Would golf instruction be better if...

[Lowkie]

IMO I think when a golfer starts out they should listen and TRY all the different techniques.  Once they find one that is good (judging by scores and their instructor) then they should stop listening to quick fixes, tour pro's feel ect. and focus on their own swing that works for them  Their have been pro's that have fundamentally wrong swings, but they work for them, so once you find YOUR swing then learn to develop it, but you may need to try a little of everyone's swing before you find yours.

[Meltdwhiskey]

I voted yes.  I really don't love the whole feel thing because it is never really spelled out which are feels and which are real.  "keep the club in front of your body" and "stay behind the ball" are at least two pieces of advice that I believe to be feels that are stated as reals.  I even posted this in a thread in the instruction section.  No one ever even ha d an explanation on the stay behind the ball advice.

I'd rather it all be real - then I can worry about how to accomplish it.

[Philly+15]

I've taken numerous lessons and it always comes down to my pro telling me "watch my swing when I do this or I do this".... It drives me nuts!  I'm a hack and your a pro!  Just a minor adjustment each time would probably be more affective for me!   Then again.... he is the pro!!!

[Dave2512]

I've taken numerous lessons and it always comes down to my pro telling me "watch my swing when I do this or I do this".... It drives me nuts!  I'm a hack and your a pro!  Just a minor adjustment each time would probably be more affective for me!   Then again.... he is the pro!!!

This is why I only see pros that teach systems, 5SK, S&T etc. It may not be impossible to teach someone to swing "like this" via personal examples but it is difficult. A systematic approach offers the student specific things they can implement without aping someone's swing. And they have something easy to follow when the instructor isn't present.

[Philly+15]

Yeah I agree, but my only problem is, My "pro" is a very good friend of mine and lessons are usually free!  So I gotta take what I can get!

[PirateJim]

I voted NO.  Golf instruction would be exactly the same since the "instructors" would still be instructing as always (presumably) and people would still be watching tour pros play and wondering how they make some of their shots.

Now, I will say that the vast majority of golfers would be better off if they didn't pour over each copy of Golf Digest, Golf, etc. and the various offerings from who knows who on Youtube hoping to find the magic solution for whatever their current problem is.  But don't blame the tour pros, they no doubt make a few bucks for contributing.  Don't blame the magazines either, they wouldn't print those articles if their customers didn't want to read them.

[iacas]

I voted NO.  Golf instruction would be exactly the same since the "instructors" would still be instructing as always (presumably) and people would still be watching tour pros play and wondering how they make some of their shots.

Golf instruction would be the same, but millions of golfers wouldn't be confused listening to what the playing pros say.

[cipher]

I voted yes, but I must say, I am glad so many do.  Why?  It gives me the opportunity to seek out quality instruction that would otherwise be in too much demand.

[Acelswndr]

I voted no because sometimes all it takes is one swing tip/thought to make an improvement at a certain aspect of your game whether it comes from a touring pro or your next door neighbor.  Conversely, all it takes is one swing tip/thought to do damage.  The trick is finding the ones that work and discarding the ones that don't quickly.  I feel like I'm pretty good at doing this, so I'll take any tip I can get and then either discard it immediately, try it and discard it immediately or try it and keep it until it stops helping.  I tend to use a collection of swing thoughts and pick one appropriate for how I'm hitting the ball at that particular time.  For example, if I'm pulling my drives badly, most of the time it's because I'm coming over the top, so I find that focusing on my swing plane helps. Other times my drives are straight because I'm maintaining the plane through muscle memory, but maybe I'm not starting my swing with my lower body, so that becomes my swing thought.  I guess this is contrary to those of you who prefer a more rigid and structured set of thoughts; this is what works for me. If a helpful thought happens to come from a touring pro, I suppose there are less qualified sources.

[freedrop]

I wouldn't want to lose what Johnny Miller had to say about the golf swing while "Sir's" viewpoint makes me hit mute....depends on the pro who is talking.

[14ledo81]

I heard Johnny Miller assimilate a certain chip shot a pro had to play to a "top spin forehand". Really, hitting a chip with topspin???

[gophinmedic]

I vote no. Sometimes this I all the instruction you can get, I've never been able to afford or justify legitimate lessons. I've shaped my game around tour pro instruction and what many on here refer to as "Mclessons". Is it tailored to me? No. But I've tried what they have said and found out what works for me. I learned how pitch in baseball by watching baseball tonight, sports center and tips from the bigs. Ended up with a scholarship. These guys are the best in the world for a reason. If bill gates offered you business advice, would you turn it down?

[iacas]

These guys are the best in the world for a reason. If bill gates offered you business advice, would you turn it down?

Not quite the same thing IMO. Business advice doesn't suffer the "feel ain't real" problem.

[saevel25]

These guys are the best in the world for a reason. If bill gates offered you business advice, would you turn it down?

Not sure I would take business advice from Bill Gates either. Sometimes you just get lucky. I think it would have been hard to F'up computers . Though he almost did with Windows ME.

[Harmonious]

Not sure I would take business advice from Bill Gates either. Sometimes you just get lucky. I think it would have been hard to F'up computers . Though he almost did with Windows ME.

Gates may be a lot of things.  But LUCKY certainly is not one of them.

[nevets88]

I vote no. Sometimes this I all the instruction you can get, I've never been able to afford or justify legitimate lessons. I've shaped my game around tour pro instruction and what many on here refer to as "Mclessons". Is it tailored to me? No. But I've tried what they have said and found out what works for me. I learned how pitch in baseball by watching baseball tonight, sports center and tips from the bigs. Ended up with a scholarship. These guys are the best in the world for a reason. If bill gates offered you business advice, would you turn it down?

And I had limited success listening to tour pros as instructors. I think more people have my experience than yours. Bill Gates needed both brilliance and luck to grow MSFT. Let's not forget he totally missed the Internet until enough people badgered him.

[gophinmedic]

Look. [quote name="nevets88" url="/t/72598/would-golf-instruction-be-better-if/30#post_953024"] And I had limited success listening to tour pros as instructors. I think more people have my experience than yours. Bill Gates needed both brilliance and luck to grow MSFT. Let's not forget he totally missed the Internet until enough people badgered him. [/quote] Look, my point is, not all of us are able to take lessons, get computerized feedback and create the perfect swing. We take what we can get. Shows like playing lessons, youtube videos from pros and articles from the pros have gone a long way into taking my game from a baseball swing and a 70 yard slice to a consistent swing that creates scrores in the low 80's, and on a lucky day, taps into the 70's. I compare it to EMS. Ive been told 10 different ways how to intubate someone, 30 different techniques to starting IV's and 1000's of treatment modalities based on where someone is from. Ive taken all this information, tried what seemed legeitimate to me, and figured out what worked best. I don't think golf should be any different. Case in point, Phil Mickelson pushes his hinge and hold, and although it works fabulously for him, I cant get it to work for me, so I throw it out. but Grahame McDowells tip of "feeling" like his right elbow is going into his right pocket on the downswing almost instantly cured my slice and added shaft lean. Some things work, some things don't and when your in a financially tight situation, you must wade these waters if you want improvement. Im not saying that this way is better than seeing a teaching pro and having a personalized lesson, Im saying if this is what your able to get, its better than swinging in the dark.

[nevets88]

Look. Look, my point is, not all of us are able to take lessons, get computerized feedback and create the perfect swing. We take what we can get. Shows like playing lessons, youtube videos from pros and articles from the pros have gone a long way into taking my game from a baseball swing and a 70 yard slice to a consistent swing that creates scrores in the low 80's, and on a lucky day, taps into the 70's. I compare it to EMS. Ive been told 10 different ways how to intubate someone, 30 different techniques to starting IV's and 1000's of treatment modalities based on where someone is from. Ive taken all this information, tried what seemed legeitimate to me, and figured out what worked best. I don't think golf should be any different. Case in point, Phil Mickelson pushes his hinge and hold, and although it works fabulously for him, I cant get it to work for me, so I throw it out. but Grahame McDowells tip of "feeling" like his right elbow is going into his right pocket on the downswing almost instantly cured my slice and added shaft lean. Some things work, some things don't and when your in a financially tight situation, you must wade these waters if you want improvement. Im not saying that this way is better than seeing a teaching pro and having a personalized lesson, Im saying if this is what your able to get, its better than swinging in the dark.

Sure but what works for you may not for others. I never even came close to any varsity team in high school let alone a scholarship to college so we're already talking two different levels of athleticism. Online instruction and cheaper cameras make instruction more than ever available to more people now.