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Hello Golfers,

I am fairly new to this wonderful site and had a thought as I read some threads.. What are your thoughts on Self Taught vs. Pro Instruction?

Is one way better than the other?

Why do you feel that way?

How has your progress been with your preferred method?

What are your realistic Goals?

What are your personal Pro's and Con's for both sides, in your opinion?

In every other sport, a coach is mandatory but not so with Golf, should all Golfers have a swing coach? is it too expensive?? no time??? must make realistic goals and shatter the dream???

Can you reach your realistic goals w/out a swing coach?


Btw, I am a advocate of Pro instruction, just in case you wanted to know.



Lemme know???

I am self-taught... read about half dozen books, getting info from online, and just hacking away.. 4 months into it and I have been on the course since 2 months. results: 12+ (9 hole), 10+ (18 hole par 3 pitch putt), 26+ (broke 100), 30+, 16+ (broke 90!) and 18+. I use 4W off the T for 200-230 yards, my 5i is 150 and my short game and putting is quite good.

I think to be able to self-teach with decent success one must have a solid athletic foundation.. I have been playing tennis for 15 years and am a solid 5.0 player (I'd say that's close to a 10 handicapper in golf), so I can relate the basics between the 2 sports, such as balance (the #1 priority IMO), grip tension, tempo, and having the body working together.

I'd say if one has not been extensively involved in a sport that requires hand-eye coordination (therefore jogging and biking etc wont help), then seeking pro help is a must.

I am at a point that I may need some pro help to fine-tune my game to the next level, but meanwhile I am still enjoying the process to figure things out on my own... so I will see what this journey leads me to.

I think that dozu is an exception. I've never had a formal lesson, but my dad showed me the basics when I was young. I think that for most people, a couple of lessons or at least some informal advice from a friend who knows what they're doing is the way to go. I'm even thinking of taking a lesson this spring to see if I can get a bit more consistently accurate off the tee. Nothing else is wrong with my game that some more play & practice couldn't cure.

I've read books, watched videos and listened to people for sound advice...and that never helped me. I'd go to the range hitting golf balls thinking the more I hit the more consistent I'd be. Problem is that I had no idea on what I should be working on. What seems like an easy task of hitting a small ball into a cup caused more frustration by *figuring* out how I could get from point A to point B.

My wife purchased me lessons a few months ago from the local golf club and I have never been happier. My teacher broke down my swing and showed me where I needed to do adjustments and emphasized that with specific drills.

I try not to get advice from too many people who try to make my swing like theirs...I listened to a golf hack one time and it took me a week to unlearn what he *taught* me.

I feel that self instruction, however it requires a good deal of time and dedication, kind of teaches you a little more about the swing and helps you pinpoint what you are doing wrong by yourself instead of someone telling you that you are doing something wrong. If that makes any sense...

However, if you are a beginner, a few lessons should be a must because theres somethings you just need to learn out on the course.

I'm going to have to completely disagree with you on the first part. I'm an advocate of getting lessons, VIDEO lessons. This way, you can see your swing and learn all the parts of the swing. The pro will also have software so you can see your swing with the swing of the teacher or even a PGA player side by side to note the differences. This helps you learn the swing, and the feel that goes with a correct swing.

After learning about the swing, you can videotape your own in practice and note what you're doing correctly and what you're doing wrong. This is an important step to getting better but it's always important to go back to that instructor when things get haywire. Four eyes are better than two, right?

Most importantly, you need to find an instructor that works for you. If you don't get along chances of you enjoying getting better at golf are slim, ask people around whose good and that's your best bet in my opinion.

A mirror and some knowledge of a swing does just as well.

Images can tell you a lot about your swing, but every person's swing is different. Even when we know what we're doing wrong the vast majority of us need a professional's instruction to make sure we correct the problem. Often times we correct one thing and in doing so, mess up another.

The vast majority of the people think their swings look dramatically different from what they really are. I had a lady that I put on video and when we were reviewing it, she told me that wasn't here even though the person on the video had the exact outfit and looked exactly like her (it WAS her) she told me she didn't swing like that so it couldn't be her.

Lessons with a QUALIFIED instructor whos communcation methods click with your understanding will allow you to get the most out of the game and improve quickest. Self-taught players rarely make it below a 15 handicap and when they do finally seek instruction, they are too stubborn to listen (not a jab at ANYONE here, just an observation from experience). Lessons alone will not allow you to improve. Most players would do well to get a series of 4-5 lessons and space the lessons out. Many take a series of lessons, one each week for a month or so and don't practice in between and then complain because they didn't get better. Getting better requires work as everyone here already knows. The way to get the most out of the lessons is to take a series when you are starting and don't schedule the next lesson until you have grasped the concepts in the current lesson (can't teach you to jump if you can't yet crawl...).

Of course, if you opt for self instruction...great drill... with a 7-iron teed up slightly and your feet together, make smooth swings until you hit the ball solidly in the center of the club each time. THEN and ONLY THEN, move on to other clubs.

I'm JCGOLFPRO's poster child. Six years of self-taught playing and my handy is 15. Was 13.6 back in August but I don't practice anymore. I hate it. I just like to play.
I'm at a plateau where I can't get any better with the game I have but then again it's not currently a priority for me. Golf is a game that lasts a lifetime.

I try to do most of my work on my own through reading, range time, playing and using many drills and practice techniques. However, I usually take two lessons each year with two different teaching professionals. To start the season, the first teacher uses the video camera and golf software to show your swing flaws and can slow everything down frame be frame. It also shows what you are doing right, which is great for your confidence level. You would be surprised what the video camera picks up at slow motion that the naked eye would never see at full speed. The second lesson usually occurs when I have hit that mid-summer slump and I call the second professional for a tune-up per se. I feel that I could eventually work through the problem (whatever it may be), but it could take two weeks to fix. By having a trusted pro watching over, it eliminates hours of time on the range when a teacher can hopefully fix the problem sooner than you can do it yourself. This system may not work for all, but it works for me. Find someone that you trust and feel comfortable with is my only suggestion. Good Luck, and Happy New!!! Cat

I guess I am an exception to jc's rule, but I think lessons are the way to go. I've never had a lesson aside from when I was younger my father telling me do this...or do that, which I'm about 15 strokes on average better than him now. But I play to a 4 handicap and can normally shoot around 73-79 on most courses from the back tees. I only wish I had the extra money to get lessons.

I really appreciate everyone's comments

THanks

I think if you really want to play at your highest level, you have to go with pro lessons. I have never taken a golf lesson before and I got up to an 8 handicap last year. I fell back to an 11 this year but I'm getting better. I think I'm about ready to spring for some lessons. I feel like I've pretty much hit the highest level I can being self-taught and I think getting professional instruction can lower my handicap back to single digits.

What convinces me the most is that even professionals use swing coaches. I think that's all you need to know right there. You can become a decent player without lessons but I think you can be even better with professional instruction.

I have to agree with those in favor of lessons. Sure there are a few talented self-taught players...however, if you were to, for example, take up the violin or piano without lessons, I think it would highly be unlikely that you could become a virtuoso or even competitive.

Likewise, I think golf has artistic and technical aspects that need to be taught by a "wise" teacher - there are good and there are bad teachers of course. That being said, I hope I can find a "great" mentor that can deconstruct and reconstruct some bad swing habits I'm developing...before it's too late!!!