Thinking Critically about Instructional Information

[iacas]

The discussion of pitching technique has missed the point of the OP:

Even if you ultimately determine that the information is correct, think about every piece of information you hear or read. Don't just accept it because someone famous says it, or because it kinda seems to make sense, or because you heard it from a few people.

Not thinking is what perpetuates the bullshit.

[Buckeyebowman]

True. Whether chips or full swings, stance, ball position, etc., there a lot of bad info floating around out there!

[JonMA1]

I've often wondered if the typical PGA pro learns from a standard syllabus (for lack of a better term). Perhaps they develop and use the same vocabulary  - much of which can be misinterpreted by a student at best, and just plain wrong at worst. Stay behind the ball, restrict hip rotation in the BS, coil the muscles, release the club, etc.

I also wonder if they apply their own feels to teaching others. If those feels are inaccurate, the result would be to direct a student away from a move or position that would otherwise be beneficial, or have them add something that is not.

If golf is hard, teaching golf must be even harder. Yet, the majority of hackers I play with try their best at it.

Edited November 20, 2016 by JonMA1

[iacas]

1 hour ago, JonMA1 said:

I've often wondered if the typical PGA pro learns from a standard syllabus (for lack of a better term). Perhaps they develop and use the same vocabulary  - much of which can be misinterpreted by a student at best, and just plain wrong at worst. Stay behind the ball, restrict hip rotation in the BS, coil the muscles, release the club, etc.

I don't think so. No more so than golfers.

I think decent golfers sometimes get into instruction, and don't really study the profession much, they just give the same type of band-aid, "throw twenty things against the wall and see what sticks" type of crap.

1 hour ago, JonMA1 said:

I also wonder if they apply their own feels to teaching others. If those feels are inaccurate, the result would be to direct a student away from a move or position that would otherwise be beneficial, or have them add something that is not.

I think that probably happens. There's a saying… "My lesson is your lesson."

1 hour ago, JonMA1 said:

If golf is hard, teaching golf must be even harder. Yet, the majority of hackers I play with try their best at it.

I might need to expand on this, but I think teaching golf is way, way easier than playing golf.

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And to be clear, again, this wasn't about this particular pitching technique. I just saw that particular article and it reminded me for the thousandth time how much crap and actual false information is put out there and simply accepted because someone saw fit to print it in a golf magazine or something.