Instruction
Get the most out of your lessons
I know of a great professional who, mid-way in his career, decided to change his swing. He wanted to be more consistent under pressure and win more major championships. His routine consisted of hitting 300-to-500 balls working with his teacher in the morning, lunch and then to the course. As soon as he would make one of the old swings, he and his teacher would head back to the practice tee. It took the better part of a year to make the change he wanted.
I often give lessons to golfers who leave a one-hour lesson and immediately go play with their regular group for a $5 Nassau or whatever it might be. Out of my own curiosity (and amusement I might add), I often get a golf cart and sneak around to watch things play out. It is enlightening and unbelievably predictable. In most cases, golfers can’t even go two holes without making the old mistakes. By the end of the lesson, the slice was gone– maybe it had even turned into a nice little draw. But almost IMMEDIATELY, the slice comes back for golfers on the course, time after time. Why can’t they take it to the course, they wonder?
There are several reasons, but we should begin with the most obvious: They shouldn’t have gone to the course in the first place! At least not that soon after a lesson! If golfers absolutely have to go to the course, they should go alone. Maybe they could go with a close friend of theirs, but they should NEVER go with their peers (unless they like them so much they want to donate to their beer money).
After most lessons, golfers should spend their majority of their time learning the new swing motion. It is foolish to think that they can make a swing change quickly enough to head straight to the course. Most golfers have been swinging the club a certain way for some 20+ years. They really think they can make a change in an hour? Seriously?
But here is the really interesting part of the story: Most golfers are able to make positive changes very quickly under the guidance of the instructor. That means that they are certainly physically capable of doing it. But because many students have great success during a lesson, they assume (almost always incorrectly) that they have mastered the new move. But it just doesn’t work that way.
On the lesson tee, golfers get feedback on every swing as they are directed through a change. It’s like riding a bike with training wheels. But on the golf course, the training wheels aren’t allowed. Golfers are on their own, and at that point, their new swing can’t hold up without the teacher input. Very often, things get worse.
The reason for this conundrum is that contrary to what most golfers believe, they simply did not “get it” on the lesson tee. They were walked through it; and at that point, it is far too soon to be without the eyes of the teacher. This is why I advise my students to bundle their lessons, because I don’t believe that one lesson gets it done. Take your lessons in a more concentrated package, and keep them up over time.
In a lesson, golfers are fully concentrated on going through the process with their instructor, and they are not so worried about trying to produce a result. That’s the nature of proper practice for a swing change. It’s N.A.T.O. (not attached to outcome) golf, as I call it. Golfers are simply thinking of the changes they’re trying to make and getting the body and/or the club into a new position. So what if it goes 30 yards off line?
As soon as golfers get to the course, however, their whole focus shifts to OUTCOME and getting a RESULT. And as soon as they do that, they have lost all sight of the process. For example, “Turn the shoulders more in the backswing,” as you were working on with your instructor, becomes “How can I save a bogey or NOT hit it in that bunker!” There goes that one-hour lesson right down the drain.
And of course there is our old friend, peer pressure, a golf virus that infects all of us. “I will look so silly if I top this ball into the lake in front of my buddies,” peer pressure tells us. Because who wants to be the worst golfer on the block or in the office? A golfer’s chances of making the new move in the early stages of a swing change are slim and none with peer pressre, and that slim didn’t have a tee time that day.
And then there’s the pencil, every golfers worst enemy. As soon a someone is standing there with that little lead stub with no eraser, counting all a golfer’s shots, all hell breaks loose. Many golfers shy away from the pressure and say something like, “Oh I’m not keeping score today.” With that attitude, they play pretty well and go to the 19th hole saying, “Hey, If I’d have kept score today, I would have done really well.” Image that!
Here’s the deal: If you are committed to changing some things and playing better down the road, spend way more time on the practice tee than the course after a lesson. And if you do go to the course, go alone and at a time when you can drop a few balls on each hole and work on the change. Or you may even enjoy a late nine with your spouse in a very non-competitive atmosphere, and work on the new stuff there.
It is difficult to change any motion habit, let alone one as complicated as a golf swing. If you put your jacket on right sleeve first, just try left sleeve first for a week. See how often you catch yourself doing it the old way. You know you CAN do it, but your body is screaming, “But this is the way I’ve always done it.”
If you’d really like to get the most out of a golf lesson or golf school, walk the walk don’t just talk the talk. Take a month or even a season and commit to the change without reservation. A lifetime of better golf awaits if you do.
As always, feel free to send a swing video to my Facebook page and I will do my best to give you my feedback.
There may be no more painful affliction in golf than the “yips” – those uncontrollable and maddening little nervous twitches that prevent you from making a decent stroke on short putts. If you’ve never had them, consider yourself very fortunate (or possibly just very young). But I can assure you that when your most treacherous and feared golf shot is not the 195 yard approach over water with a quartering headwind…not the extra tight fairway with water left and sand right…not the soft bunker shot to a downhill pin with water on the other side…No, when your most feared shot is the remaining 2- 4-foot putt after hitting a great approach, recovery or lag putt, it makes the game almost painful.
And I’ve been fighting the yips (again) for a while now. It’s a recurring nightmare that has haunted me most of my adult life. I even had the yips when I was in my 20s, but I’ve beat them into submission off and on most of my adult life. But just recently, that nasty virus came to life once again. My lag putting has been very good, but when I get over one of those “you should make this” length putts, the entire nervous system seems to go haywire. I make great practice strokes, and then the most pitiful short-stroke or jab at the ball you can imagine. Sheesh.
But I’m a traditionalist, and do not look toward the long putter, belly putter, cross-hand, claw or other variation as the solution. My approach is to beat those damn yips into submission some other way. Here’s what I’m doing that is working pretty well, and I offer it to all of you who might have a similar affliction on the greens.
When you are over a short putt, forget the practice strokes…you want your natural eye-hand coordination to be unhindered by mechanics. Address your putt and take a good look at the hole, and back to the putter to ensure good alignment. Lighten your right hand grip on the putter and make sure that only the fingertips are in contact with the grip, to prevent you from getting to tight.
Then, take a long, long look at the hole to fill your entire mind and senses with the target. When you bring your head/eyes back to the ball, try to make a smooth, immediate move right into your backstroke — not even a second pause — and then let your hands and putter track right back together right back to where you were looking — the HOLE! Seeing the putter make contact with the ball, preferably even the forward edge of the ball – the side near the hole.
For me, this is working, but I am asking all of you to chime in with your own “home remedies” for the most aggravating and senseless of all golf maladies. It never hurts to have more to fall back on!
Over the last couple of decades, golf has become much more science-based. We measure swing speed, smash factor, angle of attack, strokes gained, and many other metrics that can really help golfers improve. But I often wonder if the advancement of golf’s “hard” sciences comes at the expense of the “soft” sciences.
Take, for example, golf instruction. Good golf instruction requires understanding swing mechanics and ball flight. But let’s take that as a given for PGA instructors. The other factors that make an instructor effective can be evaluated by social science, rather than launch monitors.
If you are a recreational golfer looking for a golf instructor, here are my top three points to consider.
1. Cultural mindset
What is “cultural mindset? To social scientists, it means whether a culture of genius or a culture of learning exists. In a golf instruction context, that may mean whether the teacher communicates a message that golf ability is something innate (you either have it or you don’t), or whether golf ability is something that can be learned. You want the latter!
It may sound obvious to suggest that you find a golf instructor who thinks you can improve, but my research suggests that it isn’t a given. In a large sample study of golf instructors, I found that when it came to recreational golfers, there was a wide range of belief systems. Some instructors strongly believed recreational golfers could improve through lessons. while others strongly believed they could not. And those beliefs manifested in the instructor’s feedback given to a student and the culture created for players.
2. Coping and self-modeling can beat role-modeling
Swing analysis technology is often preloaded with swings of PGA and LPGA Tour players. The swings of elite players are intended to be used for comparative purposes with golfers taking lessons. What social science tells us is that for novice and non-expert golfers, comparing swings to tour professionals can have the opposite effect of that intended. If you fit into the novice or non-expert category of golfer, you will learn more and be more motivated to change if you see yourself making a ‘better’ swing (self-modeling) or seeing your swing compared to a similar other (a coping model). Stay away from instructors who want to compare your swing with that of a tour player.
3. Learning theory basics
It is not a sexy selling point, but learning is a process, and that process is incremental – particularly for recreational adult players. Social science helps us understand this element of golf instruction. A good instructor will take learning slowly. He or she will give you just about enough information that challenges you, but is still manageable. The artful instructor will take time to decide what that one or two learning points are before jumping in to make full-scale swing changes. If the instructor moves too fast, you will probably leave the lesson with an arm’s length of swing thoughts and not really know which to focus on.
As an instructor, I develop a priority list of changes I want to make in a player’s technique. We then patiently and gradually work through that list. Beware of instructors who give you more than you can chew.
So if you are in the market for golf instruction, I encourage you to look beyond the X’s and O’s to find the right match!
Most pros take months, even years, to win their first tournament. Lottie Woad needed exactly four days.
The 21-year-old from Surrey shot 21-under 267 at Dundonald Links to win the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open by three shots — in her very first event as a professional. She’s only the third player in LPGA history to accomplish this feat, joining Rose Zhang (2023) and Beverly Hanson (1951).
But here’s what caught my attention as a coach: Woad didn’t win through miraculous putting or bombing 300-yard drives. She won through relentless precision and unshakeable composure. After watching her performance unfold, I’m convinced every golfer — from weekend warriors to scratch players — can steal pages from her playbook.
Precision Beats Power (And It’s Not Even Close)
Forget the driving contests. Woad proved that finding greens matters more than finding distance.
What Woad did:
• Hit it straight, hit it solid, give yourself chances
• Aimed for the fat parts of greens instead of chasing pins
• Let her putting do the talking after hitting safe targets
• As she said, “Everyone was chasing me today, and managed to maintain the lead and played really nicely down the stretch and hit a lot of good shots”
Why most golfers mess this up:
• They see a pin tucked behind a bunker and grab one more club to “go right at it”
• Distance becomes more important than accuracy
• They try to be heroic instead of smart
ACTION ITEM: For your next 10 rounds, aim for the center of every green regardless of pin position. Track your greens in regulation and watch your scores drop before your swing changes.
The Putter That Stayed Cool Under Fire
Woad started the final round two shots clear and immediately applied pressure with birdies at the 2nd and 3rd holes. When South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim mounted a charge and reached 20-under with a birdie at the 14th, Woad didn’t panic.
How she responded to pressure:
• Fired back with consecutive birdies at the 13th and 14th
• Watched Kim stumble with back-to-back bogeys
• Capped it with her fifth birdie of the day at the par-5 18th
• Stayed patient when others pressed, pressed when others cracked
What amateurs do wrong:
• Get conservative when they should be aggressive
• Try to force magic when steady play would win
• Panic when someone else makes a move
ACTION ITEM: Practice your 3-6 foot putts for 15 minutes after every range session. Woad’s putting wasn’t spectacular—it was reliable. Make the putts you should make.
Course Management 101: Play Your Game, Not the Course’s Game
Woad admitted she couldn’t see many scoreboards during the final round, but it didn’t matter. She stuck to her game plan regardless of what others were doing.
Her mental approach:
• Focused on her process, not the competition
• Drew on past pressure situations (Augusta National Women’s Amateur win)
• As she said, “That was the biggest tournament I played in at the time and was kind of my big win. So definitely felt the pressure of it more there, and I felt like all those experiences helped me with this”
Her physical execution:
• 270-yard drives (nothing flashy)
• Methodical iron play
• Steady putting
• Everything effective, nothing spectacular
ACTION ITEM: Create a yardage book for your home course. Know your distances to every pin, every hazard, every landing area. Stick to your plan no matter what your playing partners are doing.
Mental Toughness Isn’t Born, It’s Built
The most impressive part of Woad’s win? She genuinely didn’t expect it: “I definitely wasn’t expecting to win my first event as a pro, but I knew I was playing well, and I was hoping to contend.”
Her winning mindset:
• Didn’t put winning pressure on herself
• Focused on playing well and contending
• Made winning a byproduct of a good process
• Built confidence through recent experiences:
- Won the Women’s Irish Open as an amateur
- Missed a playoff by one shot at the Evian Championship
- Each experience prepared her for the next
What this means for you:
• Stop trying to shoot career rounds every time you tee up
• Focus on executing your pre-shot routine
• Commit to every shot
• Stay present in the moment
ACTION ITEM: Before each round, set process goals instead of score goals. Example: “I will take three practice swings before every shot” or “I will pick a specific target for every shot.” Let your score be the result, not the focus.
The Real Lesson
Woad collected $300,000 for her first professional victory, but the real prize was proving that fundamentals still work at golf’s highest level. She didn’t reinvent the game — she simply executed the basics better than everyone else that week.
The fundamentals that won:
• Hit more fairways
• Find more greens
• Make the putts you should make
• Stay patient under pressure
That’s something every golfer can do, regardless of handicap. Lottie Woad just showed us it’s still the winning formula.
FINAL ACTION ITEM: Pick one of the four action items above and commit to it for the next month. Master one fundamental before moving to the next. That’s how champions are built.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” on RG.org each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more Tips!
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Jesse
Dec 22, 2013 at 2:26 pm
Old swing habits can creep back even years after you made a change. I was in college and simply was laying the club off on takeway, my instructor basically made me stay in certain positions until it actually started to hurt because i held it so long. Played great for about 5 yrs then i stopped working on it and took a couple months off and no more range. Only play 2-4 times and month now, guess what my swing is exactly the same as it was before my lessons again. Went from a 9, to +1 and now i struggle to break 80, as all the old habits have crept back.
Double Mocha Man
Dec 19, 2013 at 10:42 pm
I never expect what works on the range to work on the course. And vice versa. The range and the course are two different games. The best stuff I’ve learned I learned on the course.
naflack
Dec 20, 2013 at 2:39 am
+1
P
Dec 22, 2013 at 11:29 am
Double Mocha Man,
That is, IF you are already a good ball striker. Please don’t be telling that to beginners.
Dan
Sep 4, 2021 at 11:36 pm
The best stuff I’ve learned on the course, I’ve also lost on the course.
Rich
Dec 19, 2013 at 6:10 pm
After committing to a series of lessons my instructor asked that I not play until the series was over, and since the lessons were full swing he recommended that I not practice the changes but use time away from instruction to practice putting instead. Two sessions of one hour a week for eight weeks made my putting improve WAY more than the full swing lessons. Best lesson I ever received.
naflack
Dec 20, 2013 at 2:45 am
so it wasnt enough that you committed to a series of lessons…?
that instructor has some serious onions.
Adam
Dec 18, 2013 at 3:49 pm
i agree 100% with this, i got a lesson that changed my whole swing in early august and spent the better part of a week straight hitting golf balls on the range, before my dad got bored and wanted to go play. take the time to let your lesson sink in and be able to do it by yourself repeatedly.
paul
Dec 18, 2013 at 12:05 pm
I had a lesson that changed everything for me. I folllwed it up by playing a round of virtual golf the next day (-40 degrees outside) and did 10 strokes better. now that i have had a year to work some mlre on what i learned i shot 80. Lucky i guess.
Ian Bainbridge
Dec 18, 2013 at 2:22 am
If people felt a major improvement in their game from having a lesson then they may commit to the process, but not many feel they have that change. If teachers could keep it simple and get the basic fundamentals into a golfer then we would all improve. How many golfers turn up for a lesson, feel they don’t get much, and go back to the old swing fault?
If people swung in and up on way back, and down and out on way through, most of us would have a nice baby draw instead of the fade/slice 80% of us have. That and not trying to knock the cover off the ball 😉
naflack
Dec 17, 2013 at 10:35 pm
Good stuff…
Definitely take any opportunity to practice on the course.
If its slow and you’re a single hit a couple extra shots here and there where time allows.
Some of my best practice rounds haves come playing with my wife, she couldn’t care less about what I’m doing and how well I’m doing it.
Andrew Adamonis
Dec 17, 2013 at 4:21 pm
Boy this sounds like me. I never go right to the course after a lesson, but my swing changes do tend to fall apart after several holes. Makes me think that improvement in golf just takes too much time and money. Wish there was an easier way.