Multiple day golf lessons/golf school

MartyK

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Anyone on here have any experience with multiple day golf lessons/golf schools? As opposed to taking a lesson, practicing for a week, going back for another lesson, etc. As someone who teaches/instructs (not golf), my thoughts are that a multiple day school (Im looking at a 3 day school) will help drill concepts into my thick skull and build muscle memory better than having gaps in between instruction. At any rate, curious to hear if any of you have experience with golf schools and your thoughts.
 
Potentially, but if it's in a larger group setting I imagine it won't be that productive. You just need to work with someone that will show you how to practice what you've gathered from each session. Since you can do a swing change in a couple of days. Took me like a month to get mine back to a good point.
 
Wondering the same as I’ve been looking at trying the Marriott Golf Academy in Palm Desert — if it ever reopens post-covid. A coworker had a great experience there a couple of years ago with the 3 day golf school.

I recently took my first lesson (after 20+ years of ingraining my own self-taught swing flaws into perfect muscle memory) and I still feel like a bit of a wreck every time I stand over the ball trying to remember all of the things to do differently Than what still feels natural. Getting better, but it definitely has taken a couple of weeks to digest and practice.

Interested to hear perspective on OP’s question from anyone else who has done the Marriott academy or any other similar 3-day type of stay/learn/play program.
 
I went to Golf school at Grand Cypress in Orlando twice....back in the 90's. Took clients each time. Fred Griffin School of Golf. I don't know I would do it otherwise. But company was paying and I was in position to be able to do it. They loved my offer and we had a blast. It was good to point out stuff I already knew but you forget to put into practice.
 
I've never gone to a golf school or multi-day clinic and, in fact, have never "worked" with an instructor for more than one lesson. I never found one that didn't want to change me completely to whatever swing theory they espoused. I've always wanted to find someone who could analyze what I bring and make tweaks to increase performance or add consistency, not do a complete overhaul.
 
Attended a John Jacobs Golf School at Lake Nona back in the late '80s. It was a blast. Hit a zillion balls and had a good time with the staff and other attendees. I still call to mind the primary correction that was drilled into my head that week: "Swing down, swing down, swing down!"

That was the correction for my tendency back then to come over the top. Now, if I'm a bit off with swing path/plane, I will practice taking the club back and then, in slow motion, pump my arms straight down three times before allowing any other part of my upper body to move. Still works for me!
 
Im strongly considering a 3 day National Golf Schools clinic in Hilton Head this fall. Its limited to 4 students per instructor, includes range time, Trackman, on course playing lessons, etc. Just curious if a multi-day school is any better than individual 1-2 hour lessons spread over numerous weeks. Thank you all for your input.
 
I have not been to something like that, but my thought its actually the opposite of yours. My hesitancy is that you could be getting so much instruction, that it is information overload essentially. And with that, you're forced to put all elements of the instruction together at one time, rather than improving 1 part of the swing per week.
 
I have not been to something like that, but my thought its actually the opposite of yours. My hesitancy is that you could be getting so much instruction, that it is information overload essentially. And with that, you're forced to put all elements of the instruction together at one time, rather than improving 1 part of the swing per week.

My thoughts exactly. Specifically, diminishing returns.

I'm going to a 3-day Single Plane school in July, mostly because I like the swing but can't find any local instructors. Also because I'd like a vacation (so if the School doesn't work out it's no big deal). I've gone to a one day School under the stewardship of Mike Hebron but didn't get much out of it. I really think the most progress would come if I went for an in person lesson and, like in martial arts, practiced the drills and positions for a few weeks, slowly. Then go back and have the instructor check me out, give corrections and perhaps go on to the "next phase". IOW, I don't think the INSTRUCTORS can drill it into you, they give you the information and YOU drill it in to yourself. All that I expect to happen at the School is an instructor will watch me swing, tell me what to do, watch me repeatedly f**k it up and yell at me a while, then tell me to work on it and walk away. OTOH, I DO practice, look at videos, go to the range, seems OK. But then when I try to take my swing to the course, ball in front of me, I can't hit an iron shot to save my life. I basically throw up my hands and ask....WHY? WHAT'S DIFFERENT? There's no one to tell me. I'm hoping at least this way, at the School, I'll get an answer.

But that's just me and my optimistic outlook. :ROFLMAO:
 
I remember looking at several of these about 20 years ago, thought it would be great but never did it. I'm not sure I would do it now though unless it was a big name teacher like pelz or harmon and I was with some friends
 
I've always thought it would be a great way to learn. Maybe intensive but under the right circumstances, could really work. I think how much better I've gotten when playing a bunch in short amount of time (99 holes in 5 days on vacation). I don't really get tired playing golf, maybe walking more than one round/day. Seems like it would work...
 
my group did one in the early 90's. Lots of fun. in terms of golf instruction, I don't recall much but sure it helped me some as a relative beginner.
 
You all have made some great points and have given me some things to think about. Greatly appreciate your input. We'll see which direction I ultimately go. Whichever way I go, I definitely need some lessons LOL
 
The ratio of the number of concepts being learned (cognitively) to the number of practice repetitions needed to engrain the physical skill is very low for golf. A golf instructor could impart two new concepts (let's say one change to your setup and one change to your club position at the top of backswing) in an hour lesson. And those concepts might take an hour a day for a week to engrain well enough to repeat them consistently in a practice session. And then even longer to engrain them to the point they work on the golf course.

To my thinking, what a multiday course might offer is repeated and immediate *feedback* during that first week of transferring the new concepts from your brain to your golf swing. There's nothing more dismaying than working your backside off for 2-3 weeks perfecting a swing change (or so you think) then going back to the pro and he points out you've actually been practicing something different than the right move.

That said...

With today's technology unlike what we had back when I was taking frequent golf lessons I can take an in-person lesson, go home and practice for a couple days then send a video to my pro to get feedback without returning for another lesson. I'd think forming a relationship with a good swing coach would let you spread a one-week golf school worth of instruction out over several months with in-person lessons supplemented by exchanging swing videos every week or so to make sure everything is on track.

My teaching pro doesn't even charge for those quickie feedback sessions. I just pay for the actual lessons and he doesn't mind spending 5-10 minutes looking at a video and making suggestions in between.
 
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