Are you interested in getting your swing videotaped and reviewed - have you ever had a Video Golf Lesson where the Pro videotaped you and then told you everything you’re doing wrong in your swing?  Have you ever had a Pro tell you everything you’re doing wrong, along with comparing your swing to a PGA or LPGA Tour Professional?

If so, you know what that makes you - a MONKEY!

It’s amazing how many people want to get their swing videotaped and analyzed these days.  Golf Made Simple stopped videotaping 4-years ago because we found that it doesn’t work!  It doesn’t help the golfer on the golf course, it actually makes the golfer score worse.  But, the trend is that more and more Golfers want to get it done because it seems as if some people think it does work.  Why do these people think videotape works - because they‘ve been told that it works.  Now the question is - who’s telling you that it works? I’m willing to bet a small fortune that it wasn’t another Golfer that told you that it works.

My money is on the Golf Pro at your Golf Club or at the driving range you frequent, telling you that video analysis works.  So then why are these Pro’s so positive about you getting videotaped, one reason is they think it sets them apart from all the other Pro’s out there teaching.  Every month, I receive almost as many offers from golf swing computer analysis companies as I do offers for credit cards.  And all the literature says that I will set myself apart from everybody else along with making more lesson revenue if I use their video analysis system.  So the second reason the Pro wants you to get videotaped is that the Pro literally “buys into” the system and then sells you on its merits by saying to you - “Do you want to get your swing videotaped?  It’ll be really good for you to see it.”

And you believe him/her because they’re Pro’s and you trust them. Let me tell you a little secret - you know that Pro that you trust with your swing - the Pro that tells you that you should have your swing videotaped - he’s a MONKEY!

Why am I so anti-video?  Because it doesn’t work!  Let’s start with this question - Please name me another sport that videotapes an athlete and breaks-down every movement they make.  Now I know they videotape football players, but when they do - it’s to see how the play develops or to see who was out of position, or to breakdown the upcoming opponents plays.

They don’t say to the linebacker - “OK, let’s watch you try to make that tackle in the last game.  You see how your left foot was turned 34-degrees out as you planted your right foot at a 23-degree angle.  And notice that your shoulders aren’t in alignment with your hips.  You hips are little open to the right.  And you see how your left hand is turned a little too much towards the sky.  And you see how your spine angle isn’t straight.  Next game I want you to do it different by ……."

Can you imagine trying to tackle another player while thinking of all that stuff.  That football player is going to go out on that field thinking about so much stuff - he’ll have the worst game of his life.  Just like the golfer that does the same thing after they go through video analysis.

Again golf is the only sport that videotapes.  Yet, most golfers think it’s a critical step in improving.  Why do you feel that way?  Because the Golf Magazines tell you that you should get it done?  Because the Golf Channel says you need to get videotaped?  Because Butch Harmon says you need to get videotaped?  Let me put it to you this way - Why do the Golf Magazines, Golf Channel and Butch Harmon all tell you that you need to use the V1 system or the Computer Coach or the Simple Swing Solutions or the Monkey See, Monkey Do Video System - because they’re paid to tell you to use them.

For the Golf Magazines and Golf Channel, these video system companies buy advertising.  If you owned a magazine or television company wouldn’t you promote their product for an advertiser with the strategy of - the bigger these companies get, the more they can advertise with us.  And do you think Butch Harmon is promoting these systems for free?  Of course he says you need to use them with all that enthusiasm - he’s getting big buck’s for telling you to use them.

Golfers are Monkeys - we do what we see others doing because we’re always struggling with our games - so we’ll try anything to improve.  Videotaping your swing isn’t the best way, it actually will make you worse before you get better, if you get better at all.  “Yes, Mr. Golf Pro, I want to pay you my hard earned money to make me worse and then after I get worse and frustrated and curse myself for being such a bad golfer, I’m hoping to get better because you told me everything I‘m doing wrong in my golf swing as we watched my video.”

An acquaintance of mine, Dr. Rick Jenson told me a story about watching the tennis star, Venus Williams practicing in Palm Beach, Florida, 3-years ago.  Rick was sitting in the stands with Venus’ coach.  And on this day, the coach wasn’t happy about the way Venus was performing.  He started yelling down to her - “Venus, Venus, why can’t you get your arm turning over on that return shot?  We’ve gone over this a million times and if you want to win, you need to get that arm over!”  At this time, the coach turns to Rick and says “She’s needs to get that arm over or she’ll struggle next week at the tournament.”  And Rick replied by saying “Then why don’t you just videotape her so she can see what she’s doing wrong?”  Rick told me that after he said that, it looked as if the coach was going to come out of his skin.  The coach fired back - “Don’t you bring that bleeppity, bleep, bleep golf video tape bleep, into my tennis stadium.  That is the worst thing you can do to an athlete.  After they watch themselves, they’ll be thinking so much of what they’re doing wrong and how they look doing it, they’ll never play good.  That’s why all you golfers are all messed up and complaining about your games all the time!”

Whenever I come across a golfer that has been videotaped, I always ask them the same question - How did you like getting videotaped?  And they almost always answer - “It was helpful” -  And then I ask - Have your scores improved since you got videotaped? - And they always answer - “No, but I know what I’m doing wrong.” 

Great, you know what you’re doing wrong!

The funny thing about the - “It was helpful” - answer to my first question about if you liked getting videotaped - is I don’t really believe these golfers - I think they’re just saying that because they think it was supposed to help them and they don‘t want to be scrutinized for saying it didn‘t help.  It’s like the Emperor Has No Clothes Syndrome - nobody wants to say that they didn’t get anything positive out of it for fear of being thrown in jail or thought of as a leper.

Monkey See, Monkey Do

Have you ever heard a Golf Pro come out against videotaping the golf swing?  Well, you’re hearing it right now from me.  Go ahead tell everybody that I feel video is the worst thing to happen to golfers.  I’m not afraid of being the Black Sheep - besides, I know 100’s of golfers that have improved 6 to 11 strokes without it!

You want to know another reason why so many Pros are into video analysis?  Well, I’m going to tell you that little secret again - just because someone is a Golf Pro doesn’t mean they aren’t a Monkey.  And the only reason they play better than you is that they’ve had 1000’s of more hours to devote to practicing their games than you have had, so of course they can play better. So basically they’re talented Monkey’s.

Golf is the only sport that videotapes and Golf is the only sport that regular players of the game are always complaining about how bad they‘re playing.

Coincidence?

Monkey See, Monkey Do