| How many times have you heard something like, " | | | | must say, of the student. |
| Tom Smith, teaching pro, has been working with | | | | Here are some things you might consider with |
| Ernie for the past year. Looks like that new swing is | | | | respects what you might consider with regards |
| paying off for Ernie." | | | | taking lessons, your own golf swing and improving it. |
| There it is. The swing method 'teaser' is out there. | | | | Give it some thought. It could save you a lot of time, |
| You heard it. You saw it work. Then you see an | | | | money and aggravation. |
| article in your favorite golf magazine and now they're | | | | You're a beginner. You need to know about the |
| talking about this new swing method on the GOLF | | | | 'absolutes' of the golf swing, not a swing method. |
| CHANNEL. You decide this is going to be the year! | | | | The basics: grip, stance and posture - the set up. |
| You don't need a new club just that new swing | | | | From there, you then need to 'understand' and feel |
| method and you'll be all set. Really? | | | | the reality of balance, rhythm, tempo and timing as it |
| Let's be honest here. You've been working on | | | | relates to the swing motion. After that, it's the |
| correcting those swing issues for years. | | | | responsibility of the pro to help you FEEL the basics |
| Now it's the middle of the winter and you're starting | | | | of the take away, explain and help you feel |
| to think about that trip with the guys to Myrtle | | | | transition, the down swing and follow through. That is |
| Beach in a couple months. You have decided THIS is | | | | the starting point and generally can be done in small |
| the year to FINALLY take care of those nagging | | | | groups or clinics. Neither does this level require any |
| problems once and for all. | | | | type of 'swing methodology'. |
| You seek out a teaching pro, in your area, who | | | | You've been playing for a number of years but never |
| teaches this new method and begin work in earnest. | | | | taken a lesson. Input by the pro should be designed |
| After all, if it works for the TOUR player is will really | | | | here to help you develop and identify the different |
| help you! | | | | pieces of your golf swing around the basic swing |
| Fast forward a month into the season after working | | | | concepts. Incorporate that understanding of your |
| to develop this new swing. You're hitting the ball | | | | swing into a workable and reliable swing motion. Then |
| worse than ever! Nobody ever said it would take | | | | working with you, based on your goals, further |
| THIS long. | | | | develop your golf swing. |
| You decide this new method really isn't for you, so | | | | You've been playing for a long time and taken |
| you're going to get back to your old swing. But, | | | | lessons from this several pros over the years with |
| when you try to go back, even your old swing fails | | | | no real success. Your handicap has been sitting at 11 |
| you. | | | | for years and you have decided this season is your |
| You wake up to the reality that you didn't really | | | | year to get that handicap into single digits. |
| understand the new swing method. Not only that. | | | | This last group of golfers is generally the most |
| You never really worked on understanding your old | | | | susceptible to method instruction. They're the ones |
| swing let alone thoroughly looking into the new | | | | who have 'poked' around reading and trying different |
| method in the first place. You'd simply bought into | | | | methods over the years to help them do everything |
| the hype. | | | | from hit it longer off the tee to gaining more yards in |
| You realize when you took those lessons from the | | | | the fairway never seriously considering the impact of |
| method instructor, not only did you not ask questions | | | | improving their putting by 25-30%, which would |
| about the new method, but the teaching pro never | | | | achieve that goal of a single digit handicap. |
| really explained the differences between your old | | | | In all honesty, if you look at most swing methods, |
| swing and the new one. Sure it was explained but | | | | you will find less of a difference between them and |
| not the way you understand the swing and you | | | | the conventional golf swing. That is when you leave |
| didn't push to have it laid out in your terms. | | | | marketing out of the equation. |
| I've said many times, "There is no such thing as the | | | | Concepts could be considered merely a different way |
| perfect golf swing.", (except Iron Byron of course), | | | | of packaging the same set of fundamentals. After all, |
| and,"There's no 'best' way to swing the club. Only | | | | which method does not rely on balance, rhythm, |
| yours." | | | | tempo, and timing? Which method has as its main |
| Honestly, I have little problem with 'swing' methods. I | | | | goal something other than clean effective, repeatable |
| do have a problem with how these methods are | | | | ball striking, and accuracy and oh yes, simplicity. |
| promoted or marketed. | | | | It is the responsibility of the teaching pro to |
| While I will admit, in recent years, the method craze | | | | understand the latest and greatest swing methods |
| seems to have abated somewhat and given way to | | | | out there, no matter their opinion of them. Why? It |
| teaching pros trying to explain single plane vs. the | | | | is the best way to be able to help the student. The |
| conventional swing. That said, it seems as if they've | | | | more knowledge a teaching professional has about |
| only changed their approach to hooking people in to | | | | the different methods, the better able they are to |
| their particular 'idea' of the best swing as there's | | | | help. |
| always at least a twist or spin by the author to have | | | | So when you're interviewing a prospective teaching |
| you buy in to their particular take on the swing. | | | | professional looking for help with your golf swing, |
| To the credit of most of the teaching pros in the | | | | listen very carefully to what they say. The clues to |
| tranches working with regular folks, fewer of them | | | | his or her commitment to you, the student, will be |
| today openly espouse a particular swing method and | | | | found in that initial conversation. And, if it sounds like |
| instead seem to be more in touch with the | | | | they may be method instructors. Ask! After all it IS |
| communicative side of teaching. To the benefit, I | | | | your golf swing. |