Dave Ramsay: For Your Swing September 2010
Everyone Has the 'Secret' and They're More Than Willing to Share It
One of my favorite aspects of being a golf professional is simple – I get to be around golfers while they are doing something that they love to do. Or at least they love to do it most of the time, anyway – it can be maddening, as we all know! I especially appreciate the passion and infectious attitude with which many have when introducing family and friends to the game, or trying to help them improve. However, there’s a problem with golfers helping other golfers – it’s difficult to teach golf! Yet for some reason, we golfers (especially men, well-intentioned know-it-alls that we are) love to help out – even if the extent of our knowledge of golf swing principles is limited to a) what we kind-of know of our own swing, and b) what we’ve seen on TV and read in magazines. Unfortunately, this accumulated knowledge (or more accurately, what we believe) is filled with all kinds of scattered golf tips and half-truths, rather than correct concepts and principles. I say ‘half-truths’ because since there is no ‘one’ proper way to make a golf swing for everyone, what might be a truth to assist with one type of swing may be ineffective or even wildly detrimental to use with another type of swing.
I regularly see players helping other players on the practice range while I’m giving lessons. The willingness and interest to help is great to see – really! What’s not so great is the help itself, not to mention the result. Unless getting worse and getting annoyed with each other was the intended result. Hey, golf is tough enough without guesswork, trying a bunch of tips, or copying something we saw on the Golf Channel. And do you really want your buddy to teach you the same faulty swing that led to him being a so-so player? Especially when he is obviously guessing what to say about your swing because he doesn’t know what else to say? We “parrot” the same information that we’ve heard over and over, having accepted it as universal truth. For instance, a very common statement I often hear from one golfer helping another after a bad swing is: “You lifted your head.” Well, maybe you wouldn’t be surprised, since so many golfers think they themselves did lift their head after chunked shots, thin shots, toed shots – anything but good shots. It would seem that his head lifting is a vast epidemic and must be stopped! Well, guess what – you didn’t lift your head. Well, technically you could have lifted your head – but even if you did (a very big ‘if’, I might add) that wasn’t the cause of your bad shot. Trying very hard to NOT lift your head isn’t going to help you. In fact, it’s probably going to make things worse over time. And that’s just one example of how we guess in how to help another player – or teach ourselves. The diagnosis was wrong... and what will follow after that?
Okay, you might say - so most players should not be teaching golf (outside of just introducing someone to the game). Doesn’t a good player know what he’s doing? Truth be told, a high playing ability does not make a good instructor - excellent golfers are still poor teachers, sometimes the very worst teachers - without proper training and associated skill development. Otherwise they will, at best, just be teaching what they know works for them and their body and ability. Do they know what will work for your body and ability, and how to teach it?
Golf instruction should never be about guesswork, and it should never be about teaching the same swing to everyone. It must be about understanding correct concepts and principles, and how those principles relate to YOUR body type, potential ability, and availability to practice. A qualified instructor will correctly assess your swing and shape a path to improvement that is manageable for your ability and your schedule. He or she will understand the difference between cause and effect within the swing, and know the correct order in which to have you change your swing. You will learn how to eliminate bad habits by forming correct new habits to take their place (and often eliminate seemingly unrelated flaws).
In the next few articles, I’ll be addressing some of the most common instruction tips and concepts I hear from players - not as a way to criticize anyone's teaching - more so to demonstrate the unquestioning acceptance of incorrect ideas and concepts that are wrong. The first topic will be…
here it comes…
wait for it…
“You lifted your head.”
I’m trying really hard to not jump up on my soapbox now! If you don't want to wait until October and really want to talk about it now, feel free to ask me - it'll be easy to get me started!
But don’t try to learn from your friends, an article or TV show - not even from these articles. They can't replace what a qualified instructor will do in person. Find someone to help you learn correct concepts and principles for you, and start building or repairing your swing in person. They will be anxious to help you reach your goals and enjoy the game more.
