Improvement may just be a lesson away Local pros say players of all skill levels can benefit from instruction

Published 10:47 pm Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Not everyone can be a great golfer, but almost anyone can be a better golfer. And the formula for improvement, according to several area golf pros, generally includes practice, patience and some proper instruction.

Lessons from a trained teacher, they agree, provide the foundation for a good golf swing.

“Everybody that plays this game has something he or she could do a little bit better,” said Ryan Benzel, a teaching pro at Marysville’s Battle Creek Golf Course. “And whether it’s knowing how to hit a bunker shot, how to make 5-foot putts on a regular basis, how to hit a driver or whatever it is, if there’s something they could do better, a lesson could help them.”

Getting a lesson or two, or maybe a series of lessons, is important for beginning golfers, he added, but even longtime players benefit from some occasional tutelage. And that goes for Benzel himself, one of the top playing pros in Washington.

“As much as I know about my own golf swing,” he said, “there are times that I just can’t figure out what’s making the golf ball do something goofy. And at that point, I go get some help.”

“At every level of play, golfers need another set of eyes,” said Jason Himple, an assistant pro at Everett Golf and Country Club. “Take, for example, Tiger Woods, the best player in the world. He has a teaching pro at his beck and call. This is a guy who knows what he’s doing, but he still needs somebody there to make sure he’s doing the right thing.”

Beginners, of course, should always get instruction in the game’s rudimentary skills. It starts with learning a proper grip and stance, and then progresses to the various components of the swing.

For the novice, Benzel said, “it’s important to get off on the right foot. A lot of people will go to the driving range, and the first thing they do is grab their driver and try to hit the ball as hard as they can. But I think one of the best ways to learn to play golf is to start on the green and move out from there. You can start with putting and chipping, then move to full wedge shots wedge, then the middle irons and then the woods.”

Lessons for beginners are “probably the most important thing,” said Bob Gelinas, the head pro at Everett’s Walter E. Hall Golf Course and a longtime instructor. “Athletic ability will take you so far, but it can get pretty frustrating if you don’t have a knowledge of the core basics.

“Someone who’s had good core fundamental instruction enjoys the game at a different level,” he said.

Gelinas said the most common flaw he finds in struggling golfers is a bad grip. And the player then compensates for the bad grip by committing other mistakes, and the result, he said, “is a long list of bad habits.”

Some longtime players know they have bad habits, and those flaws become so ingrained and familiar they are difficult to correct. In fact, some players “are happy with what they have,” Himple said, “and they’re going to stick with what’s comfortable.”

Others want to change, but find the process of learning new habits challenging, even aggravating.

“But that’s just part of the learning process,” Benzel said. “If you have to change a habit, there can be some struggle until you can break it and get comfortable with some of the changes.”

Of course, bad habits are not restricted to high handicappers. Even top players struggle with subtle swing sins, which a good instructor can help to correct.

“Most players have habits they fall back into on any level, including myself and other pros,” Gelinas said. “So sometimes you just need a reminder or … a correction that someone can work on with you.”

So how does a prospective student find a good teacher? There are, of course, golf pros at courses all around Snohomish County. Recommendations can come from a family member or friend, but Gelinas also suggests contacting a pro and asking for references.

“That’s a great way for a student to pick a teacher,” he said. “Just ask, ‘Is there anybody I can call?’”

And what makes a good teacher?

“First of all, it’s someone that can listen and communicate well,” Benzel said. “As an instructor, you want to have the ability to relate to students and to listen to what they’re talking about in their game, and at the same time you have to be able to communicate your points or your changes to each person.”

Lessons are usually for a half-hour, though sometimes a full hour. They can be for individuals or for small groups, with more experienced player usually preferring the former and beginners often the latter.

For private instruction, lessons are usually $35-$50 for a half-hour. For a series of classes, those prices are sometimes discounted.

And the success of lessons generally “depends on the individual,” Himple said. What it comes down to, he went on, “is who wants to improve and who doesn’t?”

“The biggest step for (many golfers) is the decision to make the appointment and show up,” Gelinas said. “Because once they do that, it means they know in their minds they need to make changes.”