Nothing will improve your golf game more than investing in lessons with a quality golf instructor. This article will answer all the common golf lesson questions you might have.
Can’t Hit The Ball After A Golf Lesson?
You hit the ball worse after a lesson as your body needs time to adjust to performing the correct grip and setup. Likely you had a lot of incorrect muscle memory in your golf swing.
We like to think if we spend money on a lesson, we immediately become better, but that isn’t the case. Adapting to a correct swing takes a lot of time; even pros go through patches where they get worse to get better.
Amateur golfers will associate a good shot with a good swing, but that isn’t the case. If you had a bad setup angle, poor grip, poor follow-through, you could still hit a good shot just like a golfer with excellent fundamentals can hit a bad shot- although a lot less often.
You could have years of incorrect muscle memory, such as the wrong grip and holding the club harder than you’re used to. These habits will not go easy, so you hit the ball worse after a lesson.
It isn’t just for amateur golfers look at the below quote from Jordan Spieth.
The first thing I learned from Cam was patience. For me to become a more consistent ball-striker, he believed it was necessary to make a couple of significant swing changes. I remember hitting bags where only one out of every three balls got off the ground.
Jordan Spieth
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Want more information? You can read my helpful article that goes into more depth here.
Golf Lessons Vs. Self Taught Which Is Best?
Lessons with a good golf teacher teach you excellent fundamentals that help generate more power with less effort to prevent injuries and bad habits from forming. Most pros have coaches, and lessons give an exceptional understanding of what makes a good or bad shot.
Although you can teach yourself golf with countless free resources available on YouTube, nothing can replace lessons to learn the correct fundamentals, saving you years of trial and error.
Only a select few pros like Jim Furyk and Bubba Watson never had golf lessons, but most professional golfers and 99% of amateurs you see with a good swing still have regular coaching.
Golf is a complicated smart with small details affecting your swing. However, after a few lessons, a qualified coach will understand your game and your swing weaknesses.
It will be more difficult for a coach to correct your bad habits formed from muscle memory if you start lessons later on. Starting golf lessons early will fix the fundamentals that will stay with you for your entire golfing life.
You could teach yourself a lot online, but nothing can replace having a helpful coach by your side ready to answer any questions and give you enthusiasm and coach the solid fundamentals.
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For a deeper dive into discussing golf lessons vs. teaching yourself, I suggest reading my helpful article.
Golf Lessons Indoor Vs. Outdoor-Is One Better?
There aren’t any substantial differences between outdoor and indoor lessons. But indoor classes allow you to practice at any date or weather and focus on your technique instead of ball flight. Golf simulators use the latest technology to track swing metrics and let you play on any course. However, outdoor lessons are more realistic.
Indoor lessons allow you to focus more on your technique. Of course, we all love seeing the ball fly through the air, but it’s better to focus on the drills for necessary swing changes.
Ask any coach or good player, and they will tell you once you master the fundamentals such as the swing and correct setup with all the clubs, the ball flight will take care of itself.
Indoor lessons are more equipped as they provide an atmosphere that encourages one-on-one communication with the instructor. It removes the fear of learning something new and performing in front of others on the course.
Learning on the course teaches you golf etiquette, the correct dress code, whether you’re allowed to walk or drive, and how to keep a good pace on the course. Of course, you can learn these things at an indoor facility, but its less formal nature will not teach you as learning on the course.
It’s a LOT more fun learning on the course golf simulators can be 99.9% accurate, but nothing can replace that beautiful feeling of hitting a crisp drive and seeing the ball soar through the air.
Hearing the birds chirp and seeing animals on the course is part of the experience. A golf simulator cannot replace this experience, and playing in nature is part of what makes golf special.
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This article just touched the surface to see the complete picture, I recommend you read my detailed article.
Wondering How Many Lessons A Beginner Needs?-Read This!
Beginners need to have at least five lessons when starting golf. Learning the fundamentals is critical of gripping the club, swing fundamentals, shot setup, long, short game, putting if a beginner is serious about improving their game.
A good coach will cover the fundamentals giving you a great start in your golf journey.
- Fundamentals
- Swing
- Long Game
- Chipping
- Putting
The first lesson will focus on fundamentals around good golf grip, ball position, and address. The second will be about the swing, the correct swing plane, take away, downing and transition. The third will focus on the long game, lesson four on chipping, and lesson five on putting.
It would help if you had lessons as a beginner because you have not yet corrected bad habits in your game. However, a good teacher can mold you into an excellent player with good fundamentals. This process is easier than coaching a golfer who played for years incorrectly.
Five lessons will be enough for you to see significant improvement making golf a more enjoyable experience.
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Hungry for more information? Please read my helpful article to know more about how many lessons you need.
11 Ways Golf Lessons Will Improve Your Game
- Get Professional Advice
- Focus On All Aspects Of Your Game
- Improve Your Mental Strength
- You Constantly Improve
- Improve Your Swing Technique
- Learn Course Management
- Prevent Bad Habits
- Develop A Strong Putting Game
- .Work On Your Short Game
- Improve Your Bunker Game
- Learn your handicap
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Summarizing these points will not be worth it for a detailed look into the 11 ways golf lessons improve your game. Please read the comprehensive article.
What To Wear To Your First Golf Lesson
The general rule is to look well dressed in collared polo shorts, chinos or shorts, and appropriate footwear, although different clubs have different restrictions on what players can wear around the golf club.
You can wear something casual for your first golf lesson as likely it will be in the driving range where it’s normal to dress informally, although you should use this time to get accustomed to wearing your golf clothes like your golf shoes.
In the modern era, dress codes have become lax compared to ten to 15 years ago. Even hoddies are acceptable on some courses due to professional golfers like Christ Trottman wearing them on the PGA tour, although always double-check the dress code rules before your lesson.
Stick to clothes that are not too restrictive to interfere with your golf swing, and don’t wear sneakers (trainers), or you might get turned away at the door.
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For a deeper link into what to wear and not wear to your first golf lesson, please look at my helpful post.
How Much Do Golf Lessons Cost? What To Expect
| Lesson Type | Duration | Cost |
| Private Range Session | 1hr | $50(£35) – $70(£50) |
| Private Course Lesson | 3hr – 4hr | $120-$250(£85-£180) |
| 4-Ball Course Lesson | 4hr | $30-$60(£20-£40) per person |
| Group Range Lesson | 1hr | $10-$15 per person |
| Pitching/Putting Lesson | 1hr | $50(£35) – $70(£50) |
A standard one-hour lesson on the driving range will cost around $50 (£35), but the price will depend on what you’re doing in the class, the coach’s experience level, and the lesson.
Golf lessons are not cheap, but they are worth it as they help you improve as a player. Most coaches will offer a considerable discount if you sign up to have four or five lessons. For example, my local course provides four lessons for $150 (£85), around one free class.
Some golf clubs are more expensive. A high membership price will charge around $100 (£70) for an hour session with their PGA Pro, so it is important to see what kind of deals you can get.
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To better understand how each type of golf lesson is different and to decide which one is right for you, I recommend reading my valuable golf lesson cost guide.
Never Take Golf Lessons? What To Expect
Golf lessons will remove bad habits from your game, improve your ball striking and swing, and teach you how to put shape on your shots, which lowers your handicap.
Your first lesson will be at the driving range and will cover the fundamentals of how to swing a golf club, focusing on the grip, the correct posture, the appropriate weight distribution over the ball, and how you swing the club.
If you played golf before your first lessons will be analysis-based, your coach would ask you to hit a few clubs, likely with a mid-range club like a seven iron. It gives them a solid understanding of your level and what needs improving.
As a beginner, coaches will ease you into the game, focusing on some practice drills that help with the correct golf grip and the feel of a natural golf swing.
Beginners’ first lessons have three parts: grip, posture, and the swing starting with the grip. Once you understand how to hold the club, they will work on your posture, address the ball, and spread your weight over your legs and then your swing.
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To know everything about golf in your first golf lessons, including how to get the best and prepare for golf lessons, please read my helpful article.
Are Golf Lessons Worth It? A Normal Golfers Opinion
Golf lessons are worth it if you are a beginner. However, self-taught golfers can develop bad habits which cause injuries and cost you shots on the golf course.
It will help if you put what you learn from the classes into practice. You have to perform the drills you’re taught in your own time, and on the course, only then will you start to see results from taking golf lessons.
Even if you are a self-taught golfer with solid fundamentals, golf lessons can still be worthwhile.
Fundamentally your swing might not be as solid as a PGA coach would like; it could be causing issues that are hindering your game.
Every golfer, including me, had gone through a bad stretch of the form where they hit all their balls fat, start slicing their shots, or even top the ball. Unfortunately, these issues are difficult to fix if you don’t have a good golf coach.
A solid PGTA tour professional will diagnose and help you fix any issues in around two lessons.
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Read my helpful post to know how you can get better at golf without lessons and how many classes a beginner should take.
Six Of The Best Lessons For Senior Golfers
- Grip lesson
- Posture and swing lesson
- Chipping lesson
- Putting lesson
- Bunker lesson
- Lesson on the cours
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Summarizing these points does not do them justice for a detailed look into the six best lessons for senior golfers. Please read my article.
What Age Should a Child Start Golf Lessons
A child should start golf lessons when they are around five to six years old as they need the necessary attention span to stay concentrated and well-behaved for the typical 45-minute golf lesson. However, you can teach a 2-year-old the basic golf fundamentals like the golf stance and swinging motion without paying for classes.
Tiger Woods started taking lessons at three, and Jack Nickaluas began at ten. Of course, all children mature and develop at different rates. TigerWoods could grip the club, swing, and stand correctly at an early age but don’t expect the same for your child.
Children need to understand the etiquette expected of the course. Typically, girls mature physically and socially far earlier than boys and behave better in social situations. So if you have a daughter, expect them to conduct themselves at a golf lesson far earlier than a son.
Don’t expect a two-year-old child to understand golf and how they should behave. Albert Einstein gave up on golf after one try as he thought it was too complicated! So if one of the smartest people thought it was too complex, what hope does your toddler have to understand it?
“Mr. Einstein, do you play golf?” Derr asked.
“No, no,” Einstein said. “Tried it once. Too complicated. I quit.”
Report From Augusta Chronicle
If you think your child is mature enough to understand the rules at two or three, start as early as possible. But it won’t do any harm to slowly expose them to the practices and techniques yourself without spending the cash on lessons.
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For a deeper dive into the topic and how you can correctly teach your kids to play golf, you can read my helpful guide.