We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Finally - signed up for lessons

fracisco

fracisco

New member
Joined
Sep 29, 2010
Messages
991
Reaction score
0
Location
SoCal
Handicap
25
I have been in denial since picking up golf a couple of years ago, that I could get by in my golf game by playing more and hitting lots of balls on the range.

Well, I finally realized that just doesn't cut it. I'm in contact with a local pro, and I'm going to commit to getting better at a game that I do enjoy. I need to get some confidence back in my game, so that I can look down the course, and hit the shot.

I'll touch base in here as I go through my growth.
 
You're going to be wondering what the hell you were thinking waiting so long lol. Good luck! I love lessons.
 
You'll be glad you decided this and will understand more about your swing.
I finally got tired of shooting OK scores and went with the lesson's.
Good luck in your Journey. Keep us posted as you progress.
 
You definitely will not regret your decision. I've been playing for 26 years (since I was 4), and not only can a lesson from a pro correct something I didn't know I was doing, but a lesson from a pro also fixes things 10 times faster than if I try to fix it my self.

Good luck, have fun with it!

~Rock
 
Hawk said:
You're going to be wondering what the hell you were thinking waiting so long lol. Good luck! I love lessons.
Click to expand...

+1 taking lessons was the best thing I've ever done.
 
Good move fracisco, I finally took my first series of 4 lessons last year and they helped me a lot. I am getting ready to take another series before this golf season gets into full swing. I know you will improve your game, keep us posted on your progress.
 
My first session is scheduled for this Friday afternoon. I'm not sure what to expect other than to start with a conversation with the pro about my perceived strengths and weaknesses, and looking at me swing my clubs.

Any idea on what to expect?
 
Rained out yesterday, so I'll reschedule.
 
fracisco said:
My first session is scheduled for this Friday afternoon. I'm not sure what to expect other than to start with a conversation with the pro about my perceived strengths and weaknesses, and looking at me swing my clubs.

Any idea on what to expect?
Click to expand...
I am sure he will question you an find our your goals and where you are at presently with your game. He will watch you swing and begin from there, enjoy your time with him and keep us posted on your progress.
 
Very good move signing up for lessons. I find it intriguing that most of us are very quick to buy the most recent driver when our current club is usually not much different but we're slow to spend comparable or even less money on instructions.

I'm about halfway into my lesson series and have long since achieved my somewhat modest goals (eliminate gawdawful snap hook, understand some things about my swing so I can self correct on the course, enjoy the game more). I am not going to be competing on the tour or anything but I'm hitting the ball in a generally straighter direction. I'll take it.

My two cents: understand that the lessons are the first step and you will need to do work outside the lessson to really make progress. For me that was drills I could do at home more so than banging balls at the range.

Good luck!
 
I have been a hold out for a long time,,,but not anymore...you will be glad you did it
 
I had my first one on one lesson this morning, after last weekend's rain out. After I warmed up, she had me hit a few balls, and then I stopped and we talked about how often I play, what I feel my strengths and weaknesses are, and what I want to get out of the lessons.

One of my biggest challenges in the past six months is getting off the tee with any wood. After I hooked or pushed about a half dozen balls, she stopped me.

The first thing she did was change my grip so that the club is more in my fingers than my palm (that's the best way I can describe it). It feels awkward since it's new. The next thing was to get my spine aligned with my neck, rather than the slouchy posture that I usually have (my wife loves hearing that my coach thinks I need to straighten up, too). Actually moved my hands further down the shaft than I have been holding my clubs.

Went back to the driver, and bang. Hit the ball straight and decent distance considering I was still trying to figure out the motion, grip, and spine/neck alignment. Night and day.

Next, onto irons. So with my 7 iron, she helped get the club placed in my hand properly, and made sure that I was standing up properly. Then we worked on club take away. The overall goal is to get me to hit the ball then take a divot, rather than what I have been typically doing (generally fat, or hitting the ground and opening the club face). So using a variation of the penny drill, I tried to sweep grass off the mat beyond where my ball would be sitting. Then hit balls and continued to work on my club take away (straighten the arm, hinge the wrists properly, have the club face open on the back, get the club on plane, etc). I was also standing too close to the ball.

Needless to say, it was a lot of mechanics updates in 40 minutes, so I'm going to try and get another range session in this week before we meet next Friday. I am really happy that I made this move. When I put together the grip, spine angle, and take away, and hit the ball before the mat, it went really well. A lot of times it didn't go so well, as I am trying to put it all together.

So, if you are struggling, I recommend finding someone that can help you out besides your friends, father, neighbor (unless they are a pro and can dedicate some time).
 
I had my second lesson this morning. We picked up wher I left off last week, going back to the grip, spine angle, and take away. But right out of the chute, we worked on the turn, specifically the hip turn. I have a bit of a slide/sway in my turn, so we worked on getting the hips to turn with dipping the shoulders or sliding back. We are trying to build a repeatable swing without a lot of variables that will make it difficult to repeat.

Did a couple of drills, most memorable being to move the back foot out of the equation by using only the toe for balance, and trying to hit a shot with a turn. I can't slide back without the leg there. Also tried it with a bag support against my back hip. Also spent time on the follow through and trying to roll my arms through the follow through rather than coming through with an open club face.

It's still a lot of info to take in, and I'll get back to the range this weekend to practice some more.

In general when I go to the range I work through my clubs' so it's different to be using one or two irons the entire time. I hit some nice flush balls near the end of my range session )after my lesson( with nice ball flight and distance, so I think it's starting to take root.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top