How to take a golf lesson
How to take a golf lesson and get the most out of it
This month's article relates to how to take a golf lesson and getting the most out of the experience. As a professional golf instructor over the last eighteen years I have given literally thousands of golf lessons. During this time I have learned the keys to a productive and successful lesson or series of lessons and some of the things that lead to an unproductive and unsuccessful golf lesson. I believe that if you plan on investing the time and the money on a golf lesson then it is a good idea to make it the best experience possible for both the instructor and student learning. I have listed some points below that are worth reading to make the best out of your next lesson or series:
- Find an instructor that you are comfortable with and can relate to. Interview him or her first. Get some background on his or her experience. Make a phone call or better yet, come out to the golf course and speak with them directly. After all, they are working for you and you are signing their paycheck. Also be comfortable with the price that they are charging for their service. Often times, you get what you pay for.
- Ask the instructor his or her teaching philosophy?
- How many lessons they would recommend for you?
- What topics that they cover in the session’s packages that they offer?
- How often they recommend you coming for your sessions?
- What type of scheduling they have for giving lessons?
- How long does each lesson last?
- Cancellation policies?
- Do they teach one swing or work with the swing that you already have?
- Can they tailor a program that will work for you as an individual?
- Do they have a suggestion box? Are they willing to take criticism?
- Can they work with you and your schedule?
- Ask questions to the instructor that is important to you.
- A quality golf instructor will ask or inquire about your golf history prior to your first appointment. I ask my students to fill out an actual evaluation form and get it to me at least one hour prior to our first session. Some of the information that should be obtained is; your goals with the game, past history and experience, physical limitations, problem areas, strengths, available practice time in between the lessons, how far you are currently hitting the golf ball, what the most effective way that the individual learns (hearing, feel or visual) and various other questions that will enable me to work on their game in the most effective and efficient manner possible. The biggest key with the evaluation is to answer these questions as honestly as possible. (I can't tell you how many times that I have had students tell me that they hit their pitching wedge 165 yards consistently!)
- Arrive early for your golf lesson and give yourself plenty of time to warm up. Do your stretching and hit some warm up shots so that you are ready to start your lesson at the designated time. Don’t waste your time or instructors time getting warmed up during the precious lesson time. Give yourself at least fifteen minutes of warm up time prior to your lesson.
- Work on the areas of your game that give you the most trouble. Don’t spend your time working on your strengths. The game will test you in all areas of your game.
- Practice in between your golf lessons. You can only work on or think of one thing at a time. If you haven’t practiced in between the lessons, there is a better than good chance that you will be working on the same thing that you did the previous lesson. Why take golf lessons if you are not going to work on your game anyways?
- Don’t be afraid to ask your instructor questions. If you don’t understand or if you need further clarification, you need have an instructor that is open and willing to explain things to you in a way that you understand.
- Ask your instructor to get you notes on the information that was covered in the sessions. You should also take notes yourself so you can refer to them often. A quality instructor will do this anyways not only for you but for their records as well. I keep detailed records for all of my students on every golf lesson that I have ever given.
- Get a lesson or series on the golf course. Don’t always take your golf lessons on the driving range, putting green and or chipping green. How many lies and situations do you get on the golf courses that are perfect like you do on the range? Not very many. After all, golf lessons are taken to be implemented on the golf course anyways.
- Don’t read golf magazines, watch The Golf Channel tips, read books, rent DVD’s or any use any type of training devices that are not recommended by your instructor while you are taking golf lessons. Your instructor will know what you need to work on. Too much information is not always a good thing. This is especially true in the game of golf.
- A good instructor will only give you one thing at a time to work on. If they give you more than one thing to work on at any given time, you should ask them why and get clarification.
- Don’t be afraid to take a golf lesson in bad weather. It is great time to get advice on how to play in the conditions and will test your abilities. If you don’t golf in inclement weather in the
- Take lessons on trouble shots. You need to learn how to work the ball on purpose.
- Hook and slice at will.
- Have trajectory control with your golf ball.
A lot of people are taking golf lessons for many different reasons. Very few are actually getting the most out of the experience that they could. If you are planning on spending your money and time to improve, why not make the most of it? Make a commitment to improve and take the necessary steps. Take quality golf lessons from a quality golf professional. There are a lot of instructors out there. Make sure that you find the right one. This will guarantee improvement in the most efficient manner possible.
Matt Campbell, PGA Head Golf Professional
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(425) 391-4926
