Golftec and lessons in general

[chemboy2]

Saw potential for a serious threadjack over on Wirehair's post so I thought I would get us started fresh.

Let me start by saying I'm a fan of Golftec but an even bigger fan of the two pros that I've worked with. I started taking lessons there about 18 months ago and have seen drastic improvements in my swing/game; we're talking 10+ shots off of my handicap drastic and I'm still heading the rigt way! All my swing changes are finally feeling natural and my swing is repeatable 80% of the time.

Last Saturday I went and played a course that I hadn't played since just before I admitted to myself that I needed lessons. The course isn't overly long but it is a challenging links style course with a lot rolling lies, narrow fairways, and elevated tee boxes. Last time out there I felt decent and shot a 110. Last Saturday was a completely different experience though. I missed only 2 fairways all day and hit almost as many GIR. I stumbled a bit on the last two holes and had struggled with the speed of the greens all day (four 3-jacks) but when all was said and done, I walked off having shot an 85. That's a 25 stroke improvement since I last played the course prior to my lessons.

I'm sure any lessons would've yielded improvement in my game but I'm convinced that the key features of Golftec (instant video feedback and ability to retake lesson via the web) are what yielded such drastic improvements.

I'd like to hear others chime in about their experiences with lessons; the good, the bad, and the ugly. It doesn't have to be specifically about Golftec either; what aspects of your lessons did you like/not like?

[ualtim]

Originally Posted by chemboy2

Saw potential for a serious threadjack over on Wirehair's post so I thought I would get us started fresh.

Nope, it was a serious threadjack, no potential about it. (my fault, of course)

I thought it was kind of related as I saw the same improvement in Eracer's game that Wirehair was reporting in his thread. I debated starting a new thread, but figured a small thread jack would gather the info I needed.

Anywho, anyone else go through the Golf Tec program? Seems a bit pricey and I am not what most folks would call a comformist (although I have been called that) so trying to fit my swing into a one way to do it program kind of scares me.

[MustGoFast]

I have a coworker taking lessons from GolfTec and he loves it. I've been told if you buy them in a 10 pack the price is similar to what you'd pay to normal lessons.

Just a thought... look forward to hearing what other people think, as I've been thinking of trying them out too.

[warbirdlover]

I've thrown away the whole "NEW" swing lessons I worked on over the winter and went back to my "old" swing. I'm hitting it just as far, straighter and I am so much more confident of my swing without the multiple swing thoughts.

The only way I'm going to get a swing that looks like what it should is if I spend a bizillion $$$$ and get hooked up to that "suit" you put on and can actually see what it looks like and see if you make proper corrections. And I'm too old for all this. I've got my iron swing fixed this summer, my putting stroke on and now my driver is going really good again. I'm totally back to the KISS method of golf.

And my scores should come down nicely since I don't have to think about my swing, only what I want to do to "beat" the course.

In other words.... no swing vids of me coming anytime in the future and if they do you'll just have to like them as is...

Thank God for my new G10 driver and Spider putter. They have made my summer!!

[JEFF4i]

I've had three lessons in my life, two with an incompetent fool. Granted, my dad knew a lot about the game, but reading Hogan's book and trying to stay on top of info also helps.

Swing analysis is a big helper though, especially with planes.

[Eracer]

I know what you mean about non-conformance. But really, getting into the right angles isn't that difficult, even for big guys like you and I. You do need some hip flexibility, but the rest is a matter of finding the limits of your stretch. I've actually toned my overall rotation down (or to be precise, what I thought was "rotation") a whole bunch.

I find it quite easy to match the proper angles without any stress or strain. And I'm not the most limber person on the planet, if you know what I mean, lol. I think the instant video feedback, along with an instructor that really seems to know what he's doing, is the key.

I guess the best endorsement I can give the place is that I'm probably going to spend more money with them in August. No I don't know what the sale price will be.

[Wi-Golfer]

We just had a Golftec open on the west side of Madison & I am going to check out their pricing. Reading what was posted in the other thread though i'm not surf it's for me as I don't want someone to completely change my swing...as ugly as it may be...I just want someone who can evaluate my hand & foot position, ****ing of the wrists, etc etc, in other words work with what I already have going.

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by Wi-Golfer

We just had a Golftec open on the west side of Madison & I am going to check out their pricing. Reading what was posted in the other thread though i'm not surf it's for me as I don't want someone to completely change my swing...as ugly as it may be...I just want someone who can evaluate my hand & foot position, ****ing of the wrists, etc etc, in other words work with what I already have going.

It has been a challenge. They definitely have their own idea of what a golf swing should be (like a tour pro's...) and it's been tough to try to rebuild my swing. I've definitely gone through the "get worse before you get better" scenario. But - I am hitting shots that I'd given up on ever being able to hit with my swing full of compensations.

If you aren't ready to tear your swing down and rebuild it, then it's probably not for you. Or maybe my swing was so screwed up, that it was the only way, lol. Maybe you'll go in for the introductory lesson, and he'll say, "OK, looks good, we'll just work on lag."

[chemboy2]

My experience was that I got better immediately and then went into a HUGE funk. I continued with my drills though and things have finally sunk in this year.

The video feedback has been key with me as what I thought I was doing and what I was really doing were two completely different things. Knowing what the right positions feel like allows to repeat them.

As for Golftec's general phiosophy, I drank the cool-aid. It makes sense that if the best players in the world are all within a given range of angles at specific points, and I'm physically able to get into those positions, then my game can only improve by learning to swing within that range.

Sure, I could have spent a lot less on lessons but I am 100% satisfied with my choice.

[warbirdlover]

Well, since my OLD method sucked last night I went to the NEW method I've been working on and low and behold I was crushing them (for me) long and straight. Geesh. It felt more comfortable for some reason so I guess it was worth all the work....

Moral of the story.... Lessons are good...

[Eracer]

I believe that one can be perfectly happy playing golf with a swing full of compensations; as long as one is willing to reach a plateau defined by those compensations, and stay there forever.

[chemboy2]

Originally Posted by Eracer

I believe that one can be perfectly happy playing golf with a swing full of compensations; as long as one is willing to reach a plateau defined by those compensations, and stay there forever.

That's really what it boils down to. I dropped the coin because I wasn't happy shooting 95-105 with the occasional 89 and 110 thrown in to the mix.

My desired "plateau" is that of a single digit cap (ftr, I'll take 9.9999 ). It will be a lot of years before family commitments allow me to play weekly so I feel that is a realistic target with my two rounds a month and 3 days/wk practice/range time. I still have a fair amount of work left but I'm 10 strokes closer to my target than I was when I began my lessons ~18 months ago.

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by chemboy2

That's really what it boils down to. I dropped the coin because I wasn't happy shooting 95-105 with the occasional 89 and 110 thrown in to the mix.

My desired "plateau" is that of a single digit cap (ftr, I'll take 9.9999 ). It will be a lot of years before family commitments allow me to play weekly so I feel that is a realistic target with my two rounds a month and 3 days/wk practice/range time. I still have a fair amount of work left but I'm 10 strokes closer to my target than I was when I began my lessons ~18 months ago.

That's my goal as well. I really believe that if I can get a handle on my short game, I can be a 10 index, even playing once a week. My full swing has improved a lot lately. I'm driving the ball with confidence (something I have never been able to do) and if I can just cure this OTT pull, I'll be hitting enough GIR to start scoring.

[Rideguy]

What is Golftec and are they in Canada?

Never had a lesson but a couple of my friends are Pro's and they have offered me advice on the course and it's helped. I don't bug them to much because we are out there to play.....

I felt stuck scoring and went to fundamentals.... Grip,Swing, etc... My scores have eventually come down into the 80's all the time and I hope to start breaking 80 soon!!!

I'd love to take a lesson but it seems that it is hard to find a good instructor.... Teaching is an Art.......

The latest improvemnet in my game has been a mental shift from trying to "Hit" the ball to more " Swing " the Club......