Taking a golf lesson - helping you get more out of your lesson

As a STUDENT before you book a lesson, you should ask yourself the following questions:
1. What do I hope to accomplish?
2. What am I trying to learn?
3. Are you working on your short game, long game, putting?
4. How long do you want the lesson to be?
5. Have an understanding of how you learn.
There are 3 different ways people learn:
- Visual - you learn by seeing someone demonstrate something, then you are able to do it
- Kinetic - you learn by having someone move your body into a position, then you are able to understand
- Verbal - you learn by listening to someone explain how to do something, then you are able to do it

Most golfers get frustrated with their golf lessons because they just show up with no goals in mind. To get the most out of the lesson and the teacher, show up with an idea of what you want to work on and for how long, so the teacher can come up with a game plan to accomplish your goals. An even better idea is to ask for the teachers' email address and send them an email with some goals you hope to accomplish or even just what you want to work during your time with them. This should help the teacher prepare for the lesson.

Speak up! This is your time that you paid for so make sure you are getting what you want. If you wanted to work on your putting, and the teacher has you hitting drivers, speak up! As a teacher I ask many questions of my students so that I can give them the best information to help improve their game. Make sure you have an interested teacher who cares about helping you accomplish your goals. When you are finished with the lesson, always make sure you know what you are working on to get better. It's your responsibility to make sure you have a clear understanding on what you worked on and how to work on it. Ask as many questions as you can if you do not understand why the teacher is telling you to do something. An experienced teacher should be able to always answer the how and why questions. They should also keep the instruction simple and give you homework (drills, etc) to help you work on your improvements.

Remember there are many teachers of the golf swing, find one that works for you and with you.

Tips for golfing at a new course

Playing a course you have never played before can be a big challenge for golfers of all abilities.

Here are a couple tips for you to do before you tee off:
1. Request a caddy (if they are available, I highly recommend taking one)
2. Ask for a yardage book in the golf shop.
3. Find a scorecard and look at the yardage from each set of tees and try to find a course yardage that will play in your range.
4. Look at the slope and rating also to help you to gauge the difficulty of the course.
5. Ask the starter or golf professional if there are yardage markers on the golf course and what they look like, most have 200, 150, and 100 yard yardage markers. They could be trees, or brightly colored disks in the ground.
6. If you don't have time to hit balls, try to roll a couple putts to familiarize yourself with the speed of the greens.

While playing the course, here are some tips:
1. Try to always find an intermediate target between you and your intended target. This could be a divot, a different colored piece of grass or a broken tee left behind by another player. This will help you with your alignment on the golf course. Once you have the target, line your club head up with it, then align your body parallel to the club head.
2. Lower your expectations for shooting your best score. You are playing a new course, you are going to hit the ball in places you shouldn't, and you will leave putts short or hammer them by the hole. Try to avoid frustration and enjoy your round.
3. Stay in your posture through impact. Most people tend to come out of their posture while hitting the ball because they are anxious to see where the shot is headed. This will cause many of your shots to be hit to the right and often off the toe of the club.
4. Finish your swing. You should try to see each shot land while holding your finish. A balanced finish can often be the result of a good swing.

And remember if you are a guest of a member at a private golf club:
1. Valet your car if it's offered.
2. Change your shoes in the locker room, not while sitting on your trunk.
3. Check in with the golf shop, the caddy master and the starter (if the club has these)
4. Follow all posted rules regarding cellphone use, etc.