Why Wouldn't You Take a Golf Lesson?

ShivasIrons · 12-03-2021 7:16pm #1

If you don't take golf lessons, why don't you?

You're happy enough with how you're playing?
Is it because of time, don't have the time?

Is it because you don't think you'll get better? Or even you might get worse?
The lesson will be complicated?
You might be intimidated?
Have had bad lessons in the past?
Happy enough with tips from friends and you tube?
Cost?

Any other reason?

Ramasun · 12-03-2021 7:58pm

I've never had paid golf lessons but I've had plenty of on course tutorials.

I'm a novice and it get's very confusing because some styles are contradictory.

dan_ep82 · 12-03-2021 8:12pm

From talking to people I play with,

Cost. Not that its a rip off, they just can't budget more money for golf as it is. Some few I played with wouldn't buy a new golf ball so a lesson is out the window.
Had a lesson and got worse. This usually seems to be down to not telling the guy how much they really practice. Pro gives them some things to work on, that must be worked on, but they only practice on the course or 5 minutes before the tee.
Don't click with the pro

I had a mix off all the above before I found my current pro.
I had a budget for golf and for a long time it just wasn't possible.
Had a lesson when I started out and didn't understand the process, "I was the same after the lesson why go back"
The other one I felt like me and the pro ( who I get on well with) didn't see the same goals for my golf. I wanted to up my practice but he was adamant I should just get a tune up lesson in the off season. It took me a while to try a new pro fearing similar results.

Jimbee · 12-03-2021 10:23pm

I had a few lessons but I find the pros are reading from the same book. They don't explain things like what a strong grip vs weak grip does for instance.
If I knew the goal for my swing and I was on board I'd go all in but most of my lessons were quiet vague

thewobbler · 12-03-2021 10:49pm

For me:

1. I know I’ve a natural bar in terms of coordination, and I figure that becoming a single figure would take extraordinary commitment to practice and repetition. Which I won’t do. So I can’t help feeling a pro won’t tell me much I don’t already know!

2. If I could trust that a pro would just concentrate on finding little improvements to help me hit it more square more often, with my current swing and grip, rather than rebuilding either, I’d be more likely. But that’s never a profitable venture for a pro.

3. I love getting away from things, and most of all love playing new courses. That I’m prone to throwing in a couple of birdies and a handful of pars most times I play, is the icing on the cake rather than the end game. Lost balls are part of what I do, and it’s It’s a long time from I’ve got upset at a big score!

I’m a 20 handicapper who either is poor off the tee and strong with his irons, or vice versa. But never together in the same round!

spacecoyote · 13-03-2021 10:05pm

Had mates who were taking up golf who I advised to take a couple of lessons if they were serious about getting into golf.

There replies were along the lines of "I'd rather just get comfortable with my swing the way it is before I go for lessons".

Dont quite get that approach myself, I'm happy taking lessons..self diagnosis will only take you so far, someone who knows what they're looking at will see an issue much more quickly and easily, and you should learn from it and itll actually help you realign

billy3sheets · 13-03-2021 10:38pm

I've had lessons from several pros over the last 20 years. I've gone proactively, when I've made the decision to invest, usually off season or at the start of a season. I've also gone reactively when I've been in big trouble with a badly broken game which no amount of self analysis would have fixed.
The cost can seem high but I think they're well worth the money. Compare 3 hours of lessons with the price of a modest second hand driver or a good wedge. Or the total amount you pay for golf in a season.
Time, weather, location, availability can be factors.
At the start of a season, I might want to play a few rounds to see where I'm at and what needs area needs a lesson most.

IHateNewShoes · 13-03-2021 11:44pm

I haven’t had a lesson but have planned to get one for a while now.

My reasoning for not getting a lesson a lot of the time is how inconsistent I am. (Hear me out) I could go to a lesson and be hitting it great, get some advice based off this and I can’t hit it out of my way the next day. Equally I could go for a lesson and I’m playing awful but it could randomly change the next day and I could be playing my best golf..

This is what has stopped me in the past, but that being said a lesson is number 1 on my list once things open up.

Deseras · 13-03-2021 11:47pm

Most people teach the selves
I was a par golfer after 4 games and could beat most people in the golf club

dan_ep82 · 13-03-2021 11:53pm

Russman · 14-03-2021 9:34am

I’d say that for most its the fear of change or natural reluctance to put in the effort. Any swing changes take an awful long time to become ingrained and most fellas, after 9 holes of playing sh1te in their first round after a lesson, will revert to old, comfortable habits. They’ll just be playing sh1te that they’re used to seeing rather than new sh1te !!

While it’s true that most pros work off the same fundamentals, there’s a definite trend in recent years to working with what the golfer brings for the table rather than reinventing the wheel. “Building a swing” or “an ideal swing” went extinct 10/15 years ago imo, maybe longer. Trackman has really helped and to an extent replaced video analysis, depending your level.

ShivasIrons · 16-03-2021 5:24pm

IHateNewShoes wrote: »

I haven’t had a lesson but have planned to get one for a while now.

My reasoning for not getting a lesson a lot of the time is how inconsistent I am. (Hear me out) I could go to a lesson and be hitting it great, get some advice based off this and I can’t hit it out of my way the next day. Equally I could go for a lesson and I’m playing awful but it could randomly change the next day and I could be playing my best golf..

This is what has stopped me in the past, but that being said a lesson is number 1 on my list once things open up.

Have you considered that the lesson might explain why this is happening?

zep · 16-03-2021 5:35pm

thewobbler wrote: »

For me:

1. I know I’ve a natural bar in terms of coordination, and I figure that becoming a single figure would take extraordinary commitment to practice and repetition. Which I won’t do. So I can’t help feeling a pro won’t tell me much I don’t already know!

2. If I could trust that a pro would just concentrate on finding little improvements to help me hit it more square more often, with my current swing and grip, rather than rebuilding either, I’d be more likely. But that’s never a profitable venture for a pro.

3. I love getting away from things, and most of all love playing new courses. That I’m prone to throwing in a couple of birdies and a handful of pars most times I play, is the icing on the cake rather than the end game. Lost balls are part of what I do, and it’s It’s a long time from I’ve got upset at a big score!

I’m a 20 handicapper who either is poor off the tee and strong with his irons, or vice versa. But never together in the same round!

So a 20 handicap but scoring a couple of birdies and a handful of pars most times you play?
That does not sound anything like a 20 handicap :eek:

rooney30 · 17-03-2021 7:59pm

There is a significant cohort of people ( not including myself in this ) that simply do not like to take instruction in any aspect of their lives .

thewobbler · 17-03-2021 9:23pm

zep wrote: »

So a 20 handicap but scoring a couple of birdies and a handful of pars most times you play?
That does not sound anything like a 20 handicap :eek:

Is it really that strange though?

There are 4-5 par 3s and a couple of short par 4s in pretty much every round I play.

I’d say my chances of connecting well off the tee are about 50:50. When I do, it’s regularly a straightforward par.

Countering this in every round, is the 4-5 par 5s and the 1-2 long par 4s, where I need at least two solid connections to make a good score.

In both scenarios, if those 50:50 chances go wrong, it’s often horribly wrong.

—-

I’m more inconsistent than most people I’ve met, but I’ve met a lot of people like this!

ClutchIt · 17-03-2021 10:21pm

Cost is only thing preventing me from doing more lessons.
I love getting a lesson.

blue note · 18-03-2021 9:14pm

thewobbler wrote: »

Is it really that strange though?

There are 4-5 par 3s and a couple of short par 4s in pretty much every round I play.

I’d say my chances of connecting well off the tee are about 50:50. When I do, it’s regularly a straightforward par.

Countering this in every round, is the 4-5 par 5s and the 1-2 long par 4s, where I need at least two solid connections to make a good score.

In both scenarios, if those 50:50 chances go wrong, it’s often horribly wrong.

—-

I’m more inconsistent than most people I’ve met, but I’ve met a lot of people like this!

Take a look at your scores on hdid. Work out what percentage of your scores are birdies from the stats page and multiply it by 18. That'll give you the actual number of birdies per round that you're getting. I'd put money on it not being a couple per round. Unless you're talking net birdies or something?

As regards lessons, if I've time to practice I'll get one. But not having time to practice is generally the reason I don't.

I was amused playing with a fella before lockdown though who didn't believe in lessons at all. He went for one years ago to cure his slice and the pro told him he was coming in over the top. Which he knew to be nonsense so he didn't go back. Years later he was still slicing it so went for another lesson and was told the same thing which proved to him that the pros haven't a clue and lessons are a load of nonsense. I'm pretty sure he was being serious.

Rikand · 18-03-2021 9:25pm

Time is the only thing stopping me - When I had more time, I would get lessons because I would have the time to put new routines into practice.

Now I have very little time to play, let alone practice. It's kind of pointless going for lessons at the current stage of my life. Maybe in a few years when I decide to make one last push for the seniors tour

zep · 19-03-2021 5:58pm

thewobbler wrote: »

Is it really that strange though?

There are 4-5 par 3s and a couple of short par 4s in pretty much every round I play.

I’d say my chances of connecting well off the tee are about 50:50. When I do, it’s regularly a straightforward par.

Countering this in every round, is the 4-5 par 5s and the 1-2 long par 4s, where I need at least two solid connections to make a good score.

In both scenarios, if those 50:50 chances go wrong, it’s often horribly wrong.

—-

I’m more inconsistent than most people I’ve met, but I’ve met a lot of people like this!

To be honest it is, a 20 handicap should not be getting a couple of birdies and several par regularly, that should be a quite infrequent occurrence for a 20 handicap player.
Even if you make a mess of the other holes, an annual review would surely drop your handicap by a fair few shots.

blue note · 19-03-2021 6:35pm

zep wrote: »

To be honest it is, a 20 handicap should not be getting a couple of birdies and several par regularly, that should be a quite infrequent occurrence for a 20 handicap player.
Even if you make a mess of the other holes, an annual review would surely drop your handicap by a fair few shots.

Why would it? If he's not beating standard scratch, what does it matter whether his card is made up of birdies, pars and scratches or nothing better than a bogey? If he improves and beats standard scratch his handicap will come down. If not the handicap isn't too low for him. The same will be the case under the new system.

However, I wouldn't believe a 20 handicapper is getting a couple of birdies per round unless he actually checks his scores on hdid and confirms that it is the case. I remember looking at my stats and I was getting a birdie every 27 holes or so which was significantly more than average for my handicap. A birdie every 9 holes - that's probably normal for about 5% of golfers. And I suspect none of them playing off 20.

Sorry wobbler!

billy3sheets · 19-03-2021 6:51pm

zep wrote: »

So a 20 handicap but scoring a couple of birdies and a handful of pars most times you play?
That does not sound anything like a 20 handicap :eek:

Hence the name thewobbler

phelimb · 26-03-2021 2:38am

Would I get lessons...depends on what I want from my game I suppose. If a beginner then maybe get some lessons after a few months on the range....anything else then it's how much time/effort and money you are willing to spend.

Like blue note said, if I had the time to invest in the practice required then maybe I'd get some lessons to make it worth while but I'm comfortable with my game right now. When we could play, it was probably an equal mix of pars/bogeys with the occasional birdie offset by more than one double but was just enjoying playing....(8 handicap). Lessons/practice might drop me a shot or two but a novice might see bigger benefits.

Soundshkin · 12-05-2021 12:33am

ShivasIrons wrote: »

If you don't take golf lessons, why don't you?

You're happy enough with how you're playing?
Is it because of time, don't have the time?

Is it because you don't think you'll get better? Or even you might get worse?
The lesson will be complicated?
You might be intimidated?
Have had bad lessons in the past?
Happy enough with tips from friends and you tube?
Cost?

Any other reason?

I didn't take golf lessons because I wanted to get up to a basic standard before I went before anyone. As I have only been a member playing regularly for 2 years I felt I would get the most benefit by having certain points to work on rather than starting form scratch. I also didn't have as much time as I would like at the end of last year to get the lessons, practice in between and play rounds to cement the new habits. I told myself at the end of last year that I would get a few lessons this year and really focus in on improving. I had also been receiving advice from other members when playing rounds that was all well meant but often contradictory to each other and this had led to confusion and unpredictable golf play.

I started lessons a couple of weeks ago and the effects on my game have bene drastic. I asked the club pro to teach me from the start as a beginner all the basics. This led to a slight grip alteration, a swing change and a change in stance and posture. Felt completely alien at first but I went to the range a few times and played 2/3 rounds in between lessons to really embed in the learnings. Have found my ball flight vastly improved, my club distances are far more consistent and my accuracy has increased an incredible amount. Having a set routine and a couple of triggers to keep my swing in check has made a massive difference. For reference I dropped 13 shots from my last round last year when playing regularly to my most recent round.

I couldn't recommend lessons enough for anyone who is new to the game or even someone playing a couple of years like myself. It has made the game so much more enjoyable for me. It helps that our club pro is very good and focuses in on drills to be able to do in your own time to replicate the advice from the lessons but I'm sure most pros would do something similar.

bustercherry · 12-05-2021 11:08am

I think ALL beginners should have some form of coaching prior to being allowed on a golf course. Covid might have led to an uptake in golf but there are percentage of these new players who should not be on a golf course; either due to zero clue on etiquette, rules and/or their ability.

Some of the people I watched in the last year seriously couldn't be enjoying that sh1te they are playing.

The Dutch have it right https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golf_license

Keano · 12-05-2021 11:41am

I think a lot people have one or two lessons and expect miracles on the course.
When I took lessons he used to say practice is practice so work on the changes at the range our out for a few holes. The idea was sound, as the changes would eventually embed in overtime.

blue note · 12-05-2021 11:44am

I don't know about making these things compulsory, but it's in a clubs interest that beginners get some guidance. Both on the etiquette of the game and how to actually play. If you're taking on beginners, you should do a couple of group sessions or the like. Give them some swing guidance so they can have a semi decent starting point and tell them things like being ready to hit, being silent sitting other peoples swings, slow play guidance in general, etc are important.

yuridwyer · 12-05-2021 2:34pm

Not about a lesson as such, but during lockdown I read a lot about swings and positions, and watch a lot of videos. Tried to make one change to stop a slice, to bow my left wrist at the top of my back swing as I noticed all pros do this. Now I don't have the strength in my wrist to bow it, but I've straightened it out and it's not cupping, and since we've been back I've noticed a massive reduction in slicing, even drawing the ball at times which I could never do before. Helped I think by hitting balls into a homemade net during lockdown, I think not seeing where the ball ended up helped while I was trying to get a feel for the change in my wrist.

The Big Easy · 12-05-2021 5:41pm

Lessons really are no-brainer if no time or money constraints and in the money side most pros do a 3-lesson pack for €100 which is really good value.

Now for the no-brainer part, I obviously don't have one! I've resisted getting lessons now twice and regretted it immediately after getting them (the waiting to get them obviously)

Got a 3-pack of lessons in 2015, after playing years and constantly saying what good would lessons do and sure I just want to enjoy it, and he straightened out my slice and added 20-30 years almost through the bag. Won a couple of opens and got down to 15/16. Then got injured and couldn't play for a couple of years.

Rejoined a club last year and have been getting worse every time I play, drifted out from 16 to 21 on the WHS, but I persisted with the idea I could fix it myself because I know what the problem is.

And I do know what the problem (the dreaded over-the-top swipe) is and had been watching videos about fixing it, but it's so time consuming to try fix it yourself. Also you could be missing something crucial, that the pro will spot in one swing with the video analysis and doing more harm than good.

Finally bit the bullet and booked myself another pack of three last week after spending a lot of time trying to fix myself to little or no avail. First lesson of the three this morning and I'm already bemoaning my thick-headedness in waiting so long again. Have a couple of simple drills to work on and of course there was something wrong that I wasn't addressing and probably even exacerbating.

Played nine afterwards and had tow birdies in the first four, lots of really terrible stuff too though, but I know if I do the drills and the others I get after the next lessons I'll be enjoying my golf again and hitting short irons into greens rather than trying to muscle a hybrid 200+ on every approach.

TLDR Get lessons and do the drills, I 100% promise you won't regret it!

OEP · 12-05-2021 6:25pm

I've been playing golf since about 12, I'm 30 now. Except for a few years between 18 and 25. Never got lessons aside from one or two group lessons as a junior. Got myself down to about 8, always fighting a slice. The reason I never got lessons is I've only ever played during the summer, and only weekends at that. So I always thought I don't want to ruin a summer learning a new way of swinging (don't ask me why I didn't get them during winter).

Anyway, having given up GAA I've started to take golf more seriously as I need something to replace the competitive side of things I was getting from GAA. I thought to myself, every other sport I have played I have been coached and trained etc but golf, which is arguably much harder to master the skills, I just thought I could teach myself! How stupid. So I finally got three lessons this winter, I'm striking my irons so much better and a club longer. I wasn't short before either. The driver is still a work in progress, if covid didn't close golf, I'd have the driver much better. I'm going to continue getting lessons every couple of months and see how good I can get. I'm intrigued to see how good I can get if I practice golf like I did GAA when I played.

IHateNewShoes · 12-05-2021 9:45pm

My exact reasoning for not getting lessons all along is coming through at the moment.. Lesson booked for next week, told the pro I want to work on my driving as it has been very inconsistent and the odd OB drive was killing my score.

Since booking the lesson my driving has been flawless!! I’m sure that won’t last and I’m still going with the lesson and hopefully I can keep it for longer!

The Big Easy · 12-05-2021 9:47pm

IHateNewShoes wrote: »

My exact reasoning for not getting lessons all along is coming through at the moment.. Lesson booked for next week, told the pro I want to work on my driving as it has been very inconsistent and the odd OB drive was killing my score.

Since booking the lesson my driving has been flawless!! I’m sure that won’t last and I’m still going with the lesson and hopefully I can keep it for longer!

Ha! Yes, played the best I had done in ages the round before the lesson :pac:

Keano · 13-05-2021 9:42am

IHateNewShoes wrote: »

My exact reasoning for not getting lessons all along is coming through at the moment.. Lesson booked for next week, told the pro I want to work on my driving as it has been very inconsistent and the odd OB drive was killing my score.

Since booking the lesson my driving has been flawless!! I’m sure that won’t last and I’m still going with the lesson and hopefully I can keep it for longer!

I think this is another reason people might go and only have one as they believe IMO that only one problem is the something like the driver. However it's the whole swing is the issue. With the irons it's not as clear cut but the driver just forgives no one!!

RoadRunner · 13-05-2021 9:50am

The Big Easy wrote: »

I persisted with the idea I could fix it myself because I know what the problem is.

<unwarranted swing advice from amateurs>Did your pro ever tinker with the length of your backswing? I saw this video recently which made me think of you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J40G4oa4oPY</unwarranted swing advice from amateurs>

RoadRunner · 13-05-2021 9:51am

RoadRunner wrote: »

<unwarranted swing advice from amateurs>Did your pro ever tinker with the length of your backswing? I saw this video recently which made me think of you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J40G4oa4oPY</unwarranted swing advice from amateurs>

^ immediate ban

The Big Easy · 13-05-2021 10:02am

RoadRunner wrote: »

<unwarranted swing advice from amateurs>Did your pro ever tinker with the length of your backswing? I saw this video recently which made me think of you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J40G4oa4oPY</unwarranted swing advice from amateurs>

I'm a swayer, a collapser, and an ever so occasional regripper, but it's a really beautiful 6/4 swing!

:pac:

But, I've got my couple of drills now, so I'm set, and will be launching it past you in no time!

eggy81 · 13-05-2021 10:13am

Keano wrote: »

I think this is another reason people might go and only have one as they believe IMO that only one problem is the something like the driver. However it's the whole swing is the issue. With the irons it's not as clear cut but the driver just forgives no one!!

I tend to be the opposite when playing badly, which is all the time since things reopened. Only club I feel any way comfortable with is the driver. Iron play is completely messed up. Cannot stop lunging downwards at the irons and hitting the ground before the ball. Lessons needed badly.

RoadRunner · 13-05-2021 11:03am

The Big Easy wrote: »

I'm a swayer, a collapser, and an ever so occasional regripper, but it's a really beautiful 6/4 swing! :pac:

But, I've got my couple of drills now, so I'm set, and will be launching it past you in no time!

You'll never get it past me I'm a Joker, a smoker and a midnight toker :cool:

DeanAustin · 14-05-2021 10:13am

Was struggling with a hook Mike Tyson would have been proud of for years. Read the books, watched the You Tube videos...nothing made it better. Tried pretty much everything I could think of but refused lessons on the basis of pride. Same way I won't go to the doctor, read instructions or insist on eating the hottest curry.

What an idiot. Finally gave in and went for a lesson last summer. Feared I'd be tinkering with my swing for months with whatever changes were made. The guy picked 2-3 things that were causing the hook straight away. My play and scores immediately improved massively. I'm not playing at the moment due to an injury so I haven't had a chance to go back or work further on what he told me but I'd recommend that everyone goes. Could have saved me 15 years of frustration.

wonga77 · 14-05-2021 10:29am

Took up golf 2 years ago after a long absence. Self-taught so never had a lesson in my life till last year. I would be quite erratic but hit it a long way. Went for 2 lessons about a month apart at the start of last year and he picked 3 things, my takeaway was too much on the inside, I was swaying a bit too much through the entire swing and my posture was a little crouched.
The difference it made was unreal, had 42 points in my first comp back (playing off 14) before covid took over and things were shut down.
Im confident id have been down to 8 or 9 easy only for the lockdown. (didn't play much in the summer due to a football injury)
Competition golf starting up again on Sunday and I can't wait.
Id recommend anyone struggling to go for a lesson, you'd be amazed the things they pick out that you thought you were doing correctly all along. Not till I saw a slow-mo recording of myself did I realise some of the things I was doing
Bad habits are hard to eradicate, especially if you are unaware of them

CalamariFritti · 16-05-2021 7:51pm

I try to play as much as I can and improve within that. I do a bit of pitching and chipping in the back garden.

Not that I dont want to improve or dont like the game enough. Or that I dont believe in lessons. But I wont ever have a picture perfect swing or develop all the right angles and all that. And more importantly lessons all by themselves dont actually give you much unless you really dont know what you're doing. What gives you much is the hard work after the lesson ingraining what you learned for hours on end and I just couldnt be bothered with that anymore.

So I try to play as much as I can and improve within that.

Why Wouldn't You Take a Golf Lesson?

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