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Unsolicited Advice


shermanM4A1

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"In one ear and out the other" is the best policy for this.

That is usually what I do unless I know the person well, and I know they know what they are talking about.

I once played with a pro who had the best way of offering advice. He asked me "Would you like some information?" I thought that was a very courteous way of broaching the subject without seeming superior or pushy.

I try not to offer advice, but I have a few friends who are really trying to learn and get better. I rarely offer swing advice, but if I notice something simple like alignment or stance I will start my conversation with the above statement.

I will judge my rounds much more by the quality of my best shots than the acceptability of my worse ones.

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ha! I was at the range just yesterday, only a few guys there, and just after I hit a ball I hear a guy from the parking lot next to the tees shout out something like 'just get an inch closer!' I kid you not.

He had to be shouting at me, 'cause I was the only one within earshot. I pretended I didn't hear him.

Freaked me out. Never, ever, ever seen that before.

I am an advice magnet, though. Maybe it's because I've got an easy going friendly, boyish look & attitude, but dude, seems like everyone wants to try and impart their wisdom on me. Now that I'm taking the game seriously and taking lessons & practicing a bunch, I'm getting less patient of it. In one ear & out the other usually works, along with a friendly deflection like 'thanks, I might try that sometime', or 'I'll make a note of that, but right now I'm working on other things'.

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  • 13 years later...

My son is a PGA teaching pro at a teaching acafemy. Lessons aren't given for free, it's their livelihood. If he ever approaches someone, it's a person they know. As for not taking someone's advice, here's the thing, you wouldn't allow a person that's not qualified give medical advice. The best advice is directing them to the nearest teaching Pro. Anything else should only be a MYOB 

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1 hour ago, Golfrn said:

you wouldn't allow a person that's not qualified give medical advice.

And yet it happens all the time… that phrase and logic certainly took a hit during COVID times.

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I don't like "advice" in the middle of a round so I usually don't try to give it. But I was playing the other day with a guy who has just taken up the game this season and has never taken a lesson. A very athletic guy with a pace to his swing that I envy but everything he hit started right and went farther right. I know he was frustrated and I suggested that he take at least a starter lesson. After he hit two OB right on the short 9th hole, he asked if I saw anything he was doing. I told him to strengthen his grip (it was way weak) but there wasn't much else I could tell him without messing with his head. After a 59 on the front, he shot 49 on the back and he was really encouraged. He needs to talk to a Pro but it felt good to help. 

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On 4/29/2009 at 11:03 PM, shermanM4A1 said:

What do you do when someone gives you unsolicited advice at the range or during a game?
 

Simple. I just tell them that I am currently taking instruction from Erik Barzeski.

Then I show them my signed copy of "Lowest Score Wins". After that they are usually asking me for advice. 👍😁👍

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My bag is an ever-changing combination of clubs. 

A mix I am forever tinkering with. 

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On 5/27/2022 at 9:49 AM, Golfrn said:

 As for not taking someone's advice, here's the thing, you wouldn't allow a person that's not qualified give medical advice. 

Golf advice, medical advice...it's all the same kind of thing. I don't have to be a doctor to know if I have a fever or a golf pro to identify a slice. But go to the range and everyone's an expert. But there is one field that trumps golf or medical advice and that is the weather, especially during hurricane season! 

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I just be polite.  

Thanks, I'll have to check that out at my next Range/practice session.

 

 

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On 6/1/2022 at 11:24 AM, TourSpoon said:

Golf advice, medical advice...it's all the same kind of thing. I don't have to be a doctor to know if I have a fever or a golf pro to identify a slice. But go to the range and everyone's an expert.

"If the advice is free I don't have to pay for it." - Yogi Berra

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The other day, just to have fun, I took 2 friends to the driving range. For one of them it was the first time hitting a golf ball (let's call him newbie), for the other one it was his 2nd time (lets call him the doctor). I play golf since 1990 and I have been a scratch player almost all my life, took a lot of lesson in my childhood but I really don't know how to teach golf so I never give advice to anyone unless is a close friend and he/she ask for it.

The doctor hit a few balls and i suggested him a couple of things just because he asked me. 
After that the newbie took his place and also hit a couple of balls. He asked for my advice so I gave it to him. I wasn't able to finish doing it when the doctor interrupted me and gave his own swing advice to the newbie. I was spechless..

Of course the doctor don't like when none medical stuff give medical advice but he is more than qualified to give golf advice after just hitting a couple of balls in his life.    

 

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26 minutes ago, p1n9183 said:

Of course the doctor don't like when medical stuff give medical advice but he is more than qualified to give golf advice after just hitting a couple of balls in his life.    

Doctors and lawyers and such are fully qualified to give advice in many areas.  Quite often in the area of stock market advice.  Not sure what confers this upon them.

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