I Don’t Teach Golf - I Teach People to Play Golf

I’m often asked, “How can you stand to teach golf every day for so many years?”

The answer is simple: I don’t teach golf - I teach people to play golf. There’s a world of difference between the two.

Every golf lesson I give follows a three-part structure:

1. Diagnosis
2. Explanation
3. Correction

1. Diagnosis

The diagnosis must be clear, concise, and accurate. Every swing has a unique flaw. One might be too steep, another too shallow. One student swings outside-in, another inside-out. Some swings are too upright, others too flat. On and on, ad infinitum - no two are alike. A good teacher sees the truth of the motion and identifies the root issue. This is what MUST be done

2. Explanation

This is the heart and soul of the lesson. And this is where real communication begins.

Every student learns differently. Some are visual. Some are verbal. Some are kinesthetic - they learn by feel. A skilled instructor must adjust their language and approach to meet the learner where they are. This is the make-or-break moment in teaching.

A great teacher can explain the same thing in several ways until the student experiences their personal “aha” moment. This principle isn’t limited to golf - it’s universal to all coaching and leadership.

It’s perfectly acceptable, necessary even, for a coach to vary their explanations or drills to fit the student. But one thing must never change: the diagnosis.

A good teacher might say, “Let me try explaining that another way,” but should always clarify, “We’re not changing what’s wrong, only how we’re trying to correct it.” Otherwise, the student may believe the target keeps moving - and nothing is more confusing than a shifting objective.

Keep bringing them back to the big picture. Remind them of the purpose behind the correction.

3. Correction

The correction itself is always an individual matter. There are thousands of drills, swing thoughts, gadgets, and training aids out there—and any one of them might help that student on that day. That’s the art of instruction.

But again, no matter what tool or method you use, the goal never changes. That consistency is critical. Progress in golf—and in learning—requires clarity, purpose, and a steady hand guiding the way.