What to Ask at a Golf Lesson

Walking into a golf lesson without a plan is one of the quickest ways to walk out feeling like you didn't get your money's worth. To truly improve, you need to be an active participant in your own progress, and that starts with asking the right questions. This guide gives you a complete list of what to ask your coach - before, during, and after your lesson - to unlock real, lasting improvement.

Questions to Ask When Booking Your Lesson

Your journey begins before you even step on the range. Finding a coach who fits your personality and learning style is half the battle. Think of this initial contact as a brief interview to make sure it's a good match. Most coaches are happy to answer a few questions over the phone or email to help you feel confident in your choice.

1. What is your general teaching philosophy?

This is a big one. Some instructors are highly technical, focusing on positions, angles, and data from launch monitors. Others are more "feel" based, using analogies and sensations to help you understand movement. Neither is right or wrong, but one will likely resonate more with you. If you’re an analytical person, a data-driven coach might be perfect. If you tend to get bogged down by technical thoughts, a feel-based coach might be better at helping you relax and swing more naturally.

2. What technology do you use during lessons?

In today's game, many coaches use tools like launch monitors (TrackMan, Foresight) and video analysis software. These aren't just fancy gadgets, they provide objective feedback. Video can show you what your swing actually looks like, which is often very different from what you feel. A launch monitor provides data on things like club path, face angle, and attack angle, pinpointing the exact cause of a slice or hook. Knowing if a coach uses these tools lets you know what kind of feedback you can expect.

3. What's the structure of a typical hour-long lesson?

This helps set expectations. Do they spend the whole hour on the driving range? Or will they dedicate time to chipping, pitching, and putting? A good coach will often tailor the lesson to your needs, but knowing their typical flow can be helpful. For example, if your biggest issue is short game, you want a coach who is willing and able to spend significant time around the green, not just on the full swing.

4. Based on my goals, what should I prepare or bring to our first lesson?

Most coaches will just say to bring your clubs and a positive attitude. But asking this question shows you're serious about improving. The coach might ask you to jot down your typical scores, your most common miss, or what you want to achieve. Coming prepared with this information helps the coach get to the root of the problem faster, saving valuable lesson time.

At the Start of Your Lesson: Defining Your Goals

The first few minutes of your lesson are all about setting the direction. Don't wait for your coach to guess what you need. Be upfront and clear about your game, your frustrations, and your aspirations. This initial conversation is what turns a generic lesson into a personalized plan.

• Be Honest and Specific: Instead of saying "I want to be more consistent," try "I hit two or three great drives per round, but the rest are big slices that cost me penalty strokes." Or, "I'm terrified of any chip shot over 20 yards." The more specific you are, the better the coach can help.

Questions to Guide the Conversation:

Start the lesson by hitting a few balls with a mid-iron, like a 7 or 8-iron, so the coach can see your natural swing. As you warm up, use these questions to guide the dialogue.

• "Here’s my big frustration - the slice with my driver. What are the first one or two things you see that might be causing that?" This directs their attention to your biggest pain point immediately.
• "My short-term goal is to break 90 in the next couple of months. What is the single biggest thing in my swing holding me back from that?" This forces prioritization. A good coach won’t try to fix 10 things at once. They’ll identify the one change that will have the biggest positive impact.
• "Can we set a really simple goal for today's session?" This could be as simple as, "By the end of this hour, I want to understand the feeling of starting my downswing correctly" or "I want to have a reliable chipping stroke." This gives the lesson a clear purpose.
• "Where do you think my fundamentals (grip, posture, alignment) stand right now?" Sometimes the most "boring" parts of the game are the ones causing the most trouble. It’s always good to get a professional a to check your foundation before building anything on top of it.

During the Lesson: Digging into the Details

This is where the learning happens. Your job during the lesson is to be curious. Don’t just blindly follow instructions. The goal is not to have the coach fix you, but for the coach to teach you how to fix yourself. That requires understanding.

Be a "Feel" Detective

Golf is a game of feelings. When a coach gives you a new move to try, your first attempt will probably feel awkward or exaggerated. That’s normal. Your job is to connect the coach's words to a physical sensation.

• "That feels really weird, like my arms are [insert feeling]. Is that the sensation I should be looking for?" This helps the instructor calibrate their advice. They might say, "Yes, that's exactly it! What feels weird to you is actually the correct position," or "Okay, that's a bit too much, let's dial it back."
• "Can you show me a drill that exaggerates this feeling?" Drills are amazing for learning. If a coach wants you to shift your weight better, a drill like the 'step drill' can make the feeling obvious. Taking a drill home is one of the most valuable parts of any lesson.

Understand the 'Cause and Effect'

To truly own your swing changes, you need to understand why you're making them. Otherwise, when the change breaks down on the course, you won't know how to get it back.

• "I understand what you're asking me to do, but can you explain why it will fix my problem?" For instance, "Why will getting my right elbow tucked in stop me from coming over the top?" A good explanation connects the cause (a poor backswing move) with the effect (a slice).
• "If this is the main thing we're working on, what other parts of my swing might this new move affect?" Changes in the golf swing can have a domino effect. Asking this shows you're thinking about the whole system, not just an isolated piece.
• "Can we look at that on video, side-by-side with my old swing?" Seeing is believing. A visible before-and-after makes the change click in your mind. It provides undeniable proof that you are making progress, even when it doesn't feel perfect yet.

Wrapping Up the Lesson: Creating a Practice Plan

The last 10 minutes are arguably the most important. A lesson’s value isn’t just in the hour you spend with the coach, it’s in what you do with the information for weeks afterward. This is your chance to turn advice into a concrete action plan.

Questions to Solidify Your Takeaways:

• "To make sure I'm clear, what are the one or two most important things for me to work on before our next lesson?" This is a filter for information overload. You might have discussed five different things, but you need to know the top priority.
• "What would an ideal practice session look like for me this week?" Ask for specifics. Should you spend more time on drills or hitting full shots? How much time on short game vs. long game? For example, a plan might be: "Spend the first 15 minutes on the 'gate drill' for your putter, then 15 minutes on your 30-yard pitch shots, and finish with 20 minutes on the full swing, focusing only on that backswing feel."
• "Do you have a simple swing thought I can take to the course?" It’s impossible to think about 10 mechanical positions while playing. You need one simple, positive thought to focus on, like "smooth tempo" or "turn through." This bridges the gap between the range and the course.
• "Based on today, when do you recommend I come back for a follow-up?" This helps you set a timeline for your progress and holds you accountable.

Final Thoughts

Asking questions transforms a one-way lecture into a two-way conversation. By preparing beforehand, engaging during the lesson, and creating a plan afterward, you become a partner in your own improvement, ensuring every dollar and every minute you invest in your game pays off.

But questions don't always pop up conveniently during your scheduled lesson. Often, they appear at the driving range, in the middle of a round, or when you’re just watching golf on TV. In those moments, I wanted to provide a way for players to get instant answers. With our Caddie AI, you have a 24/7 golf coach in your pocket, ready to answer anything you can think of - from simple queries about rules to more complex questions about course strategy. You can even snap a photo of a tricky lie on the course, and I can give you a smart way to play the shot, helping you remove the guesswork so you can play with more confidence.