Sometimes I'll have students come to me asking whether they should have a private lesson or a group class as their way of being introduced to the game. The answer to this question really comes down to the time period in which they want to achieve their goals. If someone has an important goal they must achieve such as play well in an upcoming corporate day or breaking 100 in under 6 months, I would often recommend private sessions. If however the student doesn't necessarily have a deadline for achieving a specific goal, group classes can be a great way to learn the game.
As mentioned private sessions are perfect for those who have a specific goal as these lessons can be customised to ensure the student is always moving toward their intended target. I will always start with an Evaluation at the beginning of all private sessions in order to gain a complete picture of the student's swing. From there I will do up a detailed plan to see exactly how the swing will be fixed with recommended drills for improvement. If the goal is score focused, I will often have the student do statistics while they play. This means recording how many Greens, Fairways and Putts they make per round. Through this analysis, we can then tailor the next session to overcoming any weakness.
Now the group classes are perfect for those who want to dip their toes into a new sport with no real timeline for improvement. Group sessions are an often fun and relaxed way to learn golf. It will often involve the coach demonstrating and explaining what the theme of the class will look like at the beginning of the session with the student then going away and working on the improvements individually. One on one time with the coach is often limited depending on how many students in the class. The student does though have an opportunity to meet other like minded people where they can exchange details and meet up for practice sessions and organise games at a later date.
Now if you're unsure which one is right for you, just contact a coach to help guide you through your decision. I have many students do a combination of both particularly if they've never played before. Some students feel more comfortable if they at least feel somewhat competent before they meet others in a group class situation. The way this works is that the student usually has around 2 x 1 Hour sessions followed by attending a group class. The other factor to look at is cost. A Private session will usually cost around $135 per hour versus a group class is around $229 for 8 x 1 hour classes. Lastly whichever you choose, you will have a great introduction to golf as the basic fundamentals of golf will be the prime focus.
If you have any further questions to which one is right for you, just contact myself at David Waters Golf.
Comments