Prevailing Instruction vs Enjoying Golf

[juliette91]

For a game millions hope to enjoy and achieve no thoughts swing feely find your natural swing feel feel feel your rhythm and tempo and balance swing away joy--instruction seems to me to be quite the opposite:  thoughts, positions, angles, more "don'ts" and then dos" than you could possibly remember if your very life depended on it.  Not quite the recipe for enjoying the game.  

 

I've a life long friend who has been "playing" for 20 years, who has had a lot of instruction, and who just quit in the middle of a recent round--in tears (don't you guys get too hung up on women crying, it's not what you think). She had so many swing thoughts in her head, so many do this don't do that commands floating around her swing looked just awful.  No flow, no rhythm, nothing natural about it and above all no joy.  Sure, some of us are much more geared to score than others, some of us much more anxious when playing around others, some of us with golf perfomance anxieties, the list goes on we're all different, but where, where are the instructors who will keep away from comparing your swing to Brooke Henderson's balance or Nelly Korda's swing positions or Luke Donald's tempo---sometimes in side by side video with yours! as a teaching guide.  Where are those instructors who will ask questions about what it would take for you (reasonably setting this bar) to enjoy the game and try to find some natural ability you have and work with that to fashion some kind of swing that achieves your enjoyment goals?

 

Lots of run on sentences and free verse here but you get the picture.  Yes I'm sad for my friend who is just completely stuck now with a head full of often contrary instruction and whose natural abilities are hampered by so many dos and don'ts.

 

Is there a way to teach less and less instead of more and more.  I mean some people might love to figure out each of the proper positions during the swing and that brings them the greatest enjoyment if those are achieved.  And un-learning so many swing thoughts will be very hard indeed, but where does joy come in and how can instruction tailor itself to nudging a player in the right direction instead of providing a 40 page manual.?

[SNIPERBBB]

Most people dont understand why they are doing what they are doing. An instructor in another area likes to say. "I don't care what your are doing, as long as you know why you're doing it!" If the answer to the question is because so and so said so, you're in trouble.  

[mikpga]

Part is teaching, part is student…

 

Ideally, a team is formed and trust is developed…

 

99.9% of my students are not playing golf for a living…

 

Okay, 100% 😜

 

Some students desire too much “why”…

 

Some teachers express too much…

 

 

[ChipDriver]

12 hours ago, juliette91 said:

For a game millions hope to enjoy and achieve no thoughts swing feely find your natural swing feel feel feel your rhythm and tempo and balance swing away joy--instruction seems to me to be quite the opposite:  thoughts, positions, angles, more "don'ts" and then dos" than you could possibly remember if your very life depended on it.  Not quite the recipe for enjoying the game.  

 

I've a life long friend who has been "playing" for 20 years, who has had a lot of instruction, and who just quit in the middle of a recent round--in tears (don't you guys get too hung up on women crying, it's not what you think). She had so many swing thoughts in her head, so many do this don't do that commands floating around her swing looked just awful.  No flow, no rhythm, nothing natural about it and above all no joy.  Sure, some of us are much more geared to score than others, some of us much more anxious when playing around others, some of us with golf perfomance anxieties, the list goes on we're all different, but where, where are the instructors who will keep away from comparing your swing to Brooke Henderson's balance or Nelly Korda's swing positions or Luke Donald's tempo---sometimes in side by side video with yours! as a teaching guide.  Where are those instructors who will ask questions about what it would take for you (reasonably setting this bar) to enjoy the game and try to find some natural ability you have and work with that to fashion some kind of swing that achieves your enjoyment goals?

 

Lots of run on sentences and free verse here but you get the picture.  Yes I'm sad for my friend who is just completely stuck now with a head full of often contrary instruction and whose natural abilities are hampered by so many dos and don'ts.

 

Is there a way to teach less and less instead of more and more.  I mean some people might love to figure out each of the proper positions during the swing and that brings them the greatest enjoyment if those are achieved.  And un-learning so many swing thoughts will be very hard indeed, but where does joy come in and how can instruction tailor itself to nudging a player in the right direction instead of providing a 40 page manual.?

 

My wife was similar.  She'd get frustrated that the ball didn't go where she wanted.    I suggested she take a few lessons.  The bottom line was she never practiced what she was taught.

 

We tried the following - and eureka - she's jazzed about the game and enjoys it a lot more.

 

Buy this or similar:  https://www.amazon.com/GoSports-Practice-Hitting-Personal-Designed/dp/B079JDQKV4/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3GZS6QXKAM105&keywords=amazon+choice+golf+net&qid=1661489496&sprefix=amazon+choice+golf+net%2Caps%2C62&sr=8-5

Buy this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08BXBDRDY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Get about 10-30 golf balls.   Hit sets of 10-30 balls at a time, several times a day.  She started with a 7 iron.    Take a break - hit 10 balls; take another break hit 30 balls; go to lunch hit 20 balls; take another break hit 10 balls.  She will get hundreds of swings a day.

 

 

Key:  focus on 1) solid contact and 2) hitting it 6 feet into the center of the net.  First with a 7 iron; then a hybrid; then a FW.   Over a short time, her contact improved as did her direction.   She took that out to the golf course and she started hitting it solidly and straighter.  And as a result she really enjoys the game more.

 

Good luck.

[riddyl]

Its all well and good if your "natural" swing produces decent results. Not many people find it fun to swing the club how they want to and shoot 120. 

 

Also, a good coach will ask what you want out of golf/a lesson/a series of lessons and how much you can practice anything they teach you. If they don't, find another one. 

[Righty to Lefty]

That is because from day one we are taught that pretty golf swing equals good golf and thus most will give up their swing motion in effort to chase positions that they believe will lead to good golf when this couldn't be further from the truth.  Impact is boss...period point blank for everyone from the rank beginner to Tiger, everyday, forever.  If you do not understand impact you are slowing your progress because you will not understand how to interpret ball flight and make correction with 100% conviction.  Every shot that you ever hit is tryin to tell you a story but if you can't understand the language you will never understand the lesson being taught to you as there are only 4 factors, one of which is variable, that govern every golf shot:  

 

1. Low point of the swing arc ( must be in the correct location in relation to the ball depending on whether you intend to strike a shot with a negative or positive angle of attack or it doesn't matter how pretty your golf swing is you will not hit good golf shots and you are destined to be perpetually frustrated with the game.) 

 

2. Club face orientation at impact (the club face must point at your intended target line at impact)

 

3. Speed of the club head at impact (determines the distance that shot will travel) 

 

3. Swing plane or shoulder line orientation ( The club does not follow the line of the feet, it follows the shoulder line because the club is being held in the hands.)

 

The shoulder line or plane orientation is the only variable that is used to control the amount of curvature of a given shot because it is what will be used to tilt the spin axis of a given shot.  

 

If you understand impact you will never wonder why a shot did or didn't do what you intended and I find solace in that knowledge.  The body is in a constant state of change depending on the day but impact is the same for everyone day in and day out forever.  Where you are in relation to the ball is everything but most are distracted from this fact and believe that mimicking a pro is the key when it is not because if that were the case then you would be able to tell whether someone is a good golfer or not with no ball present during a practice swing. Most everyone has a functional golf swing motion that is plenty capable of hitting a levered golf shot and there is a point along your swing arc that will create the shot that you are intending, the ball is simply not present at that location and understanding impact and being able to interpret ball flight is the foundation to playing good golf and are the true fundamentals to golf because the same rules apply to everyone.  This is the quick and dirty explanation for a much much deeper topic but if I was unclear on anything please just let me know and I will clarify further.  R to L

Edited August 29, 2022 by Righty to Lefty

[ShortGolfer]

You want an instructor that likes solving problems, and finding what works for each student they teach.

Back when I was a kid folks would repair stuff by finding the one part that broke in an appliance, then replacing just that part.  As a kid I'd take it to the next level, and fix broken switches!

A little bit of silver solder, some work with a file and some sandpaper,and the switch was a good as new!

 

Harvey Penick's Little Red Book may be a good book for her to read.

 

 

Edited August 26, 2022 by ShortGolfer

[naval2006]

Teaching someone to swing a golf club to hit it ok has always been a puzzle to me.  Especially to adult beginners.  Most adults willing to learn and improve end up with a lot of data to process, stiff swings and bad ballstriking.  And what I almost always notice when teachers work with adults is almost zero encouragement on a supple and rhythmical motion.  Perhaps, the class is not the context because you're working on technical aspects during this time, but teachers mostly don't discuss these needs in depth with students.  Many of them never mention the fact  that rhythm is as key as good mechanics.  It's like you've got it or you haven't, which most grownups haven't unless they learn how to and get used to it.  

 

Good golf is hard work, but stiff swings always have it harder indeed.

[Zitlow]

In my view the swing is being taught as a series of isolated  positions instead of a synergistic motion.

 

Unfortunately most of the positions being taught by the "experts" are uncoordinated out of sync manipulations of the club which block the flow of energy from getting into the ball. 

 

[virtuoso]

Well, its possible she got bad instruction...even probable. So, that couldn't have helped. But...

 

There is a lot of magical thinking out there among non-instructors about what golf instruction, even very good instruction, is actually capable of.....or even how it actually functions.

 

Many people think this:

 

1. I go take a lesson

2. The instructor tells or shows me what I'm doing wrong

3. I make the change

4. I  hit the ball better

5. I don't have to think about it anymore because I'm fixed

 

If your thinking is anything like that, get ready for some serious soul crushing.

 

If you are going to make a fundamental change to the moving dynamics of your golf swing, it is going to take thousands of shots working on the right stuff, and there is no way for the average recreational golfer to know they are getting the right stuff.

 

Because the average golfer is not prepared for that process, they just take a bunch of different lessons from different teachers and mentally paralyze themselves.

 

[Barfolomew]

Sometimes its fun just to swing naturally and not focus on 20 years of teaching as it is ingrained to some degree and just hit a ball down a grass field a few times, not care about score and just enjoy playing golf, chatting with your friends, enjoy the beautiful outdoors

 

All this supposed to stuff often reminds me of school where your confined in your chair and being barked at so let golf be recess or lunch and not Miss Havisham's English lit class

 

But I also play with some crackheads for scorecards too..... and they only play one style of golf like they're caught in a time loop.... sad lol

[Krt22]

On 8/25/2022 at 9:20 AM, juliette91 said:

For a game millions hope to enjoy and achieve no thoughts swing feely find your natural swing feel feel feel your rhythm and tempo and balance swing away joy--instruction seems to me to be quite the opposite:  thoughts, positions, angles, more "don'ts" and then dos" than you could possibly remember if your very life depended on it.  Not quite the recipe for enjoying the game.  

 

If your "natural swing" produced the results you wanted, you wouldn't want to improve, thus would not seek instruction

 

Enjoying the game and improving your game are two different things, you can't conflate those two things into one. There are plenty of people happier than a pig in shite shooting 100 and having a good time. Others find enjoyment in the actual improvement process, shooting lower scores, playing the game as intended.

 

However if your "natural" swing produces poor results and you want to get considerably better, then  you need to change it, which in many cases is very difficult. What you are essentially advocating for is lighting in a bottle which simply does not exist. 

[tm3]

On 8/25/2022 at 12:20 PM, juliette91 said:

For a game millions hope to enjoy and achieve no thoughts swing feely find your natural swing feel feel feel your rhythm and tempo and balance swing away joy--instruction seems to me to be quite the opposite:  thoughts, positions, angles, more "don'ts" and then dos" than you could possibly remember if your very life depended on it.  Not quite the recipe for enjoying the game.  

 

 

 

 

IMO, part of the paradigm you describe is "identify the fault, then fix it" or "don't do it again."  Some people get pretty wound up and end up cussing, stomping around, throwing stuff, etc. -- not exactly an expression of enjoyment.  Nothing wrong with studying and working on one's game but endless self criticism isn't a necessary part of it.

 

The most valuable lesson I have ever learned came from a friend that I play with who is the worst golfer, by far, of any I have ever seen.  I don't think he could break 120, despite years of lessons, practice, and reminding himself to keep his left arm straight.  But he doesn't get upset, even when he completely whiffs, and enjoys himself so much he is out there nearly every day sometimes playing two rounds.

 

Trying to adopt his attitude has really increased my enjoyment.

[JetPilot]

On 8/25/2022 at 12:20 PM, juliette91 said:

For a game millions hope to enjoy and achieve no thoughts swing feely find your natural swing feel feel feel your rhythm and tempo and balance swing away joy--instruction seems to me to be quite the opposite:  thoughts, positions, angles, more "don'ts" and then dos" than you could possibly remember if your very life depended on it.  Not quite the recipe for enjoying the game.  

 

I've a life long friend who has been "playing" for 20 years, who has had a lot of instruction, and who just quit in the middle of a recent round--in tears (don't you guys get too hung up on women crying, it's not what you think). She had so many swing thoughts in her head, so many do this don't do that commands floating around her swing looked just awful.  No flow, no rhythm, nothing natural about it and above all no joy.  Sure, some of us are much more geared to score than others, some of us much more anxious when playing around others, some of us with golf perfomance anxieties, the list goes on we're all different, but where, where are the instructors who will keep away from comparing your swing to Brooke Henderson's balance or Nelly Korda's swing positions or Luke Donald's tempo---sometimes in side by side video with yours! as a teaching guide.  Where are those instructors who will ask questions about what it would take for you (reasonably setting this bar) to enjoy the game and try to find some natural ability you have and work with that to fashion some kind of swing that achieves your enjoyment goals?

 

Lots of run on sentences and free verse here but you get the picture.  Yes I'm sad for my friend who is just completely stuck now with a head full of often contrary instruction and whose natural abilities are hampered by so many dos and don'ts.

 

Is there a way to teach less and less instead of more and more.  I mean some people might love to figure out each of the proper positions during the swing and that brings them the greatest enjoyment if those are achieved.  And un-learning so many swing thoughts will be very hard indeed, but where does joy come in and how can instruction tailor itself to nudging a player in the right direction instead of providing a 40 page manual.?

I'd say learn to love the short game and get really good at it.  Hit it a couple of times to get close...and then try to make par, bogey at worst.  It's easier to manage, takes the stress out of the full swing, a ton of fun and will eventually translate into a better full swing.  

[juliette91]

So grateful for the thoughtful replies—and I take no offense at replies pointing out the faults in the question itself!  I’m all for that-never learned very much listening to myself.

 

Especially grateful for Righty To Lefty’s distillation of the 4 keys and his spot on observation about the fallacies of trying to achieve a pretty golf swing.

 

And to virtuoso for debunking the golf lesson as akin to a drywall patch fix— no need to revisit, done!

 

RtoLefty’s advice about impact stayed with me and based on that alone I ordered a gift impact bag for my friend.

 

thanks again to all

[ChaosTheory]

A person can do a lot worse than to just absorb what Brian Sparks showed:

 

 

[Barfolomew]

On 8/26/2022 at 11:30 AM, Krt22 said:

Enjoying the game and improving your game are two different things, you can't conflate those two things into one. 

Couldn’t be more wrong... they are absolutely the same thing 🤦‍♂️
 

Everything about improving is to be enjoyed.... 🦦

 

Growing up playin many sports I couldn’t wait for practice or game day.... sports enjoyment doesn’t only start on game day and nothings changed... jus sayin 

[northgolf]

On 8/25/2022 at 12:20 PM, juliette91 said:

For a game millions hope to enjoy and achieve no thoughts swing feely find your natural swing feel feel feel your rhythm and tempo and balance swing away joy--instruction seems to me to be quite the opposite:  thoughts, positions, angles, more "don'ts" and then dos" than you could possibly remember if your very life depended on it.  Not quite the recipe for enjoying the game.  

 

I've a life long friend who has been "playing" for 20 years, who has had a lot of instruction, and who just quit in the middle of a recent round--in tears (don't you guys get too hung up on women crying, it's not what you think). She had so many swing thoughts in her head, so many do this don't do that commands floating around her swing looked just awful.  No flow, no rhythm, nothing natural about it and above all no joy.  Sure, some of us are much more geared to score than others, some of us much more anxious when playing around others, some of us with golf perfomance anxieties, the list goes on we're all different, but where, where are the instructors who will keep away from comparing your swing to Brooke Henderson's balance or Nelly Korda's swing positions or Luke Donald's tempo---sometimes in side by side video with yours! as a teaching guide.  Where are those instructors who will ask questions about what it would take for you (reasonably setting this bar) to enjoy the game and try to find some natural ability you have and work with that to fashion some kind of swing that achieves your enjoyment goals?

 

Lots of run on sentences and free verse here but you get the picture.  Yes I'm sad for my friend who is just completely stuck now with a head full of often contrary instruction and whose natural abilities are hampered by so many dos and don'ts.

 

Is there a way to teach less and less instead of more and more.  I mean some people might love to figure out each of the proper positions during the swing and that brings them the greatest enjoyment if those are achieved.  And un-learning so many swing thoughts will be very hard indeed, but where does joy come in and how can instruction tailor itself to nudging a player in the right direction instead of providing a 40 page manual.?

I put the Earnest Jones and Manuel de la Torre books in the camp of teaching less.  Follow either of their disciplines and golf becomes easier and more enjoyable with reasonable play.  

 

The more and more is about reaching the limits of what one can do in competition and not about enjoying a round on the course.  

[Tanner25]

I might be going off on a tangent. But, play the right tees for your distance. I played the Sr tees today on my favorite course and really enjoyed it. 

[BigEx44]

14 hours ago, Snowman9000 said:

A person can do a lot worse than to just absorb what Brian Sparks showed:

 

 

 

Brian Sparks changed my golf game forever (for the better).  I'll always be grateful for that.

 

My wife who is just a beginner took some lessons with me from Julian Mellor (used to be Brian's lead instructor and has now started his own website - propergolfing.com).

 

She loved his style.  His focus on rhythm and balance (vs a lot of mechanics).

 

She's now excited about her golf game (and is improving).....and actually asks me if we can go play!

[ShortGolfer]

"Get about 10-30 golf balls.   Hit sets of 10-30 balls at a time, several times a day.  She started with a 7 iron.    Take a break - hit 10 balls; take another break hit 30 balls; go to lunch hit 20 balls; take another break hit 10 balls.  She will get hundreds of swings a day."

 

This is a great way to practice.  I found it very effective to do a lot of short sessions throughout the day.

 

Everyone has a different way of learning. I like to solve puzzles on my own.  Which is good since most folks have never seen my combination of cross dominance and stroke recovery!

I can do stuff that most people can't because of how balanced my hands are with fine motion skills. I've fully recovered from a stroke, but learning new stuff requires a lot of patience and persistence.

Sort of like turning a big boat around in the water.  Which is OK because there is so much golfing for me to learn all at once.  Which is another thing I'm pretty good at. Learning lots of stuff.

I'm also learning a lot about club making, in addition to playing the game!

Edited August 28, 2022 by ShortGolfer

[Ghostwedge]

9 hours ago, BigEx44 said:

 

Brian Sparks changed my golf game forever (for the better).  I'll always be grateful for that.

 

My wife who is just a beginner took some lessons with me from Julian Mellor (used to be Brian's lead instructor and has now started his own website - propergolfing.com).

 

She loved his style.  His focus on rhythm and balance (vs a lot of mechanics).

 

She's now excited about her golf game (and is improving).....and actually asks me if we can go play!

Something I've noticed on here is that the simple idea of two turns and a swish or pivot around a center has zero traction. Brian Sparks broke it down to the basic idea and looked like a nerd doing it. Nobody cool would swing that way, certainly not a wrx'er. No power so not interested is the main reason I'm guessing. Thinking as I get older and less flexible I will refer to a Julian Mellor as my swing tune up. Always room for the teachers with the P1 thru P12 or whatever it is but I would think more people would benefit from a  more simple approach. I bet a Julian Mellor would take a lot of guys lunch money on here mine included and I've been  single cap player for years. 

 

[BigEx44]

45 minutes ago, Ghostwedge said:

Something I've noticed on here is that the simple idea of two turns and a swish or pivot around a center has zero traction. Brian Sparks broke it down to the basic idea and looked like a nerd doing it. Nobody cool would swing that way, certainly not a wrx'er. No power so not interested is the main reason I'm guessing. Thinking as I get older and less flexible I will refer to a Julian Mellor as my swing tune up. Always room for the teachers with the P1 thru P12 or whatever it is but I would think more people would benefit from a  more simple approach. I bet a Julian Mellor would take a lot of guys lunch money on here mine included and I've been  single cap player for years. 

 

I personally didn't think Brian looked like a nerd.  I loved the flow and simplicity of his swing.

And at the age of 70, and with a bad back, he could drive the ball 250 yds (with roll).

So there is no loss of power imho.

And yes, Julian Mellor can crush the ball.  I've seen him routinely hit 300+ drives.

[Ghostwedge]

8 minutes ago, BigEx44 said:

I personally didn't think Brian looked like a nerd.  I loved the flow and simplicity of his swing.

And at the age of 70, and with a bad back, he could drive the ball 250 yds (with roll).

So there is no loss of power imho.

And yes, Julian Mellor can crush the ball.  I've seen him routinely hit 300+ drives.

Look I'm a fan of these guys, no disrespect intended. I'm glad Brian (RIP btw) put out his video's, Julian carries the torch back to the basics is commendable.

Its just my perception, you're not going to confuse Brian on the first tee with any other modern day player.

[BigEx44]

2 hours ago, Ghostwedge said:

Look I'm a fan of these guys, no disrespect intended. I'm glad Brian (RIP btw) put out his video's, Julian carries the torch back to the basics is commendable.

Its just my perception, you're not going to confuse Brian on the first tee with any other modern day player.

No problem.  No offense taken.  All is good.

I was just giving you my perception.

And you're right, Brian was certainly not like any modern day player (although I don't know if he could've been, even if he wanted, with all his back issues....)

Julian is pretty close though.

[A.Princey]

On 8/25/2022 at 11:20 AM, juliette91 said:

For a game millions hope to enjoy and achieve no thoughts swing feely find your natural swing feel feel feel your rhythm and tempo and balance swing away joy--instruction seems to me to be quite the opposite:  thoughts, positions, angles, more "don'ts" and then dos" than you could possibly remember if your very life depended on it.  Not quite the recipe for enjoying the game.  

 

I've a life long friend who has been "playing" for 20 years, who has had a lot of instruction, and who just quit in the middle of a recent round--in tears (don't you guys get too hung up on women crying, it's not what you think). She had so many swing thoughts in her head, so many do this don't do that commands floating around her swing looked just awful.  No flow, no rhythm, nothing natural about it and above all no joy.  Sure, some of us are much more geared to score than others, some of us much more anxious when playing around others, some of us with golf perfomance anxieties, the list goes on we're all different, but where, where are the instructors who will keep away from comparing your swing to Brooke Henderson's balance or Nelly Korda's swing positions or Luke Donald's tempo---sometimes in side by side video with yours! as a teaching guide.  Where are those instructors who will ask questions about what it would take for you (reasonably setting this bar) to enjoy the game and try to find some natural ability you have and work with that to fashion some kind of swing that achieves your enjoyment goals?

 

Lots of run on sentences and free verse here but you get the picture.  Yes I'm sad for my friend who is just completely stuck now with a head full of often contrary instruction and whose natural abilities are hampered by so many dos and don'ts.

 

Is there a way to teach less and less instead of more and more.  I mean some people might love to figure out each of the proper positions during the swing and that brings them the greatest enjoyment if those are achieved.  And un-learning so many swing thoughts will be very hard indeed, but where does joy come in and how can instruction tailor itself to nudging a player in the right direction instead of providing a 40 page manual.?

I think you need to address each swing issue one at a time, with most basic of principles first. Play with that in mind for a month or more and only then tackle the next hurdle. Too many thoughts isn’t going to help anyone. One needs to engrain a feeling associated with that swing thought before moving on the next lesson, IMO.

 

1. Start with posture

2. Next go to balance, swaying etc.

3. Then establish a good address position.

4. Timing and tempo

5. Finally, and not absolutely necessary are positions.

    Maybe do backswing first and then discuss the downswing.

 

Each one of these could be a single lesson that a golfer works on for a month or two. Then go to the next. 

 

At some point, everyone reaches a plateau of physical ability where it’s probably best to just let the golfer swing their own swing, regardless of textbook mechanics. 
 

 

Edited August 29, 2022 by A.Princey

[Chunkitgood]

Golf is taught backwards, from the hands to the feet instead of the other way around.

 

The so called pivot is somewhat more complicated than most things modern people are required to do with their bodies, but not really that much more so.  Children learn it by imitation or trial and error all the time.  The elements of the pivot do not vary in essence from good player to good player.

 

Hand and arm movements do vary considerably.  The thing is useable hands and movements cannot be performed unless the proper body movements are also executed as a base, moving framework, and motivating source of force and power.

[Nickc]

From whom Brian Sparks may have picked up his ideas...flowmotion golf.

Very few swing thoughts involve!

 

Plus a good source for learning a simple less is more type golf swing is Michael McTeigue "the effortless golf swing" the VHS's of the lessons are also on YouTube.

[BigEx44]

58 minutes ago, Nickc said:

From whom Brian Sparks may have picked up his ideas...flowmotion golf.

Very few swing thoughts involve!

 

Plus a good source for learning a simple less is more type golf swing is Michael McTeigue "the effortless golf swing" the VHS's of the lessons are also on YouTube.

I'm sure Brian did get a lot of his ideas from here (I know he spent some time as an instructor in France)

Especially since he calls his practice movement "La Danse Golf"!

[4thand11]

My motto has always been to just try and hit the ball as hard as you can.  That's what you do in baseball and tennis, and you don't think about all the positions while you're doing it. 

 

In my experience a lot of problems come from trying to control the club while you're swinging it.  The swing happens too fast for this to happen, so the temptation is to "swing slower" or "swing easier" to allow more control.  But it doesn't work and only makes things worse. 

 

Trying to hit the ball hard eliminates a lot of the extra swing thoughts.  It also tends to keep the club in a wider arc as the momentum helps keep the swing from breaking down, which often happens when people try to "swing easy". 

 

Tell her to just go to a range (grass range preferably) and focus solely on hitting the ball as hard as she can.  The body usually learns how to move to accomplish this without having to think about it.  It will take some repetition to feel comfortable with it.  The key is being able to swing freely and hit it hard when you're playing an actual round.  If I have an iron shot for example, I try to imagine I need to get the ball high quickly to get it over a tree directly in front of me.... that thought usually keeps me focused on swinging hard and launching the ball.  The rest is just trusting it.