My 2018 Equipment Budget Going Towards Instruction...

[llamont]

Like many on this site I am a glutton for new (to me) equipment. I have a small pro shop’s worth of inventory spread out between three closets in my house and a storage unit. I’ve easily spent a new car’s msrp on golf gear in the last 25 years while I’ve spent less than the cost of a snack bag of skittles on instruction. Problem is - my game has been on a downward spiral for a while. I lost most of my power prior to getting lessons. My swing speed was dwindling and I couldn’t get it back no matter how hard I tried. Well, I finally broke down and bought a lesson package that included one full swing evaluation and five individual 30 minute lessons. The coach corrected most of my ailing swing-thoughts within five minutes of the first session (swing evaluation). After hitting a few balls with my old swing for my coach, a major grip reset (to much stronger), a minor swing path adjustment, and a few violent snap hooks my distances increased significantly. I could’ve totally let that be my one and only formal lesson but I know better. That was just over a week ago. I had my first 30 minute lesson two days ago on Saturday. It was another eye opening yet highly informative lesson. I’ve decided to curb my equipment buying habits in exchange for instruction. I feel fortunate to have found an instructor that worka with my personality and my skill set.

 

Has anyone had a similar experience?

[pinestreetgolf]

Like many on this site I am a glutton for new (to me) equipment. I have a small pro shop's worth of inventory spread out between three closets in my house and a storage unit. I've easily spent a new car's msrp on golf gear in the last 25 years while I've spent less than the cost of a snack bag of skittles on instruction. Problem is - my game has been on a downward spiral for a while. I lost most of my power prior to getting lessons. My swing speed was dwindling and I couldn't get it back no matter how hard I tried. Well, I finally broke down and bought a lesson package that included one full swing evaluation and five individual 30 minute lessons. The coach corrected most of my ailing swing-thoughts within five minutes of the first session (swing evaluation). After hitting a few balls with my old swing for my coach, a major grip reset (to much stronger), a minor swing path adjustment, and a few violent snap hooks my distances increased significantly. I could've totally let that be my one and only formal lesson but I know better. That was just over a week ago. I had my first 30 minute lesson two days ago on Saturday. It was another eye opening yet highly informative lesson. I've decided to curb my equipment buying habits in exchange for instruction. I feel fortunate to have found an instructor that worka with my personality and my skill set.

 

Has anyone had a similar experience?

 

Seek balance. All on equipment none on instruction is bad, and all on instruction none on equipment is bad.

 

There are a ton of instructors in the world, and they all have differing views on the golf swing. I personally think it should be a fundamental that the right knee and left knees should maintain their flex through the whole swing, but many disagree with me on that.

 

I find it really helpful to think of your swing like a vault. You only put in there what 1. you know to be true and 2. that really matters. Most of the golfers I know are constantly tinkering and letting in and out tons of stuff from their vault.

 

There is no rule that you have to do everything your instructor says. Is there anything, right now, you *know* to be true about your swing? If so, even if its just one thing, store it and build on it, and be really really judicious about what you let into your vault.

 

My vault right now:

 

1. maintain flex in both knees

2. the left shoulder must come off the chin to start the downswing

3. zipper of pants must be over instep of left foot before wrist angle is released at all (Stays at 90* until all the way forward)

4. the shaft must travel closer to you on the downswing than at any point in the backswing

 

thats it. if i read something / see something / whatever, it might make it in it might not. But i think balance and being really picky - in equipment AND instruction - leads to good golf. For me a new driver has to be really good to kick out my gamer, and a new swing thought has gotta be really good to get a place in the vault.

[Sean2]

I stopped the endless cycle of buying and selling and focused on my golf swing instead. My HI dropped 5 points and I saved some money to boot. :-)

[Z4Par]

I agree that it's a bit of both; new fundamentals that click but on the same token equipment that indeed fits your swing.

 

I took a handful of lessons from our club pro the last couple of years. He got me hitting some good shots however I was still missing something that made these good shots more consistent. I always laughed when people said they used YouTube as a resource and looking at golf swings or instruction. I have looked at probably 50 YouTube videos this winter and I picked up some incredible drills that clicked in my mind and helped me strike the ball wonderfully.

 

In short; you can pay all the money you want on equipment or lessons but in the end its needs to click.

[2putttom]

I'm with S 2. Ain't no club gonna fix my swing problems caused by phat belly syndrome. soar shoulder & aching knees. A good lesson and a massage from a twenty year old workin' her way thru college make the difference

[dmbrill719]

Umm....wrong forum. Go post of PGA.com and leave us alone to buy a game thru equipment!

 

Just kidding, good luck with the renewed focus on the swing!

[Bubb]

I'm going the other direction. I'm spending my instruction budget on equipment. It's simply more fun.

[20six]

Tar? Check. Feathers? Check. Torches? Check. Pitchforks? Check.

[20six]

1. maintain flex in both knees

2. the left shoulder must come off the chin to start the downswing

3. zipper of pants must be over instep of left foot before wrist angle is released at all (Stays at 90* until all the way forward)

4. the shaft must travel closer to you on the downswing than at any point in the backswing

 

If I went through all that, I couldn't find the ball with an 800cc driver.

[Bubbtubbs]

Like many on this site I am a glutton for new (to me) equipment. I have a small pro shop's worth of inventory spread out between three closets in my house and a storage unit. I've easily spent a new car's msrp on golf gear in the last 25 years while I've spent less than the cost of a snack bag of skittles on instruction. Problem is - my game has been on a downward spiral for a while. I lost most of my power prior to getting lessons. My swing speed was dwindling and I couldn't get it back no matter how hard I tried. Well, I finally broke down and bought a lesson package that included one full swing evaluation and five individual 30 minute lessons. The coach corrected most of my ailing swing-thoughts within five minutes of the first session (swing evaluation). After hitting a few balls with my old swing for my coach, a major grip reset (to much stronger), a minor swing path adjustment, and a few violent snap hooks my distances increased significantly. I could've totally let that be my one and only formal lesson but I know better. That was just over a week ago. I had my first 30 minute lesson two days ago on Saturday. It was another eye opening yet highly informative lesson. I've decided to curb my equipment buying habits in exchange for instruction. I feel fortunate to have found an instructor that worka with my personality and my skill set.

 

Has anyone had a similar experience?

 

Seek balance. All on equipment none on instruction is bad, and all on instruction none on equipment is bad.

I don't know about this. I never really have a burning desire to change gear.

 

If it isn't working the way I'd like, the problem is me and not the equipment, and clothing/shoes don't have to be changed for several seasons, either.

 

I'll happily play another 10 seasons with what I have now. Maybe a new bag in a couple years.