Hi Everyone.

I was just wondering how many of you had taken lessons when you first started playing and how many lessons you had before you decided you didnt need/want anymore??

I booked lessons after I very quickly discovered that the "natural ability" those I started playing with were talking twaddle, thanks to another mate who showed me the light on my 1st trip round 18 holes. This was back in September. I have had 15 lessons and after the initial swing stance etc, my later lessons have been driven by my desire to iron out inefficiencies in my game as they crop up. The Pro who I have had the lessons with seems to have the knack of putting me straight very quickly, because of this I don't think that I will totally turn my back on lessons as being a newbie I will still need guidance from time to time just not as often.

His target for me was to have me playing Golf to a standard where I enjoy myself by the spring; and I would say that he has achieved that. 

John has done the right thing by having a series of lessons. You need to grasp the basics first and then gradually build your own unique swing around them.

The basics are the foundation of your swing and without solid ones your swing won't work efficiently. You could do it on your own if you are naturally gifted but you still need an understanding of how the golf swing works.

I am still having lessons now just to make sure I don't fall into bad habits.

I didnt hve lessons for years. What a mistake.

I wish I had them when I first started playing..... Having them now, what a difference.

I played for five years before having a lesson. After booking a few sessions I found it hard to adapt as all my bad habits had felt normal and the correct grip,stance etc took a lot of getting used to. I now have the occasional lesson as a check in case I revert to my "old way's" without noticing. If I were starting over it would be coaching first, course second.

When I first started, I had a course of six 30 minute lessons (the last being a two hole playing lesson) before I went near a course.  We started with grip and stance and chipping then gradually built the swing.  Then we moved onto longer irons, then woods, then finally bunkers and putting.  After each lesson I was told not to come back for at least two weeks and only if I had been for at least four sessions on the practice ground or range.  Given that this course had no range, I know this was done for my benefit and not for profit making purposes.  At the start of each lesson, he checked what we had done in the previous lesson before moving on. 

I will say that it is important you find a coach you feel comfortable with.  I have tried a couple of others and felt they were really not right for me.  I've now found another close to my new place of work who I feel comfortable with and I feel it is making a difference.

i played first for about 6 months and then had lessons, and what a difference it has made. Wish I had done it earlier.

Worked on the swing first, and now moving on to chipping and putting

I played for years doing 'My own thing' and now regretting the fact that I should have had one or two lessons right at the beginning, just so I could get the basics right.

Once I had the basics I could have worked on things from there, but me being me I carried on doing it the 'Wrong' way for years.

Russ