Recommendations from other golfers is also important.  They may provide you with recommendations or you may get those comments personally from other golfers.

But of course the real test of a golf instructor is whether or not your swing and your game actually improves.  It will take time – few see an improvement after just one or two lessons – but you should see a better swing with more control and distance soon enough.  If you go a few months and still are not improving, you may need to find another instructor!

There is a wide range of thought when it comes to actual drills.  Some believe that these will not improve your actual swing in any way since a real golf swing involves your entire body and many elements – the grip, the stance, keeping your head down – all need to work together.  Practicing them individually may not do much to improve your swing since improving one element alone won’t do much for the entire swing.

On the other hand, some believe that if you can improve different aspects of your stance, your flexibility, and your coordination then this will help your swing overall.  You might compare it to a boxer that jumps rope – he or she is improving their foot speed and coordination and their lung capacity overall.

What does this have to do with a golf instructor?  A good golf instructor will give you drills to do and will explain their benefit and value as well.  A good instructor will also tell you when they are pointless and when engaging in them might actually hurt your swing because of putting you off balance or having you learn new movements that are not necessary for your swing.

Many people try drills on their own with little thought as to whether or not they’re beneficial and little knowledge of how to do them correctly.  Learning new habits can give you muscle memory that is hurtful to your swing and may mean that you need to unlearn these things later.

You do need to consider this carefully.  As with many things, you get what you pay for when it comes to golf lessons.  Becoming a golf instructor is like becoming a piano instructor – you usually just need to know how to play yourself before you call yourself a teacher; you don’t necessarily need to be better at it than anyone else!

Typically there is a reason why lessons cost what they do or are as affordable as they are.  The more beneficial those lessons are and the more recommended a pro is, the more he or she will be able to charge.  Some however charge less because they can only give basic tips and pointers that you might be able to get from just about any experienced golfer; they may not be especially skilled or knowledgeable about how to teach.

A habit can be a good thing – switching off lights in your home can save money on energy.  But too often they can be damaging, such as with smoking or overeating.

What does this have to do with golf instruction?  If you learn from the outset how to swing correctly, you’ll have success for a longer period of time and will find that success easier.  On the other hand, if you’ve been golfing for years but doing it poorly, you will need to unlearn many things before you can learn the right way to swing.

If you’re just starting out and can consider lessons, it’s good to think about how learning properly from the outset can work wonders for your skill level.  You’ll learn good habits and will need to unlearn very few bad ones.

A golf instructor can encourage you to keep up with your practice schedule and note what you need to practice specifically.  Think of this like how piano lessons work – you know you’re going to face that instructor in a week and there’s no fooling him or her when it comes to your practice throughout the week!  Your golf instructor can be much the same way.  He or she can give you the encouragement you need to keep up with your practice, even if for no reason other than the fact that you need to face them in a week.

There’s not much you can do to improve your swing if you don’t practice.  Getting instruction is one thing but you need to practice what you’ve learned in order to actually see any improvement.  A good golf instructor can encourage you to keep up with this practice, even when you’re busy and even through the off-seasons.

Learning to Relax

Golf is not about strength and power; it’s about skill.  This skill takes time to learn and time to employ at every hole.

Unfortunately many golfers get very tense and even upset about their game, especially when they’re struggling with their swing.  This tension translates to a very poor grip and swing which of course just makes the problem worse.  When a golfer is tense, they often tend to keep their entire body tense and wind up “smacking” the club against the ball or trying to overpower it.  This leads to a hook or slice and very little distance.

A good instructor can help you with the mental part of the game, especially if you have a tendency to get tense.  Teaching you to take your time and to relax completely is an important part of what a good golf instructor will do.

It is true that the right flick of the wrist or tilt of the hip can make a big difference in your swing.  But keep in mind that everyone’s body is different – arms are different lengths, legs are different lengths, some are stronger than others – and this will mean that everyone’s golf swing should be as individual as their own body.  Trying to simply imitate someone else’s swing is going to be a mistake.

Golf instructors can tailor instruction for you personally and do this in a way that you can’t do on your own.  It’s very difficult to be critical of your own stance or swing when you can’t see what you’re doing!  Many golf instructors use cameras and video to record what their clients are doing when at the tee and elsewhere so that they can get a real idea of what is happening with you in slow motion.

By doing this, a golf instructor can then tailor your instruction to your own particular concerns.  Anyone can give generic advice and you can read it on your own, but an instructor can make sure that advice is being applied appropriately.

A good golf instructor is someone that can work with a client on their particular swing.  It’s always better to tailor a swing to a person’s own abilities rather than start from scratch, which is what a good instructor will do.