David Leadbetter? The golf channel

[fairmorn308]

Did anyone bought the dvd box set that they were selling on the golf channel?

I bought it and havent looked at it yet but wanted to find out if its worth watching or there is anything else better out there to buy?

 

[geronimo]

i have it, i like it but i have to be very careful i don't bugger myself up with this type of thing.

It is easy to see a pro and understand it but how do you know if you are doing it properly?

I think you need a pro to watch and point out you're mistakes.

I do like dvd's for info on chip shots ect but not so much for the long shots as i find it hard to be sure i am doing it right and can mess my swing up.

 

[StuartD]

I have it and like it also.

I have to agree with geronimo

You have to be fairly confident in your own ability and understanding of swing mechanics before you start too make changes. It may take a few watches too get a good understanding of it.

You can also upload your swing video for someone at Leadbetters' academy to look at and give you some pointers/drills (at an extra cost)

 

[The23rdman]

Watch Deadbeater if you want to ruin your golf swing ;-)

 

[geronimo]

Watch Deadbeater if you want to ruin your golf swing ;-)

I have heard a few say things like this against leadbetter,what i want to know is how do people come to this opinion?

If he is regarded as one of the top coaches by folks more qualified than you're average club golfer how can club golfers make/have such a strong opinion that he is a bad coach.

I would think as i said earlier that dvd's can be dangerous as you have no coach beside you to tell you that you are not doing it properly or as is more probable, folks are trying to change more than one thing at a time and in doing so making a mess of there swing.

 

[stevelockie]

Watch Deadbeater if you want to ruin your golf swing ;-)

I have heard a few say things like this against leadbetter,what i want to know is how do people come to this opinion?

If he is regarded as one of the top coaches by folks more qualified than you're average club golfer how can club golfers make/have such a strong opinion that he is a bad coach.

I would think as i said earlier that dvd's can be dangerous as you have no coach beside you to tell you that you are not doing it properly or as is more probable, folks are trying to change more than one thing at a time and in doing so making a mess of there swing.

I think one of the reasons he is "vilified" is because he teaches a method i.e. you must swing in his prescribed manner. Regardless of existing swing, build etc

Other coaches predominantly take your existing swing and make adjustments in order ro gain improvements.

Plus some of Lead's students have lost their swings quite spectacularly (Michelle Wie). Or their swings have failed to hold up under pressure (Ernie!)

 

[StuartD]

spot on Steve on why he has been "villified"

In my opinion I don't think it makes Leadbetter a poorer coach just cause he teaches a method.

I think that too many pro's out there look for a quick fix and are not prepared too work at it.

Faldos game went backwards at first when he started major swing changes as did Tiger (cant remember his current coach). Both came out better players as a result. Many current players see the winnings start too drop when they embark on major changes and don't have the guts to follow it through.

I also don't think Leadbetter is too blame for Michelle Wie falling apart. He has advised her against playing in many of the mens tournaments. As for Ernie, I think it is more mental than swing problems

 

[geronimo]

Watch Deadbeater if you want to ruin your golf swing ;-)

I have heard a few say things like this against leadbetter,what i want to know is how do people come to this opinion?

If he is regarded as one of the top coaches by folks more qualified than you're average club golfer how can club golfers make/have such a strong opinion that he is a bad coach.

I would think as i said earlier that dvd's can be dangerous as you have no coach beside you to tell you that you are not doing it properly or as is more probable, folks are trying to change more than one thing at a time and in doing so making a mess of there swing.

I think one of the reasons he is "vilified" is because he teaches a method i.e. you must swing in his prescribed manner. Regardless of existing swing, build etc

Other coaches predominantly take your existing swing and make adjustments in order ro gain improvements.

Plus some of Lead's students have lost their swings quite spectacularly (Michelle Wie). Or their swings have failed to hold up under pressure (Ernie!)

to blame Michelle Wie on leadbetter is laughable. If you want someone to blame for Wie's demise i suggest you look no further than her advisers.
Last year she earned over 12 million in earnings. How did this happen when she won nothing and i am not sure she even made a cut in a tournament.
Her advisers have been putting her in tournaments playing against men when she is unable to compete and her confidence has been destroyed, this is an opinion held by a lot of commentators and pros.

I have never heard any pro saying Leadbetter is a bad coach(this does not mean there aren't any).

I do on the other hand agree he or any other coach for that matter will not suit every golfer, this is why i think you have to be careful with dvd's in he long game as you need someone there to make sure you are on the right track.

I find the tips and short game instructions fantastic and i know they have helped me.

 

[viscount17]

with the clarity of vision only achieved through ignorance, it would appear to me that if you choose to follow Leadbetter you have to go all the way. There can be no 'I'll try this but not that' it's all or nothing.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Having watched a number of the Leadbetter instructional videos and DVD's over the years I find his approach very regimented. It seems to be very much about angle positions and being in certain points at certain times.

Having played good golf a s a junior I can understand his concept and realise and can visualise what he is saying but I find it too formulated for my liking.

My teacher works on just 4 key positions and it is how I swing through those that we work on to improve.

I can't see how people can vilify Leadbetter for his achievements within the teaching profession. The spectacular demise of Wie is down to her father and advisers. It is laughable that she can earn $x million purely through off course sponsorship and endorsements and can't even make cuts in LPGA events.

I think a great talent has been scarred possibly permanently by ill advise and a driven parent pushing too hard to earn off the golden goose.

 

[stevelockie]

Watch Deadbeater if you want to ruin your golf swing ;-)

I have heard a few say things like this against leadbetter,what i want to know is how do people come to this opinion?

If he is regarded as one of the top coaches by folks more qualified than you're average club golfer how can club golfers make/have such a strong opinion that he is a bad coach.

I would think as i said earlier that dvd's can be dangerous as you have no coach beside you to tell you that you are not doing it properly or as is more probable, folks are trying to change more than one thing at a time and in doing so making a mess of there swing.

I think one of the reasons he is "vilified" is because he teaches a method i.e. you must swing in his prescribed manner. Regardless of existing swing, build etc

Other coaches predominantly take your existing swing and make adjustments in order ro gain improvements.

Plus some of Lead's students have lost their swings quite spectacularly (Michelle Wie). Or their swings have failed to hold up under pressure (Ernie!)

to blame Michelle Wie on leadbetter is laughable. If you want someone to blame for Wie's demise i suggest you look no further than her advisers.
Last year she earned over 12 million in earnings. How did this happen when she won nothing and i am not sure she even made a cut in a tournament.
Her advisers have been putting her in tournaments playing against men when she is unable to compete and her confidence has been destroyed, this is an opinion held by a lot of commentators and pros.

I have never heard any pro saying Leadbetter is a bad coach(this does not mean there aren't any).

I do on the other hand agree he or any other coach for that matter will not suit every golfer, this is why i think you have to be careful with dvd's in he long game as you need someone there to make sure you are on the right track.

I find the tips and short game instructions fantastic and i know they have helped me.

I don't blame Leadbetter for Michelle Wie's recent misfortunes but it's all about public perception. These high level coaches reputations live and die by the success of their star pupils. They are associated with the successes, therefore they are associated with the failures.

Leadbetter is not the "coach du jour" at the moment, but if big Ernie picks up a major this year, he will be seen as back at the top of the tree.

Leadbetter's teachings have a lot of merit, but I think you really need to have a good understanding of your own swing before you undertake some of his ideas.

 

[RGuk]

I am a big fan.....he taught the pro that taught my pro!

I don't believe DL's system is either prescriptive or dangerous to "dip" into now and again. It's not rocket science.....just a simple, technicaly sound method for teaching. What you don't get to see on the vids is the extra stuff that he works on with players who have got the basics well sorted.

What more can you ask for; A - B - C stuff. His theories on the pivot are the same as everyone else (more or less) and learning to build in the arms/hands is hardly controversial.

Taken out of context some of the basics could ***** up your swing big time.....DL (and Faldo etc.) prefer a more upright plane, one that leads from a good initial move away from the ball. If you basicaly can't play (beginner or hacker) and try to set the club this way without making the correct turn etc. you'll just slice the cr** out of it.

As for his tips and drills....almost all are a) easy to understand and b) useful for everyone to try.
Better to understand you own swing and have some lessons plus watch all these endless dvds than expect some magic....it ain't gonna happen on it's own, even if he is the greatest or worst coach ever.

 

[daveyboy17]

I like Leadbetter BUT He is only famous coz of FALDO!!!!!! He was his big break and lets face it FALDO work ethic hitting thousands of balls a day if you are going to have a student like faldo you are going to be famous, I know he had done bits before that but he ows it all to faldo, he did the work, If My mrs taught Faldo back then you would all be buying her instruction books, my opinion anyway and like i said i do like him

 

[USER1999]

I find his legs are too long, and this is distracting.

 

[The23rdman]

Watch Deadbeater if you want to ruin your golf swing ;-)

I have heard a few say things like this against leadbetter,what i want to know is how do people come to this opinion?

If he is regarded as one of the top coaches by folks more qualified than you're average club golfer how can club golfers make/have such a strong opinion that he is a bad coach.

I would think as i said earlier that dvd's can be dangerous as you have no coach beside you to tell you that you are not doing it properly or as is more probable, folks are trying to change more than one thing at a time and in doing so making a mess of there swing.

Leadbetter has destroyed more golfers confidence and swings than any other coach. He works for a Faldo character who's completely anal and meticulous, but he teaches a one size fits all swing and is the most shameless self promoter around. He changes his teaching method to run with the fads without any mention that he's doing so.

 

[The23rdman]

Watch Deadbeater if you want to ruin your golf swing ;-)

I have heard a few say things like this against leadbetter,what i want to know is how do people come to this opinion?

If he is regarded as one of the top coaches by folks more qualified than you're average club golfer how can club golfers make/have such a strong opinion that he is a bad coach.

I would think as i said earlier that dvd's can be dangerous as you have no coach beside you to tell you that you are not doing it properly or as is more probable, folks are trying to change more than one thing at a time and in doing so making a mess of there swing.

I think one of the reasons he is "vilified" is because he teaches a method i.e. you must swing in his prescribed manner. Regardless of existing swing, build etc

Other coaches predominantly take your existing swing and make adjustments in order ro gain improvements.

Plus some of Lead's students have lost their swings quite spectacularly (Michelle Wie). Or their swings have failed to hold up under pressure (Ernie!)

to blame Michelle Wie on leadbetter is laughable. If you want someone to blame for Wie's demise i suggest you look no further than her advisers.
Last year she earned over 12 million in earnings. How did this happen when she won nothing and i am not sure she even made a cut in a tournament.
Her advisers have been putting her in tournaments playing against men when she is unable to compete and her confidence has been destroyed, this is an opinion held by a lot of commentators and pros.

I have never heard any pro saying Leadbetter is a bad coach(this does not mean there aren't any).

I do on the other hand agree he or any other coach for that matter will not suit every golfer, this is why i think you have to be careful with dvd's in he long game as you need someone there to make sure you are on the right track.

I find the tips and short game instructions fantastic and i know they have helped me.

that's rubbish. Wie had a glorious free flowing swing and now can't hit the ball straight. Who else should one blame but the man who's torn her beautiful swing apart? Ok, blame her father for being misguided enough to go to him.

Same goes for Justin Rose. Leads broke his swing and he plummeted. He leaves DL and bang! He's a golfer again. Uncluttered and free.

 

[The23rdman]

Leadbetter teaches a position golf swing when anyone with an ounce of sense can see there are no static positions at all. Even set-up should be moving and dynamic. It's like teaching darts by trying to stop the dart in mid flight and suggesting this is the exact position it needs to be in. It has no basis in reality.

 

[geronimo]

Leadbetter teaches a position golf swing when anyone with an ounce of sense can see there are no static positions at all. Even set-up should be moving and dynamic. It's like teaching darts by trying to stop the dart in mid flight and suggesting this is the exact position it needs to be in. It has no basis in reality.

don't agree with what you are saying.

Have you watched any leadbetter dvd's lately?

If he has destroyed Wie's swing why is she still there, Why does the commentators i have heard blame all around Wie apart from Leadbetter who advised her not to do what she has/is doing.

Do you know better than these commentators/ex or current pro's?

He does not teach a static position.

there is not one coach on this planet that will suit every golfer.

to say he has destroyed more golfers than any other coach is laughable, you cant get to his status within the pro/pga community by being lucky or on the back of one success, in-fact i feel that's how Butch Harmon got to where he is, on the back of Tiger but i know that this will not be true as if i think Leadbetter cant get to his status on the back of faldo then Butch can't be there on the back of tiger.

Horses for courses = coaches for golfers.

I am not going to get into a slagging match with you, you have stated you're case of why i am wrong and i am stating my case for which i think you are wrong.

Opinions like r's holes we all have'em

 

[Basher]

I have a few dvd's which are very good even if they are a bit long winded.
The main thing I noticed about his dvd's is that he pulls his trousers up way too far, they're almost up to his chest Goddammit!!!!

 

[viscount17]

didn't he teach Simon Cowell?