What to Expect from Your First Golf Lesson

Many pros will provide you with a helpful video breakdown of your game.

No matter how well you play, we all have room to improve our game.  Some of us however are guilty of holding back from pursuing professional golf lessons for fear that any advice may alter our game in a way that we’re either not accustomed to, or at least not prepared to handle comfortably.  If you’re one of these skeptical types, it’s time to step out of your comfort zone a bit and give a lesson a try.  With the aid of advancements in video and computer technology, golf lessons have come a long way in recent years.  Pros now have the capability to use this technology to point out even the smallest flaws, and ultimately help us improve our techniques while eliminating bad habits. Whether it’s your golf swing plane, how you compress the golf ball, or your stance/address that needs work, a professional can use the data from your lesson to suggest small improvements that can go a long way towards lowering your handicap.

This is NOT what your lesson should look like.

Most golfers can get more than enough help with a brief 30 minutes session.  In this time frame, a pro can usually determine most, if not all, of the major issues effecting your swing.  Keep in mind that one lesson (even 2 or 3) by itself will not make you an exceptional golfer, but these little improvements will certainly result in better play.  Make sure to give yourself small and accomplishable goals; don’t try to fix your whole swing at once.  After your lesson is complete, we also advise taking the information you’ve gathered and applying it to the following practice techniques.

• Short Game Practice: Take what you learn from chipping and putting and dedicate two hours per week tuning up on the practice green (your back yard or a practice surface will work in a pinch).  Remember, most of our scoring comes from about 100 yards into the cup.
• Mid/Long Game Practice:  This can be accomplished at the driving range with a bucket of balls, indoor hitting bay, or an indoor simulator game.  Play games on the range utilizing what was taught to you in your lesson. Dedicate about an hour each week to this part of your game.
• Mental Game:  There are no one-size-fits-all methods to improve this part of your game since we all have different physiological starting points.  Some of us blow up and throw clubs, bang the ground, throw things in the lake, curse, etc.  Others will remain calm, carry on and continue play.  Either way the key is to not let your focus slip away.  This game requires 100% attention and concentration for every shot.

Here are a couple of preparation suggestions and tips to give you an idea of what to expect from your first golf lesson:

• Ask the professional prior to your lesson what clubs to bring. Most likely, they will ask you to bring a mid iron (5-6-7) and your driver.   You normally don’t have to bring your whole bag to a lesson, unless you’re lesson is at the driving range and plan on practicing afterwards by yourself, or even playing a round.  If at indoor facility like a PGA Superstore or Golfsmith, you may be able to use their demo clubs.
• Golf lessons typically run about 30-60 minutes depending on the pro’s schedule and how much you’re willing to pay. The price range can fluctuate depending on the professional, the facility, or the club/course where you take the lessons so always inquire before getting started.
• Dress as if you’re heading out on the course.  You don’t have to go full “Rickie Fowler” with matching belts and hats, but stay away from the t-shirts and sneakers.
• Bring a water bottle to stay hydrated during your lesson and be prepared to focus and record (mentally or writing down) everything you learn.
• You’ll most likely be provided with a wealth of information at your lesson and it can often be difficult to remember everything the pro taught you.  For this reason it’s important to log your lessons by taking notes and even capturing videos or pictures that you can refer back to during later practice sessions. The lessons only run about 30-60 minutes depending on how much you pay.

Taking a professional golf lesson is one of the best ways to properly improve your game so unless your freak of nature like Bubba Watson (who has never had a golf lesson in his life) we highly suggest hiring pro to help fine tune your game.

(Cover Photo Credit)