Just had a lesson and now disillusioned...

[Ken Waterstock]

Hi all.

I've been playing for 2 years now, and usually go round in about 18 over, although I played 9 holes last week in 5 over which I was extremely pleased with.

However I have just had a lesson with my club pro' and he has changed my grip somewhat. I have been in the range, and out on the course a couple of times since, and I just cannot hit straight at all. I keep telling myself that this is the right grip to use, and that everything will come together eventually, but facing each shot, I know that using my previous grip would get me easily where I want to.

I do trust my golf pro' and I am sure he is giving me the right advice, but I am finding this all very difficult.

Does anyone have a similar experience, and can they give me some encouragement to keep with it, and not give in to temptation.

Ken

[Ian Hancock]

Re: Just had a lesson and now disillusioned...

Hi Ken,

Same old story mate I am afraid, I can tell by your mail that you don't trust it yourself yet and that is the reason why it is not coming together.

All I can add is practice it mate and it will come good, the problem with lessons is we start to focus on one move and forget the important task which is hitting the ball, changing the grip is fine, but then focus on the impact that all.

good luck

Ian.

[Ken Waterstock]

Re: Just had a lesson and now disillusioned...

Thanks Ian, I will keep up the practicing, and see what happens.

Ken

[Ken Waterstock]

Re: Just had a lesson and now disillusioned...

Just to add, I am a very 'wristy right' player, so I think moving my right hand more on top, which is the change he has made to my grip, has made me unable to use the right wrist so much. I think this may be why I am feeling uncomfortable. Just a guess...

Ken

[kbp]

Re: Just had a lesson and now disillusioned...

There are only two choices. Keep doing it wrong and keep getting the same results or learn to do it correct and improve. If you are satisfied and happy going around in 18 over, don’t change and enjoy. You’ll get a little better over time, maybe, but you will never reach you full potential. Nothing wrong with that. Golf is not life for everyone. If you intend to be a great golfer, however, you will likely be making many changes over many years, some more frustrating than others.

You may want to evaluate your intention. If you find this current situation to be somewhat frustrating, you ain’t seen nuthin yet. Your limits will be tested if you continue to play. Whether you are making changes or not, this game revolves around frustration. I think it’s what drives some of us to play.

Personally, I hope you choose to keep playing and to keep improving.

[Ken Waterstock]

Re: Just had a lesson and now disillusioned...

Thanks KBP, I think what you've said may be very true.

I will persevere, and keep enjoying all of golfs' ups and downs.

Ken

[bphillips]

Re: Just had a lesson and now disillusioned...

You are like thousands of others who think you can make a change and get the results, I was the same as well. First of all, when I figured out that I could not be put in the same class as the pros I started to learn. These guys are the best on planet earth, we are not. They have resources that we do not have. The pro who gave you the grip change is not at fault, your brain is. To perform the golf swing like the pros takes timing, tempo and rythum, skills that you and I can not do, this is their job. In other words they repeat it all the time that is why they are efficient at it. With that said how do we as amatures think we can improve with the things the pro teaches, we can not. That is why the average score for golfers has not changed in the last 1oo years and the average score is 97. Something wrong here with the system. There is way too much rotation in the traditional golf swing which only the pros can perform we as amatures can not it is a fact. In my opinion we have not come up with a system that teaches AMATURES how to swing the golf club. The pro's wouldn't teach it anyway, they would loose money. My advise to you would be search for information or teachings that eliminate the rotation in the golf swing, Here is a hint, how do you hold a base ball bat, a tennis racket, a hammer. How do you hold your golf club? What you will learn when you finally find the answer is a golf swing that you as an amature can repeat time and time again only if you practice what you have found, and it becomes second nature to you. There will be over one million golfers that will give up the game of golf this year because they get frustrated and quit, don't be one of these people. The answer is out there and it does not lie in the traditional swing mechanics that have been taught for years. Those swing mechanics are for the top guns in the industry, are you a top gun? Good luck and don't give up you will find the answer as I have done, it took me 35 years, need any more info let me know. bp

[Ken Waterstock]

Re: Just had a lesson and now disillusioned...

Thanks for that bphillips.

Well it has been just 5 days, 3 visits to the range and 2 rounds since my lesson and the change of grip. I went out for 9 holes today and I think things seem OK. I went round in 42 (6 over) which is good for me. May be just a 'blip' but who knows, maybe I was worrying too much.

I hope I can continue to improve, but I know I'll continue trying.

Thanks for your comments..

Ken

[Slavera]

Re: Just had a lesson and now disillusioned...

You are like thousands of others who think you can make a change and get the results, I was the same as well. First of all, when I figured out that I could not be put in the same class as the pros I started to learn. These guys are the best on planet earth, we are not. They have resources that we do not have. The pro who gave you the grip change is not at fault, your brain is. To perform the golf swing like the pros takes timing, tempo and rythum, skills that you and I can not do, this is their job. In other words they repeat it all the time that is why they are efficient at it. With that said how do we as amatures think we can improve with the things the pro teaches, we can not. That is why the average score for golfers has not changed in the last 1oo years and the average score is 97. Something wrong here with the system. There is way too much rotation in the traditional golf swing which only the pros can perform we as amatures can not it is a fact. In my opinion we have not come up with a system that teaches AMATURES how to swing the golf club. The pro's wouldn't teach it anyway, they would loose money. My advise to you would be search for information or teachings that eliminate the rotation in the golf swing, Here is a hint, how do you hold a base ball bat, a tennis racket, a hammer. How do you hold your golf club? What you will learn when you finally find the answer is a golf swing that you as an amature can repeat time and time again only if you practice what you have found, and it becomes second nature to you. There will be over one million golfers that will give up the game of golf this year because they get frustrated and quit, don't be one of these people. The answer is out there and it does not lie in the traditional swing mechanics that have been taught for years. Those swing mechanics are for the top guns in the industry, are you a top gun? Good luck and don't give up you will find the answer as I have done, it took me 35 years, need any more info let me know. bp

One of the best pieces i've read in a good while................

[bphillips]

Re: Just had a lesson and now disillusioned...

Thanks, looking for more support from people like you. You must be an individual thinker as me. As an Amateur I am tired of all the " This is the way you have to do it" traditional teachings. We as amateurs need our own teaching organization, not by pro instructors, but by amateur instructors. bp

[jbrunk]

Re: Just had a lesson and now disillusioned...

Thanks, looking for more support from people like you. You must be an individual thinker as me. As an Amateur I am tired of all the " This is the way you have to do it" traditional teachings. We as amateurs need our own teaching organization, not by pro instructors, but by amateur instructors. bp

I don't know that we need amateurs teaching amateurs, but people who know how to teach, and they are out there. I disagree with your premise that amateurs can not swing it like the pros. I have too much experience to the contrary and I am by far, a non traditional student of the game/swing. Pop instruction doesn't work for amateurs because most of it doesn't work for pros either, it's garbage.

As far as the original post goes:

Ken, if he couldn't make you hit it better inside of the lesson, then he doesn't know. Period. I would continue to search.

[jbrunk]

Re: Just had a lesson and now disillusioned...

You are like thousands of others who think you can make a change and get the results, I was the same as well. First of all, when I figured out that I could not be put in the same class as the pros I started to learn. These guys are the best on planet earth, we are not. They have resources that we do not have. The pro who gave you the grip change is not at fault, your brain is. To perform the golf swing like the pros takes timing, tempo and rythum, skills that you and I can not do, this is their job. In other words they repeat it all the time that is why they are efficient at it. With that said how do we as amatures think we can improve with the things the pro teaches, we can not. That is why the average score for golfers has not changed in the last 1oo years and the average score is 97. Something wrong here with the system. There is way too much rotation in the traditional golf swing which only the pros can perform we as amatures can not it is a fact. In my opinion we have not come up with a system that teaches AMATURES how to swing the golf club. The pro's wouldn't teach it anyway, they would loose money. My advise to you would be search for information or teachings that eliminate the rotation in the golf swing, Here is a hint, how do you hold a base ball bat, a tennis racket, a hammer. How do you hold your golf club? What you will learn when you finally find the answer is a golf swing that you as an amature can repeat time and time again only if you practice what you have found, and it becomes second nature to you. There will be over one million golfers that will give up the game of golf this year because they get frustrated and quit, don't be one of these people. The answer is out there and it does not lie in the traditional swing mechanics that have been taught for years. Those swing mechanics are for the top guns in the industry, are you a top gun? Good luck and don't give up you will find the answer as I have done, it took me 35 years, need any more info let me know. bp

Specifically, what do you mean by this?

[SurlyScarab]

Re: Just had a lesson and now disillusioned...

Ken, if he couldn't make you hit it better inside of an hour, then he doesn't know. Period. I would continue to search.

Hey Jbrunk, do you mean a one hour session and practice one your own afterward or that you should see improvement during the actual session? I'm about to take my first lesson in a looooooong time. My last lessons were in a 1 credit course for a semester. (What an awesome value. I had no idea what it was worth at the time)

[jbrunk]

Re: Just had a lesson and now disillusioned...

Hey Jbrunk, do you mean a one hour session and practice one your own afterward or that you should see improvement during the actual session? I'm about to take my first lesson in a looooooong time. My last lessons were in a 1 credit course for a semester. (What an awesome value. I had no idea what it was worth at the time)

He should be able to get you hitting it better than you were inside of the lesson. (I will go back and revise my previous quote) Otherwise, he is giving you band aids.

[SurlyScarab]

Re: Just had a lesson and now disillusioned...

He should be able to get you hitting it better than you were inside of the lesson. (I will go back and revise my previous quote) Otherwise, he is giving you band aids.

OK Cool. Good to know. My master plan is to get one lesson from the three guys I'm considering and then buying a three lesson package from the guy that does the best.