|
Making a Decision...
At what point do you make a decision as to what golf philosphy, instruction, method, style you are going to adopt as your mainstay?
Bouncing from one golf philosphy or instruction to another will certainly without a doubt lead to confusion at best and at worst totally incompatible parts. The approach of shopping around for an answer to a fault, to how to perform the correct stroke, how to do anything appears to be a hap hazard method. To me it seems golfers out there are still seeking the secret, much as they continue to go through equipment and training aids. If it works for the moment, great, if not on to the next. If it had worked but now doesn't throw it away and find something else. I see posters visiting a half dozen or more forums, posting the same question. After getting various responses, that same poster is back in a few days with another question, again spread across the forums seeking another answer. Based on their response back it seem the posters are approaching building, maintaining and reparing their golf stroke as a smorgasbord, take something from here, then jump over here and take something from there, etc. Where is the master plan, blueprint, the controls and restrictions, the guidelines and definitions to ensure what is being constructed is in fact solid? I equate this to just kind of wandering aimlessly, chasing what sounds good and just plain hoping that you can hit on the right combination to find something that works. Am I alone in this observation? Reviewing and gathering all this information, doesn't it lead to information overload, confusion at times? I fully understand golf intructors need to seek out the information so they can be better prepared to work with students, understand the students golf stroke and where the student is coming from, but for the student, how many, how much is needed to know? How do you decide or do you decide to define your basic stroke, your blueprint upon which you build your golf stroke? The other question is do you have a blueprint or defined golf stroke flavor you are building, maintaining, etc.? Do you have a source to aid you or is it multiple sources? If multiple, why? |
I have been wandering aimlessly for about 20 yrs. now, always getting that quick fix, that, "I think I have it now" mentality. Well, I am tired. I am now looking toward the holy land, seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I fully intend on having my blueprint in hand, knowing the path I am going to travel, in a very short time. My revelation begins in Destin, June 2nd.
|
Building Blocks
The Three Building Blocks -- now and forever -- are:
1. Hinge Action; 2. Angular (circular) Motion; and 3. The Inclined Plane. |
If one thinks a while about the 'reasons' to do certain things in the swing - the physics, geometry and anatomy of the motion, that path is defined fairly well for a given person, shot, condition. Multiple sources of info are very helpful, but ONLY if you know the overall perspective they are coming from - which of the three areas they address, and which of the 'too much, not enough and just right' they are discussing.
Each of those three areas has an 'ideal' as far as the 'clubs' motion and as far as how the body must move to support it. The obvious difficulty is that each person and each shot is unique, so unless every golf tip or article spells out clearly the perspective their approach is coming from, it is easy to get confused. All of that said, the swing can be summed up with: The 3 imperatives The 3 essentials "support the on plane swinging force in balance" Those cover the physics and geometry for the most part. Austin did a great job of looking at how the body must move to support the club. From what I have heard and understand of Mac, he has done a lot of work in that area too. So many variables, but the CONCEPTS are not that difficult. The big advantage to TGM is that it 'should' be the basis for teaching every student of the game the proper concepts - the 'map' of where you want to go - How you decide to get there has many options, different roads to travel. That first turn, each grip type, leads you down a different road, but you still are trying to get to the same destination - the support of impact, the application of FORCE - sustaining the line of compression. |
Re: Making a Decision...
Quote:
The evidence is in my bookshelf. Swing Like a Pro (Mann, Griffin,et al) Essentials of the Golf Swing (John Redman) Golf. Plain and Simple (Don Trahan) No book but a video from Scott Hazeldine on a single-axis swing. You get the picture. Why? Good question. A big part of it is a failure to find a teaching pro that I was comfortable with (I was originally working with Fred Blackmar but he had health problems that ended that). So I search and try to find something I can do on my own. I feel like I've made progress since spending time on these forums, but I sure wished I lived in Atlanta, or Mesa, or New Orleans so I could follow Homer's "imploredly with" advice. |
Day Tripper
Quote:
|
Day Trip'in
Dave,
I've booked round trip tickets out of Austin for less than a couple bills round trip. You are overdue... Bagger |
Re: Making a Decision...
Quote:
First, I've bounced about more than the average Joe in search of the holy grail of golf. It is very ironic I never happened on the yellow book in that search because it likely would have appealed to me. I've been to several 'name' schools and had other individual lessons from some well known and maybe lesser known good instructors. The result was always the same.... chase some feel or swing thought for a few months with varying degrees of sucess. Until I read enough on GEA, TGM and Chuck Evans to believe that Yoda and YodasLuke were onto something. In fairness, I wouldn't have found it if I hadn't kept searching.... but at this point I think I am working on a efficient hitting stroke only....since I'm 58 I doubt there is time to do much else and since it seems to work well I don't think I need more than hitting in my game. I've seen Ted Fort once, and I'm sure I'll be back to see him again. Hopefully in the late summer or fall to tighten things up. It was the best experience I've had with a teacher. It seems to me that all golfers are trying to do the same thing.... control the flight of the golf ball. When you finally find a way to compress the golf ball and make it go where you want... I think you stay with that system, no matter what it may be. TGM is the only thing I've found that allows me to repeatably control a golf ball.... I'm here for good. Patrick |
Re: Making a Decision...
Quote:
Very well put... TGM is not a method, it is a system. Bagger |
Re: Making a Decision...
Quote:
|
Good one
Very good topic. I am guilty of jumping around like most golfers. But now I have TGM. Now it's a matter of working on my selected components. Master one, move on.
I like the post Mike O. regarding pivot controlled hands. There is some good stuff in here about why people continually try to change things, and a lot of it has to do with the concept of "feel". Feel is elusive and ever-changing. I'm sure this has a lot to do with why people keep searching for new methods and philosophy's. http://www.lynnblakegolf.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=354 |
One Less Bell To Answer
Quote:
1. Start with a dead-straight, 12-inch Putt. 2. Make a complete Three-Station Motion (Address, Top and Finish). 3. Stay On Plane during that Basic Motion (Up, Back and In and Down, Out and Forward) by Tracing (Clubshaft Control) the Plane Line / Target Line with your Right Forearm and Forefinger (which senses the inertia of the Lagging Sweetspot and thus also serves as Clubhead Control). 4. Keep your Left Wrist Flat (Clubface Control) as you proceed through Impact until Both Arms are straight. In other words, Follow-Through. 5. Pick the Ball out of the Hole and repeat nine more times. At this point, your search has ended. Ten times in a row you have used your Flat Left Wrist, Clubhead Lag Pressure Point and Straight Plane Line to demonstrate total control of the Clubface, Head and Shaft from Address to The Top to The Finish. You may now embrace The Golfing Machine for what it is: A Complete System for a Lifetime of Better Golf. |
Excellent questions Martee. I first played golf 23 years ago in my middle 30s. I became 100% skeptical of all golf instruction very quickly. I figured out on my own that the hands had to come through before the clubhead, but believed both wrists had to cock-- years of mediocre play. Quit for a couple years a couple times. Could never figure out what was wrong, why I could never be consistent. Actually heard of TGM many years ago, but assumed it was just another scam. When Brian Manzella said straight left wrist bent right wrist on a post at FGI a couple years ago, I just slapped my forehead and said Eureka! I had many lessons over the years--- why was I never told this before? I bought Ben Doyle's Video and Hebron's Secrets & Lies book, and have made lots of improvement-- to the point where I need a couple lessons... but now I know who I can trust.
I still forget most of what I read about golf instruction, even here! But the topics that are on point with what I'm working on are ALWAYS helpful. 2-dimensional videos and written instructions are dangerous! Even when it's accurate and precise-- if it isn't something I'm ready for, I will ignore it. Thank you Yoda for this wonderful site! And thanks for the good question Martee! -Redan |
Mixed (G.O.L.F.) Nuts
Quote:
|
We cannot see beyond a choice we do not understand. Often the gold at the end of the rainbow is ill-defined or treated as if it's not a need-to-know by the instructor or methodologist. That's why we move from method to method. I have often felt that students and instructors are co-conspirators in the never ending search. There is a limited supply of answers, because there is a limited demand for them.
There may seem like there are an infinite number of questions in TGM, but for each question there is an answer. A reason. It is not a dogmatic embrace of an opinion or anecdotal experience. The pot of gold is precisely striking the ball with an economy of effort and a wealth of result. I like TGM because you can see the end, when you begin. The path is set before you. It's a choice you can see beyond. Charlie |
No Shortage Of Teachers In This Classroom
Great stuff, Charlie. Thanks for taking time to give us these insights!
|
Quote:
|
| All times are GMT -4. The time now is 12:12 PM. |