tommy armour or attn Dave

[richard]

with all the different views on how to hit a golf ball, from book to book,or video to video,or pro to pro,
We here that Tommy Armour's thoughts wont work today,due to the totally different type of clubs and he didint explain the swing properly.
I tried David Leadbetters videos over one year, and my game crashed.
then a pro now it is a total shambles,hit ok. with the pro but cant take it to the course.
Question does Tommy's thoughts stack
I liked Daves thoughts on the magic moves, but how do you know you are not ingraining a bad habbit.
who is the best instructer on media?

 

[John_Findlay]

Hi Richard,

Why are you even bothering with "media" instruction if you can't improve with a real life pro in front of you? If you're hitting it ok with the pro but not on the course what good is a book or DVD going to do you? You gonna read the book or watch telly on the course?

Clearly your pro had you doing something right. It's now up to you to work out how to take it to the course. Same problem we all have, in fact. My advice. Stick with your pro and practice more.

Cheers

J

 

[RGuk]

I wouldn’t necessarily recommend any DVDs or instructional media.
I understand all the D.L. stuff because the language and core principles are directly linked to the coaching I had (many years ago).
The difficult aspect of using one-way teaching is that a) if you don’t know what you are doing wrong, it’s hard to get anything useful out of what you watch, other than building your general understanding and b) you may try things which are not relevant and make a mess of it.
I use a camcorder to see what’s going on and then practice accordingly. I establish what I don’t like, work on it for half the session and then go back to working on strike and direction with the new feeling. Towards the end of a round the other day, I made a mess of the last 4 holes after cruising towards a 74-76 or so. I analysed my swing the next day and discovered a horrible fault which I know leads to the one thing that caused exactly what happened. Without the camcorder, I’d still be confused 3 weeks later!!
If you can’t see where your faults/ weaknesses are (or know by experience), then instructional DVDs (for swing/long game) are probably pointless. I watch myself from the ground up, from the side and down-the-line. I check the legs, and head from the front (plus the takeaway) and the timing on the downswing. I check the takeaway, plane and delivery from down-the-line. Once I run out of things to fix, then I’ll go back for more lessons.

Dave

 

[tpred]

I agree with john.
All the pro can do is show and tell you what to do.Then it is down to you to work hard and practice what he teaches you.Its down to you to make it work.
I have had plenty of lessons and after some of them my game has gone completly backwards for a few weeks but after plenty of practice and determination my game improved.

In this game you only get out what u put in (thats how i see it)and as thet say PRACTICE makes PERMANANT.

So my advice would be stick with your pro and practice what he teaches you religiously.

 

[RGuk]

Well said tpred!!!

I endured 4 1/2 hours with a player the other day who was moaning about how his game had crashed after some lessons.

In the bar afterwards, I commented that his woes were nothing compared to a player that gives 100% commitment to doing what they are advised by a pro, and accepting the consequences. I've been virtually unable to hit the ball after some lessons, and have embarrassed myself endlessly on the course on a Sunday game. I don't mind shooting 95 if after the bitter pill starts to work, I get nearer 75.

We (the golfing community, hackers and single figures) are lucky that to be a pro requires 1) the ability to play the game properly and 2) the professional training to teach. it protects us and the game from charlatans and quick fix merchants. If only it was the same in some other areas of life.

Dave

 

[John_Findlay]

I've been through it, guys. That's why I've stopped reading the teaching books.

I have a shelf full of books by Dave Pelz, Tiger Woods, David Leadbetter, Ben Hogan, you name it. But my best golf is always when I ignore them all and practice what my pro has been teaching me.

Sure, it's hard work. I have been suffering from troughs and hitting peaks since I started getting lessons again but I'm bright enough to know it's going to take 5 years to get to the level I want to get to. So I'll be patient and continue to suffer those odd troughs....because the peaks over the last couple of years have been the best ever.

Sometimes you have to get worse before you get better.

 

[tpred]

Me too john, i think i have every tuition book and dvd known to man and to be perfectly honest havent really learnt that much from them.
I believe its a hands on approach that pays in the end.
After some of my lessons i have really struggled to get my head round the changes.But after a lot of determination it works out.I eventualy said to myself that after each lesson i wouldnt play in any comps etc until i was certain my swing was ok.I just simply go out on the course and play,Scores dont come into the equation and when i know im swinging it well i get back to my normal game.
In the past iv'e had my lesson,practiced a few times on the range and a few hits on the course and played in a medal that weekend and scored absolute crap.

This method works for me and if you think about it its a logical thing to do.