Lessons Conundrum

Well today is my birthday and I asked Mrs Digs to get me some golf lessons at West Hove golf club. Quite cunning really, as the lessons are from her she cant feel bad about me going off for them or indeed getting some practise and course time to make sure they are not wasted....well thats the plan anyway, I live in hope.
So 6 hour lessons for £175, not bad value I thought and Im probably going top join the club at some point so this will mean I at least know one oft he pros there before I do and will get a feel for the place.
The question is, bearing in mind that I havent really swung a club for 6 months and barely played last year and wasnt much cop anyway, do I just let him start again from scratch and teach me the swing that he thinks will work. Or do I go to the range a few times first, try and groove my swing a bit and then get him to iron out any faults that he sees?
To be honest I have always been able to hit the ball pretty nicely on the range,when Ive had lessons in the past the pros have said the basics are fine, it just tends to fall apart on the course so Im not sure wheher a completely new swing will change this or whether I should be spending my money sitting on a psychiatrists couch instead.
Anyway Im looking forward to getting back out there one way or the other, been far too long.

As you've been away from it for a while, I'd let him start from scratch but you have to try and forget all you used to do and not slip back into your old habits if things feel a bit strange at first.

Just my humble opinion, of course.

Just pocket her £175 and don't bother with the lessons digs, let's face it being self taught never did Bubba Watson any harm!

Good luck diggs and like your cunning plan I decided on lessons earlier this year, and they were really the first I'd had, so didn't want him ripping me apart. I had a chat with him and he said that he worked by watching you swing - see any problems - sort them out with you - you then practice and go back for lesson 2 where he checks you again. Although I finished up with a new grip, stance and swing it wasn't major surgery. My grip was weak so he roilled my left wrist further to the right. My stance was too open which lowered me and legs to wide apart, so simple fix there. My swing was the biggest change, but in effect the only thing I had to do was roatate my uper body, as i had only a a half back swing from a straight takeaway. The results have been great, but its now just practice and getting some consistency. I shooting lower scores (Except in medals ) and enjoying the feel of striking a good ball, which flys further.

I paid £300 for 7-lessons so you've got a decent deal there. My final lesson is 9-holes with the pro. So my advice is to have a chat with him before going off to the range and starting something that will probably need tweaking.

Cheers guys, yep I think I will just let him get on with it and do his worst, after all you cant polish a turd as they say.
Blue I already can hit a lot of Bubbaesque shots, problem is to the wrong sides of the fairways. The hooks start left and the slices start right.

Best of luck with the lessons. I've also decided to have a series of lessons. Two down so far.

As others have said the first few should be on correcting posture and alignment with a little grip and take away thrown in perhaps. By the time you process these changes you should already see improvements.

A bit surprised you have 1 hour lessons. I have always had 30 minute lessons and normally find 15 to 20 minutes is enough. The probalm with 1 hour lessons is you may end up getting too many changes and find it difficult to remember and implement them all. Better to break it down into smaller bite size changes.

I'm also having trouble in the medals. Range and bounce games mostly feels better, but with a card in the hand its difficult to trust the changes. I did play a medal 10 days ago and something clicked and I was on a great score through 9. Unfortunately the excitement of being on a score and having to think about every swing became too much and I blew up on the back 9.

I agree with LadyPutt.
I really wish i had looked for lessons from day one. I'd love to have a bit of a clean slate (ie not playing for a few months) and enough time to forget all the crappy things i do and just go along to a pro and tell him to start from A

I think you've got a great opportunity Digs

ScottieD18 wrote:Best of luck with the lessons. I've also decided to have a series of lessons. Two down so far.

As others have said the first few should be on correcting posture and alignment with a little grip and take away thrown in perhaps. By the time you process these changes you should already see improvements.

A bit surprised you have 1 hour lessons. I have always had 30 minute lessons and normally find 15 to 20 minutes is enough. The probalm with 1 hour lessons is you may end up getting too many changes and find it difficult to remember and implement them all. Better to break it down into smaller bite size changes.

I'm also having trouble in the medals. Range and bounce games mostly feels better, but with a card in the hand its difficult to trust the changes. I did play a medal 10 days ago and something clicked and I was on a great score through 9. Unfortunately the excitement of being on a score and having to think about every swing became too much and I blew up on the back 9.

Its an interesting point about the one hour thing. Ive had 30 minute lessons in the past and found them not quite long enough though I agree an hour could be a bit much. Hopefully Ill get on with the pro, be a bit painful otherwise. Also with the hour lessons I think you play a few holes on the course for at least one of them and idl iek him to see any differences between the range and the course.
But ultimately I went for the hour ones as they will get me out of the house and away from screaming babies for longer

The more you "groove" now the more he hast "ungroove"..... I would go along with what you have and then spend time at the range grooving what he tries to teach you...

Diggers you don't get on with anyone, so feel for yor pro

How very dare you Doc, and on my birthday as well. I am a complete pussycat....just a bit misunderstood thats all....

Happy birthday mate, have a good one

Happy Birthday! :cheers:

Digs

Although you've not played for a while, when you pick up a club again I suspect you'll find you still have a 'grooved' swing. It's a bit like riding a bike, it never really goes away. Any swing flaws from last time you played will still be in there!

So turn up, warm up and let the Pro work his magic

Have you had any of your lessons yet Digs? How did you get on?

Not yet Grumps, has been chucking it down the last few weeks and the range they use isnt covered.
Im off work Thursday so might have one then, though forecast is still pretty miserable. Another rainy bank holiday weekend looms !

Fingers crossed for your drought to stop soon then Digs.