Golf Swing Instruction - Ask a Pro

Sometimes, no matter how much you practice, perfecting your swing or even correcting small problems in your swing seems impossible. In this case, you might require golf swing instruction from a pro...even if you have been playing for some time. Golf swing instruction will probably help you even more than you realize. Golf pros are different from ordinary golfers. They have perfected their own game, and then they learned to study other people's games to help them perfect their games. A golf pro knows that all golfers are different, and each one will have different needs to correct small problems. Pros are trained to help you correct those problems - in ways designed just for you. Finding golf pros is easy - finding golf pros that are good is a little harder. Finding a golf pro that suits your particular needs can seem absolutely overwhelming... but it doesn't have to be. There are certain steps to take to find a good golf pro. Don't just settle for the guy that works in your local pro shop. First, ask your friends for recommendations. Find out where the pros are located, and if possible, watch them with their other students from a distance. How do they interact? Are they patient? Do they seem to know what they are doing, and what they are talking about? Visit your local pro shop, and ask about the pros that are available in the area. Don't worry about insulting the pro running the shop - he probably no longer offers instruction anyway. Most clubs have golf pros on staff. Follow the same protocol, and watch them from a distance, after the practice session that you watch, try to catch up with the golf student, and ask questions about the golf pros instructional skills, and ask specifically if they would recommend him. Ask them if there has been any improvement in their game since they started the lessons. Ask for references - and check them. If you haven't had the opportunity to watch the pro in action on the course, ask to join a training session for observation purposes. Don't be alarmed if the pro says no to this - it may simply be to protect the privacy of his or her clients. You might even offer to pay half of the hourly rate for the opportunity to watch them in action with another student. Once you've started instruction with a golf pro, give it a few sessions to determine whether or not this is the right golf pro for you. Sometimes, people simply don't get along well. It may be that this particular golf pro cannot convey the concept to you in a way that you understand. If it isn't working out, don't be afraid to stop working with that particular pro, and start your search for another one. The current pro may be able to make a recommendation if you just explain the situation to them in a nice way. Don't make the mistake of thinking that you can perfect your golf swing in just one or two sessions with a golf pro - or even three or four, and maybe not even in ten sessions! Everyone learns at their own pace, and golf techniques take time to learn, and even more time to perfect. Also, really listen to what your golf pro is telling you. If you aren't willing to listen, you are wasting your time, your money, and the pros time as well. Stay completely focused during your training sessions, and make sure that you put in the additional practice time that is recommended by your pro. If you feel that you have been given quality golf swing instruction by your pro, don't be afraid to tip them, or offer them a bonus. This is a common practice, and many pros depend on tips a great deal. Treat your pro with respect - they are not underlings. Failure to give proper respect to your pro may result in him or her walking off the job! Golf pros have a true love for the game - and if you demonstrate that same feeling for the game, you may find that you receive superior instruction!