OT: Golf lessons- any value?

[EROCK CONN]

lifelong golfer here. I'm pretty good and I still take lessons occasionally for refinement / improvement. If you like playing, then you absolutely should get some lessons. Go find a pro that teaches you proper fundamentals (grip, posture, stance, alignment etc.) and then makes minor adjustments and doesnt try and majorly revamp your swing (which even pros rarely make huge changes, just minor adjustments). Also, remember, everyone's bodies are different, so if a pro ever tells you to swing like one of the touring pros, go find someone else. There's a 99% chance you are athletically not capable of swinging like Dustin Johnson. I've had a number of teachers over the years. Most of the guys I grew up getting taught by are retired. Now, i really like Northeast Performance Institute (they just bought golf quest and have the place in Portland) right now.

I would also recommend reading about golf. Start with mental books:
-Zen Golf is the best sports psychology book ever
-Golf is Not a Game of Perfect

I'd also highly highly recommend you read Pelz's Short Game Bible. That book is loaded with info you've never even thought of and his methodology on hitting 50-120 yard shots will transform your game if you practice those shots.

 

[tentoes4rings]

lifelong golfer here. I'm pretty good and I still take lessons occasionally for refinement / improvement. If you like playing, then you absolutely should get some lessons. Go find a pro that teaches you proper fundamentals (grip, posture, stance, alignment etc.) and then makes minor adjustments and doesnt try and majorly revamp your swing (which even pros rarely make huge changes, just minor adjustments). Also, remember, everyone's bodies are different, so if a pro ever tells you to swing like one of the touring pros, go find someone else. There's a 99% chance you are athletically not capable of swinging like Dustin Johnson. I've had a number of teachers over the years. Most of the guys I grew up getting taught by are retired. Now, i really like Northeast Performance Institute (they just bought golf quest and have the place in Portland) right now.

I would also recommend reading about golf. Start with mental books:
-Zen Golf is the best sports psychology book ever
-Golf is Not a Game of Perfect

I'd also highly highly recommend you read Pelz's Short Game Bible. That book is loaded with info you've never even thought of and his methodology on hitting 50-120 yard shots will transform your game if you practice those shots.

I took a few a couple years ago, definitely helped. To echo the other guys here, I would only take lessons from someone who uses video. Seeing myself on camera was an eye opener. It can help quite a bit with alignment, staying on plane and grip. What I would caution against is watching too many YouTube videos. Specific tips on how to chip etc are fine but watching too many on takeaway and full swings puts too many thoughts in my head. Finding a simple, repeatable swing is the key.

 

[Leebo]

I think lessons can definitely help, but working on course management / decision-making can probably have bigger immediate impacts for someone at the bogey-golf level.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

Going out after lunch today for 18 and currently have decent expectations for a good round.
[/QUOTE]
And?

 

[formerlurker]

I didn't start playing until my late 20's and my biggest problem was adapting a lifelong baseball swing into a golf swing. Before I took lessons I bought something called "the orange whip". It's a golf swing tool and costs about $100. Well worth the money in my opinion. Teaches basic technique and tempo.

Shop #1 Golf Swing Trainer | Orange Whip Golf And Fitness

Shop all-access swing training - golf's #1 swing products & program. Discover the original orange whip swing trainer with a patented, counterbalanced system.

orangewhipgolf.com

 

[tentoes4rings]

I didn't start playing until my late 20's and my biggest problem was adapting a lifelong baseball swing into a golf swing. Before I took lessons I bought something called "the orange whip". It's a golf swing tool and costs about $100. Well worth the money in my opinion. Teaches basic technique and tempo.

Shop #1 Golf Swing Trainer | Orange Whip Golf And Fitness

Shop all-access swing training - golf's #1 swing products & program. Discover the original orange whip swing trainer with a patented, counterbalanced system.

orangewhipgolf.com

Ha. I’ve had the same issue for 15 years with bad habits from a baseball swing. I also picked up an Orange Whio recently, good training tool.

 

[XLCenterFan]

Never had one. Just play play play. I’ve shaved like 30 strokes off my game since I started with this approach.

 

[uconnfan68]

Need to find a teacher that you can believe in. Took me 2 tries, but when I believed in his method, and practiced and played a lot, my game went from bogey golf to single digit handicap in 10 months. It was the right way for me.

 

[DonaldDraper]

Crazy that OP has played poorly for 30 years without lessons. Lessons should guide your practice. While they can help on their own, typically you’ll want 3-1 practice to lessons. Don’t just set aside time for the lessons, set aside time to put the lessons into your muscle memory. The 6 session thingy mentioned is great, and practice in between.

 

[tentoes4rings]

Need to find a teacher that you can believe in. Took me 2 tries, but when I believed in his method, and practiced and played a lot, my game went from bogey golf to single digit handicap in 10 months. It was the right way for me.

Fantastic, congratulations.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I think lessons can definitely help, but working on course management / decision-making can probably have bigger immediate impacts for someone at the bogey-golf level.

If you are just starting off and are somewhat athletic, a few lessons can get you in to high 90's relatively quickly. Shave another 10 strokes and that gets you in to bogey golf.
Most of the stuff I've seen for "course management" for newer golfers involves two things- knowing how far they hit their clubs most of the time and learning to suck it up and take a bogey.
First one is for distance control. 150 yard shot to a front pin with water or bunker guarding the pin is different shot than 150 yards to a back pin. First shot requires hitting the ball close to 150 on the fly or else you put a big number in to play. Second shot you can hit 135-140 and let it work towards that back of the green. Also learning not to short side yourself for greenside chips or hit to the away side of a hazard.
Second scenario of just make bogey and move on includes chipping back out to fairway after a wayward tee shot, chipping well over a greenside hazard and leaving much further distance instead of trying low probability shots which just clear the hazard, etc.
Finally, unless your are a single digit handicapper, 90% of the time aim for middle of the green and make your 2-putts. Two putting every hole puts you even par for the round with the flat stick.

 

[uconnfan68]

If you are just starting off and are somewhat athletic, a few lessons can get you in to high 90's relatively quickly. Shave another 10 strokes and that gets you in to bogey golf.
Most of the stuff I've seen for "course management" for newer golfers involves two things- knowing how far they hit their clubs most of the time and learning to suck it up and take a bogey.
First one is for distance control. 150 yard shot to a front pin with water or bunker guarding the pin is different shot than 150 yards to a back pin. First shot requires hitting the ball close to 150 on the fly or else you put a big number in to play. Second shot you can hit 135-140 and let it work towards that back of the green. Also learning not to short side yourself for greenside chips or hit to the away side of a hazard.
Second scenario of just make bogey and move on includes chipping back out to fairway after a wayward tee shot, chipping well over a greenside hazard and leaving much further distance instead of trying low probability shots which just clear the hazard, etc.
Finally, unless your are a single digit handicapper, 90% of the time aim for middle of the green and make your 2-putts. Two putting every hole puts you even par for the round with the flat stick.

Even Jack said just aim for the middle... let your opponent make the mistakes.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Even Jack said just aim for the middle... let your opponent make the mistakes.

It's an obvious thing.

I brought up that point because I was playing a few weeks ago with a good friend who struggles to break 100. We were somewhere in the middle of the round and I was helping him out with his iron shot to the pin. I told him aim for the middle because there is a ridge and the middle will trickle the ball to the back right where the pin was located. Instead he flares one right in to a water hazard. He told me he knows he isn't good but when he's in the fairway he likes to go for broke and try to go pin hunting. I had to remind him the purpose of pin hunting is to have the ball end up near the cup not necessarily to land the ball near the pin (Especially true for lower swing speeds who can't spin the ball on purpose).

Let the course work for you and your game. I'm a big fan of swing aggressively to a safe location.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Hi, I'm a mediocre golfer at best despite playing for 30 years. Basically, all parts of my game suck- can't seem to hit two good shots in a row, and for me a bogey is a good score with some occasional pars.
If anyone has taken golf lessons, what was the most valuable tip or improvement to your game?
It kills me to swing so hard at the ball & even when I make clean contact, it never goes as far as I expect. How do the pros do it? They don't even swing hard.
By the way, I saw a YouTube video that made sense and I'm trying to do this- here is the link

Stop swinging so hard. It isn't baseball. The key is a smooth swing and correct contact. Think a pendulum. Easy swing with tremendous torque Is what you want. Muscling up will actually slow down your clubhead speed unless you are in synch. Many muscle guys try and accelerate the downswing with arms and it actually reduces club head speed and creates poor contact.

I would look at a pro. And see their easy swing. It looks easy, but is actually pretty violent.

 

[JohnFSilver]

Also. Lots of practice. And, if you aren't comfortable with putter and chipping you score will never improve.

Bogey golf is always my goal!

 

[AZHuskiePop]

For one example my old home course was loaded with sand traps.
A couple of lessons were devoted to playing out of the sand. Knowledge plus practice gave me confidence in sand play. The first time I broke 80 . I needed two different sand trap shots to par the 18th and shoot 79. Something impossible to do without lessons ,practice and confidence.

 

[tentoes4rings]

For one example my old home course was loaded with sand traps.
A couple of lessons were devoted to playing out of the sand. Knowledge plus practice gave me confidence in sand play. The first time I broke 80 . I needed two different sand trap shots to par the 18th and shoot 79. Something impossible to do without lessons ,practice and confidence.

I used to be good out of the sand, maybe because I had so much practice from landing there. This season I’ve avoided green side bunkers very well. The other day I missed my approach shot by 6 inches abc went from an eagle putt to an 8 because I literally couldn’t get out of the sand for five shots! I used to do the hit two inches behind the ball, splash a lot of sand approach but now feel lost. Any advice would be super welcome.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I used to be good out of the sand, maybe because I had so much practice from landing there. This season I’ve avoided green side bunkers very well. The other day I missed my approach shot by 6 inches abc went from an eagle putt to an 8 because I literally couldn’t get out of the sand for five shots! I used to do the hit two inches behind the ball, splash a lot of sand approach but now feel lost. Any advice would be super welcome.

Do you have newer clubs or wedges? There are so many options not just on club face angle but the angle on the sole for bounce. Are you chunking them or blading them? For the club chunks usually mean you are digging too deep whereas blading them means the club is bouncing off the sand and catching the ball too clean.

 

[tentoes4rings]

Do you have newer clubs or wedges? There are so many options not just on club face angle but the angle on the sole for bounce. Are you chunking them or blading them? For the club chunks usually mean you are digging too deep whereas blading them means the club is bouncing off the sand and catching the ball too clean.

Thanks. I have 56 and 60 degree Callaway Mack Daddy wedges, I forget off hand what the bounce is. The other day ball was just sticking in the sand, couldn’t get it out. I guess I can try opening up face more. I haven’t been in the sand often this year, just want to avoid coughing up an extra 3-5 strokes when I do.

 

[JohnFSilver]

I used to be good out of the sand, maybe because I had so much practice from landing there. This season I’ve avoided green side bunkers very well. The other day I missed my approach shot by 6 inches abc went from an eagle putt to an 8 because I literally couldn’t get out of the sand for five shots! I used to do the hit two inches behind the ball, splash a lot of sand approach but now feel lost. Any advice would be super welcome.

Since I suck, have had a lot of practice in the sand. I dont mind it unless It is buried or on the lip. I love taking a full swing out of the sand. Easy to control the ball.

 

[uconnfan68]

I used to be good out of the sand, maybe because I had so much practice from landing there. This season I’ve avoided green side bunkers very well. The other day I missed my approach shot by 6 inches abc went from an eagle putt to an 8 because I literally couldn’t get out of the sand for five shots! I used to do the hit two inches behind the ball, splash a lot of sand approach but now feel lost. Any advice would be super welcome.

More practice. Find places with different types of sand to really improve.

 

[NJHusky]

It's an obvious thing.

I told him aim for the middle because there is a ridge and the middle will trickle the ball to the back right where the pin was located. Instead he flares one right in to a water hazard. He told me he knows he isn't good but when he's in the fairway he likes to go for broke and try to go pin hunting. I had to remind him the purpose of pin hunting is to have the ball end up near the cup not necessarily to land the ball near the pin

Let the course work for you and your game. I'm a big fan of swing aggressively to a safe location.

Thought about this post when I was playing this am. Pin tucked behind the trap on right third of green. Played for the center/left. Good thing too as I hit it a bit fat but still got on the green. Had I gone pin hunting would have been in a very deep trap. Thx for the reminder.

 

[tentoes4rings]

If you are just starting off and are somewhat athletic, a few lessons can get you in to high 90's relatively quickly. Shave another 10 strokes and that gets you in to bogey golf.
Most of the stuff I've seen for "course management" for newer golfers involves two things- knowing how far they hit their clubs most of the time and learning to suck it up and take a bogey.
First one is for distance control. 150 yard shot to a front pin with water or bunker guarding the pin is different shot than 150 yards to a back pin. First shot requires hitting the ball close to 150 on the fly or else you put a big number in to play. Second shot you can hit 135-140 and let it work towards that back of the green. Also learning not to short side yourself for greenside chips or hit to the away side of a hazard.
Second scenario of just make bogey and move on includes chipping back out to fairway after a wayward tee shot, chipping well over a greenside hazard and leaving much further distance instead of trying low probability shots which just clear the hazard, etc.
Finally, unless your are a single digit handicapper, 90% of the time aim for middle of the green and make your 2-putts. Two putting every hole puts you even par for the round with the flat stick.

I agree the two putt mentality is the way to go. Going for it can often lead to too much speed and a 3 putt or greater. Unless I stick it within 6 feet, I’m usually very content with a two putt. The key is building the rest of your game to the point that a two putt can still ensure a par or worst case, a bogey.

 

[NJHusky]

I didn't start playing until my late 20's and my biggest problem was adapting a lifelong baseball swing into a golf swing. Before I took lessons I bought something called "the orange whip". It's a golf swing tool and costs about $100. Well worth the money in my opinion. Teaches basic technique and tempo.

Shop #1 Golf Swing Trainer | Orange Whip Golf And Fitness

Shop all-access swing training - golf's #1 swing products & program. Discover the original orange whip swing trainer with a patented, counterbalanced system.

orangewhipgolf.com

Looked at the video. How does this help more than swinging a club?

 

[HuskyHawk]

Sometimes being an athlete does matter.

Jayson Tatum took up golf with the NBA shut down. Swing speed is 118 MPH.

"In a video Boisvert posted to Instagram, he claimed that Tatum hit a “bunt driver” 315 yards. Boisvert said Tatum has already eclipsed the average swing speed of PGA tour players: about 114 MPH.

“He makes half swings at 118 MPH,” Boisvert said. “But with a wingspan and the physics of it, he’s got a very, very long lever to create speed for him. So it doesn’t even look like he’s swinging and he’s swinging 118 MPH. So he’s well ahead of (the PGA Tour average) without even really going at it.”

For reference, a swing speed of 118 MPH off the tee would have ranked 38th among PGA Tour players during 2019. When he opens up the throttle a little bit more, Tatum can swing his club at a velocity even some of the PGA’s longest hitters don’t touch. Boisvert said that when he asked Tatum to hit one a little harder, he swung the club 125 MPH. That’s faster than Bubba Watson ever swung his driver throughout the 2019 season, according to the PGA Tour’s website. Tatum, like so many other golfers, needs to harness his swing, develop better tempo and consistency, and iron out what can be an overly inside-out swing plane. Still, he can already smack the ball when he gets a hold of it."