The Golf Channel's "Personal Lessons"

[Carland]

I have enjoyed watching the "Personal Lessons" show on the Golf Channel the last few weeks wher touring pros follow average players during a round of golf. Rocco Mediate, Brad Faxon and Kathy Whitworth have made the show interesting spotting the flaws and giving playing lessons. Mediate gave good advice on chipping and pitching. Faxon helped one player with his full swing. Whitworth help one player with his set up and another with his pitching. Raymond Floyd was good but his advice did not seem specific to the players he was following. It seemed more like general course management tips.

I hope the show continues. What a great learning experience for the students. I wonder how you get selected to take part in that show.

[iacas]

I have enjoyed watching the "Personal Lessons" show on the Golf Channel the last few weeks wher touring pros follow average players during a round of golf. Rocco Mediate, Brad Faxon and Kathy Whitworth have made the show interesting spotting the flaws and giving playing lessons. Mediate gave good advice on chipping and pitching. Faxon helped one player with his full swing. Whitworth help one player with his set up and another with his pitching. Raymond Floyd was good but his advice did not seem specific to the players he was following. It seemed more like general course management tips.

I don't know how you get selected. I thought Raymond Floyd's tips were some of the worst. In the bunker, he told the guy to play the ball back in the stance. I'm a big fan of playing the ball forward and keeping your weight forward. Some of Ray's other tips, as you point out, were more general and not as specific. He did help the guy with his aim though, and I thought it was interesting how much of Raymond's advice was visual and/or mental - picturing shots, that sort of thing.

Brad Faxon's shows were some of the best. I liked how he made people get into his stance. Rocco was a close second. I haven't watched Kathy's show yet (it's on the TiVo). This show and "Playing Lessons from the Pros" are my two favorite TGC shows, hands down.

[muskegman]

Yeah, this is one of the best shows on TGC. Far better than suffering through another incarnation of The Big Break Midget Edition or whatever the heck the last one was.

[RVAduffer]

Brad Faxon's shows were some of the best. I liked how he made people get into his stance. Rocco was a close second. I haven't watched Kathy's show yet (it's on the TiVo).

I agree. Faxon's shows are permanently saved on the TIVO. Watched Arnold Palmer's "Personal Lessons" the other day where he went around with his grandson who is a scratch golfer. Not the most productive way to spend a half hour, but it was fun to see the dynamic between Arnie and his grandson.

[Xt1ncT]

I wish we had a Golf Channel

[iacas]

I agree. Faxon's shows are permanently saved on the TIVO. Watched Arnold Palmer's "Personal Lessons" the other day where he went around with his grandson who is a scratch golfer. Not the most productive way to spend a half hour, but it was fun to see the dynamic between Arnie and his grandson.

I like where Arnie yelled at him for not putting the ball on the tee on the par 3.

I think it was in that show. That wasn't Personal Lessons. That was Playing Lessons. And Sam Saunders has won the Bay Hill club championship a few years running, IIRC.

[allin]

I agree Brad Faxons were the best. His explanations and ability to demonstrate his ideas was excellent. Some of these students can't possibly be carrying the handicaps they claim on the show. One guy supposedly was a 6 and had an awful swing and an even worse short game.

[Carland]

I agree that there were a couple proud handicaps on one of the earlier shows. The guys on the latest Kathy Whitworth show could play to their handicaps though. She gave good tips on pitching -- don't forward press too much and don't be afraid to let the club swing.

[rembrandt]

Those are good shows and I enjoy them also. Brad did a great job, I thought!

[cdriver]

I agree with all above.. Personal lessons is a good show as is Playing Lessons, etc. I am tired of "Big Break" and also, "The 19th Hole". Don't we already have enough "talking heads" on CNN/Fox News/ESPN? Why do we have to listen to these guys on the Folf Channel.. I want more GOLF!! Real, playing golf.

You know what would be good... A day at the practice range with a touring pro. A look into his personal routine to prepare for a tournament and a routine day showing how he actually practices. What do you think?

[greenail]

I agree that there were a couple proud handicaps on one of the earlier shows. The guys on the latest Kathy Whitworth show could play to their handicaps though. She gave good tips on pitching -- don't forward press too much and don't be afraid to let the club swing.

I found the forward press advice on the chipping not so great. My pro had me pressing at least as far as that guy was, which I was uncomfortable with at first but has been working pretty well for me, I chipped one in from about 35 feet last weekend. I can understand that you'd want to not press quite as much if you want to go high, but I was told just to move the ball up in my stance for height.

[georgep]

You know what would be good... A day at the practice range with a touring pro. A look into his personal routine to prepare for a tournament and a routine day showing how he actually practices. What do you think?

They could call it "Range Lessons from a Pro," just to add to the confusion with Personal and Playing Lessons.

Actually, I think that's a great idea. Show what they work on, how, and why. As for Personal Lessons, I've found it to have even more useful tips than Playing Lessons. The Faxon and Mediate shows were really great. And I just saw the Whitworth show, which was also pretty good (I missed Floyd). I generally take away at least one solid nugget from Personal Lessons to try on the range or course.

[Carland]

"Range Lessons" is a great idea for a show that could help a golfer improve. It's tough to take away anything helpful when a faceless caller asks a teaching pro on the Golf Channel for advice on fixing his slice or becoming more consistent.

I would also love to see a show devoted to putting featuring some of the best putters like Crenshaw, Faxon, Roberts, Woods, Mickelson, etc. How did they hone their stroke and what do they work on regularly? In Crenshaw's book "Feel For The Game," there is a photo of him giving a putting lesson to Mickelson, who's standing on a billiards table. What were they working on? Tiger Woods says that his dad is the only one to teach him putting. What lessons did Earl Woods give Tiger?

[elivate]

I agree too, I love that show... I can't wait til the get Billy Andrade on there, they shoud do a show with him and Faxon...

[iacas]

I found the forward press advice on the chipping not so great. My pro had me pressing at least as far as that guy was, which I was uncomfortable with at first but has been working pretty well for me, I chipped one in from about 35 feet last weekend. I can understand that you'd want to not press quite as much if you want to go high, but I was told just to move the ball up in my stance for height.

The shots they were doing were more like pitches than chips. For chips, you tend to forward press, yes. For pitches, no. As long as she wanted their follow-throughs, they weren't chipping the ball.