Golf lessons

[AgronAlum]

Screw lessons. Clench your cheeks and swing as hard as you can. Let God take care of the rest.

This. The one thing I've learned in my 30+ years golfing is the harder the swing, the better the golfer. You teach yourself a lot of neat tricks hitting over trees and ponds from a fairway or two over.

They do golf camps/lessons through Ankeny Parks and Rec at Otter Creek but I'm not sure what age groups.

 

[Darth Cy]

My son went to Mark Egly at the Des Moines driving range just south of Ankeny. Mark did a good job of teaching the fundamentals of a golf swing to a 13 year old at the time. We did the 10 lessons for 30 minutes over the course of the summer. Think my son used 6 or 7 lessons that first year and used the remaining lessons the next year. The key was to make him write down what he learned after the lesson to help retain what he learned. We also did the Jr membership at jester park, would drop him off and would play the par 3 course all day. Now I can tell him to shape a shot a certain way and he has no problem doing it.

 

[NebrClone]

My son is thinking about going out for golf next year as a freshman. He’s basically played a few times and that’s it.

Was thinking about getting some lessons for him this summer, I don’t play. I don’t think he expects to play the tournaments but I don’t want him to be terrible, that’s no fun.

Any recommendations in the Des Moines/Ankeny areas?

My sister is golf pro at Nevada golf course. Has full indoor camera system setup.

 

[Bipolarcy]

Really smart to get lessons. I was a pathetic hack before I took them. Wish someone had suggested them for me when I was in 6th grade starting to play. I live in Omaha so can’t help on specific instructors, but you’re doing the right thing and there’s a world of difference between a great instructor and an average one.

Lessons? Lessons? We don't need no steenking lessons. Seriously, the first time I picked up a golf club, I hit a 300 yard drive. The second and third times, it was even farther. Oh, that it were only that easy all the time. Driving was the best/only part of my game that was any decent in the beginning. Couldn't hit irons for the life of me. I was only OK on the greens, but it took too many shots to get there.

It's easy to get hooked on the game when you stand there and watch these magnificent, beautiful drives coming off your golf club and I did. As I played more, got more experience, the drives started becoming a problem. Maybe I got into my own head or something, but after a while, my whole golf game switched. I couldn't hit woods to save my life and irons were the only reason I still played. I was teeing off with a four iron and hitting it 280 yards. Three iron from the fairway, no problem. The course I played had a 180 yard par three that was severely downhill from the tee box. I had to use a pitching wedge and take something off of it in order not to overshoot the green. That's how well I was hitting my irons.

Then that went away too. Suddenly, I was a shanking, slicing, chilly-dipping menace on the golf course. The last time I played, everything I hit took off at a 90-degree angle from where I was aiming. It's been at least 15 years since I picked up a club. I doubt I ever do it again. Golf breaks your heart. I need lessons badly, but I doubt they would help. I think I have the yips. The same thing that Tin Cup had.

 

[GMackey32]

Get lessons early so he doesn't establish bad habits. It will also make the game less frustrating for him meaning he'll most likely stick with it.

 

[CycloneDaddy]

Lessons? Lessons? We don't need no steenking lessons. Seriously, the first time I picked up a golf club, I hit a 300 yard drive. The second and third times, it was even farther. Oh, that it were only that easy all the time. Driving was the best/only part of my game that was any decent in the beginning. Couldn't hit irons for the life of me. I was only OK on the greens, but it took too many shots to get there.

It's easy to get hooked on the game when you stand there and watch these magnificent, beautiful drives coming off your golf club and I did. As I played more, got more experience, the drives started becoming a problem. Maybe I got into my own head or something, but after a while, my whole golf game switched. I couldn't hit woods to save my life and irons were the only reason I still played. I was teeing off with a four iron and hitting it 280 yards. Three iron from the fairway, no problem. The course I played had a 180 yard par three that was severely downhill from the tee box. I had to use a pitching wedge and take something off of it in order not to overshoot the green. That's how well I was hitting my irons.

Then that went away too. Suddenly, I was a shanking, slicing, chilly-dipping menace on the golf course. The last time I played, everything I hit took off at a 90-degree angle from where I was aiming. It's been at least 15 years since I picked up a club. I doubt I ever do it again. Golf breaks your heart. I need lessons badly, but I doubt they would help. I think I have the yips. The same thing that Tin Cup had.

****, why did I read this.

 

[Amac12]

Get lessons early so he doesn't establish bad habits. It will also make the game less frustrating for him meaning he'll most likely stick with it.

Best experience for my son was lessons from a great instructor who then took him out on the course and played different shots as just hitting balls on the range only took him so far. Played all through high school and college. Still a low single digit player who continues to take 2-3 lessons per year. You never really master the freaking game.

 

[GMackey32]

Best experience for my son was lessons from a great instructor who then took him out on the course and played different shots as just hitting balls on the range only took him so far. Played all through high school and college. Still a low single digit player who continues to take 2-3 lessons per year. You never really master the freaking game.

I picked up the game when I was 11 and struggled for years being self taught. Joined the golf team and the golf pro at Pheasant Ridge, Jon Bermel, came out one day to the range to give out pointers. Guy fixed my swing in 3 swings and then I played a round with him. He talked to me about different shots and how to approach different things. It really opened my eyes.

Now, I'm not a pro by any means, but I'm a single digit handicap and enjoy the game even on the bad days. And I know enough about my swing now that I can pinpoint exactly what went wrong if the shot wasn't what I was planning on. All because of that round with Jon Bermel.

 

[BryceC]

I agree, Lori is great! My kids took lessons with her at the old dome, Willow and Glen Oaks during their Junior PGA and high school golf. Ken is very good also as is Sam Rice who teaches there.

There are a lot of local tournaments during the summer, (IowaPGAJuniorGolf.com) might be worth checking one out to get some experience. FYI, on the boys side they can fill up pretty fast.

He’s played like 5 rounds in his entire life. The lessons thing is to prepare him so he just isn’t absolutely awful and embarrassed playing with the team. I think tournaments would probably be too much for him right now and he won’t make the tournament squad through school so I don’t think he needs that yet.

 

[ajspatio19]

I don't want to hijack the conversation but do have a question about taking lessons myself. Outside of 70 yards I am a strong golfer. Inside 70 yards is where my scores fall apart. If I take lessons, can I specify with my instructor that I want to work on approach and short game only or do instructors typically want to look at your overall game and dictate their lesson plan?

OP, I think it would be a great idea to have your son take lessons now and get a solid foundation before those bad self-taught habits start to takeover.

 

[GMackey32]

I don't want to hijack the conversation but do have a question about taking lessons myself. Outside of 70 yards I am a strong golfer. Inside 70 yards is where my scores fall apart. If I take lessons, can I specify with my instructor that I want to work on approach and short game only or do instructors typically want to look at your overall game and dictate their lesson plan?

OP, I think it would be a great idea to have your son take lessons now and get a solid foundation before those bad self-taught habits start to takeover.

Yes, you can specify. Some pros even offer lessons on just short game.

 

[3TrueFans]

I don't want to hijack the conversation but do have a question about taking lessons myself. Outside of 70 yards I am a strong golfer. Inside 70 yards is where my scores fall apart. If I take lessons, can I specify with my instructor that I want to work on approach and short game only or do instructors typically want to look at your overall game and dictate their lesson plan?

OP, I think it would be a great idea to have your son take lessons now and get a solid foundation before those bad self-taught habits start to takeover.

They should definitely be willing to focus on whatever you think your weakness is, although once they see you they may have other suggestions.

 

[NickTheGreat]

My 6-year old did a group lesson thing last summer with Mark Egley at the Des Moines Driving Range by the river in Johnston. He seemed like a different style of coach, but I am tempted to go get some lessons from him for myself!

 

[mkadl]

I follow Kerrod Gray on twitter. Easy to the point instruction. I also use golffix app on my phone. You can use it in your garaga and anylize your posture and swing. Both of these plus my retirment has really helped my game, My golf buddies ask what I have done to have such a better looking swing. Yes my score has dropped with consistancy created by those two internet instructors.

 

[VeloClone]

Screw lessons. Clench your cheeks and swing as hard as you can. Let God take care of the rest.

My first ever time golfing on my very first swing I did this and it worked great, I ended up on the green. The unfortunate part was it was the wrong green.

 

[cyfanatic13]

I don't want to hijack the conversation but do have a question about taking lessons myself. Outside of 70 yards I am a strong golfer. Inside 70 yards is where my scores fall apart. If I take lessons, can I specify with my instructor that I want to work on approach and short game only or do instructors typically want to look at your overall game and dictate their lesson plan?

OP, I think it would be a great idea to have your son take lessons now and get a solid foundation before those bad self-taught habits start to takeover.

One of my coworkers is a scratch golfer and had him teach me some things with chipping last summer and it helped a ton. Now, I forgot everything so I need a refresh, but hey if I learned once I can do it again