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A good player but not a good teacher!

Posted by: user128129 [FORUM MODERATOR] | Wed 1st Jul 2009 23:15 | Last Reply

My Daughter got married at the weekend and I got chatting to one of her mates dad. I had never met him before and the subject got onto golf. After telling him my handicap he insisted that he would give me a game and promised that I would improve with his guidance as he was a single figure golfer. We arranged a game on Monday 1pm as I had the day off work. I arrived at 12:45 and he finally turned up at 1:30.

He noticed my clubs and said I had no chance of a decent score as I had no driver or woods with me. I had just my irons and a utility club. I should have spotted the early warning sign but carried on regardless. 

The first hole he critisized my clubs, my ball (Nike SFT), my stance, and my 3/4 swing on each shot. I took 3 shots to reach the green and then lipped out on my 2nd putt to leave a tap-in for double bogey. 'Follow what I tell you for each shot, and the first will be your worst hole' he said. I followed what he said and the round got progressivly worse! He was hitting his drives miles down the fairway and was trying to get me to follow suit with a massive full, fast swing that I could not control. I was in the trees more than I was out! He found the green (or very close to it) on all his second shots and was insisting I should 'go for it' as that was the only way to improve. I found virtually every ditch, bunker, and rough going, but no greens. By the ninth tee I had just 7 points total!

By pure chance he recieved a phone call just after we had teed off and he chatted on the phone while I played yet another 2nd shot sideways from the trees. He informed me his missus had car trouble and that he would have to leave after the 9th was finished. THANK GOD I shouted (in my head). We shook hands on the 9th green and he had a quick tot up of  our scores. He had score something like 37 or there abouts for the par 34 front nine. I had scored 57!!

He wandered back to the car park and I made my way to the 10th. i decided to play my normal game of 3/4 swing and play safe. I gross parred the 10th! I ended up with a back nine of net birdie x 3, net par x 4 and net bogey x 2 for 19 points and a gross of 48! And the back nine is harder than the front!

My new found 'friend' is certainly a talented golfer, but he has no idea about teaching a high handicapper!  I will definatly insist he never tries to teach me again, thats if we ever play together again!

 

re: A good player but not a good teacher!
user202037 [FORUM MODERATOR]
Reply : Wed 1st Jul 2009 23:42

Paul,

Some good Golfers try and "Teach" everyone what works for them. Thats one of the things about Golf. It sound like he pushed himself on you from the off. That's a bad sign.

TheLyth

re: A good player but not a good teacher!
user99350
Reply : Thu 2nd Jul 2009 09:07

 Paul, sounds like a nightmare. Trouble is you've got to tell them early doors that you're not interested in a complete service and mot though you'll listen to what they have to say. It is the height of arrogance for someone to dismiss your equipment when they don't know your history, they've not considered that you've gone through a lot of evaluation and decisions to arrive at the clubs you use. Of course if you try to take on board what they say it's odds on that you'll go to pieces and what's so wrong with a 3/4 swing? I've had one forr the last three yrs. I'm just surprised that you didn't tell him to **** off before he had to go.

re: A good player but not a good teacher!
user77012
Reply : Thu 2nd Jul 2009 22:34

Paul I feel for you man youv'e had a raw deal check this guy out he will straighten you out he's awesome

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osD2U-s8i6E

 

 

re: A good player but not a good teacher!
user77012
Reply : Thu 2nd Jul 2009 22:57

I knew you would enjoy him he's quality being a golf swing nerd I worringly understand what he's taking about!!

re: A good player but not a good teacher!
user26342
Reply : Fri 3rd Jul 2009 00:10

Dave,

I can imagine Chris having those kind of thoughts, especially with his background

re: A good player but not a good teacher!
user20126 [FORUM MODERATOR]
Reply : Fri 3rd Jul 2009 17:19

Some people can play and some people can teach, but not everyone can play and teach!

David Leadbetter was a decent player on the PGA tour but nothing special, but he is a great teacher.

The problem you had was that he tried to make you play the way he plays golf, nobody can exactly match some one else's game.

The thing you need the most is to find out how he thinks, not how he plays.

Let him give you some advice on small changes you can make to your game, but find out how he thinks and see if it's different to the way you think.

Russ

re: A good player but not a good teacher!
user202037 [FORUM MODERATOR]
Reply : Sat 4th Jul 2009 12:16

It also works the other way.

Dr Golf, John Jacobs went under the name of Maurice Jacobs (he was born John Robert Maurice) for many years. When he decided that he wanted to gain a reputation he started using John because it gave him the same initial as his elder brother Jack (born John Archibald) who already had a good reputation as both a player and teacher. So in his early years John used his brothers playing record in Sheffield to enhance his profile.

Jack was the Pro at Lindrick for many years and after he retired he could be found every day in the Clubhouse drinking Tea and willing to talk Golf to anyone who wanted to listen. A great character and a true gentleman. 

re: A good player but not a good teacher!
user99350
Reply : Mon 6th Jul 2009 16:44

 Thanks for reminding me Lyth, Lest we forget  I don't think that enough credit was given to the visionary John Jacobs. I religiously watched his shows (sadly before VHS otherwise I might have been better) from whatever course it was in NE (Gosforth Park?). A true genius.


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