Question about LESSONS

[withdrew]

Hey guys/gals:

 

Let me begin by asking all you PGA Pros or instructors out there to NOT take offense at anything I'm about to say. I am only speaking about my personal experience with two instructors, and I want to get some feedback from this community.

 

I've been playing golf since high-school, but mostly nonsense, I was never any good. When I was in college (about 10 years ago...my god am I that old?) I decided I wanted to play regularly, but I still sucked so I got my father's K-mart clubs (a driver and 5-iron) cut class and went to the driving range with $100. I hit about a dozen large buckets until I had blisters, but I did get to the point where I would ALWAYS make contact, and ALWAYS get the ball airborne, which was my only real goal.

 

What I also ended up doing was reinforcing some terrible habits, I'm sure.

 

Fast forward to 2000, where I came back to the game. Got myself some average equipment (Tommy Armour 845's oversize irons, Tight Lies Woods) and started playing again, sans lessons. Mostly driving range nonsense again, because I didn't want to make a fool of myself.

 

Started a new job in 2000. No more school, but long hours and shift-work, weekends and holidays, only in my dreams. Golf took a back-seat.

 

2005-2007, Weekends and holidays off, salary is pretty good so I don't need any overtime, back to golf. I started playing pitch & putt regularly, got pretty good at it, but still have those fundamental breakdowns that need addressing. Finally took some lessons. Sorry about the lengthy intro, just want to give you some background.

 

First instructor- INFATUATED WITH HIPS. HIP MOTION. HIP MOVEMENT. TWIST YOUR HIPS. TURN. ROTATE YOUR HIPS. DO THIS IN THE SHOWER. TWIST, ROTATE, ETC. ETC. I got kinda sick of it to be honest. He did teach me about letting my arms hang loose, which has stuck with me until this day, but I think I only ended up taking 2 lessons from him.

 

I proceed to get new clubs, the ones in my WITB (except for the woods, which I just got this season).

 

So one day I'm at the range (same place where I took that first lesson) and I hear this other instructor speaking with a guy in the bay next to me. Sounds like a knowledgeable guy, (both of them) and the instructor seems very soft-spoken and patient. I eventually get his card and set up an appointment, which was stellar. I think I actually got more out of that one hour than I got in YEARS of playing on my own, and he made the other instructor seem like a tremendous waste of time.

 

I made another appointment, and again, I felt it was very productive. The instructor likes me, and I listen to him and practice what he tells me to do RELIGIOUSLY, METICULOUSLY, OBSESSIVELY. I really want to be good at golf, and I have relatively low expectations. I don't have enough time to devote to this game that would allow me to shoot in the 70's, but I am happy to be an 80's-90's guy (I'm a mid-low 90's guy right now!) I can tell that the instructor knows I'm devoted, he's almost surprised that I retain the information this well and that I practice so often.

 

Now I don't want to come off as arrogant or full of myself, but I think I am a great student. I love the game, I have great equipment (like all TERRIBLE golfers LOL) and I am dedicated to becoming better. Third lesson, I felt we took steps backward. I have specific things I want to address (which I spoke-up about) and I feel they were almost ignored. I can understand not wanting to "overwhelm" a student with too much information, but it almost seems like he's holding out on me, (not that I'm on my way to becoming Tiger Woods) but I am responding well to the instruction, and he knows that once I can hit the ball straight, consistently, that I won't be back for more lessons. He's not 100% wrong- I am not here to become a golf god, and like I said, I'm happy shooting in 80's and 90's. Perhaps one day my expectations will change, but right now all I want to do is hit the ball down the middle, I could care less about distance and carry and roll and angles, I just want the fundamentals to be pure, and the other stuff will come as it may.

 

Wow that was a mouthful. So my question(s):

 

-Do instructors ever "hold out" in an effort to keep you coming back?

-Is this ethical?

-For you instructors out there, do you know of instructors that do this, or have you done this yourself?

-Do you have set curriculum regardless of the skills of the individual? Would you treat me the same as a 14 year old Tiger Woods, or would you adjust your lessons to the needs of the student?

 

Maybe I'm crazy, but like I said, this is my experience and I would love any and all comments.

 

Thanks in advance.

-Andrew

[webmstrk9]

I dont know about yours, but I trust my instructor and I have paced myself with the instruction I have taken. I tend to take my lessons depending on how many hours I put in for the drills and feel that I have made progress, about ever 4-6 weeks.

 

I could see some people would hold back on instruction. As to why, who knows.

 

I would question why *I* would have doubt about my instructor if you have such concerns. Also, your instructor could be focusing on an aspect in which he thinks you need to improve on which would impact what youre wanting to accomplish.

 

Remember, the swing is a whole, there are different components to the swing. So if you work on a component it affects the whole.