessons was back scoring well and enjoying golf again. Great facilities and he has the patience of a saint. Highly recommended.

hades

Is there any difference/connection between John and the lads at Drive Golf Performance?

https://www.facebook.com/DriveGolfPerformance

They seem to be working out of the same place.

I've been going to Brian over in Fota and i've found him brilliant myself, but i've only heard great things about John aswell.

justcallmemoses

I am also going to John Dooley at the moment and I could not recommend him enough. Excellent coach

alxmorgan

hades wrote: »

Is there any difference/connection between John and the lads at Drive Golf Performance?

https://www.facebook.com/DriveGolfPerformance

They seem to be working out of the same place.

I've been going to Brian over in Fota and i've found him brilliant myself, but i've only heard great things about John aswell.

I believe they are brothers

big_drive

Has anyone used Drive Golf Performance that's mentioned above? Any good?

Have seen them mentioned on Facebook, twitter, etc

denishurley

I'm after arranging a lesson for Tuesday based on this thread, I'll report with with my findings!