Instruction
What Works for Whom? The Pragmatic Approach to Golf Instruction
The very first thing a golf instructor should do, in my opinion, is ask the student her/his short-term and long-term goals. When and only when that has been determined can the collective effort commence.
The next thing is to assess is the student’s skill level to determine if the goals are realistic. If they are, the lesson can proceed; if they are not, the lesson should stop immediately, and a reassessment is in order. I’m not going to waste my time or a student’s money telling a 15-handicap he can get to scratch. Blowing smoke is what teachers who have no work do. But the 35+ years I’ve spent teaching people to play golf has revealed that unrealistic golf goals are the exception, not the rule.
The vast majority of people I’ve taught are very realistic in their goals. The 15-handicapper who just went to a 20 does not desire to be scratch; he simply wants to get back to being a 15.
No one comes to see me or any teacher if they are playing well, so we get down to the real work, which is: What’s the problem? Their very presence on my lesson tee indicates some sort of trouble, so I have to determine what that trouble is and find the source of it.
Where to begin? Well, how about with the obvious? What is the golf ball doing?
In golf, there is no other trouble: never has been and can never be. If a golfer spins around, stumbles and finishes with the club in one hand but the ball flies consistently straight at the target that golfer by definition has a good swing.
A flying elbow is not a problem. A spin out is not a problem. Quick is not a problem. Unless they affect impact.
So we come to the most critical part of the lesson: the diagnosis. I’ve seen the golf ball in flight and know from experience that the only thing that made it do what it did is the golf club at impact. Closed, open, shallow, steep, in-to-out, out-to-in, toe, heel? The answer is right there in that four ten-thousandths of a second.
Now when I find that out, then and only then can I proceed to what caused the club to move as it did. Things like flying elbows, aim, grip, spinning out, casting, losing balance, falling — back, blah, blah, blah — may need to be discussed, but only in the context of how these movements affected the golf club at impact.
For all of you who have used my online swing analysis program, what is the first question I asked? What is your ball flight? I cannot even begin to offer a correction in the absence of that knowledge. If anyone offers you a tip without seeing your ball flight, leave immediately. They are guessing, and about to spout some meaningless phrase they have seen on the Golf Channel, read in Golf Digest or heard somewhere else. They may be right, but it would be a blind squirrel finding a nut if they didn’t know your ball flight problem.
We could go right down the list of greats: Jack Nicklaus’ flying elbow, Lee Trevino’s loop, Tom Watson’s quick swing, Walter Hagen’s lunge, Bobby Jones’ narrow stance, Arnold Palmer’s in-and-over, Byron Nelson’s dip, Ben Hogan’s weak grip, Gary Player’s flat swing… Modern day, let’s talk about Jordan Spieth’s bent arm, Rickie Fowler’s laid-off position, Fred Couple’s outside takeaway, Jim Furyk’s everything, Ryan Moore’s loop, Hideki Matsuyama’s pause… and on and on and on.
My personal assessment of those swings? All GREAT! I wouldn’t know any of them (and you wouldn’t either) if they weren’t. What do they have in common other than great impact? They put all their pieces together. Each player’s swing has compatible moves, and that’s all a good teacher is trying to do; put your various pieces together. I’ve heard some people say, “Well, I don’t need lessons. I picked up this or that tip and it worked for me.” Great! Stay with it.
I am the most pragmatic instructor you’ll find. But remember that offering a personal improvement story as proof something is “right” in the golf swing is really only saying, “It worked for me.” What separates a good, experienced instructor from the myriad of also-rans who call themselves teachers is the knowledge of what works for whom.
To finish I’ll give one classic example about “casting” and “over the top,” although there are many. Casting is a necessary ingredient in an over-the-top move. It MUST complement it. It is not optimal, but is very functional. Try coming over the top and lagging the club. You won’t even make contact. Now, tell someone who is over the top to hit from the inside. I’m giving you 10-1 odds they lay sod over it, because casting does NOT complement an inside path even though it was an essential element of an outside one.
Looking at the swing in this way offers real answers to golf swing problems, not stabs in the dark. Everyone of you reading this has the ability to solve your golf equation; you just gotta know the formula. And that’s what good golf instructors try to provide.
Questions? Concerns? Post your comments below. If you’re interested in my online swing analysis program you can contact me at dennisclarkgolf@gmail.com.
There may be no more painful affliction in golf than the “yips” – those uncontrollable and maddening little nervous twitches that prevent you from making a decent stroke on short putts. If you’ve never had them, consider yourself very fortunate (or possibly just very young). But I can assure you that when your most treacherous and feared golf shot is not the 195 yard approach over water with a quartering headwind…not the extra tight fairway with water left and sand right…not the soft bunker shot to a downhill pin with water on the other side…No, when your most feared shot is the remaining 2- 4-foot putt after hitting a great approach, recovery or lag putt, it makes the game almost painful.
And I’ve been fighting the yips (again) for a while now. It’s a recurring nightmare that has haunted me most of my adult life. I even had the yips when I was in my 20s, but I’ve beat them into submission off and on most of my adult life. But just recently, that nasty virus came to life once again. My lag putting has been very good, but when I get over one of those “you should make this” length putts, the entire nervous system seems to go haywire. I make great practice strokes, and then the most pitiful short-stroke or jab at the ball you can imagine. Sheesh.
But I’m a traditionalist, and do not look toward the long putter, belly putter, cross-hand, claw or other variation as the solution. My approach is to beat those damn yips into submission some other way. Here’s what I’m doing that is working pretty well, and I offer it to all of you who might have a similar affliction on the greens.
When you are over a short putt, forget the practice strokes…you want your natural eye-hand coordination to be unhindered by mechanics. Address your putt and take a good look at the hole, and back to the putter to ensure good alignment. Lighten your right hand grip on the putter and make sure that only the fingertips are in contact with the grip, to prevent you from getting to tight.
Then, take a long, long look at the hole to fill your entire mind and senses with the target. When you bring your head/eyes back to the ball, try to make a smooth, immediate move right into your backstroke — not even a second pause — and then let your hands and putter track right back together right back to where you were looking — the HOLE! Seeing the putter make contact with the ball, preferably even the forward edge of the ball – the side near the hole.
For me, this is working, but I am asking all of you to chime in with your own “home remedies” for the most aggravating and senseless of all golf maladies. It never hurts to have more to fall back on!
Over the last couple of decades, golf has become much more science-based. We measure swing speed, smash factor, angle of attack, strokes gained, and many other metrics that can really help golfers improve. But I often wonder if the advancement of golf’s “hard” sciences comes at the expense of the “soft” sciences.
Take, for example, golf instruction. Good golf instruction requires understanding swing mechanics and ball flight. But let’s take that as a given for PGA instructors. The other factors that make an instructor effective can be evaluated by social science, rather than launch monitors.
If you are a recreational golfer looking for a golf instructor, here are my top three points to consider.
1. Cultural mindset
What is “cultural mindset? To social scientists, it means whether a culture of genius or a culture of learning exists. In a golf instruction context, that may mean whether the teacher communicates a message that golf ability is something innate (you either have it or you don’t), or whether golf ability is something that can be learned. You want the latter!
It may sound obvious to suggest that you find a golf instructor who thinks you can improve, but my research suggests that it isn’t a given. In a large sample study of golf instructors, I found that when it came to recreational golfers, there was a wide range of belief systems. Some instructors strongly believed recreational golfers could improve through lessons. while others strongly believed they could not. And those beliefs manifested in the instructor’s feedback given to a student and the culture created for players.
2. Coping and self-modeling can beat role-modeling
Swing analysis technology is often preloaded with swings of PGA and LPGA Tour players. The swings of elite players are intended to be used for comparative purposes with golfers taking lessons. What social science tells us is that for novice and non-expert golfers, comparing swings to tour professionals can have the opposite effect of that intended. If you fit into the novice or non-expert category of golfer, you will learn more and be more motivated to change if you see yourself making a ‘better’ swing (self-modeling) or seeing your swing compared to a similar other (a coping model). Stay away from instructors who want to compare your swing with that of a tour player.
3. Learning theory basics
It is not a sexy selling point, but learning is a process, and that process is incremental – particularly for recreational adult players. Social science helps us understand this element of golf instruction. A good instructor will take learning slowly. He or she will give you just about enough information that challenges you, but is still manageable. The artful instructor will take time to decide what that one or two learning points are before jumping in to make full-scale swing changes. If the instructor moves too fast, you will probably leave the lesson with an arm’s length of swing thoughts and not really know which to focus on.
As an instructor, I develop a priority list of changes I want to make in a player’s technique. We then patiently and gradually work through that list. Beware of instructors who give you more than you can chew.
So if you are in the market for golf instruction, I encourage you to look beyond the X’s and O’s to find the right match!
Most pros take months, even years, to win their first tournament. Lottie Woad needed exactly four days.
The 21-year-old from Surrey shot 21-under 267 at Dundonald Links to win the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open by three shots — in her very first event as a professional. She’s only the third player in LPGA history to accomplish this feat, joining Rose Zhang (2023) and Beverly Hanson (1951).
But here’s what caught my attention as a coach: Woad didn’t win through miraculous putting or bombing 300-yard drives. She won through relentless precision and unshakeable composure. After watching her performance unfold, I’m convinced every golfer — from weekend warriors to scratch players — can steal pages from her playbook.
Precision Beats Power (And It’s Not Even Close)
Forget the driving contests. Woad proved that finding greens matters more than finding distance.
What Woad did:
• Hit it straight, hit it solid, give yourself chances
• Aimed for the fat parts of greens instead of chasing pins
• Let her putting do the talking after hitting safe targets
• As she said, “Everyone was chasing me today, and managed to maintain the lead and played really nicely down the stretch and hit a lot of good shots”
Why most golfers mess this up:
• They see a pin tucked behind a bunker and grab one more club to “go right at it”
• Distance becomes more important than accuracy
• They try to be heroic instead of smart
ACTION ITEM: For your next 10 rounds, aim for the center of every green regardless of pin position. Track your greens in regulation and watch your scores drop before your swing changes.
The Putter That Stayed Cool Under Fire
Woad started the final round two shots clear and immediately applied pressure with birdies at the 2nd and 3rd holes. When South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim mounted a charge and reached 20-under with a birdie at the 14th, Woad didn’t panic.
How she responded to pressure:
• Fired back with consecutive birdies at the 13th and 14th
• Watched Kim stumble with back-to-back bogeys
• Capped it with her fifth birdie of the day at the par-5 18th
• Stayed patient when others pressed, pressed when others cracked
What amateurs do wrong:
• Get conservative when they should be aggressive
• Try to force magic when steady play would win
• Panic when someone else makes a move
ACTION ITEM: Practice your 3-6 foot putts for 15 minutes after every range session. Woad’s putting wasn’t spectacular—it was reliable. Make the putts you should make.
Course Management 101: Play Your Game, Not the Course’s Game
Woad admitted she couldn’t see many scoreboards during the final round, but it didn’t matter. She stuck to her game plan regardless of what others were doing.
Her mental approach:
• Focused on her process, not the competition
• Drew on past pressure situations (Augusta National Women’s Amateur win)
• As she said, “That was the biggest tournament I played in at the time and was kind of my big win. So definitely felt the pressure of it more there, and I felt like all those experiences helped me with this”
Her physical execution:
• 270-yard drives (nothing flashy)
• Methodical iron play
• Steady putting
• Everything effective, nothing spectacular
ACTION ITEM: Create a yardage book for your home course. Know your distances to every pin, every hazard, every landing area. Stick to your plan no matter what your playing partners are doing.
Mental Toughness Isn’t Born, It’s Built
The most impressive part of Woad’s win? She genuinely didn’t expect it: “I definitely wasn’t expecting to win my first event as a pro, but I knew I was playing well, and I was hoping to contend.”
Her winning mindset:
• Didn’t put winning pressure on herself
• Focused on playing well and contending
• Made winning a byproduct of a good process
• Built confidence through recent experiences:
- Won the Women’s Irish Open as an amateur
- Missed a playoff by one shot at the Evian Championship
- Each experience prepared her for the next
What this means for you:
• Stop trying to shoot career rounds every time you tee up
• Focus on executing your pre-shot routine
• Commit to every shot
• Stay present in the moment
ACTION ITEM: Before each round, set process goals instead of score goals. Example: “I will take three practice swings before every shot” or “I will pick a specific target for every shot.” Let your score be the result, not the focus.
The Real Lesson
Woad collected $300,000 for her first professional victory, but the real prize was proving that fundamentals still work at golf’s highest level. She didn’t reinvent the game — she simply executed the basics better than everyone else that week.
The fundamentals that won:
• Hit more fairways
• Find more greens
• Make the putts you should make
• Stay patient under pressure
That’s something every golfer can do, regardless of handicap. Lottie Woad just showed us it’s still the winning formula.
FINAL ACTION ITEM: Pick one of the four action items above and commit to it for the next month. Master one fundamental before moving to the next. That’s how champions are built.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” on RG.org each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more Tips!
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Bobalu
Dec 18, 2016 at 6:43 pm
More teachers need to do what is illustrated in the article’s accompanying photo. A golf teacher needs to put his hands on a student and show them correct positions. Words often just confuse a lot of students, even better golfers because of preconceived ideas and repetition of bad moves. Top golf coach Dana Dahlquist not infrequently makes a complete video lesson (using Trackman) for a non-local golfer to review at home over and over, emphasizing the key things that need to be changed, and how to get the proper feel for the new move. Zero old-school band-aids and goofy drills like the ‘Flamingo’ drill. LOL. A student can make his own range videos and use mirror work for followup. In contrast, most golf instructors teach using an ineffective “slow drip” method. One lesson to strengthen grip with specific drills, one lesson for impact with specific drills, etc, etc. You get the picture…painful and actually a very poor way to get it done. Here is an example of a better way- a well-communicated lesson summarized on video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzEhFvYmoLE. IMO, the more logical way for better golfers to make solid improvements- a total video template!
Eric Fugate
Dec 16, 2016 at 8:27 pm
I like the article. I think Mr. Clark’s opinion is well on point. Every golfer is different and every swing is different and each lesson plan for the golfer should be to different and not cookie cutter, the same for every person, but the goal is the same, square club face at impact and to enjoy the game.
PineStreetGolf
Dec 16, 2016 at 10:14 am
I don’t understand the “if he doesn’t know your ballflight, leave immediately”. That would probably be good advice if the point of every single golf lesson was to hit the ball straighter. But there is much more in play (fat, thin, clubhead speed, etc…). Seems silly to me to demand that from a pro.
It took me about two years to go from a 12 to a 2. I’ve had the same pro the whole time, once a month. The entire first six months we worked on nothing but increasing clubhead speed and didn’t care a whit for where the ball went. I realize thats the exception (we built a two year plan) but there is a whole lot more to getting better at golf than making the ball go straighter.
If you are a “resort instructor” (i.e. you see people once or twice and thats it) then this is a fantastic article. If you are more of a “coach” (getting someone a great swing over years and years) then this advice seems awful.
PSG
PineStreetGolf
Dec 16, 2016 at 10:18 am
As an aside, after reading some of the comments, this article is too negative on what students can achieve. Alot of golf work (working out, doing mirror work with tape, swinging with a medicine ball,e tc..) can be done at home, off the range. I guess I have much more faith that a 15 who really wants to get to scratch can do it, and that that isn’t silly. In 2008 i was about a 23. Now I’m a 2 and falling. Its not easy, but there are people out there who do it and who can do it, and this article saying immediately that 15->scratch is just ludicrious and should be written off is not only wrong but borderline offensive.
Dennis clark
Dec 16, 2016 at 2:38 pm
Ewe I teach at a resort with 600 members, and I have coached many top players to collegiate careers, PGA Tour, web.com, so…Thin, fat,toe, heel, shank, are all forms of “ball flight” or in this case LACK of it, they are under the general category of IMPACT. I have two players with over 120 MPH club head speed and several in the 80 category. The instruction does not change…I’m either working on club face, attack angle or swing path/plane. Without knowing those I’m teaching golf, not teaching THAT person to play golf. Thx DC
PSG
Dec 16, 2016 at 2:48 pm
Just so I understand, you ask people what their ball flight is, and if they tend to hit it fat they say “my ballflight tends to be fat” ?!??! I find that hard to believe.
I think its odd that you preach the “every golfer is different and should be taught differently” philosophy (which I agree with) and then speak in absolutes (“15 cap can’t become scratch”, “must ask what ballfight is or run”, etc…) If everyone is different, why do you have these hard and fast rules?
I’m not doubting your credentials, I’m doubting you actually do what you say in this article. I’m also not doubting that you are a good coach.
I’m doubting two things: first, that a coach who doesn’t immediately ask what your ballflight is is by definition bad and, second, that you “can’t” go from a 15 handicap to scratch, as though that is a ridiculous thing like growing a third arm.
Both of those things seem really silly.
Dennis Clark
Dec 16, 2016 at 5:10 pm
I don’t take your comments as an affront to my credentials at all. You have every right to raise these points. And since you have done so politely, I’ll take a minute to respond…
I saw a lesson a range recently where the instructor asked the student to set up to hit a golf ball. BEFORE the ball was hit, the “teacher” said “first your stance is too wide and your grip is too strong”. This is the type of approach I am objecting to in this article. “Wide” or “strong” mean nothing in and of themselves. That would be like seeing Jim Furyk’s backswing and saying it is WAY too vertical. Hence my point about watching some impact, seeing path, plane and angle BEFORE i make a suggestion. I have been doing this work for near 40 years, and have seen FAR too many people offer suggestions simply based on a book, a theory, a recent TV comment etc. The teacher MUST see it in action, and internalize the entire dynamic (which is ball flight as a result of impact) before he/she suggests a correction. If a teacher suggested to Furyk, that he get his takeaway “on plane” and he then dropped the club well back under as he tends to do, he would be a club golfer. He’s one of the best in the world because he and his dad put together a sequence that works for JIM.
Now about the realistic goals comment…You are correct in saying a 15 may be able to get to scratch; technically there is no question. That’s why I begin by asking “what are your goals”? There are two distinctly different lessons: One I call correction and the other creation. If a student says, I’m 15, I wanna be scratch, I have to assess the situation, and inform him/her how REALISTIC this aim actually is. If the physical ability is there, as apparently yours is, AND if the student can afford the time and investment, then we set out to do a “creation lesson”, by that I mean we begin by rebuilding the swing from “scratch”- no pun intended. But when I said I’m not going to kid the student, I’m referring the guy who plays on the weekend, hits balls only to warm up, has no speed etc. If HE says I’d like to be scratch I’m not about to say “OK no problem I’m your guy”– JUST to get work. Too many instructors mislead students with wild flights of fancy. I’m not demeaning or insulting ANYONE, I handle the conversation with courtesy and professionalism but I make it clear that more realism might be a better way to enjoy the game.
Thank you for your interest and I hope this explains my article a little better.
PSG
Dec 16, 2016 at 8:14 pm
That was a very good response. Thank you.
You make good points here. I would really enjoy a future article from you on how to determine if goals are realistic. I set out to just ‘get better’ but it has taken a whole lot more than I thought. As an instructor who has seen improvement, I’d love to read what you “look for” in a student in terms of who can and can’t’ rapidly improve so that even if a reader isn’t taking lessons he can gravitate toward becoming more “teachable”.
Thanks for replying to each point. Makes sense.
Jalan
Dec 16, 2016 at 10:08 am
This is common sense. Who are the morons ‘Shanking’ this article?
Well, I see one of them.
Dennis Clark
Dec 16, 2016 at 9:00 am
I can have anyone hitting the golf better in an hour, and won’t change your whole swing to do it either…or there is no charge for my time! Match the parts, get the club face, attack angle and path/plane right and don’t worry about the method of application-I’m sure that every experienced teacher would tell you the same.
Noel
Dec 15, 2016 at 7:59 pm
Dennis-
You are spot on in your article- Almost all things we see in a swing are results and not causes- attempts by athletes golfing brains to take the club face and square the face through impact with a reasonable angle of approach-
Owning what you do is just as important in tournament golf as anything else- and it’s certainly more important than being correct to some “scientific standard” – just ask a long list of hall of famers
Ron
Dec 15, 2016 at 9:45 am
“I’m not going to waste my time or a student’s money telling a 15-handicap he can get to scratch.”
Just a question – wasn’t every scratch golfer a 15 at some point? Or is it more that people with innate skill can get to single digits on their own before they seek out a coach? Because I used to be a 6, then medical problems made me quit the game for 7 years. And now I’m back, but I’m a 15. I want to be a 6 again. Actually, I want to be a 4, but I’d settle for a 6. And as bad as I’ve been off the tee recently, I know there’s 9 shots right there. 🙂
Dennis Clark
Dec 15, 2016 at 3:43 pm
Was every scratch player a 15 once? Maybe a week, month, no ore than half a season probably when they 12 yrs old? of course I’m talking about the guy who has been a 15 most of his career, or at least for a good long while. In your case, if you were actually a 6, and not TOO long ago (age factor) you likely have the ability to get back there. I could have you hitting the ball better in an hour, but rest of that climb would be the time and work you put in. Thx.
Ron
Dec 16, 2016 at 11:14 am
I’ll be back to single digits by spring. I only started playing again in July. Then I’ll come see you.
Frank McChrystal
Dec 15, 2016 at 9:23 am
“We in the PGA do not do a good job at training teachers. Many are permitted to hang out their shingles well before they are ready to do so.” Congrats Dennis, that is a good start. Step one.
HeineyLite
Dec 15, 2016 at 1:22 am
My question Dennis with the advent of technology over the past few years, hasn’t that made instruction from the past obsolete? I’m confused by Nick Faldo, Peter Kostis, and even Michael Breed, to name a few, when they make a swing analysis of what they think is going on. And I’ll see other swing analysis of the same players by younger more recent instructors debunking what the old guard has said… Confused…
Dennis Clark
Dec 15, 2016 at 11:49 am
Old or new, if they are dealing with truth, I.E. impact, they are on the right track. HOW the player got there matters not one bit IF they can repeat it. Technology is a big help no doubt, but radar for example Trackman, measures impact numbers but it ignores how the player got there. THE best tech is GEARS but I doubt they guys are allowed to suit up the GEARS outfit while playing! Tiger has been squatting into impact his whole life, or at least since Stanford, right? How come the commentators only thought it was a problem when he went sour? He lowered into impact for every one of his 14 majors to some degree. So do most great players, but when he stopped winning , now its a a swing fault? Something like Tiger has a “tendency” or a propensity to get the golf club too far behind him, and that MIGHT cause this or that would be a more fair and accurate assessment, no?
HeineyLite
Dec 15, 2016 at 3:01 pm
Thanks Dennis… Also what’s your assessment on Chamblee’s rants on Tiger of today. Especially his right elbow in the downswing?
Dennis Clark
Dec 15, 2016 at 6:28 pm
HL,Here’s what I think about the right elbow…
https://youtu.be/cTuTrpWCZhU
Now according to Chamblee, Jim Furyk cant play at all.
Double Mocha Man
Dec 15, 2016 at 8:16 pm
… nor can Fred Couples…
McPickens
Dec 15, 2016 at 9:21 pm
wrong, Chamblee stated on GC not long ago that Fred Couples was the envy of all tour pros back in the late ’80s and ’90s because they didn’t think he tried very hard but was still an elite world class pro. Chamblee also stated that Freddie was probably the most naturally talented golfer of all time.
Dennis clark
Dec 16, 2016 at 2:41 pm
Mocha is talking about Couples’ RIGHT elbow, not his ability which Chamble or no one else questions.
Dennis Clark
Dec 16, 2016 at 5:40 am
Exactly!
HeineyLite
Dec 15, 2016 at 10:46 pm
Thanks for your time… I’ve always thought Chamblee was an A hole…
Double Mocha Man
Dec 16, 2016 at 11:52 am
I was being facetious regarding Chamblee. But some pro out there had better correct Freddie’s flying elbow!
Mike Barnett
Dec 14, 2016 at 8:24 pm
You can also add the cookie cutter approach that many instructors dispense on a regular basis. It’s tiresome and frustrating to hear them say the same things to different people without giving effort to the one individual they have in front of them. Like a broken record, with the same old same old. You sir appear to be one that treats the individual.
Dennis Clark
Dec 14, 2016 at 7:09 pm
Look this is not a swipe at good, qualified instructors, it is a word of caution to those who takes lessons. Buyer beware! The truthof the matter is this: We in the PGA do not do a great job at training teachers. Many are permitted to hang out their shingles well before they are ready to do so. And this demeans the industry as a whole…I’m telling the lesson takers of the world to be careful. There are warning signs out there and I’ve offered a few here. No one, pro or a, should be offering tips without seeing you hit balls or at least knowing your ball flight. I’d be very wary of that instructor. That’s ALL I’m saying
BC
Dec 14, 2016 at 9:17 pm
Well, it’s interesting that you think “No one, pro or a (sic), should be offering tips without seeing you hit balls or at least knowing your ball flight. I’d be very wary of that instructor.”
What do you think of teachers giving golf swing advice over the internet without as much as a video of the person’s golf swing? Tell the truth now Dennis!
Dennis Clark
Dec 14, 2016 at 10:16 pm
IF this, THEN try this…the IF is the operative word…IF you slice, try this or these things…or this CAN cause, the CAN is the operative word. When “giving advice” in that context it is alluding to some possibility of BALL FLIGHT…very different animal than “this is right or wrong”. in terms of absolutes there is only one one: impact
Jack Conger
Dec 14, 2016 at 6:52 pm
Dennis, loved the article. The number problem I see with 99.9% of all golfers is alignment. Always to the right. ( right handed player) This as you know causes an outside to in path all day long. Pretty hard to be consistent trying to hit a ball at a target that you aren’t aimed at. Makes sense to me. Jack
Dennis Clark
Dec 14, 2016 at 6:58 pm
You’re saying that aiming to the right causes an out to in path, why? I don’t see that many people aiming right- in fact i see more aiming left. As far as aim is concerned, golfers typically aim AWAY from their BAD shot. That is, slicers aim left, hookers aim right etc. It’s a reflex. Thx
Jack
Dec 14, 2016 at 9:05 pm
You talking about alignment of the body or the clubface? If the alignment of the body is to the right but the clubface is to the right as well but less it’s a draw. What’s wrong with that? I’m not sure you understand what you are saying. And yeah it causing an outside in? That’d be a double cross, which is highly unnatural since it could be all arms. At which point the legs don’t matter as much.
Dennis Clark
Dec 14, 2016 at 10:32 pm
I’m not sure what he’s saying here either. He MAY mean that if one is aligned right, he reacts by swinging swing left of his aim point– an attempt to pull the ball back to the target? Just a guess though…
Jack
Dec 15, 2016 at 10:06 pm
I don’t understand honestly why so many people are having problems with your article. Perhaps you are stirring the pot too much but IMO that’s a good thing. Different golfers want different things, and instructors can offer that or tell them to go somewhere else. Some people are perhaps a little sadistic (like me) and want to make their swing look as textbook as possible. Some just want to get a quick fix or two and be able to hit the ball straight (not to mention just focus on scoring better).
A pretty swing doesn’t equal a good score anyway is what I’ve learned playing with random people lol. A guy I’ve played with who has been a scratch golfer most of his life doesn’t have a perfect looking swing but it sure is consistent and his short game and putting is just right on.
Monte Scheinblum a.k.a. The Mad Bomber
Dec 14, 2016 at 3:49 pm
I can’t believe people pay me money to give them lessons! I don’t know how to teach.
MY RATES:
$150 per hour
$600 for a five lesson package (5 one hour lessons)
MY PLAYING LESSONS:
$250 for 9 holes (fee includes greens fee and cart)
$400 for 18 holes (fee includes greens fee and cart)
MY CLINIC FEES:
$350/$450 for 2/3 days.
Range and green fees are always around $50 per day.
Dennis Clark
Dec 14, 2016 at 5:17 pm
I’m sure your approach is practical just as mine is. And I’m sure you’ll agree its the most effective way. Thx
HeineyLite
Dec 15, 2016 at 1:14 am
Quit advertising then…
Double Mocha Man
Dec 14, 2016 at 3:29 pm
Wow Dennis… loved it. You just took a lot of teaching pros out behind the woodshed. The guilty ones will know who they are… if they read your article.
Tom
Dec 14, 2016 at 1:13 pm
I liked it. The opening statement ( four paragraphs) sets the tone for the rest of the article. Comprehension plays a big part in what one gets out of reading an article. Much like a golf swing.
Markallister
Dec 14, 2016 at 1:04 pm
i did not like this article, because it was self-promoting, but not very insightful. everyone knows that pragmatism trumps.
Double Mocha Man
Dec 14, 2016 at 3:31 pm
Maybe a bit self-promoting. But until you take a video lesson from Mr. Clark you won’t know what you’re missing. You won’t see what you need to see.