Lessons in winter

OEP

What are people's thoughts on getting lessons throughout the winter, only really practicing at the range?

I've been thinking about getting lessons for a while as I feel I need them to take my game to the next level. I'm off 8 but I don't feel I have the control or shot making ability to push a lot lower. So I was thinking about getting a few lessons and trying to build a swing over winter - but hitting balls in the range has never been too productive for me. Has anyone ever done anything similar?

Jim Stynes

OEP wrote: »

I'm interested to hear people's thoughts / experiences of getting lessons during the winter and only doing range based practice?

I'm off 8 but feel I need changes to my swing to take my game to the next level. I've never been to productive at the range but wouldn't mind making use of the winter.

This interests me as well. I would like a good winter of practice but realistically the conditions arent that great for practice. The greens are totally different and the fairways are usually lift clean replace. I would like to maybe schedule in a round of links golf every few weeks so I can make sure I am playing off turf over the winter.

NotCarrotRidge

OEP wrote: »

What are people's thoughts on getting lessons throughout the winter, only really practicing at the range?

I've been thinking about getting lessons for a while as I feel I need them to take my game to the next level. I'm off 8 but I don't feel I have the control or shot making ability to push a lot lower. So I was thinking about getting a few lessons and trying to build a swing over winter - but hitting balls in the range has never been too productive for me. Has anyone ever done anything similar?

I came across an interesting approach to this recently and I'm going to use it. Let's say you have a bucket of 50 balls. Take a methodical approach.
Ten balls practicing set up - grip, feet, ball position, arms etc
Ten balls practicing rotation.
Ten balls on alignment
Ten balls on back swing
Ten balls playing imaginary golf- hit a drive. Imagine it's the first on your home course. What club would you be playing next after that drive? And so on.

Obviously there are loads of different things you could be concentrating on for each group of ten balls.

Rippeditup

OEP wrote: »

What are people's thoughts on getting lessons throughout the winter, only really practicing at the range?

I've been thinking about getting lessons for a while as I feel I need them to take my game to the next level. I'm off 8 but I don't feel I have the control or shot making ability to push a lot lower. So I was thinking about getting a few lessons and trying to build a swing over winter - but hitting balls in the range has never been too productive for me. Has anyone ever done anything similar?

I am booking a batch of lessons for the winter as it gives you time to make the changes and bedding them in slowly on the range with little pressure so you can commit to the changes. I find lessons in season can be stop gaps and its hard to make big changes needed at times.

Rippeditup

NotCarrotRidge wrote: »

I came across an interesting approach to this recently and I'm going to use it. Let's say you have a bucket of 50 balls. Take a methodical approach.
Ten balls practicing set up - grip, feet, ball position, arms etc
Ten balls practicing rotation.
Ten balls on alignment
Ten balls on back swing
Ten balls playing imaginary golf- hit a drive. Imagine it's the first on your home course. What club would you be playing next after that drive? And so on.

Obviously there are loads of different things you could be concentrating on for each group of ten balls.

Also some good tips is to put a stick out in front of you on the range about 6-10yds away and it gives you a clear direction to work around. can help with shaping shots.

Also taking 1 min per ball doing full run throughs and not just blasting shots when you hit a bad one. Also being delibrate about something to work on, example is if you are working on positions is get into the right position and pause and start from there and really go slow and be deliberate to enforce any movements into the swing so when under pressure this becomes a move you do without thinking so it doesn't fall down when playing competitions

GreeBo

OEP wrote: »

What are people's thoughts on getting lessons throughout the winter, only really practicing at the range?

I've been thinking about getting lessons for a while as I feel I need them to take my game to the next level. I'm off 8 but I don't feel I have the control or shot making ability to push a lot lower. So I was thinking about getting a few lessons and trying to build a swing over winter - but hitting balls in the range has never been too productive for me. Has anyone ever done anything similar?

Regarding practicing on the range, I think that depends on the quality of your strike. Mats are *very* forgiving, so if yoru ball-striking is something that you are working on, I would try to avoid mats.

As for shot-making ability, I would be very surprised if thats whats holding you back.
I might have to move a ball twice in a round and typically its a hard draw or low fade from under trees.

You shouldn't need to fade or draw the ball from the fairway to a right or left pin for example, or at least not to get lower than 8.

I plan on getting lessons during winter, but hitting from grass as ball striking is my issue.

OEP

GreeBo wrote: »

Regarding practicing on the range, I think that depends on the quality of your strike. Mats are *very* forgiving, so if yoru ball-striking is something that you are working on, I would try to avoid mats.

As for shot-making ability, I would be very surprised if thats whats holding you back.
I might have to move a ball twice in a round and typically its a hard draw or low fade from under trees.

You shouldn't need to fade or draw the ball from the fairway to a right or left pin for example, or at least not to get lower than 8.

I plan on getting lessons during winter, but hitting from grass as ball striking is my issue.

I get what you mean, and I primarily work on my short game. I play with a fade (slice) and it's my only shot. I struggle in wind, especially when it's against me. Being able to control trajectory, maybe draw it into left to right wind would help me. And just understanding my swing better too

GreeBo

OEP wrote: »

I get what you mean, and I primarily work on my short game. I play with a fade (slice) and it's my only shot. I struggle in wind, especially when it's against me. Being able to control trajectory, maybe draw it into left to right wind would help me. And just understanding my swing better too

Ah ok, if you are specifically trying to work out your current shape then I would say fire ahead, especially if its a "powerless" fade

I still wouldn't worry about trying to shape the ball depending on the wind, as long as you can hit it "low" on demand, I would say that's more useful more of the time.