Golf Forums

Michael
I have used the PGA superstore and found that they have helped me termendously lowering my handicap to single digits. Only when you feel comfortable with a teacher and trust what they say that is when it works

My first set of lessons was about 5 years ago at Hank Haney with one of their better instructors. Was a 3 day event. It made me a killer with chipping and putting, pretty good with pitching, and just destroyed my full swing. I struggled for a couple of years with a horrible slice I couldnt break.
Then started taking a few lessons here and there at PGA Superstore with a couple of the Pro's there. Way less expensive and what I liked most was they didnt try to fix everything at once. A grip change here, a stance/alignment change there, a full turn of upper body there, etc. I'm hitting the ball better now than ever before.
My latest foray has been into club fitting. I'll put together a post here in a few days about that experience in some detail. Depends on if the wife will let me get my Xmas present early :) Irons that FIT.
I would recommend lessons very much if you are working with someone who doesnt try to analyze everything thats wrong with you and try to fix it all at once.
My outlook is "Golf is a journey...not a destination."

Ahhh, golf lessons :)
First of all, all golf instructors are different: their teaching style differ, their analysis of what should be fixed in your swing differ and well, let's just say that some are better than others. Some can fix your swing in 10 minutes and some can absolutely destroy it in 10 minutes. I've encountered both :)
Now have golf lessons been useful to me? Absolutely!! But get ready to shop around until you find someone who's able to work with your strengths and weaknesses to bring you to the next level. The cookie-cutter approach doesn't work. Everybody's swing is different.

Golftec, I did a years worth there

As mentioned earlier, having done several lessons of different types with different kinds of instructors, couldn't agree more with Sylla. I think my ultimate goal will be to work with an instructor that will do on course instruction during play. I'd be interested in seeing comments from others who have done this and/or what "schools" they would recommend. I'm really anxious to take my game to the next level.

I purchased Hank Haney's book, "Esentials of the Golf Swing" and am going "self help" over the winter. I think a good teacher would be better but I've gone this far on my own and will likely stay that way. I've alway been a reader and Dave Pelz short game books have worked very well. Stay tuned, we'll see how it goes.

As mentioned earlier, having done several lessons of different types with different kinds of instructors, couldn't agree more with Sylla. I think my ultimate goal will be to work with an instructor that will do on course instruction during play. I'd be interested in seeing comments from others who have done this and/or what "schools" they would recommend. I'm really anxious to take my game to the next level.

Oh yes, oh my, I wholeheartedly agree with you! Playing lessons are soooo important... It took me almost three years before a golf pro agreed to take me to the course (it pays more to give individual lessons, so they're often reluctant to spend time on the course with a student). I was so frustrated because my swing was great on the range but wouldn't hold on the course... My scores started to drop after my playing lesson, when the instructor made me realize how I would always align myself to the right, or move too much, or be too focused on the target, etc.

I went to a Jim Hardy school last year and I really liked it. I had spent six months trying to fight an over-the-top move with my irons with my Quebec instructor and they fixed the issue in two days :) Now the issue with these schools is that it's hard to get a follow-up. My swing is evolving all the time, sometimes for the better, and sometimes for the worse :P I need someone that I can see regularly and who doesn't mess up my one plane. I haven't found that someone yet :/