They certainly exist, but it just comes at a high price IMO.
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I think I get what Cory is saying - perhaps along the lines of…
- Lessons = take your money and give you just enough to hit the ball but are still required to come back for more. Rinse and repeat.
- Coach = actually cares about you and your improvement
And I agree with that!
I started golf later in life and tried a lot of DIY along with some intermittent lessons. Made some grudging improvements but no true -progress- … over the past year have committed to working with a good coach who can help -me- become a better golfer. And it’s helping - for me … maybe not for everybody … but for me the guided approach is working!
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This is an important distinction (even though I use the words wrong myself sometimes). Here is how I define instruction vs coaching.
Instruction is the technical elements of the swing IMO - there is plenty of that available in the golf world. And I think getting customized instruction is a great idea with swing lessons.
Coaching is really what I try and do with PG. I am trying to organize your golf game and help you with everything outside of the mechanics of the golf swing. The whole reason I started this site is that I felt that “coaching” was almost non-existant. That’s not to say your swing instructor also can’t coach you. Taking playing lessons, discussing strategy, practice methods, and the mental game is something that a swing professional can do (not all of them want to). So finding the right person for your needs is important.
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I don’t want to put down “lessons” at all, I just see them as a much more fixed proposition, teaching something specific for a prescribed length of time. That can be something very valuable and I will strongly recommend it to those getting into the game.
EDIT: Jon made a much better response while I was typing this, so I’ll just amend it to “What Jon said” 
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Jon I actually sought out swing instruction after I felt I had gotten as far as I could without addressing my swing. Many of the adjustments to my game cane from listening to you. I used foot spray to check impact, I made better decisions on the course, I shot for the middle of the green, I eliminated ego shots and punched out when I was in trouble — all of that significantly reduced my handicap- but then I was at the point where real mechanics needed to be adjusted because I needed more GIR, can’t get up and down enough.
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Mike - thanks for sharing! I’m glad I could help improve your game, but I think you bring up a really good point. The goal of PG is to help all of you get a bit more efficient with your games, but for certain players, you might hit a “technical wall.”
At that point, you have a decision to make. Do you think there is another level of play available if you fix some flaws in your swing, or do you continue on the same path? It’s a difficult question to answer because each player has a unique set of circumstances. But I still do believe that lessons can help many golfers reach another level in their game. The trick is to find a teacher that resonates with you and being prepared to do the work they prescribe.
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Yes…I’ve been mostly self taught. The last several years have been a massive struggle with consistency. Two weeks ago I took a lesson from a friend of a friend. He spent an hour with me and I learned a ton about the swing and why I need to do certain things to maximize my swing. He didn’t try to overhaul anything, just changed my setup position and helped me understand what to do when I get an odd ball flight. I will definitely see him again, just for regular tune ups.
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Teach a man to fish!
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I thought I was a go-it-alone kinda guy until I got some lessons this year and realised just how little I knew about my own swing, and more importantly what causes what.
I saw very large improvements in my game after a series of lessons, and I would imagine this would be the same for nearly all golfers.
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Great job on you, I think for you maybe a coach might be helpful for scoring strategy as your swing is probably pretty good. I’m interested in getting lessons but I’m still a 29 handicap- for me it’s trying to choose the right coach.
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I have a friend that I play with, same one I wrote about whom is a sandbagger, probably between a 2 & 4 but claims he’s a 7, and he’s never seen a coach. He has also never been fitted for clubs. I’ve asked him on several occasions why, he said because he knows he’s standard and he’s too old for a coach to make any changes in his game. It baffles me that someone is that close to being scratch and two little adjustments: 1) properly fitted clubs 2) a golf coach who would see your little tendencies that are causing small misses.
Yet he’d rather go it alone. It makes me laugh all of the time because his common miss is a snap hook and I always tell him, I bet Justin (my golf coach) could help you with that. He just says, no I know what it is. Then I ask, so why don’t you stop doing it then. 
He’s probably right that a coach couldn’t help him, but only for the fact that he’s so closed off his mind to the idea that he’ll make it impossible. It’s hard to coach and it also really requires someone willing to be coached.
I will say not every coach is a silver bullet. I did try a golf Tec package once and that was awful. Very much technique based and it just involved a lot of drawing lines on the screen of my swing compared to Tiger/Adam Scott/hunter mahan and then trying to get me to hit certain positions that looked good on the screen when frozen. My swing started “looking better” on screen but my scores stayed the same and got worse when all the technical work led to a neglected short game
Was definitely a great example of golf instruction versus golf coaching.
If I do go back to a coach I would definitely want to find one who can identify my biggest faults holding me back and target those.
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Definitely yes. I’m fairly self taught but there are definitely times where a few lessons takes you to next level or can fix bad habits that creep in. Lesson tomorrow as a matter of fact!
I went to GolfTec (2002 maybe?) for an intro package and had that same experience (same reaction too). I liked being able to see my swing on video from multiple angles, so I wound up just buying a bay pass from them where I could book time whenever I wanted to come in and use their stuff on my own.
I’m somewhat amazed that in the world of launch monitors and etc, they can still get away with the exact same business model for indoor instruction they had 20 years ago.
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I’m currently working with a golf coach… We have the occasional lesson on swing mechanics and different shots I need to work on but usually it’s just brief chats about strategy, what I need to work on and how to make better decisions on the course.
It’s forced me to think more on the course, and reflect on “do I want to tell Ben I made this decision?”… My handicap was trending down, I knew where I needed to improve and I was improving until I got injured… When I go back, I still know where my weakness were, and as I ramp back up to swinging full, I’m hoping to avoid the same old mistakes in both my swing and my strategy.
I think I approach the game better when I can discuss my overall strategy and desires with someone else… it’s like seeing a therapist… (something I also recommend). They are helpful when things are really bad, but if you see them consistently, you can prevent things from getting worse, and maybe make the good times better.
One of the guys I play golf with is a good stick… long for his age, great putter… but just kills himself with decision making. I saw him blow an even round with a double after losing his drive into the rough… He wasn’t in a bad position to make par, but got aggressive and tried to chase a pin… after the round he went to the range to work on his swing, because he “mishit” the ball out of the rough… His physical game is as good as it can be… his mental game needs work. He takes lessons, but doesn’t take coaching. I’m looking forward to beating him once I get my game to click.
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I like that accountability bit. In daily life, I figure if I wouldn’t be able to adequately explain a decision to my significant other, then I probably shouldn’t do it. Probably good to have something similar in the back of your mind on the golf course!
I think working with an instructor or coach is extremely important for beginners. Getting started the right way in this game will save hours and hours of frustration and make the game more enjoyable.
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Yes, I’m one of those - committed to a series of lessons (and doing the associated drills and practice) and have a really nice, supportive coach … who’s also a good communicator … and have been making real solid progress!!
For example- been working on the iron swing; was at a Par 3 (holes from 85 to 160 yds) and hit 6/9 greens … my PB on that course to date 
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My sis played for years self taught. Last summer she heard of group lessons for women, local golf pro, and attended! I did also, having never even considered golf before. She vastly improved her game, and I literally learned everything I know, with those lessons, (leaving out what I’m learning HERE and watching online) and one personal lesson…When this covid is over, I can’t wait to get more lessons, especially the personal ones.
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