GolfTEC Review(s) Costs/Value Pros/Cons etc.

[300_Straight]

Find a certified Trackman instructor in your area and take lessons there. It's an amazing machine.

 

Sorry but a fool with a tool is still a fool. Having a track man doesn't make someone a good teacher. They should look for the best teacher in their area. If he happens to have a trackman great. If he has a vhs camcorder but can teach I rather take a lessons from the guy with a vhs camcorder than a guy who happens to own a trackman but can't teach

That's why I said certified Trackman instructor. But yes, agreed.

[iteachgolf]

Find a certified Trackman instructor in your area and take lessons there. It's an amazing machine.

 

Sorry but a fool with a tool is still a fool. Having a track man doesn't make someone a good teacher. They should look for the best teacher in their area. If he happens to have a trackman great. If he has a vhs camcorder but can teach I rather take a lessons from the guy with a vhs camcorder than a guy who happens to own a trackman but can't teach

That's why I said certified Trackman instructor. But yes, agreed.

 

Again being a certified Trackman instructor has zero to do with teaching. Knowing how to use Trackman and reading numbers doesn't make you a competent instructor let alone a good one. It's an online test and you don't have to own or even ever used Trackman to take/pass it.

[callofthewild]

There's already a number of threads discussing personal experiences and some of the pros/cons of Golf Tec (GT) - but one of the things I didn't seem to find were pricing disclosures - these are hidden on their website unless you give them your info - thus agreeing to be solicited.

 

For starters, attached is a screenshot of the "packages" prices and actual costs. If you do the math - it's likely more than double, even triple of what a local pro usually charges in my area. Say I wanted 10 lessons - that's $99/half hour! ($200/hour!!!) Their "sale" is currently $75/half hour - hmmmmm

 

There is no quality or learning guarantee no matter where you go - It's all YMMV - the GT guy or the local pro may be anywhere from fair to excellent at teaching. There's also no guarantee you will be able to learn what they teach, no matter how good of a teacher they are!

 

BUT - if you're a visual person like me - in my opinion, there is NO replacement for seeing what your swing actually looks like on video. Even better with a side by side comparison of a pro's swing - and seeing your own swing both down the line, and 90º front on views (as they provide).

 

There will also be huge differences in value depending on an individual's playing abilities and work ethic. Someone who is a total beginner is going to waste a lot of money at GT, in my opinion. I say this because it takes hundreds to thousands of hours to learn to play golf with consistency and skill. Not to say it can't be done, but they would have to spend 24/7 living eating and breathing golf to progress at the level some people might expect. There is no "instant gratification". You can't buy talent/natural ability. Some may not want to put in the work it actually takes. Some even may never be able to "get it".

 

On the other hand, a skilled player looking to improve might only need a few simple keys from GT and be off to the races. That was my experience.

 

I received a small promo package as a gift - Swing Analysis, 3 Lessons, full bag fitting and some hours of solo, in-bay practice (w/video playback system). It helped me tweak some important things, and I was considering going back for more - until I saw the PRICES!

 

I'm 100% self taught - started playing in 2005, and progressed quickly down to single digit with a low of 2, hovering usually around 3-6 depending on season. I knew I was not textbook with my swing, but still got the job done. The GT sessions helped me see how to improve my positions for greater control and distance, I also found out that my self taught setup was right on the numbers and need absolutely no adjustment! Since I was already low - I didn't have any grand delusions of taking much off my game, but really just improving reliability and minimizing my typical errors - overcooked draws). Since I'm no spring chicken - I also realize I'm probably very close to my prime/peak so buying into more GT for me doesn't make a ton of sense as I'm not bound for the LPGA. I'm already in the very top percentile of senior women golfers in my state - respectable enough.

 

So for me - after only 3 sessions - I made some major swing changes and have seen the improvement I was hoping for. I'm still working on those changes and doing my reps. GolfTEC did a decent job of identifying some things, and helping me with some helpful changes, but I'm not going to keep going there over and over for small things I can work on, on my own. I'm quite glad I did it but will NOT be buying into the "endless lessons" they are selling. I might reconsider at $30/half hour - but not at those outrageous prices. I'll start video taping myself if I feel things getting off. I'll engage a professional swing coach to help me if I feel I need further tweaks.

 

So I guess my short term experience is positive, but with a grain of salt on the whole GT business model. Financially, for many people I think considering alternatives, or a mix of learning situations could optimize the usefulness of GT and/or those types of lessons.

 

Hope this helps some - comments welcome!

 

 

 

 

As many have alluded to, GolfTec is like any other instruction plan...it totally depends on the instructor. I have been going there off/on for three plus years. I have worked with 4 or 5 different teachers across 3 different locations (there are a handful of centers in my city).

 

1) The first instructor had literally zero personality and I could tell we were not a match. Swiped left after the first session.

2) Second instructor (same facility) was great and we had a good run for a year or so.

3) I changed jobs which meant changing my GT location. New instructor accordingly. HUGE improvements in a very short time but looking back they were band-aids (which held up for a while). He left that location to start a new GT location that was too far away. Bummer.

4) Switched to a different instructor who left GT after a few lessons to relocate across the country. Ugh.

5) Worked with a different pro at a different GT closer to my house. It was a nightmare. Shanks almost immediately from working with him. Had NEVER had them before. NEVER. Could not get rid of them. And worst of all, he started freaking out. In our fourth or fifth lesson, he completely melted down and basically fired me as a client. Mind you, I had been completely calm and level-headed about the whole process. He had worked 12 hours straight that day and hadn't had a break according to him. He sent me a lengthy apology the next day and I told him we should move on. My friend who introduced us fired him as a result because he was so unprofessional in handling things. Complete mess across the board.

6) Went back to instructor #3 at his new location to get rid of the shanks. A couple sessions later I was back to normal. Worked with him a bit more but decided to part ways with GT on the lesson side.

 

I do still use their facilities for indoor practice because I live in an area with true winter and want to keep hitting. There are five centers within 20 minutes of my house or office so it makes sense from that perspective and there are not better options that I am aware of.

 

I offer this recap not to scare you, or frighten any one away from GolfTec. I only offer it as a Your Mileage May Vary tale. I agree that their technology is stale and much more widely available than when they started their business. But everything they do completely varies by location and instructor...finding the right one is the key (yes, I am Captain Obvious). It is also crucial to find a location where the Foresight actually works...I have booked many a practice time only to get there and waste my time trying to get that sucker up and running to no avail. Yuck.

 

Best of luck.

[Coalminecanary]

I've done two bouts of Golftec, both with good results. The instruction was fine but the big plus for me was the winter practice. I generally golf March to November outside of Palm Springs/Vegas trips (TY Pacific Northwest weather) so being able to hit balls, etc. a couple days a week kept me reasonably sharp over the winter and even improve a bit. I'm not enrolled in a package right now so I haven't hit a ball since November 15th... :fie:

 

Not sure I'll go back though because:

 

1. Tech could be better

2. Hitting off matts into nets is not the same as grass into the air

3. 1/2 hour lessons are much too short to get anything meaningful done, other than tweaks

4. Cost

[jaxbeachpackerfan]

Update a week later. No golf, 'cause of a low pressure system off the coast with rain and 30 to 40 mph winds from the NE. But did a video practice session on Monday and took advantage of the club fitting session included in my GolfTec package today. Something has really clicked!!!! I mentioned above that I have much better performance with my driver over the last few weeks, but not so much with the irons. After a week holiday no golf layoff, on Monday, the irons were all of a sudden THERE!

 

While I had been getting good results from the lessons in eliminating the chronic over the the top pulls, the irons were stuck in distance limbo over the last few months. Driver had changed over the last few weeks, getting a lot more distance, but not the irons. My 7 iron, my 150 club, was going 135, 140 on what felt like well struck shots. But straight, no pulls, so had helped the game. Was regularly going up a club to compensate.

 

All of a sudden, Monday, BOOM! I was swinging freely, straight and getting my old distance back and more. Huge difference. So pumped, I scheduled the club fitting because I've been consumed about getting new irons for months (mine are 6 1/2 years old). Went in today. Got to say, when we were doing a few base swings with my old irons, the pro was impressed, said early on "where is this coming from".

 

Lot of stats generated from the session. Took probably 50 measured swings. ONE thin right shot, TWO too long a back swing mega pulls, all the rest very consistent distance and shot shape shots, just path differences. That's not me, I've always been a good shot, bad shot, two good shots, three bad shots guy.

 

Distance and swing speed. My 6 iron has been my reference club. Best ss usually around 72 or so, and a total distance of 160 plus or minus. Monday and today, 76 to 80, a few between 70 and 75. Distance at least +10.

 

Hit the Mizuno MP 25s, liked. The Ping i's, didn't like--looked funny at setup, couldn't put a good swing on them (and I excluded them from the summary above). Callaway Apex CF 16, didn't particularly care for the appearance, but wow, a good club longer, same length, same lie. And the MP 15. I LOVED that club. Best dispersion, real consistent, with both Mizuno's, but the Apex was not far off.

 

Digressing here, but can't wait to play Friday, I have never, ever, hit irons so long or as consistently as I have Monday and today. The swing is finally starting to feel free and natural. I hit a 185 yd 7 iron with the Apex today, high,straight down the middle with an ever so slight draw. From the stats, 178 carry, 7 yds roll. Until this week, I'd have said my best straight legit shot with a 7 iron had been 155-160. I'm really liking the results now.

 

Ah, back to reality. A "meh" round today. Did hit a few good shots, but nothing like the consistency of Monday and Wednesday. Guess one doesn't master the secret of golf that easily. A 46/44 on a very wet course. Certainly didn't get the extra distance I was getting the other days. More practice!

 

Ah, today, the round I was waiting for! Had a good video practice session yesterday, video showed clearly that I was still lifting my arms at the end of the backswing after my shoulders had stopped turning. Someone had suggested a couple of weeks ago shortening the backswing by consciously stopping it when the shoulders stopped turning. Worked on that yesterday with good results. Today, best score ever on my current course (TPC Sawgrass Valley) and best score in about 14 years! A very solid 42/39--81. Finally carried over the iron play I had been achieving in the lessons and practice to the course. The backswing stopping swingthought really worked. Only one or two swings where it got away from me.

 

Now the big dilemma--I was going to schedule a lesson for Thursday. My playing partners all yelled "don't do it!" "You'll screw things up!".

[duffer18]

Before starting with GolfTec a few years ago, I tried three different teachers. One, who used video, started out well but when I hit a plateau, he couldn't get me better--and when he started taking phone calls during my lessons, I figured it was time to bail. Another guy was a one trick pony. And a third guy, who is by all accounts a very good instructor, wanted me to change my swing in ways I knew I had neither the time nor the will to address at that point. Maybe if I'd met him earlier, it would have worked. I also checked out a pro at a nearby big box store--not worthy of my time or money.

 

Finally, I gave GolfTec a shot, with a great deal of skepticism. All I can tell you is that it hasn't been cheap, but it's worked. I'm an old guy, almost 64. Playing as well as I ever have (most of the time). We're always working on things, but I have a swing that I understand and can sometimes repair on the course--which is something I've never had. My instructor can find flaws quickly when I've gone awry. I'm hitting the ball longer than most of the younger studs I play with. Golf is a lot more enjoyable, on a regular basis, since I started with GolfTec.

 

Sure, maybe there are independent pros who would do a better job, cheaper. But I haven't found one. For me, GolfTec has been more important than new clubs. I know that's heresy on this site, but that's the truth. I've got a good instructor, the chance to practice and review video, and to use a launch monitor. For some of us, GolfTec works.

[tdk8180]

I decided last January to do 15 lessons and 15 practice sessions. It cost $1400. I knew the pro from my past days as a junior golfer at my club when he was an asst pro. That helped with the decision. It was good information that I was seeking out. It definitely helped me "see" where my swing was at. I dedicated two days a week in the winter to hitting balls and putting in time to grain the swing in.

 

Pros...improved my ball striking, had more rounds under 73 than any other season. Won $1350 in Skins money, made 29 more birdies than any other season. Understand my swing better than ever.

 

Cons...the swing tweak put more pressure on my left hip at impact, ive had a nagging sciatic nerve issue since September. Ive learned of physical limitations that will prevent me from advancing my game any further unless I undertake an advanced workout routine and change my body and diet. High cost to learn the simplest of fixes, but information that I wasnt willing to get at a cheaper cost.

 

Bottom line

 

GolfTec is like this. You dont have to have a mirror to know what you look like when you talk, laugh, smile, etc. Right? You get a daily repetition of seeing your face. What GolfTec is, what it does, is gives you the same effect as the mirror-face visual effect. After seeing your swing on camera, every single swing for an entire bucket of balls, two days a week. You begin to synthesize what you think your swing looks like and what it actually looks like. You begin to feel the proper positions and visualize what that looks like in your mind. So when you're walking around without a mirror (playing a round of golf), you can see your face (swing) without having to literally see your face (swing).

[Brian Bangalore]

I purchased a lesson plan from GolfTec when i was just starting out. The technology they use intrigued me and I figured it would teach me a good fundamental swing. Long story short I was wrong.

 

Pricing:

Way too expensive and subjective. I don't like how pricing is a secret which leads me to believe they engage in price discrimination (econ 101: charging people different prices to maximize their profit and minimize consumer surplus :taunt: ). The math came out so something like $75 for a 30 min lesson. For that price you can get a top quality PGA instructor.

 

Knowledge:

No one was a PGA Pro at the facility I visited. They were good golfers who went through a training course and became "GolfTec" certified. That's not good enough for me. I don't need a PGA Pro, but for what they charge I expect top quality instruction. Some facilities do have PGA Pros on staff, but not at mine. My first instructor had around a 15 handicap. Unacceptable. I have had other Pros look at the videos of the training session and ask "what was he trying to teach you".

 

They teach stack and tilt. Stack and tilt is wrong in so many ways. Horrible fundamentals.

 

Overall:

Entirely not worth it. Find a good pro, preferably one with tour experience if you can find one. I'm lucky enough to train with a former European LPGA tour pro :golfer: . I spent a good amount of time unlearning the stack and tilt garbage they taught me at GolfTec. Its such a ripoff. Just a bunch of salesmen. Side note: Build yourself a plane board for $50. Best investment every.

[jaxbeachpackerfan]

"They teach stack and tilt. Stack and tilt is wrong in so many ways. Horrible fundamentals."

 

I've seen this comment about GolfTec teaching SnT many times. I've not seen it at all. I went and read a lot of the SnT thread and wouldn't say that's what any of my three instructors there have tried to teach. I know they've got their angles and stuff, but my instruction has been more addressed to getting on plane, shortening the backswing and eliminating hip sway. The closest thing maybe I've heard is to visualize the right hip back pocket staying flush with an imaginary wall behind me and actually move a bit forward at the top of the backswing, but I think that's a pretty basic concept for a good golf swing.

 

Maybe every location is different or maybe I don't realize I'm being taught something.

[Roody]

They teach stack and tilt. Stack and tilt is wrong in so many ways. Horrible fundamentals.

After modifying my swing in the most recent spate of lessons, I asked my teacher "aren't you essentially having me do the stack and tilt?". He kinda danced around the question. Wouldn't say yes, but didn't say no either. I'm pretty sure SnT is what he was teaching.

 

For iron shots, I saw really good improvement. Very solid contact, hitting longer than I was used to. But I couldn't hit a driver or fairway wood to save my life. Wicked snap-hooks.

[Brian Bangalore]

They teach stack and tilt. Stack and tilt is wrong in so many ways. Horrible fundamentals.

After modifying my swing in the most recent spate of lessons, I asked my teacher "aren't you essentially having me do the stack and tilt?". He kinda danced around the question. Wouldn't say yes, but didn't say no either. I'm pretty sure SnT is what he was teaching.

 

For iron shots, I saw really good improvement. Very solid contact, hitting longer than I was used to. But I couldn't hit a driver or fairway wood to save my life. Wicked snap-hooks.

 

That's EXACTLY how they responded to me as well. Whether or not they call it SnT or not, they were having me suck the club to the inside, no weight transfer, and then rip my shoulders open to hit the ball :dntknw: .

 

My results were similar to yours: Could sometimes hit a good iron shot with a lot of upper body strength, but the longer clubs were usually a huge slice or snap hook if I shut the club face too fast. Just a terrible way of swinging the club; and dangerous for the body. Very inconsistent. Sometimes I would crack a drive 300 yards, mostly I would miss the fairway with far less distance, sometimes I would slice wayyyyy out of bounds. What's the point of that. :nono:

[Jude]

I tried them for a year and all they did was try to get me to move certain parts of my body like the pros and I can honestly say I went from a 4 hcp to a 15. So After a year of this I went back to digging it out the dirt and got back down to a 4. I'm mostly a feel player and have been my whole life. To me it was to much technical jargon and angles.

[Roody]

I tried them for a year and all they did was try to get me to move certain parts of my body like the pros and I can honestly say I went from a 4 hcp to a 15. So After a year of this I went back to digging it out the dirt and got back down to a 4. I'm mostly a feel player and have been my whole life. To me it was to much technical jargon and angles.

There was a lot of that with my lessons as well. Felt like every lesson was "so here's Rory's swing, here's your swing. Look how Rory is really good at this. Look how you kinda suck at this compared to Rory".

 

I feel that the better teachers out there will try to assess your physical limitations, and work a swing around that. Not try and cram you into positions that your body can't do. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this is how Butch Harmon approaches his students. My previous teacher before Golftec was more like this, and I felt like I got better results. Unfortunately he retired 4 years ago, so I gave Golftec a look.

[Jude]

I tried them for a year and all they did was try to get me to move certain parts of my body like the pros and I can honestly say I went from a 4 hcp to a 15. So After a year of this I went back to digging it out the dirt and got back down to a 4. I'm mostly a feel player and have been my whole life. To me it was to much technical jargon and angles.

There was a lot of that with my lessons as well. Felt like every lesson was "so here's Rory's swing, here's your swing. Look how Rory is really good at this. Look how you kinda suck at this compared to Rory".

 

I feel that the better teachers out there will try to assess your physical limitations, and work a swing around that. Not try and cram you into positions that your body can't do. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this is how Butch Harmon approaches his students. My previous teacher before Golftec was more like this, and I felt like I got better results. Unfortunately he retired 4 years ago, so I gave Golftec a look.

 

Thats exactly how my experience was. "Here's tiger at the top and blah blah blah."

[Brian Bangalore]

I tried them for a year and all they did was try to get me to move certain parts of my body like the pros and I can honestly say I went from a 4 hcp to a 15. So After a year of this I went back to digging it out the dirt and got back down to a 4. I'm mostly a feel player and have been my whole life. To me it was to much technical jargon and angles.

There was a lot of that with my lessons as well. Felt like every lesson was "so here's Rory's swing, here's your swing. Look how Rory is really good at this. Look how you kinda suck at this compared to Rory".

 

I feel that the better teachers out there will try to assess your physical limitations, and work a swing around that. Not try and cram you into positions that your body can't do. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this is how Butch Harmon approaches his students. My previous teacher before Golftec was more like this, and I felt like I got better results. Unfortunately he retired 4 years ago, so I gave Golftec a look.

 

Hilarious :rofl: ! Another experience I share with you. "You see how Rory starts down in the downswing? Do you see how you come over the top? Just don't come over the top". What kind of teaching is that?! I heard a lesson adjacent to me where he was telling a senior man "don't come over the top, don't come over the top". So disrespectful and worthless. They spent 90% talking about what your swing is supposed to be and 10% on how to do it. Of that 10%, they were usually wrong. I hate them.

[jaxbeachpackerfan]

I tried them for a year and all they did was try to get me to move certain parts of my body like the pros and I can honestly say I went from a 4 hcp to a 15. So After a year of this I went back to digging it out the dirt and got back down to a 4. I'm mostly a feel player and have been my whole life. To me it was to much technical jargon and angles.

There was a lot of that with my lessons as well. Felt like every lesson was "so here's Rory's swing, here's your swing. Look how Rory is really good at this. Look how you kinda suck at this compared to Rory".

 

I feel that the better teachers out there will try to assess your physical limitations, and work a swing around that. Not try and cram you into positions that your body can't do. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this is how Butch Harmon approaches his students. My previous teacher before Golftec was more like this, and I felt like I got better results. Unfortunately he retired 4 years ago, so I gave Golftec a look.

 

Hilarious :rofl: ! Another experience I share with you. "You see how Rory starts down in the downswing? Do you see how you come over the top? Just don't come over the top". What kind of teaching is that?! I heard a lesson adjacent to me where he was telling a senior man "don't come over the top, don't come over the top". So disrespectful and worthless. They spent 90% talking about what your swing is supposed to be and 10% on how to do it. Of that 10%, they were usually wrong. I hate them.

 

Everyone's mileage does vary, I guess. When my new index comes out tomorrow, it will be 12.8. Was 16.7 when I started back up with my current pro at GolfTec. Trend will be right around 11 I think. I have to say its 90% attributable to my lessons and video practice. Almost 4 strokes of index off my HC in 7 months of at most twice a month lessons. I'm pleased. I do believe I'm fortunate because I get none of the stuff referred to above. I've never been shown a video of a tour pro with this guy, for example. When he's illustrates something, he does a couple of swings and puts his own swing on the monitor.

[DatSliceDoe]

I purchased a lesson plan from GolfTec when i was just starting out. The technology they use intrigued me and I figured it would teach me a good fundamental swing. Long story short I was wrong.

 

Pricing:

Way too expensive and subjective. I don't like how pricing is a secret which leads me to believe they engage in price discrimination (econ 101: charging people different prices to maximize their profit and minimize consumer surplus :taunt: ). The math came out so something like $75 for a 30 min lesson. For that price you can get a top quality PGA instructor.

 

Knowledge:

No one was a PGA Pro at the facility I visited. They were good golfers who went through a training course and became "GolfTec" certified. That's not good enough for me. I don't need a PGA Pro, but for what they charge I expect top quality instruction. Some facilities do have PGA Pros on staff, but not at mine. My first instructor had around a 15 handicap. Unacceptable. I have had other Pros look at the videos of the training session and ask "what was he trying to teach you".

 

They teach stack and tilt. Stack and tilt is wrong in so many ways. Horrible fundamentals.

 

Overall:

Entirely not worth it. Find a good pro, preferably one with tour experience if you can find one. I'm lucky enough to train with a former European LPGA tour pro :golfer: . I spent a good amount of time unlearning the stack and tilt garbage they taught me at GolfTec. Its such a ripoff. Just a bunch of salesmen. Side note: Build yourself a plane board for $50. Best investment every.

I tried them for a year and all they did was try to get me to move certain parts of my body like the pros and I can honestly say I went from a 4 hcp to a 15. So After a year of this I went back to digging it out the dirt and got back down to a 4. I'm mostly a feel player and have been my whole life. To me it was to much technical jargon and angles.

I tried them for a year and all they did was try to get me to move certain parts of my body like the pros and I can honestly say I went from a 4 hcp to a 15. So After a year of this I went back to digging it out the dirt and got back down to a 4. I'm mostly a feel player and have been my whole life. To me it was to much technical jargon and angles.

There was a lot of that with my lessons as well. Felt like every lesson was "so here's Rory's swing, here's your swing. Look how Rory is really good at this. Look how you kinda suck at this compared to Rory".

 

I feel that the better teachers out there will try to assess your physical limitations, and work a swing around that. Not try and cram you into positions that your body can't do. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this is how Butch Harmon approaches his students. My previous teacher before Golftec was more like this, and I felt like I got better results. Unfortunately he retired 4 years ago, so I gave Golftec a look.

 

Hilarious :rofl: ! Another experience I share with you. "You see how Rory starts down in the downswing? Do you see how you come over the top? Just don't come over the top". What kind of teaching is that?! I heard a lesson adjacent to me where he was telling a senior man "don't come over the top, don't come over the top". So disrespectful and worthless. They spent 90% talking about what your swing is supposed to be and 10% on how to do it. Of that 10%, they were usually wrong. I hate them.

 

Fully agree here. I was told to match my angles to the pros. No real explanation of how or why I should do it other than, if DJ does it, you should too. I was really at a loss at some points in the lesson on what I should be trying to emulate, and when I felt like I'd done it, the angles weren't any better and the instructor kept on about the same old stuff.

 

As for the S&T comment, absolutely did they try to get me to do it. They wouldn't call it S&T when I asked him point blank, but he danced around it enough to convince me that was what it was. And it doesn't work. Fad is over for the large part.

 

Anyhow, as I said several pages back: go seek a real pro, PGA or not. Someone you can trust and who can understand where you want to be and how to get you there over time, affordability is a bonus as well. I'm not a fan of pushy/salesmen type golf professionals, I know its their job, but I'm the one paying. Earn my business.

[Terry Gold]

More power to those that have improved as a result of their business model. That said, improvement is or can be as easily achieved through methods requiring far less of an upfront financial commitment to arbitrary/undisclosed methods of instruction.

Generally speaking, GolfTEC is The Scientology Center of Golf Instruction.

[tdk8180]

More power to those that have improved as a result of their business model. That said, improvement is or can be as easily achieved through methods requiring far less of an upfront financial commitment to arbitrary/undisclosed methods of instruction.

Generally speaking, GolfTEC is The Scientology Center of Golf Instruction.

 

It does feel a little bit like Scientology. It's pushed on you to buy lessons, they talk to you in a way that makes you feel like you could get better if you listen to them but not good enough to stop coming back for more lessons, they have a different method of showing you your flaws (e-meters VS confessional booth at church). They spend exactly the amount of time you have paid for, which is fine but for the cost you would like to believe they care a little more. Ya, its structured like Scientology.

[Brian Bangalore]

More power to those that have improved as a result of their business model. That said, improvement is or can be as easily achieved through methods requiring far less of an upfront financial commitment to arbitrary/undisclosed methods of instruction.

Generally speaking, GolfTEC is The Scientology Center of Golf Instruction.

 

It does feel a little bit like Scientology. It's pushed on you to buy lessons, they talk to you in a way that makes you feel like you could get better if you listen to them but not good enough to stop coming back for more lessons, they have a different method of showing you your flaws (e-meters VS confessional booth at church). They spend exactly the amount of time you have paid for, which is fine but for the cost you would like to believe they care a little more. Ya, its structured like Scientology.

 

I don't know how scientology feels like :dntknw: but I felt taken advantage of in GolfTec. Yes, the lessons are 30min on the dot for ~$75 with a "GolfTec certified coach". Aka someone who is good at golf and participated in a 2 week training program or something to that effect. I felt bad for all the senior citizens who I witnessed getting ripped off.

[jaxbeachpackerfan]

More power to those that have improved as a result of their business model. That said, improvement is or can be as easily achieved through methods requiring far less of an upfront financial commitment to arbitrary/undisclosed methods of instruction.

Generally speaking, GolfTEC is The Scientology Center of Golf Instruction.

 

It does feel a little bit like Scientology. It's pushed on you to buy lessons, they talk to you in a way that makes you feel like you could get better if you listen to them but not good enough to stop coming back for more lessons, they have a different method of showing you your flaws (e-meters VS confessional booth at church). They spend exactly the amount of time you have paid for, which is fine but for the cost you would like to believe they care a little more. Ya, its structured like Scientology.

 

I don't know how scientology feels like :dntknw: but I felt taken advantage of in GolfTec. Yes, the lessons are 30min on the dot for ~$75 with a "GolfTec certified coach". Aka someone who is good at golf and participated in a 2 week training program or something to that effect. I felt bad for all the senior citizens who I witnessed getting ripped off.

 

Again, YMMV, but my lessons have never gone just 30 mins. I've had 35, 45 mins, even hour of time spent with my pro, only once limited by a lesson coming in after mine. Maybe I'm lucky, but I've got a non-pressure, low-key, listening pro (Kraig Brandt, if he needs or would like a shout out) and his approach and expertise is as good or better than other pro's lesson programs I've had over the last 32 years years of my golfing career. Also, I've never had a 4 stroke reduction in handicap in 6 months ever.....

[Boise59]

"They teach stack and tilt. Stack and tilt is wrong in so many ways. Horrible fundamentals."

 

I've seen this comment about GolfTec teaching SnT many times. I've not seen it at all. I went and read a lot of the SnT thread and wouldn't say that's what any of my three instructors there have tried to teach. I know they've got their angles and stuff, but my instruction has been more addressed to getting on plane, shortening the backswing and eliminating hip sway. The closest thing maybe I've heard is to visualize the right hip back pocket staying flush with an imaginary wall behind me and actually move a bit forward at the top of the backswing, but I think that's a pretty basic concept for a good golf swing.

 

Maybe every location is different or maybe I don't realize I'm being taught something.

 

If the location is following Golftec corporate policy they should be teaching S&T. Their national director of instrcution, Nick Clearwater, is a leading S&T instructor. About 3 years ago Golftec held regional meetings rolling out the S&T curriculum. In the presentation Golftec instructors were told not to inform they were teaching S&T due to the negative response they would get.

 

I still have the hand out if anyone would like to see it.

[scratch72]

Yeah, Clearwater was the very first S&T insructor on you tube then he just vanished. Always wondered what happened to him.

[jaxbeachpackerfan]

Wow, I'll just say YMMV again! Had another lesson today. Seeing these posts just now, I went and reviewed again what Stack & Tilt is. I hear and have been told nothing remotely similar to that concept. I do wonder, one of the other complaints about GolfTec is that they try to match you to Pro swings and angles and such. My first GolfTec instructor did do a lot of video demonstration of pro swings, so there is some of that. He showed me their video database of all the different pros (he did try to pick a pro who had the build and such to be a good model for me--mine was Retief Goodsen). So, are all the pros S&T guys? How can you be pushing matching the pros and be pushing S&T at the same time? Doesn't seem logical or possible.

[scottleo]

I like seeing the comparisons with the pros. They are the pros, why wouldn't I want to emulate their swings and try to get into the proper positions. Believe me, I'm 42 and don't have the flexibility and have deficits in my hip turn, but I try my best during the process and try to get my club into proper positions. I really like the process of seeing my swing on video at anytime I log in. I am def a visual learner, like the drills I get from my coach and have seen a big difference in my 12 lessons already. Have 8 more to go!

[dbleag]

The BEST players in the world must have certain similarities and the same for the WORST players in the world.

 

It would make sense that we should emulate the group in which we'd like to be.

[scottleo]

The BEST players in the world must have certain similarities and the same for the WORST players in the world.

 

It would make sense that we should emulate the group in which we'd like to be.

Couldn't agree more.

[Boise59]

Wow, I'll just say YMMV again! Had another lesson today. Seeing these posts just now, I went and reviewed again what Stack & Tilt is. I hear and have been told nothing remotely similar to that concept. I do wonder, one of the other complaints about GolfTec is that they try to match you to Pro swings and angles and such. My first GolfTec instructor did do a lot of video demonstration of pro swings, so there is some of that. He showed me their video database of all the different pros (he did try to pick a pro who had the build and such to be a good model for me--mine was Retief Goodsen). So, are all the pros S&T guys? How can you be pushing matching the pros and be pushing S&T at the same time? Doesn't seem logical or possible.

 

Depends on who you listen to. S&T guys believe all pro's exhibit S&T fundamentals (they love Bubba even though he clearly has tons of lateral movement), All Golftec pro's at orientation are schooled to teach S&T, however not every center/coach follow Golftec's directives. Golftec however wants every center to be like a McDonald's so that you get the same product in every facility, but many pro's disagree with S&T and if the instructor wants he can get around teaching it.

[EKELLY]

Love the equipment they use, but there is no monitor like the outside, open air. PLUS, typically all those monitors are VERY generous in estimating your carry distance. I do not carry a 7-iron 175 yards, on average. More like 160, because I don't try and paste it......Good concept, but for $100+ an hour, I wanna be on a range.........

[TB07]

Love the equipment they use, but there is no monitor like the outside, open air. PLUS, typically all those monitors are VERY generous in estimating your carry distance. I do not carry a 7-iron 175 yards, on average. More like 160, because I don't try and paste it......Good concept, but for $100+ an hour, I wanna be on a range.........

 

If you want to improve technique indoor/outdoor should be the least concern.