By Alan Watson, President GOLF+, Dothan and PCB
Over the course of my career as a golfer and a golf retailer I have been asked many times about equipment and golf lessons. Most golfers want to know what would benefit them more – new clubs or golf lessons. The correct answer is both but like many things in life, there are conditions to each.
New clubs always sound great and if you can afford to update your equipment then I say let’s do it. That being said anytime a golfer spends money on equipment the money should be spent on the right equipment for their game and not just shiny new toys. Just updating your driver to the latest model or choosing a more expensive ball than you usually play is no guarantee of success. Only in properly fitted clubs will a golfer see the most benefit from his spending decision. The wrong shaft flex, weight, length, or head design will only increase the chances that things don’t actually improve on the course. With today’s incredible technology, great fitters can show you the benefit of properly fitted clubs and how much distance or accuracy you can gain from your current equipment to new clubs.
Golf lessons are a great idea and even the best players in the world take lessons. We should all choose to spend time and money with someone who knows more than we do and who can impart knowledge about the game we love. Just like equipment though there are conditions. For example, if you do nothing with the information you gain at a golf lesson – if you don’t practice, run the drills that you were taught, and go early before your round to properly prepare for golf you won’t see the benefit of taking those lessons. You’re score won’t improve just because you took the lesson. Your score will only improve when you act upon the lesson that you were given.
Personally, I have taken lessons on and off through the years and have seen big changes from understanding and acting upon those lessons. Just recently I went to my coach for a putting lesson and came away with the awareness that I needed to trust my stroke but change my putter. Good news bad news I guess but it’s working better now that I made the change. Also, the confidence he gave me to know that my stroke was working now allows me to worry less on the greens and just go for it!
So before you decide which improvement to make – the clubs or yourself – decide two things. 1) how old are my clubs and which ones need an update or where are the problem areas in my bag? and 2) do I have time to commit to working on my swing if I get lessons and changes need to be made?
If you don’t have time to work on your game then properly fitted clubs will help more. If you do have time to practice and work on swing changes then I encourage you to take a lesson from a PGA teaching professional near you.
And if you’re lucky then maybe you can do both! Fairways and greens!
