Most golf lessons involve changing the students swing, that's why they fail. Students believe their swing only needs a minor change and that it can be fixed within minutes. Therein lies the problem, even minor swing changes require far more time then most golfers are willing to devote to their golf game. Since the majority of golfers are playing golf for fun, the last thing they should do is change their swing.

Please understand what you are about to learn could easily help you and the majority of golfers because it opens all eyes to the actual time required to make physical changes. That knowledge can lead you to finding an alternative method of improving. So pay close attention this article may be just the guidance you need to play better.

Many students approach their lesson honestly believing they only have something minor wrong with their SWING. They actually believe they have a Sam Snead or Mickey Wright type of beautiful swing and their teaching professional will spot a minor flaw which they will instantly and easily correct. (That rarely happens, perhaps one in a million. On the rare occasion it happens, the student was probably a scratch golfer earlier in their career.)

Any student who has viewed their swing via a movie or video tape prior to taking a lesson has a far better chance at success. He or she will correctly approach the lesson tee with the knowledge their swing is far from perfect. They "at least" begin the lesson with the knowledge their swing needs work.

Bad habits are hard to break, habits such as smoking, overeating, drinking, nail biting, etc. Bad swing habits are also hard to break for the same reasons. Bad swing habits feel natural and normal to the player who has them and changes, even minor ones, are strongly resisted by the student. Even when they are fully, absolutely, 100% positively convinced the changes are necessary. The player wanting to change an established bad swing habit faces the most difficult task in golf.

Years ago I read where a pharmaceutical company (pills manufacturer) needed new assembly line employees due to the installation of new machinery. That job requires skills of a physical repetitive nature and we golfers want a repetitive swing so I thought it may contain some useful info and boy did it.

The company was replacing their veteran assembly line employees because it would take 6 weeks to retrain them. Whereas new employees "mastered" the required moves in only three days. Since millions of dollars per day were involved, they replaced their valued former assembly line workers and surprised them with full retirement pay and/or promotions.

Realizing their facts "were gathered" using dedicated veteran employees who thought they may be losing their jobs, it blew my mind. Why ? Because it had required six 40 hour (240 hours) work weeks for those veteran employees to do it.

That made it clear, why most golf lessons involving the swing fail. Most golfers are NOT willing to spend that amount of time on something they consider a game. It also explains why breaking 100 is a major accomplishment for most golfers.

Please understand I AM NOT telling you NOT to change your swing. I'm simply telling you to try everything else first.

Older golf professionals, constantly reminded us, 1. How important it was for beginners to start with a good swing. 2. How important it is to try everything else before changing a students swing. (Boy, were they smart and they never read the article.)

It also explains why changing your mind is faster, easier and often more productive than changing your swing.

(c)1999 by Pat Dolan Golf Pro