A NEW SLANT ON GOLF INSTRUCTION
“There are too many wrong ways and the process of elimination
in finding what is right proves tedious and discouraging.”
Ernest Jones – Swing the Clubhead
Traditional golf instruction is based on fault-finding and error correction. The tacit assumption by both the student teacher, is that an awareness of one’s swing flaws will automatically lead to improvement. Following this line of reasoning, the more time (and money) you invest in fixing your mistakes, the better you will play.
Has this been your experience?
The golf swing is, and always will be, a work in progress: unless you have the time, money and dedication to practice eight hours a day for eight months, (which would entail moving to Arizona. I can be available with 48 hours notice) it’s an exercise in futility to attempt to eliminate every flaw. Every swing has flaws. The key to consistency is learning how to minimize their effects.
One of the tacit assumptions in traditional golf instruction is that our natural impulses must be suppressed, especially the so-called hit impulse. Our innate instincts serve as a starting point in baseball and hockey, but the unique features of the golf swing seem, at first glance, to be totally contrary to our natural tendencies.
Have you ever seen a well-meaning parent offering advice to a son or daughter who has just taken three wild swings and completely missed the ball? Immediately, the parent begins delineating the youngster’s mistakes.
I’m not saying that mistakes shouldn’t be corrected, but relating every mistake in detail to a student is not a prerequisite for improvement. Golf instruction should focus on discovering what a student is doing right, rather than obsessing with what they are doing wrong.
I often hear golfers on the practice range discussing their reticence to take a lesson. They are afraid of playing worse. Why pay someone to show you how to play worse?
Should you expect to play poorly after a lesson? That all depends on the instructor’s method of communicating and the student’s willingness to change.
Have you ever tried helping a spouse or friend with their swing and given up in frustration?
Most instructors have heard a student assert that they know what’s wrong with their swing. Once you set foot in the labyrinth of trying to decipher cause and effect, you resurrect the legend of the hydra, correcting one flaw only to have it supplanted by another.
So what’s the point of paying good money for professional golf instruction? Good question. A competent instructor will help you determine which swing flaws are superficial and which are deadly.
Imagine your swing is like a set of bowling pins. The fundamental flaw is the head pin. When you knock out the head pin, the others topple over - the domino effect. A proficient teacher can help you incorporate essential technical elements without destroying your natural ability.
Once you have these elements programmed into your nervous system, (which is much easier than you are led to believe) then the learning process should focus on refining the cues or anchors that will help you trigger your best swings automatically. This is the secret to playing in the zone.
Are you beginning to see how memories and habits determine your progress? Find your unique triggers and develop the art of selective memory.
Can you recall a situation where you employed selective memory – perhaps unconsciously?