Giving Helpful Tips, a Problem

[Rip62]

I won't give anyone advice. If someone I'm playing with is having a rough day I'll just try to keep things light and offer encouragement.

[Aflighter]

Well ive seen what your talking about.Unlike what others have said.If someone wants the advice then I will share what ive learned.You dont have to be an instructor to help someone.If it doesnt help them then they dont have to keep trying it.Thing is you said he dsnt think it will make any difference.Thats a red flag that he doesn't want anyone telling him anything.

[WUTiger]

11 hours ago, paininthenuts said:

I haven't being playing very long, however my progress has been quite reasonable, and I have had a fair few lessons. As well as listening to experienced golfers. I openly listen to advice, because I know I won't get better if I don't. ...

For beginners, it's best to stick with what your teaching pro tells you. This assumes your pro knows what he's doing. 

If you get advice from pro A, amateur B, pro C and clubfitter D, chances are they have different approaches to golf swings.

As an example, partial wedge shots: some recommend playing shots forward of center to rely on club bounce, while others recommend playing back of center to make sure you compress the ball with a high-lofted club. If you play the ball back, you want avoid advice which assumes all partial wedges are a variation on a lob shot.

After you've been playing for awhile, you become able to tell which bits of advice might fit with your system.

[awmgolfer]

I only give advice when asked otherwise I keep my mouth closed, as hard as it can be sometimes. I was out playing with a young player the other day that is going to practice with the varsity golf team this year that I coach and a single caught up to us so we let him play through. On the tee he had his driver face so shut at setup it was point 45 degrees to the left, and of course both of his shots went deep right into the woods. After he took off the kid I was playing with asked why I didn't say anything, a good chance to explain things :)

If I'm asked which is not uncommon I usually say I don't have the greatest eye to catch things at full-speed and would need to record their swing, usually does the trick..lol. If it's something obvious like aim, setup, grip, or stance I'll mention it but most tips would end up messing them up more as they'll try to fix it then and there.

[Rainmaker]

If I'm asked on the course, I give the briefest, most simplified answer possible.  Something totally generic - like "slow it down" or something that pretty much can't hurt no matter what. 

I've been paired up with advice givers - personally, I don't want it.  It's not like it makes me mad but it's just one more thing to ignore.  I don't care if I did lift my head or over-rotate my hips or whatever - I don't want to think about that while I'm playing. 

[boogielicious]

15 hours ago, mchepp said:

A few years ago I was playing with this guy who was a beginner. Massive slice. Basically an unplayable one. I recommended strengthening his grip. Which in reality probably would have done nothing, but he says to me "I am not all that impressed with your game". At that time I was around a 1-2 handicap who played 2x a day. 

Immediately I shut up and it is the last time I have ever offered unsolicited advice. Now I'll help if someone asks, but sans someone asking, slice away my friend.

Wow! 

[Yukari]

I never offer advise during my round even if they ask. I'll simply say I am not good enough to recognize the cause of their bad swing and recommend they take a lesson from a teaching pro. 

With regards to OP's opinion on"keeping eye on the ball longer" that is a false statement. What causes bad swing is not "keeping eye on the ball" but rather the root cause is movement of the head. IMHO a teaching pro would correct this by having the player not sway during the swing. Keeping eye on the ball longer simply miss interprets the root cause. 

[ghalfaire]

I never give unsolicited advise and most times when ask for advise or a tip I just say something to the affect that I am not proficient enough myself to be advising others.   

[Papa Steve 55]

I have a group I play with a lot. About the most I will say is to suggest the recent swing change of bringing your head up a full second before club impact is not working, did it work on the range?

[Buckeyebowman]

Like others here, I say nothing unless asked, and then only if I feel that I've spotted something obvious and can actually help the person. And I only mention one thing. I don't want to load a person's head with too many new thoughts. 

To tell you the truth, I've seen some setups and swings that were outright bizarre! I was actually hoping that the person wouldn't ask for advice because I'd have no idea where to begin!

But sometimes it does work out. Quite a few years ago I was grouped with a couple of black guys. One guy was your average chop, but his buddy had a very good swing and hit the ball a mile! He also had a weak grip and his shots tended to bleed right. I was playing very well at the time, and as we waited on the 10th tee for his buddy to come out of the shop, he asked me about it. I had him strengthen his left hand grip very slightly just to see what would happen. What happened was that he split every fairway and shot 2 over on the back! When we said goodbye he gave me a big old bro' hug!

[uitar9]

On June 20, 2016 at 6:46 AM, Patch said:

When out playing, I never share golf swing information unless I am asked, especially when playing with strangers. I just never know how the other golfer will take constructive criticism they have not asked for. 

the only thing I help with is finding the ball. otherwise I stfu

[dzclarkcpa]

Just me or does there seem to be a correlation between how good someone is and their "willingness" to share tips? 

I have yet to play with a scratch golfer who volunteers a tip (I am a 8 handicap). But, it is common to get a tip from the 20+ handicapper.

My guess is the scratch golfer has been around enough to know there is more than one way to skin a cat and the high handicapper doesn't. Usually I will just listen to the advice, say "I will try that" and do what I want to do. If I hit a good shot, he gets to take the credit for fixing my game. 

[Aguirre]

For some reason the ridiculous "picked my head up" and "keep your head down" seems to infect so many bad golfers that they actually think this is what's causing their bad shots. Even as they have a terrible grip, stance, takeaway, and swing. As soon as I hear somebody say "Damnit! Picked my head up!" I know they know **** all about swinging their club, even if I'm in the same boat.

[WUTiger]

Having experience as a caddie, I normally limit my remarks to static things - set-up, alignment - rather than motion things.

If a person is aimed into the right tree line, and complains he keeps hitting into the woods, I'll suggest he check his alignment.

One of our senior regulars was raising his back foot on his takeaway, and missing all his drives. (He's usually good with the long clubs.) I pointed out the problem.

Within our senior's group, we know each other's swings and what each is working on. 

Also, if course visitors are playing with me, I'll explain unusual course features so they don't stumble into trouble.

[Groucho Valentine]

On June 23, 2016 at 2:28 PM, dzclarkcpa said:

Just me or does there seem to be a correlation between how good someone is and their "willingness" to share tips? 

I have yet to play with a scratch golfer who volunteers a tip (I am a 8 handicap). But, it is common to get a tip from the 20+ handicapper.

My guess is the scratch golfer has been around enough to know there is more than one way to skin a cat and the high handicapper doesn't. Usually I will just listen to the advice, say "I will try that" and do what I want to do. If I hit a good shot, he gets to take the credit for fixing my game. 

I find this to be true, from my own experiences. I never offer unsolicited advise to other players, but I've had like 10-15 handicaps try to give me swing advice... My swing isnt particularly nice looking, but damn.. get outta here, homey. 

[GolfLug]

On ‎6‎/‎23‎/‎2016 at 2:28 PM, dzclarkcpa said:

Just me or does there seem to be a correlation between how good someone is and their "willingness" to share tips? 

I have yet to play with a scratch golfer who volunteers a tip (I am a 8 handicap). But, it is common to get a tip from the 20+ handicapper.

My guess is the scratch golfer has been around enough to know there is more than one way to skin a cat and the high handicapper doesn't. Usually I will just listen to the advice, say "I will try that" and do what I want to do. If I hit a good shot, he gets to take the credit for fixing my game. 

Not really. Giving advise is in human nature, usually out of goodness of heart. It is more so that newcomers (lot of 20+ handicappers) don't realize that it can actually affect negatively and also sometimes don't realize that it is usually in bad form because of that.

I don't get asked so not a problem for me.