Reluctant to Try Golf Instruction
If you are hesitant, you are not alone. This averse thinking is common amongst most of the golfing population. Unfortunately, 32.3 million Americans, who describe themselves golfers, have never tried lessons. This lack of enthusiasm toward instruction could have stemmed from several sources.
You may think you can “fix it” yourself. You have mastered every other sport you’ve tried, golf should be easy. You believe your own physical talent and intuition will be your guide. I’ve relied on instinct for years. It’s the same scenario every time. I’ll be traveling and get lost. I’m not one to ask for directions, so I let my intuition be my guide. Then after 30 minutes of intuition, I finally pullover and ask for directions. But only about 15% of the golfing population has ever pulled over and asked.
Maybe you or a friend had a negative experience with an instructor. It could have been a personality conflict or some other problem. Golf instructors are like college professors. Good teachers have the knowledge, but great teachers can explain it in a simple yet fascinating way. If you took a lesson in the past and didn’t see immediate results, try a different instructor. Not all problems are easy to fix, but you should get a firm understanding of what you are doing wrong, why you are changing it, and what you need to do.
It is also possible that you just don’t take the game serious enough. You might be perfectly happy with your game and just don’t have the time to improve. Besides, golf is just a game. If you don’t put in the time, you have no right to get upset, throw clubs, and embarrass yourself. Simply put, if you are confused or frustrated you are ready for instruction.
Private Lessons vs. Golf Schools
Let’s just say that I’ve managed to peak your curiosity about golf lessons. There are several ways to go about it. If you have a lot of time and would like to stretch out the learning process, take private lessons.
A typical series of private lessons works like this: You take one private lesson every two weeks. By the end of a series, you hope to have your swing down and be able to try it on the course. This could be two months later, or a shorter or longer period of time depending on your schedule and dedication to the process.
I’m not against private instruction. In fact I teach hundreds of private lessons a year. It’s just not the fastest way to learn the game. This is because what you usually get from a traditional golf lesson is a swing lesson. And a swing lesson can be great. It can be the difference between quitting the game and playing it forever. But after a few of these swing lessons we get trapped into thinking our swing is why we are not doing very well.
The reality is that the game is more than having a good golf swing. The game is assessing the lie, the wind and the terrain it’s selecting the right club, course management, pre-shot routine, trouble shots, rules, etiquette, scoring, and the camaraderie of others. These are all parts of the game not usually covered in a traditional golf lesson. Trust me, PGA Tour players are not taking traditional golf lessons. They are looking for a lesson that evaluates their entire game. For a full game evaluation, sign-up for a one-day golf school. Like many golf instructors, I offer them in two formats. A “New Golfer School” and a “One Day School.”
New Golfer School
A New Golfer School is the best and quickest way to learn to play golf. You will learn all of the basic techniques for golf, and how to apply them on the course. In this small group setting, you will have plenty of one-on-one instruction and the camaraderie of others. We will start a relationship that will last long after the day is over.
Author:
Perry Andrisen