Why Golf Lessons Make You Worse
G'day golfers.
I was walking down the driving range at Emerald Lakes the other day, PGA badge on my chest, and I swear I saw half the bays suddenly look the other way. It is a reaction I know well. "Oh, here comes a pro. I don't need that. I had a lesson once, it made me worse, and I'm never doing it again."
Fair enough. Who in their right mind wants to pay good money to get worse at their Saturday morning hobby? I completely understand the hesitation. But if you are shooting 100 every week and you want to shoot 85, you are going to have to face a very brutal truth.
To get better, you have to get uncomfortable. And getting uncomfortable usually means getting a little bit worse first.
THE PAIN OF STAYING THE SAME
You only seek out a golf coach when the pain of your current game becomes greater than the pain of changing it.
You might have a slice that drives you absolutely mental, or you might be sick of chunking every second wedge shot. You have tried the YouTube tips, you have listened to your mate Bruce, and maybe you have even made some decent progress on your own. But eventually, you hit a plateau. You are stuck.
The reason you are stuck is that the beliefs, feelings, and swing patterns that got you to where you are right now will not get you to where you want to go. The current system is broken, and something has to change.
YOUR BRAIN HATES YOU CHANGING
Here is the problem with change: your brain absolutely hates it.
We are hardwired for comfort and control. When you try a new grip, shift your ball position, or attempt a new downswing sequence, your brain hits the panic button. It screams, "This feels weird! This isn't right!"
And because it feels weird, you probably won't execute it perfectly the first time. You might hit it fat, thin, or sideways. That is the moment most golfers throw their hands up, declare the lesson a failure, and go straight back to their old, comfortable, slicing swing.
They chose the comfort of their old plateau over the discomfort of growth.
WHY LESSONS FAIL AND COACHING WORKS
This is exactly why the traditional "one-hour golf lesson" model fails. A pro gives you information, you try it for ten minutes while they watch, and then you are left alone to figure it out on the course. By the third hole on Saturday, things feel weird, you hit a bad shot, and you abandon the whole thing. You are torn between the old and the new, and you feel worse than before.
That is why I don't give "lessons." I coach.
Coaching is about putting in the reps in the right areas and getting consistent feedback. When you start swinging a new way, it will feel terrible. My job is to be the bumper lanes on a bowling alley. I know the physics of what the clubface and ball need to do. I keep you bouncing between the bumpers until your brain finally clicks and says, "This feels horrible, but look at that ball flight... maybe I should keep doing this."
EMBRACE THE UGLY
Whether you are a 25-handicapper trying to stop a slice, or an elite player like Chase Oberle trying to find an extra 5 metres of carry, the process is the same. You have to embrace the ugly phase.
It takes reps. It takes feedback. Most importantly, it takes the acceptance that you are going to feel uncomfortable for a while.
If you are not willing to pay the price of being uncomfortable, then don't expect your scores to change. It is as simple as that.
Ready to embrace the ugly and finally break through your plateau?
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The Gold Coast offers a range of options including Emerald Lakes, Palm Meadows, Hope Island, Southport, and Coolangatta-Tweed. Paul Williamson provides personalised on-course coaching that goes beyond traditional lessons, covering skills, strategy, and mental game in real playing conditions.
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One-hour lessons provide quick tips but rarely translate under course conditions. Paul’s on-course coaching uses 9-hole assessments to build a tailored plan that actually drops strokes from your scorecard.
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Paul Williamson, a PGA Professional with 30+ years’ experience, provides personalised on-course coaching at courses around Carrara, Hope Island, Robina, Southport, Coolangatta-Tweed, and the broader Gold Coast.
