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I have read several posts in this blog and others and the question of lessons comes to mind. There seems to be a general aversion to people getting professional instruction. I am quite curious as to the reason(s) as to why that is the case.

Thanks for helping me understand!

Sam

Honestly? I'm a stubborn person that once I engage myself in something has so strong belief in my own analytical qualities that I think "I can figure it out myself".

Also, I took a lesson with a pro because I thought my stubbornest was getting stupid. I was tought to turn more AROUND myself and not as much vertical. He was dead certain that was the clue for me to not have a swing plane that wen't from outside to in.

Didn't help one bit, to say the least. I do turn flatter now and I like it but it had nothing to do with my swingplane one the way through.

After watching several pro's I saw that they all have very different swingplanes on the back but they always get on plane in the downswing. And the transition move is what is causing my swing path not the original turn. Therefore I don't trust this man to be "bright" enough to help me more than I can help myself.

And our club doesn't have many good juniors, about only one. And my pro has given my the impression of "one way or the highway" teaching style although he has improved recently.

People expect immediate results and get frustrated because their game gets worse before it gets better. It is hard to commit yourself to process rather than a magic pill. Sure, there are some bad instructors out there but you can learn a lot from a couple of sessions especially ones where they do a video analysis. If you are a high handicap player, be prepared for a long learning process and incremental improvement. You improve, backslide then improve some more. We can only work on a couple of things at a time so a positive change in one area may bring negative results in another until that is also identified. There are definintely people for whom it is an easier road but for most it is hard work and perseverence.

I've played seriously for a year and a half, and have gotten 2 one hour lessons. I was very happy with both.

I would probably improve a little quicker with more lessons, but for what I would spend on 2 lessons a month, I can play once a week. Basically I waited for my second lesson until I thought I had more or less ingrained what I learned in the first one. Right now, I am working on what I learned in the second one. As soon as I am pretty consistent at executing what I learned in the second lesson, I'll get another one.

Just 2 lessons have helped me immensely. Just a couple lessons a year from a good teacher can be very beneficial. A good teacher can notice things that you can't, and can possibly save months or years of struggling to 'figure it out for yourself'. Of course there are many bad teachers out there that only know one swing, and aren't willing (or aren't qualified) to help you with your swing rather than 'their swing'.

After being out of the game for 3 years i decided to look up a pro and get some lessons.. though I lost some yardage off my game, he defently saw some room for improvment in my swing - i am worste now but the ball is going dead straight everytime and with some practice i think i will finnaly get down in the 70's which i dion't think i could of done on my own.

Hitting the ball straight is a huge advantage. Even if you lose some yardage, having fairly accurate yardages with your clubs plus straight shots contributes greatly to good scoring.

IMO, there is only one club where a lot of yardage helps the average player ... the driver. The reason I say this is that if your approach shots on par 4s are say between 90 and 150 yds, if you can hit a club straight and to a consistent distance, does it really matter if 90 is a SW and 150 is an 8 or 7 iron, or if 90 is a PW, and 150 is a 5 wood or 3 iron? Sure it is an advantage to hit a higher lofted club, but if you can hit it straight and to a consistent distance, the club doesn't really matter for 99% of players.

Most average players can get to most par 4s in 2, and most par 5s in 3 if they can hit a 200 yd drive and consistently hit 150 yds off the deck. If you can hit it straight, and close to a consistent yardage, a 120 yds shot on the green saves a full stroke for most players over a 120 yd shot into the rough near the green. Whether that 120 yd shot is a PW or if it is a 7 iron or (in my case), an 11 wood doesn't matter. What matters is you got it on the green.

My first golf lesson, my teacher worked on my follow through almost the whole session. A good follow through means straight shots. As we worked through the lesson, he wasn't necessarily happy when I hit a good shot, but when I made a good follow through. There were many shots that I topped or hit very fat, but he was happy because I made the proper follow through and hit it straight.

Someone can play to a single digit handicap with just 200 yd drives, straight, consistent shots, and a good short game. Learning a good swing that keeps the ball in play every shot is IMO, the first and most important goal towards being a good golfer. Distance is a great advantage, but doesn't help if you are OB or in the woods or the water half a dozen times a round.

For lessons do have any lasting effect I think they need to be taken monthly, and then one has to practice what one has learned. It's not only an investment in money, but time as well.

I'll be the poster child for why lessons are a good thing...I played for years before my first lesson (about 8 years)...I got to a level and never progressed beyond that scoring barrier (handicap in the mid to upper teens)...I tried a variety of instructors...some good experiences, some horrifying, but learned something from each...I took a lesson once every 3-6 months for about two years, and now I go or checkups when something goes wrong...

I was struggling the last month or so, had fallen into the low to mid 80s too often...so I went for a checkup, the Doc diagnosed my issue, fixed me right up in about 10 minutes, the rest of the lesson we spent drilling...since I shot an 81, 74, 72 and a 78...the last one I was experimenting with my grip while playing and consider the score pretty good all things considered...

Go take a lesson or two...then go did your swing out of the dirt! The instructor will save you alot of time and curb or stop bad habits before you ingrain them...

Very true.. its more my accurate yardages that is lacking that i need to work on.. my 3 iron was ranging from 150-210 yards

Yes, if you have a club with a 60 yd range, you aren't hitting it consistently ... so for you, hitting 150-210 with a 3 iron, why hit it unless it is a second shot on a par 5, or you are 190 or more out on a par 4? Probably better on most holes to just lay up to a yardage that you can hit the green from consistently.

One of the cources I play I run into a 606 yard par 5 so 210 yard 3 iron would come in handy if i knew i was gonna get 210 and not 150 lol. Actually working with the pro tonight so hopfully i can get that taken care of.