by PGA Teaching Professional Marc L. White
1) Find an instructor who fits your style and comfort level. Talk to
friends or call various local golf facilities to find out about the
different instructor’s experience, personality and reputation.
You should look for an instructor that is:
- Comfortable and skilled with teaching golfers of your skill
level. If you are a beginner, you don’t necessarily need
a tour-caliber instructor. Also, if you are an expert golfer, you
don’t want someone who spends most of their time teaching
beginners.
- Speaks your language. If you are analytical, you want a teacher
who explains things in a technical manner. If you are more
intuitive or “feel” oriented, then you want a teacher who uses
phrases like “a good turn feels like……”,
and then physically puts you in that position. Just ask the question: “Is
he/she a technical teacher or a feel teacher.”
- Able and willing to make the same commitment to your game that
you make to the instructor.
2) Come prepared. Make a list of questions you may have, bring all
your equipment and arrive early to warm-up.
3) The following tips will help you use your learning time effectively
during the lesson.
- Answer the golfer profile questions completely and truthfully.
- Communicate your goals by making sure you and the instructor are “on
the same page.” You both must have the same agenda. If you
have different agendas, listen to the instructor’s
reasoning, and strongly consider it. You are paying for
his/her expertise. Trust their judgment.
- Make sure you understand everything you are asked to do and why.
The language of golf is very ambiguous. Your teacher
should make his/her instructions clear and concise.
- Come with an open mind. Eliminate all the preconceived ideas you
may have of the golf swing. Trust in the knowledge and
experience of the instructor to not only educate you, but put you on
the right track to a better golf swing.
- Exaggerate changes. It’s much easier for a teacher to zero
in on a correction if the student exaggerates the feeling of a new
move. It’s also much easier for you to feel the difference.
- Ask all the questions that occur to you. Leave the lesson with
a clear and complete understanding of what your instructor
was communicating to you.
4) At the conclusion of the lesson, you should expect the following
information. If you don’t get it, ask for it.
- There should be an exchange of feedback. Tell your teacher what
you learned. He or she can then correct any misconceptions or fill
in any blanks for you.
- Ask how to correct yourself. You need to know what to work on
to fix the recurring problem so you’re not
tempted to revert back to your old fault.
- Get your practice assignment. Have your teacher tell you what
and how to practice, including drills.
- Get your playing assignment. Ask your instructor how to handle
the changes on the course. You might be asked to
make more practice swings, change your pre-shot routine or maybe even
practice more than play.
- Schedule your next lesson. Do all this and we promise you your
investment in time and money will pay dividends.
Remember, the road to better golf is a journey, not a destination. The
relationship between student and instructor should be long-lasting and
mutually rewarding. Enjoy the process of building a better golf swing,
it can be yours for life.