Should A Beginner Golfer Take Golf Lessons Or Not?

I am often asked by golfers who are just starting out if they should take lessons from their local golf professional or not. My initial impression with a lot of these golfers is that they appear to be looking for the quickest and easiest way to quickly take their golf swing from the beginners stage to being able to play much better golf.

Now let me start by saying that the impact of lessons will vary greatly from golfer to golfer.  But I am not trying to cop out on the answer.  I just want to set the stage to the advice I am going to give you.  I do believe that beginner golfers can benefit from lessons.

Lessons over the long term did not do me that much good.  The initial lessons that I took very early taught me some good fundamentals about grip, stance, and the swing path for a good golf swing.  What I found though, in my situation was that once I got past that point, was that the lessons got too technical and seemed to focus too much on trying to develop the “perfect” golf swing.

Maybe it was the pros that I went to, but after about 3 lessons, the time I spent with teaching pros after that just ended up causing me more frustration than anything else.  So one key part of my advice here is that the benefits that golfers will get from lessons, I believe is a very personal thing.

I think that all beginners should try a few lessons.  Especially if you don’t know much about the game or the golf swing.  Learning some of those basics that I mentioned earlier like grip and stance can make a big difference early in a golfer’s career.

After a few lessons, I think that each golfer must assess the value of continuing to work with a teaching pro.  There are some things that you can look at to help you in making this decision.

First, ask yourself if you are comfortable with your golf pro.  Does their teaching style work for you. Are you relaxed when they are instructing you?  Do they make things seem simple instead of complex?

Second, what does your teaching pro seem to focus on?  Does he/she seem to want to teach you to have the “perfect” golf swing with all the technical difficulties?  Or do they seem to give you tips and techniques that work with your ability and athleticism?

Last, do you see progress each time you leave the practice tee?  Or do you leave feeling frustrated, tired, and discouraged.

The answers to these questions, I believe, will help you determine if ongoing golf lessons are for you.  A few to begin should help. But the question beyond the initial lesson should be based on you, not the golf pro.

Remember, golf can be challenging at its’ easiest. I encourage you to not let golf lesson make the game even more frustrating.  If they help, utilize them.  If they don’t, find a different approach.  But most importantly, enjoy the game of golf for a lifetime.