Does it bother you when instructors walk up to you and give unsolicited advice?

[IThinkSo]

I'm not trying to toot my own horn, but I have a plus handicap (I'm better than scratch for those of you who don't know what that means).

 

My swing is unconventional in that the head of the club stays outside of my hands on the way back. There's been a handful of times an instructor or "head teaching professional" has walked up, stood about 20 feet away, watched me stripe a few then approached me and asked something like, "Have you always swung the club like that?" or "What is your miss?".... From there, they'll go on to advise me to get the club head more inside and and behind me. I usually tell them I'll try it in order to get rid of them, but there's been a few occasions where I've told them in no uncertain terms that I'm not changing my swing... My goal isn't to be a dick, but usually when I ask them why I should get the club more inside, they can't give me an answer or their answer is something along the lines of, "So you can hit a draw"... I already hit a draw....

 

Sorry for the rant, my question is, does it bother you when instructors or anyone else just arbitrarily walk up to you to try and "fix" your swing?

[dlygrisse]

I hate when this happens, especially when I am hitting it well, and ESPECIALLY if the person giving the advice is NOT an instructor. If they are an instructor, and they know what they are doing, they should keep their mouth shut or approach things differently.

[Kenny Lee Puckett]

it happens all the time to me. I really enjoy it.

[Ghost of Snead]

Actually, it bothers me more when wannabe instructors walk up to me and give me unsolicited advice.

[MonteScheinblum]

Actually, it bothers me more when wannabe instructors walk up to me and give me unsolicited advice.

 

...and even worse when they interrupt lessons to warn the guy he’s getting bad info.

 

This has actually happened to me twice and the reaction of my client was awesome both times.

 

I’m not a “range walker” nor do I offer advice to people I might be paired with. I don’t think it’s appropriate unless they ask.

[Stuart_G]

and the reaction of my client was awesome both times.

 

Oh, come on, don't leave us hanging like that. We want all the dirty little details :-)

[tatertot]

I've played golf for 40 years and no one has ever given me advice ... I must be REALLY good.

 

(Or so bad they think I'm a lost cause.)

[gators78]

Now we gotta see a video...

 

 

We should do a "can you guess the handicap" thread.

[MtlJeff]

I've never had an instructor do this. Have had one ask if I was interested in a coach, tell me I had a nice swing and he had some thoughts...but did not force anything on me in terms of analysis right then and there

 

I have had amateurs do this many times. Which is just really odd and annoying

 

I have also had amateurs solicite me to give THEM advice.

[ddetts]

and the reaction of my client was awesome both times.

 

Oh, come on, don't leave us hanging like that. We want all the dirty little details :-)

 

These stories were shared at the Sioux Falls clinic, and they're great.

[SNIPERBBB]

I've played golf for 40 years and no one has ever given me advice ... I must be REALLY good.

 

(Or so bad they think I'm a lost cause.)

 

Helps to practice on ranges with no instructors within 30 miles.

[Stuart_G]

and the reaction of my client was awesome both times.

 

Oh, come on, don't leave us hanging like that. We want all the dirty little details :-)

 

These stories were shared at the Sioux Falls clinic, and they're great.

 

I guess then I'll just have to wait for the weekend.

[I_HATE_SNOW]

I'm not trying to toot my own horn, but I have a plus handicap (I'm better than scratch for those of you who don't know what that means).

 

My swing is unconventional in that the head of the club stays outside of my hands on the way back. There's been a handful of times an instructor or "head teaching professional" has walked up, stood about 20 feet away, watched me stripe a few then approached me and asked something like, "Have you always swung the club like that?" or "What is your miss?".... From there, they'll go on to advise me to get the club head more inside and and behind me. I usually tell them I'll try it in order to get rid of them, but there's been a few occasions where I've told them in no uncertain terms that I'm not changing my swing... My goal isn't to be a dick, but usually when I ask them why I should get the club more inside, they can't give me an answer or their answer is something along the lines of, "So you can hit a draw"... I already hit a draw....

 

Sorry for the rant, my question is, does it bother you when instructors or anyone else just arbitrarily walk up to you to try and "fix" your swing?

Never had it happen. No instructors in my area.

[tatertot]

I've played golf for 40 years and no one has ever given me advice ... I must be REALLY good.

 

(Or so bad they think I'm a lost cause.)

 

Helps to practice on ranges with no instructors within 30 miles.

 

Hey, I practice right in the middle of Des Moines, Iowa ... oh, yeah, you're right.

[juststeve]

Not really. It's free advice and I am undwer no obligation to accept it.

 

Steve

[cagecitizen]

Hasn't happened to me in quite a long time, but if it were to occur, I would tell them in the most polite way to take a hike.

[Justsomeguy]

There's one really annoying POS instructor at the range near my house. To the people who know him, he is a pariah. To the unsuspecting newbies, he holds himself out as the real deal.

Walks into the hitting bay uninvited. Goes so far as to adjust people's bodies. Then always promises to cure a slice, whether there is or isn't a slice to cure.

Reminds me of a circus conman who gets his way by making shy people uncomfortable.

I was given his card by the range attendant when I first started. Had one lesson. Comprised of him telling me to swing faster and turn my hands over for an hour. And criticizing other rangers the whole lesson as to why they stink. Then he left with 15m left to go annoy other people.

He came back and tried to sell me a 6 lesson pack and I declined.

As much as I love golf and not knowing another instructor at the time, I tried 2x more to book a lesson w him, and he no call no showed me.

Once is already too much but hey I love golf. Twice was too much.

Dummy knows he knows me from somewhere and whenever we cross paths he looks on the verge of trying to sell me and then the scowl makes him think better of it.

Once had the balls to walk into the bay on me during a lesson w my new instructor and physically get between us, stopping me from swinging, someone who really helped me. Was all I could do to respect the coach who has to deal w him regularly and not let him have it.

Can't wait for this hustler to shoot his mouth off so I can embarrass him.

[Sean2]

I have never had an instructor do that to me. In fact, no one has ever given me unsolicited advice on the range. I don't know whether to be grateful or offended. :-)

[MtlJeff]

Not really. It's free advice and I am undwer no obligation to accept it.

 

Steve

 

I want to follow you around all day giving you advice in every possible situation.

 

"Don't park there"

"Why are you not signaling!"

"Are you gonna buy THAT shirt?"

"Oooooohhhh don't get that, do you even know how many calories are in that?"

 

It definitely won't be annoying!

[RichieHunt]

Happens to me all of the time. Depends on the situation for me. If they are just trying to help, I can take some solace in that. Either way, I don't have to listen to the person, but if they are just trying to help...then it's no harm to me.

 

But, if they are trying to gain business, I frown upon that. There are far more tactful ways about getting my business than trying to pull that nonsense.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RH

[Ghostwedge]

Played in a charity tournament years ago where they did a video of your 1st tee shot from the side. After the round the "instructor" would critique your swing and offer a few tips. I hit my tee shot down the middle about 250 with a baby draw, he told me about 15 things wrong with my swing, i told him to take the video down the line next time and save himself the trouble if the shot was in the fairway.

S M H

[getitdaily]

Don't think I've ever had an instructor come up while I was hitting balls but did have one solicit me in the pro shop of the range used to go to. This range has about 4 instructors and he was the least qualified and I knew that. Told him I wasn't interested and ended up starting lessons with one of the better instructors about 2 months later.

 

I usually refrain from soliciting advice with folks I play with but will if I see something hugely noticeable that can help someone. I usually wait at least 6 or 7 holes and get to know the person before I offer up advice. I feel like advice on the course is a lot like advice here. If I feel I can help then I will. I'm far from a pro but feel I know enough about the swing to be of help. If someone tells me no thanks while.playing then I'm far from.offended.

[LeoLeo99]

If I saw you on the range striping it down the middle, I might ask Have you always swung the club like that? Then I might ask you for tips.

[Barfolomew]

My friend is the worst violator! If you play in So Cal he's probably yelled at you about your swing. Loud annoying know it all drunk teacher being social and also looking for new clients. He tries to tell me something I say cram it where the sun don't shine I just won that hole he says oh ok but I love you man (drunk) and want you to win tournaments ....then he shuts up till the next hole haha.... damn I need new friends

[lookylookitzadam]

I get it from time to time when I am working on some feel in the swing or some different move where I am exaggerating a move to try and groove something... Maybe because it looks like I'm struggling to figure out the swing? It's always the guy who just is pounding ball after ball without any structure who thinks that he has the keys to unlock a magic swing.

 

Best bet is to just say thanks and you will try it out some time as this is the only thing that gets rid of them.

[tatertot]

Played in a charity tournament years ago where they did a video of your 1st tee shot from the side. After the round the "instructor" would critique your swing and offer a few tips. I hit my tee shot down the middle about 250 with a baby draw, he told me about 15 things wrong with my swing, i told him to take the video down the line next time and save himself the trouble if the shot was in the fairway.

S M H

 

Even a blind squirrel finds the occasional nut.

[cwglum]

I've really only ever had it happen once to me from an instructor I didn't know. I could see/hear the guy finishing up his lesson, caught the last 10 min or so. He stopped and watched a few shots on his way by, I had no problem taking a quick alignment/target tip from him, took it right to the course and played great.

 

Random folks walking by on the other hand, never give them much more than a sentence or two.

[larrybud]

I've never had a random non-instructor give unsolicited advice, EVER. Only once an old pro came up and tried to give my wife "tips" and we promptly told him thanks but she's already working with someone and he left.

 

Maybe it's a regional thing?

[Boris2016]

Never had this happen, but who cares. I will take all the advice I can get. You never know, it might be great advice.

 

If you feel the person to be a bother or too intrusive, just tell them to leave.

 

It is that simple, what is so hard to understand!

[Boris2016]

I'm not trying to toot my own horn, but I have a plus handicap (I'm better than scratch for those of you who don't know what that means).

 

My swing is unconventional in that the head of the club stays outside of my hands on the way back. There's been a handful of times an instructor or "head teaching professional" has walked up, stood about 20 feet away, watched me stripe a few then approached me and asked something like, "Have you always swung the club like that?" or "What is your miss?".... From there, they'll go on to advise me to get the club head more inside and and behind me. I usually tell them I'll try it in order to get rid of them, but there's been a few occasions where I've told them in no uncertain terms that I'm not changing my swing... My goal isn't to be a dick, but usually when I ask them why I should get the club more inside, they can't give me an answer or their answer is something along the lines of, "So you can hit a draw"... I already hit a draw....

 

Sorry for the rant, my question is, does it bother you when instructors or anyone else just arbitrarily walk up to you to try and "fix" your swing?

 

This is a really hilarious post. You are tooting your horn. And doing a pretty bad job of it!