5 Benefits of Getting Golf Lessons

It’s an oft-repeated response when golfers ask how they can improve – ‘get a lesson, see a pro’. But what are the tangible benefits of having formalised golf lessons (versus a swing tip from your mates on the putting green!)? As if you needed any more convincing, check out what we think are the best benefits of taking a golf lesson … or two!

Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography

Professional Advice

The first, and most obvious, benefit to getting golf lessons is that you’re enlisting the help of somebody who does this for a living. The advancement of YouTube Golf instruction is great, but if you’re not able to properly apply it to fix your own issues, then there’s a chance that you can end up doing more harm than good. 

The starting point for any lessons should be to diagnose the elements of your current swing which are causing the particular issues with which you’re struggling. From there, steps can be taken to correct it. A dedicated professional will not only be able to spot the areas for improvement, but will also know the best way of getting you back on the straight and narrow (or fairway!). Save yourself some time and go and see a pro before going down the wormhole of self-diagnosis … speaking of which … 

A Second Set of Eyes

Our next benefit is another simple one, but one not realised by enough golfers. Placing a camera in the ideal spot to properly capture your swing so that you can analyse it effectively can be tricky. Moving your angle by just a few degrees can drastically change how your swing looks.

Whilst modern pros will often lean on cameras and technology throughout their lessons, the vast majority will still be paying vast attention to your swing as it appears in front of them. From grip, to alignment, to tempo – good professionals will often be able to spot tweaks (or wholesale changes) that might be needed from an initial look at a few swings during your warm up; even if they do then rely on cameras and technology to validate their thinking.

Tailored Improvement For Your Swing

Another huge benefit of individual golf lessons, is that there really is no ‘one size fits all’ for the golf swing. There’s many reasons why Jim Furyk, Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, and Jon Rahm have the various quirks that are the hallmark of their own swings. However, trying to ‘fix’ their swings by implementing ‘perfect’ positioning would be undoubtably foolish. These guys embrace, and master, their natural tendencies; helping them to feel natural and unincumbered on the course.

Good professionals will embrace the individuality of your own swing, helping you to maximise its effectiveness, whilst hopefully pointing out any pitfalls to avoid. Pros may have their own swing theories or particular parts of the motion that they like to focus on, but the best teachers will help you embrace these as part of your existing move, rather than trying to pick apart and rebuild your entire swing!

Realistic Expectations

Home truth time? The level that you’re looking to get to, might not be achievable. A beginner looking to shoot 59 in his or her first year of play is likely to have 365 days of disappointment ahead of them. Enlisting the help of an experienced professional can be hugely beneficial in setting your own milestones and expectations for improvement. Whether you’re looking to break 100, 90, 80, or 70, your pro should be able to give you a steer on what’s possible … as long as you stick to the plan, and put in the work!

Accountability

Speaking of which, signing up for a series of lessons is a great way to create some accountability for your improvement. The game should be fun, particularly as you’re getting better, and it certainly shouldn’t feel like being back at school – however, bluntly, it’s pointless paying for golf lessons if you’re not going to do your fair share by practicing the new moves between your lessons.This can be hugely rewarding, as you report back your improvements to your professional at your next lesson, with them able to take this on board and tweak your lessons accordingly. 

A Shared Journey of Improvement

Our final benefit of getting golf lessons goes hand in hand with our previous point around accountability. A good pro should become an ally over time, routing for your successes, and helping to steady the ship when things aren’t going so well. Getting better is great, but it’s a lot more enjoyable if you’ve got somebody to share it with. Believe us, your non-golfing friends and family really don’t want to hear how you’ve nailed your new backswing positioning, but your pro should at least be pleased about the progress – before they set your next challenge!

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