How lessons with a PGA Pro transformed my game

Recreational golfer Mark Hoodless has seen his handicap plummet thanks to lessons with West Herts Golf Club PGA Professional, David Griffiths. Here’s how he did it:

I've been having golf lessons with 'Griff' at West Herts for the past eight years. This has coincided with the arrival of two boys into our family and I would say that my handicap went up two shots per child.

I have struggled with many aspects of the game but the mental side would feature fairly high on my to-do list. I still approach the ball like it is a rattlesnake but there is more purpose to it now. Plus I'm a lot faster which has pleased my playing partners – now I just get in and hit it. I've also worked on a trigger to stop freezing over the ball, it's a little Ben Hogan-style nudge in with the right knee to start the swing and this has been great for my mindset and to know that it works.

Swing wise he has got me keeping it on the golf course. A lot of this, again, is mental and we've worked hard on my pre-shot routine and my approach to the ball at set-up. Most of our lessons are predominantly feel based and we don’t use ‘gadgets’ which suits my outlook on the game.

Bottom line is that having regular lessons with a trusted PGA Professional has transformed my game – I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Now my kids are a bit older I now get to play and practise a bit more and my index has come down from 9.5 to 3.5. I won the order of merit event at Highgate in 2021 and I lost by one shot in 2023. So we have seen significant improvement. I’m now far more consistent and my ball striking and ball flight has greatly improved and, with those, I have far better distance control.

I’m also a lot more confident that I can finish rounds off rather than getting too tight over the closing holes. I won a Medal with birdies on the last two holes which was very satisfying.