He played professional therefore he is more qualified to teach?

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Dear o dear ms. How sad that you make such a comment.

What I said has nothing to do with anger towards golf instructors at all. It's all based on observations, and I know the industry very well.
 

Jim Kobylinski

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Certainly agree 100% with that Jim, BUT what if the pattern that will suit that golfer won't manifest itself in all its glory until after the first session?

You will still hit better shots than what you came with. I've had lessons like that, they may have the same ratio of bad to good shots but their "good" shots are MUCH better than what their good shots were prior.

If you change the time/body positions equation for the better, but the student unerringly does something to subvert that - a product of shock at being in different positions, or a way to feel more comfortable through the swing (reverting to form) - maybe that would preclude the student from leaving the first session hitting it better.

Then you aren't doing your job in my opinion, i put people in all kinds of odd positions they have never been in and i get them to hit a much better version of what their "good" shot is. I've seen Brian do it a bunch of times too. How many people do you think i've put into a proper impact like position (hands forward, hips forward, head back, right shoulder down, left shoulder up) and they hit a great ball immediately? I can't remember any, however before the lesson is over you better believe they can or else they don't pay me.

I've only had 1 lesson where i asked the person to not pay me, i couldn't help him at all. Just didn't have it that day, other than that everyone has left hitting it better than when they got there even if THEY don't think they did. I can distinctly remember 2 students who i helped a lot and they hit it way better but didn't like the "look" or the "feel" so maybe they wouldn't agree with me but other than that, you will hit it better.
 
I understand what your saying, Jim, I really do. And I'm not trying to be a contrarian, but my feeling is that if you put a person in certain positions that are correct for his/her future well-being and in doing so take away his/her ability to execute a 'saving' move that compensated for the trail of previous poor stuff, then it would seem to me that that would take more than one session to move forward

However, when I'm teaching, I'm always looking for what I call the domino-effect move - a piece of advice I can give that will start a chain reaction and wash away other sins without the student focusing on them in particular - In fact, I have a feeling that this is what you're referring to, perhaps?
 
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Guys who can't play can't teach.

Some guys who can play can't teach.

Teaching something that you can't do yourself is an ABSURD idea.

Most pupils have no idea whether their teacher is any good or not.

Most teachers are in it for the money and the money alone.

Whew. A lot of sweeping generalizations in there, Wuls. Craig Perks is a the head golf coach at a University, I believe, and he could play a bit. What about all the slightly older guys who would be considered journeymen on the Nationwide Tour for example, but who have families and need a steadier income so they set up shop teaching? I'm sure most of us would consider those guys great players. What about our own Kevin Shields? He can move the club a bit but still does lots of teaching.

And if you're in golf for the money then you're too stupid to have any students come visit you...!;)
 
I understand what your saying, Jim, I really do. And I'm not trying to be a contrarian, but my feeling is that if you put a person in certain positions that are correct for his/her future well-being and in doing so take away his/her ability to execute a 'saving' move that compensated for the trail of previous poor stuff, then it would seem to me that that would take more than one session to move forward

However, when I'm teaching, I'm always looking for what I call the domino-effect move - a piece of advice I can give that will start a chain reaction and wash away other sins without the student focusing on them in particular - In fact, I have a feeling that this is what you're referring to, perhaps?

"Well, f#ck me Tommy, what have you been reading?"
 
I understand what your saying, Jim, I really do. And I'm not trying to be a contrarian, but my feeling is that if you put a person in certain positions that are correct for his/her future well-being and in doing so take away his/her ability to execute a 'saving' move that compensated for the trail of previous poor stuff, then it would seem to me that that would take more than one session to move forward

However, when I'm teaching, I'm always looking for what I call the domino-effect move - a piece of advice I can give that will start a chain reaction and wash away other sins without the student focusing on them in particular - In fact, I have a feeling that this is what you're referring to, perhaps?

Domino effect move ... Wisdom Oli.
 

Kevin Shields

Super Moderator
Guys who can't play can't teach.

Some guys who can play can't teach.

Teaching something that you can't do yourself is an ABSURD idea.

Most pupils have no idea whether their teacher is any good or not.

Most teachers are in it for the money and the money alone.

The best football placekicking coach has been in a wheelchair his entire life so there goes your theory.
 

Jim Kobylinski

Super Moderator
I understand what your saying, Jim, I really do. And I'm not trying to be a contrarian, but my feeling is that if you put a person in certain positions that are correct for his/her future well-being and in doing so take away his/her ability to execute a 'saving' move that compensated for the trail of previous poor stuff, then it would seem to me that that would take more than one session to move forward

However, when I'm teaching, I'm always looking for what I call the domino-effect move - a piece of advice I can give that will start a chain reaction and wash away other sins without the student focusing on them in particular - In fact, I have a feeling that this is what you're referring to, perhaps?

A golf swing is a journey for a destination that you never reach. You end up taking all kinds of alternate routes and you just never make it there. There's no reason why you can't give someone something "today" that makes them hit it better "today" that they won't eventually "grow" out of overtime. Never Slice Again is a lot like that, most people won't keep that as their stock pattern however you better believe it will help a slicer immediately and get them to hit it a lot better immediately and play better golf. Over time they'll learn they don't need so much twist and probably hook it so they come back and you de-hook them a bit; like i said golf swing is a journey. Of course there might be an "ideal" swing for that person down the road but why should i force that on them, why can't they get something now and adjust over time?

to your other point, i believe what you are talking about is what brian calls "taking away the reward;" meaning make the student do a drill or a certain shot that will completely blow up their flip or hook or slice or whatever it is. Do it right and they will immediately hit it horrible, i mean REALLY BAD. For instance, if i take a flipping slicer and give them a much more closed face and get them to have a little bit of delay they will hit the ball HORRENDOUSLY fat because they aren't used to hitting down and not flipping so their whole aim is wrong. Then you adjust them from there. There are more examples but that's just one.
 
The best football placekicking coach has been in a wheelchair his entire life so there goes your theory.

There will always be exceptions - people who are gifted geniuses can do things that are unimaginable and they can only do them because they have a talent that is almost unique.

What I'm saying is similar to the claim that you can only become a great golfer (successful tour player for example) if you start playing as a kid before a certain age. But then there's Larry Nelson to disprove that theory. However there are countless other examples to prove it. It's just a numbers game. If 90+ percent adhere to a certain "rule" I think it is fair to say that that is a reasonable assumption for future predictions.
 
Whew. A lot of sweeping generalizations in there, Wuls. Craig Perks is a the head golf coach at a University, I believe, and he could play a bit. What about all the slightly older guys who would be considered journeymen on the Nationwide Tour for example, but who have families and need a steadier income so they set up shop teaching? I'm sure most of us would consider those guys great players. What about our own Kevin Shields? He can move the club a bit but still does lots of teaching.

And if you're in golf for the money then you're too stupid to have any students come visit you...!;)

Maybe my comments were not formulated clearly enough, Olsy.

What I meant was that you have to have been able to hit great shots yourself to be a good teacher, but that hitting great shots in itself does not make you automatically a good teacher.

A golf teacher should have been a good player (anything around a true scratch player or better qualifies here IMHO).

Also, I think the analogies with learning other skills are not always possible, simple because the requirements are always a little bit different. For example, a great tennis coach or a great music teacher would not necessarily make a great golf coach and vice versa.

As for the money thing, the vast majority of pros would not do their job if they were financially independent. You don't see ex tour players who have made millions out on the range teaching beginners and choppers, no?
 
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