There are many sports which can easily be played at a high level with minimal instruction. Golf is not one of them. While there are technical aspects in some form or another in just about any athletic event, golf takes technicality to a whole new level. Unless you’re a golfing prodigy the likes of a Fred Couples or Jim Furyk, complete with the ability to self-develop a swing that no golfing pro in their right mind would teach, your chances of attaining a solid golf swing through self-teaching are slim.

This is where golf teaching pros come in, and why nearly every golf course and club on the planet has at least one. Teaching pros are adept at spotting technical flaws in swings and know exactly how to correct them. Most teaching pros are carefully hired by the clubs or courses, and carry years of experience in the golfing industry. There may also be private teachers in your area offering lessons as well. Before taking a golf swing lesson with any instructor though, you may want to have them divulge their experience with golf, and their success with other clients. The last thing you want is some crazed instructor using you as his guinea pig for a new swing theory he’s developing.

Although we highly recommend at least a couple golf swing lessons with a live instructor, there are other means of improving your golf swing as well. There are numerous golf swing aids which can help develop positive habits in your swing, there are videos and television shows devoted to golf instruction, and there are plenty of books and golf magazines which carry stories and helpful advice for golfers. As teaching pros or instructors can be quite costly even for short sessions, this may be the only route to go if they’re simply outside your budget.

That said, don’t be afraid to get out there and play and practice on your own. Every player will have unique quirks in their swing, almost like a golfing fingerprint. Developing this fingerprint and then having it refined through instruction is the ideal path. Going straight to an instructor before ever swinging a club will likely bog your mind and swing down with too many technical aspects. As technical as golf is, it’s also a game of feel, and that feel cannot be taught.

Based on your skill level and budget, determine which type of golf swing lesson is a good fit, and look into the best possibilities down that avenue. Don’t forget to practice, practice, practice (we doubt Allen Iverson would make much of a golfer), and continue to develop your own unique style while refining it with technical teaching. Most of all, have fun out there. When your golf instruction or golf swing lesson begins to feel more like work and less like play, it’s time to take a break and do something else. Pushing yourself past the point where your mind is receptive and open to teaching and implementation will not help your golf game or your enjoyment of it in any way.