Taking golf lessons can be the best road to learning the game of golf.
Golf lessons will get you started with a game that many call the most difficult there is.
Golf is not a game you can learn in a day, and it is something that most people are not naturally good at.
If you have been thinking of taking up golf, you may have started looking into golf lessons.
In this guide, we will help you understand everything you need to know about beginner golf lessons and how many you should take.
How Many Lessons Should A Beginner Take?
Every beginner should take one or two golf lessons before hitting the golf course.
Ideally, it would be best to take about five lessons before playing; however, this is not always feasible.
Beginners need to have some idea of what they are doing before they head out onto the golf course.
This is important to make sure that a beginner is not slowing down the rest of the course but also so that no damage is done to the golf course.
If you are entirely new to the game, you may not understand which clubs to use from specific locations, and it becomes a bit of a mess.
The first few lessons that you take as a beginner will focus on a broad overview of the game and the fundamentals that you need.
Taking just this information out onto a course and trying to play eighteen will probably not be all that much fun.
If you can establish a few skills, gain a general understanding of the game, and then try it on the course, it will be a much better start.
What Does A Beginner Learn In The First Few Lessons?
A beginner golf lesson will vary considerably based on the skills of the beginner.
If you are a twenty-five-year-old athlete ready to give the game a go or a 75-year-old retired person who has never played a sport, the lessons may look a little different.
You can be sure that there will be some explanations and some teaching before any golf balls being hit at the first lesson.
The professional will very likely discuss what the different clubs are, what they are used for, and the general concept of the game of golf.
For players that have a general understanding, then he or she may move right on to the fundamentals.
Almost all golf professionals will start by teaching the grip.
The grip is the only connection that a player has with a golf club.
If your grip is not perfect, you will never get good at golf.
The connection between the player and the club is something that will take time to master.
In the beginning, it’s good for the new player to have a general concept of what it takes to hold the club and how their fingers should sit on the club.
Once the grip is established, the golf professional will move to set up, stance, and posture.
This is not something that the beginner will master in one lesson, but it is the base of every swing, and it must be learned and worked on.
Sometimes golf teaching professionals will help new golfers learn to take half swings in their first lesson.
If you can master how to hold the club, how to stand, and how to take a half swing all in one lesson, you are well on your way to being a great golfer.
As you can see, the lesson will go by rather quickly, and there is a lot of information that needs to get transferred.
One golf lesson before hitting the golf course is just not going to be enough.
Does It Make Sense To Buy Lesson Packages?
Many golf courses offer beginner golf lesson packages.
These are a great deal and absolutely the way to go if you want to get better at golf.
Essentially you will sign up for six lessons or so, pay a package price, and you end up getting one lesson for free.
This is a great way to save money but also to make sure that you have an excellent basic understanding of the game before you hit the course.
Most of the time, the golf professional will have a plan for the lesson package.
They may do setup and grip for the first two lessons, then switch to the long game, do a short game lesson, and then the last lesson you may play a hole on the golf course.
We cannot stress enough how important it is to make sure that your introduction to the game of golf makes you want to keep coming back.
If you don’t have some idea of what it takes to play and how golf works, the golf course will not be fun.
Some players rush to get out and start playing before they have enough skills and enough time under their belt.
These golf lesson packages are a great way to begin the game.
Are Golf Clinics A Good Way To Learn?
You may find that your area offers beginner golf clinics.
The clinic is different than private lessons, as they are usually one teacher working with several students at once.
Most clinics will have five or six golfers for every teacher.
A clinic can be a great way to learn if you have a limited budget.
Clinics are almost always much cheaper than a private golf lesson.
You will also notice that clinics can be a great way to meet other new golfers.
If you have been looking for someone with similar playing ability as you to learn the game with the clinic is a great choice.
Golf clinics usually have topics of learning as well.
Sometimes they will be about the short game or long game etc.
You can focus on the ones where you need help and try and get the information you need for a very fair price.
The only downside to the clinic is that you won’t get as much individualized attention, but you are still going to get great information.
What To Bring To My First Golf Lesson?
When it comes time for your first golf lesson, you may be unsure of what to bring with you.
If you do not own clubs, this is entirely acceptable.
Your golf professional will have golf clubs that you can use to learn and practice with.
You will probably want to get a golf glove so that you do not get blisters on your hands.
You should also make sure you are wearing proper shoes.
You do not need to wear golf shoes, but you should wear an athletic type shoe that allows you to swing and stay balanced.
Any sandal or dress shoe is not going to work.
In addition to the proper shoes, it is a good idea to wear a hat and some sun protection.
Most driving ranges where your lessons will take place are very exposed to the sun.
This is because a driving range needs to be in the open space with no trees blocking the ball flight.
You may also want to bring a little notebook with you to your golf lesson.
At the end of the lesson, ask the professional to write down a few key points or notes for you to follow.
You can look at these when you are practicing and before you go to your next golf lesson.
If you don’t do any work on your own between lessons, your road to becoming a golfer will be a much longer one.
Do Professionals Need Golf Lessons?
Not only do professional needs golf lessons, but they keep golf professionals on a salary to keep an eye on their swing.
The better you get, the more lessons you need.
When a golfer is very good, the differences in their swing get harder to see.
As a beginner, you will quickly be able to notice some of the apparent mistakes you are making.
The better players do not make these same mistakes.
They have minimal issues with timing or plane or weight distribution.
It takes a seasoned professional to be able to tell them what is wrong with their golf game.
Since lower handicap players also tend to play a lot of golf, the issues in their swing can compound quickly.
When they hit thousands of golf balls a week, they may start hitting thousands of golf balls the wrong way.
This just leads to more issues to correct.
Most golfers on the professional tour have an instructor (or several instructors) that may travel with them each week.
In addition to full swing coaches, they will also have a short game and putting coaches.
Sometimes a lesson may only take a few minutes for a professional, and other times it could take hours out on the range.
No golfers are immune from needing golf lessons.
How Do I Find A Great Golf Instructor?
Finding a great instructor can prove to be a little tricky.
Although the PGA of America wishes that all of their instructors would be amazing, helpful, and wonderful to learn the game from, that is not always the case.
Like any other profession, some golf professionals are just better than others.
Here are a few things to look for in golf teaching professionals that will help make the game more fun for you to learn.
Customer Service
When taking a golf lesson, you want to make sure you choose an instructor who seems excited about you learning the game.
People don’t get into the career of teaching golf to become a millionaire; they get into it to help people.
Your teaching professional should be excited about your learning; they should want to help you in the process.
You will be able to tell right away when you schedule your lesson if they are interested in helping you.
Availability
Sometimes you may find the best teaching professional in your state, but if they are only available once a month for a lesson, it may not be worth it.
Try to choose a teaching professional that has the time to help you.
You will want to make sure you can take a lesson every week, if possible.
Try and schedule your first four or five lessons at once so you can keep some consistency in your learning process.
History
If you have any way to see how long your golf pro has been teaching or if any of your friends have taken lessons, this may help you choose.
Golf professionals that come recommended by a friend are probably going to be your best choice for success.
You may find that a local assistant professional was rated the top assistant in the area for the month or for the year.
This did not happen by accident, and this person would probably be a great teacher to help you learn the game.
Flexibility
Some golf professionals will only teach one way.
They have one swing, theory, or concept that they believe in, and they can’t stray from there.
The best golf professionals will be able to take your skills and use them to help you improve.
If you happen to be good at turning but not so great at controlling your swing, the golf professional may teach you looser and longer swing.
If you watch golf on the television you may see that no two golf swing are identical.
There are many ways to get results in golf, and there is no one perfect swing.
Choose a professional that can adjust and adapt to your game.
Pricing
Golf lessons can get expensive.
The average is going to be around $50 for a half-hour lesson.
Some professionals are going to have higher qualifications, and they may charge $75 for a half-hour.
The question is, as a beginner, do you need someone with high qualifications?
A junior assistant professional that has just completed their PGA of America program will be much cheaper, and they have plenty of experience to help you.
If you can find a more affordable instructor, you may be able to take more lessons.
If it is a matter of budget, it will help you to take more lessons than it will to take one with a top 100 professional.
As you get better, this may change, but in the beginning, choose someone that matches your budget who also has plenty of enthusiasm to make you a better golfer.
Conclusion
There is no magic number when it comes to how many golf lessons it takes to get good at golf.
Unfortunately, each person will have a different path to success.
On average, you will need about 3-5 lessons to be ready for the golf course.
Once you do feel ready to hit the golf course, don’t stop taking lessons.
It’s essential to have a professional look at your swing from time to time.
You don’t need to wait until you are having a significant issue.
You can go take a golf lesson to try and learn a new skill or take your game to the next level.
Find a great professional that you can establish a relationship with, and they will continually take an interest in your game.
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