Conference 7.286::golf

    Hacker,
    
     I have never taken any lessons but will give you my two cents.
    I think it would important to feel comfortable with the person you
    are working with. Maybe you should keep looking around for the right
    guy or gal before you make a decision. 
    
     Ya know.......I would think you could get rid of that slice without
    the lessons if that is the only reason you are going. It can only be
    so many things and it could be something really simple but then again a
    pro would probably see it real quick and you wouldn't have to go
    through the fustration of figuring it out. 
    
     Well find someone you are comfortable with I think that is important.
    
    Good Luck
    Pete      

    
    	When I first started playing golf about 6 - 7 years ago. I
    couldn't drive the ball for anything. I could hit my irons and
    pitch and putt pretty good. If you can't get off the tee you 
    can't score well. So my Father payed for golf lessons as a present.
    I went to Wayland C.C. in Wayland Ma. The guy teaching the lessons,
    can't think of name right now. Was the type who's philosiphy was
    even if you can't get off the tee I'll still save you more strokes
    if you can pitch and putt. Basically he was just trying to get you
    to take more than 1 or 2 lessons. He wanted me teach me putting
    one day, pitching from just off the green, pitching from about 20
    yrds. away. etc. etc. I think I took 5 lessons and never once made
    it to the tee or driving range. So my opionion on taking lessons
    is make sure the pro knows what you want to learn. Because they
    will try and get you to take more lessons then you want. 
    
    /Ron

Not every pro is trying to get you to take more lessons.  Last year I took a
couple lessons from Dan Diskin @ Stow.  I took a couple weeks off to assimilate
what he said.  A couple weeks later I booked another lesson to try to further
improve on the changes he had been making.  His first comment, "What are you 
doing back so fast?"

Larry

    Hacker,
    My wife started to play about three years ago and went to the "hot
    shot" teaching pro to start.  Results were good, she shot about 120 at
    Rancho Park in her first round.  Ball was always in the fairway, short
    game hurt her because of lack of consistancy.  Last year, after some
    surgery she went to a woman pro about 45 years old (wife is 44), with a
    similar build and the same back problem.  Results are fantastic.  My
    wife comments that the difference is that the woman identified with the
    lack of strength in hands and forearms, etc. and had her hitting the
    ball longer almost immediately.  Another story about my self.  Years
    ago I found a pro that was 6'5" (I'm 6'4+") and weighed 250 (I was 267)
    at the time and the results were terrific.  Not only did the drives go
    from 220yds to 280yds, but the short game improved as he recognized the
    problems I had because of size in getting back to the ball and
    maintaining my balance, swing plane etc.  My suggestion, is find a pro
    that is similar to you in size, gender, approach to the game, age, etc.
    Don't go with a pro that is teaching techniques for very advanced
    golfers if that is not what you are capable of and want to go.  You
    should be suprised at what the right pro can achieve.  I'd like to go
    take some lessons right now, but can't find a pro that has lived as
    long as I have.
    
    Final comment.  Work while going to the pro.  Spend time repeating the
    lessons and working on the things he suggests.  Then when you have it
    all down, do what Sam Snead suggested in his first book - "Playing golf
    is like eating.  It is difficult for a baby to learn how to handle the
    knife, fork and spoon.  But, once you learn it, forget it and just
    enjoy eating..."(quote is not probably word for word - remember my
    age).  Go out and enjoy.  Try playing Rancho Murietta in Sacramento or
    Edgewood up at Lake Tahoe.
                                    Big Mac
    

    Larry,
    I agree with your comments about Dan Diskin, he comes from a long
    line of  club pro golfers who are into the game for the game's sake.
    
    He's come over to me " for nothing" at Stow driving range and gave
    me a tip on ball position, which he was right but took me a while
    before it sunk in!
    
    I'm going to have him check out my "driver swing" this spring
    since I think the game starts "out of the T box".
    
          Ang
    

hi,
Can anyone recommend a pro to teach some driving tips from the Amherst CC
in New Hampshire..or from Passconaway in Litchfield NH?

Im in real need of fixing up my tee-offs. After a great start to the season I 
took some time off and didnt play, and now my tee shots are fodder!! dont know
why.  How about a recommendation, gang?  Thanks.	-Nancy

Craig Suzsalka at Passaconaway is the BEST teaching pro I've ever had the
opportunity to take lessons from.  He is a very good swing analyst, and
he has an assortment of drills that he gives you to help you hone your 
skills.  After taking lessons from him (my swing was awful), my handicap
dropped 5 stokes, and if I have a bad round, his drills get me back in form.

--Mark

A previous reply about finding a teaching pro for a beginner that is
c. the same size as the student makes sense to me...

Can anyone recommend someone who will help me with my swing (driving)
in the Worcester/Marlboro/Stow area? I'm 6'2", 230lbs, and really
don't want to start golf (have played maybe 90 holes this summer so
far) the way I started racquetball, where I took lessons after over 10
years developing bad habits and was considered untrainable.

Thanks,
Pete