The Pitfalls of Internet Instruction

The internet has given birth to a plethora of golf swing advice. For many average golfers, I think it has become a source of confusion rather than clarity - and with good reason. The information itself is all well and good, but the interpretation of the advice is a cause for concern. I know this because I teach golf every day to weekenders and people who play golf for enjoyment. Often, I hear them relate how they are attempting to incorporate a tip into their swing. And sometimes, in fact quite often, what they are trying to do is detrimental to them. The operative phrase here is for them.

Imagine for a minute that Jordan Spieth had read or heard about the importance of a straight left arm, or a full pronation and supination of his arms coming into impact. Those two pieces of advice have been widely discussed throughout the instruction community for years. And for some, perhaps many, they are relevant. Not so much for Jordan. His instructor was wise enough to know better in this case. That same teacher may very well have another student do those things; he just knew it was not in Jordan’s best interest.

How does a golfer know something they have read or heard is good for their swing when it’s likely the author has never seen them swing? I try to steer away from offering generalized swing tips. Rather, I focus on an approach that can best be described as, “If this, then that.” IF your golf ball is doing this, THEN you might try this.

I start every one of my lessons with a direct question: “What is your miss and what poor shot do you hit that tends to derail your round? That’s a loaded question for an instructor because the answer contains a ton of information about a golfer’s pattern. For example, high upright swings create high slices; lower, flatter motions create low hooks; wide swings hit the heel; narrow ones hit the toe; steep swings hit fat shots; flatter ones miss thin. On and on…

I have had a lot of golfers come to my lesson tee trying their best to incorporate a move they’ve read or heard, and what they are attempting to do does not fit their puzzle. A recent example comes to mind about a player who was struggling with swaying off the ball and very wide takeaway. Consequently, he was hitting two inches behind most shots off the turf… even drop-kicking his driver. He told me how a Golf Channel segment had suggested that a wider arc creates more power. True enough, perhaps; it just happened to be terrible advice for him because he was already wide.

The very best swing advice you can get comes from your own instructor, but if you are going to attempt to employ a new pattern on your own, please be sure it can help correct your old one. In other words, be certain the prescription fits the condition.

Every swing tip should come with a warning: “Side effects can be hazardous to golf swing. Trying this can cause slices, hooks, shanks, pulls, pushes, thin and fat shots, skulls and pop ups. If any of these symptoms appear, please see your instructor right away!”

In deciding what information to incorporate, as I’ve said, a personal instructor is best, but if you are interested in trying a new tip from a friend, book, article or video, perhaps an online video review of your swing might reveal what is helpful and what could be harmful. In other words, buyer beware. I would hate to see any of you make your current swing problem worse. My new website will include a limited number of online students so I can work more directly with golfers through Skype and other platforms, but I have to know your history, your ball flight trends, and any physical limitations before offering assistance.