Looking for a coach to start lessons with. Basically starting from scratch at 30. I live in Garden Oaks and would prefer to keep the drive to under 30 minutes. I'm not trying to go to the best/most expensive pro, as I'm just trying to right now get to a level of "don't look like a jack*ss on the course" play lol.

Ideally would like to go on Friday's.

Any recommendations?

consider Swanson's Golf Center. they have a Saturday beginner group lesson that is a great way to get started.
Otherwise they have several quality instructors that will get you going.

In reply to bobby_axelrod Don't do it. RUN!

Kidding, I recently took up the same endeavor and it helped me tremendously to take 5 30-minute lessons; take notes; and then just practice practice practice as much as possible. Like Tiger said "Go hit balls… just beating balls"

In reply to bobby_axelrod Check out GolfTec, there is a location at I-10 and Studemont. The teaching philosophy is geared for beginners. It helped my tremendously. Downside is it's expensive. You have to buy lesson packages. Which are about $80 for 30 mins. But to get you started I would highly recommend.

Great friend of mine, also an Aggie - Scott Hause. Today is his last day at Westwood and he will be moving over to Wildcat starting next week. He is fantastic. If you download the Thrive Coach app, you can check his schedule and book at lesson through there. His instagram page is scotthausegolf

IMO, way better and more attentive than Golftec

In reply to David_Puddy I follow Scott on Insta, he is a great follow.

Why is he going to Wildcat? Westwood seems like a much better place to coach at...

I am not a fan of Golf Tec

Hear great things about Axis Golf Academy at Blackhorse

First you gotta ask yourself ....are you ready to commit at least one thousand if not 2-3 thousands of dollars every year for the first few years for lessons, clubs, and then rounds mixed in?
Second are you ready to commit to the time IN BETWEEN lessons to practice? Not just pound balls but to take what you were told at lessons and work on it on your own? Not expensive but definitely a time commitment
Third, do you have kids or are going to have kids in near future? If you invest all this time and money in next two years and then have kids will you be able to keep up your game when having a bunch of family time commitment?

Not trying to scare you off bc golf is an incredible game but trying to help be realistic

Also stay away from any "box" store for lessons. Get them from a licensed pro at clubs. If they're young make sure to ask if they've actually earned their PGA certification or are simply "studying" for it. Some folks giving lessons at clubs but moreso at box stores that haven't gone thru the actual PGA program to be a true instructor

If you're going to invest in golf ....make sure it's QUALITY....coaching, equipment and time

And I say this having been married to my wife for 16 years who was a teaching pro over a decade and in the golf biz after that for a decade. Some of our first dates I suckered her into trading racquetball lessons for golf lessons!!

In reply to trip98

trip98 said:

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Third, do you have kids or are going to have kids in near future? If you invest all this time and money in next two years and then have kids will you be able to keep up your game when having a bunch of family time commitment?

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This. At least make sure you have a support system in place and schedule that will allow it. Luckily my wife, and relatives have been very supportive.

Quote:

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Also stay away from any "box" store for lessons. Get them from a licensed pro at clubs. If they're young make sure to ask if they've actually earned their PGA certification or are simply "studying" for it. Some folks giving lessons at clubs but moreso at box stores that haven't gone thru the actual PGA program to be a true instructor

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That is the direction I went and happy I did. Being able to get out on the course with someone who has been doing this a LONG time really benefitted me. Plus they have a lot of the same tech capabilities. I was getting instant video and stats throughout most of my lessons when needed.

In reply to E

E said:

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I follow Scott on Insta, he is a great follow.

Why is he going to Wildcat? Westwood seems like a much better place to coach at...

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Don't want to speak on that, but overall better situation for him and his schedule

In reply to Tom Kazansky 2012 Why?
I think GolfTec is perfect for beginners, they teach the basics to help with sound fundamentals.

In reply to El Sucio

El Sucio said:

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Why?
I think GolfTec is perfect for beginners, they teach the basics to help with sound fundamentals.

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I went in for a fitting as a beginner a few years ago and they measured my club length incorrectly. When I protested based on my research, I had to escalate it to the head guy. Head guy double checked and it came back with me (the guy not playing for even a year) being right in going wtf when they gave me my lengths.

The lessons are sort of silly too as I got very little out of them. I have improved much more from

A. Playing with people better than me and being open to criticism
B. Studying the golf game and swing
C. Driving range and eventually had a simulator built at my house end of last year.

I went from a 40 after year one to a 19.5 handicap now in year three. Nothing impressive but it's a relief to play now and hover around bogey golf most days on average on real 18s just about every other week. I probably hit about 100-200 balls a day 7 days a week on my sim. Doing the arcade R10 golf app where you play real courses but hitting off a mat, I can consistently shoot in the low 80s from the blue tees on most courses without the putting and uneven lies.

Once I get on the course with wind and hills and weird lies and more fatigue, it's closer to 95 golf.

Anyway I don't like golf Tec. Wasn't helpful for me.

In reply to David_Puddy

David_Puddy said:

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Great friend of mine, also an Aggie - Scott Hause. Today is his last day at Westwood and he will be moving over to Wildcat starting next week. He is fantastic. If you download the Thrive Coach app, you can check his schedule and book at lesson through there. His instagram page is scotthausegolf

IMO, way better and more attentive than Golftec

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+1 on Scott

Bryan Smith at Cypress Lakes is arguably the best swing coach in the area. Everything from beginners to PGA professionals

You need one on one with a pro.

There are many, but many of us think he's the best

In reply to El Sucio

El Sucio said:

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Why?
I think GolfTec is perfect for beginners, they teach the basics to help with sound fundamentals.

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The good or better instructors aren't having to work at a place to make an hourly rate to teach where the corporation is taking a massive chunk of the lesson fees. Not to mention the selling of packages of lessons. They're working at clubs getting the bulk if not all of the lesson money bc the clubs know/keep great teachers. Which keeps members happy AND keeps bringing non members around which can lead to new membership. And if they aren't good word gets around the club bc those serious golf folks dropping money on initiations and dues won't deal well with bad coaches.

I would go see Brian Smith or John Krause, they have recently moved from Cypress Lakes to Longwood. The "lessons" facility at Cypress Lakes is now closed, they moved all the equipment to Longwood, although John Krause still does occasional lessons at Cypress Lakes. Brian worked under Dick and Butch Harmon, incredibly nice guy, he knows what he is doing. I would agree to stay away from the box stores.

The "F golf" thread probably has a lot of players with lesson recommendations.

In reply to MarylandAG Didn't know he moved. I tore RC in October , had surgery Jan 2 and just now thinking about starting back.

Scott Hause is great - he's been teaching my daughter and trying to fix my debacle of a swing.

Any other recs?

I like Golftec because of the video aspect. I can actually see what I'm doing vs someone telling me. I an also pull up the highlights of every lesson on my phone at a later date and see the visual again along with some concepts/drills to work on.

In reply to MAROON

MAROON said:

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I like Golftec because of the video aspect. I can actually see what I'm doing vs someone telling me. I an also pull up the highlights of every lesson on my phone at a later date and see the visual again along with some concepts/drills to work on.

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Most clubs and teachers have this as well. In fact the coach we use for my son has split screen so we can see my son's swing and side by side against any number of pro players. And when its side by side you can roll it thru frame by frame and pause from the same angle...side...front ...back
Can even draw lines showing the plane the pro is on and compare to plane my son is on

The technology is out there....pretty much anywhere. My point is the technology is so prevalent it really boils down to someone who knows and can communicate the swing. I'll take the coach who's done it for decades and uses technology as a tool to aid teaching. Someone who's livelihood depends on being a great coach and not an hourly wage and hitting the sales targets of packages.

But to each their own and hope that can work for folks to enjoy the game