How to Maximize the Lesson Experience
10 easy steps to get more from your pro
Whether you are learning to hold the club for the first time, improving your full swing or trying to play on the PGA TOUR, the first step in the learning process is a lesson from a PGA Teaching Professional. Self-help or trial and error rarely work over the long haul. This is the reason why TOUR players have coaches. Signing up for the lesson is the first step.Taking the lesson is the second step. But how do you get the most out of the lesson? Follow these 10 easy steps to maximize your lesson experience!
SHOW UP EARLY. If you show up for a 1 p.m. lesson at 1 p.m., you are late. Remember, it takes at least 15 to 20 minutes to get warmed up. Warming up while the teacher is watching wastes valuable time and money.
TAKE NOTES. Students who take notes retain more of the lesson. This can be done at the end of the lesson with pen and paper, tape recorder or video from your phone. I often ask my students at the end of the lesson to get their cellphone out and video me giving a quick recap of every lesson. This is a great way to start your own personal video library.
ASK QUESTIONS. This helps the teacher gauge whether a student needs more information or less.
PRACTICE BETWEEN LESSONS. To make progress in developing a golf swing or to improve your short game, practice is essential. A good rule of thumb is for every hour of instruction, you need at least one hour of practice.
DO NOT FORGET THE SHORT GAME. Many students make the mistake of working too much on the full swing and neglect the short game. Try to balance lessons. Do 30 minutes on full swing and then 30 minutes of chipping and putting.
HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT YOU WANT TO GET OUT OF THE LESSON. Often students reply, “You’re the expert, tell me what to work on.” Let the teacher know the specifics of what you want and expect from the lesson. For ex- ample, “I want to learn how to get out of a bunker.” This helps the instructor manage the time of the lesson.
SET GOALS AND OBJECTIVES. To gauge progress, you must set goals. Tiger Woods is the best example of this philosophy. To some people, 18 majors is a dream, but for Tiger it is a goal. Make your goals lofty! For example, when I was playing competitively, my goal was to win a professional tournament each year. My objective for each round was to average 12 greens in regulation and have less than 30 putts. Remember, your objectives can be simple, such as, “I want to learn to get out of a bunker in one shot.”
TURN CELLPHONES OFF. To get the most out of your lesson, try to focus on the lesson, not business or personal calls. I have seen the learning process come to a screeching halt because of one phone call.
MAKE THE LESSON AN EXPERIENCE. Show up early to warm up, and after the lesson, take some extra time to cover all the aspects of the game. Taking 10 minutes on each subject—full swing, bunker, chipping, pitching and put- ting after the lesson—allows you to cover all parts of the game plus gives your body and mind time to absorb the lesson away from the teacher.
HAVE FUN. Golf is a difficult game. Missing the ball or hitting an errant shot is part of learning and playing the game. Having a positive outlook during the lesson will ensure you get the most out of your next lesson. For most students, golf is not their livelihood, so when you hit a poor shot, always remember, there is another ball, another opportunity, right in front of you. I’ve always said, “Golf is like life. You have to take it one shot at a time.”