quote:Originally posted by bcoak
can you elaborate on the traits of behaivor that do come into play?
This is a copy of a file that I send out for those who request the information. I leave it to Brian. If it's too long, it can be removed and I'll be glad to send it to any one who wants it, via email.
OBSERVING AND DISTINGUISHING PLAYING STYLES
Hippocrates recognized and recorded four basic sets of style traits in his patients around the year 400 BC. What he saw has remained constant. That has provided a formidable resource for those who care to use it. Knowing your style, or better, confirming the style you may already have recognized, is the way to own a measurement scale for determining the relationship between the traits Mother Nature gave you and what you may be doing that skewers, estranges, disorients or otherwise prejudices those traits as you try to accomplish your life goals, whether it is in golf or anything else.
So it is important for anyone (everyone) to see, appreciate the reality, and familiarize him/herself with the traits that make up that style, so that perception of personal style becomes part of the way one thinks and not just something that is merely thought about.
The style that you were given at birth is the one that needs full honor and regard. There is no instance that we can conceive of in which it is better to live outside your style than it is to live in it. The sole exception to that statement must be carefully understood and honored. That exception lies only in the realm of communicating with others and must always be understood by the communicator as an intentional and knowledgeable action of short duration for the primary purpose of creating a sufficient level of comfort to support maximum comprehension and understanding between people. That is known as "Pacing," an important and primary skill, which deserves to become a habit.
All other pacing should be with respect to one's own style, as in golf. Anything other than that, where golf is concerned, lends itself to self-defeating attitudes and actions. In golf, which is a peculiarly self-performed, self-isolated, self-contained, self-initiated, if not self-centered activity, it is particularly important to have the fullest possible measure of self-awareness and understanding. You cannot go about this game like anyone else. That is notwithstanding the large number and frequency of advertised measures to the apparent contrary. We are urged, that should we wish to reach our own peak of ability, performance, and outcome "out there on the course," to believe and undertake "doing it just like the best" do, as promised by many a teacher, journalist, commentator, guru and player.
That, of course, is not to say that one cannot learn anything from others. What it does say is that no one can expect to precisely imitate the style, form, structure and motions of another. And that is exactly what many golfers try to do - try to imitate the "best." They do it with swings, approaches to practice and playing, the way they perceive the "greats" approaching their pre-shot, walking to and standing over putts, addressing the ball, taking practice swings, buying their equipment all the way to the golf balls they use and the clothes they wear. And, if you believe advertising, it may even influence what kind of car they drive. It's only necessary to notice how many golf websites there are using the word "perfect," or observing how many training aids are aimed at getting us all to duplicate some particular action "like everyone else does it."
DRIVERS are typically fast moving. They jump in their carts and go, whether their passengers are ready or not. They drive fast and brake hard. They grab their clubs and take the least time possible for pre-shot planning. They are quick to anger and "blow it off" just as quickly. They take issue with anything that doesn't agree with them, and usually react strongly when they are confronted, whether by another person or a situation. They are apt to act like they know more than they really do, especially if they are challenged. They seem to "go for the throat" because they are bottom line oriented, but they aren't usually aware that they "come on strong," even though others tend to see them as "strong" all the time. Without conscious intent, they often intimidate others since they expect to "be in charge," even when they aren't. Sometimes it is necessary to "bark" at them just to get their attention. "In your face!" describes what you will see in Drivers particularly under pressure, and on the course, pressure is universal.
It is not unusual for Drivers to appear to be unresponsive in learning, unless the instructor allows them to "be in charge" of the process. They tend to resist lengthy sessions on the learning tee, and learn best with short doses in the practice area and frequent practical application sessions on the course. In other words, they do best with on course coaching.
They appear to others to play with a bit of reckless abandon, but to them it feels very natural, and in that way fits their style best, as long as it is not over-cooked. Trying to be "careful or cautious," for the Driver, is anathema. (Unless that is the only option available on a particular shot).
At the Tour level, players like Lanny Wadkins, Ken Green, Dottie Mochrie, Raymond Floyd, Danielle Amacapanne, Morris Hatalskey and Mark Calcavecchia show this style.
PERSUADERS are typically light-hearted, witty, and enthusiastic. They often have the latest joke to tell, which may even take precedence over teeing off. Wherever there's a prank, there's apt to be a Persuader close by. They are inclined to be colorful in a way that often seems flippant to others, which earns them labels like "scatter- brained" and "wild thing." On the first tee, it is not unusual for them to make at least one trip back to their bags for a ball or a tee, and they are the most likely to leave clubs behind somewhere on the course. They may drive carts recklessly, talking as they go, often paying little attention to what's going on around them. Rarely will they initiate confrontations with others, but they won't hesitate to react when anyone who "gets on their case," since they tend to personalize everything, even the rules of the game. They may spray their shots, show a lot of emotion while playing, particularly toward themselves when things don't go their way, and display unbridled joy when they do. Their pace of play is much the same as Drivers, as long as they aren't in trouble or don't get worried about shots that are off-line.
Short doses that are fun best describes the learning environment for Persuaders. Their tendency to get bored rather quickly suggests that they will do best where the instruction in fairly fast paced, not too complex (avoiding technical detail as much as possible) and working with the "feel" of the swing. They are the only ones of the four styles who actually fit what many instructors are fond of telling everyone about "playing by feel." (That is not to say the others don't have "feel." It just isn't the same as Persuaders and not like what gets the press, and should not be confused with NLP). Persuaders typically have the best natural short games of the four styles, but the shot patterns in their long games can be either deadly accurate or quite scattered. They often appear to be more inconsistent than they really are. Like Drivers, they do get in a hurry at times.
They tend to play all over the course and confuse their opponents and partners with their ability to "save" pars and make birdies.
The "tour edition" of this style can be seen in players like Fuzzy Zoeller, Lee Trevino, Meg Mallon, Chi Chi, John Daly, Dawn Coe-Jones and Larry Zeigler.
CRAFTSMEN usually appear easy-going, if not relaxed. They show little emotion on the course. A hole-in-one might bring a grin, but typically they are apt to maintain a rather stoic "look" as they play. They move and play slowly, displaying even pace and a "smooth" flow in their swings and games, and are prone to notice quickly if the group ahead slows down or those behind are "pushing." They don't ordinarily talk a lot on the course, unless someone else starts a conversation. They are friendly and cordial, but they don't advertise it. Their cart handling follows suit -careful and leisurely -with a preference for keeping everything on the "safe side." When they are not playing well, or if anyone suggests they should speed up, they tend to slow down. Craftsmen are typically cooperative, unless they feel they are being "unjustly" treated. They are more apt to act out their displeasures than to talk about them.
They are the best natural listeners of the four styles. Working with them tends to be pleasurable for instructors. With Craftsmen, instructors tend to see themselves as doing a really good job communicating without realizing that it has more to do with the style of the Craftsman than with the instructor's ability to communicate. They tend to gain more from their learning time on the tee than Drivers and Persuaders, and absorb more in less time than Analyzers. They take to and follow instruction easily, usually finding the concept and application of repetition to their liking. They prefer a broad-based, comprehensive presentation of lesson approach that moves toward a solution, in contrast to Drivers, who want the bottom line "solution" first.
When they play, they are so rhythmic and smooth that they are hardly noticeable on the course. They are steady and unchanging with their movement and expression. They play and score so "quietly" that they win at times even when others think they are losing.
This style, which makes up the largest part of the golfing population, is visible on tour in players like Larry Nelson, Larry Mize, Nancy Lopez, Ben Crenshaw, Nick Faldo, Jane Crafter, Payne Stewart, Freddie Couples, Davis Love III, and Paul Azinger.
ANALYZERS are meticulous with their swings and give the appearance of taking too long with their pre-shot routines and spending far too much time setting up and making their shots. They tend to look very "mechanical" with everything they do. Like Craftsmen, they move slowly, but their rhythm is more deliberate. Analyzers "strike" the ball methodically rather than swing the club smoothly. They tend to limit their words to "what's necessary" while playing and may become annoyed by the conversations of others, giving the appearance of "concentrating," whether they are or not. They balk dramatically in the face of the Driver's speed and the Persuader's "lack of seriousness." Analyzers have a preference for working, rather than playing, at their games. Their aim is "perfection," and that not only requires a lot of double checking, but it takes a long time. While a Craftsman will rarely increase the speed of play, when an Analyzer has a burst of confidence, he/she will show almost the same pace of play as a Driver. Analyzers take great offense when they are told they are doing something "wrong," since even the hint of criticism of their actions is viewed as a personal affront.
"In sufficient detail" marks the substance of what appeals to and helps an Analyzer. They need repetition both in teaching and in practice. It is not uncommon to see an Analyzer spend more time on the range than on the course, with an agenda to "get it right." When they play, they are always trying to make each shot as near perfect as possible, and rarely accept (easily) anything that isn't that way. Even if they shoot a low number, they will find some mistake along the way that prevented an even better score. They are, however, the first ones to genuinely build in a skill or a technique they are seeking, since they will keep working on it till it's finished. They abhor "foolishness" on the course, so they sometimes express dissatisfaction in having to play with a Persuader. (The scattered play and the "fun" motif of the Persuader tends to drive them "sideways.")
This style is observable in tour players such as Bruce Crampton, Tom Kite, Amy Alcott, Mike Weir, Scott Simpson, Mike Reid, Justin Leonard, Gary Player, Bob Charles, and Bernhard Langer.
THERE ARE also mixtures of styles significant enough to affect the way we perceive them, as well as how they play. To appreciate that, notice tour players Dave Stockton, Greg Norman and Joanne Carner (Driver/Persuader), Jack Nicklaus, Tom Weiskopf and Colleen Walker (Analyzer/ Driver), Tom Watson, Betsy King and Arnold Palmer (Driver/ Craftsman), Peter Jacobsen, Phil Mickelson, Davis Love, and Joey Sindelar (Persuader/Craftsman), Seve Ballesteros and Debbie Austin (Persuader/Analyzer), Patty Sheehan, Al Geiberger, and Russ Cochran (Craftsman/Analyzer).
We Note that some of the players mentioned have been profiled and some have not. For those not profiled, I have to depend on conditioned observation skills, which will be limited to the obvious in their manner and behavior of moving around in game. If that happens to be a playing style that is not consistent with their actual basic style (which cannot be known without profiling them), then it means that the player is playing outside his/her style. Some of them have been observed in other environments, so perception under those conditions is better informed. Bear in mind that those variables do exist.
As a postscript, add this:
There is no such thing as a "bad" behavior style or pofile. They are all simply different. They break into the four broad groups, but I have never seen two exactly alike. Everyone is different, at least a little bit. Playing in your style also means not getting bent out of shape when you actually do it. I kno a lot of Persuaders who think soemthing is wrong" when they play "army golf," for instance. Not bad, and they can play the eyes out of the short game.
