It’s been two years since I last had a golf lesson. Back then, I was still getting to grips with the basics, learning mostly indoors at Pitch London, hitting balls in a simulator and figuring out how to make consistent contact. It was all new, exciting, and slightly overwhelming.
Fast forward to now, and my relationship with golf feels totally different. I’m no longer a complete novice. I know what works for me, what doesn’t, and how it feels when I strike the ball well. That understanding makes the process much more collaborative. Instead of placing all my trust in the coach as the expert and me as the student absorbing information, it feels like a partnership. We’re analysing things together, working out what’s happening, and why.
My Experience Playing Golf In Costa Rica
Over the past couple of years, I’ve spent a lot of time playing in Costa Rica, where I joined La Iguana Golf Club. I was playing regularly, surrounded by more experienced golfers, and I learned a lot just by watching how they managed the course. My etiquette improved, I became more confident with different players, and I found a rhythm to my game that felt calm and natural.
More importantly, I remembered that golf is meant to be fun. Somewhere in my beginner phase, I’d lost a bit of that: overthinking, chasing constant improvement, and worrying too much about my bad shots.
But while I gained confidence, I also hit a bit of a wall. I’d fallen into a pattern of relying on the same few clubs: my driver, 7 wood, hybrid, pitching wedge and putter. Occasionally, I’d throw in an 8 or 9 iron, but I was basically getting around the course with a half set. It worked, but it wasn’t complete golf. I couldn’t shape or control the ball the way I wanted. I couldn’t achieve my goal of breaking 100 and my scores were consistently sitting between 115 and 105. That’s when I realised it was time to invest in more coaching.
(Image credit: Lili Dewrance)
Why It Was Time To Return To Lessons
When I was playing in Costa Rica, I wasn’t able to see my swing and analyse it properly. I’d get feedback from more experienced golfers, but without being able to visualise it – and without knowing that the golfer fully understands the complexity of a swing rather than just an isolated glitch – you can get a bit stuck on how to improve. Having lessons again has been a great investment. Otherwise, you’re just trusting someone’s opinion without truly understanding what’s…
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