The real reason golfers don’t get better with practice

[Golfer4Life]

My 4H is $$$$$$$

[FourTops]

Not to derail the thread....but i have a 28* hybrid that serves as a shorter 7, 6, or 5 iron...full tilt. For each of those shots, I have to have a "meeting" with the 28* on the way to the ball in the cart to strategize as to how much to choke-down...grip normally, or how long of a back swing I need.

[FourTops]

Sorry folks...but this is too funny. WRX has a thread "Controversial tone, High maintenance users -- posting and REPORTing -- will be curbed" And ALL the topics are LOCKED. LOL!

[Golfer4Life]

I may add, my level of proficiency at my age is not going to get any better. I rather spend my time playing than practicing.

I'm going to put myself in there with you. At 68, half my neck fused, some shoulder impingement, 100+ miles to who might or might not be a good teacher .... there's not much overhead left. Per Obee, I added a 6 hybrid, great addition, now I'm looking for a 7. Not enough hybrids, that's why people don't get better.

 

The last two years have been the first time in my golfing life when I actually had time to play golf. I have played since 1997 on and off, but never enough to even hold a handicap. Even then I was alright, mid 80's.

 

Before retirement I spend my life overseas or traveling domestically all over the states. When I was at home, I didn't want to do nothing but spend time with my wife.

 

Since retirement I have been able to learn some things, practice a little, but most of my work is at the course.

 

 

 

 

[Golfer4Life]

Sorry folks...but this is too funny. WRX has a thread "Controversial tone, High maintenance users -- posting and REPORTing -- will be curbed" And ALL the topics are LOCKED. LOL!

 

I'm definitely controversial and extremely high maintenance, ask my wife, lol...

 

Ok back on topic.

[FourTops]

Sorry folks...but this is too funny. WRX has a thread "Controversial tone, High maintenance users -- posting and REPORTing -- will be curbed" And ALL the topics are LOCKED. LOL!

 

I'm definitely controversial and extremely high maintenance, ask my wife, lol...

 

Ok back on topic.

 

OK...let's get back on topic...so I did a photo shoot for golf fashions....

[jbw749]

I'm not sure about meta-awareness and golf....but at the same time I'm not poo-pooing it either because I'm not sure if I engaged in this myself....I just didn't know the term.

 

When I swing....in my mind I see Couple's swing and tempo. It's my ONLY thought...there's no "do this...do that" once I setup. The reason I use Couples as my example is because my swing is very close in GENERAL to his...less hip turn to the top...big shoulder turn, etc. But swinging like Couple's is not the entire point....my point is I envision how I would view myself if I was "watching me swinging like Couples".....then create the movement that I believe fulfills that image.

 

I don't know....maybe too much Tequila...but I really subscribe to image-based learning vs. grinding on mechanical positions. I have mechanical positions too...I just don't think about them beyond watching a movie in my head.

 

See, here's the thing. People's brains/minds really do work differently and in a lot of different ways. What works for you isn't universal and what works for me isn't universal. Even with research that describes some basic notions, there is still a ton of individual variance within that general framework - which may predict large scale trends but not any one individual actuality.

 

Except... too much Tequilla. Everyone who's done that knows what it is.

 

Here's my thing....I used to work mechanical positions....but I found my mind wandered-off after about 5 seconds. To make my point...how many times do folks say "I really have to check my alignment next time"....then step up to the next shot and completely forget to check their alignment? It's not just alignment...it can be anything. My point is the instructional side of the brain became....for me....exhausting. It's simply too over-bearing, mentally, to consistently think about "positions". So that's why I run a "movie" in my head and just try to replicate the movie.

 

Let's face it...anyone can slowly emulate Couple's swing....or most other pro's....and what I mean by that is folks could...with an hour of effort...."slowly" re-create each position fairly accurately. But.....what happens when all those positions are attempted to be copied in a full-swing? POOF....gone. Why is that?

 

Acknowledging that your mind wandered off after 5 Seconds and then focusing on something external like Couples swing is Meta-awareness. Cool.

[deadsolid...shank]

I'm not sure about meta-awareness and golf....but at the same time I'm not poo-pooing it either because I'm not sure if I engaged in this myself....I just didn't know the term.

 

When I swing....in my mind I see Couple's swing and tempo. It's my ONLY thought...there's no "do this...do that" once I setup. The reason I use Couples as my example is because my swing is very close in GENERAL to his...less hip turn to the top...big shoulder turn, etc. But swinging like Couple's is not the entire point....my point is I envision how I would view myself if I was "watching me swinging like Couples".....then create the movement that I believe fulfills that image.

 

I don't know....maybe too much Tequila...but I really subscribe to image-based learning vs. grinding on mechanical positions. I have mechanical positions too...I just don't think about them beyond watching a movie in my head.

 

See, here's the thing. People's brains/minds really do work differently and in a lot of different ways. What works for you isn't universal and what works for me isn't universal. Even with research that describes some basic notions, there is still a ton of individual variance within that general framework - which may predict large scale trends but not any one individual actuality.

 

Except... too much Tequilla. Everyone who's done that knows what it is.

 

Here's my thing....I used to work mechanical positions....but I found my mind wandered-off after about 5 seconds. To make my point...how many times do folks say "I really have to check my alignment next time"....then step up to the next shot and completely forget to check their alignment? It's not just alignment...it can be anything. My point is the instructional side of the brain became....for me....exhausting. It's simply too over-bearing, mentally, to consistently think about "positions". So that's why I run a "movie" in my head and just try to replicate the movie.

 

Let's face it...anyone can slowly emulate Couple's swing....or most other pro's....and what I mean by that is folks could...with an hour of effort...."slowly" re-create each position fairly accurately. But.....what happens when all those positions are attempted to be copied in a full-swing? POOF....gone. Why is that?

 

Acknowledging that your mind wandered off after 5 Seconds and then focusing on something external like Couples swing is Meta-awareness. Cool.

 

JBW, JJ9000 asked this in the other thread just started (and I’m sure, soon to be merged) and I think it’s a good question.

 

Why Meta-awareness. Why not just awareness? Is there really a difference (or enough difference) or is it really just a attention grabbing add on?

 

I’m truly not trying to be a smart a**, it’s an honest question. Is Meta a synonym for hyper?

[Obee]

This thread got completely derailed by the meta-awareness thing, which is a shame.

 

This thread started as a thread about how to learn, which is a great topic for a thread.

[Atrayn]

after re-reading a bunch of the response on here, I've had some thoughts:

1) I agree with Obee on just about everything he said regarding learning. I'm on board with meta-awareness now that I've investigated it and realize it's what I did without realizing it.

2) The topic title itself leads to argumentative responses due to the term "real" because there are many reasons and real is up to the individual and one size doesn't fit all.

3) Technique is important. Period. In the short game, more than the full swing. In 4 years, in AZ and hitting multiple practice ranges, I can conservatively say I saw less than 5% of the golfers on the range hitting the short game area. Of those, approximately the same percentage were using the proper technique while chipping/pitching the ball out of various lies for the type of shot they were trying to hit.

4) On the driving range, I would say about 90% were practicing ineffectively to improve. It was a combination of banging drivers through the whole thing or just plain bad through the impact zone for varying reasons. Then, it's just keep on trucking through the family sized bucket until they were exhausted.

5) Practice can be counter-productive if you continue to machine gun through the bucket with bad technique and a poor move through the impact zone. It's just a complete waste of time and you would be better off spending that time getting better on the putting green from inside 15ft.

6) Understanding the technique is the start, from there you can still practice ineffectively. Most people I see, don't stop soon enough. There's days when I hit only 10 shots with three different irons if they are struck well. I want to leave the range with that feel, I don't want to keep practicing, have a couple mis-hits then leave. Same with driver. I'll usually start off with easy swings, squared up until I hit three in a row, then try to hit a few cuts in a row and then same with draws. Never could do that before because I did not understand ball flight laws and I didn't understand the technique I needed to execute them fairly easily.

[jj9000]

There's been a fair amount of discussion on the real reason why golfers don't get better with practice, coupled with many references to guys just going out to hit 1-2 large buckets at the range.

 

However, the entire premise of this discussion may be based on invalid assumptions, therefore leading to incorrect conclusions. Perhaps they don't really want to get to X HDCP (or even carry a cap at all). They don't care to.

 

A fair amount of guys raking and pounding on the range might not place the same value on maximum improvement as the lion share of folks on this site have.

 

Consider the gents that just go out and bang away at Drivers b/c afterwards they feel better mentally and physically. Hitting a $12 large bucket at the range is a release from the stresses of the day-to-day rat race. Banging Driver is an outlet, and a $12 large bucket is cheaper (and a better outlet for them) than bellying up to the bar at Happy Hour and sitting for a few hours.

 

I bring this up b/c it's universally thought (on this site) that the guys that are pounding Driver for a 1-2 Large buckets are doing something wrong, when in reality they might just be doing exactly what they want to be doing, based on their personal value system.

[deadsolid...shank]

This thread got completely derailed by the meta-awareness thing, which is a shame.

 

This thread started as a thread about how to learn, which is a great topic for a thread.

 

I don’t know that it got sidetracked so much so as completely taken over. Since the meta-awareness phrase came in the second post.

[oikos1]

This thread got completely derailed by the meta-awareness thing, which is a shame.

 

This thread started as a thread about how to learn, which is a great topic for a thread.

 

The article points out characteristics that are certainly learned by better players over time, but even the author says "Below is what I would consider the thinking cycle of someone who will genuinely improve": Hmmm. And with a title that has "The Real Reason..." in it for anything involving human performance/learning, the presumption is destined to get some blow back.

 

I do agree that "how to learn" would be a great and entertaining topic here at wrx.

[munichop]

There is ample evidence that most golfers do not improve after 3 years. In my case I started when I was 8 and only played for fun and frustration well into my 20's. I am self taught and had a big breakthrough in my early 30's when I focused more on the game and read "The Inner Game of Golf". But I didn't become a good competition player until I devoted focused practice time to the short game which was not my favorite thing to practice. Let's face it, grinding over 4-6 foot putts for 30 minutes is tedious. That is why golf teachers are constantly inventing ways to make it more fun. I think what holds most people back is the fact that practicing is more like work and they play golf to get away from work.

Right now I am in a funk on the course where I fat at least one or 2 full shots a round. I don't do it on the range just on the course. I think I am dipping too much on the downswing but do not know how to fix it. For now I just accept that as part of my scoring, like streaky putting. I have been trolling video fixes but nothing has clicked yet. No game I have ever played has the challenge of consistency that golf has. The fact is it takes more time and effort than most people can devote to it.

[Atrayn]

There's been a fair amount of discussion on the real reason why golfers don't get better with practice, coupled with many references to guys just going out to hit 1-2 large buckets at the range.

 

However, the entire premise of this discussion may be based on invalid assumptions, therefore leading to incorrect conclusions. Perhaps they don't really want to get to X HDCP (or even carry a cap at all). They don't care to.

 

A fair amount of guys raking and pounding on the range might not place the same value on maximum improvement as the lion share of folks on this site have.

 

Consider the gents that just go out and bang away at Drivers b/c afterwards they feel better mentally and physically. Hitting a $12 large bucket at the range is a release from the stresses of the day-to-day rat race. Banging Driver is an outlet, and a $12 large bucket is cheaper (and a better outlet for them) than bellying up to the bar at Happy Hour and sitting for a few hours.

 

I bring this up b/c it's universally thought (on this site) that the guys that are pounding Driver for a 1-2 Large buckets are doing something wrong, when in reality they might just be doing exactly what they want to be doing, based on their personal value system.

 

Obviously yes, but the premise of the thread was about getting better and the real reason why they aren't....my comments are assuming that, in fact, is the case with the "bucket bangers"

[Obee]

There's been a fair amount of discussion on the real reason why golfers don't get better with practice, coupled with many references to guys just going out to hit 1-2 large buckets at the range.

 

However, the entire premise of this discussion may be based on invalid assumptions, therefore leading to incorrect conclusions. Perhaps they don't really want to get to X HDCP (or even carry a cap at all). They don't care to.

 

A fair amount of guys raking and pounding on the range might not place the same value on maximum improvement as the lion share of folks on this site have.

 

Consider the gents that just go out and bang away at Drivers b/c afterwards they feel better mentally and physically. Hitting a $12 large bucket at the range is a release from the stresses of the day-to-day rat race. Banging Driver is an outlet, and a $12 large bucket is cheaper (and a better outlet for them) than bellying up to the bar at Happy Hour and sitting for a few hours.

 

I bring this up b/c it's universally thought (on this site) that the guys that are pounding Driver for a 1-2 Large buckets are doing something wrong, when in reality they might just be doing exactly what they want to be doing, based on their personal value system.

 

I can't speak for anyone else, but I am absolutely not talking about the guys that you reference.

 

The guys that you reference may, indeed, get pleasure out of hitting lots of balls, no doubt. A large percentage of them ALSO want (or at least at one time wanted) to improve their scores. More importantly they want(ed) to improve their scores while playing real golf, when it counts (whatever that means to each player).

 

When it comes to golf, very few people have singular goals. And it is my experience that far more people want to play good golf, in tournaments/competitions of some sort than will initially admit to it.

 

Lots of guys simply give up after playing their first few tournaments, often (at least partially) because it can be such a humbling experience. Because playing "golf swing" and actual golf are such different things.

 

But just because they've given up doesn't mean that they didn't initially start out to become excellent at actually playing the game where every stroke counts, against others, in some form of competition.

 

There are lots and lots of those golfers out there. Those are the ones that I am talking about in all of my posts.

[Atrayn]

There is ample evidence that most golfers do not improve after 3 years. In my case I started when I was 8 and only played for fun and frustration well into my 20's. I am self taught and had a big breakthrough in my early 30's when I focused more on the game and read "The Inner Game of Golf". But I didn't become a good competition player until I devoted focused practice time to the short game which was not my favorite thing to practice. Let's face it, grinding over 4-6 foot putts for 30 minutes is tedious. That is why golf teachers are constantly inventing ways to make it more fun. I think what holds most people back is the fact that practicing is more like work and they play golf to get away from work.

Right now I am in a funk on the course where I fat at least one or 2 full shots a round. I don't do it on the range just on the course. I think I am dipping too much on the downswing but do not know how to fix it. For now I just accept that as part of my scoring, like streaky putting. I have been trolling video fixes but nothing has clicked yet. No game I have ever played has the challenge of consistency that golf has. The fact is it takes more time and effort than most people can devote to it.

 

Great point regarding your putting. Many people do exactly that, and enjoy the tinkering process on their own, however, if it's available and you really are interested in improving it, why not go to a SAM lab and have your putting stroke analyzed? You may find that you are doing something repetitive that you never would know otherwise...

[Krt22]

There's been a fair amount of discussion on the real reason why golfers don't get better with practice, coupled with many references to guys just going out to hit 1-2 large buckets at the range.

 

However, the entire premise of this discussion may be based on invalid assumptions, therefore leading to incorrect conclusions. Perhaps they don't really want to get to X HDCP (or even carry a cap at all). They don't care to.

 

A fair amount of guys raking and pounding on the range might not place the same value on maximum improvement as the lion share of folks on this site have.

 

Consider the gents that just go out and bang away at Drivers b/c afterwards they feel better mentally and physically. Hitting a $12 large bucket at the range is a release from the stresses of the day-to-day rat race. Banging Driver is an outlet, and a $12 large bucket is cheaper (and a better outlet for them) than bellying up to the bar at Happy Hour and sitting for a few hours.

 

I bring this up b/c it's universally thought (on this site) that the guys that are pounding Driver for a 1-2 Large buckets are doing something wrong, when in reality they might just be doing exactly what they want to be doing, based on their personal value system.

 

I'm a certified range rat, I can spot the leisure whackers and lost hackers (being one myself for a long time)

 

The leisure whackers never swear at themselves

[Nard_S]

Back to the initial topic. The one thing I don't see in the little graphic is objective feedback - which is essential to learning. While the whole process of inner focus makes total sense to me, without reliable, valid objective feedback - ESPECIALLY in a game with as many variables as golf has - learning is really hard, if not impossible. Understanding ball flight laws helps, but at least to me that's not enough. I'd love to have a good launch monitor and decent balls at a grass range.

 

I would think that falls under "self-evaluation". And I think there is leeway in defining the objective feedback even if method is primarily subjective, which it is for me, for you might mean LM data.

 

Yeah, that could be what author intends.

 

I was also thinking - the two best golfers I play with (both right at scratch and really impressive players - shutsteepstuck and 3 jack par) both don’t practice much (and neither does Obee).

 

I was thinking the main thing is a) they aren’t searching for a swing or at least not as much as me and b) more importantly they get a ton of clear feedback by playing.

 

The challenge on the range (besides the stuff people have addressed- rapid fire hitting, constant tinkering, etc) is I don’t know how far I hit it (admittedly my eyes aren’t great), and the target is often pretty indistinct to begin with. My primary feedback is how solid it feels and the general ball flight (of questionable range balls).

 

One of the things Monte and I have talked about is you can’t take impact and ball flight as real evidence of progress. Even a blind squirrel finds the occasional acorn. And random positive reinforcement is among the most powerful realities of golf.

 

How does one connect a feel to swing he believes in as good enough to what the ball does? This is where the learning process has the most vaguery.

 

This is where the learning breaks down, at least as you’re really wandering around trying to redesign the system of a new swing.

 

I hear you on the vague nature of gauging progress. But progress is never linear anyway, so there's a range of variability but over longer time things should go in positive direction. A continual improvement where the bad gets better and peak edges higher. A sharper bell curve. When I practice, at any point I have a clear definition of grading my swing. I have clear feels that I'm seeking, feels that I've experienced at times of highly elevated striking. I know the divot pattern, launch and ball speed and sense of rhythm and balance those feels are associated with. I know my A+, A-,B & C swings. In time those grades edge to a higher standard. I gauge things holistically, if a change improves Driver but hurts PW I'm suspicious and seek the why. If it works for both and my 3 iron too it's a keeper.

 

What OP posted was very close to model ISO organizations operate under. The real goal is to have a pro-active learning organization and a framework for self-improvement. It's an attitude and means to audit, quantify and rectify with it. It is a form of meta-awareness. In the silly pursuit of golf, that framework could be used too and while the means to audit it might be more dubious, what's really tough is the means to process and implement improvement. This is where the "meta-awareness" has legs and is crucial. Breaking down the prisms of perception and expanding out what the mind actually perceives and what it is truly tuned into is huge determining variable in all of this.

[wmblake2000]

This thread got completely derailed by the meta-awareness thing, which is a shame.

 

This thread started as a thread about how to learn, which is a great topic for a thread.

 

The opening graphic includes self-observation - aka meta-awareness.

 

But I also take your point. How to learn and improve is THE elephant in the room and the lack of understanding is at the heart of why improving is hard. I’m not meaning to imply I know the answer to how to learn and improve (except to focus and persevere!) but I do know it is the least understood aspect of amateur golf improvement and is buried instead of being the most illuminated problem statement.

 

This is something PGA of America would be well-served to study with some rigor and emphasize.

[MK7Golf21]

A major reason is because many are fat old guys who couldn’t make an athletic move to save their life anymore. I’m a big proponent of becoming more athletic to improve your swing motion. Get in the gym, get in better shape.

[Golfer4Life]

A major reason is because many are fat old guys who couldn’t make an athletic move to save their life anymore. I’m a big proponent of becoming more athletic to improve your swing motion. Get in the gym, get in better shape.

 

Tell us how you really feel? Lol....

[BKN1964]

I'm offering myself up as a case study related to the original post and article. Let's please try to analyze this in relation to the article.

 

I'm 54 years old, healthy, and fit. I started playing when I was around 10, taught by my grandfather, who was likely self-taught. I couldn't tell you if he was any good or not. I played strictly for fun, no practice, and never broke 100 (probably really never broke 130 if I truly counted every stroke).

 

I pretty much stopped playing when I was 28 (when my first child was born), and didn't start up again until about 4 years ago. When I started back up, I decided I really wanted to learn how to play and get good. During that time I've gone from shooting scores around 110 or so, to shooting around 100. Occasionally I'll shoot a score in the low 90's.

 

I have the time (4-5 weekday evenings available and at least one day on the weekends, if not both).

I have sufficient financial resources.

I have an almost desperate desire to get "good" (at this point I consider anything below a 10.0 index to be good).

 

- I signed up for lessons and practiced what I was taught (more on this below).

- I've maintained a practice facility membership to this day (driving range, immaculate putting green, pitching green, bunker).

- I've maintained either season passes or club memberships to this day.

- I usually either play or practice at least 5 times per week, weather permitting.

 

Regarding lessons: I've developed an aversion to lessons. I've tried 7 different instructors, but never felt like I was getting what I needed. I realize this is likely more me than all of the instructors, but that's where I am with this.

 

My short game is serviceable. It's my full swing that's completely blowing up my scores. I'll spend 90-150 minutes at the driving range. My full swing hasn't gotten significantly better. I try things I've learned from watching videos from select instructors (Monte Scheinblum, Mike Malaska, meandmygolf, Chris Ryan, Peter Finch). I try to implement what I've learned, make adjustments based on what I've "learned" over the years. The reality is I don't really know what I'm doing wrong or right, so I try to correct what I think I'm doing, but I'm likely missing the root problems.

 

So: How does this fit into the article?

[Atrayn]

I'm wondering if at my course this Spring we offered: "How to Practice to Improve" sessions and marketed them correctly, what the turn out would be?

[oikos1]

This thread got completely derailed by the meta-awareness thing, which is a shame.

 

This thread started as a thread about how to learn, which is a great topic for a thread.

 

The opening graphic includes self-observation - aka meta-awareness.

 

But I also take your point. How to learn and improve is THE elephant in the room and the lack of understanding is at the heart of why improving is hard. I’m not meaning to imply I know the answer to how to learn and improve (except to focus and persevere!) but I do know it is the least understood aspect of amateur golf improvement and is buried instead of being the most illuminated problem statement.

 

This is something PGA of America would be well-served to study with some rigor and emphasize.

 

Lol. What do you think they would learn? #1 might be that the majority of PGA instructors are not qualified to teach.

 

Understanding how you learn starts with the individual. If you bring in an instructor, by your own free will and choice, then it becomes a relationship between you and your instructor. If your instructor doesn't understand how you learn, then it's time to end the relationship.

[FullOfBrushMan]

Of all the items he listed, having good meta-awareness in general and especially in feel channel on the body when learning are most important, by far.

 

I think it is fantastic if you teach people successfully. I don't know anything about how you teach, and don't care.

 

So with all that said...this sentence is complete gibberish.

 

And if it makes any one feel better, by all means just chalk it up to me just not being as smart as you.

It's not just you.

 

KISS method. Also I feel A LOT of "teachers" out there know the correct information but absolutely suck at translating it correctly or on a "grade level" where the student can understand it. It's like a professor teaching AP Calc to a bunch of 1st graders.

[wmblake2000]

This thread got completely derailed by the meta-awareness thing, which is a shame.

 

This thread started as a thread about how to learn, which is a great topic for a thread.

 

The opening graphic includes self-observation - aka meta-awareness.

 

But I also take your point. How to learn and improve is THE elephant in the room and the lack of understanding is at the heart of why improving is hard. I’m not meaning to imply I know the answer to how to learn and improve (except to focus and persevere!) but I do know it is the least understood aspect of amateur golf improvement and is buried instead of being the most illuminated problem statement.

 

This is something PGA of America would be well-served to study with some rigor and emphasize.

 

Lol. What do you think they would learn? #1 might be that the majority of PGA instructors are not qualified to teach.

 

Understanding how you learn starts with the individual. If you bring in an instructor, by your own free will and choice, then it becomes a relationship between you and your instructor. If your instructor doesn't understand how you learn, then it's time to end the relationship.

 

The whole understanding of how the average golfer can go about learning how to improve is not well-understood by the entire teaching community. Of course, the very best are, well, the very best, but for the rank and file who deliver the bulk of lessons, this is something they also need help in understanding and using.

 

I have worked with some of the best teachers in the biz. The topic of how to actually take what they tell me to do (which I can do in the lesson) and get it to my own practice and then playing has been a MINOR theme at best.

 

Golf teachers understand the golf and the golf swing in great detail. Their understanding of how the average student learns is much less well understood. Understanding that some people are visual learners and others auditory learners is just the tip of the iceberg but often is the full extent of what a golf teacher understands about the ways people learn and differ in how they learn.

 

For example, a lot of people I know who are master educators believe that the approach from the martial arts for motor skill development which has been refined over centuries is among the best ways for all motor skill learning methods. None of the teachers I have met know anything at all about this, or so it seems.

 

Now I am pretty skilled at learning and highly motivated and have been able to develop my own approach that is working for me. But that took some serious time to figure out.

 

I stand 100% behind my statement.

[oikos1]

This thread got completely derailed by the meta-awareness thing, which is a shame.

 

This thread started as a thread about how to learn, which is a great topic for a thread.

 

The opening graphic includes self-observation - aka meta-awareness.

 

But I also take your point. How to learn and improve is THE elephant in the room and the lack of understanding is at the heart of why improving is hard. I’m not meaning to imply I know the answer to how to learn and improve (except to focus and persevere!) but I do know it is the least understood aspect of amateur golf improvement and is buried instead of being the most illuminated problem statement.

 

This is something PGA of America would be well-served to study with some rigor and emphasize.

 

Lol. What do you think they would learn? #1 might be that the majority of PGA instructors are not qualified to teach.

 

Understanding how you learn starts with the individual. If you bring in an instructor, by your own free will and choice, then it becomes a relationship between you and your instructor. If your instructor doesn't understand how you learn, then it's time to end the relationship.

 

The whole understanding of how the average golfer can go about learning how to improve is not well-understood by the entire teaching community. Of course, the very best are, well, the very best, but for the rank and file who deliver the bulk of lessons, this is something they also need help in understanding and using.

 

I have worked with some of the best teachers in the biz. The topic of how to actually take what they tell me to do (which I can do in the lesson) and get it to my own practice and then playing has been a MINOR theme at best.

 

Golf teachers understand the golf and the golf swing in great detail. Their understanding of how the average student learns is much less well understood. Understanding that some people are visual learners and others auditory learners is just the tip of the iceberg but often is the full extent of what a golf teacher understands about the ways people learn and differ in how they learn.

 

For example, a lot of people I know who are master educators believe that the approach from the martial arts for motor skill development which has been refined over centuries is among the best ways for all motor skill learning methods. None of the teachers I have met know anything at all about this, or so it seems.

 

Now I am pretty skilled at learning and highly motivated and have been able to develop my own approach that is working for me. But that took some serious time to figure out.

 

I stand 100% behind my statement.

 

Yes. I'm pretty sure we're in agreement there.

[mshills]

This thread delivers. How learning occurs is a fascinating topic, IMO, and particularly relevant to golf, since I refer to it as "the thinking man's game."

 

Pithy form of what I'm starting to understand:

 

1. I am reasonably well-skilled at learning.

2. I am not so well-skilled at golf.

 

So that means there is hope! :D

[Krt22]

The whole understanding of how the average golfer can go about learning how to improve is not well-understood by the entire teaching community. Of course, the very best are, well, the very best, but for the rank and file who deliver the bulk of lessons, this is something they also need help in understanding and using.

 

I have worked with some of the best teachers in the biz. The topic of how to actually take what they tell me to do (which I can do in the lesson) and get it to my own practice and then playing has been a MINOR theme at best.

 

I would take it a step further and say the issue is also on the golfer's side, where they themselves are not realistic with their game and their learning process. The reality is humans are very reward driven creatures and when we aren't rewarded as expected, we can quickly become discouraged. When it comes to golf instruction, that get's even more complicated because it then involves monetary expenditure, in which case the golfer not only wants the reward, but EXPECTS the reward, and in many cases expects the reward instantly.

 

When they aren't rewarded instantly, they can quickly become jaded, and blame the teacher, blame the profession, and become completely disillusioned that instructors aren't really interested in helping them, that they simply cant be helped, or that the real answer is really hidden lightening in a bottle that they must find. If they could just find that one feel, or one idea, that their flawed swing will be cured and they will be just a short game away from being scratch. I mean if all these pros can become pros with weird swings, why can't they break 80 with their huge move off the ball, right?

 

I think Monte had an instagram post about weight loss awhile ago. Most folks know that you didn't get to be over-weight in a few months/weeks time, yet somehow think they will shed it all if they hit the gym for a little while and cut back on carbs. They might even go so far to hire a personal trainer, hoping to speed up the process, try weird diets, try weird routines, do juice clenses, etc etc etc. When that doesn't result in shedding the 30lbs they built up over the last few years, they give up and go back into their old habits, essentially refusing to accept that long lasting weight loss comes down to dedication and commitment to a healthy lifestyle change. I think most folks know this to be true and I'd say it parallel's the golf instruction world very much so, but a lot of golfer's seem to think otherwise.