I recently had the great opportunity to observe one of the top golf instructors in the world as he conducted some lessons. What I was able to learn was the presentation of his instruction and philosophy, and the different drills he uses to relate both. I also had the opportunity to take a lesson from him and afterward, I thought about the process. I realized that the success achieved in the lesson depends more on the willingness of the student to communicate than the ability of the instructor.

During the lesson I observed, the changes took much longer than I thought necessary. This was because the student was slightly resistant to the changes and had a hard time communicating her difficulties with him. While this is not uncommon, the problem developed because the student did not talk about the difficulties she was having.

Communication is one aspect of golf instruction that is often overlooked. While it is obviously important for the instructor to properly convey the swing changes necessary for improvement, it is more important for the student to tell the instructor what is actually happening. Golf instruction is not a one-way street. If any of you are in the process of taking lessons, or are thinking about starting, remember to communicate with your teacher. Talk about what you are looking for from the lesson and how you are trying to correct it on your own. You have to realize that it is your responsibility to tell the instructor whether you understand what you are trying to do. If you are having a hard time with something, talk about it. The instructor must be able to relate to you and it is his or her responsibility to make sure he or she is helping you accomplish your goals.

Find an instructor that you can communicate with. If he or she can’t communicate with you, success will be hard to achieve. Don’t feel badly if you find a different instructor that you like better. Remember, it is supposed to be an enjoyable experience. If the instructor’s business suffers from an inability to communicate; the world needs ditch diggers to.

Tyler Clark, PGA

Contact Tyler with any questions at 748-7770 or via email at tclark@ironbridgesportspark.com.