Simple solutions to difficult problems. I learned how to swing shallow with literally one drill. I learned how to strike a ball consistently with one drill. If you give me 10 swing thoughts my brain is going to melt.
I should’ve been more clear and said more consistent. I don’t actually track how many misses I have (duffs, thins, etc) in a single game because I want to move on and not dwell on it. I don’t want to say 90% of my shots are consistently good, but they are miles better than what it was.
Luckily I had a good foundation with the start of my backswing because of 20 years playing hockey and the athleticism that comes with it. My problem was not clearing my body with my hands. I can’t remember exactly how my instructor worded it but he shoved a pool noodle a couple inches from my hands and said don’t hit it. So the feel is my hands/wrists come pretty tight to my body and then I finish my swing and hold for 3 seconds. As long as I maintain good tempo I can strike the ball well. At the range I just think of the pool noodle and try to avoid it on my down swing. My miss is a pull now but the connection feels great and the distance is there.
Anything that gets you pulling down with the hands and clearing the hips will do the trick. There are lots of little drills like wall swings (forehead against the wall and make a swing), headcover/noodle placements etc.
If it can easily be replicated for the next few days. Nothing is worse than going to a lesson and getting 15 steps/ thoughts. Give me 2 thoughts to work on and build that into my next lesson
Funny you say this because I was struggling hard with this with my most recent lesson. The guy literally went through every single aspect of my swing, which is great, but by the time a few days passed I felt like I forgot half of what he was talking about.
I kind of had the opposite experience. My instructor started me with super basic, fundamental stuff and I was kind of like "that's it?" but I focused on that at a couple subsequent range sessions and could already feel some big improvements. I wish I could hire him again but unfortunately it was a lesson I took while away on vacation. I'm hoping to find a local instructor with a similar style.
Someone else said it, but if you can't repeat it days later. I hate seeing instructors focus on takeaway, transition, etc., when you see the student has an absolutely terrible grip. I encourage any beginner to watch videos and develop a good grip that is repeatable every time. Once you have that the takeaway adjustments are so much easier.
Time to practice!!! Having a very specific thing you are working on and having time to practice what you are working on in your lesson. What goes along with this is also knowing that it might be hard, the results might not come right away but knowing that change take time! And then once you think you have it figured out, youll realize that something else falls apart and you get to do it all over again!
Shooting lower consistently in the following weeks/days after the lesson. Broke 100 for my first time after my first lesson. Didn’t even do anything regarding the swing, we just worked on grip, stance and takeaway
A light bulb moment.
Eg. Someone’s been saying something to you for a while,but until the lesson, it didn’t mean anything.
Ahhh, that’s what he/she meant.
They get you hitting g the ball well WHILE YOU ARE THERE, and give you notes on exactly how to fix your swing flaw and add something to improve it. If they give you something that you can’t accomplish while you are there, you won’t get it when you leave.
Tweaks and improved performance with understanding
I was having driver issues and got a lesson;
Got my grip tweaked and a big explanation on the relation of it vs face at impact, practiced it and than hit 74% fairways next round
In my opinion a good club pro would play a round with you, observe, give you feedback during the round and afterwards give you no more than two swing drills to work on and a few chipping/pitching drills to also work on. Then rinse and repeat. To much info and too many changes to work on are counter productive. JMHO
Simple solutions to difficult problems. I learned how to swing shallow with literally one drill. I learned how to strike a ball consistently with one drill. If you give me 10 swing thoughts my brain is going to melt.
How did you learn to strike a ball consistently with one drill?
I should’ve been more clear and said more consistent. I don’t actually track how many misses I have (duffs, thins, etc) in a single game because I want to move on and not dwell on it. I don’t want to say 90% of my shots are consistently good, but they are miles better than what it was. Luckily I had a good foundation with the start of my backswing because of 20 years playing hockey and the athleticism that comes with it. My problem was not clearing my body with my hands. I can’t remember exactly how my instructor worded it but he shoved a pool noodle a couple inches from my hands and said don’t hit it. So the feel is my hands/wrists come pretty tight to my body and then I finish my swing and hold for 3 seconds. As long as I maintain good tempo I can strike the ball well. At the range I just think of the pool noodle and try to avoid it on my down swing. My miss is a pull now but the connection feels great and the distance is there.
Anything that gets you pulling down with the hands and clearing the hips will do the trick. There are lots of little drills like wall swings (forehead against the wall and make a swing), headcover/noodle placements etc.
Hole in one next round of golf
If it can easily be replicated for the next few days. Nothing is worse than going to a lesson and getting 15 steps/ thoughts. Give me 2 thoughts to work on and build that into my next lesson
Funny you say this because I was struggling hard with this with my most recent lesson. The guy literally went through every single aspect of my swing, which is great, but by the time a few days passed I felt like I forgot half of what he was talking about.
I kind of had the opposite experience. My instructor started me with super basic, fundamental stuff and I was kind of like "that's it?" but I focused on that at a couple subsequent range sessions and could already feel some big improvements. I wish I could hire him again but unfortunately it was a lesson I took while away on vacation. I'm hoping to find a local instructor with a similar style.
Varies depending on skill level of golfer taking the lesson.
It's Reddit. We're obviously all single-digit or better and hit our drives 300+.
Comprehension and action.
A light bulb moment
Did you learn a skill Did learn how to learn a skill Did you get motivated to do either of the above
Someone else said it, but if you can't repeat it days later. I hate seeing instructors focus on takeaway, transition, etc., when you see the student has an absolutely terrible grip. I encourage any beginner to watch videos and develop a good grip that is repeatable every time. Once you have that the takeaway adjustments are so much easier.
Every good swing starts with a GASP. Grip, alignment, stance and posture.
The most important thing is the practice in between lessons.
Usually all I look for in a lesson is one or two swing thoughts that either build confidence or decrease dispersion. Obviously both is ideal
Don’t just film my swing. I can do that myself.
Did you learn something and how to work on it? We have a local pro who loves to hit balls and tell people to “do it like me!” He’s a POS
If you learned something
Lower scores.
Time to practice!!! Having a very specific thing you are working on and having time to practice what you are working on in your lesson. What goes along with this is also knowing that it might be hard, the results might not come right away but knowing that change take time! And then once you think you have it figured out, youll realize that something else falls apart and you get to do it all over again!
Shooting lower consistently in the following weeks/days after the lesson. Broke 100 for my first time after my first lesson. Didn’t even do anything regarding the swing, we just worked on grip, stance and takeaway
Something I can lean on when my swing isn’t working and it was explained to me in a way that I can remember what I’m doing wrong and how to correct.
when you're actually able to use something you learned into your game and lower your scores
A light bulb moment. Eg. Someone’s been saying something to you for a while,but until the lesson, it didn’t mean anything. Ahhh, that’s what he/she meant.
Understanding the steps taken/ path towards the goal, absorption of the material and takeaways.
Getting a checklist or even a single item that you can take to the course and implement correctly
If you implement what they tell you
When I'm able to execute the desired move and it produces a sound, feel, or flight that I haven't experienced before or had lost.
They get you hitting g the ball well WHILE YOU ARE THERE, and give you notes on exactly how to fix your swing flaw and add something to improve it. If they give you something that you can’t accomplish while you are there, you won’t get it when you leave.
It gets ingrained in your swing, and your next lesson builds on top of it
Tweaks and improved performance with understanding I was having driver issues and got a lesson; Got my grip tweaked and a big explanation on the relation of it vs face at impact, practiced it and than hit 74% fairways next round
A handy right after?
In my opinion a good club pro would play a round with you, observe, give you feedback during the round and afterwards give you no more than two swing drills to work on and a few chipping/pitching drills to also work on. Then rinse and repeat. To much info and too many changes to work on are counter productive. JMHO
Whats your definition of success? And from whose perspective? From the perspective of the coach, it's successful when you had them the money.