Dangerous golf mag tips!

[Maninblack4612]

You often read tips in mags saying "this how to do it". What the writer means is "this how I do it". The pro at our local range is a "set the wrists early" advocate. I've spoken to a few people who have had lessons from him & this is the whole basis of his approach, he teaches everybody this.

I have always swung with very quiet hands &, being a stroppy pensioner, at our last (last ever!) lesson I took three books along. Bobby Clampett's "Impact Zone", which says set the wrists early & get in as much lag as possible. John Jacobs' "Play Better Golf" (fantastic little book, by the way), which says break the wrists halfway back, when you feel they want to break and Jim Hardy's "Plane Truth", which doesn't mention setting the wrists anywhere.

So who's right? The answer is all of them, depending on how you want to perform the golf swing which, to a large extent, is how you naturally want to swing. I'm a great believer in sticking as far as possible to a person's natural way of swinging, provided this is capable of getting the club back to the ball square & consistently. You'll never turn me into a wristy swinger nor convince a "handsy" player that he has to firm up his wrists.

That's why I think reading tips in magazines can be dangerous for people who don't know their own swings. Far better find a teacher who will work with your natural style & not one who wants to turn you into a replica of himself.

 

[Hacker Khan]

The same principal can apply to a lot of the YouTube instruction videos once they start deviating from the fundamentals.

Best one I ever read was one from Bubba on how he hits the ball out of the short rough near a green or something like that. As there was no way 99.99% of the people reading it could have done what he suggested.

 

[garyinderry]

The same principal can apply to a lot of the YouTube instruction videos once they start deviating from the fundamentals.

Best one I ever read was one from Bubba on how he hits the ball out of the short rough near a green or something like that. As there was no way 99.99% of the people reading it could have done what he suggested.

What did he do?

 

[bluewolf]

What did he do?

Played it at Augusta...

 

[Jack_bfc]

I don't even know what set the wrists means.

I had a session with the pro last season who was happy with my general swing which got me from 23 to 18...

He said we need to work on short game and putting to go any further.. I have 5 hours booked with him this spring....

If I have to learn what lag, plane and wrist set means to go lower then so be it..

But at the moment Im happy with my swing.... I don't read the 'technical' tips in the mags for that reason...

 

[garyinderry]

Played it at Augusta...

Hahaha. Very good :swing:

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Everyone is different - people will learn the game how they feel comfortable - some will use a pro , some via trial and error , some using books and tips and some using you Tube vids

So whilst it could be dangerous for some to try tips on a mag it could be perfect for others

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I have never paid any attention to any tips from magazines or youtube or anywhere else apart from the pro I am paying to tell me what I am doing wrong in my swing. It's all very well looking at all these tips but unless you know what you are doing wrong or right, you don't know whether a particular "tip" will be of any use to your swing.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I have never paid any attention to any tips from magazines or youtube or anywhere else apart from the pro I am paying to tell me what I am doing wrong in my swing. It's all very well looking at all these tips but unless you know what you are doing wrong or right, you don't know whether a particular "tip" will be of any use to your swing.

Totally agree with this. As I said in the thread about online tuition thread a while back, it's difficult to successfully interpret what the presenter/pro is trying to get over and incorporate into your own swing. How do you know it's right and not compromising something else. I'm another who'll stick to the advice of the pro teaching me

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I would imagine we've all been given advice/tips (wanted or not) or read them or heard them etc, some you try or work on or just ignore. I have lessons from the one Pro and he's been great for me, but if someone does pick up a tip or whatever in book or mag or from a mate and you try it and it works, good on you.
There is some fantastic knowledge out there from some very bright people and I wouldn't think they are all wrong, just not maybe right for me or you.

 

[delc]

Totally agree with this. As I said in the thread about online tuition thread a while back, it's difficult to successfully interpret what the presenter/pro is trying to get over and incorporate into your own swing. How do you know it's right and not compromising something else. I'm another who'll stick to the advice of the pro teaching me

To transfer the most energy to the ball, your wrists have to break (not literally) or cock somewhere in the back swing and straighten out again just before impact. This utilises the flail effect. Different players seem to cock their wrists at different points in the back swing, so there is no set point for doing so, but on average it's about as the hands reach waist height. Personally I can't say that I am particularly aware of cocking my wrists, but according to video evidence I do.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

To transfer the most energy to the ball, your wrists have to break (not literally) or cock somewhere in the back swing and straighten out again just before impact. This utilises the flail effect. Different players seem to cock their wrists at different points in the back swing, so there is no set point for doing so, but on average it's about as the hands reach waist height. Personally I can't say that I am particularly aware of cocking my wrists, but according to video evidence I do.

I have been working hard on a wider start to the swing without breaking the wrists to early but it's not something I ever worry about. However I do tend to get too much flail in my pitching and so I'm working hard on firmer wrists (and have a lesson tomorrow). Not convinced you ever need too much wrist break in chipping as it just adds another variable so playing with my firmer wrists now

 

[garyinderry]

Golf is about three things when talking about a general swing.

1. Control the face
2. Control the path
3. Control the low point of the swing


If you have some idea and understanding of these things you can improve, fix and adjust your swing.

Lets be honest, none of us are going to make the tour. None of us swing like pros. Lots of people think their swing is some bespoke piece of art that will get destroyed if they try a tip that doesn't come from their swing programmer pro.

The swing doesn't have to look good, it doesn't even have to be anywhere near textbook. It just has to be repeatable work.

I do find it funny that people will work on a specific problem with their pro and not use tips on the very same problem from world renowned teaching professionals. Trying these tips won't ruin your swing. In fact your own pro may be suitably impressed when you return to him and you have nailed what he wants you do to.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Golf is about three things when talking about a general swing.

1. Control the face
2. Control the path
3. Control the low point of the swing


If you have some idea and understanding of these things you can improve, fix and adjust your swing.

Lets be honest, none of us are going to make the tour. None of us swing like pros. Lots of people think their swing is some bespoke piece of art that will get destroyed if they try a tip that doesn't come from their swing programmer pro.

The swing doesn't have to look good, it doesn't even have to be anywhere near textbook. It just has to be repeatable work.

I do find it funny that people will work on a specific problem with their pro and not use tips on the very same problem from world renowned teaching professionals. Trying these tips won't ruin your swing. In fact your own pro may be suitably impressed when you return to him and you have nailed what he wants you do to.

It's also funny how some are saying they stick to what their Pro says then advise others about youtube videos😃