The question isn't why Bubba is so long, but how he taught himself and if it's possible to learn anything from it.

[nevets88]

I'm guessing most of his ability to learn on his own is innate, but what if there were some takeaways on how we could better teach ourselves?

I wonder if anyone asked him just how he went about teaching himself. I'll have to check that Jaime Diaz piece.

[LuciusWooding]

He's not quite right in the head. I don't think whatever enables him to play well is replicable.

[Yukari]

Personally, I believe anyone who has time and dedication can teach himself.  The reason most pros use a teacher is to cut down on the time to figure out what they are doing wrong.

I myself have never taken a lesson, but I have read a ton of books to learn my swing.  I have been complemented on how fluid and smooth my swing looks, but I don't have the time to devote myself to get to scratch or better.  I have a full time job that takes 70-80 hours a week + other life obligations.

If I had the time, I am confident I can get to scratch or better.  But that is not my priority.  I enjoy the game and can tee it up with anyone comfortably.

Granted, some people do a lot better (i.e., quicker or otherwise) if they are taught by a proficient teacher.  But I believe many don't necessarily need a teacher except maybe to improve faster.

Just my 2 cents.

[MEfree]

I`m not an expert on BW, but recall hearing he used to hit a plastic ball around the house as a kid, having to shape it to get from room to room.  If nothing else, repetition from a young age has to help develop your hand eye coordination.

[JCoop]

I've had about 2 and a half golf lessons, 2 of which were listening in while the wife had lessons. But I have a natural swing and an innate sense of physical dynamics, I think, because of my martial arts and tennis background. In 20 years of martial arts, I've studied how to make my body perform leveraged, efficient, smooth and repeatable work. Use the levers of the bones to multiply the force of muscle. Make linear force out of circular motion and circular force out of linear motion. Same thing in tennis and I think it applies to golf. But I have had to work at it. I'm pretty sure Bubba has a surplus of these abilities.

[The Tin Man]

Children don't teach them self's a sport in the same manor an adult does. There's no mental analysis. It's copying, innovation,  trial and error.

If it's true that Bubba never took a lesson then he learned in the same manner he went from crawling to walking.

What I give him credit for is realizing that his swing works for him and unlike Tiger doesn't let others mess with it.  If someone had worked out his twitches, steadied his foot work etc etc.

I doubt he would have made it this far.

I taught myself to surf as a kid, as an adult I realize that my time to groove a golf swing in that manner is long gone, and I need help.

[CoryMartin]

I think the main thing to learn is this:

There are multiple ways to achieve a single goal or a certain act.

He learned without all the "technicality" of having to do a thing a certain thing from someone else. I reckoned he learned that certain thing caused different effects. Such as a close club face will result in a draw and an open face in a fade. That the club face needs to be square at impact. He learned these basics and learned on his own how to fix it. In the way that if he sliced it he checked to see why his club face was open and maybe turned his hands faster, etc.

I think another thing to realize is his amount of Confidence! I know that if I was playing on Tour and never had a lesson I would be a little self conscious about my ability a little because... well I never had the lessons from a certified pro or anyone. I was there on my own.

Truly spectacular golfer! Great inspiration.

[Nole77]

During the Feherty interview, Bubba said he used to go to the golf course with his dad and would watch him and try and imitate.  To echo what someone above me posted, children learn from imitation and trial and error.

[dak4n6]

I have never taken a lesson but acheived an index of 7 a bunch of years ago. One of the things that became obvious to me after many years of playing and speaking with other golfers is that there is an amazing range of body-awareness out there. I would watch someone hit a casting over the top slice, and mention 'you came over the top and out to in', and they would say, 'really? I didn't think I did..'

I think that is one advantage of being self taught - you learn to accurately feel what your body is doing, and the lessons you learn are your own.

[ERdiesel]

Ummmm Bubba played hs golf and college golf, so the notion that he "never" got lessons of any kind is simply not true.  What is probably true is that he never "paid" for said lessons.

[GaijinGolfer]

The thing about Bubba is that he has so much raw talent.  He probably could have and should have won a lot more if he had taken lessons.  IMO, the average person doesnt have the talent or athletic ability to get to scratch without lessons.

If you want to get better, Bubba probably isnt the best golfer to have as your role model.  He also doesnt believe in practice drills and should just play golf because, according to him, drills make it too much like work and no fun.

[rossvanwyk]

I think it is fair to say the average player probably can't get to scratch by themselves. But I definintely do believe its possible and know a bunch of people who are great golfers, never ever had lessons. I would definitely state that we're not talking about pro's or playing the courses as they are set up for the pro's. But as your average joe going out to play the courses as they are set up for general public, you can without doubt become a scratch golfer on your own.

There's a billion different swings out there, if you can get to a point where you can recreate that swing, consistently over and over, you are going to be in business. Obviously practice and short game are major factors but again, those all differ from person to person.

I believe it's totally doable by your own efforts and ability.