14th Jan 2016

Should you take golfing lessons?

Whether you’re new to the sport or have already been playing for years, golf lessons can be a great way to pick up new skills and improve your game. You don’t of course have to take golf lessons; you may feel more comfortable progressing on your own in a leisurely fashion. But they can be a great way to learn new things and boost your skills.

One of the great things about golf is that it is a sport that almost anyone can play, at all ages, and for both male and female players. Golf is incredibly versatile, but it isn’t necessarily a very easy skill to pick up. It can be quite intimidating for beginners to see other people on the green, hitting the ball long and straight down the fairway. This is where golf lessons can play an excellent role.

Beginners

For beginners, golf lessons are a great way to pick up the game far more quickly than people who don’t invest in a few lessons. About Sports advise that golf isn’t the easiest sport to master, so if you want to get good at it in a timely fashion then it can be beneficial to be taught the correct way to play from the outset. It can be much easier to learn the proper techniques, such as the correct way to swing, from the beginning - rather than trying to correct bad habits further down the line.

Another good way to think about it is to think about the money you’re spending. If you’re investing in golf gear, new clubs and all of the necessary clothing and equipment, then investing a little extra money in some golf lessons could make this all worthwhile. Golf can be expensive, so you want to feel like you’re getting the most out of it.

Improvers

When it comes to golf lessons, anyone looking to improve on their skills should give them a try. For improvers or those who already have some golfing experience it’s a good idea to approach these lessons with an open mind. It may be that you’re told things that you don’t know already, or that you’re shown a totally different way of playing than you’re used to. Embrace these lessons; they will ultimately help you progress into being a much more effective and professional golfer.

If you do learn something new during these improver lessons then make sure you give yourself time to fully adapt to this new technique. Tom Fielding, an experienced golf instructor, told Air Golf: “The way to teach your body something new is to swing slowly, without a golf ball. Stop frequently at the new position you are trying to learn so that you can show your body where it should be, and so that it can develop a feel for that position. Once the new movement is somewhat comfortable, you can put more emphasis on trying to learn the move while actually hitting balls.”

Some top tips for finding golf lessons include:

1.  Invest in a good tutor. Do some research into golf lessons in your area, including reviews, to make sure that you’re putting your trust in a reputable golfing instructor. 

2.  Consider a golf school. If you’re a beginner then a golf school, or group lesson, can be a great place to start. You’ll be able to share with the people around you, which can help your own game overall. Plus, these tend to be cheaper than private lessons.

3.  Make time to practice. Investing in golf lessons is only the beginning. You have to allow time to practice in order for your skills to fully develop and progress. Make a commitment to playing a certain amount of times a month when you start lessons; they’ll pay off far quicker.