Overrated/Underrated (Golf) Topic

[mcanadiens]

11 hours ago, HJJ003 said:

Overrated/Underrated #13: Penalty Hazards (Water and OB)

If I have to say one, I'll say underrated.

The brilliance of golf is that we have all these different courses we get to play on and no two are exactly the same. Golf has a place for a field with 9 or 18 greens just as it does for a hazardous track laden with water, trees and OB. The beauty is that I get to pick how much I want.

[gbogey]

12 hours ago, HJJ003 said:

Overrated/Underrated #13: Penalty Hazards (Water and OB)

I think I've had too much time to think about this which is why I have so many pieces:

1. Generally greenside water hazards are overrated for course design. Just can't think of a whole lot of great holes /courses that I've played where this made for something special.
2. However, the impact on score for the average golfer is underrated - even on my simple new home course which has 4 water hazards that typically need a 8i or less to cover, my above average game is taking a penalty every 2-3 rounds.
3. Water hazards that come into play off the tee are underrated - great to incorporate course details that play with your mind even if they really aren't in play.
4. Exception to #1 are water hazards that make a par 5 a true risk reward challenge.

It occurs to me without much thinking that the overrated water hazards tend to be ponds that you have to hit over and underrated tend to be lateral hazards, at least imo. No opinion on OB - the courses I'm familar have OB because the property ends, not as a strategic feature.

[ChetlovesMer]

Overrated/Underrated #14: Working with a Teaching Pro

 

I believe that this is underrated. As a matter of fact I'm often shocked how many golfers refuse to quote/unquote take lessons. Like for some reason that makes them less of a man or something. I will say sometimes it might be a challenge to find the right pro. But I can tell you I would never have broke 90 without working with a pro. Not only have I broke 90, but I've now broken 80 many times thanks to working with a pro. My expectation is to shoot a round at or under par next year. If I do, it will be because I'm working with a teaching pro. A good teaching pro will save you so many headaches. 

[rehmwa]

7 minutes ago, ChetlovesMer said:

Overrated/Underrated #14: Working with a Teaching Pro

VERY under rated for learning the basics.  All beginners could be helped a ton by getting good start on the game

For progressing to higher levels, I'm a bit torn.  there are SO MANY hack instructors out there, that I'd say it's over rated because you don't get much past the basics a lot of the time.  BUT - if you can find a really good instructor that tailors his contribution to your game and learning style, then it's very UNDER rated.  I'd really like to have regular instruction from someone that gets my style and game - I think it would help immensely.

Edited January 25, 2019 by rehmwa

[boogielicious]

6 minutes ago, ChetlovesMer said:

Overrated/Underrated #14: Working with a Teaching Pro

Underrated if you find the right instructor. There are a lot of crappy ones out there. But finding a good one and having an opened mind to their instructions will help you a lot. But I will say, it is up to you to be a good student too.

[ChetlovesMer]

1 minute ago, boogielicious said:

But I will say, it is up to you to be a good student too.

Good answer

 

[HJJ003]

11 minutes ago, ChetlovesMer said:

Overrated/Underrated #14: Working with a Teaching Pro

Underrated. Too many people think they can figure it out on their own...I am realizing I was one of those people. The more I work on my own, the more I realize how wrong that was. 

 

[Foot Wedge]

15 minutes ago, ChetlovesMer said:

Overrated/Underrated #14: Working with a Teaching Pro

Underrated with the same conditions @boogielicious stated.

2 minutes ago, HJJ003 said:

Too many people think they can figure it out on their own...I am realizing I was one of those people. The more I work on my own, the more I realize how wrong that was. 

Been there, done that.  Boy was it a bad idea.

[saevel25]

18 minutes ago, ChetlovesMer said:

Overrated/Underrated #14: Working with a Teaching Pro

Working with a good pro, highly underrated. A few hours working with a competent pro is worth many hours on the driving range trying to figure out why something isn't sticking well. They got the eye to know what you might be doing wrong and how to get you back on track.

Working with a bad pro, highly overrated. Some pros are no better than watching a YouTube video where all they do is spout out bad generalizations.

 

[iacas]

46 minutes ago, ChetlovesMer said:

Overrated/Underrated #14: Working with a Teaching Pro

Underrated, clearly, as something like 14% of golfers only ever take lessons.

Over-rated, though, if your instructor is horrible, as all too many are. Unfortunately.

39 minutes ago, rehmwa said:

For progressing to higher levels, I'm a bit torn.  there are SO MANY hack instructors out there, that I'd say it's over rated because you don't get much past the basics a lot of the time.  BUT - if you can find a really good instructor that tailors his contribution to your game and learning style, then it's very UNDER rated.  I'd really like to have regular instruction from someone that gets my style and game - I think it would help immensely.

You get out what you put in to a lot of things, so people should put a little more effort and time into finding a great instructor, they're out there.

[ChetlovesMer]

5 hours ago, iacas said:

Underrated, clearly, as something like 14% of golfers only ever take lessons.

Wow, I'm surprised it's that high. 

Again, so many of the male golfers I know consider it some kind of weakness or something to go get lessons. They pride themselves on being "self-taught". Yeah, they shoot 105, but damned it they're self taught. Women don't seem to have this issue. I'm trying to think if any of the women golfers I know haven't had lessons? hmmm.....

[NM Golf]

 

10 hours ago, iacas said:

Overrated/Underrated #14: Working with a Teaching Pro

Underrated. I was pretty much self taught for years. I mean my dad helped me out here and there making sure my fundamentals were good, but no formal lessons until I plateaued at about a 2 handicap and couldn't get over the hump. I also took some lessons a couple years ago to help me with my short wedge game. I do not believe you can be your best without help. 

[Double Mocha Man]

Possibly underrated.  I played high school golf and then college golf on a full scholarship and never had a lesson.  Though I did read a lot of golf magazines.  About 10 years ago I decided to take a lesson from two different teaching pros, telling them everything about me and what I wanted to accomplish.  Both ended up trying to teach me the same stuff they taught everyone else.  How do I know?  I hung out near them later when they were giving lessons.  Everything they said I'd already read in Golf Digest.  And everything they said to the others was exactly what they had told me.  And in both cases I had requested that they look at my swing specifically and and make tweaks unique to my swing.

[klineka]

4 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

Possibly underrated.  I played high school golf and then college golf on a full scholarship and never had a lesson.  Though I did read a lot of golf magazines.  About 10 years ago I decided to take a lesson from two different teaching pros, telling them everything about me and what I wanted to accomplish.  Both ended up trying to teach me the same stuff they taught everyone else.  How do I know?  I hung out near them later when they were giving lessons.  Everything they said I'd already read in Golf Digest.  And everything they said to the others was exactly what they had told me.  And in both cases I had requested that they look at my swing specifically and and make tweaks unique to my swing.

Wouldn't everything you said make them overrated then?

[Double Mocha Man]

Okay, I'll go with with overrated.  Though there is this teaching pro in the area who has played on the PGA Tour and is well-known for his teaching prowess.  He's expensive but perhaps I should give it one more chance.

[klineka]

1 minute ago, Double Mocha Man said:

Okay, I'll go with with overrated.  Though there is this teaching pro in the area who has played on the PGA Tour and is well-known for his teaching prowess.  He's expensive but perhaps I should give it one more chance.

You could always try evolvr.com 

You could probably get a few months of evolvr for the cost of one lesson with the pro.

[phillyk]

31 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

Okay, I'll go with with overrated.  Though there is this teaching pro in the area who has played on the PGA Tour and is well-known for his teaching prowess.  He's expensive but perhaps I should give it one more chance.

You should try him, he’s won section teacher of the year multiple times. Has a lot of students in college and on  tours. 

Working with a teaching pro is under rated. Theres the other thread right now talking about unsolicited advice in course. There’s probably a lot more of that versus taking lessons. Just a couple minutes with the right pro could make a big difference in ones game.  

[iacas]

16 minutes ago, phillyk said:

You should try him, he’s won section teacher of the year multiple times.

That doesn't mean a ton.

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To all: remember, when responding to say underrated or overrated, quote the red text with the topic.