Calling all golf internet forum junkies!!!

[curtisj76]

You know who you are! We have a problem, at least I do.

The problem is that I "look around" too much. I'll go to this site here, and then that site there, and so on and so on. There are many of us that do it. I can probably pick out at least 20 of us that I see pretty much at all of the TGM sites. I still have a hard time figuring out if birdie-man sleeps or not? JK

Anyways, my swing has been the best ever the past month or so. Until, today when I can't hit crap. Why? Because I was on some site and read that you should do this. But why should I change anything if it's already the "best ever"???? My game got A LOT better after viewing these sites but now I think I just need to walk away to save my swing. Do you other "golf internet forum junkies" have this same problem? Information overload???

What I need to do is find a good coach. I'd like to stick with a "TGM guy" but there's nobody even close to IA. What to do, what to do.........

 

[detonum]

I see it more as an everlasting search for a better pattern. I have also progressed ALOT thanks to this forum and other TGM forums. You can never be perfect... but you can be better. Even though I try something I heard on an internet forum, and it doesn't work, I still have learned something. I will propably never stop tweaking around with my swing, but I don't see it as a bad thing. Just a search for something better.

 

[curtisj76]

I know what you mean. But I think the best way to get better is find a pattern that works for you and then STICK WITH IT. This I believe would equal greater consistency. How can you get consistent when you're changing your pattern all of the time? No expert (obviously) but I doubt pros are constantly changing things around. If they are, I'm sure they're not winning much. How could you? So if I pro would have a hard time changing things around all the time, why should an amateur? Obviously, if you have to find something that works in the first place. But once you do, I think the best thing to do is STICK WITH IT. Maybe I'm thinking too much but for right now it makes sense, at least to me.

 

[dbl]

I'll change patterns 2-3 times per year. If I were to take your strategy of "sticking with" one pattern, I know I'd slip a little - like grip or stance or ball position or backswing etc would deviate slightly. Or even if not a real physical change was happening, for sure there would be feels that would change to me. For example if I want to do the same physical thing, like in starting the downswing, from week to week I might have to focus on the hip, the belly, knees or something else. And as well, I might get bored using only one pattern.

I don't view forum ideas as bad.

 

[bendet3]

I used to have the same problem, then realized that all the stuff that seemed to work well for me and made the most sense, came from Brian and now I only come here. I decided that with his help on the full swing and concentrating on practising my short game (100 yards and in) and putting, I will get to where I need. No more too much info. overload. It's tough, but it is the only way that I am going to get better.

 

[birdie_man]

Buddy..............I DON'T sleep enough. I have OCD.

BTW I visit this forum much more than any others. I leave it running on my computer all the time.

...

I don't know what to make of organizing all this information to be honest. I am always trying things in an effort to get better. I gravitate to what works.

Even though it may seem like I am pretty calculating I am actually really experimental. It seems I have tried pretty well everything my body can possibly do. Any alignment..........any move.........etc. All kinds of different combos.

I would prolly benefit from more planning etc. etc..............but I pretty much just run on persistence. Unless I get sick of this I'm gonna get as good as I can somehow.

I figure I will stick with something when I am absolutely sure I am satisfied I am not leaving anything out there.

Lots of ways to go about it though, no doubt.

 

[birdie_man]

BTW do get lessons if you can.

Save yourself the time and stress. For real.

For real...

...

I used to tell myself this is good for me because I will learn how to do it on my own when I need to. To an extent that's true........but shoot.............why struggle on your own when you can learn 10x faster from someone who has a handle on it already.

 

[otto6457]

I visit several other sites but I don't go for swing information. I only want one voice in my head and Brian currently holds that position. I may be a bit strange in that regard but I have always been this way. I enjoy reading the golf forums where new equipment is discussed and I like to dress well when I play so I spend some time checking out the newest golf wear. But for swing stuff......this is the only place I come to.

 

[holeout]

I think that you, like many of us, need an "information filter" for anything you hear/read on the forums.

How far are you from Louisville?

 

[curtisj76]

I think that you, like many of us, need an "information filter" for anything you hear/read on the forums.

How far are you from Louisville?

Total Estimated Time: 8.0 hours 43 minutes
Total Estimated Distance: 537.75 miles

So, take that times 2.

538x2=1076 miles roundtrip (so gas would be around 150 bucks)

Wouldn't want anything less than 3 hrs (450 bucks)

Grand total 600 bucks.

Cash flow isn't much right now. I quit my job to go back to school. Wife just works part-time and we have 2 kids.

 

[suns11111]

Hey neighbor (MN here!) Same problem living up here and distance then is a problem. Keep your head up, everyone has bad stretches. I do. An old tip will come to you and everythin will fall in place. I tried something different with my twist away, and going good again. Good luck!

 

[lookingtolearn]

I know exactly what you're talking about

Have you thought about doing the web/video analysis lessons with Brian or another Manzella instructor? I hope they are still doing it.

 

[Jim Kobylinski]

Ugh...my response was not posted because of an internet connection but it went something like this...

I know i'm going to be blasted for this but this site is probably the best site on the net for useable instruction PERIOD. Sure there are others but they are made up of people with no credentials and/or no known teaching ability. They are filled with people who are posting what they think they know and what they think to be true and who knows where they got it from and/or why it works but yet they peddle it.

Now i would say that there are about a handful (no more than 5-6) that post on a regular basis that know what the hell they are talking about and how to help people. Could there be more? Sure but i don't know who they are. I use to frequent a lot of golf sites instruction section trying to help people but most people don't want to listen and/or are waiting around for the response "they want to hear." I got tired of people who have never taught who think they know what's going on giving, basically online instruction, for very serious swing problems. Lots of times i see posted info completely wrong and will make golfers WORSE.

Ususally i just hang around and giggle to myself or if i see someone who really needs the help i'll PM them because i don't want to get into an internet debate with them.

 

[holeout]

Total Estimated Time: 8.0 hours 43 minutes
Total Estimated Distance: 537.75 miles

So, take that times 2.

538x2=1076 miles roundtrip (so gas would be around 150 bucks)

Wouldn't want anything less than 3 hrs (450 bucks)

Grand total 600 bucks.

Cash flow isn't much right now. I quit my job to go back to school. Wife just works part-time and we have 2 kids.

I made the same length trip for 3 hours of time too.

I also don't have a wife and 2 kids.

I'd say then just to keep at it yourself (you can get cheapie video cameras from electronics stores for about $85 now), or start cutting back on other golf-related expenses to save up for a trip to see Brian (or maybe you can convince Jim to come out of retirement ).

 

[joeparr]

I`ve seen MANY insrtucters bought hundreds of videos and books ,gagets you name it. I took lessons from brian and mike jacobs(by far the best) and lotsa help from jim k who`s always there for us. I still stink because its me, I keep changing swings so insicure about my swing STAY with this site and stay what is taught here, we should take some of the blame not the instuctors..jmo...joe

 

[tongzilla]

Tinkering, changing, researching, etc. Digging it Out the Dirt

For all those who think tinkering is a bad...

Ben Hogan "tinkered" for almost 10 years after turning professional before winning his first tournament.

Would he be the ball-striker he is and won the tournaments he won without his relentless practicing and tinkering? Maybe, but I doubt it.

There are generally two types of tinkering. One is where you just try whatever you read, hear or see. The other is where you try something you truly believe will work. Maybe after few weeks of trying this "new technique" you realise it hasn't really improved your ball-striking. Your tinkering has failed you. But you have not failed. Not only have you learnt what doesn't work, but you also gained a deeper understanding of the different relationships in your golf swing.

 

[detonum]

For all those who think tinkering is a bad...

Ben Hogan "tinkered" for almost 10 years after turning professional before winning his first tournament.

Would he be the ball-striker he is and won the tournaments he won without his relentless practicing and tinkering? Maybe, but I doubt it.

There are generally two types of tinkering. One is where you just try whatever you read, hear or see. The other is where you try something you truly believe will work. Maybe after few weeks of trying this "new technique" you realise it hasn't really improved your ball-striking. Your tinkering has failed you. But you have not failed. Not only have you learnt what doesn't work, but you also gained a deeper understanding of the different relationships in your golf swing.

Spot on man, this is exactly how I feel. Tinkering is learning, and when you stop tinkering..well, you stop learning.

I can't wait to see what the next 2, 5 or 10 years of tinkering will do to my game. Now that I think about all the tinkering I have done, it has all been a learning experience. I may have gotten worse momentarily because of tinkering, but the general trend has always been upwards.

The better knowledge you have of the golfswing, the better you will tinker. I became a much better tinkerer when I found this forum.

 

[jimmyt]

For all those who think tinkering is a bad...

Ben Hogan "tinkered" for almost 10 years after turning professional before winning his first tournament.

Would he be the ball-striker he is and won the tournaments he won without his relentless practicing and tinkering? Maybe, but I doubt it.

There are generally two types of tinkering. One is where you just try whatever you read, hear or see. The other is where you try something you truly believe will work. Maybe after few weeks of trying this "new technique" you realise it hasn't really improved your ball-striking. Your tinkering has failed you. But you have not failed. Not only have you learnt what doesn't work, but you also gained a deeper understanding of the different relationships in your golf swing.

I couldn't agree more, but I think of all your comments the one that we all should pay close attention too is after a few weeks if it does IMPROVE your ball striking let it go. And of course the 2nd type of tinkering is the prefered but I would bet that the majority of forum members fall in the 1st category.

All quick fix bandaid addicts.

 

[birdie_man]

I like that logic Leo.

It's one thing to buy into every theory and another to think critically.

 

[MSchreuder]

My take on this is it is down to the quality of the information. I read other forums, but no instruction threads. I have also stopped all magazines as they are basically full of instruction. I also do not go to a pro as I have just moved to another country and am still settling in, but the main problem I had back in SA was that the instructors did not know what they were doing.

So all of my golf instruction is coming from this site. It is not easy trying to do it yourself, but I played my first game for 9 months the other day on an unknown course, by myself in mist with no score card and shot a 91 with a bad chipping and putting round (no practice), which for me, is brilliant. I was expecting to shoot around 100.

The right knowledge is the biggest thing lacking in golf...