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I'm getting lessons again...

Bravo

Well-Known Member
Aug 27, 2004
5,822
15
Last summer, I was playing the best golf of my life. This occurred after a series of lessons the previous Fall and Winter. My instructor had what I thought were unorthodox methods but they worked great for me, my body type and swing type.

This past Fall I was OK then things started going downhill (or uphill as case may be in golf...) in the Winter and Spring.

Then, my instructor quits golf. This guy is originally from Cleveland Ohio and spent much of his golf career in the Naples/Ft. Myers area. Somehow he came here and started working at our place - primarily as an Instructor.

About four months ago, I see him in the shop and he says he is getting married, likes living here, wants to have a family and needs a steady form of employment. He is a first assistant and must find a job as a Golf Director to make a good living. Those jobs are scarce. You have to find a good facility where somebody is retiring or has been fired - and then have quite a bit of borrowing power or operating capital to buy inventory and set yourself up.

So he decides to take a job in industrial sales here. He is gone in two weeks and my game is sliding down the gutter. Whatever I had last year is almost gone.

So today, I tracked him down and asked him to help me out. Gonna get the video camera and go over to the RTJ facility and use their range...

Somethings gotta give because it is getting ugly.

I've never looked forward to lessons so much in my life.
 

Rockford35

Shark skin shoes
Staff member
Admin
Aug 30, 2004
21,798
1,080
Canada
Country
Canada Canada
Sweet.

Lessons never hurt. Never. Sometimes you can get stuck in a rut and having a trained set of eyes show you what you might be doing wrong is worth it's weight in gold.

I thought about lessons this spring. I still might do that.

R35
 

Rosmo

All around nice guy
Apr 22, 2005
255
0
Definatley a ++. I make it a point to take atleast a lesson or two every month just to fine tune the game and make sure I'm on the right track. I figure if Tiger still has somone take a look at his swing, then I'm definatley not above taking a few lessons.
 
OP
Bravo

Bravo

Well-Known Member
Aug 27, 2004
5,822
15
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #4
Rosmo said:
I figure if Tiger still has somone take a look at his swing, then I'm definatley not above taking a few lessons.

This is what lead me to it - the fact that those guys on Tour have somebody checking them each and every week. I need somebody (the same somebody who helped me build this) to check my positions, etc from time to time.

It was kind of embarrassing though to call him and ask him for help on the side (after work). We have to sneak off somewhere else to find a range.

I hate this!!
 

Quentin

How U Doin'?
Aug 27, 2004
199
0
Hey Bravo,

My local course offers a summer package that consists of open 15 minute lessons a few times a week. I can buy a package of 6 lessons and show up whenever I want during those times and they'll work with me. All 3 of the club pros are out there working with people during these time periods. I could go twice a week for three weeks on one package.

Sometimes all you need is a quick 15 minutes to correct the problem. ;)

~QQ
 

DaveE

The golfer fka ST Champ
Aug 31, 2004
3,986
3
Bravo, let us know hot it goes. I've been trying to motivate myself to do the same thing, so if you do well it might get me off my ass.
 
OP
Bravo

Bravo

Well-Known Member
Aug 27, 2004
5,822
15
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #8
Quentin said:
Hey Bravo,


Sometimes all you need is a quick 15 minutes to correct the problem. ;)

~QQ

There is a 50/50 chance that this is what I need. I dont know. I may have gotten so far away from where I was, it may take some time - or maybe just a checkpoint or two will do the job.

I like your program but I am not sure it would work for me now - for what I need right now. the reason I am not going to our staff (or our Golf Director whom I like and support) is because of consistency. You can teach golf an infinite number of ways. But I learned this one method/philosophy from the assistant that I want to stay with because it worked great for me. He told me that he selected this certain facility in Naples because of its reputation for "teaching teachers". Whatever they taught him is something I can reproduce. I think this is a big factor in getting better. "Can I reproduce what this guy is showing me?" I think that many teaching methods are very tough to reproduce on the course.

So - there's a method in his madness and I want to stick with this - rather than rotating to others who may have a different approach. That could result in a total Train Wreck...
 

Quentin

How U Doin'?
Aug 27, 2004
199
0
Care to share what is unique about the methodology you were learning? They weren't going Furyk on you?!

~QQ
 
OP
Bravo

Bravo

Well-Known Member
Aug 27, 2004
5,822
15
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #11
It is hard to describe but it is quite "non-mechanical". It is a Feel Method where the guy is able to get me to flow to and through the ball.

I like it bc there are not dozens of mechanical relationships that you have to track...

Keep your right earlobe pointed to the ground...make sure your sternum rotates back..keep your chin up - your head down and your dick in your pants. Arrgghh.

I realize that after all these years - I ain't gonna be scratch. Maybe it is these kind of mechanical checkpoints that lead to scratch play....but I have a hard time internalizing and reproducing this kind of concept.
 

CKGuY914

simplicity vs complexity
Apr 8, 2005
128
0
That sounds alot like how Fred Couples swings :)

He emphesizes alot on feeling instead mechanics.
 

Quentin

How U Doin'?
Aug 27, 2004
199
0
Bravo said:
keep your chin up - your head down and your dick in your pants. Arrgghh.

Hehe. Chin up and head down...are we eating our face here? ;)

I hear you on the flow process and less thinking. I have yet to have a lesson on anything but mechanics. Sound mechanics and lots of repetitions lead to less thinking and better shots...no?

This year will be practice, practice and more practice for me. Gotta continue grooving my new swing from last year.

Hope the lesson works out well.

~QQ
 

JasonMacIsaac

Titleist and Cleveland
Feb 23, 2005
467
1
I never took lessons in my life. I can't afford that sort of stuff. I guess my dad's old eyes will have to do.
 

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