Conspiracy Theory!!!

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birdie_man

birdie_man

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Have you guys ever thought that the reason why most golf instruction is so incomplete is because they might not want golfers to really improve? Think about it...if they could make everyone better golfers and give them some complete information then no one would need to buy Golf Digest, take lessons, buy as many new clubs, etc. anymore.
TGM could actually ruin those magazines if it were to go 'big time.'

Most people read Golf Digest for the tips. They must be trying to keep us nibbling at the bait...even a little bit.

...I think the government's in it too, maaaan. I've gotta go though...the feds could be watching me right now. I'm not safe here...
 
Erik_K

Erik_K

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I believe that most instructors are trying to help you get better.

The difference is this: golf instructors, normally, have wonderful people skills but their actual knowledge of the swing is downright deplorable. Most have no basic concept of the physics governing the game. Many don't take advantage of video. Few leave their students with some sort of takehome material, i.e. a video of their lesson, a list of key concepts covered, or a plan of things to work on (how to practice).

Pop golf instruction, as far a the mags are concerned, is no different than any magazine covering celebrities, cars, TVs etc. They present you with 'what's hot/new and what's not.' The same can be said about things like investing. There are so few things you need to know to be on the road to financial independence, yet how many magazines list/rate/discuss the '100 stocks you MUST own?' They make it sounds like if I don't own them, I am going to die.

I don't think there's a conspiracy-though your reasoning has merit because the average handicap has not changed much over the past couple of decades.
 
mgjordan

mgjordan

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I don't think they are giving bad/incomplete information on purpose. I think people have a tendancy to be loyal to things that help them and would actually spend MORE money if they were helped. Always under-promise and over-deliver and you will have customers forever.
 
birdie_man

birdie_man

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It really is tough to say...but if their customers were any more satisfied with their golf games, maybe they wouldn't be as desperate for a quick fix? Maybe they wouldn't buy as many golf magazines and crap?

There is just so much conflicting advice and all kinds of jumbled instruction from different people. I mean, you can't tell me that they couldn't do a better job with their instruction. I'm sure they are smart enough to know how us golfers work and they must be milking it a bit. They are in the business to sell magazines, not to help people really...I think there has to be some of that.

I'm sure they're aware that their tips are all isolated little quick fixes.
 
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southpaw

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Of course these magazines are aware that their tips are isolated and conflicting. Their editors make no claims otherwise. The big golf mags are also aware that golfers are desperate creatures who seek any advice that will help them next Saturday morning. Johnny Miller has a famous term for this: W.O.O.D... as in, Works Only One Day. Setting aside the quality of golf instruction (and there are more good instructors than you might think), most golfers don't improve because they simply don't take responsibility for their own improvement. Often, they lack the discipline and/or the time to find an instructor they're comfortable with, then formulate a long-term plan for their improvement with that instructor, then stick to that plan. Furthermore, most golfers are simply not willing to sit with the frustration that comes from making swing changes- higher scores for a while, hitting some funny shots in front of their friends, losing some bets etc. When I changed my swing last year, I couldn't break 90 for months- and I started out as a high single-digit 'capper. The rewards of a better game and better scores ultimately came to me, but not without hard work, and- this is the key word... PATIENCE. I was fortunate enough to have an instructor (Redgoat) who, when I was frustrated, calmly told me to stay the course. He instilled a lot of patience in me, and that was perhaps the most valuable lesson that I learned in working with him.

Patience is something many golfers lack, especially in a society built on instant gratification. People look for the magic bullet, but there are really no "new" ideas in this game. And there's no escape from having to learn the right things and practice them often in order to be able to play well. Some folks have a problem with that, and that's fine. Golf and Golf Digest will always be there for them. Will it help them in the long term? Probably not. But, that's their choice.
 
B

Bigwill

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Personally, the thing that has kept me from improving in the 5 years that I've played is using tips that were meant for someone else, whose swing flaws were different than mine. Cost me a lot of strokes (and lost balls). It's like a puzzle; every piece dosen't fit to every other piece. Trial and error, along with an instructor who dosen't use a cookie-cutter approach, are the best ways to improve, IMO. Magazines and sound bites will kill your game.
 
birdie_man

birdie_man

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Ya that's a good analogy actually...a puzzle with non-matching pieces.

That really is good advice though southpaw...a teacher's role is to give you the right information and the right technique but to also assure you that you are on the right path and make sure you apply that information correctly. I could have been much further ahead by now if I had just gotten a teacher...

...but I don't know if I would have found TGM or learned as much as I have now. Without TGM actually I would have still been working on that puzzle and going from tip to tip...flipflopping.

I'll prolly still go on doing it the hard way...I've learned most of what I need to know already...might as well just keep going.

I guess an AI would be the ideal thing for me right now...still TGM, but with the benefit of having a teacher tell you you're on the right path.
 
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