Your first lesson starts with a conversation. I want to hear about your background, how long you've been playing, and the patterns you're seeing — the contact you're making, the direction the ball goes, which clubs give you trouble.

Then I watch you hit shots and we prioritize what to work on. If you're new, we start with the basic fundamentals. My goal in a first lesson is clean contact, then we build from there: where the ball is going, then the different shots.

I take a building-block approach. A good lesson is a simple lesson. You'll leave with two or three concepts to work on, and you'll work them until they become automatic. Then we add the next layer.

It depends on how much you practice between lessons. Lessons give you the information and the structure. Your reps decide how fast it sticks.

Some students come in multiple times a week, practice in between, swing at home, and play. They get better fast. Busy professionals who can't touch a club for a few weeks improve slower, even with the same lessons. The work between lessons is what moves you.

There's never a bad time to start, but winter has a real advantage. Grip, stance, balance, alignment — none of that needs nice weather. Get your fundamentals going indoors over the winter, and when spring comes you're ready to play instead of thinking about your hands on the first tee.

Yes, if you do it right. The course is a different environment: wind, uneven lies, different grass, people watching. Give yourself three to five rounds outside for your indoor skills to show up confidently.

One thing you can't practice on a simulator is aiming at a real target, so check your alignment early and often once you're outdoors. The upside of indoors is the controlled environment — when we change your grip or clubface, the ball flight data shows exactly what changed.

Both. New golfers and experienced players hit the same shots. Better golfers just execute them more skillfully, and beginners are learning them for the first time. Either way, it comes back to the same basic fundamentals, so I work with players of all levels.

Yes. You can share a one-hour lesson with a friend — that's essentially two 30-minute lessons. It's enough time to assess your swing, diagnose it, and teach the concept, with a few minutes for reps.

The other option is back-to-back hour lessons, working one-on-one in the same visit. That gives you much more time to train with drills and apply the concepts to different clubs. It's up to you.

Start with a single one-hour lesson. Meet your coach, check out the facility, and leave with a practice plan. If it's a good fit, we offer discounted packages of 3, 5, and 10 lessons.

Once a week or every other week. Momentum is real when you're learning, and you want enough time to practice between lessons. Some students take a weekly lesson and practice here in between. It depends on your schedule and how much you want to commit to the game.

No. We have clubs you can use free of charge. If you have your own set, bring it — it's helpful to see what you're playing and how your clubs perform. And if you're new and thinking about buying your first set, we can talk you through your options.

Yes. There's street parking in front, and a parking garage around the corner on Morgan, attached to Gangnam Market, about a block away. If you're a Gangnam customer, parking there is free for two hours.

We use Foresight GCQuad launch monitors. They measure where you're striking the ball on the clubface, plus face and path numbers, and you get video replay of your swing after each shot.

We also run GSPro software, with around 2,000 golf courses and skills challenges you can play during practice sessions.

We start with ball striking — full swings with your irons and driver. The goal is confidence: moving the ball from point A to point B when you're out on the course.

Then the short game. Most of your shots happen inside 100 yards, so if you want to lower your scores, your wedges and putter have to be good.

Then we teach you how to play the game: club selection, where to aim, where it's smart to miss, recovery shots from the trees, bunker play. And layered over all of it, the mental game — good expectations, acceptance, self-talk, and not judging yourself shot to shot.

Hit it well, get good around the greens, learn to manage the course, and think right. That's the progression.

Book a single intro lesson online, or email me at info@mychicagogolf.com with any other questions. Hope to see you soon.

— Marcus Yado, PGA