Playing with the Pros: How On-Course Golf Lessons Help Your Game

Golf improvement isn't always about finding the perfect swing. While swing lessons and quick YouTube fixes can certainly help, there’s another, often overlooked, way to get better: on-course playing lessons. If you’ve ever hit it great on the range but can’t seem to translate that into lower scores, a playing lesson might be what you need.

I recently took my first playing lesson, and while I’ve always been impressed by great ball-strikers, what stuck with me during this experience wasn’t the perfect shots. It was how these elite players managed the game when they missed. Course management and golf strategy, something you may have heard of but might not fully understand, became the focus of my lesson.

What Is the Purpose of a Golf Playing Lesson?

Playing lessons revolve around course management, not mechanics. Unlike a traditional swing lesson, the goal here is to sharpen how you think about and play the game. During my lesson, Amani Dambrosio, an elite amateur golfer, guided me through each shot, offering insights that transformed how I approached the course. Here's what I learned:

Goal Setting: Playing With Intention

Before my first tee shot, Amani asked me a simple question: What are your goals for this round?

I had never really thought about that. My typical mindset was a mix of hope, anxiety, and fear. After some prodding, I set the goal to break 90, a realistic target for my 14-handicap game. Amani then broke it down: “Bogey the par 4s, par the 5s, and do your best on the par 3s.”

That framework alone shifted my thinking. When I found myself in the rough on my first hole, 200 yards out, Amani asked me to talk through my shot. Normally, I’d go for the green with a 5-iron. But instead, he had me focus on getting the ball 160 yards down the fairway for a safer approach. That simple adjustment led to a bogey—exactly what I needed to stay on track.

Takeaway: Setting a score goal for your round and breaking it down into manageable tasks helps prevent risky decisions that can blow up your score.

The Importance of a Pre-Shot Routine

On the next hole, a long par 5, I aimed my drive at the right fairway bunker, feeling confident. But Amani pushed me to think bigger: "Imagine the bunker as the right upright of a field goal. The left upright is 15 yards left. Now aim between those." That mental shift opened up the fairway and gave me more confidence in my swing.

Throughout the round, we kept refining my pre-shot routine. One crucial change was learning to assess the lie and distance before choosing a club, something I hadn’t prioritized before. Whether the ball was above my feet or sitting in thick rough drastically impacted my club selection, something I hadn’t previously factored in as much as I should have.

Takeaway: A pre-shot routine that includes analyzing your lie and distance can be a game-changer, giving you more confidence and control over your decisions.

The Power of Commitment and Acceptance

One of the most valuable lessons Amani shared was the mental aspect of committing to your shot and accepting the outcome—before you even swing. Commitment happens during your pre-shot routine, when you’ve chosen your shot and visualized its execution. Acceptance follows, knowing that the outcome will be a result of your best effort and preparation.

Towards the end of the round, I saw this in action. On a 160-yard par 3, Amani hit a solid shot that landed far from the hole. I asked if he was happy with it. His response? A confident “Yeah…because I committed to it and accepted the outcome. Now, I’m focused on making a good putt.” That mindset freed him from the demands of perfection and allowed him to stay focused on the next task.

Takeaway: Committing to your shot and accepting the outcome frees your mind from fear and doubt, helping you achieve your best possible swing.

Concluding Thoughts: Why a Playing Lesson is Worth It

Playing lessons are less about fixing your swing and more about improving your decision-making and mental game. They give you practical tools to better manage your way around the course, from setting realistic goals to refining your pre-shot routine and learning the power of commitment and acceptance.

The value of a playing lesson is in learning how to think through your shots and make smarter choices, which can lower your scores as much as any swing tip. If you’ve been struggling to turn range success into on-course results, this could be the game-changer you need.