Why isn't Golf Teaching Better?

[Kevin Shields]

It's amazing to me that the above belief is held for "mainstream" instructors. I can understand it but to actually hear it and see it is something else. Clearly, like politicians, everyone thinks that their representative is a good one and the problem is with all the other ones. Funny how the correlation exists.

Any teacher that doesn't have student improvement as their sole motivation is not a teacher. I get into arguments all the time with other teachers when I tell them I won't or don't care to teach clinics. They all say "Why not, that's the only way to make a bunch of money." I say, yea I know, but noone learns anything. What good does it do me as a teacher to provide this clinic when noone learns anything or gets better.

I'd rather and continue to teach almost exclusively 1 on 1. It's the only way to ensure that the information they are getting is tailored to them and that they actually can do it or understand it.

If you don't have that at your core, you are not teacher no matter what you call yourself.

Why dont you think anyone can learn in a clinic?

 

[ggsjpc]

Why dont you think anyone can learn in a clinic?

Kevin,

As always, I should be more specific.

I don't believe that the participants receive equal amounts of usable information. Some may get more, some may get none. If anyone receives no new information or information that isn't tailored to them what good is it? Each person pays equals amounts and doesn't receive equal value. That just bothers me.

I'll be more specific next time.

 

[vjsinger]

I've never been to a clinic, so who usually goes to them? beginners I suspect.. no? My thinking on it is, it's great to do clinics because you reach a wider audience of beginners, if my guess, is correct. And don't MOST beginners just need to learn how to hold the darn thing first? I think most of them just play golf for social reasons and MAY never truly seek out all of the information available especially specific info. As I said I don't know, but I am wondering about this.

 

[jimmydean]

the problem as i see it is that most professionals who teach do so out of necessity more than out of a love for teaching. most of us who are educators as well as golf professional instructors know how to teach. knowing how to explain things in several different ways will get the student to learn more quickly. some people are visual learners and others learn better by feel etc. good teachers are knowledgeable about their subject (golf ) and know how to convey it in the simplest terms. jimmy

 

[softconsult]

Sorry Jimmy, but I sometimes I just can't help myself.

I'm have no reason to doubt that you are a teacher, but please
explain the lack of proper punctuation in your post. Specifically,
no capitalization and no commas.

If you hadn't used the word professional and teacher,
I would not have challenged it. It is widely documented that
students from high school through college are shall we say, challenged
when asked to express themselves in writing.

 

[cal7426]

you may have jumped the gun there soft. i think jimmydean will tell you he is employing the stylistic device made popular by the great american poet e e cummings.

 

[Richie3Jack]

Ok.

All things considered, who would benefit from Club Pro instruction?

Depends on the club pro. There are many that are very good, but more often than not they are not up to snuff.

I think beginners would benefit from somebody who can get down the fundamentals and variations of the fundamentals pretty well. It would also help to understand the new ball flight laws.

That way the beginner could get off on the right foot and if they have some issues, they have the club pro there to help with some follow up.



3JACK

 

[Richie3Jack]

I've never been to a clinic, so who usually goes to them? beginners I suspect.. no? My thinking on it is, it's great to do clinics because you reach a wider audience of beginners, if my guess, is correct. And don't MOST beginners just need to learn how to hold the darn thing first? I think most of them just play golf for social reasons and MAY never truly seek out all of the information available especially specific info. As I said I don't know, but I am wondering about this.

Clinics are good for some golfers because if they pay attention, they can help out their friends that are in the clinic when they go back home and play and practice. They can check up to see if their buddy is doing what the teacher taught them.




3JACK

 

[junkilo]

martial arts instructors suffer from the same paradigm. the playing field is still leveled by the pudding, that is the results:

would you be offended if I ask you (the instructor):

1) what average improvement do your 15+ handicap students demonstrate after an initial 1 hour session?

2) what average improvement do your 15+ handicap students demonstrate after an initial 1 hour session?

3) how much repeat business do you get?

 

[dbl]

Question 1 and 2 are the same. But in any case, I'd say it's true that students of junk instructors don't usually get much better. Students of good instructors may get better, but there are too many variables. I bet this is common: a student with an ingrained faulty set of components who is then give some beter components may strike it better in the lesson but soon fail to apply the new components properly in pretty short order.

 

[timwalsh300]

except for the fact that coaches in other sports aren't generally as inept across the board as they are in golf.

To which other sports are you referring?

Baseball pitching and hitting coaches are 10x worse than golf teachers. There is nobody to train or certify them. Going to one is like going to an astrologer, or someone who practices feng shui. Everything they "know" is a hodge-podge of conflicting anecdotes, myths, hearsay, tradition, and dogma. It has been said that "politics, religion, and pitching mechanics" are the three items that should never be discussed around the dinner table.

I would simply say that most "jocks" (who inevitably become coaches) don't have much interest in logic, reason, physics, or the scientific method.

Tim

 

[tank]

Baseball pitching and hitting coaches are 10x worse than golf teachers. There is nobody to train or certify them. Going to one is like going to an astrologer, or someone who practices feng shui. Everything they "know" is a hodge-podge of conflicting anecdotes, myths, hearsay, tradition, and dogma. It has been said that "politics, religion, and pitching mechanics" are the three items that should never be discussed around the dinner table.
Tim

Surprised at that. I've played football, basketball, hockey and baseball (never as a pitcher), and that has not been my experience. Maybe I was lucky.

 

[needham]

""Everything they "know" is a hodge-podge of conflicting anecdotes, myths, hearsay, tradition, and dogma.""

just like the standard PGA club hack.

Teaching is just like Golf Digest. The reason you never get anything good is THEY think if they fix you they are out of a job.
Teachers that know thier craft and can teach well: They know they can put THEM out of business.
and THEY are scared very scared........they call TGM people cults, witch doctors and such. they call Brian "looney", Ben Doyle is "outdated". But Kostis knows? PLEASE!
Golf is money, and if people knew what a sham HH and DL were, them 2 would be out of money.

BUT,

the truth is out there

 

[cmartingolf]

On point...

When an instructor becomes a professional he needs to secure his position and provide for his family. His position and prospects among his peers becomes similar to that of a politician. He may have personal beliefs but his tenure is far and away more assured if he is seen to support party ideologies. He soon learns that his income is predicated on repeat business. Repeat business is much easier with a large target market. He recognizes that the largest target market consist of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com

Jo</st1ersonName>e Yukovich, Mrs Fabersham and their ilk. In most cases their expectations will never materialise because they are unaware of the talent, effort and commitment required by the average golfer to begin to master this game. If they were told the truth and were made aware of the time, effort required and chance of success many would baulk at the proposition. The instructor would stand to lose his customer base, his income and his chosen profession. He succumbs to the temptation to cater to the customer’s unrealistic goals. Flattery and insincerity becomes tools of his trade. He sells himself rather than his wares. He has taken the line of least resistance and takes comfort in the knowledge that his future and that of his loved ones is now more certain. He becomes a victim of self interest and there is little incentive to modify a quality of instruction that if modified would appeal to fewer and fewer people.
And so another snake oil salesman polishes his shingle and the main stream of golf instruction remains static.
Those who do have the temerity to seek and speak the truth are now perceived as a threat and in the time tested manner vilified and labelled cultists and worse. Nothing much changes.

Excellent post. Very truthful

Most people want to buy snake oil and don't work hard. It's hard for teachers too!

And to all you PGA bashers out there, you are wearing me out. I dedicate my life to making golf more fun for those in my circle of influence AND I'll can teach a mean frickin lesson, clinic or tiddly winks session. There are tons of very sound teachers scattered in every state. Get off your ass and do a little research. Ask the better players in the area, hell, ask the PGA members at the courses who the best teachers are....they'll tell you.

Not many have the balls to say, "Well, it's me." I do. But not many will.

 

[billren2k3]

Surprised at that. I've played football, basketball, hockey and baseball (never as a pitcher), and that has not been my experience. Maybe I was lucky.

I have also played multiple sports and have had a similar experience. Coaching in a lot of the organized sports you mentioned requires certification and a progression through levels that are mandated to be re-certified after a set time span depending on the sport...something this site cares about. You need to look no further than Brian's upcoming seminar.

 

[Kevin Shields]

I'm a club pro. Guess I suck.

 

[needham]

I'm a club pro. Guess I suck.

Kevin, do you think I would tell people to go see you it I thought that.

 

[dbl]

Of the PGA's 28,000 members, there are what...280 good teachers? They are here!

I don't think there was an automatic assignment in the above posts that PGA implies bad, maybe I missed it, but there are some junky teachers in the 28,000.

 

[TeddyIrons]

Most golf pros are good players who have retired or weren't quite good enough to be a pro. Being a good player doesn't mean they are a good teacher. I have had lessons at tennis and at golf and have learned very little from both. I'm amazed at how little attention teachers give to impact, for example. It's also true that most golfers I know are not willing or curious enough to fully understand the golf swing. I bet most of them have no idea, for example, how the wrists work - and I bet few golf instructors teach this. There's too much emphasis on the full swing and not enough work on chipping and pitching.

 

[junkilo]

I'm a club pro. Guess I suck.

I'm ASSuming you're not trolling but making the point that we are bashing instructors and Pros. If so, what is your take on the quality of golf instruction in the US? Especially before and after you saw the light and joined the Manz?