Golf Training - Should You Get a Golf Professional to Teach You How to Play?

[Maxine Donnell]

In golf, there are two categories of players - the golf pros and the
golf amateurs. Fortunately for all, the line between these two
categories does meet at some point.
There are many people who are of the opinion that golf is a leisurely
game. Its purpose is for recreation, thus hiring a golf professional
to teach you how to play defeats the purpose of the game and drains it
of any real enjoyment.
However, although there are close to 30 million golfers in the States
alone most of them have never had or will never get to break a score
of 100. Many of these golfers complain not only of a less than
satisfactory game, but also of the aches and pains that they feel
after a game of golf.
Being able to play golf like a pro through one's own practice may work
out for some golfers, even if it is not as effective as having the
assistance of someone more professional to help you with the game.
Furthermore, being able to play golf well and being able to enjoy
playing golf can maximize on the satisfaction and pleasure that the
game promises.
Deciding on whether or not assistance from a pro is needed is as
important as choosing the right golf equipment. You would need to
first identify and prioritize your goals, decide on the level of
commitment that you are prepared to give, as well as the amount of
money that you can afford to invest in the game. The following are
some pointers that you would find helpful with regards to enlisting
the help of a pro.
- Having a coach or a pro to assist you could help in zeroing in onto
your specific weaknesses. Once your weaknesses have been identified,
your coach could give several targeted exercises to help you to
correct your weaknesses. With a coach by your side, this will be
monitored to see if you're doing things right.
- A golf coach could also help with getting rid of bad golfing habits
which normally result in injuries like the golfer's elbow which can be
very painful. Your coach will also be able to guide you through a
proper warm-up routine. This is one of the greatest advantages of
having the help of a professional, as it helps you not just with the
way you play but also by avoiding injuries and unnecessary aches and
pains.
- Discuss with your prospective coach and get their opinion on
teaching and playing the game. A good coach or golf pro will readily
tell you that the best way is to build up on the basics of playing
golf and to avoid the short cuts and latest fads. If someone tells you
the latter will get faster results, keep in mind that although this is
true, as soon as you stop working with them your golf performance will
drop back to where you were before. Thus, it is best to stick with the
tried and tested basic rules of playing golf, which could take longer
to master but will guarantee a better performance.
- The average rate for a personal lesson with a golf pro could be
about $75 per an hour's lesson. However, remember that prices may vary
with the different pros that you will be working with, or with the
different golf school or club.
- Should the rates for a personal one-on-one lesson be too high or
expensive, you may choose to go for a lesson with a group of other
golfers. This way expenses can be shared. Please remember though, not
to have more than 4 people to a golf pro. This lets you have attention
as good as a personal one-on-one lesson but with less expenses. A golf
pro coaching for an hour for a group of 4 golfers would cost somewhere
around $120.
- A vital thing to keep in mind is that when working with a pro, it
means going for quality rather than quantity. This is after all why
you hired them in the first place. Since there is a limited number of
lessons, work hard to ensure that you achieve your goal of being an
excellent golfer at a few techniques, rather than knowing many
techniques but being the master of none.
- A professional coach will instruct you on the techniques to a better
game on your own in the future without his supervision. The main
purpose is of course so that you can become a better golfer on your
own. This includes not only playing with the right techniques but also
having a good warm-up and stretching routine.
And finally, even after you have completed all your lessons and after
some improvements in your game, you should still go back to see your
coach maybe once a year. This will enable him to check up on your golf
game and to see if there are any other techniques or aspects that you
still need to work on. There will always be room for improvement, more
so if you want to play a better game of golf.