Textbook vs Unorthodox Golf Swing

[Farangster]

Nice discussion on the value of autonomous learning as it relates to the golf swing (homemade vs properly trained) with a good mix of success stories and failures (additional instruction needed to play good golf, so ultimately a success) in self-help golf.  

[iacas]

21 hours ago, Farangster said:

So what is better for the amateur golfer- trying to get closer to that textbook swing or just don't worry about it and focus on 5 o'clock to 7 o'clock in your golf swing

I think that this was the better summary, and I think it's a false dichotomy.

[Farangster]

lot of success stories out their of amateurs with homegrown swings, commonality being self taught not necessarily that their swings are all the same in any particular way or section of their swing.  Good discussion on here either way.

[Piz]

What textbook?  

[DaveP043]

10 minutes ago, Farangster said:

lot of success stories out their of amateurs with homegrown swings, commonality being self taught not necessarily that their swings are all the same in any particular way or section of their swing.  Good discussion on here either way.

It would be interesting to see the variety of swings.  I'd bet that the ones that have been "successful", that are good players, have a whole lot in common.  I'd bet that the swings of the less successful players are much more variable.

[Farangster]

Just now, DaveP043 said:

It would be interesting to see the variety of swings.  I'd bet that the ones that have been "successful", that are good players, have a whole lot in common.  I'd bet that the swings of the less successful players are much more variable.

That would be really interesting, especially the one's playing scratch- surely they must have at least ONE thing in common...............partially blind Larry teeing it up 4" and Groucho Valentine are both squaring the club up at impact LOL

[iacas]

20 minutes ago, Farangster said:

lot of success stories out their of amateurs with homegrown swings, commonality being self taught not necessarily that their swings are all the same in any particular way or section of their swing.  Good discussion on here either way.

And a lot more with pretty "normal" looking swings. You're celebrating a few anomalies (and your JB and Bubba points aren't even all that valid - both have taken lessons).

2 minutes ago, Farangster said:

That would be really interesting, especially the one's playing scratch- surely they must have at least ONE thing in common...............partially blind Larry teeing it up 4" and Groucho Valentine are both squaring the club up at impact LOL

I think they likely have five things in common…

[Farangster]

Maybe we should start a Fundme page for scratch golfers with homegrown swings, see if we can get them together for testing to answer this question.  It would be very interesting to see the real world results.

[iacas]

2 minutes ago, Farangster said:

Maybe we should start a Fundme page for scratch golfers with homegrown swings, see if we can get them together for testing to answer this question.  It would be very interesting to see the real world results.

No need. They do five things well.

We already know what the commonalities of the game's best players are.

You're ignoring the fact that the "homegrown" looking swings are in a small minority, and Jim Furyk's dad was a PGA pro.

[Double Mocha Man]

3 minutes ago, Farangster said:

Maybe we should start a Fundme page for scratch golfers with homegrown swings, see if we can get them together for testing to answer this question.  It would be very interesting to see the real world results.

If Go Fund Me can raise $2 million for me, count me in.

1 minute ago, iacas said:

No need. They do five things well.

Begging the question.  And those 5 things are???

[iacas]

30 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

Begging the question.  And those 5 things are???

[Farangster]

20 minutes ago, iacas said:

I like it, if half blind Larry with his homegrown swing has those 5 keys teeing it up 4" and breaking 70 than there is hope for us all..................with the proper training or possibly some top notch autonomous learning!  

[Farangster]

4 hours ago, Double Mocha Man said:

I have a friend (met him on the range) who's name is Larry and he reminds you of Larry the Cable Guy.  He hits the ball with a forward lunge and tees his ball about 4 inches high for the driver.  Sometimes he wears hunting clothes to play golf.  He putts with a putter he made in his basement.  He has bad vision.  He's been put back together by various doctors; his swing suggests he should shoot around 95-100. He's humble.  All that aside, he shoots from 67 to 69 on a par 72 course.

Love the guy.  But I won't play him for money.

Double Mocha Man we need half blind Larry's self help philosophy for developing these 5 keys of golfing glory generously supplied by iacas, which Larry has attained all by his lonesome........can you glean some self teaching wisdom off the man for us lowly handicap golfers?  Appreciate ya

[Double Mocha Man]

8 minutes ago, Farangster said:

Double Mocha Man we need half blind Larry's self help philosophy for developing these 5 keys of golfing glory generously supplied by iacas, which Larry has attained all by his lonesome........can you glean some self teaching wisdom off the man for us lowly handicap golfers?  Appreciate ya

I can tell you this.  Larry hits 100 balls every day at the range, spending two hours to do it... reflecting on every shot, tweaking as he goes along.  He does this all year long... winter, heat of summer, rain, snow, sleet.  Oftentimes he and I are the only poor (idiot) souls on the range.  I almost never see him practice his chipping or putting... but he is deadly at those.  Show up around 10AM at the Lake Padden range and you will see Larry.  Like clockwork.

[Farangster]

5 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

I can tell you this.  Larry hits 100 balls every day at the range, spending two hours to do it... reflecting on every shot, tweaking as he goes along.  He does this all year long... winter, heat of summer, rain, snow, sleet.  Oftentimes he and I are the only poor (idiot) souls on the range.  I almost never see him practice his chipping or putting... but he is deadly at those.  Show up around 10AM at the Lake Padden range and you will see Larry.  Like clockwork.

I like that, reflecting on every shot and making tweaks, more thoughtfulness on the range, taking your time, sounds right.

[mvmac]

On 6/11/2019 at 8:34 PM, Farangster said:

trying to get closer to that textbook swing or just don't worry about it and focus on 5 o'clock to 7 o'clock in your golf swing as Bubba Watson says or maybe just try to hit the ball solid and figure it out on your own?  Arnold Palmer said to swing YOUR swing not what you see on TV. 

To answer your question, it's neither, figure out the piece that is leading to the most domino issues and fix that. If we all had to look like Adam Scott to play decent golf no one would break 90. Matt Wolff has a very unorthodox looking swing but has had a swing coach for several years.

Regardless of textbook or unorthodox, both will share similar traits with how the body moves and how the club is delivered.

4 hours ago, Farangster said:

Nice discussion on the value of autonomous learning as it relates to the golf swing (homemade vs properly trained) with a good mix of success stories and failures (additional instruction needed to play good golf, so ultimately a success) in self-help golf.  

You're working off an assumption that there is a "proper" way to go about learning a "golf swing".

I think at the end of the day for most good players, it requires both. Some good instruction with plenty of trial and error. No one can teach you a competent golf swing. A good instructor can guide you or get you started but you have to take ownership of it. It's how we learn.

[gjunkie57]

My instructor led me to the path of success for my swing.  I am playing better than ever, my scores are going down and I understand how my swing, posture, grip and alignment effects the ball.  He did not try to change my swing, it looked good anyway.  But it lacked power.  So those keys aligned the power in my swing with the ball at impact.  Sometimes small things make a huge difference.  Mr. Penick said an instructor can point out a flaw in minutes that six months of searching on the range will not.  

[saevel25]

7 hours ago, mvmac said:

Some good instruction with plenty of trial and error. No one can teach you a competent golf swing. A good instructor can guide you or get you started but you have to take ownership of it. It's how we learn.

^This.

It's still trial and error on my part as well. As I work on something, something else previously popped in my head that helped a ton. It's being knowledgeable, but very selective.