TEACHING/PLAYING
 

I have noticed that many(not all) golf teachers, especially if they teach full time, have a difficult time actually playing the game. Some of this may be simply due to the fact that they are not playing the game very much, but are teaching.

There does seem to be a phenomenon among many golf teachers... that once they get into teaching, they have trouble playing. I know, and have played with several of them. They may have the occasional good day.

There are exceptions, of course. Bob Toski, for example, was/is probably one of the best players, that also taught a lot. A friend of mine that knows him says he is a FEEL teacher, that is, he moves the students around a lot, and tries to get them to FEEL certain things. I believe he PLAYS the same way. I think that would be called a RIGHT BRAIN teacher and player.

WHAT IS THE CAUSE AND CURE FOR THIS? NOT, STOP TEACHING AND START PLAYING!

I think they lose their ability to putt and the short game. I bet everything else is pretty damn good

The Teacher's Game
 

In his book Five Lessons, Ben Hogan made the following telling statement:

"I was hitting the ball as well as ever, but I had lost the knack of scoring." [Itlalics mine.]

What constitutes this 'knack' of scoring? It is a combination of many factors -- mental, physical and, indeed, spiritual -- only a part of which is the actual Golf Stroke itself. Let's take a look at just some of them.

Although I hate to bear bad tidings, Lagster, I fear I must: There is a Frequency Factor that bears on one's ability to shoot low scores. Assuming sound Stroke Mechanics -- and that most definitely includes the Short Strokes -- the teacher must play with at least some frequency in order to score. And he must practice. When one is not in playing 'trim,' there are far too many opportunities during a round of golf for strokes to simply slip away. This is particularly true under competitive pressure on Championship layouts and from the back tees.

Then there is the Work Factor: Shooting a low Score involves far more work than most people realize. It looks so easy, but like those ducks gliding along the water's surface, the feet below are paddling like crazy! It is not so much the physical Stroke that takes the effort: That, ideally, has become the "non-emotional execution of a procedure" (Chapter 14). Instead, it is the mental effort, i.e., the programming of the Computer with the nuances that present themselves on every shot. Said another way, we're all a bit lazy, and the tendency to avoid making the necessary effort is there, especially when we are at 'play.'

And there is definitely the 'In the Zone' Factor. Recall your school days and final exams: How many times did you just put pen to paper and three hours had passed? The same is true of Golf: When I played a lot, there was a definite rhythm to the Game itself, and eighteen Holes of Golf seemed like minutes. Today, playing only occasionally, the Round seems to take forever.

There is a Physical Factor as well. Even PGA TOUR players know they tend to fatigue over the course of a round. That's the reason the Fitness Trailer has become so popular in recent years. The last few Holes count just as much as the first few, and those guys know it. Unfortunately, advancing age and 'experience' don't help the problem one bit.

There is an Embarrassment Factor, the fact that the instructor 'knows all' and still hits bad shots. Sure, intellectually, that's just part of the game of Golf, but psychologically, especially when one's students are watching, it is very real (and particularly if it is only occasional so you don't get used to it!). Indeed, the fear of a bad shot and its subsequent embarrassment is, not surprisingly, often prelude to the real thing. Percy Boomer, in his classic book On Learning Golf, related how once he turned professional, it was many years before he hit a decent shot off his home club's first tee. If that is not succumbing to psychological pressure, what is? The bottom line is that the player must be comfortable with himself -- and unconcerned with the opinions of others -- to play his best golf. Moe Norman said one of the reasons he played so well for so many years was that he was his own best friend -- he was comfortable with who he was and what he was doing.

And finally, there is the Desire Factor. The problem comes when shooting a low Score ceases to be all that important. And when scoring well ceases to be -- at least at the moment it is happening -- the most important thing in the world, then you are done. You have lost the 'edge' that differentiates the top competitors and with it, the opportunity to play your best Golf, at least on that day. In my own case, somewhere along the line it dawned on me that my wife and kids didn't care if I shot 69 or 99, they just wanted to see me at the end of the day. And there just wasn't enough of me to spread around.

The truth is that few people really care whether or not we shoot a low round. Other than our playing partners, our instructors and ourselves, it's a pretty light group. To no small degree, then, this could also be called the Selfishness Factor, because for shooting a low Golf Score to be endowed with such significance in life is to demand that we relegate all other priorities -- including family, friends and business -- to a back seat.

So cut yourself some slack:

If you're not active enough...

Or disciplined enough...

Or secure enough...

Or selfish enough...

Don't expect a lot of low scores cluttering up your handicap sheet.

'Cause it ain't gonna happen.

FANTASTIC ARTICLE!
 

This is a fantastic article, Yoda. What else is there to say?!

Dave

Excellent Response Yoda (what else would one expect :oops: ).

I am more concerned regarding an instructor what he teaches, how he communicates, and can he understand me?

Wow Dr. Yoda! You never cease to amaze me with your insights and how you present them. All Star Post!

As I told one of the members at my club after I had hit a less than desirious shot....If I hit them all like the players you see on T.V. each week, you would be watching me on T.V. instead of playing with me right now. Oh, by the way, I know I can help you with that slice, lack of distance and inconsistency if you would like me to help you after our round is over.

Thanks,

Drew
PGA Golf Professional, 19 Years

A very good and well thought out post Mr. Yoda!! There are indeed several factors that could be involved here?

It sounds like you think the FREQUENCY FACTOR is a big one.

Someone once told me... "just go out there and play three days in a row, and you will be back around par."

We're Human -- Get Over It!
 

Agreed, lagster -- 100 percent!

Better yet, play 36 holes a day each of those three days. The pressure on any given shot -- that's the real problem of infrequent playing -- simply goes away. You just get real used to making the mistakes we Golfing humans must...dealing with them...and then getting on to the next Hole!

After I turned pro, I experienced the same things. I came into the business around a busy time and didn't play for a while. Then when things slowed down, I had to play with members. That can be pressure. My game went to crud. Soon after I found TGM and begin reading about it online, when by chance Ted Fort came walking into my golf shop, wearing a TGM hat. I discovered he had been coaching a friend of mine, who was a college player, and I was lucky enough to have him take a look at me. Soon after, I passed my PAT, and all the pressure of golf was gone. Ted has become the only person that I would allow to work on my golf swing in the state, but I think I would make an exception for you, Yoda, if we ever cross paths in Marietta. Nowadays, I generally hit the ball better than ever, but still have trouble scoring for the above listed reasons. But, as my head pro predicted and Yoda mentioned, if I can play 3-4 days in a row, by the 3rd round I usually play fairly well. Yoda, if you ever want to come play one of the best courses in the state :D, send me a private message and we can make arrangements.

Spalding

Personal Swing Doctor
 

You're in good hands, Spalding. I'll get with Ted -- a.k.a. 'Luke the Nuke' -- and see if we can't make it a threesome in the Spring. Thanks for the invite!

One of my favorite subjects....

(My real close friends know that the REASON I learned so much golf is to help myself play my best).

In 1994, I returned to New Orleans form my first stint in Louisville.

I was going to see how well I could play.

I started to play about an AVERAGE of more than 18 holes a day.

Once I stumbled on my "Turning Shoulder Plane" magic (of the time) and my Langer-esque putting grip, I would go WEEKS without a double-bogey.

WEEKS!

I averaged well under par per round and shot 9-under twice, and 7-under a few times.

I played in a few mini-tour tournaments and choked like a dog. I then had a real good finish in the State Professional Championship and .....

stopped playing.

Not completetly, but never again like that. Never again 72 holes EVERY weekend.

Now I play 72 holes every three months.

What happened?

Teachers...real teachers...are always in the UPGRADE mode.

I have totally changed my swing 10 times more than Tom Kite ever dreamed of.

But I never played better than I did with the TURNING SHOULDER PLANE and the big ole cut and langer putting.

Ugly.

But...............magic. :(

Re: Personal Swing Doctor
 

You're in good hands, Spalding. I'll get with Ted -- a.k.a. 'Luke the Nuke' -- and see if we can't make it a threesome in the Spring. Thanks for the invite!

My Pleasure! :wink:

I think a lot of this is due to direction of mind and energy. A teacher's vision and mind is directed outwards looking at the pupil and scanning through the various ways to help him and reach him. This takes a lot of mind ,energy and attention and as a consequence mind and energy is taken away from one's self. Playing mode is differemnt from teaching mode and it is not easy to hop from one to the other. To be your best player I think you need to be selfish and protect yourself.

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hue may be on to something here.

There should be techniques, however, to switch the mind to the "playing mode", more quickly than just being away from teaching others for a while. There are some, it seems, that can turn the Teaching and Playing switch ON/ OFF on command.

Lagster...

Those guys who (supposedly) can turn the switch on and off....

They play more golf then Greg Norman

Playing & Teaching
 

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Brian,

How do you think Tiger or Ernie would do if you had them teach 8 to 10 lessons a day for two weeks... then gave them a half hour or so to practice... then put them in the Masters?