The end of the golf season is approaching for many Golfers. As most Golfers in North America and Europe start to clean their clubs before putting them away in storage for the winter (you do clean them … don’t you?), the question that must be asked is: Did you have fun playing golf this past summer?

If your answer is yes. Excellent – that’s what it should be – then there’s no reason for you to read any more of this article.

Yet, if it’s no. Then there needs to be a follow-up question – Why didn’t you enjoy golf this summer?

As many Golfers start each season with hopes of playing better than the year before – many end the season not seeing the results they were hoping for.

So the question now becomes – what hindered you from seeing these improved results?

Was it that you didn’t play enough?

Was it that you didn’t practice enough?

Was it that the golf lessons that you thought were going to help – really didn’t help?

If it was the question above (about golf lessons) - Was it that you reverted back into old habits and regardless of what you tried to do – you couldn’t get out of them?

Each year, as spring approaches, many Golfers get excited with the thoughts that they’re going to play a lot of “Good Golf” during the summer. Yet, in many cases, you start playing a few rounds of golf in the spring; however those rounds became so frustrating – you decide that you’re going to take golf lessons before the season really kicks into gear.

Unfortunately, many Golfers fall into the trap of thinking that a Golf Instructor is a Golf Instructor is a Golf Instructor. I mean – “All Golf Instructors are equal. One is just as good as the other. Right?” And this misconception causes many frustrated Golfers that are looking for a little more consistency in their golf swing to go for the easiest, least expensive golf lesson option – the infamous 30 minute golf lesson that costs around $35. And – as a bonus - if you sign-up for 6 lessons – you get a discount … usually 6 lessons for the cost of 5.

What a deal!

This seems to be the most popular way Golfers get their lessons. Unfortunately, many of these Golfers are still just as inconsistent after their 6 lessons. I can’t tell you how many emails and phone calls we get each week from Golfers that have been taking this sort of lesson program for years – yet haven’t gotten any better. And are now on the verge of quitting because they don’t believe that they’ll ever improve.

Think of it this way: If you wanted to learn a language … say you were planning a trip to China and you wanted to learn Mandarin Chinese. So you signed up for 6 – 30 minute language lessons. Do you think that after those brief lessons that you would be able to say much more than “Can you tell me where the bathroom is?” – “Thank you” and/or “I’ll have the duck.”

It’s the same with 30 minute golf lessons. And I say this even though it will upset some fellow PGA Professionals who teach 30 minutes lessons. Yet, I have to be honest – 30 minute lessons don’t work. But, maybe, just maybe this will be the kick in the pants that some Instructors need to start moving towards 1 hour minimums. (If you’re a PGA Member that’s not happy with what I’m writing – please call me, I’d be happy to discuss it with you.)

So because I’ll probably get death threats and so forth directed to me – I better explain why I believe that.

You may be taking instruction from a talented Pro or even with the greatest Instructor in the world, someone that can help you to see and feel what you need to do better, along with helping you to make improvements in your golf swing. Yet, if you’re taking a 30 minute lesson and finally get the concept, the feel and the ability to do what your Instructor is asking you to do fairly quickly – 25 minutes into the lesson: then you have only 5 minutes for your Instructor to watch you do it by yourself.

Now, is 5 minutes enough time for you to make your golf swing consistent, repeatable, automatic and free from old habits slowly creeping back in? Hardly. As soon as that Instructor’s next lesson arrives and you move to another area of the range tee to continue your practice – within 2 or 3 swings you’re most likely going to slowly start reverting back to your old habits (a little more every swing) without even knowing it.

The new habit wasn’t ingrained enough while the Instructor was there to make sure that you’re able to repeat it swing after swing or there to make the little adjustments necessary after every swing that included the smallest speck of your old bad habit that slowly creeps back in a little more every swing and/or there to work with you to train you to be able to diagnose this yourself.

30 minutes is not even close to enough time!

Most Golfers (including Tiger, Annika, Phil, Jack, etc.) need an Instructor watching them for more than 30 minutes to make sure that they’re doing what’s necessary every swing. And those guys know their golf swing a heck of lot better than you and I know ours. Because it’s amazing how many Golfers take a 30 minute lesson, do well during the last few minutes of that lesson, then as soon as they go to practice on their own or go on the golf course – they play worse than before the lesson.

Has that ever happened to you?

Why? Well, the easiest answer is that you start to revert back to your old habits – but it’s even worse than that … you get stuck between your old habits and the new instructions that your Instructor just worked with you on. So if you’re depending on a 30 minute lesson once a week to help – you’re often going backwards.

Again, it’s like learning a foreign language: after 25 minutes of trying to say “Can you tell me where the bathroom is” in Mandarin … your language Instructor will finally say – “that’s it, you got it. Try it again.” Yet, as you practice saying it to yourself on the car ride home – even though you think you’re saying it correctly – you’re probably not saying it exactly as you did in front of your Instructor those last 5 minutes.

And as you keep practicing it – you’re continually getting farther and farther away from saying it correctly because your Instructor won’t be there to correct you until your next 30 minute lesson in 167.5 hours later (6 days and 23.5 hours). And how many times do you think a motivated student will be repeating that sentence the wrong way in those 167.5 hours?

Plenty!

Probably just as many times as you go over the golf swing and the corrections your Instructor worked with you on. So now, when you go out to the range to practice by yourself – you’re probably not swinging like you were in front of your Instructor at that 25 minute mark of your lesson. You’re probably reverting back to old habits – and there's no one there to let you know that you're ingraining even more bad habits into your golf swing?… or even worse – there's no one there that can help you relieve the frustration of getting stuck between the old and new.

How do I know this? Experience

• The Experience I had as a Golfer growing up as I started my quest to become a Pro.

• The Experience I had as a young Golf Professional that started out teaching 30 minute lessons (because that’s what Golf Professionals did and I didn’t know any better). Which I quickly changed to a 1 hour minimum.

• The Experience I had with the number of Golfers that secretly came to see me because they didn’t improve with the Instructor at their home golf course. And listening to the stories of their frustrations over the time and money that they had wasted.

And now - The Experience of the last 10 plus years of speaking to 1,000’s of Golfers (each year) that have called GMS because they became so frustrated taking normal golf lessons and going through the scenario written above.

And as one gentleman (who inspired this article) recently put it: “I have been getting 6 – 30 minute lessons for approximately $200 – every year for the past 8 years, and have not improved one iota. I have calculated that I have spent $1,600 and wasted 8 years of golf. I had a friend that just started playing golf last year, he went to GMS this past spring – and is now beating me. He spent about the same amount of money as I did – yet he improved more in 3 months than I have in 8 years (96 months). Sign me up!”

The Monkey will ...…. well, just reread the article above to find out what the Monkey does

The Player knows that a sustained session with his/her Instructor is critical in order to be able to see Results that stick

Go ahead, Be A Player!

Regards,

Marc Solomon - Your Instructor For Life

"I Went From A 28 Handicap To A 12!"

Jeff,

I just wanted to say hi and let you know that even though I couldn’t attend GMS the last couple of years, you guys are still helping me…what you teach works if we just stick with it.

I attended in 2004; 2005; 2006; 2007; I improved each year and my handicap went from a 28 to a 12 during this time. Golf was finally becoming fun.

Last couple of years I was unable to attend (I got married and she’s not a golfer yet) didn’t stay in touch, began to tinker with grip, set up, swing plane, and even with rhythm – started using a 3 count rhythm instead of tick-tock, gradually started playing like a Monkey again.

At the end of June I was in 14th place in my league out of 52 guys and I was averaging 45.4 strokes per round for 9 holes. I was very frustrated and not having much fun. I started thinking about GMS and checked my notes.

I stopped tinkering and started to focus on making a good PLAN, paying attention to where my club face was aiming, feeling balanced in my set up, making a good swoosh in my Rehearsal Swing, and only thinking about tick-tock when I swing.

I started playing better almost immediately.

In the second of half of my league I averaged 39.4 strokes per 9. I shot my all time best for 9 holes – a 36, I won the second half championship in my league and beat the first half champ for the season championship. Had several rounds of 18 in the high 70’s, I also won more skins than I ever have. Golf is fun again.

Hope to get my wife and another couple to attend GMS in the near future. Thanks again, and may I never again stop tick-tocking.

Mike K. – South Amherst, Ohio- Sent September 28th, 2009

Attended Tampa, Florida location on April 10th to 12th, 2007

"We Have Broke 100 Several Times!"

Kimberly S. and I took the class last spring in Amelia Island and would love to return before the end of this year. What is your schedule for October and November?

We would love to take the class again. We have each actually broke 100 several times!! Now we would love to reach 90!

Thanks,

Kim M - Ridgeland, South Carolina- Sent September 24th, 2009

Attended Amelia Island, Florida Location on April 27th to 29th, 2009

Click on any of the dates listed below to send an email request for more information Upcoming Dates Golf Made Simple Tampa, Florida October 23rd to 25th - Tampa October 27th to 29th - Tampa October 30th to November 1st - Tampa November 6th to 8th - Tampa November 9th to 11th - Tampa To see dates beyond those listed above for our Tampa, Florida location beyond the dates listed above Click Here Palm Springs/La Quinta, California November 6th to 8th - La Quinta November 9th to 11th - La Quinta November 13th to 15th - La Quinta November 16th to 18th - La Quinta November 20th to 22nd - La Quinta To see dates beyond those listed above for our Palm Springs/La Quinta location beyond the dates listed above Click Here Sotogrande, Spain (Europe) December 4th to 6th - Spain December 7th to 9th - Spain December 11th to 13th - Spain December 14th to 16th - Spain December 18th to 20th - Spain To see dates beyond those listed above for our Spain location beyond the dates listed above Click Here Phoenix, Arizona November 6th to 8th - Phoenix November 9th to 11th - Phoenix November 13th to 15th - Phoenix November 16th to 18th - Phoenix November 20th to 22nd - Phoenix To see dates beyond those listed above for our Phoenix location beyond the dates listed Click Here Boca Raton, Florida November 6th to 8th - Boca Raton November 9th to 11th - Boca Raton November 13th to 15th - Boca Raton November 16th to 18th - Boca Raton November 20th to 22nd - Boca Raton To see dates beyond those listed above for our Boca Raton location beyond the dates listed Click Here Click to see dates for other GMS locations: Florida: Amelia Island - St Augustine California: Virgina Colorado Lake Tahoe Washington DC Denver Photos Of Newest GMS Locations SilverRock Resort - GMS La Quinta location La Quinta, California, USA Almenara Golf Resort - GMS Spain (Europe) location Sotogrande, Spain (just west of the Costa del Sol) SilverRock Resort - GMS La Quinta location La Quinta, California, USA

"The Evolution Of A Golfer" Excerpted from Classic GIW Issue 215- October 24th, 2007 "Why is it that it seems like some people that begin to play golf pick-it-up right away? Then before you know it, they’re breaking 100, busting through 90 and in less than 2 years – they’re in the 80’s for a short spell before moving into the 70’s in year 3 or 4. On the other hand – Why is it that some people begin to play golf, make some progress, but then get stuck and don’t improve from that point? They start off like most people learning the game, taking baby steps towards improving and then wham – they hit a wall and stay there for the next 5, 7, 10, 20 years. Which group are you in? 7 out of every 8 Golfers are … Continue reading the rest of this Classic GIW - Click Here By the way, the first Golf Made Simple DVD has been the #1 Selling Golf Swing DVD on Amazon.com. After years and years and offers upon offers from people that wanted to produce a DVD for us; we decided we wanted to do it our own way. We've created a DVD to help you become a Player, as opposed to all the other Monkey stuff that's already out there. Our DVD - How To Improve Your Golf Swing Indoors is improvement ... GMS Style. What's GMS Style? It's a Results Based Approach as opposed to the Theories and Assumptions Based Approach that millions of Golfers struggle with year after year. Are you ready to end the struggle? Click here to purchase on Amazon.com Or call us at 1 (888) 580 - 3635 GMS Bonus Material For Anyone Considering Video Analysis - We have added our report on: "Using Video Analysis To Improve Your Golf Swing" to the Golf Made Simple website for you to download and view. Just click here to be taken to the download page on the http://www.GolfMadeSimple.com website. It's easy, it's free and it's a pretty extensive report on our findings. Indoor Putting Drill - If you'd like for us to email you a special Indoor Version of an excellent GMS Putting Drill that you could spend hours on - email us at IndoorPuttingDrill@GolfMadeSimple.com and put GIW in the subject line. Tour Putting Square - Use the Tour Putting Square inside your home to improve your scores. Just send us an email at TourPuttingSquare@GolfMadeSimple.com with the subject: Tour Putting Square – and we'll email you how to use this game changing drill. Swing Drills & Core Training - To view a segment that covers 2 swing drills you can practice inside, plus 3 exercises to strengthen your core - email us at: PushUp@GolfMadeSimple.com with the words 'Golf Improvement Weekly' in the subject line to receive a link and password to access the video segment from our DVD - 'How To Improve Your Golf Swing Indoors'

Labels: golf academy, golf grip, golf holiday spain, Golf Instruction, Golf Lessons, Golf Schools, golf slice, Golf Swing, golf tuition

"Two New GMS Locations - "Hello Europe"

We interrupt our regularly scheduled golf instruction article to make a special announcement. GMS is proud to announce the opening of 2 new GMS locations. We normally reserve this space to speak about ways for you to improve your golf game (and we’ll get back to that next week). However, every once in a while we need to make a special announcement.

Two New GMS locations that will knock your socks off! First, for Golfers in Europe (and North Americans, South Americans as well as people in Asia and Australia that like to travel) ... we're proud to announce GMS Europa! Yes, GMS has just signed an agreement to open in Spain. In Sotogrande in the southwest section of Andalucia. Look for more info below.

And here in the States - we also have a new location - we have upgraded our Palm Springs/La Quinta location to SilverRock Resort. As good as the Trilogy Golf Club at La Quinta was - SilverRock Resort is even better. SilverRock Resort is so good - it's the home of the Bob Hope Classic PGA Tour event each January. And I have to say it is one of the most beautiful golf courses I have ever played!

To see how beautiful these golf courses are - the photos in this issue are dedicated to our two new locations.

GMS Europa!

As many Golfers may ask why open a location in Spain - the answer is based on the number of Golfers that travel more than 8 hours from Europe to see us here in the States. And it just so happens that back in March, we were contacted by this fantastic resort in the South of Spain (on the Mediterranean Sea just west of the Costa del Sol), about GMS starting a program at their resort.

Almenara Golf Resort has 148 rooms, multiple restaurants, 27 holes of the finest golf, plus one of the most extensive practice facilities I have ever seen. At the practice facility ... in addition to the beautiful turf, multiple target greens, private teaching area and 3 short game practice greens .... it also has 3 regulation practice holes (one Par 3 & two Par 4's).

How good is Almenara Golf Resort? Well, it shares the same property and is a hip-high wedge away from Valderama Golf Club (home of the 1997 Ryder Cup - do you remember watching that on TV) Almenara Golf Resort ... such a great facility - in a fantastic location!

GMS Palm Springs/La Quinta

Although we're going on our 3rd year in La Quinta (our 6th year in California), we had the opportunity to move from a great golf course to an even better golf course. Not just the quality of the golf course - we've also upgraded the quality of the practice facility.

SilverRock Resort (as you'll see from the photos) is amazing. Since 2007, it has been the host site for the PGA Tour's Bob Hope Classic each January. So you know the golf course has to be nice.

The practice range at SilverRock is just about as good as it gets - it's huge and we have our own private practice area on the backside all to ourselves!

What a golf facility!

To read more about these 2 excellent facilities - check-out The Buzz below by scrolling down.

Go ahead, Be A Player!

Regards,

Marc Solomon - Your Instructor For Life

"From A 21.5 Handicap To A 15.8!"

Just to let you know I really enjoyed my program with James and happy & proud to let you know my handicap is now a 15.8. Prior to my work with my GMS Instructor, James ... it was a 21.5!

Mike K. – Renton, Washington - Sent August 26th, 2009

Attended Phoenix , Arizona location on April 17th to 18th, 2009

"They Want Me To Give Them Lessons!"

Jeff,

I spoke with you a couple of weeks ago about my iron play. I was consistently hitting the 8 - 9 & PW short or to the right (at a right angle actually). Since our talk I have moved the ball forward in my stance & have had much better luck

Today, I played in a tournament and the other three in my group wanted me to give them lessons on getting on the green! I told the group - "I don't do lessons, but go to GMS & you can chip like this too."

I also won most fairways hit in my 9-hole league last Tuesday - 7 out of 7.

Thanks for your help,

Rita Skog - Fairfield, Connecticut - Sent August 20th, 2009

Attended Boca Raton, Florida Location on April 3rd to 5th, 2009

Photos Of Newest GMS Locations

SilverRock Resort - GMS La Quinta location

Almenara Golf Resort - GMS Spain (Europe) location

Sotogrande, Spain (just west of the Costa del Sol)

SilverRock Resort - GMS La Quinta location

Two New GMS Locations!

Spain - I love Spain, I love Europe, I love Tapas, and I absolutely fall head over heels for Spanish Wine.

Now I'm absolutely gaga over golf in Spain.

I, as most people that watched the 1997 Ryder Cup played in Spain at Valderama Golf Club - was mesmerized by the beauty of the golf course and the scenary that surrounded Valderama - the Mediterranean, the hills, the olive groves, the impossibly blue sky.

Well, our newest GMS location is about a hip-high sand wedge away from Valderama. Almenara Resort located in Sotogrande includes the Hotel Almenara, a world class spa, 2 pools (indoor & outdoor), sauna, steam rooms, restaurants, etc. Plus, Sotogrande includes a marina on the Mediterranean with shops, cafes and restaurants, along with 5 golf courses including the world famous Valderama Golf Club (1997 Ryder Cup).

Just imagine your morning session working on your golf game at our fantastic practice facility - then going to the clubhouse for lunch, as you sit on the veranda with your Instructor gazing out over the Mediterranean Sea enjoying yourself.

Then for dinner - you could either eat at the resort (hotel or marina) or hit the incredible tapas bars in either one of two small towns (one on the beach, but both within minutes of the resort). Trust me - I'm going on experience. And if your experience is half is as good as mine was ... you're in for a phenomenal time!

To read more about our location in Spain, you can go to the page on the GMS website: www.GolfMadeSimple.com/golf-school-spain.html - where we have more info including a map to pinpoint our new location in Spain!

To hear more about Spain, the airport to fly into, sidetrips, more about the resort, etc. - give us a call. We're all too happy to discuss one of our most favorite places on this planet.

1-888-580-3635 (US & Canada) - 001.904.460.8355 (International)

Palm Springs/La Quinta, California - SilverRock Resort Golf Club

We have also upgraded our golf course in La Quinta, California. If you have been around GMS for a while, you have definitely heard me speak and write about my love for the Palm Springs/La Quinta area. Being an East Coast person - growing up I was always transfixed on the television watching the PGA, LPGA and Senior PGA Tour events played in the desert in November, December, January and February. As the Northeast was gray, wet and nasty - there was Jack, Arnie, Gary and Tom (Nicklaus, Palmer, Player, Watson), playing in the most ideal conditions imaginable.

So when I was able to make my first trip out to La Quinta to set-up our GMS location there a couple years ago - I was able to cross off another line on the "Bucket List". And now as we transition GMS from The Trilogy Golf Club at La Quinta (host to 4 PGA Tour Skins Games) to SilverRock Resort (host to the PGA Tour's Bob Hope Classic) - I have to say that in a short period of time ... GMS is aligned with the best golf course (non-private) in the Coachella Valley!

SilverRock Resort is absolutely beautiful. Just look at the pictures.

Most of our Golfers stay at the new and beautiful Embassy Suites in La Quinta. We stay here whenever we've traveled to La Quinta and I must say it's really nice. The suites are fantastic. Plus, the breakfast in the morning and the Manager's Happy Hour in the afternoon are excellent!

And an additional bonus with our new location is that the hotel is now literally 1 mile from SilverRock Resort. All you do is go straight out of the hotel, make a left, go past Arnold Palmer's restaurant ... and you're there in 2 minutes.

The location of the hotel is so convenient. It's situated right across from the Old Town La Quinta shopping area which features shops and restaurants – with Arnold Palmer’s restaurant just down the street. Plus, a couple of miles away is LG's Steakhouse which offers the best Filet Mignon we've ever had. In fact, we went back two nights in a row just for the steak. The fish eaters from the previous night turned into carnivores the 2nd night. LG's is incredibly good and highly recommended.

If you have never been to the California desert – you're missing something special. Now, it wouldn't be my choice of locations in June through September (we actually migrate our La Quinta location north to Lake Tahoe during this time), however from November through May – I couldn't think of a more perfect place to be. I guess that's why so many professional golf events are played in this area – from the Skins Game to The Bob Hope to The Dinah Shore.

The biggest tournaments in the world call the La Quinta/Palm Springs area home – if you haven't been there – you should make a trip to see why. All I can say is that I never understood the allure to this area until I made my initial trip out there – now I can't get it out of my mind!

To see and read more on our new location at SilverRock Resort - go to:

www.GolfMadeSimple.com/palm-springs-california-golf-schools.html

For more information on available dates at any of our GMS locations: call me or email.

Regards,

Alex - Director

Toll Free - 1-888-580-3635
International - 001.904.460.8355
Email: IWantToBe@GolfMadeSimple.com

Labels: Golf, golf holiday, Golf Instruction, golf instructor, Golf Lessons, Golf practice, Golf Schools, Golf Swing, Golf Travel, golf vacation