OUR REGULAR GAME NO. 17

One of the questions that I’m most frequently asked (other than “How could you be so stupid?”) is about golf lessons.  Specifically, should you take them and, if so, how should you choose a teacher?

           And the answer, if the truth be known, is like the answer to so many of life’s burning questions: It depends.

           For one thing, it depends on where you are in the game. Are you a beginner or an experienced player?  Golf’s like any other game.  Proper instruction in the fundamentals is vital.  If you’re a beginner, don’t take up the game without learning the proper grip, stance, and swing fundamentals from a qualified teacher. 

           If you’re an experienced player, what are your goals?  Don’t take a lesson expecting the teacher to take you from an 18 handicap to scratch.  Even if you have the athletic ability, you’ve got to be willing to commit the time and effort, day in and day out, to improve that much.

           Beyond that, exercise care in choosing an instructor.  You should know that PGA Professionals are trained to teach golf.  It’s part of their certification process.  So I recommend you take instruction from a certified PGA Professional.

           Still, there’s a lot of variation even among PGA Professionals.  Unless you’re starting from scratch, pick a pro who will build on what you have rather than try to reinvent your swing.  You want someone who’ll correct your bad habits, not try to make you learn the game all over again.  That may have worked for guys like Nick Faldo, but he was willing to hit several hundred balls a day for six months.  Unless you’ve got that kind of time, you’d best stick with what you have.

           It’s also very important that you learn not just how to swing better, but what causes bad shots when things go wrong.  Because, unless you can afford to have your pro tag along every time you play golf, you’ll have to rely on your own understanding of your golf swing to fix things when you start hitting it bad. 

           I don’t profess to be an expert about anybody’s golf swing, including my own, but I have learned over the years how to right my ship when it starts listing to one side.  That’s a great help when you’re in the middle of a round, as well as when you’re on the practice tee.  So when you’re having a lesson with a pro, pay close attention not just to what he tells you to do, but make sure you understand why he’s telling you to do it that way.

           One thing I can guarantee: You’ll always get a lot of free lessons from your golfing buddies.  For some reason, we golfers find it hard to resist the temptation to help a fellow traveler who appears to be struggling with his game.  All of the advice is given with the best of intentions, but always remember this: Most of it is worth exactly what you’re paying for it.  So the best thing to do is smile, thank your friend for the great swing tip, and go on about your business.

           For Our Regular Game, this is Mike Veron, hoping your next lesson is the best you’ve ever had.

 About the Author

J. Michael Veron is the acclaimed author of The Greatest Player Who Never Lived and The Greatest Course That Never Was. His third novel, tentatively titled The Caddie, is scheduled for release in the spring of 2002.

Mike's work has earned him the title of "master of fiction" from USA Today, and Travel and Leisure Golf Magazine has called him "The John Grisham of Golf." In addition, the New York Times hailed The Greatest Player as "Golf's Literary Rookie of the Year," and the Seattle Times ranked The Greatest Player as second on its all-time list of "Five Wonderful Golf Books." At one time, The Greatest Player and The Greatest Course were the first and third best-selling sports fiction in the country.

Please contact us for more information on Mike and his work.