Why Are You NOT Scheduling Lessons

[Bernoulli]

Great Post @Canadan Interesting to hear different thoughts on the 'why?' I went through the posts and tallied all of the 'whys' so far....nerdy, I know, but think it's fascinating:

#1 Reason: What's the Point? - 14 Tallies - This also included: "I suck, Don't want to try, Too old, or too far gone, Not disciplined, Buying Equipment is more fun"
#2 Reason: Time - 13 Tallies - Most people just don't have time to schedule a lesson, drive to the lesson site, sit with the instructor AND THEN spend time at range or course practicing. We get it, it's hard to find the time, but if you just have 15-20 mins a day, you can get better.
#3 Reason: Winter/Season/COVID - 12 Tallies - How can I practice when it's terrible weather outside? This one is different for us because most of the practice we give our players is for them to do at home.
#4 Reason: Find Right Person - 10 Tallies - No one is close to me, or I might light the person...Totally get this, you need to find someone you can get along with and knows what they're doing.
#5 Reason: Expensive: 6 Tallies - Self explanatory, totally get paying $100 or so every time you go see a coach is up there, this is why we made all the instructional videos up front (saves us on a big time part of instruction), and spend our time giving Feedback. We are more efficient, so we can only charge $50 a month for unlimited Feedback.
#6 Reason: I'm planning on it - 10 Tallies -
#7 Reason: Already on it, signed up for Lessons - 7 Tallies
#8 Reason: I don't want to Retool my whole swing - 1 Tally...This is a bit of a paradox. Changing one thing will likely send you into needing to adjust other parts of your swing that won't match the new swing part, AND realistically, you can never just change ONE aspect or add a band aide and expect to get better. Maybe this should be counted in Reason #2

Again, great post, thanks for starting
Matt

Matt:

In addition to having to deal with a shoulder problem, I am a # 3 in your list - Winter. I will not pick up a club until the range at my club opens in late March or early April. I know that you say I can do the work at home over the winter. My fear is that without being able to swing a club and hit any balls, how can I subjectively determine what if any progress I am making. How do I know what I would be working on is improving my swing without me being able to witness it?

 

[MWard]

I’ll get there. No real motivation to at the moment :/

 

[mancest]

I already have them scheduled? is that acceptable?

 

[JonD]

I can't find a decent teacher/PGA Pro in my area

I found ONE guy I liked at 1757 and he moved on (my swing may have scared him out of the business)... For such a populous area, you think there would be more, preferably somewhat affordable, options out there. My only requirement is that I'm hitting to a range so I can see the results of the adjustments. Monitors are great, I just prefer to see it in real life, even if I'm hitting from a garage bay to accommodate cameras, etc.

Off to search for a semi-local short game clinic...

 

[golfinnut]

I found ONE guy I liked at 1757 and he moved on (my swing may have scared him out of the business)... For such a populous area, you think there would be more, preferably somewhat affordable, options out there. My only requirement is that I'm hitting to a range so I can see the results of the adjustments. Monitors are great, I just prefer to see it in real life, even if I'm hitting from a garage bay to accommodate cameras, etc.

Off to search for a semi-local short game clinic...

I thought about Roger Hatcher at 1757 who usually fits me for all of my Titleist equipment. But I don't like his teaching style.

 

[SHIFTY]

golf dome fell down due to heavy snow. And covid are my reasons. Took lessons all summer when they were allowed. Have a bunch already paid for now too.

 

[Mmaynard11]

Hmmm I ask myself this same question every day. It’s a question that I don’t have a logical answer for.

 

[TMAdidas]

I moved states a little over a year ago and have yet to get a general consensus on who/where to schedule a lesson with.

 

[Bethpage Hack]

I am not taking or scheduled a lesson because I believe I believe I have found something that has and will continue to improve my swing. I also feel I have a good understanding of swing fundamentals and specifically what makes my swing work, and what doesn't work. I am also fortunate to be close friends with two good teaching pros that also know my swing and I can use their eyes to detect issues along the way. What I found that has worked is the Tour Striker Planemate. I had a lesson with a pro down in Florida using this last February and I have dedicated myself to it and I have made significant progress. I dropped my scoring average from 80 in '19, to 75.5 in 20 ans i actually had a bad putting year. I have become so much more consistent, even on my off days. The protocals have taken a long time to progress through and I continue to revisit them to work on timing, sequencing, clubface control and rotation.

 

[TrueMotionMatt]

quick question about y’all’s service. I am someone that would love to take advantage of the pricing true motion has for unlimited feedback. My worry is I am a hands on learner when it comes to golf. I need someone putting my hands in the correct positions. Sometimes I “feel” like I am correcting something that I picked up on in a YouTube video that might pertain to my swing. But in all actuality I’m not changing the correct thing at all and may have me create bad habits.

how do y’all work through someone who isn’t correcting something the way you intend when you provide feedback?

They send us video or pics and we can see quite a bit, and we get very detailed with them if needed.

 

[TrueMotionMatt]

Matt:

In addition to having to deal with a shoulder problem, I am a # 3 in your list - Winter. I will not pick up a club until the range at my club opens in late March or early April. I know that you say I can do the work at home over the winter. My fear is that without being able to swing a club and hit any balls, how can I subjectively determine what if any progress I am making. How do I know what I would be working on is improving my swing without me being able to witness it?

As long as you have an area to work the backswing...any room in the house with high enough ceilings, you're good to practice at home in the winter. If you can hit foam balls off a piece of carpet or small mat in the garage or big room, even against a blanket, that's an added bonus. Not full drivers, just slow or even chunky swings where you build feels. You'd be amazed at how fast things change when you video your swing and can make sure you do things correctly....all at home.

 

[Bernoulli]

As long as you have an area to work the backswing...any room in the house with high enough ceilings, you're good to practice at home in the winter. If you can hit foam balls off a piece of carpet or small mat in the garage or big room, even against a blanket, that's an added bonus. Not full drivers, just slow or even chunky swings where you build feels. You'd be amazed at how fast things change when you video your swing and can make sure you do things correctly....all at home.

Don't have the high ceilings indoors. And my wife's new vehicle is in the garage, so there's no room there. . I may have to wait until I can be outside.

 

[JonD]

I thought about Roger Hatcher at 1757 who usually fits me for all of my Titleist equipment. But I don't like his teaching style.

I like Roger, but he is pretty old school. Wasn't aware he was still there.

 

[golfinnut]

I like Roger, but he is pretty old school. Wasn't aware he was still there.

He may be gone now. I wasn't fit for my TSi2

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[etakmit]

Can't practice in the winter here There are *some* indoor trainers here but I have my preferred coach (although I left that club this year so I may have to find a new one).

I also dont have the opportunity to really work in things I've learned in the summer. I did get a net / mat combo so hopefully this upcoming year i can put at least 15-20 minutes in daily. Maybe I'll hit up @TrueMotionMatt and get that ball going for the spring!

 

[pattyboy21]

I'd consider a lesson if the pro watched me play an entire round as the basis of his assessment. What's the point of me going to the range and hitting a couple dozen perfect shots, only to hear him say, "keep doing that!"?

 

[AverageJoe]

I had my first ever lesson yesterday. Going in I already knew I had an over the top outside to in swing because of my slices and fade. Watching a couple warming up swing it didnt take him long to figure that out haha. It was a 1 hour lesson we worked the whole lesson on dropping my left elbow into my ribs to stop coming over the top and my swing path. I went from swinging 9* outside/in to swinging 1-2* outside/in and actually had a few that were 1-2* inside/out. The path was working pretty good but ball contact not so much, was hitting a lot of fat shots but he said that was to be expected coming from a really steep swing to that. I had a few really nice 7i shots, nice ball flight and one was 168 yards. Thats about 10 yards further than I normally hit my 7i. The last 10-15 mins we pulled out the driver, I was expecting that to be horrible but I was pleasantly surprised! Was able to stay at 2-3* outside/in and was absolutely crushing the ball for me! I cant believe changing my swing from over the top added the power it did. Last couple driver swings I took were105mph! Ive never swung a driver that hard ever! On a simulator previously I could only get 94/95mph and I really had the jerk it and of course it made for some wicked slices. Ive signed up for 3 more and go back for my next one next friday. Its like a kid waiting for Christmas to get here!

 

[Bernoulli]

I had my first ever lesson yesterday. Going in I already knew I had an over the top outside to in swing because of my slices and fade. Watching a couple warming up swing it didnt take him long to figure that out haha. It was a 1 hour lesson we worked the whole lesson on dropping my left elbow into my ribs to stop coming over the top and my swing path. I went from swinging 9* outside/in to swinging 1-2* outside/in and actually had a few that were 1-2* inside/out. The path was working pretty good but ball contact not so much, was hitting a lot of fat shots but he said that was to be expected coming from a really steep swing to that. I had a few really nice 7i shots, nice ball flight and one was 168 yards. Thats about 10 yards further than I normally hit my 7i. The last 10-15 mins we pulled out the driver, I was expecting that to be horrible but I was pleasantly surprised! Was able to stay at 2-3* outside/in and was absolutely crushing the ball for me! I cant believe changing my swing from over the top added the power it did. Last couple driver swings I took were105mph! Ive never swung a driver that hard ever! On a simulator previously I could only get 94/95mph and I really had the jerk it and of course it made for some wicked slices. Ive signed up for 3 more and go back for my next one next friday. Its like a kid waiting for Christmas to get here!

Sounds like it went well. I hope you continue to have progress as you go forward.

 

[Edsland]

By the time winter ends ID forget what I learned, I usually do some in the spring

 

[chile]

got one in yesterday...

 

[Wicked Cool Bearded Man]

As lame as it is- time. I’m playing nearly all my rounds at 5 am. So it’s play then or don’t play. Not sure what coach would meet me then anyways

 

[ULEWZ]

I always thought I could fix things on my own. After loosing 10 balls on my last outing (difficult narrow course by the way), I have scheduled a group of 6 lessons starting Wednesday. Hoping to turn my 30% good hits to 70%. Lofty goals, but a am willing to take a swing at it.

 

[blugold]

Need to find a good guy doing indoor lessons right now. My preferred instructor moved last summer.

 

[JY56]

I had 5 private and a couple clinics last season. I get a little frustrated paying $$$$ for a 45min or 1hr lesson and the pro just gives me a little tweak after 10 mins that fixes my issue then watches me and his clock as I follow the instruction and tells me to keep working on it myself. I'm going to sign up for one of the online guys instead. A lot better value I think and if I need the odd wrinkle fixed, just get a single lesson as required. I can see paying $100/hr for a coach if I'm making money as a golfer but when it's for personal enjoyment in retirement I just think lessons are overpriced. I have a buddy that signed up for a monthly coaching plan for 6 mths this past season, that included up to 5 lessons a month for about $400/mth and he has struggled with too much going on all season between his constant swing changes and new equipment he seems to constantly have recommended, lol

 

[mski]

No interest

 

[Buckeyegolfnut]

Because I am 68 years old, living on a fixed income (although I find that a somewhat flimsy excuse), and my focus have shifted from improvement to mere maintenance! I'm hoping that I can do maintenance on my own.