What is the best golf lesson or tip you ever received?

[PEZGolf]

I started golf late, at age 15. Up to the age of 28, I had NO formal golf lessons, and had developed a makeshift swing. Relying on MY understanding of the proper way to swing, from watching TV and reading books, I tried to copy Bob Jones, Sam Snead, Al Geiberger, and Payne Stewart, all of whom had long, flowing, classic golf swings. My main problem was that I wanted to get a full turn, and started turning my hips too early. I brought the club inside, and then looped into a good swing path on the downswing. My handicap was 8, and I had acutally won a Club Championship and a few other tournaments.

My buddy and I took lessons from Jim Mrva, a great teacher, and Head Pro at the Yahnundasis Golf Club in New Hartford, NY, one winter. He watched me swing, and taped me. He asked me what my handicap was. When I told him, he commented, "You must have a GREAT short game." Then he proceeded to teach me to swing the club back on the correct path. He was so right. He told me to keep the lower body still during the first half of the backswing, and then let the turning of the shoulders turn the hips so the shoulders turned 90 degrees and my hips only 45 degrees. Now my handicap is a 4.2, and I can hit the ball further, and no longer worry about hitting a pull left under pressure (that was due to the loop).

What was the BEST lesson or golf tip you ever benefitted from?

[pjsnyc]

Never had a formal lesson yet from a pro, but I have been paired with pros on the course and the best tip I've gotten from one of them (his name was Paul) was to gauge putting speed using your feet.

Take about 10 practice putts on a flat portion of the practice green (if there is one) by bringing the putter back to your back foot and putting through. That way you know approx the speed with which a putt with that arc distance will go and can adjust accordingly when presented with varying distances, slopes, etc of putts.

[grahamlee]

When on the tee with a driver: keep posture, keep the head still, get your hips through and hands over. Works great.

[HiMyNameIsMichelle]

Follow through.

[TommyD69]

My first reaction is to tell you what Dr. Dirt always said... "Swing hard in case you hit it"...

That is a guy reaction, and NOT the best advise...

The best advise I ever got was to "swing like a girl"... that is in NO WAY intended to be a knock against women golfers. Shoot, I wish I could hit it as far as some of those LPGA players...

There is a VALUBLE lesson in that statement that most men golfers cannot learn (Including myself)... If you swing easier, the ball goes farther!!!!

I know it sounds bass ackwards... but it is true... So... that is my advise to you...

"Swing Like a Girl"...

[MPS67]

Relax and have fun

[Big Padrigo]

I got a lesson about 3 years ago as a birthday present from a friend. The pro recognising that he was only getting 45 minutes with me had me swing a few times and then told me he wanted to cut my back swing down; "not too far back, and all the way through". He noticed I tended to have too long a backswing and then my hands couldn't catch up; to this day these are the only swing thoughts I have.

[PEZGolf]

Never had a formal lesson yet from a pro, but I have been paired with pros on the course and the best tip I've gotten from one of them (his name was Paul) was to gauge putting speed using your feet.

Good tip. When I am putting, I concentrate on three things: 1. Keep my head VERY steady 2. Do NOT ground the putter. 3. Swing the putter to a 1--2 count. That means that I will accelerate through the ball, and my forward stroke will be LONGER than my backstroke.

[montru]

I think the best advice I got especially for driving was to swing with completely passive arms, as soon as I try and add any power with my arms the dredded slice comes back, so now I concentrate on keeping my arms nice and relaxed, head still and let the coil/torque of the body do the work.
I can still get around 230-250 nice and straight without trying too hard.

Mike

[Socrates]

Good tip. When I am putting, I concentrate on three things:

Just curious, why not ground your putter?

[PEZGolf]

My first reaction is to tell you what Dr. Dirt always said... "Swing hard in case you hit it"...

EXCELLENT ADVICE, and it is funny that you wrote this post. I am working with a student now who has the problem of swinging too hard. I told him that it is virtually impossible to swing the club back too slow, and the important thing is to get into the right position at the top of the backswing, start the downswing with the lower body, and LET the release of the clubhead happen. He keeps trying to HIT the ball and "make it happen". I demonstrated several times that I can swing back very slowly, let the release happen, and hit the ball just as far as normal. Finally, he got it down, and was AMAZED at the distance he got. I told him that Julie Boros wrote a book entitled, "Swing EASY; hit HARD", and he should keep THAT as his primary swing thought. I have a follow-up lesson with him at 4:15 PM today, and I will let you know if he is now doing it on a consistent basis.

[agengo02]

keep your head down even after the swing. let your right shoulder (for rightys) hit your chin then move your eyes toward the ball in flight. you miss the first 1/2 second about, but this little tidbit has dramatacly improved my iron/fairway shots.

[GaijinGolfer]

The best tip I ever got was, "swing easy". I find that when I slow my swing down, I make much better contact with the ball, which causes the ball to go straighter and farther.
Theres lots of times when I notice myself trying to crush the ball and I just tell myself to swing and easy and make a conscience efford to slow down my tempo.

[andre112]

This:

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/index....owtopic=146842

I started making a lot more solid contact and added one club length with my clubs after 1 week of practice.

[JackLee]

I would have to say the instruction in "The Golf Swing and It's Master Key Explained" by Noel Thomas, which advocates controlling the swing with the left shoulder.

[gills]

Stratton Mountain, Vermont, 3 day Golf School instructor:

"Your main problem? You've got Elvis legs"

He wasn't kidding once i saw my video!

[extremeld]

if you want to learn how to score go to a lpga tour event, the great majority of men can learn a lot more from going to see a live lpga event as they it is easier to relate to their game - you see how to shoot 68 without hitting it hard.

k

[$2 Nassau]

That's funny, I guess different advice works for different people.

Personally, the WORST advice I ever got was "swing easy." I really took it to heart and basically decelerated on the downswing everytime and pretty much chunked everything for the first 2 years I played.

For me, swing SMOOTH was much better advice. Swing smooth and accelerate through the ball. Changed my game completely.