Lessons - go for it or no?

[AvidGolfer]

Re: Lessons - go for it or no?

Whats up guys,
I've gotten a lot better over this summer, going from a 20 handicap all they way down to a 3. The issue now is that I want to ofcourse get better and get to scratch by the end of the summer. One of my friends gets lessons from a guy that used to play on the nationwide tour and really knows his stuff, a lot of kids on my golf team go to him as well and they seem to be satisfied. I've talked to the guy and he said he could definitely get me shooting in the 60's if I stuck with him. I think I'll be ready to fork out the money after my highschool golf season ends, but I just want to know what all of you guy's experiences have been when taking lessons and how much you think it could help.

Thanks a lot.

I vote that you save your money and keep working on your own. Being a 3 handicap you should be able to shoot in the 60's with the game you already have. For a guy to tell you that with his help you'll shoot in the 60's is a bunch of bull. From you post later in the thread it doesn't sound like distance is a problem (since you can reach most of the par 5's in two), and you're already somewhat consistant since your a 3 handicap. If you're struggling with a part of your game, and can't figure out what is wrong then seeing a pro is worthwhile, but to try and break the 70 scoring barrier it would be a waste of money.

Having shot in the 60's numerous times I can tell you that there is no magical secret to doing it. It will just happen on one of those days when your swing is comfortable (repeating with ease) and your putting is sound.

[Started2k3]

Re: Lessons - go for it or no?

First off ... going from a 20 to a 3 ... wow!

I have watched a bunch of teaching pros (and no offence to anyone on this site) but the best ones (IMO) are the ones that are able to work with what YOU have got and not try to put you into their mental model of the golf swing. Everybody's golf swing seems to be like a fingerprint ... everyone is different.

You are obviously trying to get into the PRO ranks, so if you do decide to take lessons why not "interview" them first. Be up front and ask if you can observe them giving lessons as you are trying to find the right teaching pro for you but make sure that they know that you are going to interview a number of teaching pros in this way. You want to find the right fit for you.

Think about what qualities you would like in a teach pro for you.

Good luck. You will be in the 50s in no time. ;-)
Charles

[jambalaya]

Re: Lessons - go for it or no?

What does your high school golf coach say about it? He sees you everyday so he must have an opinion. If you are happy with your progress, and I don't see why you wouldn't be happy at this point, you may want to leave it alone until you hit some kind of wall. If you get to a point where you think you need to shave off a few more strokes, or cure some fault and are at a loss, you could go then. You could just go for strictly short game instruction or some other specific aspect that wouldn't have someone trying to rebuild your swing. When you do go to someone, make your goals clear to them. Tell them you are not looking to rebuild you swing but to hone the one you have. You could have a video session with an instructor and a consultation without trying to change anything and see if you like what an instructor says. You don't have to go on from there but he may catch something that is a revelation to you.

[gatorguy146]

Re: Lessons - go for it or no?

Yeah I'm leaning the same way as you guys. As AvidGolfer said shooting in the 60's happens on that day that your swing is perfect and your putting is sound. I've gotten in the 60's 2 times, would have been 3 but i duffed my driver on the 18th hole after a bird flew like 5 feet over my head on my downswing lol. I think for now I'm going to keep my money, I'm a smaller guy but I get good enough distance so that's not what I'm worried about. The short game will come as I get to play more in the summer and my putter is better this year so I think I'll be fine. And as you guys said the best pros don't try to change your swing and that's what the guy at my work did he just tweaked it a bit to get me on plane and helped me with working the ball and something just clicked. I shot 72 one day out of no where and after that it was like I did it once I'm going to keep doing it and kept working to get better and better. My scores maybe didn't get significantly lower after that but I feel my game is better and I have more shots in my bag as I keep working.

[bill reed]

Re: Lessons - go for it or no?

hi gatorguy
i think you have to feel comfortable with how you are swinging and then not try and play shots that you only ever get right 2 times in 10 and use the game you know you have and play to the shots you will make 7 out 10 times.
playing with what you have makes you relax more and i feel you always play better, it only when you try for shots you don't normally make that you start to get uptight and your game starts to fail.
if you sit down after a round and work out where you lost shots i have always found it was when i was trying for something that i would not get 7 out of 10.
cheers
bill

[golfndawg]

Re: Lessons - go for it or no?

See that's the whole thing my goal is to get to some qualifying tournaments and hopefully make the Nationwide Tour after graduating college, and after my progress this summer I feel like it is actually within reach but I have to keep working at it and I think maybe lessons are the next step.

Gator,
Wuz up, Still in H.S.? Sounds like it from this post, plan on playing golf in college? Sounds like it from this post, wish I could go back to that time in my life, anyway, If you do play college golf you are probably going to have a pretty good instructor that will work with your swing or make changes as needed, so for now if it's not broke don't fix it.Not trying to be a downer but do you shoot the same scores on other courses besides the one you work at? If you do that says alot.

[gatorguy146]

Re: Lessons - go for it or no?

Yeah I shoot the same scores basically, I mean maybe 1 or 2 strokes higher but nothing significant. It's a lot easier when you play the same course though and I'd expect to be a little better there but its not like a 5 stroke difference or anything.

Right now I'm just waiting for the greens to start rolling true and the courses to firm up and some warm weather then I can really worry about where my game is at. Right now it's just a different game, you hit a drive down the middle of hte fairway and it plugs and you get no roll at all and you have no grip with your feet because it's so soggy out.

[golfndawg]

Re: Lessons - go for it or no?

Yeah I shoot the same scores basically, I mean maybe 1 or 2 strokes higher but nothing significant. It's a lot easier when you play the same course though and I'd expect to be a little better there but its not like a 5 stroke difference or anything.

Right now I'm just waiting for the greens to start rolling true and the courses to firm up and some warm weather then I can really worry about where my game is at. Right now it's just a different game, you hit a drive down the middle of hte fairway and it plugs and you get no roll at all and you have no grip with your feet because it's so soggy out.

Yea from what I see you guys are getting hammered with alot of rain huh?
Where your at seems to be a target for everything...Man we'd like to have a bit of that..geeeez

[gatorguy146]

Re: Lessons - go for it or no?

It's killing me man we get a few days where it's warm and sunny and the courses just finally start to dry out then it pours again. Forcast is calling for more of the same. The weekend through monday is going to be real nice then we'll get pounded with thunderstorms on tuesday. It's just ridiculous.

[bill reed]

Re: Lessons - go for it or no?

hi
we got snow forecast for this weekend. thats all we need?
cheers
bill

[gatorguy146]

Re: Lessons - go for it or no?

i just cant wait till summer when the ball goes 20 yds farther and the course isn't soggy every day.

[gatorguy146]

Re: Lessons - go for it or no?

Don't think I'm in too much trouble. Today I shot 33 (-2) on the front nine with an eagle on the long par 4 6th by holing out a hybrid from 205 yards. I've holed out a few times before but not over 50 yards. It felt like a hole in one seeing it go in from 205 yards down the fairway. Unbelievable feeling, second time I have shot 33, once was in the summer during 18 holes when I did it on the back nine to shoot 68 (-2). Today we only got through nine and we played skins with carry over and I won all 9 lol.

[bill reed]

Re: Lessons - go for it or no?

hi gatorguy
sounds like all parts of your game are coming together.
well done.
cheers
bill