Do personal trainers work?

[theultimateswingtrainer]

If i hire a personal trainer do they really help?   What can they teach us that we dont know?

[TheDoctor]

they will get you training efficiently.  Also, when you just don't want to do it they will push you further then you would go by yourself.  In my experience.

[NITROFORCE]

Ok, I'm going to address that one.  Having been in the PT profession since 1988, I have known quite a few good trainers, and a lot that couldn't do anything else, so they tried PT since they liked going to the gym a lot.  Profession by default I suppose.  
If a trainer is good, he will have good credentials, have the same clients for a long time, and actually LOOK like they train.  If he/she isn't good, he is always talking in the gym trying to drum up new clients because his old ones don't stick since NO RESULTS +NO INFORMATION = NO CLIENTS
The other thing is, does he know HOW to get you WHAT you WANT?  20 years ago I worked at a Jack Nicklaus golf course-country club and members asked me about off season fitness and at first told them that since I don't golf I would have to do a little research.  At that time there was little out there on this topic and it all looked like physical therapy/functional training stuff.  I thought it looked dumb and too low intensity so I looked at track and field, baseball, and other sports that required similar traits.  Needless to say the first year most thought what I was having a couple golfers doing was crazy, but one lady who was a pretty good athlete, gained 40 yards on her drives and reduced her handicap.  So I became booked for this service and type of training in the off season.  I became educated by influence.
Can all trainers do this?  Can they teach golfers?  I can't speak for all trainers.  Most of the ones that do LD and are trainers that I personally know and do it as a profession, seem to know the swing pretty good.  If you want to know more about how to train a certain way that will make you a better golfer or a better LDer, talking to them might not be a bad idea.  
What you don't know sometimes is something that is holding you back.  Information and education are key.  What most golfers and LDers don't know is how to train for this sport and just wing it with the rest of the guys slinging the big iron in the gym. It's better than nothing I suppose.  Maybe the last 2 world champs might know a thing or two.  i believe one is a personal trainer(Miller) and the other is a teacher of PT (Wolter).  That's what I have heard, but have not checked these facts.
Anyone?

[babrad06]

I have been through a few trainers and finally found one that is working. I don't want to say that the other were bad simply not what I was looking for given my current fitness level. The guy I am with now has limited experience working with golfers but having trained many minor league and professional baseball and the muscles used being basically the same we've made good progress. A training style I hadn't used before and I am making continuous gains. What I like as well is that there are other guys in there that are also looking to be the best at their sport, gives me some additional motivation.

I'd have to agree with Frank, find someone who has been under the bar themselves. The first 2 guys I used didn't look the part and neither did my progress. Again, not to say they weren't good at what they do as I still use one for physical therapy just not training.

Take some time to sit and talk with them to discuss your goals etc. Also get some insight into their training style and do some research on it.

[theultimateswingtrainer]

I wonder if Scott Smith will be the next world champ?  Hes now becoming a great personal trainer too + hes got the right tools in the arsenal to do it!

Good Personal trainers like we had in college, have a special way of analyzing peoples strenghts and weaknesses.  Raw talent only gets you so far in this sport.     

[Diablo]

Kari Hyokki is a licensed PT and a massage therapist I believe.

http://www.karihyokki.com/citat/jeff-gavin/

[tgarber]

I hired a personal trainer. He mows my lawn. He works really hard. So, do personal trainers work? Yes... if you pay them enough.

Tom Garber

[NITROFORCE]

I hired a personal trainer. He mows my lawn. He works really hard. So, do personal trainers work? Yes... if you pay them enough.

Tom Garber

THAT IS FUNNY!!!  Rule of thumb is that IF your personal trainer does lawn care on the side, he is not likely a good enough trainer to be a true professional.  No joke.

On the flip side, as a professional trainer, I did hire a golf professional to cut my grass.  He used his irons and put in at least 5000 swings to take down the weeds in the ditch.  Sumbich made it through Q-school the next year.

Lesson learned?  Never underestimate a good trainer doing the "Mr. Mioggi" training philosophy and providing new skills.