Ok, that's it, I gotta say it...

WARNING - I finally need to vent on this one:

New golfers, young golfers, old golfers, all golfers....

Let's ban the following two words from the golfing lexis....

swing tip
quick-fix

If you want assistance with your swing, that's awesome, but don't expect an overnight miracle. The industry is doing enough with all the Golf-Digest "one easy move to longer drives!" and "this club with .001 higher MOI will help you hit the ball straighter!" to befuddle golfers and cause a serious pandemic of paralysis by analysis.

Whoever first told his buddy "You need to keep your head down" had no clue what he started.

I'm am not saying don't ask for help. Please, post videos and ask for a swing analysis. But expect to be given drills that will require time and dedication to iron out your swing. Maybe some of you expect this, maybe some of you don't, but a large number of threads seem to be:

Hey look at my swing.... any magic tips?

No-one here waves a magic wand on golf swings. Ok, Iacas swings a Mashie of Forum Justice, but that's not the same thing.

Let's do everyone a favor and start changing the golfing mentality for the better. It has to start somewhere.

The best advice to any golfer should include not just the problem (your rotating your hips too much) but advice on how to go about fixing it in a progressive, developmental matter. A learning approach.

If this post strikes anyone as offensive, I am entirely sorry. However, it is about time that we started changing a few of the modern mentalities regarding golf. Everyone will start enjoying the game much more. And that's what we all want, to step on the golf course and enjoy ourselves.

Isn't that 4 words?

Of course, you are correct in your sentiment (although I think one can still get a "swing tip", but I understand what you mean), but I don't think you are ever going to be able to convince the golfing public for a couple of reasons: a. New toys are fun, and golfers tend to be gearheads. So we are always looking for the next great piece of equipment. And what better way to justify that than "I hit the ball so much better with the ___________." b. We are a society that has come to expect quick fixes. (e.g., Don't exercise when you can take a pill.) A good, repeating golf swing is hard work and takes time. That's why there are thousands of people whose base their livelihood to teaching others how to do it (and god bless 'em).

I think most people don't expect some magic fix, but I understand that most people are very optimistic and eager to get results after some tips. I don't have the impression that most players expect a fix, but I haven't been here that long.

Getting tips on your swing is excellent, especially with video analyze, it's so much easier to pick out some errors with a video. What I want to encourage is not only to point out the errors, but also what you should be doing in order to get it right and drills, swing thoughts etc. to help achieve it. I've learned that you can fix a wrong part of your swing by thinking and focusing on something else. The body is always linked together, it's important not to always go after where the problem is, but also consider what other parts of the swing inflict it.

Trying to fix the whole swing at the same time is also a very hard feat. I'm kinda impatient with it, but have experienced that you are better off working on one thing at the time. And it works! I've done great improvements this year, but taken it in small steps. When I compare videos of my swing today and in the spring I can see much improvement. I'm making a shorter swing and not overdoing the wrist early on, which I definately did before. You have to practice and force a new thought, feeling or habit long enough for it to become automatic. When you get there, you can start thinking about other stuff. You should also keep record of what you've done. Write down everything you are changing and what you want to do. It is useful to go back once in a while to practice on those things you've learned to keep it in shape. Trying to fix 3 problems at the same time, and not giving your head enough time to make it automatic is not something I'd recommend.

So, my best tips is to take it one step at the time, and if you can, try filming your swing. You could put it out on the net, but just watching it, maybe comparing to swings from swing vision on Youtube can be immensely helpful. I realise not everyone got a video camera, but many of the digital cameras today got a pretty good video feature. You won't catch the clubface at impact, but you get a very good idea as to how your swing is doing. I just registered and tried Swing Academy, I recommend that to everyone, it's a brilliant tool for analyzing and sharing a video of your swing. http://www.swingacademy.com

Using Google is also very helpful. You usually get many different opinions, but that's what you get when trying different pro's or asking people in here anyways. If someone here points out a problem with your swing, search it up on the internet and you'll find a ton of great material. Pictures, graphics showing what you should be doing, lots of videos, drills and ways to practice.

You do realize this section of the forum is called "Swing Tips" right? What did you expect would be in here? Pictures of hosels and clubheads maybe? LMAO!

Totally agree with you Zeph. A video is definately the best way to go and Swing Academy is a sure way to improve your swing.

There rarely is a swing tip or quick fix that is going to correct a long term problem. Only honest evaluation, practice, and those that choose instruction will make one a better golfer. All of that is wrapped by Time which is something in short supply these days. Everyone expects the cure quickly and permanently and it doesn't happen very often in golf.
That being said sometimes a swing tip does help. Harry's current golf nemesis is Johnny Miller and his droning. However sometimes the man does give out some good tidbits that can help. When Sergio and AK were deuling at some tourney a month ago Kim had an approach shot where the ball was on a slope and his feet were low. As Kim proceeded to yank the ball left into the stands Miller did quip something about getting the ball a tad back in the stance. For some reason I picked up on that. I have faced that type of shot several times since and some of the best shots of the round have been in those situations. Swing tips can at times help but be careful who makes them and how they are made. "Help" more often times is not.

I always think of an anecdote about the launch of one of the big golf magazines (Golf Digest, maybe?), and the editors trying to get the top pros of the time to be contributors to this new magazine. Every one of the pros told them basically "you can't teach a good golf swing in a magazine article." You could make the case that Hogan's Five Lessons was a series of magazine articles, but certainly was not a "quick tip."

I could be totally wrong on the anectdote, of course :)

Now THAT was funny!

yes, those words irritate me to some extent

what about duct tape?